Patent ID: 6234391
Filing Date: 2001-05-22
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
A smart card reader, comprising:a base;a first group of contact elements fixedly mounted in said base;a cover placed on top of said base;a second group of contact elements fixedly mounted in said cover, each of the contact elements of each of said groups comprisesa termination end adapted to be connected to an electrical circuit; anda contacting end adapted to contact one of the card contacts formed by said smart card, said contacting ends of both groups facing towards each other; andconnecting means provided for the termination ends of the contact elements in the cover and the base, respectively, said connecting means comprising a printed circuit board having a front end and a rear end and extending from a front end to a rear end of the cover and beyond the rear end of the cover,wherein the base is fixed to the cover forming a card receiving slot in an area in which said contacting ends face each other, and into which the smart card can be selectively inserted for contacting at least one of the contact elements mounted in the cover and the contact elements mounted in the base, andwherein the termination ends of the contact elements of the first group extend upwardly while the termination ends of the contact elements of the second group extend downwardly and said upwardly extending termination ends are connected to conductive paths of said printed circuit board which lead to said printed circuit board rear end which extends beyond said cover portion rear end, andwherein pins are connected to said conductive paths and extend downwardly to the level of the termination ends of said contact elements of the base portion.