Patent ID: 6056566
Filing Date: 2000-05-02
Classification: G06K,H01R

Abstract:
A card connector for electrically and removably connecting with a card (180) having a mating connector portion, said card connector comprising:a frame (101) having a slot (100a) for receiving said card (180), said frame (101) comprising a pair of parallel leg portions (101A, 101B) and a bridging portion (108) connecting the leg portions (101A, 101B) to form a U shape so that said frame (101) has said slot (101a) having a front opening end at a side opposite to said bridging portion (108), said bridging portion (108) having a connector portion (102) to be fitted to and connected with said mating connector portion of said card (180) received in said slot (100a); andan eject mechanism for ejecting said card (180) from a connecting condition between said connector portion (102) and said mating connector portion, said eject mechanism comprising:an eject plate (106) mounted on said bridging portion (108) slidable in a direction parallel to said parallel leg portions (101A, 101B) and having a pusher (106d, 106e) for engaging with said card (180) received at a first position in said slot (101a) and being in said connecting condition, said pusher (106d, 106e) pushing said card (180) from the first position to a second position toward said front opening end when said eject plate (106) being driven toward said front opening end;a lever (104) pivotally mounted on said bridging portion at a pivoted portion (104a) of said lever for driving said eject plate (106) to move toward said front opening end, said lever (104) having an operating portion (104b) and an engaging portion (104c) at a side opposite to said operating portion in relation to said pivoted portion;a coupling mechanism (104c, 106m) coupling said eject plate (106) with said engaging portion of said lever (104) while permitting relative rotation of said lever and said drive mechanism about said coupling mechanism, so that said eject plate is slid toward said front opening when said lever is rotated; anda relative rotation inhibiting mechanism mounted on said lever and said eject plate for inhibiting the relative rotation of said lever and said drive mechanism about said coupling mechanism when said lever is further rotated after said eject plate moves to a position where said card is moved to the second position, thereby further rotation of said lever (104) enabling said eject plate (106) together with said lever (104) about said pivoted portion (103a) to thereby move said card (180) from said second position to a third position toward said front opening end.