Surface mount card edge connector and compact electronic system therewith

A card edge connector, comprising:

• a housing comprising a mating face, a mounting face, and a slot extending from the mating face toward the mounting face;
• a plurality of conductive elements held by the housing, each of the plurality of conductive elements comprising a mating contact portion curving into the slot, a mounting tail extending beyond the mounting face, and an intermediate portion joining the mating contact portion and the mounting tail;
• a latch disposed in the housing and pivotable between a locked position and an unlocked position;
• and
• a board lock comprising a body portion disposed in the housing and extending in a vertical direction and a mounting portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, wherein:
• the body portion of the board lock comprises a space facing the mating face of the housing;
• and
• an opening of the space of the body portion of the board lock faces the latch.

An electronic system, comprising:

• a circuit board having a first surface and a second surface on opposite sides;
• and
• a first card edge connector mounted to the first surface of the circuit board and a second card edge connector mounted to the second surface of the circuit board, each of the first card edge connector and the second card edge connector comprising:
• a housing comprising a mating face, and a mounting face facing a respective one of the first surface of the board and the second surface of the circuit board, and
• a board lock comprising a body portion disposed in the housing and a mounting portion connected to the body portion and mounted to the respective one of the first surface of the board and the second surface of the circuit board.