Abstract: The invention proposes a device (20) comprising an actuation ball (30, FIG. 13), a casing (22) that surrounds the ball, elements (56) for guiding the ball in rotation, a first detection light source (LS1) for emitting at least one detection beam (EL1), and a detection sensor (126) to capture at least the light (RL1) originating from the lit zone of the ball (30), characterized in that the first light source (LS1) emits an invisible light (EL1), and in that the device comprises a second light source (LS2), distinct from the first light source (LS1) for illuminating the ball (30) that emits a visible illumination light (EL2) towards the ball (30).

Abstract: A trackball device in which the exposed top of a trackball (30) can be moved to pivot a pair of coding shafts (32L, 32T) about perpendicular axes, with control signal generators that detect such pivoting used to control a function such as a cursor on a screen. The control signal generator associated with each coding shaft includes a multi-toothed pinion (44L, 44T) fixed to the coding shaft and a deflectable rod (70L, 70T) lying between a pair of teeth of the pinion. When the coding shaft and pinion turn, the deflectable rod is deflected until the pinion tooth passes by it and the rod springs back to its original vertical position, where the next tooth can again deflect it. A rod deflection sensor detects every rod deflection and its direction to provide signals indicating the direction and extent of turning of the trackball. The trackball, coding shafts and other parts lie in a housing (22). A flat flexible cable (28) projects through a slit in the housing and lies on the bottom wall of the housing.

Abstract: A miniature switching device has an operating member (14) with an upstanding button (26) that can be rapidly slid in any one of four horizontal directions to close any one of four switches in a casing (12). A sheet metal conducting member (28) has a flat base portion (60) that lies in the casing under said operating member, and has four upstanding plates (62) that extend from bends (63) at the periphery of the base portion. Each plate has an upper end (81) that lies against a side of the operating member so horizontal movement of the operating member tilts a plate about a corresponding bend. Each plate has a finger (83) that extends largely horizontally from the plate and that engages a corresponding contact (56) on a bottom wall of the casing.

Abstract: A connector with a cover element (80) lying in a forward position over an insulative support (40), allows a smart card to be inserted despite obstructions lying closely behind the connector. The card is initially inserted at a downward-forward incline and then its rear is pushed down so the card is horizontal. Then the cover element is slid to a rearward position to prevent card tilt. Contact blades (70) have upwardly biased contact ends (72) that lie substantially in a single transverse plane (Pv) and engage a single row of card contact pads at the front of the card. This allows the cover element rear position to lie only a short distance rearward of its front position so the support supports less than half the card length, thereby allowing a short support to be used. The cover element has a rear portion (85) bent at a rearward-upward incline and forming a convex lower rear face part (A).

Abstract: A smart card connector that includes an insulative support (52) with a card-supporting face (62), and a sheet metal cover (54) mounted on the support to form a card-receiving cavity (58) between the support and cover, for receiving SD and MICROSIM smart cards. A card-detecting switch blade (144) is mounted at one side of the support and has a blade part (150) that projects into the path of the card so the card deflects the blade against a side (116) of the sheet metal cover to close a circuit. The cover can be mounted on the support by sliding the cover rearwardly until projections (121, 123) at the front end of the cover each snaps into a notch (127, 129) near the front end of the support. The connector contacts have tails (104) for soldering to traces on a circuit board CB, the tails lying at a rear edge (84) of the support and the cover having tabs (132, 134) at the front end of the cover.

Abstract: A smart card connector has a carriage (252) that prevents inadvertent card pullout and that pushes the card rearward when a user intends to do so. The connector housing includes an insulative support (52) that is molded with at least one upstanding rib (275, 277) lying beside the card path. The carriage is formed from a piece of sheet metal that is bent to form a pair of flanges (310, 314) that lie on opposite sides of the rib and to form a base (312) that connects the flanges and that lies on top of the rib. One of the flanges forms a blade (184) with a free end, the free end forming a spur (186) for movement into and out of the card path. The housing forms a blade—engaging wall (298, 300) that controls the deflection of the blade so the spur moves into the card path only when the carriage moves forward.

Abstract: A smart card connector (30) which includes a base (36) that can mount on a circuit board and a cover (76) that can hold a card (C) and that has a rear end pivotally connected to the base. The cover has a cover frame (77) and has a locking member (140) movable on the cover frame, so when the cover is closed on the base the locking member can be moved to lock the cover down against the base. A switch means mounted on the base and lying in the path of the locking member, detects movement of the locking member between its unlocked and locked positions, to operate circuitry that prevents reading a card until the cover is fully pivoted down and the locking member has moved to its locked position. One type of switch means includes a pair of switch blades (200, 202) lying at opposite sides of the base and engaging side portions (154, 156) of the locking member as the locking member becomes fully locked.

Abstract: A connector (10) mounted on a circuit board (40), has an insulative frame (12) and two laterally-spaced columns (66, 68) of contacts (14), each contact formed of a bent metal strip and having an upper portion (36) for engaging a contact of a mating device and having a lower portion (38) with a termination end (48) that presses against a trace on the circuit board. Each contact lower portion includes a deflectable section (42) that extends at an acute angle (a) such as 12° from the lateral direction (L). This results in the termination ends of the lower strips, which press against circuit board traces, extending along a single longitudinally-extending line (A), so the traces on the circuit board that engage the contacts, also lie along the single line. The result is that areas on opposite sides of the line of traces, can be used to hold other traces or even circuit components.

Abstract: A smart card reader includes a frame (102), a carriage (108) that can slide forwardly when pushed forwardly by the front end of an inserted smart card, and a double click mechanism (193) that latches the carriage in a forward position when pushed there by a card, until the card is pushed forward a second time, a spring then pushing the carriage rearwardly to partially reject the card. A cam follower (112) of the double click mechanism has a pivoted mount end (214) that is held with friction against free pivoting by the spring. The frame includes a rear body (104) with a pair of legs (118, 119) projecting forwardly from opposite sides and straddling the carriage and forming fixed stops (191, 193) on opposite sides of the carriage. The frame also includes a front body (106) attached to front ends of the legs and forming a middle cavity region that receives the carriage, spring, and cam follower.

Abstract: A trackball device in which the exposed top of a trackball (30) can be moved to pivot a pair of coding shafts (32L, 32T) about perpendicular axes, with control signal generators that detect such pivoting used to control a function such as a cursor on a screen. The control signal generator associated with each coding shaft includes a multi-toothed pinion (44L, 44T) fixed to the coding shaft and a deflectable rod (70L, 70T) lying between a pair of teeth of the pinion. When the coding shaft and pinion turn, the deflectable rod is deflected until the pinion tooth passes by it and the rod springs back to its original vertical position, where the next tooth can again deflect it. A rod deflection sensor detects every rod deflection and its direction to provide signals indicating the direction and extent of turning of the trackball. The trackball, coding shafts and other parts lie in a housing (22). A flat flexible cable (28) projects through a slit in the housing and lies on the bottom wall of the housing.

Abstract: A connector (10) mounted on a circuit board (40), has an insulative frame (12) and two laterally-spaced columns (66, 68) of contacts (14), each contact formed of a bent metal strip and having an upper portion (36) for engaging a contact of a mating device and having a lower portion (38) with a termination end (48) that presses against a trace on the circuit board. Each contact lower portion includes a deflectable section (42) that extends at an acute angle (a) such as 12° from the lateral direction (L). This results in the termination ends of the lower strips, which press against circuit board traces, extending along a single longitudinally-extending line (A), so the traces on the circuit board that engage the contacts, also lie along the single line. The result is that areas on opposite sides of the line of traces, can be used to hold other traces or even circuit components.

Abstract: A smart card connector includes an insulative support (52) with contacts thereon and a sheet metal cover (54) with an upper portion (60) that lies over a support face (62) to form a front portion of a card-receiving cavity (58) between them, and with the cover having a lower portion (191) lying under opposite sides of the cavity. The opposite sides of the cavity extend rearward of the support. A card ejecting mechanism (141) includes a pusher (144) that can be manually pushed forward to pivot a lever (146) that pushes the card rearwardly so the card can be grasped and manually pulled out. The pusher is formed of sheet metal with lower and upper flanges (190, 188) that lie against upper and lower portions of the cover, the pusher being confined to solely slideable movement and the lever being pivoting mounted about a pivot axis (A1) on the support.

