Card connector

Details Card connector Card connector

1999-12-13

2001-03-27

Luebke, Renee (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With coupling separator

Nonconducting pusher

C439S630000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06206710

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a card connector, and particularly to a card connector having a mechanism for controlling the insertion and ejection of a card.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A card connector usually comprises a group of components and mechanisms for controlling the insertion and ejection of a card. The conventional mechanism of a card connector is directly fixed in the housing of the card connector and is prone to malfunction due to manufacturing (and/or forming) tolerance. In addition, the conventional mechanism requires high precision manufacturing, thereby resulting in assembly difficulties and increasing production costs. Furthermore, the connector using the conventional mechanism has a relatively high profile thereby taking up a relatively large amount of precious space in an electronic apparatus in violation of the trend forward thinner electronic components.
Therefore, a lower profile card connector which is more easily assembled is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A main object of the present invention is to provide a card connector which reduces the height thereof thereby saving precious space in an electronic apparatus and which can be easily assembled thereby reducing production costs.
A card connector in accordance with the present invention comprises a dielectric housing, an insulative card tray, a pair of dielectric sliders, a shielding plate, a pair of springs, and a plurality of electrical contacts.
The housing is in a shape of a square plate and comprises a base portion, a rear wall, and a pair of opposite resilient arms extending forward from the rear wall. The base portion comprises a plurality of contact passageways, a recess, a pair of grooves extending through a front end thereof and in communication with the recess, a plurality of first restraining posts, and a plurality of first slots. The resilient arms each comprise a first ear adjacent to the rear end thereof and a projection at the opposite front end thereof, the projection defining an inclined surface at a front side thereof. The base portion forms a pair of short side walls extending upward at front ends of opposite longitudinal sides thereof, the tops of the side walls being flush with the tops of the front ends of the resilient arms adjacent thereto. Each side wall forms a second ear thereon. The first restraining posts each extend into one of the first slots to retain one end of one spring.
The sliders are accommodated in the recess of the base and each defines a guiding groove and a passage. The sliders are freely moveable side by side within the recess of the base portion.
The shielding plate defines a pair of openings at front ends of opposite side portions thereof for permitting outward movement of front ends of the resilient arms, aiding assembly of the card tray into the housing.
The card tray comprises a bottom wall and a pair of opposite side walls. The bottom wall comprises a plurality of first and second slits, a plurality of second slots, a plurality of second restraining posts, and a pair of guiding posts. The slits and the second slots are aligned with the contact passageways and the first slots of the base portion, respectively. The second restraining posts each extend into the second slots to retain the other end of the springs.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3808388 (1974-04-01), Neuschwander
patent: 4859199 (1989-08-01), Komatsu
patent: 6071135 (2000-06-01), Obara

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