Insulative housing structure of connector

Details Insulative housing structure of connector Insulative housing structure of connector

1999-05-24

2001-05-15

Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)

Electrical connectors

With supporting means for coupling part

Supporting plural, independent coupling parts

Reexamination Certificate

active

06231381

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a PCMCIA card connector, and in particular to an insulative housing structure of a PCMCIA card connector which enhances assembling efficiency of the PCMCIA card connector.
2. The Prior Art
PCMCIA card connectors or card buses are commonly used to expand resources of a computer system. The PCMCIA card connector comprises an insulative housing defining a number of passageways for receiving and retaining contact elements therein. Conventionally, the contact elements are individually inserted into the passageways which is inefficient. It is thus desired to provide an insulative housing structure for the PCMCIA card connector that allows a number of contact elements to be simultaneously inserted into passageways of stacked connector housings thereby enhancing assembling efficiency thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an insulative housing structure for a PCMCIA card connector that enhances assembling efficiency thereof.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an insulative housing structure for a PCMCIA card connector which allows a number of PCMCIA card connector housings to be vertically stacked and precisely positioned with respect to each other whereby passageways of the housings are aligned with each other for simultaneously receiving contact elements therein.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for simultaneously inserting a number of contact elements into stacked connector housings for enhancing assembling efficiency.
To achieve the above objects, an insulative housing of a PCMCIA card connector in accordance with the present invention comprises a header defining a plurality of passageways therein. The passageways are exposed to a rear face of the header for allowing contact elements to be inserted therein from the rear face. The header has a top face forming a post and an opposite bottom face defining a corresponding bore. The post pivotally supports a rocking arm of a card ejection mechanism for releasing a PCMCIA card from the connector. A number of insulative housings may be vertically stacked and precisely positioned with respect to each other by inserting the post of a lower housing into the bore of an upper housing thereby aligning the passageways of the housings. Contact elements fixed to a carrier strip and equally spaced therealong are simultaneously inserted into the passageways of the housings thereby enhancing the efficiency of assembling the PCMCIA card connectors.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method for simultaneously inserting a number of contact elements into passageways defined in insulative connector housings is disclosed. The method comprises the following steps: (a) providing contact elements fixed to a carrier strip and equally spaced from each other therealong; (b) providing connector housings, each housing having a top face and an opposite bottom face and defining at least one passageway therein exposed to a rear face thereof, a post being formed on the top face and a corresponding bore being defined in the bottom face; (c) stacking the connector housings on each other with the bottom face of a first housing positioned on the top face of a second housing whereby the post of the second housing is inserted into the bore of the first housing; (d) simultaneously inserting the contact elements into the passageways of the housings from the rear faces thereof; and (e) removing the carrier strip. By simultaneously inserting a number of contact elements into connector housings assembling efficiency of the connectors is enhanced.


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