Electrical connectors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement – e.g. – pcb – icm – dip,... – With guide for directing panel circuit movement
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-28
2001-05-22
Patel, Tulsidas (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Preformed panel circuit arrangement, e.g., pcb, icm, dip,...
With guide for directing panel circuit movement
Reexamination Certificate
active
06234809
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a card connector assembly that is used to electrically connect cards such as PC cards including memory cards, to circuit boards.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional card connector assembly
200
shown in FIG.
8
and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No, 5,709,568 comprises a card connector
210
, which has a plurality of electrical contacts
212
for electrical connection to a PC card (not shown), a card edge connector
220
, which is surface mount connected to conductive pads on a circuit board
240
, and a connecting board
230
which is solder connected to the contacts
212
of the card connector
210
and insertion-connected to the card edge connector
210
.
The card connector
210
has stacked insulating housings
211
so that two PC cards can be accommodated therein. Electrical contacts
212
are fastened by press-fitting to the connector sections
211
a
of the housings
211
. The housings
211
are mounted on circuit board
240
.
The card edge connector
220
is equipped with an insulating housing
221
which has a board-accommodating recess
221
a
that extends in the direction of length, and which is mounted on the circuit board
240
, and a plurality of electrical contacts
222
which are mounted in the housing
221
in a row and which electrically engage conductive pads
231
on the connecting board
230
. The contacts
222
are electrically connected to the conductive pads on the circuit board
240
.
The connecting board
230
is solder-connected to the plurality of contacts
212
protruding from the connector sections
211
a
of the card connector
210
horizontally with respect to the wall surfaces of the connector sections
211
a
, i.e., perpendicularly with respect to the circuit board
240
. Afterward, the connecting board
230
is accommodated in the board-accommodating recess
221
a
of the card edge connector
220
so that the conductive pads
231
and contacts
222
electrically engage each other. As a result, the PC cards are electrically connected to the circuit board
240
via the contacts
212
of the card connector
210
, the connecting board
230
, and the contacts
222
of the card edge connector
220
.
However, in the case of such a conventional card connector assembly
200
, a separate connecting board
230
is necessary in order to connect the card connector
210
and card edge connector
220
to each other. As a result, the number of parts required is large, and the number of contacts is large, so that the reliability of the electrical connections decreases.
Furthermore, since the connecting board
230
is installed perpendicular to the circuit board
240
, the overall height of the card connector assembly
200
is increased.
Accordingly, an important object of the present invention is to provide a card connector assembly for connecting cards such as PC cards including memory cards to circuit boards, which makes it possible to obtain highly-reliable electrical connections, and which has a low height.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The card connector assembly of the present invention is equipped with a card connector having an insulating first housing mounted on a circuit board, and electrical pin contacts mounted in the first housing with each of the pin contacts having a card contact section that electrically engages electrical contacts in the card and a substantially horizontal section that protrudes from the first housing substantially parallel to the circuit board, and a mating electrical connector having an insulating second housing mounted on the circuit board, and electrical contacts mounted in the second housing, with each of the electrical contacts having a connecting section that is electrically connected to the circuit board and a contact section that is exposed at an upper surface of the second housing and that electrically engages one of the pin contacts, and the substantially horizontal sections of the pin contacts electrically engage the contact sections of the contacts of the mating connector as a result of being pressed against the contact sections from above the mating connector.
Furthermore, it is effective if the contact sections of the electrical contacts of the mating connector are constructed as flexible spring members, and the substantially horizontal sections of the pin contacts are supported by a support housing so that upward movement of the substantially horizontal sections caused by the resilient force of the contact sections when the horizontal sections engage the exposed contact sections is checked.
Additionally, it is much more effective if the support housing is fastened to the circuit board together with the first housing.
Furthermore, the contact sections of the electrical contacts may be constructed as rigid members that are fastened to the second housing, and the substantially horizontal sections of the electrical contacts may be constructed as flexible spring members.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5286207 (1994-02-01), McHugh
patent: 5636999 (1997-06-01), Hirai et al.
patent: 5688130 (1997-11-01), Huang
patent: 5709568 (1998-01-01), Pan et al.
Patel Tulsidas
The Whitaker Corporation
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