Abstract:
An Integrated Circuit (IC) card connector includes a housing member, an ejection mechanism, and a plurality of braking pieces. The housing member includes an accommodation portion for selectively accommodating an IC card. When the ejection mechanism ejects the IC card from the accommodation portion, an end of at least one of the plurality of braking pieces contacts a movable part of the ejection mechanism. After contacting the movable part of the ejection mechanism, the end of the at least one braking piece retreats. Thus, the braking piece decelerates the ejection speed of the IC card and avoids the undesirable jumping-out of the IC card. Embodiments consistent with the invention may also include an improper insertion piece provided in the housing member.

Description:
This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2004-078912 filed Mar. 18, 2004 and 2004-381505 filed Dec. 28, 2004, which are incorporated hereinto by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an Integrated Circuit (IC) card connector having a braking piece for braking the election of the IC card ejected by an ejection mechanism. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     An IC card connector is provided in a portion for accommodating a vertically oriented IC card with an ejection mechanism for loading/unloading the IC card, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3,306,395 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,699,061. 
     Another ejection mechanism provided in the IC card connector has been put into practice as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3,429,267 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,729,892. That is, instead of an ejector member described in the above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,306,395 and No. 6,699,061, the vertically oriented IC card longer in the longitudinal direction itself is pushed against a biasing force of a coil spring in the loading/unloading direction and held in the accommodation portion by its ejector member. On the other hand, if the loaded IC card is further pushed in the same direction, the ejector member is moved in the card-ejecting direction due to the recovery force of the coil spring to eject the IC card from the accommodation portion. 
     Such an ejection mechanism comprises, for example as main components, an ejector member, an ejector member control section for controlling the operation for selectively holding or releasing the ejector member, and a coil spring disposed between a side wall defining a card accommodation portion and the ejector member, for biasing the ejector member in the ejecting direction of the IC card. 
     In this structure, when the IC card is ejected by the ejection mechanism, the ejection speed of the IC card is provided in accordance with an elastic force (a spring constant) of the coil spring. 
     Accordingly, when the operator removes the IC card from the accommodation portion, there is a risk in that directly after the operator has pushed the IC card twice in the same direction, if his finger is quickly released from an end of the IC card, the IC card may abruptly jump out from the card accommodation portion due to the elastic force of the coil spring. 
     To avoid such undesirable jumping-out of the IC card, for example as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3,306,395, there is a proposal in that a front end of an elastically deformable braking piece is brought into contact with a lower surface of the IC card to generate a frictional force for preventing the IC card from jumping out. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     As mentioned above, in the IC card connector in which the ejection speed of the IC card is provided in accordance with the elastic force (the spring constant) of the coil spring, it is necessary for avoiding undesirable jumping-out of the IC card when ejecting the IC card as smaller size IC cards are used to provide the above-mentioned braking piece as well as to change the design so that the spring constant of the coil spring becomes smaller. 
     However, if the design is changed so that the spring constant of the coil spring becomes smaller, ejection defects of the IC card may be caused. Moreover, it is not easy to strictly control the spring constant of the coil spring in production by taking the individual variance between the respective coil springs into consideration. Accordingly, the conventional countermeasures are not reliable means for smoothly ejecting the IC card while avoiding the undesirable jumping-out of the IC card accompanied with the downsizing thereof. 
     In consideration of the problem mentioned above, an object of the present invention is to provide an IC card connector having a braking piece for braking the IC card ejected by an ejection mechanism from the IC card connector so that the undesirable jumping-out of the IC card accompanied with the downsizing thereof is assuredly avoidable. 
     To achieve the above-mentioned object, the inventive IC card connector includes a housing member having an accommodation portion for selectively accommodating an IC card and a contact terminal to be electrically connected to the IC card, an ejection m mechanism for selectively ejecting the IC card outside from the accommodation portion of the housing member, and a plurality of braking pieces for braking the ejection of the IC card in a state wherein the IC card is ready for being ejected from the accommodation portion of the housing member by the ejection mechanism, characterized in that an end of one of the plurality of braking pieces once strikes on a movable part of the ejection mechanism when the IC card is ejected by the ejection mechanism, and thereafter retreats at an original position. 
     As apparent from the above description, according to the inventive IC card connector, the plurality of braking pieces for braking the ejection of the IC card are provided, and when the IC card is ejected by the ejection mechanism, one end of at least one of these braking pieces once strikes on the movable part of the ejection mechanism, and then retreats at the original position, whereby the ejection speed of the IC card is decelerated to assuredly avoid the undesirable jumping-out of the IC card accompanied with the downsizing of the IC card. 
