Card connector

The invention comprises a top board with a plurality of buckling portions, each of two sides of the top board has a bearing hole, a sustaining frame connected with the top board, a spring hole provided in one side of the top board, a cover with an arc rim, two end portions of the cover pivotably mounted in bearing holes of the top board, and a spring connected with the spring hole of top board and providing an elasticity to the cover. The side of the sustaining frame corresponding to the arc rim has a stop projection extending therefrom, the cover corresponding to the stop projection has a receiving notch cooperating with the stop projection to stop the cover when forced to pivot. One side of receiving notch in the cover near the sustaining frame has a flange extending therefrom upwards toward the vertical card-inserting direction. The top of the flange is horizontal for further cooperating with stop projection when the cover is forced to pivot.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a card connector, and more particularly to a card connector for preventing cover damage.

BACKGROUND

The Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) is a memory card standard for the interface between a computer and a computer peripheral product. A PCMCIA card (briefly referred to PC card) is an integrated circuit (IC) card that conforms to the PCMCIA standard, and a PCMCIA slot is a slot that conforms this standard. PC cards are widely used for connecting computers and computer peripheral devices. Especially for notebook computers, external peripheral devices are required due to the small size of a notebook computer, and PC cards therefore become an optimum interface. Presently, PC cards mainly act as data transmitting or local network cards for notebook computers, in order to eliminate the user's trouble for carrying heavy peripheral devices.

In order to provide more a superior transporting interface, the PCMCIA developed an express card which is lighter, faster, thinner, easier to use, and applies for more extensive I/O mode than traditional PC cards. The express card has two standards, one is express card/34 having a 34 mm width (small card) and the other is express card/54 having a 54 mm width (big card).

In general, when inserting into a card connector, the express card is positioned in the slot of the card connector and pushed inward to the top of the slot. During insertion, the user has to aim the express card at the opening of card connector carefully thus making a quick insertion difficult.FIG. 7,FIG. 8, andFIG. 9respectively show a top view of a known card connector, a top view of a known top board, and the cross-section view of A-A line inFIG. 8. When inserting the card (the direction shown by the arrow “a” inFIG. 7andFIG. 8), if the user can not precisely aim the card at the right position of cover2of the card connector (the center of the cover2), the cover2will be undesirably urged and bent in the card-inserting direction “a”, and can be easily damaged. For example the cover2can be damaged such that it separates from the card connector.

SUMMARY

An object of the invention is to provide a card connector, which provides a stop projection in one side of the card connector to prevent the cover from being deformed and damaged.

The invention comprises a top board with a plurality of buckling portions, each of two sides of the top board has a bearing hole, a sustaining frame connected with the top board, a spring hole provided in one side of the top board, a cover with an arc rim, two end portions of the cover pivotably mounted in bearing holes of the top board, and a spring connected with the spring hole of top board and providing an elasticity to the cover. The side of the sustaining frame corresponding to the arc rim has a stop projection extending therefrom, the cover corresponding to the stop projection has a receiving notch cooperating with the stop projection to stop the cover when forced to pivot.

One side of receiving notch in the cover near the sustaining frame has a flange extending therefrom upwards toward the vertical card-inserting direction. The top of the flange is horizontal for further cooperating with stop projection when the cover is forced to pivot.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Although the present invention will be described in considerable detail with reference to certain embodiments thereof, it is should to be understood that those skilled in the art can easily make changes to the present invention described herein and the same performance as the present invention is obtained. Therefore, it is to be understood that the following description is a general disclosure to those skilled in the art and is not restrictive of the present invention.

Referring toFIGS. 1-3, the card connector of the present invention includes a body31, having a composite slot structure forming a shoulder portion37on the top of the body31; a pushing device32, which is provided on one side over the shoulder portion37. The pushing device32has a pushing projection33and a spring34. A retaining board36, which is triangular is provided in the shoulder portion37of the body31to guide the card-inserting and to position the card in the card connector. A top board13, has a sustaining frame14, a spring hole23, and a plurality of buckling portions15. Each of the two sides of the top board13has a bearing hole16. A cover12has an arc rim17on one side and the two end projections18pivotably mount within the bearing holes16of top board13. A spring19, is connected with a spring hole23of the top board13and the cover12.

The top board13connects to the body31by the plurality of buckling portions15. The spring19provides elasticity to the cover12to make the cover12pivot. The sustaining frame14includes a stop projection20in the center. A receiving notch22corresponds to the stop projection20to cooperate with the stop projection20to stop the cover12when it is forced to pivot. In addition, one side of receiving notch22in the cover12near the sustaining frame14has a flange21extending upwards toward the vertical card-inserting direction. The top of the flange21is horizontal and for further cooperating with the stop projection20when the cover12is forced to pivot.

When an express card (not shown) touches the cover12following the direction as shown in arrow “b” inFIG. 3, if the express card moves toward the upper side of the cover12, then the stop projection20will contact with the flange21and stop the express card from moving forward. Thus the stop projection20provides protection to prevent the cover12from being deformed and damaged due to an excessive force, and also reminds users of adjusting the direction of the express card insertion.

FIG. 5andFIG. 6respectively show an enlarged view of the circle inFIG. 4, and a diagram after the cover12inFIG. 5has pivoted. After the cover12pivots clockwise by 90 degrees, the receiving notch22can receive the stop projection20to help the express card go through the cover to connect with a card connector.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art can easily understand that alterations and changes can be made within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein.