Abstract:
A joint socket device for memory cards provides a common lower base with an upper covering to offer a common space for receiving a smart media card (SMC), a multimedia card (MMC), a secure digital memory card (SD) and a memory stick (MS). The joint socket device is available for being inserted with four different memory cards without a need of offering four different socket devices so as to save contact points thereof, reduce the size occupied thereof, and facilitate the use thereof, respectively.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention: 
     The present invention relates to a joint socket device for memory cards, and particularly to a socket device, which is possible for being inserted with a smart media card (SMC), a multimedia card (MMC), a secure digital memory card (SD) and a memory stick (MS) respectively. 
     2. Description of Related Art: 
     Usually, a portable personal apparatus such as a digital camera or a notebook computer is provided with a memory card for storing data. It is necessary to arrange a socket device to receive the memory card of the portable personal apparatus. The socket device provides a conduction part to connect with the memory card and a microprocessor in the portable personal apparatus. Referring to FIG. 1, a SMC  10  is a large card with a small thickness, a MMC  20  is smaller and thicker, a SD  30  has the same area as the MMC  20  but much thicker, and the MS  40  has the smallest width and the largest length with a largest thickness. Each of the four memory cards at a facial side thereof is barely attached with different numbers of connection pieces  101 ,  201 ,  301 ,  401 . The connection pieces are passages for the memories in the memory cards in conjunction with foreign parts. Each of the connection pieces  101  of the SMC  10  has almost the same width as that of the respective connection piece  201  of the MMC  20  and a clearance between two neighboring connection pieces  101  is almost the same as that between two neighboring connection pieces  201 . The SD  30  has the connection pieces  301  thereof in a recess and a clearance between two adjacent ones for the 7 pieces at the middle section thereof is the same as that between two neighboring connection pieces  201  thereof. The connection pieces  401  of the MS  40  are also in a recess and provide a narrowest clearance between two adjacent ones thereof. All the four memory cards have a cut corner  102 ,  202 ,  302 ,  402  respectively, the SD  30  further has a write protect switch  303 , and the MS  40  further has an anti-reversed insertion groove  403 . Because SMC  10 , MMC  20 , SD  30  and MS  40  provide a shape, size and the number of junctions thereof different from one another, the socket devices adapted to the preceding memory cards are different from one another in their configurations and in the number of conduction parts thereof. The conventional socket device is only made for one of the preceding memory cards and not for all kinds of memory cards so that it is inconvenient that more socket devices have to be offered in case of multiple types memory cards being used. In this way, more joints have to be arranged in the circuit of each conventional socket device and a large space has to be offered for the multiple socket devices too. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a joint socket device for memory cards, which is adapted to different types of memory cards to enhance the convenience while in use. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a joint socket device for memory cards, which offers less connection points and a less gross size thereof than the conventional ones having the identical functions. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention can be more fully understood by reference to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1A,  1 B,  1 C,  1 D are plan views of a smart media card (SMC), a multimedia card (MMC), a security digital memory card (SD), and a memory stick (MS) illustrating the appearance with thickness thereof respectively; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a joint socket device for memory cards according to the present invention in a first embodiment thereof; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a lower base and an upper covering of the joint socket device for memory cards shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a lower base and an upper covering of the present invention in a second embodiment thereof; 
     FIG. 5 is perspective view illustrating a lower base and an upper covering of the present invention in a third embodiment thereof; 
     FIG. 6A is a fragmentary sectional view of the lower base in the third embodiment shown in FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 6B is another fragmentary sectional view of the lower base in the third embodiment shown in FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is a sectional view illustrating an extendable connecting pin of the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a block diagram for a circuit arranged in the present invention; and 
     FIG. 9 is another block diagram for a circuit arranged in the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a first embodiment of the present invention provides a joint socket device  50  for memory cards, which comprises a lower base  51  and an upper covering  52 . The lower base  51  provides a top face  511 , a first recess part  512  and a second recess part  513 , and the second recess part  513  is deeper than the first recess part  512 . The first recess part  512  has a sensor switch  515  for identifying different smart media cards (SMCs) by way of distinguishing the position of the cut corner on the respective SMC while the SMCs are inserted into the common socket device  50 . The second recess part  513  at a lateral side thereof has a slant corner  516  corresponding to the cut corner of the MMC and the SD, and at a narrow area  5131  thereof has a jut stop  517  corresponding to an anti-reversed insertion groove of the MS to prevent the MS from being inserted into the joint socket device  50  with the reversed side thereof. A sensor switch  518  is arranged at the rear end of the joint socket device  50  to detect whether the MS is inserted or not. The upper covering  52  has an inner face  521 , a first high part  522  and a second high part  523 , and the second high part  523  is higher than the first high part  522 . The upper covering  52  at both lateral sides thereof has two engaging holes  524  respectively for engaging with two projection pieces  514  at both of the lateral sides respectively so that the upper covering  52  and the lower base  51  can be associated with each other with the inner face  521  being touched to the top face  511  of the lower base  51 . Thus, part of the inner face  521  and the first recess part  512  constitute a first chamber for containing the SMC, the