Electrical connectors – With supporting means for coupling part – Supporting plural – independent coupling parts
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-11
2003-04-01
Ta, Tho D. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With supporting means for coupling part
Supporting plural, independent coupling parts
C439S326000, C439S328000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06540550
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to the art of electrical connectors and, particularly, to a card edge connector assembly for electrically connecting at least a pair of stacked memory cards.
Memory modules, or memory cards have been used extensively due to the need for high memory capacity in computer systems and other applications. Connectors for such memory cards typically are mounted on a circuit board, such as a motherboard. In order to increase capacities, such connectors often are stacked on top of each other to conserve space or “real estate” on the circuit board.
For instance,
FIG. 1
illustrates a tandem edge card connector assembly, generally designated
10
, for receiving two memory modules or cards, as disclosed in ROC Patent No. 370290. The connector assembly includes a lower connector
12
, and an upper connector
14
that overlies the lower connector. The lower and upper connectors receive a pair of stacked memory or edge cards
16
and
18
, respectively.
More particularly, lower connector
12
includes a housing
20
mounting a plurality of conductive terminals
22
along an elongated slot
24
. A pair of arms
26
project forwardly of housing
20
at opposite ends of slot
24
.
Although not shown in
FIG. 1
, it is well known that the terminals
22
are designed for receiving a memory card, such as lower memory card
16
, at an angle with zero insertion forces. The memory card is then tilted or rotated downwardly so that the terminals apply pressure to the conductors on the memory card. In
FIG. 1
, it can be seen that memory card
16
is at an angle for insertion into slot
24
of housing
20
of lower connector
12
. Once fully inserted into the slot, the memory card
16
is rotated downwardly until notches
28
in opposite side edges of the card
16
interengage with the bosses
30
that project inwardly of the arms
26
. The memory card
16
then is held between the engagement arms in an orientation that is generally parallel to the circuit board on which connector assembly
10
is mounted.
The upper connector
14
also includes a housing
32
that supports a plurality of terminals
34
along a slot
36
. A pair of arms
38
project forwardly of the housing
32
at opposite ends of the slot
36
. As seen clearly in
FIG. 1
, the housing
32
has a downwardly offset portion
32
a
so that upper connector
14
nests on top of and behind lower connector
12
, with arms
38
of the upper connector partially overlying arms
26
of the lower connector.
As with the lower connector, upper memory card
18
is inserted into slot
36
of upper connector
14
at an angle with zero insertion forces. The upper memory card then is tilted or rotated downwardly until notches
28
at opposite side edges of the card interengage with bosses
30
projecting inwardly from arms
38
of the upper connector.
Although electrical connector assembly
10
of the prior art allows insertion of two memory cards
16
and
18
therein, to conserve space on the circuit board, it can be seen in
FIG. 1
that upper connector
14
is staggered above and rearwardly relative to lower connector
12
. The upper connector
14
is shifted horizontally rearwardly so that arms
38
of the upper connector do not completely block arms
26
of the lower connector. This staggered relationship of the two connectors is required so that the upper memory card
18
does not interfere with lower memory card
16
when the lower memory card is inserted or removed from lower connector
12
while upper memory card
18
is fully inserted into upper connector
14
. If the upper connector
14
was mounted directly on top of, or vertically aligned with lower connector
12
, an inserted upper memory card
18
would make it difficult to remove the lower memory card
16
without possibly damaging one or both of the cards or it would require a user to remove the top edge card just in order to gain access to and remove or insert the bottom edge card. Therefore, prior art connectors as shown in
FIG. 1
must have upper connector
14
shifted horizontally or staggered rearwardly relative to lower connector
12
, as shown. The problem with such staggered arrangements is that connector assembly
10
takes up too much horizontal space or “real estate” on the circuit board. Additionally, the short heights of the connectors compared to the long lengths of the connectors, the length of the connectors must be extended a large distance in order to accommodate the rotational insertion/removal movement of the cards. This large space takes up space on the circuit board that could otherwise be used for other electronic components.
The present invention is directed to a stacked card edge connector assembly that overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide a new and improved card edge connector assembly for electrically connecting at least a pair of stacked memory cards, such as on a circuit board.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved, stacked edge card connector assembly for mounting a pair of edge cards, in which the edge cards are mounted in a manner so that the insertion/removal of one of the two edge cards does not interfere with the insertion/removal of the other edge card.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a stacked edge card connector in which two card connectors are stacked on each other and are oriented with respect to each other at an oblique angle so that one of the two cards can be inserted or removed from its connector without requiring the insertion or removal of the other of the two cards.
In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the connector assembly includes a lower connector having a dielectric housing supporting a plurality of conductive terminals along a slot for receiving an edge of a lower memory card. An upper connector is provided with a dielectric housing also supporting a plurality of conductive terminals along a slot for receiving an edge of an upper memory card at an angle to the lower memory card, the angle diverging in a direction away from the slots.
According to one principal aspect of the present invention, the housings and the respective slots of the lower and upper connectors are generally in vertical alignment above the circuit board. The lower memory card is received in the lower connector generally parallel to the circuit board on which the connector assembly is mounted. The angle of the upper memory card is inclined upwardly relatively to the circuit board. In the preferred embodiment, the assembly includes a one-piece connector body defining the two housings of both the lower and upper connectors.
According to another aspect of the invention, a pair of arms project from the housing of each of the lower and upper connectors at opposite ends of the respective slot thereof and between which the memory cards are inserted into the slots. The arms of the upper connector project at an angle relative to the arms of the lower connector. The arms are flexible, and a strain relief member is provided to limit flexing of the arms. The arms and the respective housings are fabricated of plastic material, and the strain relief member is fabricated of metal material and includes a foot portion for securing, as by soldering, to the circuit board.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4747790 (1988-05-01), Masuda et al.
patent: 4756694 (1988-07-01), Billman et al.
Chang Wei Sun
Chao Pei-Cheng
Molex Incorporated
Paulius Thomas D.
Ta Tho D.
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