IC card with shutter having L-shaped flanges enclosing the sides of an electrode terminal board

Claim 2

An IC card for connection to an external device comprising: an IC card including at least one electronic part; electrical connection means disposed on said IC card for electrically connecting said electronic part to an external device; a sliding shutter having a main surface and including opposed first and second edges, and L-shaped flanges extending from said first and second edges for selectively covering said electrical connection means; and L-shaped grooves in said IC card receiving said L-shaped flanges of said shutter, said grooves extending in the direction of sliding of said shutter.

Claim 3

An IC card according to claim 1 including a circuit board having obverse and reverse surfaces and opposed edges joining said obverse and reverse surfaces, said board having said electrical connection means mounted thereon, a frame encircling said circuit board, and a panel disposed on said frame covering said circuit board, part of said electrical connection means, and part of said shutter; said electrical connection means including an electrode terminal board having a surface on which a plurality of electrode terminals electrically connected to said electronic part are disposed and having edges, said electrode terminal board being wider, transverse to the direction of sliding of said shutter, than said circuit board; said L-shaped grooves including openings formed on a card insertion face of said frame, said openings being spaced from said electrode terminal board and said circuit board; and said L-shaped flanges lying at opposite edges of said electrode terminal board, spring means connected to said shutter and IC card urging said shutter to cover said electrode terminal board.

Claim 4

An IC card according to claim 2 wherein said L-shaped flanges on said shutter body extend along the entire length of the edges of said shutter body.

Claim 5

An IC card according to claim 2 wherein said L-shaped flanges on said shutter body extend along only part of the length of the edges of said shutter body.

Claim 6

An IC card according to claim 2 wherein when said IC card is inserted into said external device, pins arranged in said external device slide said shutter flanges in said L-shaped grooves opposite the direction of the card insertion exposing said electrical connection means and when said IC card is pulled away from said external device, said spring means urges said shutter to cover said electrical connection means.

Claim 7

An IC card according to claim 2 wherein said shutter and said panel are both metallic.