Electrical connectors – With coupling separator – Nonconducting pusher
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-20
2001-10-09
Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With coupling separator
Nonconducting pusher
Reexamination Certificate
active
06299465
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the art of electrical connectors and particularly to a connector assembly which permits a card device, such as a PCMCIA card, compact flash card or other card medium to be connected to an associated printed circuit.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Known card connector assemblies are designed to receive cards having a plurality of contacts arranged on a front edge thereof, and the terminals of the connector assembly, which are soldered to corresponding conductors of an underlying printed circuit board, are electrically connected to the contacts of the card, thereby making an electrical connection between the card and the printed circuit board. The connector assembly typically comprises a header having a plurality of terminals corresponding to the contacts of the card and an ejector unit for ejecting the card from the header. Known ejector units use a heart-shaped cam and a cam follower in the form of rod, which projects from the actuator such that rotation of the heart-shaped cam causes the actuator to move through the agency of the rod projection in a controlled fashion.
Such an ejector unit is complex in structure, uses many component parts and is therefore relatively costly. Furthermore, the component parts function in a friction-type of operation and therefore are liable to be worn, causing the undesirable production of debris.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of the present invention is to provide a connector assembly which is relatively simple in structure and does not operate by way of friction, thereby minimizing any defects produced from friction-operating parts.
To attain this object, a connector assembly is provided for receiving a memory card or other plate-like medium having a plurality of contacts arranged on a front edge thereof. The card assembly comprises a header having a plurality of terminals for making electrical connections with the contacts of the card, and an ejector unit for ejecting the card from the header. The ejector unit comprises: a spring-biased actuator including a spring responsive to insertion of the card into the header for applying an ejecting force to the card; and a latching mechanism comprising an elongated notched rotary piece rotatably fixed to the actuator and having notches on opposite ends and stationary cam and contour projections confronting each other to allow the rotary piece to move from one to the other cam projection, permitting each cam projection to follow the notched and contour sections of one end of the rotary piece, thereby allowing the rotary piece to turn and lock the actuator when one of the cam projections catches one end of the rotary piece.
The connector assembly is simple in structure and does not use frictional parts, therefore avoiding the production of debris.
The ejector unit may further comprise means for resiliently urging the rotary piece against the actuator.
The ejector unit may further comprise clicking means for audible indication responsive to movement of the rotary piece to selected angular positions.
The ejector unit may be integrally connected to the header.
The ejector unit may have two or more sets of rotary piece and cam projections.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be understood from the following description of a connector assembly according to preferred embodiments of the present invention, which are shown in accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4466680 (1984-08-01), Sakai et al.
patent: 6089895 (2000-07-01), Hashiguchi et al.
Caldwell Stacey E.
Molex Incorporated
Nguyen Son V.
Sircus Brian
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