U.S. patent application number 11/165762 was filed with the patent office on 2006-06-01 for electrical card connector with improved contact structure.
This patent application is currently assigned to HON HAI PRECISION IND. CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Gwou-Jong Tseng, Senbing Zhao.
Application Number | 20060116027 11/165762 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36567932 |
Filed Date | 2006-06-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060116027 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tseng; Gwou-Jong ; et
al. |
June 1, 2006 |
ELECTRICAL CARD CONNECTOR WITH IMPROVED CONTACT STRUCTURE
Abstract
There are provided a contact structure for a card connector
(100). The contact structure includes a plurality of contacts (2)
which are arranged in parallel with one another. Among the
plurality of contacts, there is a detect contact (22) which is the
longest contact and disposed at one of the farthest ends of the
card connector, a power contact (24) at substantially center
portion thereof, a ground contact (25) adjacent to the power
contact. Other contacts are the signal contacts (21) for
communicating signal. A connect contact, which is integrally formed
with the power contact and transversely extends toward to the
detect contact, is designed for connecting the detect contact and
the power contact. The detect contact, the power contact and the
connect contact cooperate to form a detect switch.
Inventors: |
Tseng; Gwou-Jong; (Tu-Chun,
TW) ; Zhao; Senbing; (Shenzhen, CN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WEI TE CHUNG;FOXCONN INTERNATIONAL, INC.
1650 MEMOREX DRIVE
SANTA CLARA
CA
95050
US
|
Assignee: |
HON HAI PRECISION IND. CO.,
LTD.
|
Family ID: |
36567932 |
Appl. No.: |
11/165762 |
Filed: |
June 24, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/630 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06K 7/0069 20130101;
H01R 13/2442 20130101; G06K 7/0021 20130101; H01R 12/7094
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
439/630 |
International
Class: |
H01R 24/00 20060101
H01R024/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 1, 2004 |
CN |
200420109406.5 |
Claims
1. A card connector adapted for mounting on a printed circuit board
to interconnect an electrical card containing a number of pads with
the printed circuit board, comprising: an insulative housing
defining a receiving space for receiving the electrical card; a
plurality of contacts received in the insulative housing, the
plurality of contacts including a detect contact, a number of
signal contacts for electrically connecting with the pads of the
electrical card, a power contact electrically connecting with the
corresponding pad of the electrical card; wherein the detect
contact and the power contact are electrically detachably
connectable to each other.
2. The card connector according to claim 1, wherein the power
contact includes a connect portion transversely extending and bent
from a side portion thereof for connecting with or disconnecting
from the detect contact.
3. The card connector according to claim 1, wherein the detect
switch further includes a connect contact connecting with the
detect contact, and wherein the power contact is connectable with
the connect contact.
4. The card connector according to claim 1, wherein the detect
contact is longer than the power contact along the direction in
which the electrical card is to be inserted into the card
connector.
5. The card connector according to claim 1, wherein said power
contact includes a solder tail for mechanically but not
electrically connecting to the printed circuit board.
6. The card connector according to claim 1, wherein said power
contact and said detect contact are not connected to each other
when no card is received in the housing.
7. The card connector according to claim 1, further including a
connect contact to connect said detect contact and said power
contact.
8. The card connector according to claim 7, wherein said connect
contact is constantly connected with only one of the power contact
and the detect contact.
9. The card connector according to claim 8, wherein said only one
of the power contact and the detect contact is the power
contact.
10. The card connector according to claim 7, wherein said connect
contact is essentially immoveable and connects said power contact
and said detect contact only when the card is completely inserted
into the housing.
11. A card connector adapted for mounting on a printed circuit
board to interconnect an electrical card with the printed circuit
board, comprising: an insulative housing defining a receiving space
therein, an electrical card insertable into the receiving space
along a card insertion direction; a top cover mounted on the
insulative housing; a plurality of contacts received in the
insulative housing, the plurality of contacts including a number of
signal contacts and a detect switch; wherein the detect switch
includes a detect contact and a power contact electrically
connect/disconnect with each other disposed among the and wherein
the power contact has a power contact portion at a substantially
middle portion of the housing along a traverse direction
perpendicular to said card insertion direction.
12. An card connector adapted for mounting on a printed circuit
board to interconnect an electrical card containing a number of
pads with the printed circuit board, comprising: an insulative
housing defining a receiving space; a plurality of contacts
including a number of signal contacts, a power contact and a detect
contact; wherein when the electrical card is inserted into the card
connector, the power contact and the signal contact first
electrically connect with the electrical card, then when the
electrical card is further inserted into the card connector, the
detect contact lastly contacts with the electrical card and then
comes into electrically connecting with the power contact.
13. The card connector according to claim 12, wherein the plurality
of contacts further includes a connect contact integrally formed
with the power contact, and wherein the connect contact
transversely extends toward the detect contact for connecting
therewith.
14. The card connector according to claim 13, wherein the detect
contact does not contact with the connect contact in a normal
position when the electrical card is not fully inserted into the
card connector.