first high part  522  and the first recess part  512  constitute a second chamber for containing the MMC, and the first high part  522  and the second recess part  513  constitute a third chamber for containing the SD. The narrow area  5231  of the second high part  523  and the rest area of the same part and the narrow area  5131  of the second recess part  513  and the rest area of the same part form a fourth chamber receiving the MS. The first high part  522  has a sensor switch  525  corresponding to a write protect of the SD and a lateral side opposite to the sensor switch  525  has a slant corner  526  corresponding to the slant corner  516  and the slant corner  526  is provided with a sensor switch  53  for the MMC and the SD. The sensor switch  53  comprises a first spring plate  531  and a second spring plate  532  with a respective end thereof touching to each other. The first spring plate  531  has a protrusion  533  extending outward through the slant corner  526  of the first high part  522  so that the slant corner  526  is pressed down by the MMC or the SD to retreat inward such that the first spring plate  531  is in state of separating from the second spring plate  532  as soon as the MMC or the SD is inserted into the first high part  522 . Thus, it can be learned if the MMC or the SD has been inserted into the joint socket device  50 . The narrow area  5231  of the second high part  523  provides a slant corner  527  corresponding to the cut corner of the MS. The joint socket device for a memory card according to the present invention at either the lower base or the upper covering thereof is required to provide a conduction part so as to correspond to connection plates on the SMC, the MMC, the SD and MS. The conduction part illustrated in the first embodiment of the present invention comprises a plurality of long connecting pins  54 , short connecting pins  55  and MS connecting pins  56  disposed at the lower base  51 . Then, the conduction part, i.e., all the connecting pins illustrated in the first embodiment of the present invention, can contact with the connection plate as soon as the SMC, the MMC, the SD, or the MS is inserted into the joint socket device. Hence, the memory card can connect with the circuit on a circuit substrate in a personal mobile device to perform an operation of read or write. 
     There are two adjacent short connecting pins, which are among the long and the short connecting pins  54 ,  55  located at the second recess part  513 , extend rearward in an ascending way from the front end of the socket device, and a respective contact point at the other ends of the two short connecting pins is a little higher than the bottom of the first recess part  512  so as to touch the connection plate of the SMC, MMC or SD. When the MS is inserted into the socket device, the long connecting pins  54  and the short connecting pins  55  are pressed down to enter the pin grooves in the second recess part  513  without interfering the MS. The MS connecting pins  56  is disposed at the rear end of second recess part  513  for touching the connection plate of the MS. Each MS connection pin  56  can join an individual long connecting pin  54  or an individual short connecting pin  55  to use the output end jointly. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, the difference of a second embodiment of the present invention from the joint socket device is in that the MS connecting pins  56  and the jut stop  528  corresponding to the anti-reversed groove are located at the rear end of the second high part on the upper covering  52 . The second recess part of the lower base  51  has a slant corner  519  corresponding to the MS cut corner and the sensor switch  518  is disposed at another side opposite to the slant corner  519 . At this time, the connection plate of the MS faces the upper covering  52  to contact the MS pins  56 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 5,  6 A, and  6 B, a third embodiment of the present invention is illustrated to provide a joint socket device. The difference of the joint socket device of present embodiment from the joint socket device illustrated in FIG. 4 is in that the second high part  523  of the upper covering  52  has the sensor switch at the rear end thereof to detect if the MS is inserted into the joint socket device or not, and the long and the short connecting pins  54 ,  55  extend forward to the front end from the rear end of the lower base  51  with two adjacent long connecting pins among the connecting pins. In order to prevent the connecting pins from blocking the thicker MS as soon as the thicker MS is inserted into the chamber, a lifted rod is arranged at the second recess part  513  under the connecting pins to keep the connecting pins in pin slots before the SMC, the MMC, or the SD being inserted into the joint socket device. When the lifted rod is touched by the SMC, the MMC, or the SD during the SMC, the MMC, or the SD being inserted into the joint socket device, the lifted rod urges the connecting pins to move out from the pin slots and contact with the connection pieces of the SMC, the MMC, or the SD. The present embodiment illustrates that a first lifted rod  541  is pivotally connected under the long connecting pins  54  at the second recess part  513  and a second lifted rod  551  is pivotally connected under the short connecting pins  55 . The first lifted rod  541  and the second lifted rod  551  at both ends thereof provide a press lever  542 ,  552  respectively in conjunction with a torsion spring  543 ,  553 . The first lifted rod  541  has a longitudinal flat cut surface  5411  and the long connection pins  54  are laid on the cut surface  5411  and in the pin slots  544 . As soon as the memory card such as a SMC  10  is inserted into the joint socket device, the bottom of the SMC  10  may touch the press lever  542  on the cut flat surface  5411  and the press lever  542  is inclined toward a lateral side with the lifted rod  541  rotating an angular distance. Because the cut flat surface  5411  rotates an angular distance too, the rod body  5412  can push the long connecting pins  54  upward to touch the connection pieces of the SMC  10 . As soon as the SMC  10  is taken out from the joint socket device, the press lever  542  is free from the pressing force and restores to the original position with the longitudinal cut flat surface  5411  by way of the rebound force of the torsion spring  543 . Hence, the long connecting pins  54  moves backward into the pin slots  544 . Similarly, the second lifted rod  551  has an arrangement almost the same as the first lifted rod  541  and provides the same movement as the first lifted rod  541  does. But, the second lifted rod  551  at the rod body thereof has recesses accommodating the long connecting pins  54  so that the second lifted rod  551  is not possible to urge the long connecting pins  54  upward during turning an angular distance. 
     The join socket device of the present invention is required to provide a conduction part such as the connecting pins in the preceding embodiments. As shown in FIG. 7, a further embodiment illustrates another conduction part in the joint socket device of the present invention. The joint socket device  70  provides an opening  701  corresponding to the connection pieces of the SMC, the MMC, the SD, or the MS, and an extendable connecting pin  81  is arranged to locate at the opening  701  so as to touch the connection pieces of the SMC, the MMC, the SD, or the MS such that the memory card can electrically connect with the circuit on the substrate  80 . The extendable connecting pin  81  is received in a fixing seat  82  and is urged by a spring  83  and is moved inward the fixing seat  82  during being subjected by a downward force. The fixing seat  82  connects with the lead wires on the circuit substrate  80  for transmitting signals. 
     Referring to FIG. 8, a circuit in the joint socket device of the present invention is illustrated. The circuit comprises a microprocessor  60  connecting with four contact points  57  of the sensor switches, a SMC data interface connector  61 , a MMC/SD data interface connector  62 , and a MS data interface connector  63 . The SMC data interface connector  61 , the MMC/SD data interface connector  62 , and the MS data interface connector  63  connect a switch  611 ,  621 ,  631  respectively. The three switches  611 ,  621 ,  631  at the other ends thereof connect with one another at a contact point  58  of the common socket device so as to connect with the conduction part in the joint socket device. When the SMC, the MMC, the SD or the MS is inserted into the joint socket device, the microprocessor  60  can detect the response signals of the four sensor switches and determine to connect with the conduction part of the joint socket device by way of the switch  611  of the SMC data interface connector  61 , the switch  621  of the MMC/SD data interface connector  62  or the switch  631  of the MS data interface connector  63  such that the SMC, the MMC, the SD, or the MS can be connected to the microprocessor  60 . 
     Referring to FIG. 9, another embodiment of the circuit in the present invention is illustrated. The circuit comprises a microprocessor  60  connecting with a SMC data interface connector  61 , a MMC/SD data interface connector  62  and a MS data interface connector  63 , and contact points  57  for the sensor switches on the joint socket device. The SMC data interface connector  61 , the MMC/SD data interface connector  62  and the MS data interface connector  63  are connected to contact points  58  on the joint socket device so as to connect with the conduction parts on the lower base and the upper covering. When the SMC and or the MS is inserted into the joint socket device, the microprocessor  60  can detect the response signals of the sensor switches such that the SMC or the MS can be read or can read directly to check if the MMC/SD is inserted or not, and can determine to read or write the data in the SMC, the MMC, the SD or the MS by way of the SMC data interface connector  61 , the MMC/SD data interface connector  62  or the MS data interface connector  63 . 
     It can be understood that it is required  56  contact points totally while a respective conventional socket device is inserted with the SMC, the MMC, the SD and MS uniquely. It is appreciated that the present invention provides a joint socket device for the SMC, the MMC, the SD and MS and it is possible to reduce to  34  contact points at most so as to achieve a purpose of saving contact points. Furthermore, the present invention provides a common receiving space for the SMC, the MMC, the SD and MS to save the gross volume required by these four socket devices independently. Accordingly, it is convenient that the SMC, the MMC, the SD and MS can be operated in a joint socket device and it is possible to save the production cost resulting from three extra conventional socket devices. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that modifications or variations may be easily made without departing from the spirit of this invention, which is defined by the appended claims.