Abstract:
A card connector ( 100 ) is mounted on a printed circuit board for receiving at least two kinds of cards and includes a dielectric housing ( 1 ), a number of contacts ( 2 ) and terminals ( 3 ) being retained in the housing. The housing includes a first receiving space ( 101 ) for receiving a first card ( 5 ) and a second receiving space ( 102 ) for receiving a second card ( 6 ) and the two receiving spaces are provided with a common insertion opening ( 14 ). A pair of guide portions ( 15 ) positioned at an inner corner of the housing adjacent to the opening. Each guide portion includes a first leading surface ( 151 ) for guiding the first card into the first receiving space and a second leading surface ( 152 ) for guiding the second card into the second receiving space.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a connector and more particularly, to a card connector for receiving different type cards. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Card connectors for two smart cards are used for a plurality of applications, for instance in mobile telephones, in payment systems and so on. It is frequently necessary that a card connector is required receiving more than one kind of smart card. U.S. Pat. No. 6,402,529 issued to Saito on Jun. 11, 2002 discloses a card connector. The Saito connector is provided for exchangeably accommodating at least two kinds of cards, or first and second cards, with different thicknesses, different sizes and different alignment positions of a plurality of contact pads. The connector comprises a housing including a top wall, a bottom wall and opposite side walls. The housing includes a first card accommodating portion defined by the side walls and the top and the bottom walls for accommodating the first card, the side walls being adapted to guide side surfaces of the first card. The top wall of the housing defines a downwardly exposed cutout communicating with the first card accommodating portion. A second card accommodating portion defined by the cutout and a portion of the first card accommodating portion beneath the cutout for accommodating the second card, the side walls of the cutout being adapted to guide side surfaces of the second card. It is clear that the first and the second card accommodating portions are different because of different thicknesses, different sizes of the cards. Therefore the first and second cards can be selectively inserted into the first and second card accommodating portions, respectively. 
   However, to be inserted into the connector, the cards must accurately aim at corresponding card accommodating portions and then can be inserted into corresponding slots. As a result, users cannot insert the cards quickly and conveniently. 
   Hence, a card connector with improved insertion slots is needed to overcome the foregoing shortcomings. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A main object of the present invention is to provide a card connector with guide portion for receiving cards quickly and accurately and conveniently. 
   A card connector according to the present invention is mounted on a printed circuit board for receiving at least two kinds of cards. The connector includes a dielectric housing, a plurality of conductive contacts and conductive terminals being retained in the housing. The housing includes a first receiving space for receiving a first card and a second receiving space for receiving a second card and the two card receiving spaces are provided with a common insertion opening. A pair of guide portions formed on an inner surface of the housing adjacent to the opening. Each guide portion has a wedge-shaped configuration and includes a first leading surface for guiding the first card into the first receiving space and a second leading surface for guiding the second card into the second receiving space. 
   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 a perspective view of a card connector according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a front elevantional view of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-section view taken along the line  3 — 3  of the  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a first card. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a second card. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , a card connector  100  according to the present invention is shown to alternatively receive a first card  5  ( FIG. 4 ) or a second card  6  ( FIG. 5 ). 
   First, let us explain about the two kinds of cards  4 ,  5  that can be inserted into the card connector  100  as embodying the present invention. 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , the first card  5  is used for a SD Card or Multi-Media Card. The first card  5  has a predetermined width and thickness and includes a lower surface  51  and two side surfaces  52 . A plurality of gold fingers  50  are formed on the lower surface  51 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 5 , the second card  6  is used for a Smart Media Card. The second card  6  has a card body which is larger in width but smaller in thickness than the first card  5 . The second card  6  includes a lower surface  61 , two side surfaces  62  and a plurality of circuit traces  60  formed on the lower surface  61 . 
   Next, the embodiment of the card connector  100  according to the present invention will be explained by referring to  FIGS. 1 to 3 . 