     The above and other objects, effects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an enlarged perspective view of a main part in one aspect of the inventive IC card connector; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating a whole appearance of the aspect of the inventive IC card connector; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating a whole appearance of the aspect of the inventive IC card connector; 
         FIG. 4A  is a side view of the aspect shown in  FIG. 2 , and  FIG. 4B  is a partially sectional view in  FIG. 4A ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the aspect shown in  FIG. 2  wherein a cover member is removed to illustrate a memory card; 
         FIG. 6  is a partially sectional view of the aspect shown in  FIG. 2  for explaining the operation thereof; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view illustrating a braking piece in the cover member in the aspect shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIGS. 8A and 8B  are partially sectional views, respectively, for explaining the operation of the aspect shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a characteristic curve of forces applied to the memory card when loaded and unloaded in the aspect shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a plan view for explaining the operation of the aspect shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a side view of the aspect shown in  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a partially sectional view of the aspect shown in  FIG. 10  taken along a line XII—XII; 
         FIG. 13  is a plan view for explaining the operation of the aspect shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 14  is a side view of the aspect shown in  FIG. 13 ; 
         FIG. 15  is a side view of the aspect shown in  FIG. 13 ; 
         FIG. 16  is a perspective view illustrating a whole appearance of another aspect of the inventive IC card connector; 
         FIG. 17  is a plan view of the aspect shown in  FIG. 16 ; 
         FIG. 18  is a perspective view illustrating a whole appearance of the aspect shown in  FIG. 16  as seen in a different direction; 
         FIG. 19  is a perspective view illustrating a whole appearance of the aspect shown in  FIG. 16  as seen in a further different direction; 
         FIG. 20  is a partially enlarged perspective view of a main part of the aspect shown in  FIG. 16 ; 
         FIG. 21  is an enlarged perspective view of an ejector member used in the aspect shown in  FIG. 16 ; 
         FIGS. 22A and 22B  are partially sectional views, respectively, for explaining the operation of the aspect shown in  FIG. 16 ; 
         FIG. 23  is a partially sectional view for explaining the operation of the aspect shown in  FIG. 16 ; 
         FIG. 24  is a partially sectional view for explaining the operation of the aspect shown in FIG.  16 ; 
         FIG. 25  is a partially sectional view for explaining the operation of the aspect shown in  FIG. 16 ; and 
         FIGS. 26A and 26B  are partially sectional views, respectively, of a modification of a base member for explaining the operation of the aspect shown in  FIG. 16 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate an appearance of one embodiment of the IC card connector in accordance with the present invention. 
     The IC card is disposed in the interior of a predetermined electronic instrument such as a cellular phone, a telephone, PDA, a camera or others. 
     The IC card connector shown in  FIG. 2  is adapted to electrically connect an electrode section of a memory card MC which is an IC card, e.g. such as a MINI-SD CARD (a trade mark) accommodated in an attachable/detachable manner in the direction shown by an arrow in an accommodation portion of the IC connector, with a connecting terminal section of a substrate disposed within a predetermined electronic instrument for inputting/outputting signals. In the platy memory card MC, a plurality of electrode pads are formed on one of surfaces thereof in correspondence to the arrangement of contact terminals described later. Also, on the opposite sides thereof, there are notches mca and mcb described later. 
     The IC card connector comprises a base member  12  on which a plurality of contact terminals or others are arranged to be electrically connected to the memory card MC accommodated in the card connector, and a cover member  10  forming the accommodation portion for the memory card MC in association with the base member  12 . 
     The cover member  10  of a gate-shaped cross-section is made of a thin metallic sheet. As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , on one of opposite lateral surfaces of the cover member  10 , there are engagement holes  10   a,    10   b  and  10   c  to be engaged, respectively, with nibs of the base member  12  described later. On the other lateral surface of the cover member  10 , there are engagement holes  10   d,    10   e  and  10   f  to be engaged, respectively, with nibs of the base member  12  described later. 
     At positions in the vicinity of the engagement holes  10   b,    10   c  and  10   d,  flange portions soldered, for example, to a wiring board are provided in integral therewith, respectively. 
     Accordingly, the cover member  10  is secured to the base member  12  by the engagement of the respective engagement holes  10   a – 10   f  with the respective nibs of the base member  12 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , a pressure spring  10 L for supporting a cam lever in an ejection mechanism described later is provided between the engagement holes  10   d  and  10   e  on the other lateral surface of the cover member  10 . A proximal end of the elastic pressure spring  10 L is formed in integral with the cover member  10 . 
     An opening  10 E for communicating the interior of the above-mentioned accommodation portion with outside is provided between the engagement holes  10   a  and  10   b  on the other lateral surface of the cover member  10 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , there are a plurality of slits  10 Si and a hole  10 H are formed, in correspondence to a group of contact terminals described later, on the upper surface of the cover member  10  coupling the opposite lateral surfaces thereof. Also, an ejector member control piece  10 IS is provided adjacent to the slit  10 Si on the upper surface. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1  in enlarged dimension, the proximal end of the elastic ejector member control piece  10 IS is formed in integral with the cover member  10 . The ejector member control piece  10 IS is formed, for example, by punching out part of the cover member  10  inward thereof by the press working. Accordingly, at a portion of the upper surface of the cover member  10  corresponding to the ejector member control piece  10 IS, an opening is formed. The ejector member control piece  10 IS has a bending portion  10   sb  at a distal end thereof for selectively being in sliding contact with the ejector member described later. A distal end of the bending portion  10   sb  elastically displaceable toward the opening intersects a line parallel to a bottom surface of the base member  12 , for example, at an angle α (α=approximately 45±30 degrees). A shape of the distal end of the bending portion  10   sb  should not be limited to this example, but may be other shapes, such as an approximate arc. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , an elongate groove  10 G is formed in an area adjacent to the ejector member control piece  10 IS and extends in the loading or unloading direction of the memory card MC, so that a guide pin  20 P of the ejector member  20  described later is inserted therein and moved therethrough. A width of the elongate groove  10 G gradually increases toward a side of a card slot. 
