Abstract:
In a memory card connector for an information apparatus, a memory card can be prevented from being damaged in its inserting and ejecting operation by performing the inserting and ejecting operation of the memory card stably as a linear motion, a memory card connector for an information apparatus includes two frames separately having a memory card insertion portion, a plurality of connector terminals installed at a certain side of the each frame and connected to a memory card, a card tray for being mounted the memory card and moving back and forth inside the each frame, and an inserting and ejecting means for installing the card tray inside the frame and moving the card tray outwardly.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a memory card connector for an information apparatus, and in particular to a memory card connector for an information apparatus which is capable of preventing a memory card from being damaged in injecting and ejecting operation and preventing a memory card from projecting abruptly from a connector by including a memory card tray.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    As depicted in FIG. 1, in a memory card connector for an information apparatus in accordance with the prior art, a memory card insertion portion  2  is formed inside a frame  1 , and a plurality of connector terminals  3  for transmitting signals to a terminal CT of a memory card C are installed at the inner surface of the memory card insertion portion  2 .  
           [0005]    The plurality of connector terminals  3  are extended-installed from the rear of the memory card insertion portion  2  opposite to the front of the frame  1  where the memory card C is inserted.  
           [0006]    In the meantime, as depicted in FIG. 2, a substrate contact portion  3 ′ is curved-formed so as to be parallel to a surface of a substrate B in order to connect circuits and elements of the substrate B being mounted the frame  1  on.  
           [0007]    The substrate contact portion  3 ′ connects signals between the substrate B and an connector by contacting to the upper surface of the substrate B.  
           [0008]    And, an eject lever  5  is installed at the inner side of the frame  1  in a length direction of the frame  1 .  
           [0009]    An interlocking unit  5 ′ is curved-formed at the outer end of the eject lever  5  in order to interlock with an eject knob (not shown) installed at the exterior of the information apparatus and is operated by a user.  
           [0010]    In the meantime, an operating lever  7  is installed at the rear of the frame  1  so as to horizontally cross the installation portion of the plurality of connector terminals.  
           [0011]    The operating lever  7  pushes the memory card C inserted into the memory card insertion portion  2  outside of the connector by rotating at a certain angle centering around a rotation center pin I P formed in the frame  1 .  
           [0012]    And, the operating lever  7  is operated by the eject lever  5 , an interlocking groove  7 ′ is formed at the side of the operating lever  7 , an interlocking protrusion  6  for interlocking with the operating lever  7  is formed in the interlocking groove  7 ′ so as to contact to the eject lever  5 .  
           [0013]    And, an assembly hole  8  for assembling the rotation center pin  1 P and a combination hole  8 ′ which can be a rotation center of the operating lever  7  by combining with the rotation center pin  1 P are formed inside the operating lever  7  and interlocking groove  7 ′.  
           [0014]    Herein, the assembly hole  8  is formed greater than a diameter of the rotation center pin  1  P, and the combination hole  8 ′ is formed same as or a little bit greater than the diameter of the rotation center pin  1 P.  
           [0015]    In addition, as depicted in FIG. 1, a push unit  9  is formed at the opposite side of the rotation center pin  1 P so as to contact to the end portion of the memory card C in order to push the memory card C outwardly.  
           [0016]    As depicted in FIG. 2, the memory card connector in accordance with the prior art is installed on the substrate B.  
           [0017]    In other words, the frame  1  is installed onto the substrate B, and the substrate contact portion  3 ′ of the plurality of connector terminals  3  is surface-welded so as to contact to the substrate B.  
           [0018]    On that basis, when the memory card C is inserted into the memory card insertion portion  2  of the frame  1  from the exterior of the information apparatus by the user, the plurality of terminals CT of the memory card C can be contacted to the plurality of connector terminals  3 , accordingly signals can be contacted between the memory card C and information apparatus. (i.e., in more detail, signals can be contacted between the memory card C and the substrate B.)  
           [0019]    When the memory card C is inserted into the frame  1 , the push unit  9  of the operating lever  7  is tightly contacted to the rear end of the memory card C.  
           [0020]    Hereinafter, the operation for ejecting the memory card C from the information apparatus will now be described.  
           [0021]    When the user pushes the eject lever  5  in an arrow direction as shown in FIG. 1, the interlocking protrusion  6  and the interlocking groove  7 ′ are interlocked by the movement of the eject lever  5 , the operating lever  7  rotates in a counter-clockwise direction centering around the rotation center pin  1 P as shown in FIG. 1, accordingly the push unit  9  of the operating lever  7  outwardly pushes the memory card C.  
           [0022]    As described above, when the memory card C outwardly projects a little by the operation of the eject lever  5 , the user can grasp the memory card C and can eject the memory card C from the information apparatus.  
           [0023]    However, the memory card connector for the information apparatus in accordance with the prior art has below problems.  
