CA2263276C - Method for communicating with a portable data medium - Google Patents
Method for communicating with a portable data medium Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2263276C CA2263276C CA002263276A CA2263276A CA2263276C CA 2263276 C CA2263276 C CA 2263276C CA 002263276 A CA002263276 A CA 002263276A CA 2263276 A CA2263276 A CA 2263276A CA 2263276 C CA2263276 C CA 2263276C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- conducting element
- contacts
- data medium
- portable data
- sheet
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Fee Related
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Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- G06K7/00—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
- H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
- H01R13/02—Contact members
- H01R13/22—Contacts for co-operating by abutting
- H01R13/24—Contacts for co-operating by abutting resilient; resiliently-mounted
- H01R13/2407—Contacts for co-operating by abutting resilient; resiliently-mounted characterized by the resilient means
- H01R13/2414—Contacts for co-operating by abutting resilient; resiliently-mounted characterized by the resilient means conductive elastomers
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- G06K7/00—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns
- G06K7/0013—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by galvanic contacts, e.g. card connectors for ISO-7816 compliant smart cards or memory cards, e.g. SD card readers
- G06K7/0021—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by galvanic contacts, e.g. card connectors for ISO-7816 compliant smart cards or memory cards, e.g. SD card readers for reading/sensing record carriers having surface contacts
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- G06K7/00—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns
- G06K7/0013—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by galvanic contacts, e.g. card connectors for ISO-7816 compliant smart cards or memory cards, e.g. SD card readers
- G06K7/0021—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by galvanic contacts, e.g. card connectors for ISO-7816 compliant smart cards or memory cards, e.g. SD card readers for reading/sensing record carriers having surface contacts
- G06K7/003—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by galvanic contacts, e.g. card connectors for ISO-7816 compliant smart cards or memory cards, e.g. SD card readers for reading/sensing record carriers having surface contacts means for pressing the connector contacts in the direction of the card contacts to assure trustworthy electrical connection between card and connector
Abstract
The invention relates to a device for communicating with a portable data medium (2) and comprising for this purpose at least one electrical contact (44) intended to cooperate with at least one electrical contact (24) of the portable data medium through connecting means (3), in which said connecting means (3) comprise a sheet (31) having at least one area forming a first conducting element (34) disposed so as to cooperate with each of said contacts (24, 44) and the device comprises means for applying a compressing force to the contacts (24, 44) in order to press said first conducting element (34) against each of said contacts (24, 44) and for discontinuing the application of said force in order to move said first conducting element (34) away from the contacts (24, 44). According to the invention, said first conducting element (34) comprises an electrically conductive mass made of elastomer.
Description
3 The invention relates to a device for communicating with a 4 portable data medium and comprising for this purpose an electrical contact intended to cooperate with at least one 6 electrical contact of the portable data medium through connecting 7 means, in which said connecting means comprise a sheet extending 8 between the electrical contact of the device and the electrical 9 contact of the portable data medium and having at least one area forming a first conducting element running through a thickness of 11 the sheet and disposed so as to cooperate with each of said 12 contacts, and the device comprises force application means for 13 applying a compressing force to the contacts in order to press 14 said first conducting element against each of said contacts, and -5 for discontinuing the application of said force in order to move 16 said first conducting element away from the contacts.
17 The portable data medium is constituted, in particular, by a 18 card of the credit card type equipped, in an intrinsically known 19 way, with a microprocessor chip or a logical circuit chip for processing data, and carrying a plurality of electrical contacts 21 intended to cooperate with an equal number of contacts carried by 22 the device, as described, in particular, in US patent 4,211,919.
23 The device can be any unit intended to exchange information with 24 the portable data medium within the framework of any procedure, such as a financial operation, a verification of a user's access 6 to a site, etc.
27 Conventionally, the connecting means comprise a comb 28 attached to the device and carrying a plurality of juxtaposed 29 flexible metal pins. These pins are connected to the contacts of the device and are intended to cooperate elastically with the 31 contacts of the portable data medium. Other connecting means 32 having metal springs also exist. This type of connecting means 33 has the drawback of being expensive to produce due to the metal 34 cutting operations it involves.
The object of the invention is to offer a device of the type 36 mentioned at the beginning of the specification, wherein the 1 means for connecting to the portable data medium are less 2 expensive to produce.
3 To this end, according to the invention, said first 4 conducting element comprises an electrically conductive mass made of elastomer.
