Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Coupling part for receiving edge of planar board moving...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-20
2001-10-23
Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Coupling part for receiving edge of planar board moving...
Reexamination Certificate
active
06305964
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a locking device, and particularly to a locking device capable of securely locking an edge card to an electrical connector.
FIG. 5
shows an electrical connector
6
in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,705 and an edge card
7
. The electrical connector
6
comprises a locking device
5
positioned at each side thereof for securing the edge card
7
to the electrical connector
6
. The locking device
5
includes a main body
50
and a clip
51
projecting from the main body
50
toward a middle portion of the connector
6
. A lower end (not labeled) of the locking device
5
is pivotally secured within a recess
61
defined in a corresponding side of an insulative housing
60
of the electrical connector
6
, thereby allowing the clip
51
to engage with a corresponding opening
70
defined in a side edge of the edge card
7
. However, the locking device
5
is pivotally secured to the insulative housing
60
, resulting in a difficult manufacture and assembly of the electrical connector
6
.
Hence, an improved locking device for an electrical connector is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a locking device for securing an edge card to an electrical connector wherein the locking device has a simple structure capable of decreasing the manufacturing and assembly costs.
To fulfill the above-mentioned objectives, a locking device for securing an edge card to an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention comprises a U shaped first locking portion and a pair of second locking portions formed at either side of the connector housing. The first locking portion includes a locking body and two clips perpendicularly extending from two distal ends of the locking body. A connecting portion between the locking body and a corresponding clip forms two parallel ribs defining a receiving space therebetween. Each clip downwardly extends from the locking body and includes two resilient arms at a lower end thereof. Each resilient arm further forms two outwardly projecting barbs at a free end thereof. The second locking portions include a pair of U-shaped guiding channels extending upwardly beyond a top face of the insulative housing. The second locking portions further include two pair of holes vertically oriented in opposite faces of and in both end of the insulative housing and beyond a top face of the insulative housing.
In use, the edge card is inserted into the electrical connector to reach a position in which the edge card is electrically engaged with terminals secured within the insulative housing and the resilient arms of the first locking portion are pressed together so that they can be downwardly inserted into the guiding channels of the second locking portions. Two upper corners of the edge card are securely received within the receiving spaces of the first locking portion. The resilient arms are released and respectively secured within the holes of the second locking portions, thereby firmly securing the edge card to the electrical connector.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5584705 (1996-12-01), Lin
patent: 5943218 (1999-08-01), Liu
patent: 6007357 (1999-12-01), Perino et al.
patent: 6056579 (2000-05-01), Richards, III et al.
Lai Ming-Chun
Pon Wenfu
Chung Wei Te
Hon Hai - Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
Paumen Gary F.
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