Abstract:
An electrical connector ( 1 ) adapted for providing an interconnection between an electronic card ( 2 ) and a printed circuit board includes an insulative housing ( 10 ), a plurality of electrical contacts ( 12 ) received in the insulative housing and an ejector mechanism mounted in one side of the insulative housing. The ejector mechanism has a push-rod ( 136 ) pushed outwardly by two first spring elements ( 130 ), a push block ( 131 ) pushed outwardly by a second spring element ( 142 ) and an actuator ( 143 ) for locking the push-rod in a card-engaged position. An inward acting force against the push block unlocks the actuator and releases the push-rod to eject an inserted card.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an electrical connector for providing an interconnection between electronic card and a printed circuit board, and particularly to an electrical connector having an ejector mechanism. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Conventional electrical connectors generally have ejector mechanisms utilizing the operating principle of a lever. Such a conventional connector is, for example, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. Re. 35938. Referring to FIG. 8, an electrical connector has a housing  12  for receiving an electronic card  2  therein and an ejector mechanism  10 . The ejector mechanism  10  includes a one-piece eject lever  14  and a one-piece actuator  16 . The eject lever  14  is transversely and pivotally mounted in the housing  12  for ejecting the card  2  out of the housing  12 . A pair of pivot bosses  48  projects from a rear wall of the connector to engage a pair of pivot recess  46  defined on two sides of the eject lever  14 , whereby the eject lever  14  can pivot in the direction of double-headed arrow “E”. The actuator  16  is longitudinally and movably mounted within an integrally molded channel  34  in the housing  12  and is engageable with the eject lever  14  for manual actuation thereof 
     The arrangement of the pivot bosses  48  and the transverse eject lever  14  occupies much space within the connector, resulting in the connector having a relatively large size. This design goes against the trend in electronic devices toward miniaturization. Furthermore, the ejector mechanism  10  requires precise cooperation between the actuator  16  and the channel  34  and therefore requires high manufacture precision, thereby making the manufacture more complicated. 
     This invention is directed to solving the above problems and satisfying the need for a very simple and easily operated ejecting system. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A main object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide an improved ejector system for ejecting an electronic card easily. 
     Another object is to provide a simple ejector mechanism, which occupies a small space and simplifies the manufacture of the electrical connector used with it. 
     An electrical connector in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing, a plurality of electrical contacts received in the insulative housing and an ejector mechanism mounted in one side of the insulative housing. The ejector mechanism includes a push-rod movably received in the housing, a spring element, a push block movably mounted in the housing adjacent to the push-rod and an actuator movably mounted in the housing between the push-rod and push block. The spring element is received in the housing for providing a pushing force on the card received in the housing. When the card is inserted into the connector, the push-rod is pushed by the card to move forwardly and compresses the spring element, and the actuator abuts against the push-rod; when an external force is exerted on the push block, the actuator is pushed by the push block and disengages from the push-rod, and the spring element is released to drive the push-rod to eject the card. 
     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an electrical connector of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is the electrical connector of FIG. 1 viewed from another aspect; 
     FIG. 3 is an assembled view of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an electronic card being assembled in the connector; 
     FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but being partially cut away to show the assembly of a spring element in a housing of the connector; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the card being ejected from the connector at a first stage; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the card being ejected from the connector at a second stage, the connector being partially cut away to show the engagement of the spring element with the housing of the connector; and 
     FIG. 8 is a top view of a conventional connector. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIGS. 1,  2  and  3 , an electrical connector  1  according to the present invention comprises an insulative housing  10 , a plurality of electrical terminals  12  received in the housing  10  and an ejector mechanism mounted in one side of the housing  10 . 