6 Other characteristics and advantages of the present 7 invention will emerge more clearly through the reading of the 8 following description of an exemplary embodiment of the device, 9 illustrated with the aid of the following figures, in which:
Fig. 1 is a top view of the inside of a portable data medium 11 reader in the process of cooperating with a portable data medium;
12 Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the line II-II of Fig. 1;
13 Fig. 3 is a top view of the connector with which the reader 14 is equipped;
Fig. 4 is a partial sectional view along the line IV-IV of 16 Fig. 3;
17 Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view along the line V-V of 18 Fig. 3;
19 Figs. 6a through 6c are three partial sectional views along the line VI-VI of Fig. 3 when the reader is cooperating with the 21 portable data medium, illustrating three successive phases of a 22 procedure for putting these two devices in contact;
23 Fig. 7 is a partial sectional view of the printed circuit 4, 24 showing a practical embodiment of any one of its contacts, ."5 cooperating with a conducting element;
26 Fig. 8a is a sectional view along the line VIII-VIII of Fig.
27 2, showing a refinement of the invention comprised of adding a 28 lip for closing the slot of the reader 1, while Fig. 8b differs 29 from Fig. 8a in that it shows the reader 1 once the card has been inserted.
31 Figs. 1 and 2 represent a chip card reader 1 capable of 32 receiving a card 2 of the credit card type equipped, in an 33 intrinsically known way, with a microprocessor chip or a logical 34 circuit chip for processing data, and carrying a plurality of electrical contacts intended to cooperate with an equal number of 1 contacts carried by the reader, through a connector 3.
2 In this example, the reader 1 is portable and is so small in 3 size that it receives only one end of the card carrying said 4 chip: in particular, its function is to allow a holder of this card to read an account balance recorded in the card. It 6 comprises a printed circuit 4 carrying on a top side a 7 microprocessor chip 5 and a display 6, and on a bottom side, said 8 connector 3, attached to the printed circuit 4 by suitable means.
9 These means can be constituted by, among other things:
- bonding by means of applied glue, or a double-sided 11 adhesive layer;
12 - pins carried by the connector 3, which pass through the 13 printed circuit 4 and are folded down onto it;
14 - a screw connection.
The reader 1 also comprises a set of batteries 7. A case 16 encloses the reader 1 and comprises a body 8 that receives the 17 various elements of the reader 1 and a cover 9 that covers the 18 body 8 and creates with it a lateral slot for the card 2 to pass 19 through in such a way that the contacts of the latter line come face-to-face with the connector 3.
21 The connector 3 in Figs. 3 through 5 comprises a body 31 22 constituted by a thick rectangular sheet made of flexible, 23 electrically insulating material. According to a preferred 24 embodiment, the body 31 is made of elastomer. It comprises a A 5 plurality of circular through-holes 32, disposed in the same way 26 as the contacts of the card 2 and equal in number to the latter 27 (in this case, eight). In line with each hole 32, and on each 28 side of the connector 3, is a circular recess 33 that reduces the 29 thickness of the body 31 at this point.
In each hole 32 is a conducting element formed by a 31 conducting sphere 34 constituted by an elastomer material such as 32 silicone rubber incorporating a filler that renders it 33 electrically conductive. Typically this filler is silver or 34 carbon. Each conducting sphere 34 has a diameter slightly larger than that of the hole 32 so that the latter exerts a certain 1 peripheral pressure on the conducting sphere 34. Thus, each 2 conducting sphere 34 is elastically held in the corresponding 3 hole 32. Each conducting sphere 34 is mounted on the body 32 in 4 such a way that it is set back from one side 35 of the body 31 intended to cooperate with the printed circuit 4 of the reader 1, 6 and that, on the other hand, it projects past an opposite side 37 7 of the body 31 intended to cooperate with the card 2.
8 Apart from the holes 32, the body 31 of the connector 3 has, 9 on its side 35 intended to cooperate with the printed circuit 4 of the reader 1, a circular recess 36, and on its side 37 11 intended to cooperate with the card and in line with the recess 12 36, a substantially cylindrical projection 38 extending 13 perpendicular to the body toward its exterior. The projection 38 14 is such that it projects past the surface of the body 31.
in the recess 36 of the body 31 is a circular conducting pad 16 39 made of a rigid or flexible electrically conductive material.
17 In this example, it is made of the same material as the 18 conducting spheres 34. The disposition is such that the 19 conducting pad 39 is set back from the surface of the body 31.
The conducting pad 39 is attached to the body 31 by any suitable 21 means, particularly by bonding or embossing.
