Card Connector with Movable Partition Plate for Dual-Size IC Cards
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing card connectors struggle to accommodate IC cards of different sizes and shapes, leading to inconsistent electric contact pressure and increased height, while also being prone to incorrect insertion and complex component configurations.
Innovation Solution
A card connector design featuring a base member and cover member forming a card accommodation space with paired guideways for large and small cards, an actuator that rotates to move a partition plate, and pushup springs to bias the partition member, allowing for reliable sorting and reduced height by enabling both normal and reverse card insertion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a partition plate is used to accommodate two types of IC cards with different shapes, then the card connector can support multiple card sizes, but the height of the card connector increases
Solution Approach 1:
The partition plate is made movable rather than fixed, allowing it to change position dynamically based on the inserted card type. The partition plate can move between a first position (when no card or small card is inserted) and a second position (when a large card is inserted), enabling the connector to adapt to different card sizes without requiring a permanently extended structure that would increase overall height.
2Adaptability or versatility
If contacts are arranged at the midpoint of the card connector height to support both card types, then both card types can be accommodated, but accurate contact installation becomes difficult and electric contact pressure is inconsistent
Solution Approach 1:
The partition plate's movable position dynamically adjusts the contact arrangement relative to the inserted card. When a large card is inserted, the partition plate moves to the second position, bringing the first contacts into proper alignment with the large card's external contacts. When a small card is inserted, the partition plate remains at the first position, allowing second contacts to align with the small card's external contacts. This dynamic adjustment eliminates the need for mid-height contact arrangement and ensures consistent electric contact pressure for each card type.
3Measurement precision
If lock brackets and actuators are added to detect card width and move the partition plate, then card sorting accuracy improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lock brackets are designed to be automatically actuated by the inserted card itself. When a large card is inserted, its width naturally pushes the lock brackets to move the partition plate to the second position. When a small card is inserted, the lock brackets remain in their initial position, keeping the partition plate at the first position. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for external sensors, motors, or complex control systems, achieving accurate card width detection and partition plate movement through the card's own physical dimensions.
4Reliability
If the partition plate extends from the card guide to the end wall of the connector main body, then card guidance is reliable, but the overall height of the connector is limited in reduction
Solution Approach 1:
The partition plate's movable design allows it to extend fully for reliable card guidance when needed (moving to the second position when a large card is inserted), while returning to a retracted first position when not needed (when no card or small card is inserted). This dynamic extension and retraction maintains guidance reliability during card insertion while minimizing the overall height requirement of the connector, as the full extension is not permanently required.
Data Source
AI summary
A card insertion slot in the card connector through which two types of cards, large and small cards, can be selectively installed in a card accommodation space include first and second guideways in corresponding to the sizes of the cards. The card connector includes first and second contacts, a lock bracket configured to detect the width of the large card, an actuator configured to be rotatable, and a partition member including a partition plate configured to be movable. When the large card is inserted into the card connector, the lock bracket is moved from the first position to the second position. When the large card is further fed into the card connector, the actuator is rotated from the first position to the second position, and the partition plate is moved from the first position to the second position.