Card connector with two-stage ejection mechanism and card-retaining mechanism

The present invention provides a card connector with two-stage ejection mechanism and card-retaining mechanism. The card connector includes a plastic case body, a shielding case cover and a two-stage ejection mechanism assembled therebetween. The plastic case body has a heart-shaped cam groove for engagement with a pin member. The shielding case cover has a guiding groove. A flexural border is formed on one side of the side border of the guiding groove. The two-stage ejection mechanism includes a slider. The retaining elastic pin extends a retaining portion towards the memory card for engagement with a groove on one side of the memory card, so that the memory is stably and reliably retained and the card connector is compact and light-weight.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a card connector, and more specifically to a card connector with two-stage ejection mechanism and card-retaining mechanism, a memory card can be stably and reliably retained in the card connector.

2. The Related Art

Nowadays, with the development of Personal Computer and the related electronic products, many kinds of memory cards are widely applied, such as PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) card, SD (Secure Digital) card and CF (Compact Flash) card. Accordingly, card connectors applied in such products appear. Especially, the card connector with two-stage ejection mechanism and card-retaining mechanism is widely applied.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,537,090 discloses a card connector with two-stage ejection mechanism and card-retaining mechanism. The card connector comprises a case cover, a plastic case for engagement with the case cover, a card detachable mechanism and a card-retaining mechanism. The card detachable mechanism and the card-retaining mechanism are installed between the case cover and the plastic case.

The card detachable mechanism disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,537,090 comprises a repositioning spring, a slider, a pin member and a heart-shaped cam groove. The repositioning spring is clamped between the slider and the plastic case. The slider is smoothly engaged with one side of the plastic case. The heart-shaped cam groove is formed on the plastic case. One end of the pin member for engagement with the slider and the other end of the pin member is put into the heart-shaped cam groove. The other end of the pin member moves back and forth along the heart-shaped the heart-shaped cam groove.

The card-retaining mechanism has a pin support embedded in the slider. The pin support has a J-shaped engaging projection at the rear for engagement with a groove formed on a memory card. According to the J-shaped engaging projection of the pin support, a corresponding groove is formed on the slider in order to supply enough space for the J-shaped engaging projection to metamorphose under the pressure of card. The pin support further flexes a pressing support for engagement with the pin member, so that the pin member would not release engagement with the heart-shaped cam groove due to upward movement when it reciprocates in the heart-shaped cam groove.

When operating, firstly, the memory card is put into the front of card-inserting space formed between the case cover and the plastic case. Then, the memory card is put to move forward as the first section operation. At the same time, the memory card is pushed to the memory card retaining position at the back of the card-insertion space by means of reciprocation of the pin member. Simultaneously the memory card is fixedly located in the card-insertion space by the engagement between the J-shaped engaging projection of the pin support and the notch of the memory card. During the second period of pushing memory card forwardly, the memory card is ejected backward from the card retaining position through the reciprocation movement of the pin member and the elasticity of the spring. In the mean while, the J-shaped engaging projection of the pin support deforms elastically to the slider under the pressure of the card, and then gets out from the groove of the card. Then, the engagement between the memory card and the card connector is released. In the end, the memory is taken out from the card-insertion space without any effort.

In the above-mentioned card connector, however, the pin support and the slider are respectively prepared and then assembled. It is difficult to satisfy the need to make a card connector compact and light-weight. Furthermore, only depending on the elasticity of the pin support to engage a notch of the memory card with the J-shaped engaging projection for retaining would cause the memory card to be drawn out from the card connector easily, but to be retained therein difficultly.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,537,090 discloses another card connector with two-stage card ejection mechanism and card-retaining mechanism. The card connector has a guiding portion set on the plastic case body. When a memory card is inserted, a guiding pin guides a retaining elastic pin to slide along. When the retaining elastic pin is elastically deformed, a hook formed at the free end of the retaining elastic pin stretches into a groove on one side of a memory card, so that the memory card is retained in a card inserting space. When the retaining elastic pin restores elasticity, the hook retracts from a groove of the memory card, accordingly, to release the engagement between the memory card and the card connector. When the memory card is repeatedly inserted and extracted by means of the persistent propping of the guiding portion, although the memory card can be reliably retained in the card connector, the stress on the back of the retaining elastic pin connected with the slider is intensive. Additionally, the retaining elastic pin is easy to be distorted due to fatigue, even to release the engagement with the slider, because the retaining elastic pin is separately formed with the slider as a whole.

