Communication Device With Card Ejection Mechanism

The present invention pertains to communication devices, and more particularly to communication devices including ejection mechanisms for card shaped devices.

A variety of communication devices are known which use a removable card having information stored therein. Such devices include radios, radiotelephones, bank automated teller machines, electronic payment collection equipment, and the like. The cards are used by the device for security, telephone billing, banking, cinemas, and mass transportation charges.

Typically these devices have an opening in the form of a slot, a pocket, or a recess, that receives the card. A card reader element communicates with a card received therein. The card reader element employed depends upon the type of card to be used. Contacts are used with cards including an integrated circuit such as a memory to a microprocessor. The contacts are coupled to a processor that reads from, and write to, the integrated circuit. Magnetic transducers are used with cards having a magnetic storage element, such as a strip. the magnetic transducers read from and write to the magnetic storage element.

Regardless of the type of card reader element employed, it is necessary that the card make reliable contact with the reader element. Because these cards may warp with age, it is further desirable that the card be received into a slot in the device. The sides of the slot can guide the card to a desired position and bend a warped card to a flat configuration for reading. However, because the card is received into the housing, the user must be able to remove the card easily.

It has become particularly challenging to implement an effective ejection mechanism for card readers as devices become increasingly smaller. This is particularly true for portable devices that are not much bigger than the cards. Restrictions in the dimensions of these devices necessitates dense packing of integrated circuits on limited surface areas of small circuit boards. This dense packaging in turn limits the room available for mounting an ejection mechanism.

FIG. 1 is a front, left side and bottom view of a radiotelephone;

FIG. 2 is a back view of the radiotelephone according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of one section of the housing for the radiotelephone according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an ejection mechanism taken along plane IV--IV in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of a button of the ejection mechanism according to FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of a clip of the ejection mechanism according to FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a bottom perspective view of the clip according to FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view, taken along the same plane as FIG. 4, and including a card in the radiotelephone; and

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view, taken along the same plane as FIG. 7, without a card partially ejected from the radiotelephone.

A communication device includes a housing, the housing has an opening for receipt of a card having information stored therein. A card reader is positioned in the housing. The card reader includes an element to communicate information from the card to circuitry in the housing. A low profile ejection mechanism is positioned on the housing.

The ejection mechanism includes a grip, a body coupled to the grip, and a spring extending outwardly from the body toward the card reader to push the card against the card reader.

The communication device is illustrated as a radiotelephone 100 (FIG. 1) in the drawings. The radiotelephone 100 has a first housing 102 and a second housing 104 which are interconnected by a hinge assembly 106. The first housing includes a front wall 115, a side wall 118, a side wall 117, a bottom wall 116, a top wall 119, and a back wall 305. Those skilled in the art will recognize that although the present invention is illustrated in this communication device, in which it is particularly advantageous, it may be also employed in other radiotelephones, cordless telephones, radios, pagers, and the like. Accordingly, as used herein, "device" shall include all of these and their equivalents.

The first housing 102 of radiotelephone 100 includes a slot, or opening, 107 for receipt of a card 108. The card may be a subscriber identity module (SIM) card, a memory card, or another card device. The card 108 illustrated is a SIM card including a generally planar, rectangular, polymer body 109 and an integrated circuit 110 mounted in the body. The integrated circuit includes a microprocessor, as is well known. Inasmuch as SIM cards are commercially available, they will not be described in greater detail herein for brevity. Card 108 is illustrated fully inserted into housing 102 in FIG. 2.

Housing 102 includes a front housing section 302 (FIG. 3) and a back housing section 304. A circuit board assembly 306 including radio frequency (RF) circuitry 309 is positioned between the front and back housing sections when the radiotelephone 100 is fully assembled. A SIM card reader element 308 is mounted to a circuit board 310 of the printed circuit board assembly 306 by suitable conventional means. The SIM card reader element 308 includes contacts 311 projecting outwardly therefrom for electrical connection to contacts (not shown) on the integrated circuit 110 (FIG. 1) in SIM card 108. The card reader element also includes a presence switch contact 313. The card reader element 308 is implemented using a conventional card reader for SIM cards, a magnetic strip reader, an optical device, or any other suitable element required for the type of card to be employed with the device. Accordingly, as used herein, "card reader element" refers to all such card reading transducers and their equivalents.

Ramps 321 (FIG. 3) are provided on an end of the circuit board assembly 306 adjacent opening 107. The ramps guide a card 108 (shown in FIG. 1) to a position above the elements of circuitry 309. The ramps are of any suitable construction such as clips stamped from metal, molded from plastic, or the like. Although not illustrated, a plastic sheet, substantially as wide as the circuit board assembly 306, can be folded around the end of circuit board assembly 306 such that it extends over circuitry 309 and up to, or around, the card reader element 308. The card 108 then slides over the plastic sheet instead of circuitry 309.