           [0024]    First, because the push unit  9  is constructed so as to push not both rear ends of the memory card C but the one rear end of the memory card C, although the operating lever  7  pushes the memory card C by rotating, the all push power can not be used for pushing the memory card C outwardly but part of the push power is used for a rotation moment of the memory card C.  
           [0025]    Accordingly, the ejecting operation of the memory card C can not be performed smoothly, and at the same time the memory card may be easily damaged by rubbing with the side wall of the frame  1  due to the rotation moment.  
           [0026]    In addition, when the ejecting operation is not performed smoothly, the user has to insert the memory card C again inside the memory card insertion portion C in order to eject the memory card C by operating the eject lever  5 .  
           [0027]    In the meantime, in order to solve above-mentioned problems, a stroke of the eject lever  5  has to increase in order to push the memory card C more securely, as well as the size of the memory card connector has to increase in accordance with the increase of the stroke of the eject lever  5 , accordingly it is inappropriate because of an area increase problem on the substrate B.  
           [0028]    And, in the ejecting operation of the memory card C, when the memory card C is ejected from the frame  1 , because there is no unit for holding the memory card C, the memory card C may be totally separated from the information apparatus and may be damaged due to a collision with a floor.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0029]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a memory card connector for an information apparatus which is capable of performing the inserting/ejecting operation of a memory card into/from a memory card connector as a linear motion.  
           [0030]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a memory card connector for an information apparatus which is capable of performing the inserting/ejecting operation of a memory card more securely.  
           [0031]    In order to achieve the objects of the present invention, there is a memory card connector for an information apparatus in accordance with the present invention including two frames separately having a memory card insertion portion, a plurality of connector terminals installed at a certain side of the each frame and connected to a memory card, a card tray for being mounted the memory card and moving back and forth inside the each frame, and an inserting and ejecting means for installing the card tray inside the frame and moving the card tray outwardly. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0032]    [0032]FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating a memory card connector for an information apparatus in accordance with the prior art;  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 2 is a side sectional view illustrating the memory card connector for the information apparatus in accordance with the prior art installed onto a substrate of an information apparatus;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a disassembled memory card connector for an information apparatus in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating the memory card connector for the information apparatus in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating an eject spring of the memory card connector for the information apparatus in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating the memory card connector for the information apparatus in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0038]    Hereinafter, the preferred embodiment of a memory card connector for an information apparatus in accordance with the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to accompanying drawings.  
         [0039]    As depicted in FIGS.  3 ˜ 5 , each frame  10 ,  10 ′ including a memory card insertion portion  11  is orderly laminated.  
         [0040]    Guide protrusions  12 ,  12 ′ guiding the lamination of the each frame  10 ,  10 ′ are formed at the side ends of the each frame  10 ,  10 ′.  
         [0041]    And, insertion grooves (not shown) are formed on the bottom surface of the each frame  10 ,  10 ′ so as to correspond to the guide protrusions  12 ,  12 ′.  
         [0042]    The frames  10 ,  10 ′ have the same shape, and it is possible to laminate a plurality of the frames consecutively in another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0043]    And, at least one fixation groove  13  is formed on the upper surface of the each frame  10 ,  10 ′ in order to combine the frames  10 ,  10 ′.  
         [0044]    It is advisable to form four fixation grooves  13  on the upper surface of the each frame  10 ,  10 ′.  
         [0045]    In addition, a plurality of bridging protrusions  14  are formed on the outer side surface of the each frame  10 ,  10 ′ in order to combine a housing  40  to the each frame  10 ,  10 ′ more securely by corresponding to a plurality of bridging holes  44  of the housing  40 .  
         [0046]    And, a regulation unit  15  is formed at the upper side surface of the memory card insertion portion  11  of the each frame  10 ,  10 ′.  
         [0047]    The regulation unit  15  guides movement of a card tray  30  and regulates the movement at the same time.  
         [0048]    In other words, a guide surface  15   a  parallel to the side wall of the each frame  10 ,  10 ′ guides transferring of the card tray  30 , and a regulate surface  15   b  vertical to the side wall of the each frame  10 ,  10 ′ regulates the transferring (ejection degree) of the card tray  30 .  
         [0049]    In addition, a plurality of connector terminals  17  are installed from the interior of the memory card insertion portion  11  to the exterior of the each frame  10 ,  10 ′.  
         [0050]    The plurality of connector terminals  17  connect electrically a memory card to a main substrate (not shown) of the information apparatus.  
         [0051]    The plurality of connector terminals  17  of the frame  10  to be placed at the upper portion are formed so as to be shorter than the plurality of connector terminals  17  of the frame  10 ′ to be placed at the lower portion in order to install together the plurality of connector terminals  17  of the laminated frames  10 ,  10 ′ on a main substrate.  
