Patent ID: 8500469

Claim:
An IC card connector system comprising: a first IC card and an IC card connector, the first IC card having a front end to be inserted into the IC card connector and a back end that extents outside the IC card connector when properly inserted in the IC card connector, the IC card connector having: an accommodation portion having an upper section configured to detachably/attachably accommodate the first IC card therein; a lower section formed below the upper section via a partition member attached to a front wall of the IC card connector and forming a bottom of the upper section and configured to detachably/attachably accommodate a second IC card therein, the second IC card being different from the first IC card and having a plurality of electrodes arranged in a layout different from that of the electrodes of the first IC card, and arranged at the same distance common to the electrodes of the first IC card; a first contact terminal group provided in the upper section and configured to be electrically connected to the electrode pads of the first IC card; and a second contact terminal group provided in the lower section and configured to be electrically connected to the electrode pads of the second IC card, wherein the partition member has a plurality of slits that are located to permit portions of the first contact terminals to be inserted into the slits upon insertion of the first IC card into the IC card connector and wherein the partition includes a plurality of protrusions extending into the upper section and positioned adjacent ends of the slits opposite the front wall at least some of the slits to prevent reverse insertion of the first IC card fully into the IC card connector due to the shape of the back end of the first IC card and to permit insertion of the first IC card fully into the IC card connector due to the shape of the front end of the first IC card.