15. The card connector according to claim 11, wherein the switch
contact is mounted to a lateral side portion of the housing, and
wherein the power contact includes a connect contact extending
along said traverse direction for connecting/disconnecting with the
detect switch.
16. The card connector according to claim 12, wherein the detect
contact is the longest contact among the plurality of contact.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention generally relates to a card connector
designed for the connection between an electronic apparatus, such
as digital cameras, mobile telephones or the like and an IC card,
more particularly, to a contacting structure of the card
connector.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] In recent years, the greater compactness and the greater
functional advance for the electronic apparatuses such as the
digital cameras, mobile telephones or the like have been pursued
and realized. It is commonplace to enlarge storage capacity or
extend various functions by incorporating an IC card containing the
built-in CPU and the memory IC. Conventionally, it is common
practice that the IC card to be loaded into the conventional card
connector which is designed for the connection between an
electronic apparatus and the IC card.
[0005] Generally speaking, the card connector is designed for
permitting free insertion or removal of the IC card and is provided
with a plurality of contacts, which are arranged therein for
electrically contacting with the pads provided either on the
surface or the back of the IC card, so that the IC card can be
electrically connected with various signal processing circuit or
the power source circuit on the side of the electronic
apparatus.
[0006] In order to confirm whether the IC card is securely inserted
into the card connector or not, in many conventional cases, two
separate contact cooperating to form a card identification switch
are provided at farthest end of the card connector. Take U.S.
Patent application publication No. 2004/0113249 A1 for an example,
the patent publication discloses a conventional card connector
providing an insulative housing, a metal shield enclosing the
insulative housing and a plurality of contacts being arranged in
parallel with one another within the housing. Among the plurality
of the contacts, there are two contacts for connecting with power
source, two grounding contacts, a detect contact which is disposed
at farthest end thereof and a number of signal contacts. One of the
two grounding contacts is adjacent to the detect contact, which is
the shortest contact among the above all contacts, while the detect
contact is the longest contact among the above all contacts. When
an electrical card is inserted into the card connector, the
grounding contact first contact with the pad of the electrical
card, while the detect contact lastly come into contact with the
corresponding pad of the electrical card. As a result, the shortest
ground contact and the longest detect contact cooperate to form a
detect switch. The detect switch is not closed until the detect
contact electrically contact with the corresponding pad of the IC
card. The power source on the electronic apparatus begins to
provide power for the IC card unless the detect switch is
closed.
[0007] However, with the trend of miniaturization of electronic
apparatus, the card connector must be more compact accordingly.
Apparently, in the case where the card identification switch by
arranging two respective contacts at farthest end of the card
connector, such a composition tends not only to make the connector
structure complex but also to increase the cost of the card
connector accordingly.
[0008] Hence, an improved contact structure of the electrical
connector is desired to overcome the above problems.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] It is an object of the present invention to provide a card
connector which has a compact contact structure.
[0010] In order to attain the objective above, an electrical
connector according to the present invention provides a contact
structure for a card connector. The contact structure includes a
plurality of contacts which are arranged in parallel with one
another. Among the plurality of contacts, there is a detect contact
which is the longest contact and disposed at one of the farthest
ends of the card connector, a power contact at substantially center
portion thereof, a ground contact adjacent to the power contact.
Other contacts are the signal contacts for communicating signal. A
connect contact, which is integrally formed with the power contact
and transversely extends toward to the detect contact, is designed
for connecting the detect contact and the power contact. The detect
contact, the power contact and the connect contact cooperate to
form a detect switch. When the electrical card is inserted into the
card connector, the signal contacts, the power contact and the
ground contact first contact with the pads of the electrical card,
then the electrical card is further inserted into the card
connector, the detect contact is urged to downwardly move to
contact with the connect contact so that the detect switch is
closed.
[0011] 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.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The features of this invention which are believed to be
novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The
invention, together with its objects and the advantages thereof,
may be best understood by reference to the following description
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like
reference numerals identify like elements in the figures and in
which:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a card connector according
to the present invention with the card being inserted into the card
connector;
[0014] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 3 is an another exploded view of the card connector
from another perspective view;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a partially assembled view of the card connector
with the top cover being removed;
[0017] FIG. 5 is another perspective view of the card connector
from an bottom view with the card being inserted thereinto;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a partially exploded view of the card connector;
and
[0019] FIG. 7 is a side view of the power contact and the detect
contact of the card connector.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] An card connector 100 according to the present invention is
applicable to the electronic apparatuses such as the digital
cameras, PDAs (Personal digital Assistances), PCs (Personal
computers), mobile telephones or the like.
[0022] An electrical card 5 to be loaded into the card connector
100 is, as shown in FIGS. 1-3, provided a plurality of pads 51 for
electrically connecting with the corresponding contacts 2 of the
card connector 100. The pads 51 formed on one side of the
electrical card 5 are respectively a power pad 513 disposed
substantially at the center portion, a ground pad 512 adjacent to
the power pad 513 and a detect pad 514 disposed on one end of the
electrical card 5. Other pads are the signal pads 511 for serving
as exchanging and communicating data with memory. These pads 51 are
different in length in the direction X, in which the electrical
card 5 is inserted into the electrical connector 100.
