Electrical connectors – With coupling separator – Including retainer or joiner
Reissue Patent
1998-03-19
2001-07-03
Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With coupling separator
Including retainer or joiner
C439S155000
Reissue Patent
active
RE037265
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector device which can detachably connect a data storage medium, such as a memory card and hard disc drive package, to personal, laptop and notebook computers and other peripheral devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Published Unexamined Japanese Utility Model Registration 63-69375 discloses one of this type of conventional connector devices.
The connector device includes a housing having an insertion hole at one end when viewed in its longitudinal direction and connector body connected to the other end of the housing. The top surface of the housing has a slide plate slidable along the longitudinal direction of the housing. The slide plate has a hook capable of being engaged with the data storage medium via the top plate of the housing. A movable member, such as an ejection button, is mounted on the side surface of the housing such that it is slidable along the longitudinal direction of the housing.
The slide plate and movable member are connected such that they slide in mutually opposite directions. Specifically, the movable member is connected to the slide plate by a lever rotatably mounted on the top surface of the housing.
The connector device is mounted in a casing of, for example, a notebook computer. In this mount state, the movable member of the connector device can be withdrawn out of the housing of the notebook computer clear of the forward end of the housing.
When the movable member is withdrawn from the housing, the slide plate is moved toward the connector body side. At this time, the data storage medium is pushed toward the connector body side by the hook of the slide plate to achieve an electrical and mechanical connection to the connector device. By so doing, the data storage medium is connected to the notebook computer.
When, on the other hand, the movable member is pushed into the housing, the slide plate is moved toward the insertion opening side. With the movement of the slide plate, the data storage medium is withdrawn away from the connector body side and then clear of the insertion hole so that it is disconnected from the notebook computer.
When a data storage medium is fully inserted in the connector device, the movable member protrudes from the casing. Since the protruding movable member is subject to accidental impacts or shocks or liable to be inadvertently operated, there is a risk that the data storage medium will be inadvertently disconnected during operation of the computer system.
During operation, the data storage medium, such as a hard disc drive package in particular, needs to be kept connected to the connector device. Any inadvertent disconnection may render the computer system inoperative.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a connector device which ensures added safety for data protection because no movable member is projected during the operative connection of a data storage medium.
In order to achieve the object of the present invention, there is provided a connector device for connecting to a data storage medium comprising a pair of opposing side walls spaced at an interval substantially equal to the width of the data storage medium, and a connector body provided at one end of the opposing side walls that has at least one group of contact pins disposed therein for connecting to the data storage medium. According to the present invention, a disengageable release mechanism is provided for ejecting the data storage medium from the connector device upon manual operation of an ejection handle. The release mechanism is disengaged, and therefore inoperable, when a data storage medium is fully inserted in the connector device and the ejection handle is in a first position. The release mechanism becomes engaged, and therefore operable to eject the data storage device, only after the ejection handle is manually moved from the first position to an extended position. Because the ejection handle must be moved from the first position to the extended position in order to engage the release mechanism, inadvertent ejection of the data storage medium is avoided.
In a preferred embodiment, the ejection handle is slidably mounted on one of the side walls of the connector device and is operative to slide lengthwise of the side wall toward and away from the connector body. The release mechanism preferably comprises a slide member movably mounted on the connector device and operable to slide toward and away from the connector body, and a disengageable link mechanism coupled between the ejection handle and the slide member for translating movement of the ejection handle into movement of the slide member when the link mechanism is in an engaged state. The slide member has at least one engaging hook adapted to engage with a forward end face of the data storage medium when the data storage medium is connected to the group of contact pins. The link mechanism is disengaged when a data storage medium is fully inserted in the connector device and the ejection handle is in a first position. The link mechanism becomes engaged only after the ejection handle is manually moved from the first position to an extended position. The connector device may further include a latch mechanism for releasably latching the ejection handle in the first position.
In the present embodiment, the link mechanism comprises first, second and third swingable levers. The first and third swingable levers are rotatably mounted on the connector device, and the second swingable lever is rotatably mounted on the first swingable lever. One end of the first swingable lever is coupled to the ejection handle, and one end of the third swingable lever is coupled to the slide member. A free end of the second swingable lever has a recess formed therein, and the free end of the third swingable has a projection that engages with the recess of the second swingable lever when the ejection handle reaches the extended position. After the projection engages the recess, the first, second and third swingable levers move in unison and thereby translate movement of the ejection handle into movement of the slide member. Preferably, the end of the second swingable lever opposite the free end includes a spring means that engages the first swingable lever to urge the free end of the second swingable lever toward the third swingable lever to facilitate engagement of the recess with the projection.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention are achieved in a connector device comprising:
a housing having an opening at a first end and a space for receiving the data storage medium, the space extends from the opening of the housing to a second end of the housing;
a plurality of contacts positioned in the second end of the housing for establishing an electrical interconnection to the data storage medium in the space;
a first movable member movable along the length of the housing and capable of being set to first, second and third extension positions in that order in a direction away from the housing so that, in the first position, the first movable member extends to a zero or slight extent from the first end of the housing;
a transmitting member connected at one end to the first movable member such that, when the first movable member is situated between the first position and the second position, a movement of the first movable member toward the first position is transmitted to the other end of the transmitting member as a normal-direction force directed toward the second end of the housing, such that, when the first movable member is situated between the second position and the third position, the first movable member is latched, and that, when the first movable member is situated in the third position, a movement of the first movable member toward the first position is transmitted to the other end of the transmitting member as a reverse-direction force directed toward the first end of the housing; and
a second movable member connected to the other end of the t
Berg Technology Inc.
Bradley Paula
Ta Tho D.
Woodcock Washburn Kurtz Mackiewicz & Norris LLP
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