Abstract:
A selective card insertion apparatus includes a carrier having a first card slot and a second card slot formed therein. The first card slot is separated from the second card slot. The first card slot includes a first end and a second end. A connector is provided at the second end. A stop is positioned between the first end and the connector for permitting insertion of a first card and for stopping insertion of a second card.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
         [0001]    The disclosures herein relate generally to computer systems and more particularly to card slots formed in computer chassis.  
           [0002]    As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.  
           [0003]    Computer chassis are provided with card slots. A smart card slot and a card bus slot are now part of a standard computer configuration. The slots are sometimes stacked side-by-side in the computer chassis and are sometimes provided on opposite sides of the chassis. When the slots are side-by-side and not populated, a user may accidentally insert a smart card into the card bus slot. This could cause damage to the card bus connector.  
           [0004]    Therefore, what is needed is a cost-efficient means of guarding against a smart card being inserted into the card bus slot and damaging the card bus connector.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0005]    One embodiment, accordingly, provides a guard/stop feature which will allow only a card bus, i.e. a PC card to be inserted into the slot. To this end, a selective card insertion apparatus includes a carrier having a card slot formed therein. The card slot is separated from the second card slot. The first card slot includes a first end and a second end. A connector is provided at the second end. A stop is positioned between the first end and the connector for permitting insertion of a first card and for stopping insertion of a second card.  
           [0006]    A principal advantage of this embodiment is if a smart card is accidentally inserted into the card bus slot, the guard/stop feature will stop full insertion and protect against damage to the card bus connector. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating an embodiment of a computer system.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is a view illustrating an embodiment of a portion of a computer chassis.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a smart card.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a PCMCIA card.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  5 - 5  of FIG. 4.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a card carrier.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating an inverse view of the card carrier of FIG. 6.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 8 is an end view taken along the line  8 - 8  of FIG. 6.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a card carrier.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 10 is an enlarged partial view illustrating an embodiment of a stop.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 11 is an end view taken along the line  11 - 11  of FIG. 9.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating an alternate embodiment of a stop. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0019]    For purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system may include any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, or other purposes. For example, an information handling system may be a personal computer, a network storage device, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. The information handling system may include random access memory (RAM), one or more processing resources such as a central processing unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, ROM, and/or other types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components of the information handling system may include one or more disk drives, one or more network ports for communicating with external devices as well as various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. The information handling system may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communications between the various hardware components.  
         [0020]    In one embodiment, computer system  10 , FIG. 1, includes a microprocessor  12 , which is connected to a bus  14 . Bus  14  serves as a connection between microprocessor  12  and other components of computer system  10 . An input device  16  is coupled to microprocessor  12  to provide input to microprocessor  12 . Examples of input devices include keyboards, touchscreens, and pointing devices such as mouses, trackballs and trackpads. Programs and data are stored on a mass storage device  18 , which is coupled to microprocessor  12 . Mass storage devices include such devices as hard disks, optical disks, magneto-optical drives, floppy drives and the like. Computer system  10  further includes a display  20 , which is coupled to microprocessor  12  by a video controller  22 . A system memory  24  is coupled to microprocessor  12  to provide the microprocessor with fast storage to facilitate execution of computer programs by microprocessor  12 . It should be understood that other busses and intermediate circuits can be deployed between the components described above and microprocessor  12  to facilitate interconnection between the components and the microprocessor.  
         [0021]    In a computer chassis  26 , FIG. 2, which may contain the computer system  10  as described above, a card slot or slots  28  are provided for the insertion of various cards such as, for example, a smart card  30  and a card bus, i.e., a PCMCIA card  32 , see FIGS. 3, 4 and  5 . The smart card  30  is of a thickness T 1  and the PCMCIA card is of a second thickness T 2  which is greater than T 1 . Because the cards  30  and  32  are of substantially the same length l and width w, the PCMCIA card  32  is therefore of a greater volume than the smart card  30  due to the greater thickness.  
         [0022]    As illustrated in FIG. 3, the smart card  30  includes a reader circuit  34 . The PCMCIA card  32  includes a plurality of pin apertures  36 . Card  32  also includes a first keyed side  38  having a slot  40  formed therein and a second keyed side  42  having a slot  44  formed therein and offset from slot  40 .  
         [0023]    A carrier  46 , it is understood, may include a single slot or a plurality of slots  48  and  50 , see FIGS. 6, 7 and  8 . The slots  48  and  50  are provided to receive cards such as, for example, smart card  30  and PCMCIA card  32 . Carrier  46  is mounted in chassis  26 , FIG. 2. Slot  48  is of a size sufficient to receive either the smart card  30  or the PCMCIA card  32 , and herein is a problem, because only the PCMCIA card is to be inserted in slot  48 . Slot  50 , on the other hand, is of a size sufficient to receive only the smart card  30 . This is because the slot  48  is of a thickness corresponding to T 2  and slot  50  is of a thickness corresponding to T 1  as described above.  
         [0024]    Slot  48  includes a first end  52  and a second end  54 . A pin connector  56  is provided at second end  54  for connection with pin apertures  36 , FIG. 4. Also slot  48 , FIGS. 6, 7,  8 , is keyed at  58 ,  60  to receive the keyed slots  40  and  44 , respectively. The keyed connections of  58 ,  60  and  40 ,  44 , respectively enhance the alignment between pin connector  56  and pin apertures  36 .  
         [0025]    Slot  50  includes a first end  72  and a second end  74 , FIG. 7. A smart card reader  76  is positioned adjacent second end  74  for engagement with reader circuit, FIG. 3.  
         [0026]    A pair of resilient stops  62   a ,  62   b  are provided on opposite sides  64 ,  66 , respectively, of carrier slot  48 , FIGS. 9, 10 and  11 . Stops  62   a ,  62   b  each include a ramp portion  68  and a stop portion  70 . Stops  62   a ,  62   b  are in the form of a leaf spring which protrudes into slot  48  but may be flexed outwardly from slot  48 .  
         [0027]    In the event that smart card  30  is inadvertently inserted into slot  48 , the stops  62   a ,  62   b  will limit travel of smart card in slot  48 . Note that in FIG. 10, the ramp portion  68  of stop  62   a  is adjacent a surface  78  of slot  48  whereas the stop portion  70  is spaced apart from surface  78 . However, the opposed stop  62   b , FIG. 11, is inversely positioned to stop  62   a  so that the stop portion  70  of stop  62   b  is adjacent surface  78  and the ramp portion  68  is spaced apart from surface  78 . In this manner, the stop portions  70  of each stop  62   a ,  62   b  are not aligned and thus further enhance limiting inadvertent insertion of smart card  30  in PCMCIA slot  48 .  
         [0028]    The stops  62   a  and  62   b  do not limit insertion of the PCMCIA card  32  because the keyed slots  40 ,  44 , described above, are offset, and therefore, the ramp portion is  68  of each stop  62   a ,  62   b  will be engaged by a portion of each keyed side  38 ,  40  of PCMCIA card  32  during insertion.  
         [0029]    In an alternate embodiment, FIG. 12, illustrates a single stop  80  positioned adjacent second end  54   a  of PCMCIA slot  48   a . Stop  80  is in the form of a leaf spring extending out of a surface  78   a  and is easily flexed out of slot  48  when engaged by the substantially rigid PCMCIA card  32 . However, the more flexible smart card  30  is easily stopped by the stop  80  so that insertion into slot  48   a  is limited.  
         [0030]    Although illustrative embodiments have been shown and described, a wide range of modification, change and substitution is contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances, some features of the embodiment may be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the embodiments disclosed herein.