[0023] Next, the structure of the card connector 100 will be
described briefly. Further referring to FIG. 2, the card connector
100 includes a lower housing 1 and an upper cover 4 mounted on the
lower housing 1. A plurality of contacts 2 and a reject mechanism 3
for guiding the electrical card 5 to be inserted into or ejected
are received in the lower housing.
[0024] The lower housing 1 comprises a substantially rectangular
base 11, whereon there are provided a number of fixing grooves 111,
formed for permitting the contacts 2 to be pushed thereinto for
being held securely, a first side wall 12, a second side wall 12'
and a back wall 13 interconnecting the first and the second side
walls 12, 12'. A receiving space 14 for receiving the electrical
card 5 is formed by the above walls 12, 12', 13 and the base 11.
The first side wall 12 is a little longer than the second side wall
12', thereby forming a projecting portion 13' adjacent to the first
side wall 12. The numeral 122 represent an assisting piece
extending from a free end of the second side wall 12' toward to the
first side wall 12. A receiving room 123 for receiving the eject
mechanism 3 is formed by the base 11, the second side wall 12' and
the assisting piece 122. A post 131 extends from the back wall 13
into the receiving room 123. A recess 132 is defined on an upper
surface of the back wall 13. The numeral 15 represents a latch
member for engaging with the upper cover 4, the latch member being
integrally with the above walls 12, 12', 13 and the assisting piece
122.
[0025] The upper cover 4 is formed from a sheet metal by applying
the punching and pressing processes and comprises a ceiling 41, a
first side wall 42, a second side wall 42' and a back wall 43 so as
to cover the lower housing 1 from above. Further, the ceiling 41
defines a downwardly bent spring arm 44 adjacent to the second side
wall 42' for urging the eject mechanism 3 to eject the electrical
card 5 from the card connector 100. Further the numeral 45
represents a plurality of openings, which is designed for engaging
with the latch member 15 of the lower housing 1.
[0026] Referring to FIG. 2 again and in conjunction with FIGS. 6-7,
a plurality of contacts 2 are arranged substantially parallel to
one another and fixed within the grooves 111 of the lower housing
1. Next, the structure, arrangement and the fashion of each of the
contacts 2 and the corresponding pads 51 according to the present
invention will be described.
[0027] In FIG. 2, a contact 22, which appears at one of the outmost
ends of the contacts 2, is a detect contact. The contact 24
appearing at about the center among the contacts 2 is a power
contact. However, it is noted that in this preferred embodiment,
the detect contact 22 connects with a power source of the printed
circuit board. The numeral 23 represent a connect contact which is
integrally with the power contact 24. The connect contact 23
transversely extends from a substantially middle of the power
contact 24 to dispose below the detect contact 22, which includes a
horizontal portion 231 connecting with the power contact 24, a
vertical portion 232 upwardly bent from a free end of the
horizontal portion 231 and a contact portion 233 below the detect
contact 22. The numeral 25 represent a ground contact, which is
adjacent to the power contact 24. All other contacts 21 are the
signal contacts for communicating the signal.
[0028] Concerning the lengths of the contacts 2 along the direction
X in which the electrical card 5 is to be inserted into the card
connector 100. The detect contact 22 is longest of all the contacts
2. In the condition, when the electrical card 5 is inserted into
the card connector 100, the signal contacts 21, the power contact
24 and the ground contact 25 are firstly respectively electrically
connect with the data pad 511, the power pad 513 and the ground pad
512 of the electrical card 5. Then, the electrical card is further
inserted into the card connector 100, the detect contact 22 which
is longest of all the contacts 2 is urged to move downwardly to
contact with the connect contact 23. Due the detect contact 22
connects with the power source of the printed circuit board, the
system begin to provide power to the electrical card 5 via the
detect contact 22, the connect contact 23 and the power contact
24.
[0029] Next, the structure of the contacts 2 will be described
hereinafter, which is illustrated in FIG. 7. Each contact is
similar except for the detect contact, so it will take the power
contact 24 for an example to illustrate the structure of the
contact 2. The power contact 24 includes a soldering portion 241 to
be soldered on the printed circuit board, a stationary portion 242
fixed within the grooves 111 of the lower housing 1, an elastic
portion 243 and a contact portion 244 for contacting with the pads
51 of the electrical card 5. By the way, in this preferred
embodiment, although the soldering portion 241 of the power contact
24 is soldering on the printed circuit board, the soldering portion
241 only connects with the punch carrier not electrically connects
with printed circuit board in this embodiment. Further, in FIG. 4,
the contact portion 244 and the elastic portion 243 of each contact
come above the grooves 111 when the contact are pushed into the
grooves 111. The detect contact 22 includes a soldering portion
221, a stationary portion 222, an arched shaped press portion 223
and a long contact portion 224.
[0030] It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous,
characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been
set fourth in the foregoing description, together with details of
the structure and function of the invention, the disclosed is
illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in
matters of number, shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the
principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the
broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are
expressed.
* * * * *