Patent ID: 6241545
Filing Date: 2001-06-05
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
An electrical connector system for connecting to contact pads on lower faces of smart cards, comprising:a circuit board that has a plurality of traces;a plurality of laterally spaced bases that lie on said circuit board, with each base being largely plate-shaped and having an upper face for lying against one of said smart cards;at least one row of contacts mounted on each of said bases, with each contact having a tail joined to one of said traces and having a contacting part that projects above the upper face of the corresponding base;a housing that lies on said circuit board around said bases and that is coupled to said bases, said housing having a plurality of longitudinally-extending guides for slidably receiving each of a plurality of smart cards to a fully inserted position wherein contact pads of said smart cards can engage said contacting parts of said contacts;said bases each being fixed in position to said circuit board, and said housing being fixed in position to said circuit board independently of said bases.