Method and apparatus pertaining to movement of a SIM-card tray

An apparatus comprises an assembly and a SIM-card tray configured to move, at least partially, into and out of the assembly to thereby selectively electrically connect and disconnect a SIM card that is disposed in the SIM-card tray to and from at least one electrical connector. A biasing member automatically urges movement of the SIM-card tray with respect to at least one of moving the SIM-card tray into the assembly and out of the assembly. By one approach this biasing member comprises a spring. By one approach this spring can serve to both automatically urge movement of the SIM-card tray into the assembly and out of the assembly. These teachings will accommodate a SIM-card tray configured to accommodate a micro-SIM card. These teachings will also accommodate a personal communication device having the aforementioned components.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosed concept relates generally to SIM-card trays.

BACKGROUND

SIM cards are known in the art. (The acronym SIM is generally known to refer to both a “Subscriber Identity Module” as well as a “Subscriber Identification Module.” The meanings are essentially synonymous with one another and therefore as used herein the acronym SIM will be understood to refer to both and either such meanings.) SIM cards typically comprise a carrier having an integrated circuit that stores a service-subscriber key as pertains, for example, to a given subscriber of wireless telephony services. The subscriber typically uses their SIM card by installing the SIM card in their portable communication device of choice.

The form factor of a given portable communication device can sometimes make the installation or removal of a SIM card challenging. This can be especially so when the SIM card comprises a micro-SIM card which is only 15 mm by 12 mm in size. Difficulties in these regards, in turn, can frustrate the end user or impair desired usability of the portable communication device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Generally speaking, pursuant to these various embodiments, an apparatus (such as a portable communication device) comprises an assembly and a SIM-card tray configured to move, at least partially, into and out of the assembly to thereby selectively electrically connect and disconnect a SIM card that is disposed in the SIM-card tray to and from at least one electrical connector. A biasing member automatically urges movement of the SIM-card tray with respect to at least one of moving the SIM-card tray into the assembly and out of the assembly.

By one approach this biasing member comprises a spring. By one approach this spring can serve to both automatically urge movement of the SIM-card tray into the assembly and out of the assembly.

These teachings will accommodate a SIM-card tray configured to accommodate a micro-SIM card. These teachings will also accommodate a personal communication device having the aforementioned components. So configured, a SIM card (including even a micro-SIM card) can be readily and easily installed in the personal communication device and removed from the personal communication device notwithstanding, for example, a tight and constrained operating environment. This, in turn, can facilitate a more assured and reliable manipulation of a SIM card and thus greater user satisfaction.

These teachings can be economically deployed and are readily applied in conjunction with numerous existing technologies and hence can serve to greatly leverage the continued viability of those technologies. These teachings are also highly scalable and will serve with a wide variety of different SIM-card sizes and application settings.

These and other benefits may become clearer upon making a thorough review and study of the following detailed description. Referring now to the drawings, and in particular toFIG. 1, an illustrative process100that is compatible with many of these teachings will now be presented.

This process100provides101an assembly configured to receive a SIM-card tray. This assembly can assume a variety of forms and sizes.FIG. 2provides a non-limiting example. In this example the assembly200includes a pair of opposing side rails201that each have a notch202formed longitudinally therein to slidingly receive a SIM-card tray. A cover203spans and connects to these side rails201and includes side flanges204that can facilitate, for example, attaching the assembly200to a larger apparatus.

By one approach this assembly200also includes a bottom205that also connects to the side rails201. Depending upon the application setting, however, either or both of the cover203and the bottom205may be comprised of portions of a larger assembly or apparatus. By one approach the bottom205can include a pivot post (not shown here) as described below.

These components of the assembly200can be comprised of any suitable material. The side rails201, for example, can be comprised of a suitable plastic or metal material. In many cases it may be beneficial to form the cover203and bottom205of metal (such as aluminum or a suitable steel alloy) in order to provide strong yet thin members.

As mentioned above, this assembly200serves to receive a SIM-card tray.FIG. 3provides a non-limiting example in these regards. Generally speaking this SIM-card tray300has a tray area301configured to conformally receive a corresponding SIM card302. By one approach this SIM card302comprises a micro-SIM card and hence the SIM-card tray300comprises a micro-SIM-card tray.

By one approach the SIM-card tray300can have one or more openings303formed therethrough. The illustrated opening303, for example, is sufficiently large to permit a user to push an object through that opening303in order to dislodge the SIM card302when seeking to remove the SIM card302from the SIM-card tray300.

In this illustrative example the SIM-card tray300includes opposing side flanges304. These side flanges304are sized and configured to fit within the aforementioned side-rail notches202of the assembly200. The SIM-card tray300can also include a front side wall305that can serve, in part, as a handle to facilitate installation and removal of the SIM-card tray300.

Again, the SIM-card tray300can be comprised of any suitable material. In many cases, however, where both a thin material and a strong material are sought an appropriate metal will serve well.

So configured, this SIM-card tray300is configured to move, at least partially, into and out of the assembly to thereby also move the corresponding SIM card302into and out of the assembly. This movement, in turn, will serve to selectively electrically connect and disconnect the SIM card302that is disposed in the SIM-card tray300to and from at least one electrical connector. (Such electrical connectors and this general sliding manner of connecting a SIM card into an operable connection with the electrical connector are known in the art. Accordingly, further elaboration in these regards is not provided here.)

