Card connector with ejector

A card connector (100) includes an insulative housing (1), a number of contacts (2) retained in the insulative housing, a metal shield (3) covering the insulative housing for defining a receiving space (10), an ejector comprising an operating member (4), and an actuating member (5) actuated by the operating member. The actuating member includes a post (51) located in the insulative housing, a pivoting plate (52) pivotedly assembled on the post, and a torsion spring (50). The torsion spring has a helical portion (501) installed around the post, a first flexible beam (5021) retaining with the pivoting plate, and a second flexible beam (5022) secured with the operating member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a card connector, and more particularly to a card connector with a user-friendly ejector.

2. Description of Related Arts

Taiwan Pat. No. TW201301680 discloses a card connector including an insulative housing, a plurality of contacts retained in the insulative housing, a metal shield covering the insulative housing for defining a receiving space, a tray member receivable in the receiving space, and an ejector for ejecting an inserted tray member from the receiving space. The insulative housing has a protruding post. The ejector comprises an operating portion oriented by the post and movable along an insertion/ejection direction, and an actuating portion in contact with the operating portion for being moved by the operating portion to eject an inserted tray member along the ejection direction.

China Pat. No. CN202585891 discloses another card connector including an insulative housing, a plurality of contacts retained in the insulative housing, a metal shield covering the insulative housing for defining a receiving space, a tray member receivable in the receiving space, and an ejector for ejecting an inserted tray member from the receiving space. The insulative housing has a protruding post. The ejector comprises an operating portion movable along an insertion/ejection direction, and an actuating portion oriented by the post and contacting with the operating portion. The actuating portion rotates about the post when actuated by the operating portion for ejecting an inserted tray member along the ejection direction.

In each of the two prior art card connectors mentioned above, the operating portion and the actuating portion are merely in contact with each other but not secured together such that when the actuating portion is moved by the operating portion, there is noise between the actuating portion and the operating portion. Furthermore, feeling of pushing operation or movement is not good if the operating portion is not accurately positioned with respect to the actuating portion.

A card connector with an ejector that obviates noise during operation and has good operation feeling is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a card connector with an ejector preventing scrapping noise and having good operating feeling.

To achieve the above object, a card connector includes an insulative housing, a plurality of contacts retained in the insulative housing, a metal shield covering the insulative housing for defining a receiving space, an ejector comprising an operating member and an actuating member actuated by the operating member. The actuating member includes a post located in the insulative housing, a pivoting plate pivotally assembled on the post, and a torsion spring having a helical portion installed around the post, a first flexible beam retaining with the pivoting plate, and a second flexible beam secured with the operating member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring toFIGS. 1-6, a card connector100of the present invention used for receiving an electrical card, comprises an insulative housing1, a plurality of contacts2retained in the insulative housing1, a metal shield3covering the insulative housing1for defining a receiving space10, an ejector assembled on the insulative housing1, and a metal plate6attached to a bottom face of the base11. The terms “upper, lower, front, rear, left, and right” are referring toFIG. 1, not meant to be limiting but is descriptive of depiction according to the claims. Therefore, an insertion/ejection direction is defined.

Referring toFIGS. 4 and 5, the insulative housing1comprises a base11and a pair of lateral walls12vertical to the base11. The base11defines a plurality of passageways111and a transverse slot110is defined between the front-and-rear positioned passageways111. Each lateral wall12has a plurality of protrusions121extending outwardly therefrom. The base11comprises a block portion13at a rear part thereof. A notch131is defines between the block portion13and the left lateral wall12. A lengthwise slot15is spaced between the right lateral wall13and the base11. The base11comprises a rib151protruding into the lengthwise slot15and a recess152at a rear part of the lengthwise slot15. The base11defines a round hole14between the block portion13and the right lateral wall12.

Referring toFIGS. 3-6, the contacts2are received in the passageways111of the insulative housing1. Therefore, the contacts2are positioned in two front-and-rear rows. Each contact2comprises a soldering portion201extending into the transverse slot110, a retaining portion202retained in the insulative housing1, and a contacting portion203extending upwardly from the retaining portion202into the receiving space10for contacting with the electrical card. The soldering portions201of the contacts2are positioned in a single row. The soldering portions201of the front row contacts2and the soldering portions201of the rear row contacts2are alternatively arranged along a transverse direction perpendicular to the insertion/ejection direction.