22 The operation of the connector 3 will now be explained in 23 reference to Figs. 6a through 6c. Fig. 6a shows the card 2 as it 14 is inserted into the reader 1. The printed circuit 4 of the reader 1 carries, in line with each conducting sphere 34 of the 26 connector 3, a flat and preferably circular contact 44, and in 27 line with the only conducting pad 39 of the connector 3, a pair 28 of flat and preferably circular contacts 49a, 49b disposed side-29 by-side with a nonconductive space 50 interposed. The space 50 is disposed facing the conducting pad 39 and is smaller in size. All 31 of the contacts 24, 44, 49a, 49b are made of a standard metallic 32 material used in printed circuits; typically, it is a multilayer 33 compound comprising a copper layer covered by a nickel layer, 34 followed by a gold or tin-lead layer. The two contacts 49a, 49b constitute two fixed parts of a switch whose moving part is 1 constituted by the conducting pad 39.; this switch serves to 2 detect the presence of the card in the reader. In the situation 3 of Fig. 6a, given the above-mentioned setbacks or projections of 4 the conducting elements, there is no electrical continuity 5 between the contacts 24 and 44 on the one hand, and between the 6 contacts 49a and 49b on the other hand, since the conducting 7 elements are not touching any electrical contact.
8 Fig. 6b represents an intermediate contact phase in which 9 the card 2 and the printed circuit 4 of the reader 1 are moved toward one another. This was obtained by taking advantage of a 11 certain deformability of the case of the reader 1; the user of 12 the reader 1 must manually exert an average force f from both 13 sides of the case, i.e., on its body 8 and on its lid 9 (see Fig.
14 6b) in order to move them toward one another. This deformability could be obtained in several ways, including the following:
16 - providing a case constituted by a deformable material (for 17 example plastic);
18 - providing a case whose lid 9 is elastically, mounted on the 19 body 8, i.e., by means of deformable intermediate connecting elements, for example elastomer elements.
21 The result of the force f exerted by the user is that 22 electrical continuity is produced by the conducting spheres 34 23 between the contacts 24, 44, though not yet by the conducting pad 24 39, since the projection 38 is not yet being acted on by the card 2. This result is obtained by properly adjusting the respective 26 setbacks and projections of the conducting spheres 34 and the 27 conducting pad 39, as well as the height of the projection 38. It 28 may be seen that the conducting spheres 34 have been subject to a 29 compression, producing an increase in their diameter.
By exerting a greater force F, the user reaches a final 31 contact phase (Fig. 6c) in which the conducting pad 39 also 32 produces electrical continuity between the two contacts 49a, 49b.
33 In effect, during the larger movement of the card 2 toward the 34 reader 1, the reader exerts a pressure on the projection 38 in such a way that the conducting plate 39 is pushed toward the 1 printed circuit 4 of the reader 1 until it touches the contacts 2 49a, 49b.
3 The sequencing of the two above-mentioned contact phases 4 advantageously makes it possible to meet the requirements of ISO
standard 7816-3, which defines the sequence for generating the 6 signals that must be applied to the card, since the reader 1 will 7 only supply power to the card after having determined that the 8 switch 49a, 49b is closed.
9 Naturally, the progressive release of the force F will result in a disconnection of the contacts in the reverse order 11 from that described for the contact phase, i.e., first the 12 retraction of the conducting pad 39, then the retraction of the 13 conducting sphere 34, again in accordance with the requirements 14 of ISO standard 7816-3.
It must be noted that it is necessary to precisely adjust 16 the force F required to obtain the closing of the switch 49a, 17 49b, as well as the height of the projection 38, so as not to 18 exceed a maximum force Fm. that the chip of the card can 19 withstand without damage. Typically, FMX is on the order of 50 grams. This adjustment can be obtained by acting on the 21 respective dimensions of the parts and the hardness of the 22 elastomer material chosen.
23 One refinement of the invention is characterized in that at 24 least some of the conducting elements are constituted so as to have a given electrical resistance, in order to advantageously 26 replace resistors ordinarily embodied in the form of discrete 27 components, and are imprinted on the printed circuit 4 of the 28 reader 1. The resistance value thus constituted must be measured 29 while the force F is applied in order to take into account the influence of this force on the resistance value.
31 Naturally, the conducting elements could exist in any 32 appropriate form other than those described above. For example, 33 the conducting spheres 34, could be replaced by cylinders.
34 Moreover, the conducting elements, instead of being attached to the body 31 of the connector 3, could be embodied in the mass of 1 the body 31, at the same time as the latter.
2 Fig. 7 illustrates a practical, and intrinsically known, 3 embodiment of one of the contacts 44, 49a, 49b of the printed 4 circuit 4. The printed circuit 4 has a cylindrical through-hole 71 covered by a conductive layer 72 that joins the two sides of 6 the printed circuit 4. On its side intended to cooperate with the 7 card 2, the conductive layer 72 forms a circular ring 73 8 constituting a contact with which the conducting sphere 34 is 9 intended to cooperate; advantageously, the ring 73 constitutes a means for the self-centering of the conducting sphere 34.
11 Fig. 8a shows a refinement of the invention comprised of 12 adding a lip 80 to the reader 1 for closing the slot 81 through 13 which the card 2 is inserted, when the latter is absent. This 14 disposition has the advantage of preventing foreign bodies or dirt from getting into the reader 1, which could be harmful to 16 its operation.
17 The lip 80 extends along the entire width of the slot 81.
18 in this example, it is constituted by an elastomer sheet, formed 19 of one piece with the elastomer connector 3 and folded back on itself. It has two longitudinal edges 82, 83, one of which 82 is 21 connected to an edge of the connector 3 located next to the slot 22 81, and the other of which 83 is free.
23 Fig. 8b differs from Fig. 8a in that it shows the reader 1 24 once the card has been introduced. It is noted that the lip 80 is pushed back laterally by a front end 84 of the card, as the 26 latter passes through the slot 81, into a space 85 provided in 27 the body 8 of the case for receiving this lip 80. After the 28 removal of the card, the lip 80 elastically returns to its 29 position in Fig. 8a.
In a variant, the lip 80 is distinct from the connector 3 31 and connected to it.
32 In a variant that does not include a switch 39, 49a, 49b, it 33 is possible to make the connector 3 of a rigid material, while 34 the conducting elements 34 intended to cooperate with the card are still made of elastomer. In this case, each conducting 1 element such as 34 intended to cooperate simultaneously with the 2 printed circuit 4 and the card 2 must project from each side of 3 the connector 3, in order to guarantee that it will actually come 4 into contact with them.
17 The portable data medium is constituted, in particular, by a 18 card of the credit card type equipped, in an intrinsically known 19 way, with a microprocessor chip or a logical circuit chip for processing data, and carrying a plurality of electrical contacts 21 intended to cooperate with an equal number of contacts carried by 22 the device, as described, in particular, in US patent 4,211,919.
23 The device can be any unit intended to exchange information with 24 the portable data medium within the framework of any procedure, such as a financial operation, a verification of a user's access 6 to a site, etc.
27 Conventionally, the connecting means comprise a comb 28 attached to the device and carrying a plurality of juxtaposed 29 flexible metal pins. These pins are connected to the contacts of the device and are intended to cooperate elastically with the 31 contacts of the portable data medium. Other connecting means 32 having metal springs also exist. This type of connecting means 33 has the drawback of being expensive to produce due to the metal 34 cutting operations it involves.
The object of the invention is to offer a device of the type 36 mentioned at the beginning of the specification, wherein the 1 means for connecting to the portable data medium are less 2 expensive to produce.
3 To this end, according to the invention, said first 4 conducting element comprises an electrically conductive mass made of elastomer.
6 Other characteristics and advantages of the present 7 invention will emerge more clearly through the reading of the 8 following description of an exemplary embodiment of the device, 9 illustrated with the aid of the following figures, in which:
Fig. 1 is a top view of the inside of a portable data medium 11 reader in the process of cooperating with a portable data medium;
12 Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the line II-II of Fig. 1;
13 Fig. 3 is a top view of the connector with which the reader 14 is equipped;
Fig. 4 is a partial sectional view along the line IV-IV of 16 Fig. 3;
17 Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view along the line V-V of 18 Fig. 3;
19 Figs. 6a through 6c are three partial sectional views along the line VI-VI of Fig. 3 when the reader is cooperating with the 21 portable data medium, illustrating three successive phases of a 22 procedure for putting these two devices in contact;
23 Fig. 7 is a partial sectional view of the printed circuit 4, 24 showing a practical embodiment of any one of its contacts, ."5 cooperating with a conducting element;
26 Fig. 8a is a sectional view along the line VIII-VIII of Fig.
27 2, showing a refinement of the invention comprised of adding a 28 lip for closing the slot of the reader 1, while Fig. 8b differs 29 from Fig. 8a in that it shows the reader 1 once the card has been inserted.
31 Figs. 1 and 2 represent a chip card reader 1 capable of 32 receiving a card 2 of the credit card type equipped, in an 33 intrinsically known way, with a microprocessor chip or a logical 34 circuit chip for processing data, and carrying a plurality of electrical contacts intended to cooperate with an equal number of 1 contacts carried by the reader, through a connector 3.
2 In this example, the reader 1 is portable and is so small in 3 size that it receives only one end of the card carrying said 4 chip: in particular, its function is to allow a holder of this card to read an account balance recorded in the card. It 6 comprises a printed circuit 4 carrying on a top side a 7 microprocessor chip 5 and a display 6, and on a bottom side, said 8 connector 3, attached to the printed circuit 4 by suitable means.
