WO2008078155A1

WO2008078155A1 - Card reading system and method of assembly

Info

Publication number: WO2008078155A1
Application number: PCT/IB2006/055063
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michel Fonteneau; Thomas Dilip
Original assignee: Fci
Priority date: 2006-12-27
Filing date: 2006-12-27
Publication date: 2008-07-03

Abstract

A card reading system comprising: a panel (10) comprising a panel wall having an external face, an internal face and a interface aperture (12), a holder (5) comprising a front face provided with a card inlet opening (8) and a blocking wall (7a), wherein the blocking wall (7a) abuts on the internal face of the panel so as to prevent the holder (5) from being moved to the exterior through the interface aperture.

Description

CARD READING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLY

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The instant invention relates to card reading systems and methods of assembly of such systems. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In particular, the instant invention is related to a card reading system comprising: a panel comprising a panel wall having an external face facing an exterior to the system, an internal face opposite said external face and facing an interior to the system, an interface aperture in between, a holder comprising a front wall provided with a card inlet opening for receiving a card and a blocking wall.

US 2006/054,698 already describes such a card reading system. In this document, a card-reader is inserted from the exterior into a computer, and a bezel is inserted also from the exterior of the computer, in order to prevent an unintentional removal of the card reader.

An aim of the invention is to provide an alternative card reading system. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To this aim, the invention is related to a card reader system wherein, further to the above-mentioned features, said blocking wall abuts on the internal face of said panel, said blocking wall being larger than said interface aperture so as to prevent the holder from being moved to said exterior through said interface aperture. With these features, the holder is locked from the interior of the system onto the panel.

In some embodiments, one might also use one or more of the features corresponding to claims 2 to 6.

According to another aspect, the invention is related to a method of assembly of a card reading system comprising: a panel comprising a panel wall having an external face facing an exterior to the system, an internal face opposite said external face and facing an interior to the system, an interface aperture therebetween, said panel having a first retention feature, a holder comprising a front wall provided with a card inlet opening for receiving a card and a blocking wall, said holder further comprising a second retention feature complementary to said first retention feature, said holder is moved from said interior towards said panel wall according to a first movement, until said blocking wall abuts on the internal face of said panel with said card inlet opening accessible from said exterior at said interface aperture, said blocking wall being larger than said interface aperture so as to prevent the holder from being moved to said exterior through said interface aperture . In some embodiments, one might also use one or more or the features corresponding to claims 8 and 9. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will readily appear from the following description of two of its embodiments, provided as non- limitative examples, and of the accompanying drawings. On the drawings :

- Fig. 1 is schematic side view of a card reading system, - Fig. 2 is a perspective bottom view of a holder according to a first embodiment,

- Fig. 3a, 3b, and 3c are perspective lateral views of three steps of the assembly of the holder of Fig.2 in a panel, and - Fig.4 is a view corresponding to Fig. 3a for a second embodiment of invention.

On the different Figures, the same reference signs designate like or similar elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION On Fig. 1, a building 1 or an electronic device, such as a computer or a set top box, comprises a wall 2 carrying a card reader system 3 adapted to read a card and comprising a card inlet adapted to receive a card from a card inlet opening 8. The wall 2 defines an exterior 2a to the system which is a side of the wall from which a user 4 can insert a card in a card reading system 3. The other side of the wall defines an interior 2b through the system.

As shown on Fig. 2 and 3a, according to a first embodiment, there is provided a holder 5 for receiving an electronical card reader (not shown) of a common type, suitable for reading an electronic card such as a smart card or the like. The holder comprises a substantially horizontal body 6 and a front wall 7 in which the card inlet opening 8 is provided for receiving said card. As visible in particular on Fig. 3a, the upper part 7a of the front wall is offset backwards from the lower part 7b of the front wall 7.

Referring back to Fig. 2, retention features are provided in the first embodiment, by two similar elastic tongues 9 which extend downwards from the back face of the lower part 7b of the front wall.

As shown on Fig. 3a, a panel 10 for fixation to the wall 2 by conventional means, such as bolting or the like, comprises a panel wall 11 having an external face 11a for facing the exterior to the system and an internal face lib opposite said external face and facing the interior to the system. In the described embodiment, the panel wall 11 comprises an interface aperture 12 which extends laterally and comprises a broad upper portion and a narrower lower portion so that substantially vertical tabs 14 are defined in said panel wall. Further the panel wall 11 comprises two locking apertures 13, each for cooperation with an elastic tongue 9 of the holder. It should be noted that in case the holder is implemented in an electronic device (e. g. a set top box), the panel 10 corresponds to a wall and or front face of the electronic device.

As shown in Fig. 3b, the holder 5 is assembled to the panel 10 by the following steps :

- a first horizontal movement from the interior 2b until the card inlet opening 8 and the lower part 7b of the front wall 7 pass through the interface opening 12. After this step, the upper part 7a of the front wall 7, which is offset backwards from the lower part abuts on the back face, or internal face of the panel and blocks further forward movement of the holder 5 ;

- a downward movement of the holder 5 until the elastic tongues 9 are inserted into the locking apertures 13 of the panel. The elastic tongues 9 are elastically deformed for insertion into the locking apertures 13 by snap-fit assembly. The tongues 9 cooperate by friction with the back face of the panel and insertion of their extremities in the corresponding locking apertures 13.

In this position, the upper part 7a of the front wall still abuts on the internal face of the panel and provides a blocking wall so as to prevent the holder from being moved to the exterior through the aperture 12. Further, the tabs 14 are slid behind corresponding features 15 on each side of the front wall for better retention of the holder (Fig. 3c) . Prior or after this assembly, the panel is fixed to the wall 2, and a card reader is fixed to or received by the holder 5. According to a second embodiment, as shown on Fig. 4, the holder 5 does not include elastic tongues formed in the back wall of the lower part of its front face. The panel does not include any through locking aperture. Rather, elastic tongues 19 are designed on each side of the holder 5. The end of each tongue 19 comprises a hooking protrusion 20 adapted to cooperate with said base, for instance in hooking a complementary feature. In this second embodiment, the shape of the interface aperture 12 is similar to the shape of the aperture 12 in the first embodiment. It is obtained by cutting and bending a part of the panel wall 11, which is bent in 90 degree inwards to form a base 21 extending perpendicular to the panel 10. In this second embodiment, a holder 5 is moved first towards the panel, until the blocking wall abuts on the rear face of the panel wall. Then the holder is moved downwards until it is received for support by the base 21 of the panel. During this downward movement, the elastic tongues 19 will be elastically deformed until their hooking protrusion 20 cooperates with the back face of the base portion 21 by snap-fit assembly for retention of the holder onto the panel 10. In that case, the back face itself forms the first retention features. Alternatively, the card reading system could be used in a set top box for a TV, or any other suitable use.

The man skilled in the art would appreciate that by using snap-fit retention features, locking the holder to a panel does not require any additional removable fastening means (such as screws or bolts) . This therefore facilitates the mounting step.

Claims

1. A card reading system comprising: a panel (10) comprising a panel wall (11) having an external face (Ha) facing an exterior to the system, an internal face (lib) opposite said external face and facing an interior to the system, an interface aperture (12) in between, said panel having a first retention feature (Hb ; 21) , - a holder (5) comprising a front wall (7) provided with a card inlet opening (8) for receiving a card and a blocking wall (7a) , wherein said blocking wall (7a) abuts on the internal face of said panel, said blocking wall being larger than said interface aperture (12) so as to prevent the holder from being moved to said exterior through said interface aperture.

2. Card reading system according to claim 1, wherein the panel (10) comprises first retention features (Hb; 21) and the holder (5) comprises second retention features (9; 19), first and second (9; 19) retention features cooperating to lock said holder onto said panel by snap-fit assembly.

3. Card reading system according to claim 2, wherein said holder comprises at least one elastic tongue

(9 ; 19) adapted to cooperate with said first retention feature (Hb; 21) by elastic deformation.

4. Card reading system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said panel comprises a base (21) extending perpendicular to said panel wall towards said interior, and being provided with said first retention feature, and wherein said elastic tongue carries a hooking protrusion (20) adapted to cooperate with said base.

5. Card reading system according to claim 2, wherein said panel wall comprises at least one locking aperture (13) extending between said external and internal faces, wherein said tongue (9) is adapted to be inserted from said internal face into said locking aperture, and wherein said tongue cooperates by friction with said internal face.

6. Card reading system according to any preceding claim, further comprising a card reader adapted to read a card, and comprising a card inlet adapted to receive a card from said card inlet opening (8) .

7. A method of assembly of a card reading system comprising: a panel (10) comprising a panel wall (11) having an external face facing an exterior to the system, an internal face opposite said external face and facing an interior to the system, an interface aperture therebetween, a holder (5) comprising a front wall provided with a card inlet opening (8) for receiving a card and a blocking wall, wherein said holder is moved from said interior towards said panel wall according to a first movement, until said blocking wall abuts on the internal face of said panel with said card inlet opening (8) accessible from said exterior at said interface aperture, said blocking wall being larger than said interface aperture (12) so as to prevent the holder from being moved to said exterior through said interface aperture.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said panel comprises a first retention feature (lib; 21) and said holder comprises a second retention feature (9; 19) complementary to said first retention feature, and wherein said holder (5) is moved according to a second movement to bring said first (lib; 21) and second (9; 19) retention features to cooperate to lock said holder onto said panel by snap-fit assembly.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein said first and second movements are performed along orthogonal directions .