Electrical connectors – With coupling separator – Nonconducting pusher
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-11
2001-01-09
Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With coupling separator
Nonconducting pusher
C439S160000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06171122
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a card connector, and more particularly to a card connector equipped with a pivoting ejection member as ejecting means for ejecting a card.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
An example of a conventional card connector is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-37947. The disclosed card connector includes an ejector mechanism for ejecting a card. The ejector mechanism has an ejection member pivotably located within a housing such that it will eject the card from a card-receiving recess, and a lever member for applying an action force thereto. Part of a lateral edge of the ejection member engages part of an inner surface of the housing that constitutes an ejection member holding space, thereby constituting a pivot fulcrum of the ejection member. The pivot range of the ejection member is defined by the shape of the holding space. Specifically, part of the housing constitutes a stop means for stopping the pivoting of the ejection member.
However, the card connector disclosed in the above publication has two drawbacks. The first is that because the stop means for stopping the pivoting of the ejection member is integrally provided by the housing of an electrical connector, there is no flexibility involved in mounting the ejection member to the housing, thereby making the operation more difficult. The second drawback is that because the stop means is located at a position near the pivot fulcrum and away from the action component of the force for pivoting the ejection member, a large moment of force is applied to the housing in the course of stopping the ejection member; and, as a result, the housing has to have relatively thick walls so that it can stop the ejection member against such force, so the connector housing ends up being relatively large.
An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a compact card connector that is equipped with an efficient stop means for an ejection member and that affords easy mounting of the ejection member to a housing, which serves as a card-ejecting means.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a card connector equipped with a connector unit for holding a card, and an ejector mechanism for ejecting the card, the ejector mechanism includes an ejection member that pivots so as to eject the card, and a pivot fulcrum of the ejection member being positioned adjacent a lateral edge of the ejection member, wherein a supporting member is mounted on the connector unit and includes stop means for stopping movement of the ejection member.
The supporting member also includes support means for supporting a flexible printed circuit of the connector unit.
The supporting member has mounting means for mounting the supporting member on a housing of the connector unit.
The connector unit is capable of holding two cards in a height direction, a pair of ejection members being provided corresponding thereto, and the stop means of the supporting member extends in the height direction so as to be able to stop both of the ejection members.
A card connector having a connector unit for holding a card, comprises a connector housing having electrical contacts secured therein for electrical connection to the card when inserted into the connector unit; an ejector mechanism having an ejection member pivotally mounted onto the connector housing for pivotal movement relative thereto between a card-insertion position and a card-ejection position; and a supporting member mounted onto the connector housing including stop means against which the ejection member engages thereby limiting forward movement of the ejection member.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4894015 (1990-01-01), Stockero et al.
patent: 5967812 (1999-10-01), Tung et al.
patent: 0 664 519 A2 (1995-07-01), None
patent: 2 330 701 (1999-04-01), None
patent: WO 97/10691 (1997-03-01), None
Japanese UM Publication No. 6-37947, May 20, 1994.
Search Report under Section 17, Application No. GB 99135443.6, Date of Search Jan. 7, 2000.
Futatsugi Takashi
Muramatsu Hidenori
Yamaguchi Katsumi
Nguyen Son V.
Sircus Brian
The Whitaker Corporation
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