9 These means can be constituted by, among other things:
- bonding by means of applied glue, or a double-sided 11 adhesive layer;
12 - pins carried by the connector 3, which pass through the 13 printed circuit 4 and are folded down onto it;
14 - a screw connection.
The reader 1 also comprises a set of batteries 7. A case 16 encloses the reader 1 and comprises a body 8 that receives the 17 various elements of the reader 1 and a cover 9 that covers the 18 body 8 and creates with it a lateral slot for the card 2 to pass 19 through in such a way that the contacts of the latter line come face-to-face with the connector 3.
21 The connector 3 in Figs. 3 through 5 comprises a body 31 22 constituted by a thick rectangular sheet made of flexible, 23 electrically insulating material. According to a preferred 24 embodiment, the body 31 is made of elastomer. It comprises a A 5 plurality of circular through-holes 32, disposed in the same way 26 as the contacts of the card 2 and equal in number to the latter 27 (in this case, eight). In line with each hole 32, and on each 28 side of the connector 3, is a circular recess 33 that reduces the 29 thickness of the body 31 at this point.
In each hole 32 is a conducting element formed by a 31 conducting sphere 34 constituted by an elastomer material such as 32 silicone rubber incorporating a filler that renders it 33 electrically conductive. Typically this filler is silver or 34 carbon. Each conducting sphere 34 has a diameter slightly larger than that of the hole 32 so that the latter exerts a certain 1 peripheral pressure on the conducting sphere 34. Thus, each 2 conducting sphere 34 is elastically held in the corresponding 3 hole 32. Each conducting sphere 34 is mounted on the body 32 in 4 such a way that it is set back from one side 35 of the body 31 intended to cooperate with the printed circuit 4 of the reader 1, 6 and that, on the other hand, it projects past an opposite side 37 7 of the body 31 intended to cooperate with the card 2.
8 Apart from the holes 32, the body 31 of the connector 3 has, 9 on its side 35 intended to cooperate with the printed circuit 4 of the reader 1, a circular recess 36, and on its side 37 11 intended to cooperate with the card and in line with the recess 12 36, a substantially cylindrical projection 38 extending 13 perpendicular to the body toward its exterior. The projection 38 14 is such that it projects past the surface of the body 31.
in the recess 36 of the body 31 is a circular conducting pad 16 39 made of a rigid or flexible electrically conductive material.
17 In this example, it is made of the same material as the 18 conducting spheres 34. The disposition is such that the 19 conducting pad 39 is set back from the surface of the body 31.
The conducting pad 39 is attached to the body 31 by any suitable 21 means, particularly by bonding or embossing.
22 The operation of the connector 3 will now be explained in 23 reference to Figs. 6a through 6c. Fig. 6a shows the card 2 as it 14 is inserted into the reader 1. The printed circuit 4 of the reader 1 carries, in line with each conducting sphere 34 of the 26 connector 3, a flat and preferably circular contact 44, and in 27 line with the only conducting pad 39 of the connector 3, a pair 28 of flat and preferably circular contacts 49a, 49b disposed side-29 by-side with a nonconductive space 50 interposed. The space 50 is disposed facing the conducting pad 39 and is smaller in size. All 31 of the contacts 24, 44, 49a, 49b are made of a standard metallic 32 material used in printed circuits; typically, it is a multilayer 33 compound comprising a copper layer covered by a nickel layer, 34 followed by a gold or tin-lead layer. The two contacts 49a, 49b constitute two fixed parts of a switch whose moving part is 1 constituted by the conducting pad 39.; this switch serves to 2 detect the presence of the card in the reader. In the situation 3 of Fig. 6a, given the above-mentioned setbacks or projections of 4 the conducting elements, there is no electrical continuity 5 between the contacts 24 and 44 on the one hand, and between the 6 contacts 49a and 49b on the other hand, since the conducting 7 elements are not touching any electrical contact.
8 Fig. 6b represents an intermediate contact phase in which 9 the card 2 and the printed circuit 4 of the reader 1 are moved toward one another. This was obtained by taking advantage of a 11 certain deformability of the case of the reader 1; the user of 12 the reader 1 must manually exert an average force f from both 13 sides of the case, i.e., on its body 8 and on its lid 9 (see Fig.
14 6b) in order to move them toward one another. This deformability could be obtained in several ways, including the following:
16 - providing a case constituted by a deformable material (for 17 example plastic);
18 - providing a case whose lid 9 is elastically, mounted on the 19 body 8, i.e., by means of deformable intermediate connecting elements, for example elastomer elements.