     The insulative housing  10  comprises a base  100 , a first and a second sidewalls  101 ,  102  and a front wall  150  connected between the first and second sidewalls  101 ,  102 . A receiving space (not labeled) is defined between the base  100 , first and second sidewalls  101 ,  102 , and front wall  150  for receiving an electronic card  2  (shown in FIG.  4 ). The first and second sidewalls  101 ,  102  respectively protrude from opposite sides of the base  100 . A plurality of passageways  103  for receiving terminals  12  therein is defined through a front portion of the base  100  and longitudinally extends into a rear portion of the front wall  150 . 
     The first sidewall  101  forms an outer wall  1011  and a top wall (not labeled) substantially perpendicular to each other. A receiving cavity  104  is defined in the first sidewall  101  in communication with the receiving space (not labeled). An inner wall  1012  depends downwardly from an inner edge of a front part of the top wall and opposite to the outer wall  1011 . The inner wall  1012  transversely defines a notch  106 . A recess  107  is defined through a lower corner of the inner wall  1012 , and is exposed to the receiving cavity  104  and the receiving space (not labeled). A trough  108  is defined in the base  100  close to the sidewall  101  and is in communication with the receiving cavity  104 . A rectangular opening  109  is defined in the outer wall  1011  and communicates with the receiving cavity  104 . A cutout  112  is defined in an outer surface of each of the first and the second sidewalls  101 , 102  for receiving a solder pad  113  therein. A pair of holes  110  is juxtaposed in a rearward surface of the front wall  150 . Two posts  111  respectively project upwardly from the top wall (not labeled) of the first sidewall  101  and a top surface (not labeled) of the second sidewall  102  for positioning the connector  1  on a printed circuit board (not shown). 
     Particularly referring to FIG. 1, each electrical terminal  12  comprises a planar portion  120  for fixing the terminal in the housing  10 , a contact portion  121  rearwardly extending from an end of the planar portion  120  and a soldering pad  122  formed at an opposite end of the planar portion  120 . The contact portion  121  has an arcuate protrusion  123  adjacent a free end thereof for electrically connecting with complementary contacts of the electronic card  2 . The soldering pad  122  is parallel with the planar portion  120 . An upright portion  124  connects the soldering pad  122  with the planar portion  120 . 
     The ejector mechanism includes a pair of first spring elements  130 , a push block  131 , a push-rod  136 , a second spring element  142  and an actuator  143 . In this embodiment of the present invention, both the pair of first spring elements  130  and the second spring element  142  are compression springs. The push block  131  forms a wedge  135  on one side thereof (see FIG. 2) and forms a protrusion  1310  on a second opposite side thereof. A stop face  1311  is formed on a forward surface of the protrusion  1310 . A slide slot  132  is defined in the second side of the push block  131  for receiving the actuator  143 . The slide slot  132  comprises a straight groove  133  horizontally extending from a forward end  1312  of the push block  131  and an inclined groove  134  obliquely continuing from the straight groove  133  and extending rearwardly and upwardly. The push-rod  136  includes a first arm  138  and a second arm  137  extending perpendicular to the first arm  138 . A bottom surface  1371  of the second arm  137  is substantially lower than a bottom surface  1381  of the first arm  138 . A rib  139  is formed on an outward side  1372  of the second arm  137  and opposite to the first arm  138 . The rib  139  has an end  140  for engaging with the actuator  143  and the stop face  1311  of the push block  131 . A guiding channel  141  is defined between a top surface of the rib  139  and the outward side  1372  of the second arm  137 . The actuator  143  includes an elongated main body  144 , a hook  145  laterally extending from a rear end of an inner side of the main body  144 , and a circular protrusion  146  formed on an outer side of the main body  144  opposite to the hook  145 . 
     In assembly, referring to FIG. 3, the first spring elements  130  are partly received in the corresponding holes  110  of the housing  10 . The second spring element  142  is received in the receiving cavity  104  of the first sidewall  101  and has an end abutting the rear of the front wall  150 . Then the push block  131  is inserted into the receiving cavity  104  and has its forward end  1312  contacting with the second spring element  142 . The actuator  143  is movably upwardly and downwardly received in the notch  106 , and the protrusion  146  of the actuator  143  is movably forwardly and rearwardly received in the inclined groove  134  of the push block  131 . The push-rod  136  is inserted into the housing  10 , and the second arm  137  thereof is received in the trough  108  of the base  100  with its outward side  1372  abutting the inner wall  1012 . The rib  139  of the pushrod  136  is slidably received in the recess  107  of the inner wall  1012 . The first arm  138  extends over the base  100  with a bottom surface  1381  thereof touching a top surface of the base  100 . 
     In the initial state, shown in FIG. 3, the first spring elements  130  and the second spring element  142  are slightly compressed. The hook  145  of the actuator  143  is received in the guiding channel  141  of the pushrod  136  and is confined in an upper part of the notch  106  of the inner wall  1012  by the rib  139 . With the urging force applied to the push block  131  by the second spring element  142 , the actuator  143  is under a force from the inclined groove  134  urging it to abut downwardly against the rib  139 . The end  140  of the rib  139  of the push-rod  136  abuts against the stop face  1311  of the push block  131 , thereby preventing the push-rod  136  from being pushed completely out of the connector  1  by the first spring elements  130 . The protrusion  146  is locked in the inclined groove  134 , resisting a combined pushing force produced by the first and the second spring elements  130  and  142 . The wedge  135  of the push block  131  is received in the opening  109  of the first sidewall  101 , but does not engage with the rearward side of the opening  109  (see FIG. 7 for approximation). 
     Referring to FIGS. 1,  2 ,  4  and  5 , when the electronic card  2  is inserted into the connector  1 , a front edge (not labeled) of the card  2  pushes the first arm  138  of the push-rod  136  and drives the push-rod  136  to move forwardly. At the same time, the first arm  138  of the push-rod  136  compresses the first spring elements  130 . The second spring element  142  tends to push the push block  131  to move rearwardly and, once the rib  139  moves forward from beneath the hook  145 , the downward acting force exerted on the actuator  143  by the push block  131  pushes the actuator  143  to move downwardly in the notch  106  from the guiding channel  141  until the hook  145  engages with the end  140  of the rib  139  to lock the push-rod  136  at the position shown in FIG.  4 . This position can be called a card-inserted position. At the same time, the protrusion  146  of the actuator  143  moves along the inclined groove  134 , through a junction of the inclined groove  134  and the straight groove  133 , to approximately the free end of the straight groove  133 . The wedge  135  of the push block  131  now abuts against the rear end of the opening  109  that serves as a rearmost limit position of the push block  131 . The wedge  135 , therefore, prevents the push block  131  from being pushed completely out of the housing  10 . Therefore the electronic card  2  is reliably received in the connector  1 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, when an external force is exerted on the push block  131  in the direction of the arrow F (shown in FIG.  6 ), the push block  131  moves forwardly in the receiving cavity  104 , the wedge  135  moving forwardly along the opening  109 , and the push block  131  compresses the second spring element  142 . During this forward motion of the push block  131 , the protrusion  146  is forced to move rearward in the slide slot  132 , passing the junction of the inclined groove  134  and the straight groove  133  and moving rearward, uppermost to the end of the inclined groove  134 . As the actuator  143  correspondingly moves upward in the notch  106 , the hook  145  of the actuator  143  disengages from the end  140  of the rib  139  and is received in the guiding channel  141 . With the hook  145  being clear of the way, the first spring elements  130  urge the push-rod  136  to move rearwardly along the trough  108  of the housing. Thus the electronic card  2  is ejected out of the connector  1 . When the external force is removed, the second spring element  142  is released and the ejector mechanism automatically comes back to the initial state as shown in FIG.  3 . 
     The external force is only required to urge the hook  145  of the actuator  143  to disengage from the end  140  of the rib  139 . It is the force automatically produced by the compressed the first spring elements  130  that ejects the card outward. Thus, the operation is more labor-saving than those of conventional ejector mechanisms. 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.