Source for panel mount SD card socket/adapter

RobotWorkshop

I want to add and SD card (or microSD) to my next Propeller project. I'd like to mount the SD card socket on the panel directly for easy access to the SD card. Most of the SD card adapters I've seen work well for mounting on a breadboard or Protoboard but don't have any easy way to mount them on a case directly. Does anyone know of an adapter (other than hacking a PC multi-reader) that may work?

Robert

schill

I've never seen a panel mount SD card socket.

I think the best you may be able to do would be to use something like the Parallax breadboard adapter:

http://www.parallax.com/StoreSearchResults/tabid/768/txtSearch/sd/List/0/SortField/4/ProductID/611/Default.aspx

It has holes for mounting so you should be able to cut a slot in your panel for the card and use a couple small L-brackets to mount the adapter.

There are a number of other ones out there, but most that I've seen don't have the mounting holes.

RobotWorkshop

That is definitely an option and may be the best solution. I thought that perhaps someone may know of one that was setup specifically for panel mounting but there may not be that much call for them. I'll have to add one of the Parallax adapters on my next order.

Robert

idbruce

Robert

Did you ever find one?

LoopyByteloose

I have some full size SDcard sockets unattached to anything that I purchased locally in Taiwan. You can build anything you desire with them.

There are panels that fit in a disk drive slot of a big box PC with 5 kinds of card slots, and maybe a USB slot or two... but those seem to have a USB interface to the motherboard.. Not exactly Propeller ready. New Egg may have some of those.

RobotWorkshop

I never found any Panel mount SD readers for microcontrollers. The closest thing I found was an SD card extender that I could modify:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SD-SDHC-SDXC-Card-Extender-Extension-Cable-Connection-Extender-Linker-TV-GPS-/151330476994

It looks like I could just cut a hole that matches the profile of this adapter and then insert the reader so that maybe 1/4" or so extends out of the panel.

If anyone else finds a better solution please post it here.

Robert.

idbruce

Robert

Yea, I found many f those myself. I suppose a clamp could be made which mounts to the panel, but allows enough of the receiver to stick out the face of the panel.

Duane Degn

I haven't ever seen a mount which would be easy to use with a panel.

You can always make some sort of plafform behind the panel to hold a PCB with the card socket at the edge of the PCB.

I attached a Propeller Memory Board to lid of my robot remote and cut a hole through the side of the enclosure to access the card.



The micro SD card is pretty hard to access this way but I think a full size SD card and socket could be made to work well. I've found Polymorph really useful for holding things in place on the other side of the enclosure's wall. The push button switch isn't a panel mount switch but the Polymorph lets me treat like one. Only the top edge of the switch is visible in the above photo (bottom right).

If your panel is made from the sort of plastic Polymorph sticks to, it could be used to secure non-panel mount devices to the panel. Of course the whole advantage of using panel mount devices is these sorts of workarounds are not required but if something isn't available in a panel mount form, then it's nice to know a number of workaround tricks.

RobotWorkshop

It would be ideal to be able to make a rectangular cutout and just snap it in place. Cutting a slot and then using L brackets for an SD card socket will probably have to do. The larger SD cards are easier to work with and if I need to use the smaller cards I can just use on of the many adapters that usually come with those cards. I guess I could just cut a slot and glue in one of those SD card adapters (solder wires directly to the pins) and then let that stick out an 1/8" or so and use the microSD cards instead.

Robert

idbruce

Duane

Yea, I have the Propeller Memory Card also, and it appears that it would be very difficult to push and pull the SD card if mounted inside of an enclosure. I wish Parallax had extended the micro SD card slot out about 1/8" past the edge of the board (if the components are available), which would make using that board so much easier for projects with enclosures. As it stands now, it is back about 3/32" from the edge of the board, and with a card inserted, the card only extends about 3/32" from the edge of the boad, which doesn't leave much to grab if you are passing through 1/16" of enclosure material.

There is 1/32" left, give me a week or two to let my fingernails grow, and I can get it out

Duane Degn

idbruce wrote: »

I wish Parallax had extended the micro SD card slot out about 1/8" past the edge of the board (if the components are available), which would make using that board so much easier for projects with enclosures

I ended up putting a label on my uSD cards which folds back on itself and makes a tab on the card so it can be pulled from the socket. It would be nice if the card could be accessed without the use of added tabs.

Tracy Allen

I've come to despise micro-SD cards. Much prefer full-size, in a push-push socket.

I've used the SD card on an angle like this...

I prefer to have the socket mounted on a board with the other circuits so that it comes up against the side, positioned so that the card when in place comes out flush with the outside of the enclosure. The one on the left has screws to hold an SD slot cover for the weatherproof box.

idbruce

I am now thinking about making a circuit board with pads that are identical to the micro SD card pads, that have traces going to another socket that is capable of extending through an enclosure. The PCB would be a bit wider than the slot to prevent the PCB from pulling out. Basically, the PCB would butt upto the inside of the enclosure. Something similar to the image shown below.

EDIT: Providing I could find a suitable socket.

Peter Jakacki

idbruce wrote: »

I am now thinking about making a circuit board with pads that are identical to the micro SD card pads, that have traces going to another socket that is capable of extending through an enclosure. The PCB would be a bit wider than the slot to prevent the PCB from pulling out. Basically, the PCB would butt upto the inside of the enclosure. Something similar to the image shown below.

EDIT: Providing I could find a suitable socket.

If you need something that alreayd has a Prop on it then what about these?

BTW, I agree with Tracey, microSD is a pain, okay if you don't really need to access it but too fiddly to handle though I do use them in products if I have to.

MrBi11

http://en.esskabel.de/adapter/datasheet/ada-sdcard-usb/69

idbruce

Peter

The problem is that I already purchased a Propeller Memory Card and a microSD card for my current project and I want to keep the Propeller Memory Card for the additional SRAM and flash memory. To make matters worse, I already have my project wired up for the Propeller Memory Card, so now I am stuck, but it is my own fault, because I should have learned by now to pay attention to small details, and this problem could have been foreseen by further in depth study of the product documentation. However I also see it as a design flaw, because odds are someone would want to enclose the board to protect the electronics, but also be able to insert and remove the cards.

Anyhow, it is what is, and now I must adapt and overcome. Additionally, the same holds true for the Prop Plug. It would have been so much nicer, if the designer or engineer would have stopped the PCB material at the mounting tabs. Now I will have to call Parallax to see if I can trim off that excess material without cutting into a trace.

idbruce

Perhaps this has possibilities with the circuit board idea:

Product page - http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Yamaichi-Electronics/PJS008U-3000-0/?qs=%2fha2pyFaduh8QT0ZYQ8fnalOeB6CscADjuT6TZD0c2Y%3d
Datasheet - http://www.mouser.com/ds/2/448/c_pjs008u-3000-5232.pdf

Look at the photo in the datasheet - Looks ready for panel mounting to me

If Parallax had used this connector and put two mounting holes on the Propeller Memory Card, I believe it would have been more adaptable for panel mounting. A couple of standoffs for the board and it would be ready for mount.

Cluso99

SD sockets have further travel for push/push operation than uSD sockets. In our commercial product we changed to SD cards and use SD to uSD converters where necessary.