21 The result of the force f exerted by the user is that 22 electrical continuity is produced by the conducting spheres 34 23 between the contacts 24, 44, though not yet by the conducting pad 24 39, since the projection 38 is not yet being acted on by the card 2. This result is obtained by properly adjusting the respective 26 setbacks and projections of the conducting spheres 34 and the 27 conducting pad 39, as well as the height of the projection 38. It 28 may be seen that the conducting spheres 34 have been subject to a 29 compression, producing an increase in their diameter.
By exerting a greater force F, the user reaches a final 31 contact phase (Fig. 6c) in which the conducting pad 39 also 32 produces electrical continuity between the two contacts 49a, 49b.
33 In effect, during the larger movement of the card 2 toward the 34 reader 1, the reader exerts a pressure on the projection 38 in such a way that the conducting plate 39 is pushed toward the 1 printed circuit 4 of the reader 1 until it touches the contacts 2 49a, 49b.
3 The sequencing of the two above-mentioned contact phases 4 advantageously makes it possible to meet the requirements of ISO
standard 7816-3, which defines the sequence for generating the 6 signals that must be applied to the card, since the reader 1 will 7 only supply power to the card after having determined that the 8 switch 49a, 49b is closed.
9 Naturally, the progressive release of the force F will result in a disconnection of the contacts in the reverse order 11 from that described for the contact phase, i.e., first the 12 retraction of the conducting pad 39, then the retraction of the 13 conducting sphere 34, again in accordance with the requirements 14 of ISO standard 7816-3.
It must be noted that it is necessary to precisely adjust 16 the force F required to obtain the closing of the switch 49a, 17 49b, as well as the height of the projection 38, so as not to 18 exceed a maximum force Fm. that the chip of the card can 19 withstand without damage. Typically, FMX is on the order of 50 grams. This adjustment can be obtained by acting on the 21 respective dimensions of the parts and the hardness of the 22 elastomer material chosen.
23 One refinement of the invention is characterized in that at 24 least some of the conducting elements are constituted so as to have a given electrical resistance, in order to advantageously 26 replace resistors ordinarily embodied in the form of discrete 27 components, and are imprinted on the printed circuit 4 of the 28 reader 1. The resistance value thus constituted must be measured 29 while the force F is applied in order to take into account the influence of this force on the resistance value.
31 Naturally, the conducting elements could exist in any 32 appropriate form other than those described above. For example, 33 the conducting spheres 34, could be replaced by cylinders.
34 Moreover, the conducting elements, instead of being attached to the body 31 of the connector 3, could be embodied in the mass of 1 the body 31, at the same time as the latter.
2 Fig. 7 illustrates a practical, and intrinsically known, 3 embodiment of one of the contacts 44, 49a, 49b of the printed 4 circuit 4. The printed circuit 4 has a cylindrical through-hole 71 covered by a conductive layer 72 that joins the two sides of 6 the printed circuit 4. On its side intended to cooperate with the 7 card 2, the conductive layer 72 forms a circular ring 73 8 constituting a contact with which the conducting sphere 34 is 9 intended to cooperate; advantageously, the ring 73 constitutes a means for the self-centering of the conducting sphere 34.
11 Fig. 8a shows a refinement of the invention comprised of 12 adding a lip 80 to the reader 1 for closing the slot 81 through 13 which the card 2 is inserted, when the latter is absent. This 14 disposition has the advantage of preventing foreign bodies or dirt from getting into the reader 1, which could be harmful to 16 its operation.
17 The lip 80 extends along the entire width of the slot 81.
18 in this example, it is constituted by an elastomer sheet, formed 19 of one piece with the elastomer connector 3 and folded back on itself. It has two longitudinal edges 82, 83, one of which 82 is 21 connected to an edge of the connector 3 located next to the slot 22 81, and the other of which 83 is free.
23 Fig. 8b differs from Fig. 8a in that it shows the reader 1 24 once the card has been introduced. It is noted that the lip 80 is pushed back laterally by a front end 84 of the card, as the 26 latter passes through the slot 81, into a space 85 provided in 27 the body 8 of the case for receiving this lip 80. After the 28 removal of the card, the lip 80 elastically returns to its 29 position in Fig. 8a.
In a variant, the lip 80 is distinct from the connector 3 31 and connected to it.
32 In a variant that does not include a switch 39, 49a, 49b, it 33 is possible to make the connector 3 of a rigid material, while 34 the conducting elements 34 intended to cooperate with the card are still made of elastomer. In this case, each conducting 1 element such as 34 intended to cooperate simultaneously with the 2 printed circuit 4 and the card 2 must project from each side of 3 the connector 3, in order to guarantee that it will actually come 4 into contact with them.
