US5726432A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Contacting system or reader for chip cards
Assignee: Amphenol Tuchel Electronics GmbH
•
Filing: 1994-05-16
•
Granted: 1998-03-10
•
Expires: 2014-05-16
Abstract
Abstract A flexible circuit board is used to provide the contact elements of a chip card reader. The contact area of the contact elements is obtained by deforming the flexible circuit board into cusps, with a contacting force being applied to the cusps by a single spring element. The flexible circuit board can be folded along a line which is either transverse or parallel to the card insertion direction in order to enable engagement of contact elements with both sides of the card.
Inventors
- 👤 Manfred Reichardt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 14:02
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/0013; G06K7/0021
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
81 words
A universal chip card reader and a universal SIM card reader, respectively comprising electrical contact elements for engaging said chip card, wherein said contact elements are arranged in contact fields on a flexible circuit board, wherein the flexible circuit board is folded to permit said contact elements to engage both sides of a respective chip card or SIM card, and wherein the chip card and SIM card are adapted to be inserted in any desirable direction into the respective card reader.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
81 words
A universal chip card reader and a universal SIM card reader, respectively comprising electrical contact elements for engaging said chip card, wherein said contact elements are arranged in contact fields on a flexible circuit board, wherein the flexible circuit board is folded to permit said contact elements to engage both sides of a respective chip card or SIM card, and wherein the chip card and SIM card are adapted to be inserted in any desirable direction into the respective card reader.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
A universal chip card reader and universal SIM card reader, respectively, according to claim 1, wherein the flexible circuit board is folded in a transverse direction relative to conductive paths in said flexible circuit board.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A universal chip card reader and a universal SIM card reader, respectively, according to claim 1, wherein the flexible circuit board is folded in longitudinal direction relative to contact paths on the flexible circuit board.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A chip card reader as set forth in claim 1, wherein said contact elements are biased by spring means which exert a spring force against the contact elements.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A chip card reader as set forth in claim 1, wherein for each of the contact fields of the flexible circuit board, a single metal spring is provided.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A chip card reader according to claim 5, wherein the metal spring presses indirectly against the circuit board.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
A chip card reader as set forth in claim 1, wherein the circuit board is guided around a carriage, the carriage being guided in a frame of the chip card reader such that it is lowered towards a reading position during insertion of a chip card.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
A chip card reader according to claim 7, wherein the carriage comprises ribs which are biased towards the flexible circuit board by means of a spring element.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A chip card reader as set forth in claim 1, wherein the flexible circuit board includes cusps in the area of said contact elements.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
A chip card reader according to claim 9, wherein the contact elements are formed from an exposed metal layer in said flexible circuit board, and wherein the exposed metal layer is reinforced by another metal layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
A chip card reader according to claim 10, wherein the metal layer exposed in the area of the contact location is coated with a gold layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
A chip card reader according to claim 1, wherein the contact elements, when inserting the chip card, are moved on said chip card contacts in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the card.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
51 words
A chip card reader as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a frame and a pressure plate, the pressure plate being provided with spring means so as to press against the flexible circuit board and thereby press contact elements on the circuit board against card contacts on the chip card.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
A chip card reader according to claim 13, wherein the pressure plate comprises means to provide for a lifting movement of the spring means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
A chip card reader according to claim 13, wherein said frame is arranged to tension the flexible circuit board.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
A chip card reader according to claim 1, wherein the flexible circuit board comprises an integrated foil key board.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
DE2430944A1
Cited
DE2433843A1
Cited
US3917372A
Cited
US3999826A
Cited
FR2400820A1
Cited
US4169641A
Cited
DE2952442A1
Cited
US4236667A
Cited
US4288140A
Cited
FR2489558A1
Cited
US4575703A
Cited
EP0139593A1
Cited
FR2554977A1
Cited
DE3343727A1
Cited
DE3343757A1
Cited
DE3402632A1
Cited
EP0167356A2
Cited
US4724310A
Cited
US4717817A
Cited
DE3442397A1
Cited
DE3443561A1
Cited
EP0186737A2
Cited
EP0214478A2
Cited
DE3531318A1
Cited
US4752234A
Cited
US4734567A
Cited
DE3602668A1
Cited
US4735578A
Cited
EP0234654A1
Cited
US4795897A
Cited
EP0240710A2
Cited
US4799891A
Cited
EP0274534A1
Cited
DE3625306A1
Cited
EP0254316A2
Cited
US4814593A
Cited
FR2607287A1
Cited
US4770639A
Cited
DE3808183A1
Cited
US4874323A
Cited
EP0316699A1
Cited
US4900273A
Cited
EP0333530A2
Cited
DE3810275A1
Cited
US4976630A
Cited
US4932889A
Cited
FR2633750A1
Cited
US4975086A
Cited
DE3832588A1
Cited
US5196680A
Cited
DE3931506A1
Cited
US5369259A
Cited
US5334827A
Cited
US5269707A
Cited
EP0447242A2
Cited
US5320552A
Cited
US5336877A
Cited
US5259777A
Cited
US5334034A
Cited
US5161992A
Cited
US5219292A
Cited
US5228862A
Cited
US5433632A
Cited
US5372512A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-03-09 | 2001-09-08 | 2002-03-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-03-09 | 2005-09-08 | 2006-03-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-03-09 | 2009-09-08 | 2010-03-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |