Card bus connector assembly

A card bus connector assembly mounted within a housing (40) includes a card bus connector (10) and an electronic card (20) having a number of grounding pads (23) disposed on a bottom surface thereof and a wedge-shaped protruding portion (29) disposed in an end portion of the electronic card. The card bus connector has a base (11) and a grounding plate (4) mounted to a bottom surface of the base. The grounding plate has a number of grounding terminals (431) extending upwardly for engaging with the grounding pads of the electronic card.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is directed to a card bus connector assembly mounted within a wedge-shaped housing, and particularly to a card bus connector assembly having a card bus connector for electrically connecting an electronic card to a printed circuit board.

2. Description of Prior Arts

Portable computers equipped with card bus connectors for receiving therein an electronic card which expands the function of the computer have become dominating projects in the market. The card bus connector is mounted on a printed circuit board of the computer and the electronic card has metallic covers. A grounding path must be provided between the electronic card and the printed circuit board so that when the electronic card is inserted into the card bus connector, electrostatic charges accumulated on the metallic covers of the electronic card can be discharged therethrough.

Taiwan Patent No. 314456 issued on Jun. 21, 2007, discloses such a card connector for electrically connecting an electronic card to a printed circuit board. The card connector is mounted within a computer housing of rectangular configuration and comprises a header connector having a base and a number of terminals mounted into the base, a grounding plate assembled to an upper portion of the base in a top-to-bottom direction and having a plurality of ground contacts extending downwardly to electrically connecting with a plurality of contacts disposed on the electronic card. More recently, the computer housing is of wedge-shaped configuration. During assembly, the electronic card which has a wedge-shaped protruding portion disposed at end portion thereof resists against the housing. Thus, the electronic card cannot be completely inserted into the card connector for electrically connecting with the printed circuit board.

Hence, it is desirable to provide an improved card bus connector assembly to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a card bus connector assembly having a card bus connector mounted within a wedge-shaped housing and adapted for insertion of an electronic card having a wedge-shaped protruding portion.

To achieve the above object, a card bus connector assembly mounted within a housing has a card bus connector and an electronic card mounted into the card bus connector for connecting to a printed circuit board. The electronic card has a plurality of first contacts mounted therein, a plurality of grounding pads disposed on a bottom surface thereof. The card bus connector has a base, a plurality of second contacts mounted into the base for engaging with the first contacts, a grounding plate mounted to a bottom surface of the base and having a plurality of grounding terminals extending upwardly for engaging with the grounding pads of the electronic card. The card bus connector further has an ejector mechanism for moving the electronic card to an ejected position and a shield enclosing the housing.

The grounding plate is mounted to a bottom portion of the header connector. When the electronic card having the wedge-shaped protruding portion dispose on the end portion thereof and the grounding pads disposed on the bottom surface thereof is inserted into the housing, the grounding terminals of the grounding plate could be in electrical communication with the grounding pads of the electronic card.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the present invention in detail. Referring toFIG. 1, a card bus connector assembly mounted within a wedge-shaped housing40for connecting to a printed circuit board7comprises a card bus connector10and an electronic card20inserted into the card bus connector10.

ReferringFIGS. 1 and 2, the electronic card20has a plurality of first contacts (not shown) mounted therein, a plurality of grounding pads23disposed on a bottom surface thereof and a wedge-shaped protruding portion29disposed on an end portion thereof for coupling with the wedge-shaped housing40. The electronic card20further has a pair of recesses25,27defined on opposite side edge portions thereof.

Referring toFIG. 3, the card bus connector10has a header connector1comprising a base11and a plurality of second contacts (not shown) mounted into the base11for engaging with the first contacts of the electronic card. The card bus connector10further has a grounding plate4mounted to a bottom portion of the base11, an ejector mechanism6operatively associated with the header connector1for moving the electronic card20to an ejected position and a shield5enclosing the header connector1.

Referring toFIGS. 1,4and5, the base11has a pair of first holes (not labeled) defined on opposite corner portions thereof, a first arm13and an opposite second arm15projecting forwardly and forming a receiving space30therebetween for receiving the electronic card20. The first arm13and the second arm15respectively has a first guiding slot131and a second guiding slot151for guiding the electronic card20. The first arm13has a first protrusion133disposed on an upper portion of the inner surface of the first slot131. The second arm15includes a second protrusion153disposed on a central portion of the inner surface of the second guiding slot151. The first protrusion133and the second protrusion153respectively engages with the recesses25,27of the electronic card20for anti-mismating.

Referring toFIG. 3, the grounding plate4includes a connecting portion41mounted to a bottom portion of the base11, a grounding portion43extending forwardly from the connecting portion41and having a plurality of grounding terminals431extending upwardly for connecting with grounding pads23of electronic card20. The grounding plate4further has a pair of ear portions45each extending upwardly and outwardly and defining a second hole451thereon, corresponding to the first hole.

The shield5comprises a pair of third hole51defined thereon and a side wall53having an opening531defined thereon for coupling with the a bulge155disposed on the second arm15.

Referring toFIGS. 1-3, during assembly, firstly, the grounding plate4and the shield5are respectively mounted to the bottom portion of the base11and a top portion of the base11by a screw (not shown) inserting through the third hole51, the first hole and screwing into the second hole451of the ear portion45. Secondly, the electronic card20is inserted into the receiving space30, with the wedge-shaped protruding portion29coupling with the wedge-shaped housing40. The first contacts of the electronic card20engage with the second contacts of the base11of the header connector1. The grounding terminals431of the grounding plate43electrically connect with the grounding pads23of the electronic card2.