         [0052]    In more detail, by forming the plurality of connector terminals of the frame  10  relatively adjacent to the main substrate so as to be shorter and forming the plurality of connector terminals of the frame  10 ′ relatively distant from the main substrate so as to be longer, the plurality of connector terminals  17  of the each laminated frame  10 ,  10 ′ can be installed on the main substrate equally.  
         [0053]    The plurality of connector terminals  17  of the frame  10  are formed so as to contact with the plurality of connector terminals  17  of the frame  10 ′ by the same functions.  
         [0054]    In the meantime, a card tray  30  is fixed inside the memory card insertion portion  11  of the each frame  10 ,  10 ′, and an eject lever  20  is installed at a certain side of the each frame  10 ,  10 ′.  
         [0055]    The eject lever  20  is for ejecting the memory card from the information apparatus by interlocking with an eject knob (not shown) exposed at the exterior of the information apparatus.  
         [0056]    An incline surface  21  is formed at the rear end of the eject lever  20 .  
         [0057]    And, as depicted in FIG. 5, an eject spring  25  is formed inside the each frame  10 ,  10 ′. The eject spring  25  is a kind of plate spring, the eject spring  25  has a first curved portion  25   a  formed from a fixation portion  26  fixed to a certain side of the each frame  10 ,  10 ′ and a second curved portion  25   b  connected to the first curved portion  25   a.    
         [0058]    Herein, an interlocking flap  26 ′ contacting to the incline surface  21  is formed at the end of the second curved portion  25   b  of the ejecting spring  25 .  
         [0059]    In addition, a bridging hole  27  and a bridging flap  28  for fixing the card tray  30  are formed at the first curved portion  25   a  of the eject spring  25 .  
         [0060]    The bridging flap  28  is curved-formed at the side of the bridging hole  27  in order to support a bridging protrusion  33 .  
         [0061]    In the meantime, a spring  29  is installed at the both inner sides of the each frame  10 ,  10 ′ and provides the elasticity for ejecting the card tray  30  outwardly.  
         [0062]    The memory card C is mounted on the card tray  30 , the card tray  30  is installed so as to be movable back and forth inside the memory card insertion portion  11  of the each frame  10 ,  10 ′.  
         [0063]    And, a mounting surface  31  is formed on the upper surface of the card tray  30 , and the bridging protrusion  33  is formed at the side end of the card tray  30  so as to correspond to the bridging hole  27  of the eject spring  25 .  
         [0064]    The bridging protrusion  33  fixes the card tray  30  inside the memory card insertion portion  11  by combining with the bridging hole  27 .  
         [0065]    And, an elastic lever  35  having an elasticity is formed at a certain side opposite to the bridging protrusion  27 , the elastic lever  35  pushes the memory card with the elasticity, accordingly the memory card  30  can be fixed inside the card tray  30  more securely.  
         [0066]    The elastic lever  35  is formed first so as to become narrow inwardly and later become wider outwardly in a front direction of the card tray  30 .  
         [0067]    And, spring guides  37 ,  37 ′ are formed at the both sides of the card tray  30 , the springs  29  are placed inside the spring guides  37 ,  37 ′.  
         [0068]    Most length of the spring  29  is placed inside the spring guides  37 ,  37 ′, respectively.  
         [0069]    And, a plurality of terminal slots  38  for the plurality of connector terminals  17  placed in the memory card insertion portion  11  are formed on the mounting surface  31  of the card tray  30 .  
         [0070]    The plurality of connector terminals  17  are exposed to the upper surface of the card tray  30  through the plurality of terminals slots  38  and contact to the memory card mounted on the mounting surface  31 .  
         [0071]    The housing  40  is formed by curving a metal plate in order to combine the each frame  10 ,  10 ′.  
         [0072]    And, a plurality of fixation flaps  43  are formed so as to correspond to the plurality of fixation grooves  13  of the frame  10  in order to combine the housing  40  with the frames  10 ,  10 ′.  
         [0073]    In addition, a plurality of bridging holes  44  are punched through the side surface of the housing  40  so as to correspond to the plurality of bridging protrusions  14  of the each frame  10 ,  10 ′, by inserting the plurality of bridging protrusions  14  into the plurality of bridging holes  44 , the each frame  10 ,  10 ′ and housing  40  can combine more securely and accurately.  
         [0074]    The operation of the memory card connector for the information apparatus will now be described in detail.  
         [0075]    First, the each frame  10 ,  10 ′ is orderly laminated by using the guide protrusions  12 ,  12 ′, and the laminated frames  10 ,  10 ′ are installed on the housing  40 .  
         [0076]    Herein, the plurality of fixation flaps  43  are curved so as to correspond to the plurality of fixation grooves  13  of the frame, the plurality of bridging protrusions  14  are inserted into the plurality of bridging holes  44  of the housing  40 , accordingly the housing  40  and the frames  10 ,  10 ′ are combined and fixed.  
