Mechanism for ejecting a plug-in module introduced into a slot-l

Details Mechanism for ejecting a plug-in module introduced into a slot-l Mechanism for ejecting a plug-in module introduced into a slot-l

1999-11-24

2000-11-14

Abrams, Neil

Electrical connectors

With coupling separator

Nonconducting pusher

H01R 1362

Patent

active

061461652

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention is directed to an eject mechanism having a lever arm mounted on a fulcrum and actuated by a push rod or ram to remove a plug-in assembly from a slot-like opening in a housing to the features
A structure wherein individual components can be connected via externally accessible installation locations and plug in contacts provided thereat is prevailing to an every-increasing extent in electronic devices, particularly in the field of computer technology. The installation and removal should thereby be possible in a simple way and optimally without a tool. Whereas the insertion can still be implemented in a relatively simple way, the removal often presents problems because the inserted components are either entirely immerse into the housing or at most slightly project therefrom, so that they cannot be pulled out manually or are very difficult to pull out manually. For this reason, an eject mechanism is provided in a plurality of devices, particularly in portable computers such as notebooks or the like, and the removal of a plug in assembly is capable of being facilitated with the assistance of mechanism by actuating a press button. Examples of this include PCMCIA installation locations in Notebooks, CD-ROM, floppy disk drives, hard disks or the like. The following boundary conditions should thereby be adhered to in principle: far from the housing in order to avoid a disturbing entanglement and potential breaking of the pushbutton. On the other hand, the pushbutton should not enter very deeply into the housing for reasons of ergonomy and what is usually very little available space. the assistance of the eject mechanism, so that it can be easily removed by the user. low as possible.
The aforementioned conditions are partly not met at all and partly only inadequately met given currently known eject mechanisms. The reason for this is that only simple lever arms and, thus, fixed translation relationships are employed for the mechanism, this resulting therein that either the press buttons are difficult to actuate or that the assemblies are not ejected far enough or that the press button projects correspondingly far from the housing due to the longer working stroke that has been selected.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is therefore based on the object of improving an eject mechanism, which has a lever arm mounted on a fulcrum and actuated by rod, and which enables both a simple as well as ergonomically advantageous use for the users.
This object is inventively achieved by the lever arm being mounted to have a first portion and a second portion, and a push rod or ram engaging the first portion at an end thereof during an initial or first lever phase and the push rod or ram has a transverse portion for engaging the first portion at a point inward of the end during a second lever phase to shorten the effective length of the first portion to change the lever ratio between the first and second portions to change the rate of ejection of the plug-in assembly. Advantageous developments of the invention are recited in subclaims.
An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment.


BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the eject mechanism of the invention in quiescent position;
FIG. 2 shows the arrangement according to FIG. 1 in a first working step;
FIG. 3 shows the arrangement according to FIG. 1 in a second working step.


DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows the principle of an eject mechanism for a plug in assembly 2, for example hard disk, floppy disk, CD-ROM drives of PC plug in cards, insertable from the outside into a slot-like depression of a housing and connectable to a multiple plug 1. The eject mechanism is composed of a two-arm lever pivotably seated around a rotational axis or fulcrum 3, the first lever arm or first portion 4 thereof being allocated to a ram push rod 5 and the second lever arm or second portion 6 thereof of approximately the same length being

REFERENCES:
patent: 5179505 (1993-01-01), Matsuo
patent: 5179871 (1993-01-01), Orimoto et al.
patent: 5304070 (1994-04-01), Bertho et al.
patent: 5368493 (1994-11-01), O'Brien et al.
patent: 5374198 (1994-12-01), Nagata
patent: 5384686 (1995-01-01), Mesfin et al.
patent: 5684655 (1997-11-01), Fujimura
patent: 5846096 (1998-12-01), Ishida

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