1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector, into which a memory card having a non-contact communication function can be inserted.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, as a data storing means of electronic devices such as digital cameras and mobile phones, memory cards having a built-in nonvolatile memory such as flash memory, for example, “SD Memory Card” and “MultiMedia Card” are rapidly becoming pervasive. For example, a connector for this kind of memory card is disclosed in Japanese Patent Early Publication No. 2005-26016. This connector is formed with a housing having a loading port at its one end, through which the memory card can be inserted into the connector, a plurality of contacts configured to contact connecting terminals of the memory card inserted in the housing, a slide member that is slidable in the housing in synchronization with the memory card inserted from the loading port, and a bias spring configured to provide a spring biasing force to the slide member in a direction of pulling out the memory card.
By the way, it is expected that a compact memory card (e.g., “smart SD”) having an IC card function for transmitting and receiving data to and from the outside by non-contact communication becomes pervasive in the future. However, as a result of the compact size of the memory card itself, an antenna built in this memory card is inevitably small. Therefore, it is an important subject for study to extend a communication distance. For example, Japanese Patent Early Publication No.2002-279377discloses an adaptor for a plug-in type IC card. This adaptor has a substantially same shape as a conventional credit card, and an antenna coil is disposed inside to extend the communication distance.
However, because the adaptor itself has a substantially same size as the credit card, it is needed to mount a connector having a shape and a size corresponding to the adaptor in an electric appliance. For this reason, there are problems in that it becomes necessary to newly design a connector configuration suitable for the adaptor, and mounting such an adapter in the electric appliance leads to an increase in size of the electric appliance in itself.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds