Electrical connectors – With guiding means for mating of coupling part – For guiding side of movable panel – e.g. – circuit board
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-28
2001-01-16
Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With guiding means for mating of coupling part
For guiding side of movable panel, e.g., circuit board
Reexamination Certificate
active
06174192
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a card connector, and more specifically relates to a card connector for mounting on a circuit board and for accommodating cards along a direction that is substantially parallel to the circuit board.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A conventional card connector disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 6-208874 and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,966 includes a connector member having a plurality of pin terminals used for electrical connection with a memory card, and a housing accommodating the terminals, and card-guiding arm members connected to the connector member. Engaging fingers which engage with grooves in the connector member are on inner ends of the arm members, so that the arm members can be latch-engaged with the connector member. In this way, the respective parts of the card connector can easily be manufactured, and the assembly of the parts can also be accomplished in a relatively simple manner.
In recent years, card connectors of the type described above have been used in applications such as notebook computers; in such applications, however, there is a need to minimize the dimensions of the card connector. Since the latch engagement means described above has relatively large dimensions, size reduction requirements cannot be satisfied.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a card connector, which, while being relatively compact for a card connector, includes a connector member and arm members, and it is equipped with engaging means for both members, the engaging means having sufficient engaging strength.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a circuit board-mounted card connector comprising a connector member having a housing accommodating a plurality of electrical terminals that can be electrically connected to a memory card, and a pair of arm members connected to the connector member for guiding the card into the connector member, at least one connecting means for connecting the arm members and the connector member located in the area of connection between the arm members and connector member which also operates as a fastening means for fastening to the circuit board.
Preferably, the connecting means includes screw-fastening means and pin-fastening means. It is desirable that the pin-fastening means hold the connector member and the arm members together until the card connector is fastened to the circuit board. Preferably, the screw-fastening means and pin-fastening means are aligned in the direction of length of the arm members.
The connector member and arm members have an engaging structure which is constructed so that the connector member and arms members engage with each other in a direction of height. It is advisable that the engaging structure be offset in the direction of height on respective sides of the connector member and arm members, and that the structure be formed with complementary shapes. It is advisable that the card connector be constructed so that two cards can be accommodated in the direction of height, and that the offset structures of the engaging structure be disposed in positions corresponding to the respective card-accommodating sections.
The screw-fastening means and pin-fastening means are disposed in the engaging structures of the connector member and arm members. It is advisable that the respective engaging structures of the connector member and arm members include screw-accommodating holes and pin-accommodating holes which respectively communicate when the respective members are engaged.
The engaging structures of the connector member and arm members are provided with at least one set of recessed and protruding parts, which engage with each other so that positional deviations in the horizontal direction and vertical direction are prevented.
Furthermore, the present invention is directed to a card connector in which a connector member contains a connecting section for connection to a memory card, and a pair of facing arm members extending from the connector member, which include guide means that guide the card into the connecting section. The card connector constitutes two card-accommodating sections that are capable of accommodating two cards so that the cards are stacked in the direction of height, and also it includes ejection members which are used to eject the individual cards accommodated in the card-accommodating sections, the connector member and the pair of facing arm members respectively form portions of the two card-accommodating sections by means of single members, and the ejection members corresponding respectively to the two card-accommodating sections are operationally mounted to one of the pair of facing arm members.
The one arm member to which the ejection members are mounted has a horizontal wall which extends to an outside from an outside surface.
A cam means, which engages with a sliding body that is caused to slide for purposes of the card-ejection operation and which performs a cam operation with respect to at least some parts of the sliding body, is disposed on both opposite surfaces of the horizontal wall.
A guide means, which engages with a sliding body that is caused to slide for purposes of the card-ejection operation and which is used to guide the sliding motion of the sliding body, is disposed on both opposite surfaces of the horizontal wall.
The horizontal wall extends from an intermediate position located between the two card-accommodating sections that are stacked in the direction of height.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5290174 (1994-03-01), Woratyla et al.
patent: 5297966 (1994-03-01), Brennian, Jr. et al.
patent: 5389001 (1995-02-01), Broschard, III et al.
Muramatsu Hidenori
Watanabe Satoru
Bradley Paula
Ngandjui Antoine
The Whitaker Corporation
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