Patent ID: 6168082
Filing Date: 2001-01-02
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
A card reader includes a base and a cover securable together to define a card-receiving cavity and a terminal housing in which a plurality of right angle terminals are disposed, each terminal having a body, a card engaging section at an end of a horizontal body section extending into said cavity, and a board mounting section at an end of a vertical body section extending outwardly of said card reader, the card reader being characterized in that: said base defines a terminal-receiving section of said terminal housing and said cover defines a terminal-securing section of said terminal housing, the two sections together defining terminal-receiving passageways within which said bodies of said terminals extend; said terminal-receiving section of said base includes first and second portions, said first portion extending upwardly above a bottom surface of, and at an inner end of, said card-receiving cavity and said second portion extending outwardly from said base at a right angle to said first portion;said vertical body portion of said terminals being disposed along grooves of said second portion of said terminal-receiving section of said base and said horizontal body sections extending along a top surface of said first portion with elongate end portions of said horizontal body sections extending forwardly from said top surface to said card engaging sections; and said terminal-securing section of said cover includes a downwardly directed portion that cooperates with said second portion of said terminal-receiving section, with an inner surface of said cover being opposed from said first portion of said terminal-receiving section adjacent said terminals; whereby, upon assembling said base and cover together, said terminals are secured in position in the terminal-receiving passageways and said terminal contact surfaces extend into said cavity proximate said cover, and a card can be inserted into said cavity with the contact pads facing said cover.