U.S. patent application number 12/071825 was filed with the patent office on 2009-03-05 for card connector.
This patent application is currently assigned to TAI-SOL ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Yaw-Huey Lai.
Application Number | 20090061674 12/071825 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40349263 |
Filed Date | 2009-03-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090061674 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lai; Yaw-Huey |
March 5, 2009 |
CARD CONNECTOR
Abstract
A card connector includes a housing, a base, a slidable member,
three of which are provided in the base and define a receiving
chamber for receiving a memory card thereamong, and a spring. A
tongue is provided on a sidewall of the housing. The memory card
has a locating recess formed at one side thereof corresponding to
the tongue. The slidable member includes a recession formed on a
sidewall thereof corresponding to the tongue, and an opening cut
through the sidewall and in communication with the recession. A
hooked member is provided in the recession. The recession is
provided with a first matching portion, and the hooked member has a
second matching portion for joint with the first matching portion.
Therefore, the card connector is structurally simple, of secure
locking, and can effectively engage and prevent an electronic card
inserted therein from falling-off.
Inventors: |
Lai; Yaw-Huey; (Taipei
County, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACON & THOMAS, PLLC
625 SLATERS LANE, FOURTH FLOOR
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314-1176
US
|
Assignee: |
TAI-SOL ELECTRONICS CO.,
LTD.
TAIPEI CITY
TW
|
Family ID: |
40349263 |
Appl. No.: |
12/071825 |
Filed: |
February 27, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/352 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06K 7/0021
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
439/352 |
International
Class: |
H01R 13/627 20060101
H01R013/627 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 29, 2007 |
TW |
96214411 |
Claims
1. A card connector comprising: a housing having a tongue provided
on a side thereof; a base mounted in said housing; a plurality of
terminals mounted in said housing; a slidable member mounted in
said housing for reciprocating movement, said slidable member
having a recession formed on a sidewall thereof corresponding to
said tongue, and an opening cut through said sidewall and in
communication with said recession, said recession having a first
matching portion; a hooked member mounted in said recession and
having a second matching portion for joint with said first matching
portion of said recession; and a spring mounted in said housing;
wherein said housing, said base, and said slidable member define a
receiving chamber thereamong for receiving a memory card, said
memory card having a locating recess at a side thereof, said base
is located at a rear end of said receiving chamber, and said
slidable member is movable for reciprocation within said receiving
chamber, whereby while the memory card is pushed to drive said
slidable member to move toward said base, said tongue forces said
hooked member to act in said recession; while the memory card is
inserted, said hooked member dips through said opening of said
sidewall of said slidable member into said locating recess of the
memory card located in said receiving chamber.
2. The card connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said first
matching portion is a groove connected with said opening of said
slidable member; said second matching portion is a convex portion
facing downward and movably mounted in said groove.
3. The card connector as defined in claim 2, wherein said hooked
member comprises a head portion, a first arm, and a second arm,
said head portion facing said opening of said slidable member, said
first arm extending toward the front end of said receiving chamber,
said second arm extending toward the rear end of said receiving
chamber, each of said first and second arms having a first bottom
side facing a sidewall of said housing, said two first bottom sides
being connected with each other; said tongue bends inward and
comprises a rear arm extending toward the rear end of said
receiving chamber, a front arm extending toward the rear end of
said receiving chamber, and a bended portion located between said
front and rear arms; and said first bottom side of said second arm
is stopped against said front arm of said tongue.
4. The card connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said first
matching portion is a convex portion abutting said opening of said
slidable member; said second matching portion is a groove mounted
onto said convex portion.
5. The card connector as defined in claim 4, wherein said hooked
member comprises a head portion, a first arm, and a second arm,
said head portion facing said opening of said slidable member, said
first arm extending toward the front end of said receiving chamber,
said second arm extending toward the rear end of said receiving
chamber, each of said first and second arms having a first bottom
side facing a sidewall of said housing, said two first bottom sides
being connected with each other; said tongue bends inward and
comprises a rear arm extending toward the rear end of said
receiving chamber, a front arm extending toward the rear end of
said receiving chamber, and a bended portion located between said
front and rear arms; and said first bottom side of said second arm
is stopped against said front arm of said tongue.
6. The card connector as defined in claim 3 or 5, wherein said head
portion of said hooked member is wedge-shaped facing said opening
of said slidable member and comprises a top facing said opening of
said slidable member, a first lateral side connected between said
top and said first arm, and a second lateral side connected between
said top and said second arm.
7. The card connector as defined in claim 6, wherein said first arm
of said hooked member further comprises a first end face connected
with said first bottom side thereof, and a first should portion
connected with said first end face, said first shoulder portion
being connected with said first lateral side of said head portion
of said hooked member; said second arm of said hooked member
further comprises a second end face connected with said first
bottom side thereof, a second shoulder portion connected with said
second end face, and a third shoulder portion connected with said
second shoulder portion and said second lateral side of said head
portion.
8. The card connector as defined in claim 7, wherein said second
lateral side of said head portion of said hooked member, an end
face of said opening of said slidable member, and an end face of
said locating recess of the memory card closely contact one another
while the memory card is inserted into the card connector.
9. The card connector as defined in claim 7, wherein said first
bottom side of said second arm of said hooked member is stopped
against said bended portion of said tongue while the memory card is
inserted into the card connector.
10. The card connector as defined in claim 2 or 4, wherein said
convex portion is column-shaped.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to connectors, and
more particularly, to an electronic card connector.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] A currently available card connector includes means for
locking a memory card inserted into the card connector to secure
the memory card in stable connection with the card connector, and
there are a variety of such means for locking the memory card. For
example, China Patent Publication No. 2405337 disclosed an
electronic card connector having a locking device, which is
composed of an insulative housing having at least one slot, a
plurality of contacts received within the insulative housing, an
elongated spring bar mounted in the elongated slot and having a
protrusion, and a metallic spring buffer disposed inside the
elongated slot and having a spring arm portion, which pressingly
engages the spring bar at a first supporting section thereof, a
tail portion abutting against a side wall formed adjacent to the
elongated slot, and a bight portion formed between the spring arm
portion and the tail portion. As disclosed in China Patent
Publication No. 2746600, an electronic card connector is composed
of an insulating frame having a plurality of electric contacts, an
ejecting mechanism mounted to the insulating housing for guiding
insertion and ejection of an electronic card, and a shield having a
stopping piece for covering the external periphery of the
insulating housing, wherein the ejecting mechanism includes a
locking member having an assembly arm and a locking arm, which are
connected with and spaced from each other for a predetermined
distance, the assembly arm being mounted to a slide bar of the
ejecting mechanism, the locking arm being movable with respect to
the assembly arm; during insertion of an electronic card, the card
is moved along the slide bar and the locking arm is moved to stop
against the shield piece so as to fail to move with respect to the
assembly arm, thus forcing the locking arm stopping against one
side of the card to lock the card in position. As disclosed in
China Patent Publication No. 1755990, a connector for a memory card
includes a housing composed of a frame and a sealing plate covering
the frame, a slider slidably mounted in the frame, a return spring
provided for biasing the slider in the direction of card ejection,
a half-lock spring fixed to the slider and having an engaging
projection engaged to a recess of the card for half locking the
card, and an inclined rib mounted to an inner sidewall of the
housing for preventing the popping-out of the memory card 3 by the
return spring when the card is ejected; while the card is being
ejected, the inclined rib is stopped against the half-lock spring
to refrain the half-lock spring from deformation, thus preventing
the card from popping-out while the return spring is reset.
Further, China Patent Publication No. 1692531 disclosed a card
connector composed of a box-shaped housing having a card insertion
opening formed in a front portion thereof through which a memory
card is inserted; a contact block mounted in the vicinity of a rear
end thereof and in an inside of the housing and holding an
alignment of a plurality of contacts which are to be contacted with
I/O contacting terminals of the memory card in a manner so that
contacting portions of the contacts are protruded toward the card
insertion opening; a slider mounted between the contact block and
the card insertion opening in the inside of the housing and
slidable in a cross direction of the housing, having a contacting
portion for contacting with a front end of the memory card inserted
into the housing from the card insertion opening and a plurality of
arm portions thereof for guiding side edges of the memory card, and
sliding with the memory card corresponding to a movement of the
memory card; a spring provided in the inside of the housing and
constantly applying pressure to the slider toward the card
insertion opening; a heart-shaped cam groove unit formed in the
inside of the housing and having a heart-shaped cam and a guide
groove located around the heart-shaped cam; a locking member having
a guide pin provided at an end thereof in a longitudinal direction
and engaged with and slidable along the guide groove of the
heart-shaped cam groove unit and a rotation shaft thereof provided
at the other end thereof and rotatably borne by a bearing provided
on a side portion of the slider, rotating around the rotation shaft
owing to a movement of the guide pin along the guide groove
corresponding to a movement of the slider in the cross direction,
and locking the movement of the slider at a predetermined position
by fitting the guide pin into a recess provided at a predetermined
position on the heart-shaped cam when a pressing force applied to
the memory card is released after moving the slider to an aftermost
position in the cross direction of the housing; and a locking
protrusion provided at an intermediate portion of the locking
member in the cross direction of the housing, and engaging with a
recess used to be locked provided on the memory card by protruding
toward the memory card corresponding to the rotation of the locking
member at the predetermined position where the movement of the
slider is locked.
[0005] As stated above, the currently available locking mechanisms
are structurally complex to need improvement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
a card connector, which provides a new locking mechanism that is
structurally simple, of secure locking, and can effectively engage
and prevent an electronic card inserted therein from
falling-off.