In addition, the pressing elastic pin used to confine the pin member is not designed as a whole. One pressing elastic pin is cut from the top of the shielding case cover corresponding to the member pin, or a pressing portion is extended from the front of the plastic slider, in order to confine the pin member, accordingly, it is difficult to leave the heart-shaped cam groove. The pressing elastic pin is formed on the top of the shielding case cover. The design makes the slider, the retaining elastic pin and the pressing elastic pin formed respectively. It is difficult to make the card connector compact and light-weight. A pressing portion is extended from the front of the plastic slider, so that it cannot make the card connector compact and light-weight enough due to too large volume. Furthermore, because the engagement between the pressing portion and the pin member is inelastic, it is easy for the pressing portion to release the engagement for the pin member and become ineffective due to fatigue.

Another card connector with tow-stage ejection mechanism and card-retaining mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,729,892. A guiding groove is set on one side of the top plain of a shielding case cover, which is another kind of design. A guiding groove extends in the card inserting direction with the width of the guiding groove increasing. The guiding groove comprises a straight border and a flexural border. The straight border is near to a side board of a shielding case cover. The flexural border is far away from the side board. The distance between the front of the flexural border and the side board is smaller than the distance between the back of the flexural border and the side board. Accordingly, a retaining elastic pin is guided to prop along the flexural border. When the retaining elastic pin is not deformed elastically, a memory card is retained in a card inserting space. When the retaining elastic pin is deformed elastically, the memory card is extracted from the card connector. The retaining portion is horizontal to the wide end of a guiding groove. A hook at the end of the retaining elastic pin has enough space to move back along the wide end of the guiding groove, when the retaining elastic pin moves relatively to the memory card due to unexpected circumstances. Accordingly, the retaining elastic pin releases the engagement with the groove of the memory card to make the memory card difficult to be reliably retained. Furthermore, it is possible for the retaining elastic pin to release the engagement with the slider and difficult to make the card connector compact and light-weight.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the present invention, a card connector with tow-stage card ejection mechanism and card-retaining mechanism is provided. The card connector comprises a plastic case body, a shielding case cover and a card ejection mechanism therebetween. The plastic case body has a side wall, and sets a heart-shaped cam groove near the side wall. The shielding case cover has a side board for engagement with the side wall of the plastic case body to form a card inserting space. A memory card can be inserted to the card inserting space from the front and stays there. Near to the side board, the shielding case cover has a guiding groove extending from the card inserting direction. The side border adjacent to the side board is a flexural border. The distance between the front of the flexural border and the side board is smaller than the distance between the back of the flexural and the sided board. The two-stage card ejection mechanism includes a pin member. One end of the pin member is movably put in the heart-shaped cam groove of the plastic case body, and another end of the pin member is connected with a slider. A connecting portion connects both ends. The slider is movably engaged with the side wall of the plastic case body. A spring is set between the slider and the plastic case body. One side of the slider is a pressing elastic slice propping the connecting portion of the pin member, and another side of the slider is a support elastic slice extending a guiding arm that stretches into the guiding groove of the shielding case cover and props the flexural border of the guiding groove. The support elastic slice protrudes a supporting part facing to the memory card, and it is on the same axis with the groove set on one side of the memory card.

According to the card connector with two-stage ejection mechanism and card-retaining mechanism of the present invention, the two-stage ejection mechanism further includes a support pin, a spring and a slider that is fixedly connected on one side of the plastic case body.

According to the card connector with two-stage ejection mechanism and memory card-retaining mechanism, the slider has a concave slice with a connecting hole set thereon. One end of the pin member passes through the connecting hole and lies on the concave slice. The top of the other end of the pin member is as high as the slider.

According to the card connector with two-stage ejection mechanism and memory card-retaining mechanism, the support elastic slice is inclined in the opposite direction of the card inserting direction. The supporting pin passing through the spring and the slider. The spring is pressed against one side of the plastic case body.

According to the card connector with two-stage ejection mechanism and memory card-retaining mechanism, the guiding groove has a first straight border far away from the shielding case cover and a second flexural border which comprises a straight border, a flexural border and another straight border.

As the above description, the support elastic slice would become ineffective due to fatigue by means of the connection between the guiding arm of the support elastic slice and the guiding groove of the shielding case cover and the connection between the retaining portion of the support elastic slice and the groove of the memory card. The support elastic slice is also impossible to release the engagement with the slider. Furthermore, when the memory card is located at the retaining position, the guiding arm closely props the outside side border of the guiding groove to make the retaining portion unable to move horizontally and release the engagement with the memory card due to the elasticity of the supporting elastic slice, so that the memory card can be stably and reliably retained in the card connector. The slide, the supporting elastic slice and the pressing elastic slice are formed as a whole, so that the card connector is compact and light-weight and has enough room to accommodate the supporting pin that passes through the spring. In addition, when the memory card is inserted into the card inserting space, the side border of the memory card would not deform due to the friction with the supporting part because the support elastic slice is inclined in the opposite card-inserting direction. Accordingly, the memory card is stably and reliably retained in the card connector. The card connector would become more compact and more light-weight due to the height decrease to the concave slice of the slider.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Now, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail by referring to the accompanying drawings.

AsFIG. 1illustrated, the present invention provides a card connector that has a two-stage ejection mechanism and a card-retaining mechanism. The card connector100comprises a plastic case body20, a shielding case cover40and a two-stage ejection mechanism60assembled between the plastic case body20and the shielding case cover40. A card inserting space30is formed between the plastic case body20and the shielding case cover40. The plastic case body20and the shielding case cover40are engaged with each other to form the card inserting space30. A memory card200inserts the card inserting space30from the front of the card inserting space30in the direction-D and stays therein.

A housing space23is formed between a partitioning wall21extended from one side of the plastic case body20and a side wall22of the plastic case body20. There is a partitioning wall groove24in the front of the partitioning wall21. A heart-shaped cam groove25on the plastic case body20is shaped as a whole in the card inserting space30near to the partitioning wall21. A housing block26is extended from the back wall of the plastic case body20towards the housing space23. A housing hole27is formed in the front of the housing block26.

A side board42is extended from one side of the shielding case cover40for engagement with the side wall22of the plastic case body20. Corresponding to the side wall22, the shielding case cover40has a guiding groove44that tapers in the direction of D. The guiding groove44has a first side border46and a second side border48. The first side border46far from the side board42is a straight border, and the second side border48near to the side board42is a flexural boarder that is connected by a straight board, a flexural board and another straight board in the direction D.

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 4, the two-stage ejection mechanism60of the card connector100comprises a support pin62, a spring64, a pin member66and a slider68. One end of the pin member66is a fixed portion662. The other end of the pin member66is a movable portion666. A connecting portion664connects the fixed portion662and the movable portion666. The slider68has a plain board81. A sliding slice82is flexed from the front of the plain board81and has a sliding hole83thereon. The diameter of the sliding hole83is larger than the outside diameter of the support pin62and less than the inside diameter of the spring64, so that the support pin62passes through the sliding hole83and the spring64props the sliding slice82. On the other side of the slider68, a pressing elastic slice84is formed on the back portion of the slider68and inclines downwards. The middle part of the slider68extends a concave slice85having a connecting hole86extended downwardly at the middle portion of the slider68. A support arm87is downwardly flexed at the front portion of the slider68. The support arm87is nearly perpendicular to the sliding slice82. The center of the support arm87is empty. In the card inserting direction, the front of the support arm87extends a support elastic slice72of which a free end extends upwardly a guiding arm74. A withdrawing groove88is arranged on the plain board81corresponding to the guiding arm74for receiving the guiding arm74therein. The support elastic slice72inclines a little in order to make the guiding arm74to stretch into the withdrawing groove88. The guiding arm74extends a supporting part76. The support elastic slice72deviating from the card inserting space30with small-angel inclination. The side boarder would not deform to be ineffective due to the fraction with the supporting part76, when the memory card200is put into the card inserting space30.

Please refer toFIGS. 2 and 3, When assembling, the slider68is slidable engaged with the partitioning wall21and the side wall22of the plastic case body20. The support arm87is located in the partitioning wall groove24. The sliding slice82is located in the housing space23. The guiding arm74stretches up to the guiding groove44of the shielding case cover40and props the flexural border. By means of the tapered design along the guiding groove44, enough space is provided for the guiding arm74to be easily assembled with the guiding groove44. One end of the support pin62is embedded in the housing hole27, and the other end passes through the sliding hole83of the sliding slice82and props the front of the plastic case body20. The spring64encompasses the support pin62and is elastically accommodated in the housing space23by use of the housing block26propping and stopping action. The fixed portion662of the pin member66passes through the connecting hole86of the slider68and lies on the concave slice85. The top of the fixed portion662is as high as the top plain of the slider68in order to reduce the height of the slider68and to make the card connector compact and light-weight. The movable portion666of the pin member66is movably accommodated in the heart-shaped cam groove25. The pressing elastic slice84props the connecting portion664. When moves back and forth in the heart-shaped cam groove25, the movable portion666always props the pressing elastic slice84, so that the engagement between the movable portion666and the heart-shaped cam groove25would not be released due to jumping.

During operating, firstly, the memory card200is put into the front of the card inserting space30to prepare for the first-stage push action. In the mean while, the supporting part76of the slider68is horizontal to the groove220set on one side of the memory card200. And then, in the direction of card inserting direction D, the memory card200is pushed to start the first push action. At the same time, through the reciprocating movement of the pin member66in the heart-shaped cam groove25, the memory card200can be inserted into the card-retaining place, which is in the back of the card inserting space30. During the first phrase of the push operation, the slider68moves in the card-inserting direction D and the guiding arm74of the slider68props the flexural border48of the guiding groove44. When the guiding arm74propping the first straight border of the flexural border48, the supporting part76keeps the initial distance with the memory card200to move together with the groove220of the memory card200. When the guiding arm74propping the inclined border of the flexural border48, the guiding arm74leads the support elastic slice72to metamorphose elastically to the memory card200in order to make the supporting part76to be embedded gradually into the groove220. When the guiding arm74propping the last straight border of the flexural border48, the supporting part76is always kept in the groove220. At the end of the first operation, the memory card200is retained at the card-retaining location in the back of the card inserting space30. Finally, along the card-inserting direction D, the memory card200is pushed forward as the second push action. In the mean while, the memory card200can be ejected by means of the reciprocating movement of the pin member66in the heart-shaped cam groove25and the elasticity of the spring64. During the second push operation, the guiding arm74of the slider68still props the flexural border48of the guiding groove44and exits together with the memory card200. The support elastic slice72goes far away from the memory card200gradually from the elastic state to the inelastic state for retracting the supporting part76from the groove220of the memory card200and releasing the engagement between the memory card200and the card connector100, so that the memory card200can be ejected from the card inserting space30easily.

As the above description, the support elastic slice72is not easy to become ineffective due to fatigue by means of the connection between the guiding arm74and the guiding groove44and the connection between the retaining portion76and the groove220. The support elastic slice72is also impossible to release the engagement with the slider68. Furthermore, when the memory card200is located at the retaining position76, the guiding arm74closely props the outside side border of the guiding groove44to make the retaining portion76unable to move horizontally and release the engagement with the memory card200, due to the elasticity of the support elastic slice72, so that the memory card200can be stably and reliably retained in the card connector100. In the mean while, the slider68, the support elastic slice72and the pressing elastic slice84are formed as a whole, so that it makes the card connector100compact and light-weight and has enough space to accommodate the support pin62that passes through the spring64.

Finally, the card connector with two-stage card ejection mechanism and card-retaining mechanism of the invention has disclosed the relative art in detail through the above embodiment and relative drawings. The present invention has been described in detail with respect to preferred embodiment, and it will now be apparent from the foregoing to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, and it is the intention, therefore, in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit of the invention.