Electrical connectors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement – e.g. – pcb – icm – dip,... – With guide for directing panel circuit movement
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-23
2001-01-30
Patel, T. C. (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Preformed panel circuit arrangement, e.g., pcb, icm, dip,...
With guide for directing panel circuit movement
C439S607070
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179622
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a memory card connector, and particularly to a memory card connector having latching means for securely latching a shield to a header of the memory card connector thus ensuring effective electromagnetic shielding and enhancing signal transmission quality between the memory card and a connected device.
Signal transmission rates of electronic systems continually increase, generating increased electromagnetic interference, thereby adversely affecting signal transmission quality. Therefore, a shield is commonly mounted to a memory card connector for ensuring signal transmission quality. Pertinent prior art is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,482 as well as Taiwan Patent Application No. 86210606.
A shield of a conventional memory card connector is commonly fixed to a header of the conventional memory card connector by means of a screw assembly. As shown in
FIGS. 5 and 6
, a shield
80
forms a latching clip
81
on opposite side edges thereof. Each latching clip
81
comprises a lateral plate
811
perpendicularly extending from one side edge of the shield
80
and a bottom plate
812
perpendicularly bending from a bottom edge of the lateral plate
811
. The bottom plate
812
is parallel to the shield
80
and defines a hole
813
therein.
When the shield
80
is fixed to a header
82
of the conventional memory card connector, the latching clips
81
are deposited in corresponding receiving recesses
83
defined in the header
82
. A nut
84
is positioned on the bottom plate
812
of the corresponding latching clip
81
while a screw
85
extends through the hole
813
for engaging with the nut
84
thereby securely latching the shield
80
to the header
82
.
However, the latching clips
81
are positioned in the corresponding receiving recesses
83
without any engagement between the latching clips
81
and the receiving recesses
83
. Therefore, when the screws
85
are fit into the corresponding holes
813
, an external tool is commonly required to prevent movement of the shield
80
. Otherwise the latching clips
81
may be displaced from the receiving recesses
83
changing the position of the shield
80
, resulting in a decrease of shielding effectiveness. In addition, since the latching clips
81
are not engaged with the receiving recesses
83
, if the nuts
84
and the screws
85
become detached from each other, the shield
80
may separate from the header
82
when the electrical connector is assembled to a computer, thereby degrading the shielding effectiveness of the shield
80
.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A main object of the present invention is to provide a memory card connector having latching means for securely latching a shield to a header of the memory card connector using a simplified assembly procedure, thereby achieving high manufacturing efficiency and more effective electromagnetic shielding, and enhancing signal transmission quality.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a memory card connector comprises a header, a plurality of contacts received in the header, a shield, an ejector and at least one fixing device. The shield forms at least a latching clip on opposite side edges thereof covering opposite side edges of a portion of the header. The latching clips are deposited in corresponding receiving recesses defined in the header and form engaging means thereon. The header forms notches corresponding to the engaging means of the latching clips thereby achieving interferential engagement between the latching clips and the receiving recesses. Therefore, the shield can be fixed to the memory card connector without requiring an external tool to maintain the shield at a predetermined position. Moreover, the shield can not be easily separated from the header even if the nuts and the screws become disengaged from each other.
According to above characteristics, each latching clip comprises a first lateral plate perpendicularly extending from a corresponding side edge of a shield and a bottom plate perpendicularly extending from a bottom edge of the lateral plate. An opening is defined in the bottom plate. The first lateral plate forms the engaging means on opposite side edges thereof. The engaging means comprises at least a barb protruding from the opposite side edges of the first lateral plate.
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: 5228873 (1993-07-01), Hirai
patent: 5286207 (1994-02-01), McHugh
patent: 5490791 (1996-02-01), Yamada et al.
patent: 5795190 (1998-08-01), Ono
Lai Ming-Chun
Yu Hung-Chi
Chung Wei Te
Hon Hai - Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
Patel T. C.
LandOfFree
Memory card connector does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Memory card connector, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Memory card connector will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2440363