Claims (11)
1. A reading device for receiving and communicating with a portable data medium, comprising:
at least one first electrical contact cooperating with at least one second electrical contact of the portable data medium;
a connector comprising a sheet extending between the at least on first electrical contact of the reading device and the at least one second electrical contact of the portable data medium when operably received in the device, and having at least a first electrically conducting element extending through a thickness of the sheet and disposed so as to cooperate with each of said first and second contacts of the portable data medium and reading device, said first conducting element comprising an electrically conductive elastomer mass; and a force applicator having, in a first position when said data medium is received in said reading device, to apply a compressing force to the first and second contacts in order to press each of said first and second contacts against said first conducting element, and, in a second position, to remove the compressing force so as to move said first conducting element away from the first and second contacts.
at least one first electrical contact cooperating with at least one second electrical contact of the portable data medium;
a connector comprising a sheet extending between the at least on first electrical contact of the reading device and the at least one second electrical contact of the portable data medium when operably received in the device, and having at least a first electrically conducting element extending through a thickness of the sheet and disposed so as to cooperate with each of said first and second contacts of the portable data medium and reading device, said first conducting element comprising an electrically conductive elastomer mass; and a force applicator having, in a first position when said data medium is received in said reading device, to apply a compressing force to the first and second contacts in order to press each of said first and second contacts against said first conducting element, and, in a second position, to remove the compressing force so as to move said first conducting element away from the first and second contacts.
2. The device according to claim 1, in which said first conducting element is an insert housed in an aperture of the sheet.
3. The device according to claim 2, in which the first conducting element is in a shape of a sphere.
4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first conducting element has an electrical resistance of a predetermined value.
5. The device according to claim 1, wherein said sheet is made of elastomer.
6. The device according to claim 1, said sheet comprising:
a first side and a second side, said at least one first electrically conducting element being disposed therebetween for operable electrical contact with said at least one second electrical contact of the portable data medium when operably received, each said first and second side including a respective recess that reduces the thickness of the sheet adjacent to said electrically conducting element; and a second conducting element disposed on said sheet so as to cooperate with two further contacts of the device when the force applicator is activated.
a first side and a second side, said at least one first electrically conducting element being disposed therebetween for operable electrical contact with said at least one second electrical contact of the portable data medium when operably received, each said first and second side including a respective recess that reduces the thickness of the sheet adjacent to said electrically conducting element; and a second conducting element disposed on said sheet so as to cooperate with two further contacts of the device when the force applicator is activated.
7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the second conducting element is in a form of a pad located in a second recess on the first side of the sheet, and further including a projection located on the second side of the sheet opposite the first side, the projection and the second conducting element being in alignment, for cooperating with the portable data medium.
8. The device according to claim 6, wherein the first and second conducting elements are disposed so that an activation of the force applicator causes a sequential connection of the first conducting element with the contacts, then of the second conducting element with the contacts, while a deactivation of the force applicator discontinues a cooperation of the second conducting element with the contacts, then of each first and second conducting elements with the contacts.
9. The device according to claim 1, wherein said applicator comprises a body and a cover constituting a case that receives the portable data medium.
10. The device according to claim 1, further including a slot for insertion of the portable data medium, said sheet having a lip disposed so as to close said slot in absence of the portable data medium, and to fold away when the portable data medium is inserted into the slot.
11. The device according to claim 6, including two contacts being arranged to cooperate with said force applicator.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| FR9707320A FR2764721B1 (en) | 1997-06-13 | 1997-06-13 | DEVICE FOR COMMUNICATING WITH A PORTABLE DATA MEDIUM |
| FR97/07320 | 1997-06-13 | ||
