Electrical connectors – With supporting means for coupling part – Supporting plural – independent coupling parts
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-09
2001-01-16
Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With supporting means for coupling part
Supporting plural, independent coupling parts
C439S079000, C439S080000, C439S064000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06174197
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an improved card connector assembly for making an electrical connection between a memory device in the form of a card, such as a communication card, memory card or hard disk drive (HDD) package, and a printed circuit board.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Card connector assemblies have been widely used in personal computers, lap-top computers, notebook type computers and the like. A card connector assembly typically comprises a shell assembly for accommodating memory devices in the form of a card, and a pin connector assembly. The shell assembly is often a double-deck structure to accommodate two cards, comprising upper and lower shell compartments to enclose at least a portion of each of the cards, and each shell compartment may be equipped with an ejection mechanism. The connection pins of the pin connector assembly are adapted to be received in receptacles of the memory devices inserted in the shell compartments (see, e.g., Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 6-332573 and 7-302645).
There are a variety of ways in which a card connector assembly has been mounted in a computer. One such way is where a relay connector is fixed on a printed circuit board of the computer and a card connector assembly is also fixed on the circuit board and the card connector assembly is connected to the relay connector by a flat flexible cable. Another way is where a relay substrate is integrally connected to a pin connector assembly of a card connector assembly and a relay connector is fixed on a printed circuit board of a computer. The card connector assembly is connected to the relay connector through the relay substrate. Still another way is where a pin connector assembly is configured on a rear end thereof to mate with a relay connector which is mounted on a printed circuit board of the computer, and then the card connector assembly is connected to the relay connector by mating the pin connector assembly to the relay connector. Also, a relay plate may be integrally connected to a pin connector assembly of a card connector assembly, and one part of a relay connector may be fixed to the relay plate. The mating part of the relay connector is then fixed to a printed circuit board of the computer, and the card connector assembly is then mounted in the computer by mating the two parts of the relay connector.
Use of a relay connector improves the efficiency and workability of equipping a computer with a card connector assembly, but extra parts such as relay connectors, flat flexible cables, relay plates and the like contribute to higher assembly and component costs of the card connector assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of the present invention is to provide such a card connector assembly that requires the least amount of components and assembly steps in mounting it on the printed circuit board of a computer.
To obtain these objects, a card connector assembly is improved according to the present invention in that it comprises: a shell assembly for accommodating one or more memory devices in the form of a card, comprising an upper and lower shell that together encloses at least a portion of each memory device; and a pin connector assembly including a single, unitarily molded insulating housing and upper and lower rows of signal terminals mounted therein, wherein each signal terminal includes a connection pin adapted to be received in a memory device inserted in the associated shell and a solder tail adapted to be soldered directly to the printed circuit board. The solder tails of the upper rows of signal terminals extend generally below and parallel to the connection pins of the upper rows and are adapted to contact the surface of the printed circuit board in a single coplanar linear array proximate the rear of the insulating housing. The solder tails of the lower rows of signal terminals extend generally below and parallel to the connection pins of the lower rows and are adapted to contact the surface of the printed circuit board in a single coplanar linear array proximate the front of the insulating housing. All of the solder tails are adapted to be simultaneously soldered to the circuit board in a single soldering step.
The shell assembly is adapted to be assembled to said pin connector assembly after the pin connector assembly is soldered to the printed circuit board.
The pin connector assembly includes a detachable tail aligning device applied to the insulating housing to maintain the position of the solder tails of the lower rows terminals.
The insulating housing includes two side arms extending forward on opposite sides thereof. The side arms are used as guide means to assemble the shell assembly to the pin connector assembly. Each side arm includes upper and lower longitudinal guide slots to guide upper and lower engagement nails integrally formed on the upper and lower shells. The upper and lower longitudinal guide slots include engagement projections formed therein to prevent the engagement nails from being pulled out of the longitudinal guide slots. The interengagement between the slots and the engagement nails ensures a secure assembly between the shell and pin connector assemblies. Furthermore, the single solder tail arrays and simultaneous soldering of all of the solder tails of the signal terminals makes fixing the pin connector assembly to the printed circuit board relatively simple and quick.
The insulating housing further includes upper and lower receiving slots in each side arm extending rearwardly from the front of the insulating housing. Each of the upper and lower shells includes an engagement piece integrally formed at an end thereof, thereby permitting the assembly of the shell assembly to the pin connector assembly by inserting the engagement pieces of the upper and lower shells into the upper and lower receiving slots of the insulating housing.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be understood from the following description of a card connector assembly according to the present invention, which is shown in the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5176523 (1993-01-01), Lai
patent: 5286207 (1994-02-01), McHugh
patent: 5316488 (1994-05-01), Gardner et al.
patent: 5318452 (1994-06-01), Brennian, Jr. et al.
patent: 5470259 (1995-11-01), Kaufman et al.
patent: 5492481 (1996-02-01), Lewis
patent: 5636999 (1997-06-01), Hirai et al.
patent: 5688130 (1997-11-01), Huang
patent: 5725385 (1998-03-01), Takano et al.
patent: 5775923 (1998-07-01), Tomioka
Hirata Hideyuki
Watanabe Soichi
Bradley Paula
Caldwell Stacey E.
Le{acute over (o)}n Edwin A.
Molex Incorporated
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