     A first braking piece  10 CS is provided on the upper m surface of the cover member  10  between the engagement holes  10   b  and  10   c  adjacent to the opening  10 E. As illustrated in  FIG. 7  in enlarged dimension, the first braking piece  10 CS has an elastically displaceable curved section  10   r.  The curved section  10   r  projects inward of the cover member  10  to selectively engage with a notch mcb of the memory card MC inserted into the accommodation portion. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a second braking piece  10 DS is provided in part of the upper surface on a side closer to the ejector member control piece  10 IS. A proximal end of the second braking piece  10 DS is formed in integral with the cover member  10 . The second braking piece  10 DS is formed by punching out part of the cover member  10  inward thereof by the press working. Accordingly, in a portion of the upper surface of the cover member  10  corresponding to the second braking piece  10 DS, an opening is formed. The tip of second braking piece  10 DS has an elastically displaceable curved section which is selectively in sliding contact with a surface of the memory card MC. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the accommodation portion  14  in the base member  12  opens on an upper side, part of a lower side (see  FIG. 15 ) and at an end farther from a contact terminal fixing section described later. Accordingly, when the base member  12  is covered with the above-mentioned cover member  10 , a card slot is formed at one end of the accommodation portion for inserting the memory card MC thereinto. 
     The base member  12  is molded in one piece, for example, by a resinous molding material. The base member  12  comprises side walls  12 WR and  12 WL for constituting opposite sides of the accommodation portion  14  in which the memory card MC is detachably accommodated and a contact terminal fixing wall  12 WF on which is arranged contact terminals  16   ai  (i=1 to 11). 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , there are nibs  12 Ra,  12 Rb and  12 Rc; and  12 Rd,  12 Re and  12 Rf; on the outer surfaces of the side walls  12 WR and  12 WL, respectively. 
     On the bottom which is continuous with the side walls  12 WR and  12 WL, an open area  12 H is formed at a generally center thereof, as shown in  FIG. 15 . 
     On the contact terminal fixing wall  12 WF of the base member  12 , a plurality of contact terminals  16   ai  (i=1 to 11) are provided. For example, eleven contact terminals  16   ai  are arranged at a predetermined mutual gap generally in parallel to the side walls  12 WR and  12 WL. 
     The contact terminal  16   ai  comprises a contact section having elasticity capable of being touched to be electrically connected to a contact pad of the memory card MC, a soldering terminal section to be soldered to an electrode section of the wiring board and electrically connected thereto, and a fixing section fixed to the base member  12 , for coupling the contact section with the soldering terminal section. The fixing section of the contact terminal  16   ai  made, for example, of a thin metallic sheet such as spring phosphor bronze is fixed to the base member  12  by being press-fit into a groove not shown on the contact terminal fixing wall  12 WF. The fixing section is press-fitted into the groove via a through-hole formed on the contact terminal fixing wall  12 WF in the direction opposite to the inserting direction of the memory card MC. 
     On the inside of the side wall  12 WR, an ejection mechanism is provided, for holding the memory card MC in the accommodation portion  14  and selectively ejecting the same from the accommodation portion  14 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 15 , the ejection mechanism comprises an ejector member  20  supported to be rockable in the widthwise direction thereof while moving relative to the base member  12 , a coil spring  22  interposed between the inner circumference of the base member  12  and the ejector member  20  for biasing the ejector member  20  in the ejecting direction of the memory card MC, and an ejector member control section  24  for controlling the operation of selectively holding or releasing the ejector member  20  relative to the base member  12  in accordance with the loading/unloading operation of the memory card MC. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 15 , one end of the nickel-plated coil spring  22  is supported by the inner circumference of the base member  12  and the other end thereof is coupled to a notch  22 S in the ejector member  20 . 
     The ejector member  20  is molded, for example, of resinous material and supported on the base member  12  to be slidable in the loading/unloading direction of the memory card MC. A pin  20 P to be inserted into the elongate groove  10 G of the cover member  10  is formed at an area of the ejector member  20  opposed to the upper surface of the cover member  10 . 
     The ejector member  20  has a section to be engaged with the inserted memory card MC at a position opposite to the accommodation portion  14 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the section being engaged includes a card receiving section  20 R for supporting a corner of a front end and a lateral side of the memory card MC, and an inclined surface section  20 I which is continuous with the card receiving section  20 R, for supporting an inclined surface section of the memory card MC. At a front end which is continuous with the inclined surface section  20 I in formed a nib  20 N engageable with the notch mca of the memory card MC. 
     Thereby, when the memory card MC is inserted into the accommodation portion  14 , as shown in  FIGS. 10 and 15 , the pin  20 P of the ejector member  20  moves along the elongate groove  10 G and the nib  20 N is made to rotate to be engaged with the notch mca of the memory card MC. On the other hand, when the memory card MC is ejected out from the accommodation portion  14 , the pin  20 P of the ejector member  20  moves along the elongate groove  10 G and the nib  20 N is made to rotate to be separable from the notch mca of the memory card MC, whereby if the memory card MC is forcibly pulled off from the ejector member  20 , the memory card MC is taken out. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1  in enlarged dimension, the ejector member control section  24  includes a cam element (a heart cam)  30  formed on the side wall  12 WR of the ejector member  20 , a lever guiding groove  32  comprising of a plurality of step height portions is formed around the heart cam  30 , a cam lever  34  of a portal shape, the cam lever  34  having one end coupled to a hole of the side wall  12 WR and the other end slidable along the lever guiding groove  32 , and the elastic pressure spring  10 L of the above-mentioned cover member  10  (see  FIG. 3 ). 
     The elastic pressure spring  10 L biases a bending front end of the cam lever  34  to a guide surface of the lever-guiding groove  32  in a slidable manner. 
