Smart card connector with preloaded data contacts

A connector for use with a smart card reader, comprising:

• a housing;
• a slot extending into the housing from one side and configured for insertion of a smart card into the slot;
• and
• data contacts positioned in two rows of contact cavities in the housing, one row adjacent a front of the slot and the other row adjacent a rear of the slot and protruding into the slot, the data contacts being positioned to engage a smart card upon insertion into the slot;
• each data contact comprising a resilient contact arm having at least one tab extending laterally therefrom and a leg portion, the contacts being positioned in respective contact cavities with the data contact leg portions extending from the contact cavities and the contact arms being positioned in channels in the housing and extending into the slot such that the contact arms of contacts in respective cavities in each row extend toward the corresponding data contact in the other row, the contact arms flexing about a bend line adjacent the contact cavity, and the contact arms being formed adjacent the ends thereof to form a convex contact section, said at least one tab being between the convex contact section and the leg portion;
• at least one of the data contacts is preloaded to control the amount of the resilient contact arm extends into the slot, by deflecting the contact arm of at least one of the data contacts and engaging said at least one tab thereon with a protrusion of the housing channel such that only the convex contact section of each said preloaded data contact extends into the slot, with the contact arms of the remaining data contacts protruding further into the slot, the at least one data contact being preloaded so that a smart card inserted into a front of the slot does not stub against a free end of said at least one data contact;
• and
• at least one resilient arm protruding into the card slot and along side said data contacts that protrude into the slot so that a card inserted into the slot is pushed away from the data contacts during insertion of the card into the card slot thereby reducing wear on the data contacts.