Stacked card connector

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a card connector, and more particularly to a stacked card connector for receiving different cards.

2. Description of Related Arts

U.S. Pat. No. 6,857,907 discloses a stacked Secure Digital card connector. The card connector comprises an insulative housing, the insulative housing includes a bottom wall and a top cover, and a baffle united to the insulative housing defines two rooms for receiving different cards.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,114,993 discloses a card adapter. Two cards can be arrayed in a plane.

In the art of U.S. Pat. No. 6,857,907, changing contacts below the baffle needs to segregate apart the whole card connector, and in the art of U.S. Pat. No. 7,114,993, cards arrayed in a plane occupy a wide space.

Hence, a stacked card connector solving the problems is desired.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a stacked card connector whose contacts are easy to change.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a stacked card connector that occupies less space.

To achieve the above objects, a stacked card connector is supplied. The stacked card connector for receiving different cards comprising:

a main base receiving a first set of contacts and a second set of contacts; a subbase separately assembled to the main base, and receiving a third set of contacts; a bottom cover placed in a bottom of the main base; and a top shell enclosing the main base and the subbase from a top side of the stacked card connector; wherein the main base and the bottom cover define a first space with a first inserting opening, the subbase and the main base define a second space with a second inserting opening, the subbase and the top shell define a third space with a third inserting opening, the second inserting opening and the third inserting opening arranged in a side along a top-to-bottom direction, the first inserting opening arranged in a side perpendicular to the side where the second and third inserting opening are allocated.

As has been described above, the subbase separately assembling to the main base make repairing or changing the lower contacts easier. At the same time, the subbase assembled to the top of the main base occupies less space.

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.

FIG. 1 is a perspective, assembled view of a stacked card connector;

FIG. 2 is a perspective, exploded view of the stacked card connector;

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2 , but viewed from another aspect;

FIG. 4 is a perspective, exploded view of a subbase;

FIG. 5 is a perspective, stated view of inserting cards;

FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 5 , but viewed from the other state;

FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 5 , but viewed from another state.

Referring to FIGS. 2-3 , a stacked card connector 100 comprises a main base 1 , a subbase 2 , a bottom cover 42 , and a top shell 41 .

The main base 1 and the bottom cover 42 define a first space 11 receiving a card C. The main base 1 and the subbase 2 define a second space 12 receiving a card A. The top shell 41 encloses the main base 1 and the subbase 2 . The top shell 41 and the subbase 2 define a third space 21 receiving a card B.

The main base 1 receives a first set of contacts 101 having a first contact portion 1011 extending beyond a bottom face 132 of the main base 1 . The main base 1 also receives a second set of the contacts 102 having a second contact portion 1021 extending beyond a top face 131 of the main base 1 . The main base 1 has a bottom wall 13 and four lateral walls 14 . A first inserting opening 15 is formed by the bottom wall 13 and four lateral walls 14 in a downward direction, and a second inserting opening 16 is formed by the bottom wall 13 and four lateral walls 14 in an upward direction. The first inserting opening 15 is oriented in a first direction, and the second inserting opening 16 is oriented in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. A tenon 17 is extended from a lateral wall 14 in a top-to-bottom direction, a projection 18 is extended from another lateral wall 14 in a direction perpendicular to the top-to bottom direction.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the subbase 2 has a third set of contacts 201 with a third contact portion 2011 extending beyond the subbase 2 . The subbase 2 comprises a bottom wall 22 and four lateral walls 23 . The bottom wall 22 and the four lateral walls 23 define a third inserting opening 24 . The third inserting opening 24 is oriented in a same direction as the second direction. The subbase 2 has a hole 25 receiving the tenon 17 .

The first set of contacts 101 also has a first soldering portion 1012 , the second set of contacts 102 also has a second soldering portion 1022 , and the third set of contacts 201 also has a third soldering portion 2012 . The first soldering portion 1012 , the second soldering portion 1022 , and the third soldering portion 2012 are arranged in different sides of the main base 1 .

An ejector 3 comprises a spring 31 , a lever 32 , and a block 33 . The main base 1 has a guide passageway 19 . The ejector 3 is placed between the bottom cover 42 and the main base 1 . The ejector 3 has a stable state positioned in a front place and a stable state positioned in a rear place, and the ejector 3 circularly changes the state by the spring 31 .

The top shell 41 and the bottom cover 42 form a case 4 shown in FIG. 1 . The top shell 41 has a slot 411 receiving the projecting 18 .

In assembling process, first assemble the ejector 3 to the main base 1 , then push the bottom cover 42 into the main base 1 , after that mate the subbase 42 with the main base 41 by the tenon 17 and the hole 25 , and lastly cover the top shell 41 . The card connector 100 is usually soldered to a board 5 .

In the present invention, the subbase that is separably assembled to the main base makes repairing or changing the lower contacts easier. At the same time, the subbase assembled to the top of the main base occupies less space.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 5 - 7 , different states of inserting cards are shown. The same kind of cards has a common inserting direction, thus preventing the cards from inserting incorrectly.

While a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention has been shown and described, equivalent modifications and changes known to persons skilled in the art according to the spirit of the present invention are considered within the scope of the present invention as described in the appended claims.