     The resin-molded heart can  30  has, in a portion opposite to the nib  20 N of the ejector member  20 , a generally V-shaped cam surface  30   a  for selectively being engaged with one end of the cam lever  34  as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the lever guiding groove  32  is formed of a first guiding groove  32 G 1  straightly extending along the side wall  12 WR on one side of the heart cam  30 , a second guiding groove  32 G 2  branched from the first guiding groove  32 G 1  to extend obliquely toward the side wall WR on the other side of the heart cam  30 , after which extends in parallel to the first guiding groove  32 G 1 , and a third guiding groove  32 G 3  for coupling a portion disposed between one end of the first guiding groove  32 G 1  and one end of the second guiding groove  32 G 2  and opposed to the cam surface  30   a.    
     An average depth of the first guiding groove  32 G 1  is defined to be deeper than an average depth of the second guiding groove  32 G 2 . A depth of the first guiding groove  32 G 1  in a portion intersecting one end of the second guiding groove  32 G 2  is defined to be deepest. Accordingly, a portion different in level is formed in the portion of the first guiding groove  32 G 1  intersecting the end of the second guiding groove  32 G 2 . 
     Between one end of the third guiding groove  32 G 3  closer to an end of the first guiding groove  32 G 1  and the self same end of the first guiding groove  32 G 1 , a depth of one end of the guiding groove  32 G 3  is defined to be deeper than a depth of the first guiding groove  32 G 1 . Accordingly, a portion different in level is formed in a boundary area between the end of the third guiding groove  32 G 3  closer to the end of the first guiding groove  32 G 1  and the end of the first guiding groove  32 G 1 . 
     Further, between one end of the third guiding groove  32 G 3  closer to an end of the second guiding groove  32 G 2  and the selfsame end of the second guiding groove  32 G 2 , a depth of one end of the guiding groove  32 G 2  is defined to be deeper than a depth of the third guiding groove  32 G 3 . Accordingly, a portion different in level is formed in a boundary area between the end of the third guiding groove  32 G 3  closer to the end of the second guiding groove  32 G 2  and the end of the second guiding groove  32 G 2 . 
     Thereby, one end of the cam lever  34  is guided while following the operation of the ejector member  20  in the direction shown by an arrow in  FIG. 6  sequentially through the first guiding groove  32 G 1 ,the third guiding groove  32 G 3  and the second guiding groove  32 G 2 . 
     Further, as shown in  FIG. 1  in enlarged dimension, a braking section  36  is formed as a movable part in an area adjacent to the lever guiding groove  32 . As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the braking section  36  has a sliding-contact surface  36 B into which is brought into sliding-contact the bending portion  10   sb  of the above-mentioned ejector member control piece  10 IS in the cover member  10 . At an end of the sliding-contact surface  36 B in the ejector member  20  closer to the contact terminal fixing wall  12 WF, there is a projection  36 P over which climbs the bending portion  10   sb  of the ejector member control piece  10 IS after it has once struck to the projection during the ejection of the memory card MC. A height of the projection  36 P from the sliding-contact surface  36 B to the uppermost end is set to be slightly lower than a distal end of the bending portion  10   sb  when the bending portion  10   sb  of the ejector member control piece  10 IS strikes as shown by a chain doubled-dashed line in  FIG. 12 . Also, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the projection  36 P has an inclined surface  36 S to be brought into sliding-contact with the bending portion  10   sb  of the ejector member control piece  10 IS after the latter has climbed over the projection  36 P. The inclined surface  36 S has a predetermined inclination so that the ejector member  20  is biased in the ejecting direction of the memory card MC by the bending portion  10   sb  of the ejector member control piece  10 IS. 
     In addition, a card detecting switch CS for detecting the loading of the memory card MC into the accommodation portion  14  is provided in the side wall  12 WL at a position closer to the contact terminal fixing wall  12 WF. 
     In such a structure, when a front end of the memory card MC is first inserted into the accommodation portion  14  through the card slot upon loading the memory card MC, the pin  20 P of the ejector member  20  is in a wider area of the elongate groove  10 G in the cover member  10  as shown in  FIG. 2 , and then moves to a narrower area thereof as shown in  FIGS. 10 ,  11  and  12 . Thereby, the nib  20 N of the ejector member  20  is made to rotate and engages with the notch mca. As a result, the memory card MC is further advanced. At that time, the curved section  10   r  of the first braking piece  10 CS is transferred from a state shown in  FIG. 8A  wherein it is in sliding-contact with a lateral surface of the memory card MC to a state shown in  FIG. 8B  wherein it is engaged with the notch mcb and then forcibly disengaged therefrom. 
     Subsequently, the memory card MC is further pressed together with the ejector member  20  against the biasing force of the coil spring  22 , and when the pressure is released, one end of the cam lever  34  is released from the first guiding groove  30 G 1  and engaged with the cam surface  30   a  of the guiding groove  30 G 3  as shown in  FIG. 1 . At that time, a state is maintained wherein the nib  20 N of the ejector member  20  is being engaged with the notch mca of the memory card MC. Accordingly, the ejector member control section  24  causes the ejector member  20  to be in a holding state. The memory card MC is held in the accommodation portion  14 , and the contact pad of the memory card MC is brought into contact as well as electrically connected with the contact terminal  16   ai.  Also, the loaded memory card MC is prevented from unintentionally jumping out therefrom. 
     On the other hand, when the memory card MC is unloaded from the accommodation portion  14 , first, the loaded memory card MC is furthermore slightly pushed in. At that time, one end of the cam lever  34  is released from the cam surface  30   a  by the forward motion of the ejector member  20 , and transferred to the second guiding groove  32 G 2 . Thereby, the pin  20 P of the ejector member  20  is guided through the elongate groove  10 G and retreated by the biasing force of the coil spring  22 . Thus, the ejector member control section  24  causes the ejector member  20  to be in a released state. 
     At that time, the bending portion  10   sb  of the ejector member control piece once strikes to the projection  36 P of the braking section  36  in the ejector member  20  as shown by a chain doubled-dashed line in  FIG. 12 , after which it climbs over a top of the projection  36 P and is brought into sliding contact with the inclined surface  36 S at a predetermined pressure as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     Then, as shown in  FIGS. 13 and 14 , when the pin  20 P of the ejector member  20  reaches the end of the elongate groove  10 G, the nib  20 N of the ejector member  20  is capable of being away from the notch mca of the memory card MC due to a rotational moment caused by the biasing force of the coil spring  22 . At that time, the curved section  10   r  of the first braking piece  10 CS is engaged with the notch mcb as shown in  FIG. 8B . 
     And, the end of the memory card MC exposed outside is further pulled in the card ejecting direction, and the nib  20 N of the ejector member  20  returns to a waiting position away from the notch mca of the memory card MC and free from the interference with the memory card MC. The curved section  10   r  of the first braking piece  10 CS is also in a non-engaged state with the notch mcb. 
     When the memory card MC is loaded or unloaded relative to the accommodation portion  14  as described above, a load F applied to the memory card MC varies, for example, in accordance with a characteristic curve Lf shown in  FIG. 9 . In this regard, in  FIG. 9 , a vertical axis represents a load F and a horizontal axis represents a position P of one end of the memory card MC in the loading/unloading direction, so that the relationship between the load F and the position P of the end of the memory card MC is shown on the characteristic curve Lf. 
     In  FIG. 9 , after a front end of the inserted memory card MC has been engaged with the section being engaged of the ejector member  20  at the initial position P 1 , the load F linearly increases at a predetermined inclination corresponding to the spring constant of the coil spring  22 , and reaches the maximum value fp at a loaded position P 2  at which the memory card MC is loaded. Then, when the memory card MC is furthermore pressed to release the ejector member  20 , the ejector member  20  is being slightly away from the position P 2  and the load F abruptly reduces by a predetermined amount to reach a value fe, after which the ejection of the memory card MC begins. The force of the value fe is used for jumping out the memory card MC from the accommodation portion  14 . In this regard, the above-mentioned slight displacement of the ejector member  20  from the position P 2  is as small as negligible on the characteristic curve Lf. 
     Subsequently, the ejector member  20  is further moved in the ejecting direction of the memory card MC by the biasing force (recovery force) of the coil spring  22  changing at a predetermined inclination, and at a position P 3  at which the projection  36 P of the braking section  36  in the ejector member  20  strikes to the bending portion  10   sb  of the ejector member control piece  10 IS, the load F transiently reduces by a predetermined value, and thereafter continuously reduces at the predetermined inclination. 
     Accordingly, since the memory card MC is maintained in a state shown in  FIG. 15  after the ejection speed of the ejector member  20  and the memory card MC is decelerated at the position P 3 , the undesirable jumping-out of the memory card MC is assuredly avoidable. 
       FIGS. 16 and 17  illustrate an appearance of another embodiment of the inventive IC card connector, respectively. 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , when the memory card MC is unloaded, the abrupt jumping-out of the memory card MC is avoided by the impingement of the bending portion  10   sb  of the ejector member control piece  10 IS in the cover member  10  onto the projection  36 P of the braking section  36  in the ejector member  20 . On the other hand, in the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 16 and 17 , memory card improper insertion restriction means described later is provided in addition with such a structure as described above, for the purpose of avoiding the improper insertion of the memory card MC as well as preventing the abrupt jumping-out of the memory card MC when the improper insertion occurs. 
     In this regard, in the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 16 and 17 , the same reference numerals are used for denoting the same constituent elements as in  FIG. 2  and the redundant explanation there of will be eliminated. 
     The IC card connector shown in  FIG. 16  is adapted to connect an electrode section of the MC card MC detachably loaded in an accommodation portion in the direction shown by an arrow with a connector terminal section of a circuit board for the input/output of signals arranged in the interior of a predetermined electronic instrument. 
     The IC card connector includes a base member  42  on which are arranged a plurality of contact terminals or others for the electric connection with the memory card MC accommodated in the IC card connector and a cover member  40  forming an accommodation portion for the memory card MC in cooperation with the base member  42 . 
     The cover member  40  having a gate-shaped cross-section is formed of a metallic sheet. There are engagement holes  40   a,    40   b  and  40   c  on one of opposite lateral surfaces of the cover member  40  in correspondence to nibs of the base member  42  described later to be engaged with them. There are engagement holes  40   d,    40   e,    40   f  and  40   g  on the other lateral surface of the cover member  40  in correspondence to nibs of the base member  42  described later to be engaged with them. 
     In the vicinity of the engagement holes  40   a,    40   e  and  40   g,  flange portions are provided in integral with each other to be soldered, for example, to the circuit board. 
     Accordingly, the cover member  40  is secured to the base member  42  by the engagement of the respective engagement holes  40   a  to  40   g  with the nibs of the base member  42 . 
