Patent ID: 7341466
Filing Date: 2008-03-11
Classification: H01R

Abstract:
1. A card connector comprising: a card ejecting mechanism including an operation member extending in a predetermined direction and configured to be pushed in the predetermined direction, a card eject rotatable member configured to rotate in conjunction with the operation member being pushed so as to push out a card inserted in the card connector in a direction counter to the predetermined direction, a transmission cam arm that rotates in conjunction with a movement of the operation member, an eject bar connected to and in conjunction with the card eject rotatable member, wherein the operation member, the transmission cam arm, and the eject bar are arranged in this order in the predetermined direction along a side surface of a main unit of the card ejecting mechanism, and a heart-shaped cam groove provided in the side surface of the main unit, the heart-shaped cam groove including a valley groove, an outgoing groove, an incoming groove, an outlet guide groove provided between the valley groove and a start-edge of the outgoing groove, and an inlet guide groove provided between an end-edge of the incoming groove and the valley groove, wherein the valley groove is provided on a side of the heart-shaped cam groove closest to the eject bar and an extended valley groove extends from the valley groove in the predetermined direction toward the eject bar, wherein the transmission cam arm includes a cam follower causing the transmission cam arm to rotate as the cam follower moves by being guided by the heart-shaped cam groove in conjunction with the movement of the operation member, the transmission cam arm being configured to communicate the movement of the operation member to the eject bar when the transmission cam arm is at a predetermined position, the eject bar includes a guide edge face provided at an end thereof on a side close to the operation member for guiding the cam follower, wherein the eject bar is positioned near the operation member when the card is in an inserted position and away from the operation member when the card is not in the inserted position, when the card is in the inserted position, the guide edge face of the eject bar is positioned near the valley groove to form a part of the outlet guide groove so that when a preparatory operation is performed, the cam follower is guided toward the outgoing groove such that the operation member protrudes outside of the card connector by a stroke length sufficient for performing an ejecting operation to eject the card, and when the card is not in the inserted position, the guide edge face of the eject bar is positioned away from the valley groove so that when the preparatory operation is performed, the cam follower is not guided toward the outgoing groove but is guided to move along into the extended valley groove and return to the valley groove, such that the operation member does not protrude outside.