| PCT/FR1998/001229 WO1998057289A1 (en) | 1997-06-13 | 1998-06-12 | Method for communicating with a portable data medium |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2263276A1 CA2263276A1 (en) | 1998-12-17 |
| CA2263276C true CA2263276C (en) | 2007-08-14 |
Family
ID=9507917
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002263276A Expired - Fee Related CA2263276C (en) | 1997-06-13 | 1998-06-12 | Method for communicating with a portable data medium |
Country Status (16)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US6203330B1 (en) |
| EP (1) | EP0919039B1 (en) |
| JP (2) | JP2000505926A (en) |
| KR (1) | KR100571133B1 (en) |
| CN (1) | CN1144149C (en) |
| AR (1) | AR017504A1 (en) |
| AU (1) | AU735156B2 (en) |
| BR (1) | BR9805994A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2263276C (en) |
| DE (1) | DE69821317T2 (en) |
| ES (1) | ES2212306T3 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2764721B1 (en) |
| HK (1) | HK1022757A1 (en) |
| NO (1) | NO990664D0 (en) |
| PT (1) | PT919039E (en) |
| WO (1) | WO1998057289A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US6702182B1 (en) * | 1999-07-16 | 2004-03-09 | Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. | IC card reader |
| FR2801431B1 (en) * | 1999-11-18 | 2002-03-22 | Gemplus Card Int | CONNECTOR FOR CHIP CARD INDEPENDENT OF CARD INSERTION DIRECTION |
| US8396809B1 (en) | 2002-05-14 | 2013-03-12 | Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. | Method for reducing purchase time |
| US7052290B1 (en) * | 2005-08-10 | 2006-05-30 | Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Ab | Low profile connector for electronic interface modules |
Family Cites Families (11)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3541222A (en) * | 1969-01-13 | 1970-11-17 | Bunker Ramo | Connector screen for interconnecting adjacent surfaces of laminar circuits and method of making |
| US4184729A (en) * | 1977-10-13 | 1980-01-22 | Bunker Ramo Corporation | Flexible connector cable |
| JPH01134366U (en) * | 1988-03-07 | 1989-09-13 | ||
| US5163836A (en) * | 1991-03-11 | 1992-11-17 | Apple Computer, Inc. | Integrated connector module with conductive elastomeric contacts |
| FR2684492B1 (en) * | 1991-11-29 | 1994-02-25 | Raymond Bernier | ELECTRIC INTERCONNECTION DEVICE. |
| US5371654A (en) * | 1992-10-19 | 1994-12-06 | International Business Machines Corporation | Three dimensional high performance interconnection package |
| DE4415022C2 (en) * | 1993-09-06 | 2002-06-20 | Hopt & Schuler Ddm | Device with a contact spring, e.g. B. card reader |
| DE4418609A1 (en) * | 1994-05-27 | 1995-11-30 | Amphenol Tuchel Elect | Chip card reader |
| US5633490A (en) * | 1994-11-21 | 1997-05-27 | Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. | Card reader with spring contacts |
| US5517011A (en) * | 1994-11-21 | 1996-05-14 | Oki Electric Industry Co. Ltd. | Slotless card reader |
| US5661279A (en) * | 1995-10-26 | 1997-08-26 | Sunarrow Co., Ltd. | Pushbutton switch |
-
1997
- 1997-06-13 FR FR9707320A patent/FR2764721B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
1998
- 1998-06-12 AU AU81139/98A patent/AU735156B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1998-06-12 KR KR1019997001165A patent/KR100571133B1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1998-06-12 ES ES98930844T patent/ES2212306T3/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1998-06-12 EP EP98930844A patent/EP0919039B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1998-06-12 WO PCT/FR1998/001229 patent/WO1998057289A1/en active IP Right Grant
- 1998-06-12 CA CA002263276A patent/CA2263276C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1998-06-12 BR BR9805994-7A patent/BR9805994A/en active Search and Examination
- 1998-06-12 US US09/242,012 patent/US6203330B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1998-06-12 PT PT98930844T patent/PT919039E/en unknown
- 1998-06-12 CN CNB988008211A patent/CN1144149C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1998-06-12 DE DE69821317T patent/DE69821317T2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1998-06-12 JP JP11501796A patent/JP2000505926A/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1998-06-12 AR ARP980102792A patent/AR017504A1/en active IP Right Grant
-
1999
- 1999-02-12 NO NO990664A patent/NO990664D0/en not_active Application Discontinuation
-
2000
- 2000-02-10 HK HK00100754A patent/HK1022757A1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
-
2001
- 2001-12-05 JP JP2001371364A patent/JP2002197427A/en active Pending
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| AR017504A1 (en) | 2001-09-12 |
| ES2212306T3 (en) | 2004-07-16 |
| CN1144149C (en) | 2004-03-31 |
| WO1998057289A1 (en) | 1998-12-17 |
| BR9805994A (en) | 1999-08-31 |
| CN1229493A (en) | 1999-09-22 |
| JP2002197427A (en) | 2002-07-12 |
| NO990664L (en) | 1999-02-12 |
| DE69821317D1 (en) | 2004-03-04 |
| HK1022757A1 (en) | 2000-08-18 |
| AU8113998A (en) | 1998-12-30 |
| KR20000068129A (en) | 2000-11-25 |
| EP0919039B1 (en) | 2004-01-28 |
| AU735156B2 (en) | 2001-07-05 |
| DE69821317T2 (en) | 2004-11-25 |
| CA2263276A1 (en) | 1998-12-17 |
| FR2764721A1 (en) | 1998-12-18 |
| KR100571133B1 (en) | 2006-04-17 |
| EP0919039A1 (en) | 1999-06-02 |
| US6203330B1 (en) | 2001-03-20 |
| FR2764721B1 (en) | 1999-07-09 |
| NO990664D0 (en) | 1999-02-12 |
| JP2000505926A (en) | 2000-05-16 |
| PT919039E (en) | 2004-05-31 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |