Patent ID: 6382508
Filing Date: 2002-05-07
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
A contacting apparatus for a smart card having smart card contacts, the contacting apparatus comprising:a frame in which are fixedly mounted contact elements for contacting the smart card contacts; a carriage adapted to receive the smart card and reciprocally mounted in said frame, the carriage being movable between a start position in which the contact elements are retracted, and a reading position in which the carriage engages said contact elements so as to move them into contact with the smart card contacts; said carriage comprises edges formed by slots and said edges engage said contact elements when said carriage is moved into said reading position so as to move said contact elements into a position where they contact the smart card contacts and wherein each said contact element comprises an essentially linear portion, an inclined portion angled relative to said linear portion, and cusps at the end of said inclined portion, and wherein said inclined portion engages one of the edges in said carriage when carriage is moved into said reading position; mechanical locking means mounted on said frame and adapted to lock said smart card directly or indirectly in a reading position on said frame in which said contact elements contact the smart card contacts of the inserted smart card; and a mechanical unlocking means provided on said frame and adapted to unlock said locking means when said smart card is moved out of said reading position.