IC card connector apparatus

An IC card connector apparatus comprises a header connector (40) and a pair of electrical sockets (42) respectively mounted on upper and lower surfaces of a circuit board (44). The header connector includes an insulative housing (46) defining a space (48) for receiving an IC card (50) therein. The housing has a mating face (52) adjacent to the space and a mounting face (54) opposite the mating face. Two arrays of terminals (56) are retained in the housing and extend through the mating face and the mounting face. Each socket includes an insulative housing (62) and a number of contacts (66) connected to the circuit board by surface mount technology. In installation, the terminals of the header connector are inserted into the sockets and mate with the corresponding contacts thereof. Thus, signals can be reliably transmitted between the IC card received in the header connector and the circuit board.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention relates to an IC card connector apparatus, and
 particularly to an IC card connector apparatus which has a pair of
 electrical sockets respectively mounted on upper and lower surfaces of a
 circuit board for connecting the IC card connector apparatus to the
 circuit board.
 Notebook computers are becoming increasingly popular due to their unique
 advantages. Nowadays almost all notebook computers are provided with an IC
 card connectors for connecting an IC card to a circuit board. Some
 mechanisms are adapted to connect the IC connector to the circuit board,
 such as the disclosures of Taiwan Patent Application Nos. 82210513,
 84206175, and 84206176.
 Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional IC card connector 10 includes an
 insulative housing 12 having a front face 14 and a rear face 16 opposite
 the front face 14, a space 18 adjacent to the rear surface 16 for
 receiving an IC card (not shown) therein, and two arrays of contacts 20
 retained in the housing 12. Each contact 20 forms a mating end 22 and a
 mounting end 24 opposite the mating end 22. Two arrays of the mating ends
 22 of the contacts 20 extend beyond the rear face 16 and into the space 18
 for engaging with an IC card, and the mounting ends 24 extend beyond the
 front face 14 of the housing 12. Each mounting end 24 forms a curved
 portion which provides the mounting end 24 with resiliency. A circuit
 board 26 is inserted into a space between the two arrays of mounting ends
 24 of the contacts 20. The mounting ends 24 abuts against upper and lower
 surfaces of the circuit board 26 and electrically contact circuits formed
 thereon. However, if the IC card connector 10 cannot be securely retained
 at a predetermined position, signal transmission through the IC card
 connector 10 will be adversely affected.
 FIG. 2 shows an IC card connector 28 which contacts a circuit board 30 by
 means of a flexible printed circuit 32. One end of the flexible printed
 circuit 32 engages with contacts 34 of the IC card connector 28, and the
 other end engages with a connector 36 mounted on the circuit board 30.
 Since the flexible printed circuit is expensive, such a device cannot be
 competitively priced.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 Accordingly, a main object of the present invention is to provide an IC
 card connector apparatus which can reliably connect with a circuit board.
 Another object of the present invention is to provide an IC card connector
 apparatus which can be easily manufactured and maintained.
 To fulfill the above-mentioned objects, an IC card connector apparatus of
 the present invention comprises a header connector and a pair of
 electrical sockets respectively mounted on upper and lower surfaces of a
 circuit board edge. The header connector includes an insulative housing
 defining a space for receiving an IC card therein. The housing has a
 mating face adjacent to the space and a mounting face opposite the mating
 face. Two arrays of terminals are retained in the housing and extend
 through the mating face and the mounting face. Each socket includes an
 insulative housing and a plurality of contacts. Each contact is soldered
 to the circuit board by surface mounting technology. In installation, the
 terminals of the header connector are inserted into the sockets and mate
 the corresponding contacts thereof. Thus, signals are reliably transmitted
 between the IC card received in the header connector and the circuit
 board.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
 Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, an IC card connector apparatus includes a
 header connector 40 and a pair of electrical sockets 42 respectively
 mounted on upper and lower surfaces proximate an edge of a circuit board
 44. The header connector 40 includes an insulative housing 46 and defines
 a space 48 therein for receiving an IC card 50. The housing 46 has a rear
 face 52 adjacent to the space 48 and a front face 54 opposite the rear
 face 52. Two arrays of terminals 56 are retained in the housing 46. Each
 terminal 56 forms a mating portion 58 extending beyond the rear face 52
 and into the space 48 for engaging the IC card 50 and a mounting portion
 60 opposite the mating portion 58 and extending beyond the front face 54
 of the housing 46. A bent portion 59 extending between the mating portion
 58 and the mounting portion 60. Each pair of corresponding bent portions
 59 extend away from each other.
 Each socket 42 includes an insulative housing 62 defining a plurality of
 passageways 64 and a corresponding number of contacts 66 retained in the
 passageways 64. The housing 62 defines a mating face 68 flush with the
 edge of the circuit board 44 and a mounting face 70 opposite the mating
 face 68. A mounting portion 69 of each contact 66 extends beyond the
 mounting face 70 and is soldered to the circuit board 44 by surface mount
 technology. In addition, each contact 66 forms locking barbs 72 thereon
 for securely retaining the contact 66 in the corresponding passageway 64.
 In installation, the mounting portions 60 of the terminals 56 of the header
 connector 40 are inserted into the corresponding contacts 66 in the
 passageways 64 of the housing 62 for mating therebetween. The header
 connector 40 is electrically connected to the socket 42. It is readily
 apparent that the connection between the header connector 40 and the
 socket 42 is reliable. In addition, the sockets 42 mounted on the circuit
 board 44 are easily manufactured and maintained.
 It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics
 and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the
 foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function
 of the invention, the disclosure 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.