Abstract:
A card connector is disclosed for connecting a memory card. The card connector includes a connecting section for receiving a mating section of a memory card, a guide section that extends from a side of the connecting section for guiding a memory card so that a mating section of the memory card mates with the connecting section, and a that is tab received in the guide section and has a base section, an elastic section that extends from a side of the base section for elastically pressing against a memory card, and a grounding section below the base section for providing electrostatic discharge grounding.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a connector, and more particularly to a card connector for connecting a memory card, such as a compact flash (CF) card or a CFast card. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    With the onslaught of the information age, new computer products have emerged one after another, and relevant peripheral products such as digital printers, digital cameras, digital video cameras, etc. have seen rapid development. Most of these digital products have the capability of loading memory cards as an auxiliary design. Thus, a memory card connector becomes an indispensable loading tool. 
         [0003]    In a conventional memory card connector  7  (as shown in  FIG. 5 ), a metal support  71  having elastic arms is disposed on guide sections  73 , and is combined with a withdrawal mechanism  72 . The metal support  71  is used to press against one side of a memory card to prevent the memory card from being released accidentally when being withdrawn from the connector  7 . 
         [0004]    Although the conventional metal support  71  for pressing against the memory card can prevent the memory card from being released accidentally during withdrawal, the metal support combined with the withdrawal mechanism  72  increases the manufacturing difficulty and cost of the connector  7 . Accordingly, the connector  7  is large volume and thus not suitable for use with electronic products which are ever lighter, thinner, and smaller. Besides, the guide sections  73  of the conventional memory card connector  7  usually do not have a sufficient force for clamping two sides of the memory card, so the memory card easily vibrates due to the shaking of the electronic device after the memory card is inserted into the connector  7 . 
         [0005]    In view of the above, it is really necessary to further provide a connector which can prevent the memory card from being released accidentally during withdrawal without using the metal support with the withdrawal mechanism, reduce the fabrication cost and the volume, alleviate vibrations of the memory card when it is received in the connector, and provide desirable grounding, as well as other advantages. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    Accordingly, the primary objective of the present invention is to provide a connector which is capable of preventing a memory card from being released accidentally during withdrawal without using a withdrawal mechanism and a metal support. 
         [0007]    Another objective of the present invention is to provide a connector which is cheaper to manufacture and smaller than a conventional connector. 
         [0008]    A further objective of the present invention is to provide a connector which is capable of alleviating vibration of a memory card when the memory card is received therein. 
         [0009]    A further objective of the present invention is to provide a connector which is capable of providing electrostatic discharge (ESD) grounding. 
         [0010]    In order to achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a card connector for connecting a memory card, which comprises: a housing; a connecting section, provided on a side of the housing and used for receiving a mating section of the memory card; and a pair of opposite guide sections, each extending from a side of the connecting section to guide the memory card, so that the mating section of the memory card can be connected in a mating engagement with the connecting section of the card connector. Each of the guide sections includes: a slot provided in an inner surface of the guide section; a hole provided in the guide section; and a tab received in the guide section. The tab has a base section, a pair of elastic sections, each elastic section extending from a side of the base section, and a grounding section located below the base section. At least one part of each of the two elastic sections protrudes from the slot of the guide section, and the grounding section protrudes from the hole. 
         [0011]    The tabs can provide maximum lifting retention and shear forces due to insertion and extraction of the memory card, the elastic sections of the tabs can provide a balanced support along two sides of the card, and the grounding sections of the tabs can provide ESD grounding. 
         [0012]    To make persons skilled in the art understand the technical features of the present invention and implement the present invention accordingly, the following embodiments are illustrated in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the description is merely intended to illustrate the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and not to limit the present invention in any way. Any modification or variation made without departing from the spirit of the present invention falls within the scope of the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a connector in the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b  are schematic three-dimensional views of a connector in the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a schematic view illustrating combination of a connector and a memory card according to the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b  are schematic structural views of a tab of a connector in the present invention; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a three-dimensional view of a conventional memory card connector. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , a card connector  1  according to an embodiment of the present invention can be used to connect a card  9 . The card  9  is an integrated circuit (IC) having a memory configured therein, for example a CF card or a CFast card. The card  9  has a mating section, which can be used to mate with a connecting section (as described below) of the card connector  1 , so that the card connector  1  and the card  9  are electrically connected. 
         [0019]    The card connector  1  includes: an insulating housing  5 ; a connecting section  3 , provided on one side of the housing  5  and used for engaging and connecting with the mating section of the card  9 ; and a pair of guide sections  4  and  5 , extending laterally from two sides of the connecting section  3 . The guide sections  4  and  5  are used to guide the mating section of the card  9  to the connecting section  3  of the card connector  1 . 
