US 5,013,255 A · Card connector and production method

Abstract

A connector is described with a slot for receiving an electronic memory card and with multiple terminals (32, 34 in FIG. 1) that engage card contact regions, which can be constructed at low cost. The multiple terminals are produced by cutting a strip of sheet metal to form a row of parallel elongated terminals (32 in FIG. 11) that have mount portions (40) lying between first and second terminal end portions (31, 38), and with the second end portions held on a carrier strip (204). A frame (22) of the housing is molded around the mount portions of the terminals, and thereafter the terminals are cut free of the carrier strip. A microcontact device (44 in FIG. 2) for detecting full insertion of the card, includes a first contact with a bent zone (64) projecting a distance forwardly into the slot, to be rearwardly deflected by the leading edge of a card, out of engagement with a second contact. The upper slot walls have a downwardly-facing concave portion (106 in FIG. 6) lying over terminals that contact the card contact regions, to facilitate insertion of the card.

Claims8

Dependent claims

An electrical connector for receiving an electronic memory card having a plurality of card contact regions, that is inserted in a predetermined rearward direction into the connector, comprising:

a housing forming a slot having forward and rearward ends for receiving said card;
a plurality of terminals mounted in said housing and positioned to engage said card contact regions as said card is inserted;
a microcontact device for detecting full insertion of said card, comprising a detection contact and an output contact, each contact having a mount portion mounted on said housing, said contacts having free ends lying near said slot rear end so at least one of said free ends can be deflected by said card between a first configuration wherein said free ends engage each other and a second configuration wherein said free ends are out of engagement with each other;
said free end portion of said detection contact has a bent zone that projects toward said front slot end, said detection contact free end portion also having an end tab lying behind and in contact with the free end of said output contact, said bent zone lying in the path of said card to be deflected by said card during its insertion, and said housing having a stop that engages said output contact to limit its rearward movement.

1 more element

An electrical connector for receiving an electronic memory card having a predetermined width and thickness and upper and lower faces separated by said thickness, said card having a plurality of card contact regions on its lower face, wherein the card is inserted in a predetermined rearward insertion direction into the connector, comprising:

a housing having slot walls forming a slot with forward and rearward ends for receiving said card, said slot having upper and lower walls spaced apart by slightly more than the thickness of said card and having opposite side walls spaced apart in a lateral direction by slightly more than the width of said card;
a plurality of terminals mounted in said housing and positioned to engage said card contact regions as said card in inserted into said slot, said terminals each having terminal inner end portions extending largely parallel to said insertion direction and lying primarily at a lower side of said slot, and said terminal inner end portions have curved ends that are curved about axes extending parallel to said lateral direction;
said slot has narrow front and rear ends and said upper slot wall has a downwardly-facing concave portion that is concave as viewed along said lateral direction and that lies between said forward and rearward slot ends and over said curved ends of said terminals.

An electrical connector for receiving an electronic memory card having a plurality of card contact regions, that is inserted in a predetermined rearward direction into the connector comprising:

a housing which includes upper and lower frames forming a slot between them for receiving said card, said slot having forward and rearward ends, and said slot and housing each having opposite sides;
a row of substantially parallel terminals mounted in said housing and positioned to engage said card contact regions when said card is inserted;
and
a microcontact device for detecting full insertion of said card;
said terminals have elongated first end portions with curved outer ends for contacting said card contact regions, second end portions, and mount portions lying between said first and second end portions;
said lower frame being molded of plastic material and having a narrow end portion extending between said opposite sides of said housing, said terminal mount portions being molded into said narrow end portion of said lower frame;
said microcontact device includes a detection contact and an output contact, each contact having first and second end portions and a mount portion between them, said mount portion being molded into said lower frame, said first end portions of said contacts lying near said slot rear end and with one of them being deflectable by said card between a first configuration wherein said first contact ends engage each other and a second configuration wherein said free ends are out of engagement with each other;
said slot lies substantially in a plane;
and
each of said contacts is formed of sheet metal, said mount portions each lie in a plane that is substantially parallel to said slot, each contact includes a first bend of substantially 90.degree. about an axis extending substantially parallel to said rearward direction, and a second bend of substantially 90.degree. about an axis extending substantially normal to the plane of said slot.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Card connector and production method

Life of this patent

Card connector and production method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8