[0007] The foregoing objective of the present invention is attained
by the card connector composed of a housing, a base, a plurality of
terminals, a slidable member, and a spring. The terminals are
provided in the base. The spring, the slidable member, and the base
are provided in the housing. The housing, the base, and the
slidable member define a receiving chamber for receiving a memory
card thereamong. The base is located at a rear end of the receiving
chamber. The slidable member is movable for reciprocation within
the receiving chamber. A tongue is provided on a sidewall of the
housing. The memory card has a locating recess formed at one side
thereof corresponding to the tongue. The slidable member includes a
recession formed on a sidewall thereof corresponding to the tongue,
and an opening cut through the sidewall and in communication with
the recession. A hooked member is provided in the recession. The
recession is provided with a first matching portion, and the hooked
member has a second matching portion for joint with the first
matching portion. While the memory card is pushed to drive the
slidable member to move toward the base, the tongue forces the
hooked member to act in the recession. While the memory card is
inserted into the card connector, the hooked member dips through
the opening of the slidable member into the locating recess of the
memory card.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a first preferred embodiment
of the present invention.
[0009] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a part A indicated in FIG.
1.
[0010] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the hooked member in
accordance with the first preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the first preferred embodiment
of the present invention in combination with a memory card,
illustrating that the memory card has not been inserted into the
card connector.
[0012] FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4, illustrating that the memory
card is located at the initial position of the insertion.
[0013] FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 4, illustrating that the memory
card is inserted to let its one side contact the hooked member.
[0014] FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 6, illustrating that the memory
card is inserted to where the hooked member is engaged with the
locating recess of the memory card.
[0015] FIG. 8 is similar to FIG. 6, illustrating that the memory
card is pushed into where the card is locked.
[0016] FIG. 9 is similar to FIG. 6, illustrating that the memory
card is pushed into the rearmost end in the card connector.
[0017] FIG. 10 is similar to FIG. 6, illustrating that the memory
card is being ejected outward from the rearmost end in the card
connector.
[0018] FIG. 11 is an exploded view of the slidable member in
accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
[0019] FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of a part B indicated in FIG.
11.
[0020] FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of the hooked member in
accordance with the second preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a card connector constructed
according to a first embodiment of the present invention is
composed of a housing 1, a base 2, a plurality of terminals 3, a
slidable member 4, a spring 5, a guiding bar 6, and a hooked member
7. The housing 1 includes a tongue 11 provided on a sidewall
thereof and having a front arm 111, a rear arm 112, and a bended
portion provided between the front and rear arms 111 and 112. The
terminals 3 are mounted in the base 2. The spring 5, the slidable
member 4, and the base 2 are mounted in the housing 1. The housing
1, the base 2, and the slidable member 4 define a receiving chamber
thereamong for receiving a memory card having a locating recess.
The slidable member 4 includes a sidewall 41, a recession 42 formed
on the sidewall 41 and close to an external side thereof, an
opening 411 formed on an internal side of the sidewall 41, an end
face 4111 provided on the sidewall 41 and abutting the opening 411,
and a groove 421 provided in the recession 42 and defined as a
first matching portion and connected with the opening 411. The
hooked member 7, as shown in FIG. 3, includes a head portion 72, a
first arm 73, and a second arm 74, three of which are formed in one
piece. A column-shaped convex portion 71 protrudes upward from a
junction of the head portion 72, the first arm 73, and the second
arm 74. The head portion 72 has a top 721 provided on a lateral
fringe thereof for matching a bottom side of the locating recess of
the memory card while the memory card is locked; a first lateral
side 722 thereof provided for matching a rear side of the locating
recess of the memory card while the memory card is pushed inward;
and a second lateral side thereof 723 provided for matching a front
side of the locating recess while the memory card is locked. The
first arm 73 at a lateral fringe thereof has a first bottom side
731, a first end face 732, and a first shoulder portion 733. The
second arm 74 at a lateral fringe thereof has a bottom side 741, a
second end face 742, a second shoulder portion 743, and a third
shoulder portion 744 for matching the second lateral side 723 of
the head portion 72. The hooked member 7 is mounted in the
recession 42, the convex portion 71 located in the groove 421, and
is movable and rotatable in the groove 421 on the convex portion
71. The head portion 72 of the hooked member 7 can dip through the
opening 411 into the receiving chamber to match the slidable member
and the locating recess of the memory card, further locking the
memory card in the receiving chamber.
[0022] In addition to FIGS. 1-3 illustrating the process of
insertion of the memory card into the card connector having the
hooked member 7 and the recession 42 in accordance to the first
preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 4-10 provide
the following further detailed illustration of the insertion of the
memory card.