   The card connector  100  has a dielectric housing  1  including a top, bottom and apposite side walls  11 ,  13  and  12  which commonly define a receiving space comprising a firs card receiving space  101  and a second card receiving space  102 . A common card insertion opening  14  has a substantially rectangle-shaped configuration and is cooperatively defined by front portions of the top, bottom and sidewalls  11 ,  12  and  13 . A pair of rectangular plates  16  exposed into the receiving space respectively project from rear portions of inner surfaces of the top wall  11  and the bottom wall  13  and each has a planar inner surface parallel to inner surface of the top wall  11 /the bottom wall  13 . A pair of arms  161  extend forwardly and symmetrically from front edge of a corresponding plate  16  and extend along inner surfaces of the side walls  12 . Each pair of arms  161  and the front edge of a corresponding plate  16  define a U-shaped cutout  162  on a corresponding top wall  11 /bottom wall  13 . Two pairs of guide portions  15  respectively and forwardly extend from front edges of the arms  151  and each has a substantially wedge-shaped configuration. The two pairs of guide portions  15  are symmetrically and respectively formed on the top wall  11  and the bottom wall  13  adjacent to the opening  14  for guiding the first card  5  and the second card  6 . Each guide portion  15  includes an inner surface named a first leading surface  15  and an upper surface named a second leading surface  152 . The first leading surfaces  151  extend forwardly and outwardly from the front edges of inner surfaces of corresponding arms  161  and end at junctions of the sidewalls  12  and the top wall  11 /the bottom wall  13 . The second leading surfaces  152  extend forwardly and downwardly/upwardly from the front edges of the plates  16  and end at the junctions of the sidewall  12 , the top wall  11 /the bottom wall  13 . Front end of each first leading surface  151  and front end of a corresponding second leading surface  152  meet at a common point. Because the guide portions  15  of the top wall  11  and the bottom wall  12  are of same configuration, thus, one guiding portion  15  of the bottom wall is illustrated. Referring to  FIG. 3 , the first leading surface  151  decreases outwardly little by little along a first direction A, such as a transverse direction. The second leading surface  152  decreases downwardly along a second direction B, such as a vertical direction, perpendicular to the first direction. Therefore, the guide portion converges in the first direction A and the second direction B. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 3  in conjunction with  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a first card receiving space  101  is defined by the cutouts  162  and opposite inner surfaces of the top wall  11  and the bottom wall  13  and is adjacent to the opening  14 . The scope of the first receiving space  101  is sized corresponding to the outer periphery of the first card  5  for receiving the first card  5 . A second card receiving space  102  is defined by the inner surfaces of the side walls  12 , lower surfaces of the rectangular plate  16  and the arms  161  formed on the top wall  11  and the upper surfaces of the rectangular plate  16  and the arms  161  formed on the bottom wall  13 . The second card receiving space  102  has the same axis as the first receiving space  101  and is lower in height but wider in width than the first receiving space  101  and is sized corresponding to the outer periphery of the second card  6  for receiving the second card  6 . 
   Furthermore, the bottom wall  13  defines a plurality of slots communicating with the first receiving space  101  and a plurality of recesses communicating with the second receiving space  102 . The slots are parallelly defined through a front portion of the bottom wall  13  for receiving a plurality of contacts  2  therein. The recesses are parallelly spaced apart one another through rear portions of the bottom wall  13  and the plate  16  of the bottom wall  13  for receiving a plurality of terminals  3  therein. 
   The contacts  2  are stamped and each has a spring contact section  21  upwardly projecting for connecting with a corresponding gold finger  50  of the first card  5  and a soldering section  22  forwardly extending beyond the front portion of the bottom wall  13  of the housing  1  for soldering to circuit traces of a printed circuit board (PCB, not shown). 
   The terminals  3  are also stamped and each similarly has a contact portion  31  upwardly projecting for connecting with a corresponding circuit trace  60  of the second card  6  and a soldering portion (not shown) rearwardly extending beyond the rear portions of the bottom wall  13  and the plate  16  of the bottom wall  13  for soldering to circuit traces of the PCB. 
   A plurality of board locks  4  extend downwardly along the side walls  12 . Each board lock  4  includes a locking portion  42  locked by the side walls  12  and a tail portion  41  soldered to the PCB. 
   In assembly, the contacts  2  and the terminals  3  are installed in corresponding slots and recesses of the bottom wall  13  respectively. The contact sections  21  of the contacts  2  upwardly project above the slots and the soldering portions  22  forwardly extend beyond the front portion of the bottom wall  13  of the housing  1  for soldering to corresponding circuit traces of the PCB. The contact portions  31  of the terminals  3  upwardly project above the upper surface of the plate  16  of the bottom wall  13  and the soldering portions rearwardly extend beyond the rear portion of the bottom wall  13  of the housing  1  for soldering to corresponding circuit traces of the PCB. The locking portions  41  of the board locks  4  are locked with the side walls  12  and the tail portions  41  are soldered to the PCB. 
   In using, when the first card  5  is inserted into the opening  14 , the first card  5  is guided by the first leading surfaces  151  and enters into the first receiving space  101 . The contact sections  21  of the contacts  2  are deflected downwardly by the inserted first card  5  and electrically connect with the gold fingers  50  of the first card  5 . The transverse movement of the first card  5  is restricted by the cutouts  162  of the top and the bottom walls  11  and  13 . When the second card  6  is inserted into the opening  14 , the second card  6  is guided by the second leading surfaces  152  and enters into the second receiving space  102 . The contact portions  31  of the terminals  3  are deflected downwardly by the inserted second card  6  and electrically connected with the circuit traces  60  of the second card  6 . The vertical movement of the second card  6  is restricted by the inner surfaces of the opposite plates  16  of the top and the bottom walls  11  and  13 . Therefore accurately insertion and extraction is conveniently obtained. 
   It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous, characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set fourth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosed 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.