Abstract: A compact electrical connector can receive two different kinds of circuit cards, of the type that are thin and flat and have contact pads on an active face, such as a MICROSIM card and a MMC card. The connector includes a body (52) with an insulative frame (81) and two sets of contacts (84, 114) on the frame, with each set of the contacts having pad-engaging ends arranged in patterns corresponding to the patterns of contact pads on the two types of circuit cards. A card-holder unit (54) has first and second card-holding compartments lying in horizontal planes that are vertically spaced. The cards can be inserted into the compartments and the unit is then slid into the body until pads of the two cards engage the two sets of contacts on the body.

Abstract: A smart card connector includes an insulative support (52) with a horizontal card-engaging face (62) and contacts mounted on the support and having contact ends (102) projecting above the face to engage pads on the active face of a smart card. The pad-engaging ends lie within a contact-holding face part (202) which has a longitudinal length (L1) not greater than half the length of the card, with the card rear portion extending in a cantilevered fashion rearward of the contact-holding face part. The support has a rear edge (84), with the contacts having tails (104) lying at the rear edge, and with the tails protected by side guide extensions (88, 90). A card hold-down includes a sheet metal cover (54) that is soldered to a circuit board P on which the support lies. A switch (150) that detects full card insertion, lies in a polarized region (220) adjacent to the polarized wall (98) of the support.

Abstract: A smart card connector has a card-receiving cavity with a recess (194, FIG. 73) at the rear that receives the rear edge (152) of the card. A cover or flap is then pivoted down on the support element and slid forward to slide hooks (288, FIG. 27) at the front of the cover under shoulders (292) on the support element. The rear edge of the card extends along the length (A′, FIG. 45) of the card, so the distance from the open front of the connector to the recess (194) and card rear edge is equal to about the smaller width of the card.

Abstract: A smart card connector for engaging contact pads of a smart card. The connector (10) includes a molded body (12) with cavities (24) having open rear ends (29) so contacts (14) can be inserted forwardly (F) therein. Each contact has an upper branch (42) with a rear free end forming a nose (32), and the body has a top crosspiece (66) at the open rear end of the cavity that lies against the nose. The cavity has a horizontal groove (52, 54) at its bottom. A lower branch of the contact has a foot (48, 50) that is inserted forwardly into the groove. During contact insertion, the upper branch is downwardly deflected sufficiently to pass under the top crosspiece while the foot is slid horizontally into the groove.

Abstract: A smart card reader includes a frame (102), a carriage (108) that can slide forwardly when pushed forwardly by the front end of an inserted smart card, and a double click mechanism (193) that latches the carriage in a forward position when pushed there by a card, until the card is pushed forward a second time, a spring then pushing the carriage rearwardly to partially reject the card. A cam follower (112) of the double click mechanism has a pivoted mount end (214) that is held with friction against free pivoting by the spring. The frame includes a rear body (104) with a pair of legs (118, 119) projecting forwardly from opposite sides and straddling the carriage and forming fixed stops (191, 193) on opposite sides of the carriage. The frame also includes a front body (106) attached to front ends of the legs and forming a middle cavity region that receives the carriage, spring, and cam follower.

Abstract: A smart card connector of simple design and small size is provided, which retains a fully inserted smart card until a person deflects a tab (172) that releases the smart card, with the connector including a spring (130A) which then partially ejects the smart card so it can be grasped and removed. The apparatus includes a housing (302A) with a dielectric plastic plate-shaped support (72A) that holds contacts (94) with pad-engaging ends (92) projecting above an upwardly-facing face (106) of the plate to engage contact pads of the smart card. The housing forms a forwardly-opening cavity (88) for receiving the smart card when it is rearwardly inserted therein, the housing having a stop (109) that limits rearward movement of the card to a fully inserted position. A card retainer (304A) has a largely rearwardly-facing shoulder (166A) at the front of the cavity to resist withdrawal of the card until the tab is manually deflected.

Abstract: A connector has an insulative frame (52) and has rows (34, 36) of identical contacts (70) for engaging pads on a smart card, where at least one of the contacts that otherwise could engage a pad, is used to close or open a switch to detect the presence of a smart card.

Abstract: A connector has an insulative frame (52) and has rows (34, 36) of identical contacts (70) for engaging pads on a smart card, where at least one of the contacts that otherwise could engage a pad, is used to close or open a switch to detect the presence of a smart card.