[0023] 1. Referring to FIG. 4, before the memory card is inserted
into the card connector, where the tongue 11 is stopped against the
hooked member 7 is located at the front portion 111 of the tongue
11 and the second bottom side 741 of the second arm 74. In the
meantime, the second should portion 743 matches the recession 42,
the top 721 of the head portion 72 dips into the opening 411 of the
sidewall 41, and the lateral side 723 of the head portion 72
matches the end face 4111 of the opening 411.
[0024] 2. Referring to FIG. 5, while a memory card 8 having a bevel
is initially inserted into the card connector, the bevel of the
memory card contacts the hooked member and the card 8 forces the
hooked member 7 to turn outward. In the meantime, the top 721 of
the head portion 72 is stopped against the bevel of the card 8, the
third shoulder portion 744 of the second arm 74, under the squeeze
of the card 8, departs from the recession 42, and the first bottom
side of the first arm 73 is stopped against one side of the housing
1.
[0025] 3. Referring to FIG. 6, while the card 8 is inserted, one
side of the card 8 contacts the hooked member 7.
[0026] 4. Referring to FIG. 7, while the card 8 is inserted into
where the locating recess abuts the hooked member 7, where the
hooked member 7 is stopped against the tongue 11 is the same as in
FIG. 6, but the one side of the card 8 is no longer stopped against
the hooked member 7. Thus, the hooked member 7 can be turned toward
the locating recess of the card 8, the head portion 72 of the
hooked member 7 dips into the locating recess, and the first bottom
side 731 of the first arm 73 is no longer stopped against the one
side of the housing 1.
[0027] 5. Referring to FIG. 8, while the card 8 is inserted, the
slidable member 4 and the hooked member 7 are moved forward along
with the card 8. While the card 8 is inserted to a locking
position, where the tongue 11 is stopped against the hooked member
7 shifts, the second bottom side 741 of the second arm 74 is
stopped against the front arm 111 and the bended portion 113 of the
tongue 11, and the second lateral side 723 of the head portion 72
tightly contacts the end face 4111 of the opening 411 of the
slidable member 4 and the locating recess of the card 8. Under the
circumstances, the interaction force between the tongue 11 and the
hooked member 7 reaches the maximum, so the head portion 72 is
forced to move inward along the opening 411 up to the maximum
degree and to be effectively engaged with the card 8.
[0028] 6. Referring to FIG. 9, while the card 8 is pushed into the
rearmost end in the card connector, the hooked member 7 is squeezed
and stopped by the tongue 11 to move backward, and meanwhile, where
the hooked member 7 is stopped against the tongue 11 is located at
the rear arm 112 and the bottom side 731 of the first arm 73, such
that the hooked member 7 can be effectively engaged with the memory
card 8.
[0029] 7. Referring to FIG. 10, while the card 8 is ejected from
the rear end, a part of the hooked member 7 is still engaged with
the card 8, effectively preventing the card from popping-out or
falling-off.
[0030] Referring to FIGS. 11-13, a card connector constructed
according to a second embodiment of the present invention is
similar to the first embodiment, having difference as recited
below. The relationship of coordination between the hooked member
7a and the recession 42a in the second embodiment is the same as
that between the hooked member 7 and the recession 42 in the first
embodiment. The recession 42a is provided on the sidewall 41a of
the slidable member 4 and close to the external side thereof. The
recession 42a has a convex portion 412a provided at the opening
411a and defined as the first matching portion. The end face 4111a
for matching the hooked member 7a is provided at the opening 411a.
The hooked member 7a, as shown in FIG. 13, includes the head
portion 72a, the first arm 73a, the second arm 74a, and a groove
71a cut through the aforesaid three elements 72a, 73a, and 74a and
defined as the second matching portion. The head portion 72a at the
lateral fringe has the top 721a, the first lateral side 722a, and
the second lateral side 723a. The first arm 73a at the lateral
fringe has the first bottom side 731a, the first end face 732a, and
the first shoulder portion 733a. The second arm 74a at the lateral
fringe has the second bottom side 741a, the second end face 742a,
the second shoulder portion 743a, and the third shoulder portion
744a. The hooked member 7a is mounted in the recession 42a, the
groove 71a mounted on the convex portion 421a, being movable and
rotatable with respect to the convex portion 421a via the groove
71a. The head portion 72a of the hooked member 7a can pass through
the opening 411a to dip into the receiving chamber of the card
connector for joint with the locating recess of a memory card
located in the receiving chamber, thus locking the memory card in
the receiving chamber.
[0031] In conclusion, the hooked member and the recession match the
housing and the tongue, the tongue matching the recession and the
hooked member very well, to securely lock the memory card in the
card connector.
[0032] Although the present invention has been described with
respect to specific preferred embodiments thereof, it is no way
limited to the details of the illustrated structures but changes
and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended
claims.
* * * * *