Electrical connectors – With circuit conductors and safety grounding provision
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-20
2003-09-30
Ta, Tho D. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With circuit conductors and safety grounding provision
C439S497000, C439S607070, C439S328000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06626685
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electrical connector and a cover for connecting a mother board and a daughter board such as a dual in-line memory module (DIMM) or fax modem card, to each other.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Card connectors that connect mother boards and daughter boards such as DIMMs to each other have long been used in electronic devices such as personal computers. Such card connectors are generally equipped with a latching device for securing the daughter board in order to prevent the daughter board from slipping out during use.
For example, the card connector
100
shown in
FIG. 6
is known as a conventional card connector that is equipped with a latching device. This card connector
100
is also disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Kokai No. H6-88073 and is constructed from a housing
110
that is substantially C-shaped, a plurality of contacts
112
which are disposed in the contact receiving area
113
of the housing
110
, and latching devices
120
which are disposed in openings
111
formed in both ends of the housing
110
.
As is shown in FIGS.
7
(A-C), each latching device
120
has a first arm
121
and a second arm
122
that face each other to form a U-shape. A plurality of projections
121
a
which are press fit into the opening
111
of the housing
110
are formed on the first part
121
. A solder foot
126
extending from the first arm
121
is used for soldering the latching device
120
to the mother board (not shown in the figures). A latch
123
is formed above roughly the center of the second arm
122
, and a latch release
124
is formed on the free end of the second arm
122
. An arcuate section
125
that contacts a cutout
131
in the daughter board
130
is formed between the latch
123
and second arm
122
.
Referring again to
FIG. 6
, the end of the daughter board
130
is inserted into the contact receiving area
113
at an angle and is then pivoted so that it becomes parallel to the motherboard. The latches
123
engage with the upper surface of the daughter board
130
, and the arcuate sections
125
enter the cutouts
131
in the daughter board
130
to secure the daughter board
130
in the card connector
100
. In order to release the daughter board
130
, it is necessary to press the latch releases
124
in the direction indicated by the arrow A, and move the latches
123
from the latched position to the unlatched position.
Problems have been encountered in this conventional card connector
100
. Since the daughter board
130
is secured only by the latches
123
and the arcuate sections
125
, it has been found that the daughter board
130
may slip out of the housing
110
in the case of a large impact caused by dropping the device.
To describe this problem in greater detail, a material with a high rigidity has conventionally been used for the casing of the electronic device such as a notebook personal computer that houses the mother board on which the card connector
100
is mounted. As a result, the impact force caused by dropping the casing, in the area around the card connector
100
has a small gravitational acceleration of around 4000 m/s
2
. However, if a material with a small rigidity is used for the casing in order to reduce costs, the impact force caused by dropping, in the area around the card connector
100
shows an increased gravitational acceleration of around 10,000 m/s
2
. If such an impact is applied to the area around the card connector
100
, there is an increased risk that the daughter board
130
will slip out of the housing
110
.
SUMMARY
An object of the present invention is to address this problem by providing a card connector and cover which can prevent the daughter board from slipping out of the housing even when an impact with a gravitational acceleration exceeding 10,000 m/s
2
is applied. The card connector cover of the present invention is attached to a card connector and is equipped with a planar surface which substantially covers the upper surface of the card connector, springs that contact the surface of the casing of the electronic device, and securing portions extending from the planar surface for engaging latch members on the connector.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5470238 (1995-11-01), Walden
patent: 5484302 (1996-01-01), Yamada et al.
patent: 5940275 (1999-08-01), Laity
patent: 6080017 (2000-06-01), Yu et al.
patent: 6089915 (2000-07-01), Ho et al.
patent: 6176725 (2001-01-01), Kobayashi et al.
patent: 6238240 (2001-05-01), Yu
patent: 6475024 (2002-11-01), Narui
patent: 6-88073 (1994-12-01), None
Harvey James R.
Ta Tho D.
Tyco Electronics. AMP, K.K.
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