Referring toFIGS. 2-4, the metal shield3comprises a main portion31and a pair of sidewalls32extending vertically and downwardly from the main portion31. Each sidewall32defines a pair of apertures321correspondingly receiving the protrusions121of the insulative housing1so as to secure the metal shield3on the insulative housing1.

Referring toFIGS. 2-6, the ejector comprises an operating member4and an actuating member5actuated by the operating member4. The operating member4comprises a moveable plate41and a jacket member42retaining the moveable plate41. The moveable plate41comprises a base portion411secured in the jacket member42, a retaining plate413forwardly and leftward extending from the base portion411, a hook portion415upwardly and transversely extending from the retaining plate413, a bar portion412rightward and upwardly extending from the retaining plate413, and a curved portion414formed at an end of the bar portion412. The jacket member42is substantially box-shaped, comprising a bulge421laterally extending therefrom and defining a lengthwise extending slit423for moveably receiving the bar portion412of the moveable plate41. The actuating member5comprises a post51assembled in the round hole14of the insulative housing1, a pivoting plate52pivotally assembled on the post51, and a torsion spring53installed around the post51and positioned on the pivoting plate52. The pivoting plate52comprises a first arm521rotatably extending into the receiving space10and a second arm522angularly and integrally formed with the first arm521. The first arm521is leveled above the second arm522. The first arm521and the second arm522are steppedly connected with each other via a bent portion520. The bent portion520is split to have a rip524at the middle thereof. The first arm521has a tail portion523bent therefrom and the tail portion523is received in the notch131of the insulative housing1. The torsion spring50has a helical portion501and a pair of flexible beams502angularly extending from the helical portion501. The flexible beams502comprises a first flexible beam5021retaining in the rip524of the pivoting plate52and a second flexible beam5022secured with the retaining plate413of the operating member4. The second flexible beam5022is held below the hook portion415for preventing the torsion spring50from dropping down accidentally.

Referring toFIGS. 5 and 6, the metal plate6comprises a main plate61, a first securing plate62vertically and laterally extending from the main plate61, and a second securing plate63vertically and transversely extending from front end of the main plate61. The metal plate6is positioned below the operating member4and coplanar with the bottom face of the base11.

Referring toFIG. 3, when the electrical card is not inserted and tile the electrical card is fully inserted in the receiving space10, the first arm521of the pivoting plate52is positioned at the block portion13while the bulge421is received in the recess152and spaces away from the rib151. The torsion spring50is not compressed because no force is actuated. During ejection of the electrical card, a user pushes the jacket member42to move in the lengthwise slot15, the curved portion414pushes the second arm522of the pivoting plate52to rotate around the post51, and therefore, the first arm521of the pivoting plate52moves into the receiving space10for eject the electrical card from the receiving space10. The flexible beams502of the torsion spring50are compressed to have a reduced angle therebetween. Tile the bulge421comes in contact with the rib151, the user pulls the electrical card out of the receiving space10. Therefore, elasticity of the torsion spring50is released, and both the pivoting plate52and the jacket member42return to their original positions. In detail, the first flexible beam5021pushes the first arm521to return to the block portion13. The first arm521moves forwardly, the pivoting plate52rotates around the post51to drive the second arm522to move backwardly, and therefore, the operating member4is pushed to move backwardly. Furthermore, the second flexible beam5022pushes the operating member4to move backwardly, too.

In the preferred embodiment, the torsion spring50of the card connector100is elastically connected with the pivoting plate52and the moveable plate41, so the moveable plate41and the pivoting plate52are prevented from scrapping with each other, and therefore, scrapping noise is avoided. Understandably, the linkage between the torsion spring50and the moveable plate41may be in a sliding manner as the linkage between the torsion spring50and the pivoting plate52. Moreover, one end of the torsion spring50may be linked to the immovable housing1instead of to the moveable plate41.