Electrical card connector having a switch device

Details Electrical card connector having a switch device Electrical card connector having a switch device

2000-04-13

2001-10-02

Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

Having circuit interrupting provision effected by mating or...

C439S489000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06296500

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electrical card connector, and particularly to an electrical card connector having a simple switch device performing a prompt and effective switch function thereof.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
An electrical card connector commonly has a switch device for indicating whether an electrical card is inserted therein. The switch device usually employs a stationary terminal and a moveable terminal which is pre-designed to be open or closed relative to the stationary terminal. When an electrical card is inserted into the card connector, the moveable terminal will be forced by the electrical card to electrically engage with or disengage from the stationary terminal thereby indicating the presence of the electrical card. Pertinent prior art U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,900,272; 5,369,259; 5,370,544, 5,334,034 and 6,004,155 disclose some related designs.
However, such conventional switch devices have several disadvantages. Firstly, the moveable and stationary terminals of the conventional switch devices have different configurations suited to achieve their moveable or stationary functions, which inevitably results in a more complicated manufacturing process and hence higher cost. Secondly, high precision when positioning the moveable and stationary contacts to ensure that the moveable terminal properly contacts the stationary terminal, thus increasing cost of assembly. Thirdly, additional positioning structures are required to be formed on a housing of the card connector to help position the moveable and stationary terminals. In addition, different arrangements of the moveable and stationary terminals are necessary according to the normally open or normally closed configuration of the switch device, which also complicates manufacture and increases costs of the connector.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A main object of the present invention is to provide an electrical card connector having a reliable switch device which is easy to fabricate and assemble.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical card connector with a simple structure allowing the connector to be easily manufactured and assembled.
An electrical card connector in accordance with the present invention includes an insulative housing, a plurality of contacts fixed in the housing and a switch device. The housing defines a plurality of contact receiving passageways for receiving the corresponding contacts therein, and a switch receiving cavity for accommodating the switch device therein. The switch device has a pair of identical switch terminals and a bridge member for establishing electrical connections between the pair of switch terminals. The pair of switch terminals of the switch device can be pre-designed either to be normally open or to be normally closed. When an electrical card is inserted into the electrical card connector forcing the switch terminals to disengage from or come into electrical contact with the bridge member, a corresponding circuit is opened or closed in switch circuitry which indicates that the card is inserted in the connector.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4900272 (1990-02-01), Chang
patent: 5334034 (1994-08-01), Reichardt et al.
patent: 5369259 (1994-11-01), Bleier et al.
patent: 5370544 (1994-12-01), Reichardt et al.
patent: 5667397 (1997-09-01), Broschard, III et al.
patent: 5775937 (1998-07-01), Bricaud et al.
patent: 5911587 (1999-06-01), Vermeersch
patent: 5924881 (1999-07-01), Yasushi et al.
patent: 6004155 (1999-12-01), Wu
patent: 6015311 (2000-01-01), Benjamin et al.
patent: 6073853 (2000-06-01), Odic
patent: 6099335 (2000-08-01), Chang
patent: 6120310 (2000-09-01), Chang

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