Switch for an electrical card connector

Details Switch for an electrical card connector Switch for an electrical card connector

2001-06-06

2002-08-13

Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

Having circuit interrupting provision effected by mating or...

C439S489000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06431893

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electrical card connector, and particularly to an electrical card connector which has a detecting switch for detecting write-protect of an inserted electrical card.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electrical card connectors are mounted on printed circuit boards and electrically interconnect an electronic card received therein with the printed circuit board.
A conventional electrical card connector usually includes a switch for the purpose of detecting the presence or writ-protect of an electrical card, as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,986. In this patent, referring to
FIG. 4
, an electrical card connector has a housing
70
and a switch
60
for detecting the presence of an electrical card
14
within the housing
70
. The housing
70
defines a slot
40
in an outer side of a sidewall thereof. A channel
41
extends into the slot
40
from an inner side of the sidewall. The switch
60
includes a moveable contact
62
and a fixed contact
64
. The moveable contact
62
has a generally U-shaped retaining portion
62
b
and a spring arm
62
d
extending from the retaining portion
62
b .
The U-shaped retaining portion
62
b
is received in a corresponding groove
66
within the sidewall of the housing
70
to hold the moveable contact
62
within the housing
70
. A distal end
62
a
of the spring arm
62
d
extends into the slot
40
. The fixed contact
64
is received in the slot
40
for contacting the moveable contact
62
. In use, the movement of the card
14
causes the moveable contact
62
to contact the fixed contact
64
.
The electrical card connector is required to meet more challenging requirements in accordance with the trend toward lighter, thinner, shorter, and smaller electronic devices in the electronic field. The thickness of the sidewall of the conventional electrical card connector cannot be further reduced. Otherwise, the movement of the moveable contact
62
would be difficult.
Additionally, the contacts
62
,
64
of the switch
60
of the conventional electrical card connector is entirely supported by the sidewall of the housing
70
of the connector. Reducing the thickness of the sidewall, due to a large required push normal force from the contacts
62
,
64
of the switch
60
, the sidewall of the housing
70
tends to yield or becomes damaged after a period of use.
Therefore, an improved electrical card connector is desired to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A main object of the present invention is to provide an electrical card connector having switch which has a reduced thickness of a sidewall of a housing.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical card connector having a switch which avoids distortion of the housing and strengthens the strength of the housing.
An electrical card connector in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing, a plurality of signal contacts received in the housing, an end position switch and a protection-detecting switch for detecting an electrical card as it is in a write-protect state. The housing includes a base portion and a sidewall upwardly extending from a side of the base portion. The sidewall defines a cutout therethrough for locating the protection-detecting switch.
The protection-detecting switch includes an actuating contact and a fixed contact. The actuating contact includes a cantilever. The fixed contact includes a fixing panel. A resilient contact portion extends from the fixing panel for engaging with the cantilever of the actuating contact. When the inserted electrical card is in a write-protect state, the cantilever of the actuating contact is pressed downwardly to engagingly push outwardly the resilient contact portion of the fixed contact.
The protection-detecting switch is insert molded in the sidewall and the base portion of the housing. Thus, force exerted on the protection-detecting switch is not only supported by the sidewall of the housing, but also by the base portion of the housing. The fixing panel longitudinally extends across the cutout for strengthening the strength of the housing. The protection-detecting switch is located in the cutout of the housing. Therefore, the housing need not any groove or channel for receiving the protection-detecting switch. The thickness of the sidewall of the housing is therefore reduced.
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: 6039599 (2000-03-01), Benjamin et al.
patent: 6045049 (2000-04-01), Nishimura et al.
patent: 6086426 (2000-07-01), Chang
patent: 6099335 (2000-08-01), Chang
patent: 6120310 (2000-09-01), Chang
patent: 6126464 (2000-10-01), Chang
patent: 6129570 (2000-10-01), Griffin et al.
patent: 6132229 (2000-10-01), Wu
patent: 6135809 (2000-10-01), Asakawa
patent: 6159051 (2000-12-01), Chang
patent: 6231395 (2001-05-01), Odic
patent: 6267619 (2001-07-01), Nishioka

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