Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Retaining means
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-06
2002-04-23
Vu, Hien (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Retaining means
C439S059000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06375486
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to a connector assembly, particularly to a connector assembly comprising a retention mechanism to keep an edge card in an edge connector firmly.
2. Description of the Related Prior Art
Usually, a connector assembly ensures an edge card firmly fixed in a card edge connector. Referring to
FIG. 4
, a conventional connector assembly comprises an edge card
1
, a receptacle connector
2
and a retention mechanism
3
. The edge card
1
has a main portion
10
, an inserting section
11
and an L-shaped fixing arm
12
extending downwardly from the main portion
10
. The fixing arm
12
defines a gap
14
between the lower edge of the main portion
10
and a horizontal portion
13
thereof. The receptacle connector
2
has an insulative housing
21
with a central slot
213
and a plurality of terminals
22
wherein the insulative housing
21
extends a connecting portion
211
from an edge thereof for cooperating with the fixing arm
12
. The connecting portion
211
has a through hole
212
. The retention mechanism
3
has a base
31
and two arms
32
protruding from the base
31
and defining a gap therebetween. After the inserting section
11
is inserted into the central slot
213
of the insulative housing
21
, the fixing arm
12
will be adjacent to the connecting portion
211
. Inserting the retention mechanism
3
through the gap
14
and the through hole
212
, the separated resilient arms
32
may ensure the edge card
1
positioned in the central slot
213
of the electrical connector
2
.
However, it is the two separated resilient arms
32
which joint the horizontal portion
13
and the connecting portion
211
together. The two resilient arms
32
will close up if the card is pulled improperly by a pull being larger than the resilience of the two resilient arms
32
, then the edge card
1
will move a distance, and it causes the signal transmission unstable.
Hence, an improved connector assembly is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector assembly to hold an edge card in an electrical connector to transmit signals steadily.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, a connector assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises a receptacle connector, an edge card and a retention mechanism. The edge card has a main portion, an inserting section extending downwardly from the main portion and an “L”-shaped fixing arm. The fixing arm has a vertical portion and a horizontal portion extending downwardly from the main portion. The vertical portion and the fixing arm define a gap therebetween and the horizontal portion and the bottom edge of the main portion define a room therebetween. The receptacle connector comprises an insulative housing defining an engaging face, a connecting face, a central slot to receive the inserting section of the edge card and two sidewalls each define a recess parallel to the engaging face. A flute is formed at a bottom of each of the recesses. The retention mechanism has a base with a top section and two connecting arms extending from the base. The base defines a receiving cavity to receive the fixing arm and the connecting arms each have a hook to connect with the flute.
After the inserting section of the edge card has been inserted into the central slot and the retention mechanism has been approached to the insulative housing, the horizontal portion of the fixing arm positions in the receiving cavity and the top section of the base are inserted into the room between the horizontal portion and the bottom edge of the edge card and the hook of the connecting arm is received in the flute.
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: 5126954 (1992-06-01), Morita
patent: 5681184 (1997-10-01), Pamant et al.
patent: 5876226 (1999-03-01), Tsukakashi et al.
Chung Wei Te
Hon Hai - Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
Vu Hien
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