         [0077]    Accordingly, the plurality of connector terminals  17  which are installed at the each frame  10 ,  10 ′ are gathered and piled up.  
         [0078]    And, the frames  10 ,  10 ′ fixed to the housing  40  are installed on the main substrate. Herein, the plurality of connector terminals  17  are inserted into a hole of the main substrate and performs electric connection between circuits and elements of the main substrate.  
         [0079]    Hereinafter, the inserting and ejecting operation of the memory card into or from the memory card connector for the information apparatus in accordance with the present invention will now be described.  
         [0080]    [0080]FIG. 6 is a front view illustrating the memory card connector for the information apparatus in an insertion standby state, the front end of the card tray  30  is pulled out from the memory card insertion portion  11  of the each frame  10   10 ′.  
         [0081]    Herein, as depicted in FIG. 6, in pulling the card tray  30  out, the rear end of the elastic lever  35  connected to the card tray  30  is regulated by the regulation surface  15   b  as shown in FIG. 3.  
         [0082]    Accordingly, although the elasticity of the spring  29  works, the card tray  30  does not project outwardly.  
         [0083]    In addition, the both side surfaces of the card tray  30  are supported by the both inner side walls and the guide surface  15   a  of the each frame  10 ,  10 ′.  
         [0084]    When the memory card is mounted on the mounting surface  31  of the card tray  30  of the each frame  10 ,  10 ′ and the user inserts the card tray  30  inside the each frame  10 ,  10 ′, the card tray  30  is inserted into the memory card insertion portion  11  of the each frame  10 ,  10 ′ by overcoming the elasticity of the spring  29 .  
         [0085]    Herein, because the bridging protrusion  33  of the card tray  30  presses the eject spring  25  while moving along the second curved portion  25   b  as shown in FIG. 5, the eject spring  25  is elastic-deformed.  
         [0086]    Herein, the bridging protrusion  33  is continually contacted to the second curved portion  25   b.    
         [0087]    As described above, when the inserting operation of the card tray  30  is continued, the bridging protrusion  33  is contacted to the first curved portion  25   a  passing through the second curved portion  25   b , and is inserted into the bridging hole  27  of the eject spring  25  as depicted in FIG. 5.  
         [0088]    [0088]FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating the card tray  30  inserted into the frame  10 , the side of the bridging protrusion  33  is supported by the bridging flap  28 .  
         [0089]    And, the eject spring  25  in the elasticity restoration state acts its elasticity to the card tray  30 .  
         [0090]    In the meantime, the memory card inserted inside the card tray  30  is fixed by being pressed by the elasticity of the elastic lever  35  and is electrically connected to the plurality of connector terminals  17  projected from the card tray  30  through the plurality of terminal slots  38 .  
         [0091]    The inserting operation of the memory card is described as above, the ejecting operation of the memory card from the frame will now be described.  
         [0092]    When the eject lever  20  is pressed by the user, the interlocking flap  26 ′ is pressed by the incline surface  21  of the eject lever  20 , accordingly the eject spring  25  is elastic-deformed.  
         [0093]    Herein, the elasticity deformation of the eject spring  25  works on the first curved portion  25   a  of the eject spring  25  so as to be separated from the card tray  30 , accordingly the bridging protrusion  33  of the card tray  30  is released from the bridging hole  27 .  
         [0094]    Accordingly, the card tray  30  is transferred outside of the memory card insertion portion  11  by a restoring force of the spring  29 .  
         [0095]    Herein, the card tray  30  is guided by the both inner side walls and the guide surface  15   a  of the each frame  10 ,  10 ′.  
         [0096]    Accordingly, the memory card mounted on the card tray  30  can be transferred outside of the each frame  10 ,  10 ′ and can be exposed to outside.  
         [0097]    Herein, because the memory card is fixed inside the card tray  30  by the elastic lever  35 , the memory card is not separated from the each frame  10 ,  10 ′.  
         [0098]    Herein, the user ejects the memory card from the card tray  30  with a power greater than the elasticity of the elastic lever  35 .  
         [0099]    As described above, the memory card connector for the information apparatus in accordance with the present invention can prevent a memory card from being damaged in the inserting and ejecting operation and can provide an accurate transferring track by including a card tray.  
         [0100]    And, the memory card connector for the information apparatus in accordance with the present invention can prevent a memory card from projecting abruptly outside of a memory card connector in the ejecting process by fixing the memory card inside a card tray.  
         [0101]    Accordingly, the memory card connector for the information apparatus in accordance with the present invention can prevent the memory card from being damaged by preventing an abrupt projection in advance.  
         [0102]    As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be constructed broadly within its sprit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the meets and bounds of the claims, or equivalence of such meets and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.