     Also, as shown in  FIGS. 18 and 20 , a pressure spring  40 IP is provided between the engagement holes  40   a  and  40   b  on the one lateral surface of the cover member  40 , for biasing, in a rotatable manner, a nib  50 N of an ejector member  50  in an ejection mechanism described later toward the memory card MC inserted into the accommodation portion. A proximal end of the elastic pressure spring  40 IP is integral with the cover member  40 . Also, an opening is formed around the pressure spring  40 IP on the lateral surface of the cover member  40 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 18 , a proximal end of an improper insertion restriction piece  40 RM is integral with the cover member  40  at a position adjacent to the pressure spring  40 IP. As shown in  FIG. 20  in enlarged dimension, a distal end of the improper insertion restriction piece  40 RM is bent in an L-shape toward an accommodation portion thereof, and selectively engaged with a recess  50 G of the ejector member  50  described later as shown in  FIG. 24 . Thereby, the improper insertion restriction means is formed of the improper insertion restriction piece  40 RM and the recess  50 G of the ejector member  50 . 
     A bending length at a front end of the improper insertion restriction piece  40 RM is determined such that when the ejector member  50  is disposed in parallel to the lateral surface of the former, a position of the front end is in a plane generally parallel to the lateral surface including the front end of the pressure spring  40 IP described above. Around the improper insertion restriction piece  40 RM, an opening is provided. 
     As shown in  FIG. 16 , between the engagement holes  40   d  and  40   e  on the other lateral surface of the cover member  40 , there is an opening  40 E for communicating the interior and the exterior of the accommodation portion described above with each other. 
     As shown in  FIG. 16 , on the upper surface of the cover member  40  coupling the opposite lateral surfaces thereof, a plurality of slits  40 Si and holes  40 H are formed corresponding to a group of contact terminals described later. Also, an ejector member control piece  40 IS is provided adjacent to the slits  40 Si on the upper surface. 
     A proximal end of the elastic ejector member control piece  40 IS is integral with the cover member  40  as shown in  FIG. 16 . The ejector member control piece  40 IS is formed, for example, by punching part of the cover member  40  inward by the press working. Accordingly, in an area on the upper surface of the cover member  40  corresponding to the ejector member control piece  40 IS, an opening is formed. The ejector member control piece  40 IS has, at a distal end thereof, a bending portion  40   sb  described later selectively brought into contact with the ejector member. A distal end of the bending portion  40   sb  elastically displaceable toward the opening intersects a line parallel to the bottom surface of the base member  42 , for example, at an angle α (α=approximately 45±30 degrees). A shape of the distal end of the bending portion  40   sb  should not be limited thereto, but may be other shapes such as an arc or others. 
     A cam lever pressing piece  40 CP for biasing one end of the cam lever  34  toward the guiding groove  54  of the ejector member  50  is provided generally on the same straight line as the ejector member control piece  40 IS in the cover member  40 . A proximal end of the elastic cam lever pressing piece  40 CP is integral with the cover member  40 . Also, on end of the cam lever pressing piece  40 CP abuts to the cam lever  34 . 
     Further, at a center of the upper surface thereof, a first braking piece  40 CS and a second braking piece  40 DS are provided generally in parallel to each other at a predetermined distance between the both, as shown in  FIG. 16 . Proximal ends of the first braking piece  40 CS and the second braking piece  40 DS are integral with the cover member  40 . The first braking piece  40 CS and the second braking piece  40 DS are formed, for example, by punching out part of the cover member  40  inward by the press working. Accordingly, in areas on the upper surface of the cover member  40  corresponding to the first braking piece  40 CS and the second braking piece  40 DS, openings are formed. Each of the first braking piece  40 CS and the second braking piece  40 DS has a bending portion at a front end thereof to be selectively in slide-contact with the surface of the memory card MC. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 16 and 22A , the accommodation portion in the base member  42  opens on upper side, part of lower side and at an end opposite to a contact terminal fixing section described later. Accordingly, when the base member  42  is covered with the above-mentioned cover member  40 , a card slot is formed at one end of the accommodation portion for inserting the memory card MC therein. 
     The base member  42  is molded as an integral body with resinous material. As shown in  FIGS. 16 ,  22 A and  22 B, the base member  42  includes side walls  42 WR and  42 WL forming opposite sides of the accommodation portion for removably accommodating the memory card MC, and a contact terminal fixing wall  42 WF in which are arranged the contact terminals  16   ai  (i=1 to 11). 
     As shown in  FIGS. 16 and 18 , there are nibs  42 Ra,  42 Rb and  42 Rc, and  42 Rd,  42 Re,  42 Rf and  42 Rg on the outer surface of the side walls  42 WR and  42 WL, respectively. 
     As shown in  FIG. 22A , there is an opening  42 H generally in a central portion of the bottom consecutive to the side walls  42 WR and  42 WL. 
     A plurality of contact terminals  16   ai  (i=1 to 11) are provided in the contact terminal fixing wall  42 WF of the base member  42 . For example, the eleven contact terminals  16   ai  are arranged generally in parallel to each other at a predetermined pitch. 
     In an inner side portion of the side wall  42 WR, an ejection mechanism is provided for holding the memory card MC in the accommodation portion and selectively ejecting the same from the accommodation portion. 
     As shown in  FIG. 23 , the ejection mechanism includes an ejector member  50  supported to be swingable in the widthwise direction thereof while moving relative to the base member  42 , a coil spring  22  interposed between the inner circumference of the base member  42  and the ejector member  50 , for biasing the ejector member  50  in the unloading direction of the memory card MC, and an ejector member control section for selectively holding or releasing the ejector member  50  relative to the base member  42  in accordance with the loading/unloading operation of the memory card MC. 
