Card connector

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a structure of a card connector used for memory cards for using in various portable information equipments, such as a portable telephone or a NoteBook, or memory support equipments such as a digital camera or a digital AV equipment.

2. Description of Prior Arts

A card connector is generally used as an expanded recording apparatus of an electronic equipment such as a personal computer or a digital camera. As a storage medium of the card connector, a PC card or a memory card has come into wide use.

However the personal computer or the digital camera are always shaken or rocked. In such case, the card will get away from an original position, and a desirable connection between the card and the connector is damaged.

Therefore, it is desirable to provide a card connector that eliminates the aforesaid problems.

An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide a card connector receiving room to achieve a stable connection between the card and the connector.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, A card connector comprising: a card receiving room for receiving a card and defining a card inserting/ejecting direction; a shell; a terminal module assembled with shell and receiving a plurality of terminals retained in the housing and protruding into the card receiving room to electrically connect with a card; and an insulating body covered by the shell to define the card receiving room and having a main body comprising a platform protruding into the receiving room, the platform defining an index portion to lead the card insert into the card receiving room; wherein the platform being formed on opposite side of the terminal module for pressing on an inserted card.

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.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a card connector in accordance with present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the card connector;

FIG. 3 is a perspective of an insulating body of the card connector is replaced from the card connector; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along line 4 - 4 .

Referring to FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 , a card connector 100 for receiving a first card, such as a Smart Card, and a second card, such as an Express Card, in accordance with present invention comprises a first receiving room 9 ′ and a second receiving room 9 mounted on the first receiving room 9 ′ relative to a printed circuit board (not shown), and each housing is designed with a card opening (not labeled) for a card inserted or ejected.

The first receiving room 9 ′ comprises a first shell 4 , a terminal module 7 assembled with the first shell 4 , and an insulating body 5 covered by the first shell 4 to define the first receiving room 9 ′. The terminal module 7 receives a plurality of first terminals 32 protruding into the first receiving room 9 ′ for engaging with the first card. The insulating body 5 comprises a main plate 51 having a platform 52 protruding into the first receiving room 9 ′, the platform 52 are placed right above the terminal module 7 on the first shell 4 . And the platform further includes an indexing portion 521 , the indexing portion 521 defines an inclined plane (not labeled) to index the inserted card to over the platform 52 , and lead the inserted card to be inserted into the first receiving room 9 ′ fully. When the inserted card is inserted fully, the platform 52 presses on the inserted card to achieve a desirable connection between the card and the first terminals 32 , regardless a shake or rock of the card connector. The platform 52 integrally molds with the insulating body 5 .

The second receiving room 9 comprises an insulating housing 2 , a plurality of second terminals 31 retained in the insulating housing 2 and a second shell 1 mounted on the insulating housing 2 . The second terminals 31 are arranged in a transverse direction perpendicular to an insertion direction of the card A. The insulating housing 2 comprises a base section 20 , a fixing portion 21 integrally extending from one end of the base section 20 and a guiding portion 22 extending from the fixing portion 21 opposite to a card insertion direction. The base section 20 has an engaging plate 201 protruding into the second receiving room 9 , and the second terminals 31 protrude out of the engaging plate 201 to engage with the second card. On the fixing portion 21 , a pair of grooves 210 is placed in the same direction of the second terminals 31 arranged to receive two ejecting mechanisms (not labeled). The ejecting mechanisms, respectively, comprises an ejecting device 213 protruding into the receiving space, a spring device 211 for moving the ejecting device 213 in the card ejecting direction, a cam follower 212 capable of overcoming the spring device 211 and placing the ejecting device 213 in a desirable position. Each ejecting device 213 has a cam groove (not shown) allowing one end of the cam follower 212 to slide therein. The operating process of the ejecting mechanism is omitted in this specification because it is known as a published skill. The second receiving room 9 is separated into a wider portion and a narrower portion along the card inserting direction by the guiding portion 22 and the guiding portion 22 defines a step portion 221 to cooperate with a complement portion (not labeled) on the shell 4 .

The second shell 1 , the insulating housing 20 and the insulating body 5 define a pair of screw holes 130 , 250 at the opposite ends thereof, respectively. When the first housing 9 and the second housing 9 ′ are assembled, a pair of screws 6 passing through the holes in order to fasten the end portion of the card connector 100 . Furthermore, a pair of standing members 8 are mounted on the lateral sides of the card connector 100 to fasten a front portion of the first housing 90 and the second housing 90 ′ together and then printed on the printed circuit board.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of 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.