Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Coupling part for receiving edge of planar board moving...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-03
2002-07-16
Vu, Hien (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Coupling part for receiving edge of planar board moving...
C439S092000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06419513
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to electrical connectors, and particularly to the card edge connector with the plastic/metal hybrid type latches thereof for retaining a card module therein.
2. The Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,069 having the same applicant and the same assignee with the invention, discloses the card edge connector with the plastic/metal hybrid type latches thereof for retaining a card module in the connector. In such a design, the hybrid type latch includes a plastic portion integrally formed with the housing with a locking lug thereon, and a metal portion positioned beside the plastic portion with the soldering portion for mounting to a printed circuit board, the grounding portions for electrical engagement with the grounding pads on the inserted card module, and restraint means for supportably restricting lateral movement of the plastic portion.
It is experienced that the locking lug of the plastic portion tends to be damaged by the side edge section of the inserted card module during downwardly rotational installation of the card module because the substrate of the card module is so rigid while the tiny locking lug is not relatively strong enough to endure/resist the scrapping effect during the downward movement of the card module and the associated outward movement of the plastic portion). Thus, it is desired to find the solution for preventing this shortcoming.
Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide means for protecting the locking lug of the plastic portion from being damaged during downwardly rotational installation of the card module with regard to the connector.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to an aspect of the invention, a card edge connector comprises an insulative housing defining a central slot therein for receiving a card module therein. A plurality of contacts are disposed by two sides of the central slot for electrical engagement with inserted card module. A pair of hybrid latches are positioned at two opposite ends of the housing. Each latch includes a plastic portion and a metal portion aside. The plastic portion integrally extends from the housing with a locking lug thereof. The metal portion includes a main body with retention means secured to the housing. The metal portion further includes a guidance/protection stud compliantly covering the locking lug so that when the card module is downwardly rotated from a slanted initial insertion position to a horizontal final reception position, the locking lug of the plastic portion does not directly confront the side edge section of the inserted card module and thus does not endure the significant downward force exerted by the downward moving card module. Instead, such force is imposed upon the guidance/protection stud of the metal portion. Accordingly, the locking lug of the plastic portion may only actively/strongly abut against the card module after the card module has passed and been located in its final horizontal reception position, while being insignificantly/smoothly outwardly deflected during rotational installation of the card module with regard to the connector because of existence of the guidance/protection stud.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5997332 (1999-12-01), Choy
patent: 6162069 (2000-12-01), Choy
patent: 6164998 (2000-12-01), Poi et al.
patent: 6234821 (2001-05-01), Tan
Hon Hai - Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
Vu Hien
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