Patent ID: 6112994
Filing Date: 2000-09-05
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
A card reader connector including a plurality of data contacts disposed in a housing, said housing comprising:a base and a removable cover securable together and defining a card receiving slot extending therebetween from a mouth at a forward end of the housing;said base and cover including respective rear walls and opposed side walls extending from three sides thereof such that said rear wall and side walls of said base coextend alongside and inwardly of said rear wall and side walls of said cover upon assembly;said cover provides a clearance spaced forwardly of said rear wall thereof and dimensioned for receiving said rear wall of said base thereinto during initial stages of assembly such that said base is offset a short distance forwardly with respect to said cover;each base-proximate edge of said cover side walls include at least one flange extending inwardly, and each said base side walls include flange-receiving openings associated with said flanges and extending therealong from cover-proximate edges thereof toward a cover-remote surface of said base and in communication with flange-receiving slots extending forwardly therefrom adjacent said cover-remote surface of said base; andsaid cover and said base include at least one cooperating locking section operable after final stages of assembly;whereby when said cover is assembled to said base, said rear wall of said base is received in said clearance and said side wall flanges of said cover are received in respective said flange-receiving openings of said base side walls during initial stages of assembly with said base off-set forwardly with respect to said cover, and said side wall flanges are moved forwardly into and along said flange-receiving slots of said flange-receiving openings until said cover is moved fully forwardly with respect to said base, with said side wall flanges securing said cover and base from movement directly apart, and said at least one cooperating locking section securing said cover and base from any further relative sliding movement.