Electrical connectors – With coupling separator – Including retainer or joiner
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-28
2001-09-18
Patel, Tulsidas (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With coupling separator
Including retainer or joiner
Reexamination Certificate
active
06290519
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ejector for use with a card edge connector, and particularly to an ejector which is adapted to be assembled to the housing of the connector, and which includes a stopping device to protect the ejector from damage caused by an unusually large operating force applied by a user.
2. Description of Prior Art
With the development of communication and computer technology, Dual In-line Memory Module (DIMM) cards have become more and more popular for use in the PC industry, and thus DIMM socket connectors mounted on mother boards for mechanically and electrically connecting to DIMM cards are required. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,074,800, 5,167,517, 5,211,568, 5,302,133 and 5,364,282 disclose typical DIMM connectors. These can be compared with conventional card edge connectors, as featured in U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,734. DIMM connectors typically include a pair of latch/eject members at two opposite ends thereof to latchably retain a DIMM card. These latches not only prevent inadvertent ejection of the inserted card due to vibration or external impact, but also allow easy ejection of DIMM cards by a rotational movement of the latch/eject member.
Referring to
FIG. 6
, U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,803, which was granted to the same assignee on Jun. 3, 1997, discloses such a DIMM connector
10
. The DIMM connector
10
comprises an elongate housing
12
mounted on a mother board (not shown) and a plurality of conductive contacts
16
retained in the housing
12
. An inserted card (not shown) is adapted for insertion into a central slot
14
defined in the housing
12
to make an electrical and mechanical connection with the conductive contacts
16
for signal transmission. A pair of latch/eject members
70
(only one shown) are rotatably engaged with opposite ends of the housing and alternately lock an inserted card in the housing
12
or eject the inserted card from the housing
12
. An engaging block
40
is formed on both ends of a pair of elongated walls of the housing
12
, each forming a slanted surface
42
thereon. The latch/eject member
70
includes an eject portion
78
for abutting against the slanted surface
42
of the engaging block
40
. Using this engagement, the inserted card is ejected out of the housing
12
and the latch/eject member
70
is prevented from over-rotation during ejection of the inserted card. The engaging block
40
and the eject portion
78
must both be strong enough to withstand an engaging force therebetween caused by an operating force pressing against the lever portion
82
of the latch/eject member
70
. Accordingly, if a user presses against the lever portion
82
with too large an operating force, the engaging force will be too large, causing damage to the engaging block
40
and the eject portion
78
since they are relatively thin and fragile.
Hence, an improved ejector for use with such a card edge connector is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A main object of the present invention is to provide an eject member for use with a card edge connector wherein the eject member provides a stopping device for preventing damage to the eject member caused by an unusually large operating force applied by a user during ejection of a memory module from the card edge connector.
To fulfill the above-mentioned object, a card edge connector, for use with a memory module, in accordance with the present invention comprises an elongated, insulative housing defining a central slot for insertion of the memory module and a plurality of conductive contacts. The conductive contacts are retained in opposite elongated walls of the housing and extend into the central slot for electrically and mechanically engaging with the memory module. The insulative housing forms at least one tower at one end thereof which includes a pair of side walls and an outer end wall defining a cavity therebetween. Additionally, an engaging block defines an inward side of the cavity opposite to the outer end wall of the tower. An eject member is adapted for insertion into the cavity of the tower for latching with the memory module and for ejecting the memory module from the housing. The eject member includes a main body with an eject portion and a lock portion extending respectively from lower and upper ends of the main body. The eject portion is adapted for engaging with the engaging block at the limit of its inward rotation during ejection of the memory module from the card edge connector. A stopping device is integrally formed on the main body for abutting against an outer surface of the end wall of the housing, preventing the eject member from over-rotating during the ejection of the memory module from the card edge connector and preventing the eject portion and engaging block from being damaged.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5672069 (1997-09-01), Cheng et al.
patent: 5676555 (1997-10-01), Yu et al.
patent: 5730611 (1998-03-01), Cheng et al.
patent: 5957708 (1999-09-01), Lin
patent: 5980282 (1999-11-01), Vheng
patent: 6039595 (2000-03-01), Tseng et al.
patent: 6113404 (2000-09-01), Choy
Chung Wei Te
Hon Hai - Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
Patel Tulsidas
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