An ejection mechanism 402 (FIG. 4) is provided for removing card 108 (FIG. 1) from opening 107. The ejection mechanism includes a button 404 and a clip 406. The button 404 includes upstanding ribs 408 and a downwardly extending post 410. As can best be seen in FIG. 5, the bottom of the button includes a well wall 512 circumscribing a moat around the base of post 410. The button is of a suitable polymeric manufacture, such as integrally molded of an organic polymer.

The clip 406 includes a central opening 600 (FIGS. 6 and 7) in a bowl 602. The central opening 600 receives post 410 prior to heat staking and the bowl 602 receives the melted post after heat staking while to attach the clip to the button. The clip 406 also includes an integral guide 612, a spring 614, and a stop member 616. The spring 614 has a relatively flat body 618 and a curved end 626 that slides over the card surface. The spring is resilient, such that it returns to its original position after being deflected by a card. The clip 406 is of any suitable construction, such as a sheet metal member, and can be stamped from a resilient, durable, metal.

The clip 406 (FIG. 6) may include a dimple 620 to engage recesses 804 (FIGS. 8 and 9) in the back wall 305 of the rear housing section 304. When the ejection mechanism 402 is in the position illustrated in FIG. 8, the dimple is engaged in one of the recesses 804. When the card is in the partially ejected by the card ejection mechanism as illustrated in FIG. 9, the dimple is engaged in the other of the recesses 804. The dimple 620 and the recesses 804 thus provide indexing through positive feedback at desired positions of the ejection mechanism.

With reference to FIG. 3, the ejection mechanism 402 is mounted to the rear housing section 304. To mount the ejection mechanism, the post 410 and well wall 512 are inserted into slot 316. The body 514 of the button is received in a well 319 on the back wall 305. The rectangular post is received into the opening 600 of clip 406. The post is then melted into the bowl 602 of clip 406, such that it fills in the bowl and stays within the volume thereof. When the plastic is cooled, it is hard and fills in the bowl. This ensures a constant gap between the ejection mechanism parts and around the captivated rear housing, and prevents catching of the card on the ejection mechanism during insertion and extraction of the card.

With reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, in operation the card 108 is inserted into opening, or slot, 107. The card will slide over ramps 321 and then between the back wall 305 of the rear housing section 304 and the integrated circuits on the printed circuit board assembly 306. The guide slopes upwardly to guide the card below the clip, thus preventing the card from becoming lodged between the clip 406 and the back wall 305. End 114 of card 108 will slide down guide 612 and up to spring 614. The spring 614 presses the card downwardly against card reader element 308. Spring 614 creates a force of approximately 400-500 grams pushing card 108 away from clip 406 such that card 108 is held firmly against the card reader element 308. This insures that the integrated circuit in the card makes a reliable contact with contacts 311 and 313 on the card reader element 308. The card will continue to move inwardly until end 114 abuts with stop member 616 and ejection mechanism 402 is at the end of slot 316. The stop member 616 engages an end of the card 108 when it is fully inserted, as is shown in FIG. 8, positioning the integrated circuit 110 on the card reader element 308. The integrated circuit 110 is thus positioned against card reader element 308 to facilitate communication between the integrated circuit l10 and the circuitry on printed circuit board assembly 306. This allows information, such as the subscribers identity or a dollar amount, to be downloaded from the card 108 to radiotelephone 100. The radiotelephone 100 can then use this information to communicate with a fixed site (not shown) using RF circuitry 309.

The card is ejected by pressing the button 404 to the opposite end of slot 316, which position is illustrated in FIG. 9. The upstanding ribs help the user's finger to grip the ejection mechanism 402 while it slides. When moved to the far end of the slot, the card projects well past bottom wall 116 of housing 102. The user can thus easily grab card 108 and pull it out of the radiotelephone.

During ejection of the card, the surrounding well wall 512 transfers the force applied to the button 404 directly to the clip 406. This eliminates stress that would otherwise occur on the heat staked shaft connection. The only force exerted on the heat staked elements is along the longitudinal axis of the post 410, as required to hold the clip 406 to the button 404 with the housing located between. The interlocking protrusion and well of the two ejection mechanism components prevent rotation of the clip 406 and button 404 relative to each other. The button may follow the curvature of the housing while the clip follows the plane of the circuit board assembly. Thus, the thickness of the two components and the housing may very along the length of the button. This heat staking method producing a low profile ejection mechanism on the rear housing section 304. The internal components of the ejection mechanism 402 are not readily visible from the exterior of the housing when the card is removed because the ejection mechanism is located well within the housing and has a low profile.

It can thus be seen that the card slot and ejection mechanism according to the present invention have a low profile. Accordingly it can be added to the radiotelephone without significantly effecting the size and weight of the device. This is particularly advantageous as it is highly desirable to provide small electronic devices which are light in weight. This low profile is accomplished without effecting the width of the button, such that the ejection mechanism button is relatively large making it easy for the user to grip and manipulate. Because the ejection mechanism is centrally located on the back housing, and is relatively wide, it pushes the card straight out without significant twisting of the card. This provides a smooth ejection of the card. Additionally, the ejection mechanism mounted on the back housing does not interfere with the space requirement for the integrated circuit board, as is the case with side wall mounted ejection mechanisms.