     As shown in  FIG. 15 , one end of the nickel-plated coil spring  22  is supported by the inner circumference of the base member  42 , and the other end of the coil spring  22  is coupled to the periphery of a recess  50   a  in the ejector member  50 . 
     The ejector member  50  is molded, for example, with resinous material, and supported on the base member  42  to be slidable in the loading/unloading direction of the memory card MC. The ejector member has a pin (not shown) on the bottom surface thereof to be inserted into an elongate groove (not shown). 
     Also, as shown in  FIG. 21  in enlarged dimension, the ejector member  50  has an engaged section to be engaged with the loaded memory card MC, disposed opposite to the accommodation portion. The engaged section includes a card-receiving section  50 R for supporting a corner and a lateral surface of a front end portion of the memory card MC and an inclined surface section  50 I consecutive to the card-receiving section  50 R, for supporting an inclined surface of the card-receiving section  50 R. At a distal end consecutive to the inclined surface section  50 I, a nib  50 N engageable with the notch mca of the memory card MC is formed. 
     Thereby, when the memory card MC is inserted into the accommodation portion, as shown in  FIGS. 22A and 23 , the pin (not shown) of the ejector member  50  moves along the elongate groove, whereby the nib  50 N is made to rotate and engages with the notch mca of the memory card MC. On the other hand, when the memory card MC is unloaded from the accommodation portion, the pin of the ejector member  50  moves along the elongate groove, whereby the nib  50 N is made to rotate and apart from the notch mca of the memory card MC. Thus, as shown in  FIG. 24 , by forcibly pulling out the memory card MC from the ejector member  50 , the memory card MC is unloaded. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 21 and 23 , the ejector member control section includes a generally heart-shaped cam element (heart cam)  56  formed on a side of the ejector member  50  closer to the side wall  42 WR, a lever guiding groove  54  formed around the heart cam  56 , having a plurality of portions different in level, a stapler&#39;s needle-shaped cam lever  34 , one end of which is coupled to a hole of the side wall  42 WR and the other end slides along the lever guiding groove  54 , the above-mentioned cam lever pressing piece  40 CP (see  FIG. 16 ) of the cover member  40 . 
     The cam lever pressing piece  40 CP biases a bending end of the cam lever  34  toward the guiding surface of the lever guiding groove  54  to be slidable therealong. 
     The heart cam  56  molded with resin has a generally V-shaped cam surface  54   a,  to which is selectively engaged one end of the cam lever  34 . 
     The lever guiding groove  54  includes a first guiding groove  54 G 1  linearly extending along the side wall  42 WR close to one side of the heart cam  56 , a second guiding groove  54 G 2  extending obliquely while branched from the first guiding groove  54 G 1  close to the other side of the heart cam  56  and then extending parallel to the first guiding groove  54 G 1 , and a third guiding groove  54 G 3  coupling a part between one end of the first guiding groove  54 G 1  and one end of the second guiding groove  54 G 2 , opposed to the cam surface  54   a.    
     An average depth of the first guiding groove  54 G 1  is defined to be deeper than an average depth of the second guiding groove  54 G 2 . A depth of the first guiding groove  54 G 1  in a portion intersecting one end of the second guiding groove  54 G 2  is deepest. Accordingly, a portion different in level is formed in the first guiding groove  54 G 1  intersecting the one end of the second guiding groove  54 G 2 . 
     Also, between one end of the third guiding groove  54 G 3  closer to the first guiding groove  54 G 1  and one end of the guiding groove  54 G 1 , a depth of the end of the guiding groove  54 G 3  is defined to be deeper than a depth of the first guiding groove  54 G 1 . Therefore, the difference in level occurs at the boundary between the end of the third guiding groove  54 G 3  closer to the end of the first guiding groove  54 G 1  and the end of the first guiding groove  54 G 1 . 
     Further, between one end of the third guiding groove  54 G 3  closer to the second guiding groove  54 G 2  and one end of the guiding groove  54 G 2 , a depth of the end of the guiding groove  54 G 2  is defined to be deeper than a depth of the third guiding groove  54 G 3 . Therefore, the difference in level occurs at the boundary between the end of the third guiding groove  54 G 3  closer to the end of the second guiding groove  54 G 2  and the end of the guiding groove  54 G 2 . 
     Accordingly, the end of the cam lever  34  is subsequently guided through the first guiding groove G 1 , the third guiding groove  54 G 3  and the second guiding groove  54 G 2  in the direction shown by an arrow in  FIG. 23 . 
     Further, as shown in  FIG. 21  in enlarged dimension, a braking section  52  is formed as a movable part in an area adjacent to the lever guiding groove  54 . The braking section  52  has a sliding surface  52 B onto which slides a bending portion  40 s of the ejector member control piece  40 IS in the cover member  40 . At an end of the sliding surface  52 B of the ejector member  50  closer to the contact terminal fixing wall  42 WF, a projection  52 P is formed over which climbs a bending section  40   sb  of the ejector member control piece  40 IS after it once abuts thereto. A height of the projection  52 P from the sliding surface  52 B to the uppermost end is defined to be slightly lower than a position of a front end of the bending section  40   sb  when the bending section  40   sb  abuts thereto. The projection  52 P also has a inclined surface  52 S on which slides the bending section  40   sb  of the ejector member control piece  40 IS after it climbs over the projection  52 P. The inclined surface  52 S has a predetermined inclination so that the ejector member  50  is biased in the ejecting direction of the memory card MC by the bending section  40   sb  of the ejector member control piece  40 IS. 
     A card detecting switch section is provided in the side wall  42 WL at a position closer to the contact terminal fixing wall  42 WF. 
     In such a structure, when a front end of the memory card MC is first inserted into the accommodation portion through the card slot upon loading the memory card MC, a pin (not shown) of the ejector member  50  moves from a wide section of the elongate groove in the base member  42  to a narrow section thereof. Thereby, as shown in  FIG. 24 , the nib  50 N of the ejector member  50  is made to once rotate against the bias of the pressure spring  40 IP, and then engages with the notch mca of the memory card MC, after which the memory card MC is furthermore made to advance as shown in  FIG. 22A . At that time, there is no risk in that the nib  50 N of the ejector member  50  is erroneously released from the notch mca since the nib  50 N is pressed by the bias of the pressure spring  40 IP. 
     Subsequently, as shown in  FIG. 22B , the memory card MC is further pushed inward together with the ejector member  50  against the bias of the coil spring  22 , and then released from the pushing force, upon which the end of the cam lever  34  is released from the first guiding groove  54 G 1  and engaged with the cam surface  54   a  of the third guiding groove  54 G 3 . At that time, a state wherein the nib  50 N of the ejector member  50  is engaged with the notch mca of the memory card MC is maintained. 
     Accordingly, as shown in  FIGS. 18 and 22B , the ejector member control section maintains the ejector member  50 . Thereby, the memory card MC is held in the accommodation portion and the contact pads of the memory card MC are brought into contact with the contact terminals  16   ai  to be electrically connected with each other. Also, the loaded memory card MC is prevented from undesirably jumping out. 
     As shown in  FIG. 25 , if the memory card MC is erroneously inserted into the accommodation portion from a rear end thereof, the rear end pushes the inclined surface  50 I to rotate the nib  50 N of the ejector member  50  so that a front end of the improper insertion restriction piece  40 RM is inserted into and engaged with the recess  50 G of the ejector member  50 . Thereby, a further insert of the memory card MC is avoided immediately after the memory card has been inserted. At that time, the abrupt jumping-out of the memory card MC is also avoidable because the coil spring  22  is hardly compressed. In this regard, if the memory card MC is erroneously inserted while opposing the electrode pads thereof to the base member  42 , the further insert of the memory card MC is similarly avoidable immediately after the initial insert. 
     On the other hand, when the memory card MC is unloaded from the accommodation portion, first, the loaded memory card MC is slightly pushed therein. This causes the ejector member  50  to move forward whereby the end of the cam lever  34  is released from the cam surface  54   a  and transferred to the second guiding groove  54 G 2 , whereby the pin of the ejector member  50  is guided to the elongate groove and retreated by the bias of the coil spring  22 . Accordingly, the ejector member control section releases the ejector member  50 . 
     At that time, the bending section  40   sb  of the ejector member control piece  40 IS once strikes to the projection P of the braking section  52  in the ejector member  50 , and thereafter, climbs over the peak of the projection  52 P and slides on the inclined surface  52 S at a predetermined pressure. 
     Next, when the pin of the ejector member  50  reaches the end of the elongate groove, the end surface of the nib  50 N of the ejector member  50  is brought into contact with an endmost surface  42 E of the base member  42 , and the nib  50 N of the ejector member  50  is capable of being away from the notch mca of the memory card MC by the rotational moment due to the bias of the coil spring  22 . At that time, the nib  50 N is pressed by the bias of the pressure spring piece  40 IP immediately before being released from the notch mca of the memory card MC, whereby there is no risk in that the nib is undesirably released from the notch mca of the memory card MC. 
     As shown in  FIG. 24 , when the exposed end of the memory card MC is further pulled in the card-unloading direction, the nib  50 N of the ejector member  50  is made to rotate and returns to a waiting position that is away from the notch mca of the memory card MC and does not interfere with the memory card MC. At that time, a front end of the improper insertion restriction piece  40 RM is inserted into the recess  50 G of the ejector member  50 . And, the nib  50 N of the ejector member  50  is pushed back to the original state due to the biasing force of the pressure spring  40 IP. 
     In this regard, while the endmost surface  42 E of the base member  42  is formed generally perpendicular to the side wall thereof in the above-mentioned embodiment, the present invention should not be limited thereto but may be such that the endmost surface  42 ′E of the base member  42 ′ is inclined to a surface perpendicular to the side wall at a predetermined angle β, for example, approximately 8 degrees, as shown in  FIGS. 26A and 26B . 
     In such a case, as shown in  FIG. 26A , when the pin of the ejector member  50  reaches the end of the elongate groove, the end surface of the nib  50 N of the ejector member  50  moving in the direction shown by an arrow abuts to the endmost surface  42 ′E of the base member  42 ′. Thus, the nib  50 N of the ejector member  50  is in a state capable of being away from the notch mca of the memory card MC due to the rotational moment caused by the bias of the coil spring  22 , and if the exposed end of the memory card MC is further pulled in the unloading direction of the card, a tapered triangular shaped front end surface of the nib  50 N in the ejector member  50  conforms to the endmost surface  42 ′E as shown in  FIG. 26B , whereby the nib  50 N is more easily made to rotate away from the notch mca of the memory card MC to a waiting position free from the interference with the memory card MC. 
     The present invention has been described in detail with respect to the preferred embodiments, and it will now be apparent from the foregoing to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspect, and it is the intention, therefore, in the apparent claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit of the invention.