         [0020]    Slots  41 ,  43  and  51 ,  53  are provided in lateral inner surfaces of the guide sections  4  and  5 , respectively, and guide slots  47 ,  57  are provided below the slots  41 ,  43  and  51 ,  53 , respectively. Furthermore, elongate openings  45 ,  55  are provided in the upper surfaces of the guide sections  4  and  5 , respectively. Holes  42 ,  52  are provided in lower surfaces of the guide sections  4  and  5 , respectively, and are substantially located below a portion between the slots  41 ,  43  and  51 ,  53 , respectively. Besides, grooves  44 ,  54  are provided in the lateral outer surfaces of the guide sections  4  and  5 , respectively, and can be in communication with the elongate openings  45 ,  55  and the holes  42 ,  52 . 
         [0021]    Each of guide sections  4 ,  5  of the card connector  1  in the present invention has a tab  6  provided therein. As shown in  FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b , the tab  6  can be made of a conductive metal material, and has a base section  61 , two elastic sections  62  and  63 , and a grounding section  64 . Each of the elastic sections  62  and  63  of the tab  6  is an arm integrally extending substantially horizontally from each side of the base section  61  and is bent to form a ridge (as shown in  FIG. 4   b ). The grounding section  64  of the tab  6  is located below the base section  61 , and can be formed substantially perpendicular to and integrally with the base section  61 . The base section  61  of the tab  6  has a tongue-like protrusion  65 . 
         [0022]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the tab  6  can be vertically inserted into the guide sections  4 ,  5  of the card connector  1  through the elongate openings  45 ,  55  on the guide sections  4 ,  5  of the card connector  1 , respectively. When the tab  6  is vertically inserted into the guide sections  4 ,  5  of the card connector  1 , the grounding section  64  formed substantially perpendicular to the base section  61  can reach the holes  42 ,  52  of the guide sections  4 ,  5  through the grooves  44 ,  54  of the guide sections  4 ,  5 . Furthermore, after the tab  6  is inserted into the guide sections  4 ,  5  of the card connector  1 , the tongue-like protrusion of the tab  6  can press against the backside inner wall (located in the guide sections  4 ,  5 , not shown) of the portion between the slots  41 ,  43  and  51 ,  53 , so as to ensure that the tab  6  is well fixed in the guide sections  4 ,  5 . 
         [0023]    As shown in  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b , when the tab  6  is fixed in the guide sections  4 ,  5 , the elastic sections  62  and  63  of the tab  6  are exposed to the slots  41 ,  43  and  51 ,  53 , and the ridges of the elastic sections  62 ,  63  face the slots  41 ,  43  and  51 ,  53 , so that the elastic sections  62  and  63  slightly extend out of the slots  41 ,  43  and  51 ,  53 . Besides, when the tab  6  is fixed in the guide sections  4 ,  5 , the grounding section  64  of each tab  6  is exposed and slightly protrudes from the holes  42 ,  52  respectively. 
         [0024]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , when the card  9  is inserted into the card connector  1 , the connecting section of the card  9  faces the connecting section  3  of the card connector  1 , lateral sides of the card are inserted into the guide slots  47  and  57  of the guide sections  4  and  5  of the card connector  1 , and the card  9  is moved towards the connecting section  3  of the card connector  1  along the direction indicated by the arrow. 
         [0025]    When the card  9  is inserted into the card connector  1 , the elastic sections  62  and  63  of each tab  6  contact the two lateral sides of the card  9  and are pressed by the two lateral sides of the card  9 , so as to be flexibly bent. In this way, the elastic sections  62  and  63  that are pressed and bent can provide a resilient elastic force to press against the two lateral sides of the card  9 . 
         [0026]    Each tab  6  is vertically inserted into the guide sections  4 ,  5  of the card connector, and thus provides a maximum retention force during the insertion and extraction of the card  9 . Moreover, when the card  9  is inserted into the card connector  1 , the elastic sections  62  and  63  of the tab  6  provide an elastic force which is towards the lateral sides of the card  9  and presses against the card  9 , so that the card  9  can be securely clamped. The ESD grounding efficacy can be achieved by the grounding section  64  of the tab  6 . 
         [0027]    The above embodiments can be modified in accordance with the spirit of the present invention, for example, the manner of fixing each tab in the guide section of the card connector, the appearance and form of the elastic section of the tab, or the like, may be modified. Alternatively, the guide section may have more than one slot, or the tab  6  may be formed by separate members. Such modifications would not depart from the spirit and important characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments listed above are illustrative and not limitative in any way, and all variations fall within the scope of the present invention as long as they conform to the meaning and scope of the claims or their equivalents. 
       LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
       [0000]    
       
           1  Connector 
           2  Housing 
           3  Connecting section 
           4  Guide section 
           41  Slot 
           42  Hole 
           43  Slot 
           44  Groove 
           45  Opening 
           47  Guide slot 
           5  Guide section 
           51  Slot 
           52  Hole 
           53  Slot 
           54  Groove 
           55  Opening 
           57  Guide slot 
           6  Tab 
           61  Base section 
           62  Elastic section 
           63  Elastic section 
           64  Grounding section 
           65  Tongue-like protrusion 
           9  Memory card 
           7  Connector 
           71  Metal support 
           72  Withdrawal mechanism 
           73  Guide section