Referring now toFIGS. 1 and 4, this process100also provides102a biasing member. By one approach this biasing member can comprise one or more springs400.FIG. 4depicts one illustrative example in these regards in an at-rest state. By one approach this spring400can comprise a suitable metal such as spring-hardened stainless steel. By selecting an electrically-conductive material this spring400can also serve as a grounding path from the SIM-card tray300to thereby electrically protect the SIM card302when the SIM card302is disposed in the SIM-card tray300. (In such a case, by grounding the SIM-card tray300this spring400can also protect other nearby sensitive electrical components.)

As described below this biasing member couples to the SIM-card tray300. With this in mind, this process100will accommodate optionally disposing103a liner between the SIM-card tray300and this biasing member.FIG. 5provides an illustrative example of such a configuration. Here, this optional liner503(shown in phantom lines) comprises a slick, plastic coating disposed on the underside of the SIM-card tray300such that this liner503resides between the SIM-card tray300and the spring400. So configured, portions of the spring400can more easily move with respect to the SIM-card tray300as the latter moves into and out of the aforementioned assembly.

FIG. 5also illustrates that the SIM-card tray300can optionally include one or more tabs504or the like. In this illustrative and non-limiting example these tabs extend outwardly from the bottom side of the SIM-card tray300. So configured, such a tab504can act as a stop to prevent the SIM-card tray300from being withdrawn more than a given corresponding distance from the assembly200.

In any event, and with continued reference toFIGS. 1 and 5, this process100then provides for coupling104the biasing member to the SIM-card tray300. Referring again to the non-limiting example provided above, the flanges304of the SIM-card tray300are disposed within the side-rail notches202of the aforementioned assembly200. So configured, the SIM-card tray300can be readily slid in and out of the assembly200as desired.

In this particular illustrative example the aforementioned spring400has a first end401pivotally connected to a pivot post501such that the spring's first end401can readily rotate about the pivot post501. This pivot post501, in turn, can be connected (or otherwise coupled) to, for example, the aforementioned bottom205(not shown inFIG. 5for the sake of clarity) of the assembly or to some other available structural element that will not move as the SIM-card tray300moves in and out of the assembly200.

The opposing, second end402of the spring400pivotally connects in this illustrative example to the SIM-card tray300itself (by connecting, for example, to a pivot post502that comprises a part of the SIM-card tray300or that is otherwise connected to the SIM-card tray300).FIG. 5depicts the SIM-card tray300as being at least largely withdrawn from the assembly200. So disposed, it will be understood that the spring400will tend to bias the SIM-card tray300outwardly of the assembly200as represented by the arrow denoted by reference numeral505. In this case, if a user were to urge the SIM-card tray300inwardly of the assembly200by only a small amount, the spring400will push back against that force and tend to return the SIM-card tray300to some rest position if the user withdraws their effort.

FIG. 6illustrates this disposition of the spring400where the SIM-card tray300is essentially fully withdrawn from the assembly200. As the SIM-card tray300is urged inwardly of the assembly (200) by, for example, a user's finger (not shown) asserting such a force, the second end402of the spring400will begin to move along with the SIM-card tray300and relative to the fixed-position first end501of the spring.FIG. 7illustrates this movement by inclusion of the arrow that is denoted by reference numeral701.

As suggested above, and as illustrated here, the spring400will continue to push back against such a force (as denoted by the arrow505) until the second end402of the spring400reaches a point of relative equilibrium.FIG. 8illustrates this transition point for this particular example. As the user continues to urge the SIM-card tray300inwardly of the assembly200, the spring400will switch the direction of its bias and begin to urge the SIM-card tray300to continue moving inwardly.FIG. 9illustrates such a state (where the arrow denoted by reference numeral901indicates the switched direction of bias).

So configured, the spring400itself now works to complete drawing the SIM-card tray300inside the assembly200. This movement continues until, in this example, the SIM-card tray300becomes seated at a desired stopping point (and the SIM card302becomes coincidentally electrically connected to a corresponding electrical connector as desired).FIG. 10illustrates this state in general for the spring400whileFIG. 11provides a view of the SIM-card tray300as fully inserted within the assembly200as per this action of the spring400.

The SIM-card tray300can be withdrawn by essentially reversing the foregoing actions. The spring400will initially resist movement of the SIM-card tray300from its installed position. Then, approximately half-way through being withdrawn (in this example) the spring400will begin to bias the SIM-card tray300away from the installed position and essentially assist with the withdrawal of the SIM-card tray300to thereby provide user access to the SIM-card tray300or the SIM card302itself.

As noted above, the SIM-card tray300can include one or more tabs504that can serve to prevent the SIM-card tray300from being fully withdrawn.FIG. 12illustrates that such a tab504can interact with a corresponding tab1201or other surface on another member1202(which might comprise, for example, the bottom of the assembly or essentially any other structural element that does not move with the SIM-card tray300).

So configured, this spring400serves to both automatically urge movement of the SIM-card tray300into the assembly200and out of the assembly200. This automatic urging, in turn, can greatly facilitate the ease by which a user can manipulate the SIM-card tray300to install or remove a SIM card302. This automatic urging can also assist with ensuring that a SIM card302is properly seated with respect to its counterpart electrical connector and that the SIM card302is not accidently or inadvertently unseated from that electrical connector.

These teachings can be beneficially applied in a variety of application settings. With reference toFIG. 13, this can include using such an assembly200in a portable communication device1300such as a so-called smartphone, cellular telephone, and so forth. In particular, a portable communication device1300having, for example, a narrow profile can nevertheless permit a user to more easily meet their SIM-card needs by relying upon the automated biasing of such a SIM-card tray300.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of modifications, alterations, and combinations can be made with respect to the above described embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosed concept, and that such modifications, alterations, and combinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the disclosed concept.