Card edge connector

A card edge connector includes an insulating housing, a plurality of terminals, and two latches. The insulating housing has a main body and two lateral side frames. The terminals are mounted on the main body of the insulating housing. The two latches are individually mounted on a free end of two lateral side frames of the insulating housing. Each latch includes a main portion. The main portion is extended between two lateral side frames to be formed with a restrictive body, and extended along an outside face of two lateral side frames and formed with a resilient arm. A free end of the resilient arm is extended between the two restrictive bodies to be formed with a stopping plate. When the two lateral side frames are pulled outward by an external force, the two lateral side frames can individually push the resilient arm to move outward, to make the stopping plate of the free end of the resilient arm move outward and abut against the restrictive body for positioning, for limiting the outward movement of the two lateral side frames to prevent breakage or deformation of the lateral side frames.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a card edge connector, and particularly relates to a card edge connector disposed on a motherboard for electrically connecting a daughterboard.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional card edge connector, disposed on an upper surface of a motherboard, is disclosed. The card edge connector is used for receiving a daughterboard so as to electrically connect the motherboard.

The card edge connector includes an insulating housing91, a plurality of terminals92and two latches93. The insulating housing91includes a main body911and two lateral side frames912connecting the main body911. The terminals92are arranged on the main body911of the insulating housing91, and each of the terminals92has a soldering portion connecting to a pad of the motherboard for electrical connection. When the daughterboard is inserted between the two lateral side frames912of the insulating housing91, the daughterboard electrically connects the terminals92. Each of the two lateral side frames912has a buckling arm913formed at a free end thereof for resiliently locking the daughterboard.

The two latches93are disposed on the two lateral side frames912, and made of the metallic materials. Each metallic sheath93has a main portion931, which is shaped like U in order to match each lateral side frame912. The main portion931extends forwards and a stopper932projecting upwardly is formed, so that the lateral sidewall of the main portion931and the stopper932restrain the outward and inward movement of the two lateral side frames912, respectively.

However, the latches93of the conventional card edge connector are elongated, so that the sidewall of the main portion931of the two latches93cannot restrains the outward movement of the two lateral side frames912exactly when the daughterboard is ejected and the two lateral side frames912are moved outwardly so as to enable the buckling arm913to be removed from the daughterboard. The two lateral side frames912move outwardly and vibrate so much that it may lead to deformation or breakage of the two lateral side frames912, which are made of plastic materials.

Hence, an improvement over the prior art is required to overcome the disadvantages thereof.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

An object of the invention is to specify a card edge connector that can limit movement of the two lateral side frames in order to prevent the breakage or deformation of the two lateral side frames when the two lateral side frames are moved outwardly to release a daughtercard retained by the card edge connector latches.

According to the invention, the object is achieved by a card edge connector including an insulating housing, a plurality of terminals, and two latches. The insulating housing has a main body and two lateral side frames. The terminals are mounted on the main body of the insulating housing. The two latches are individually mounted on a free end of two lateral side frames of the insulating housing. Each latch includes a main portion. The main portion is extended between two lateral side frames to be formed with a restrictive body, and extended along an outside face of two lateral side frames and formed with a resilient arm. A free end of the resilient arm is extended between the two restrictive bodies to be formed with a stopping plate. When the two lateral side frames are pulled outward by an external force, the two lateral side frames can individually push the resilient arm to move outward, to make the stopping plate of the free end of the resilient arm move outward and abut against the restrictive body for positioning, for limiting the outward movement of the two lateral side frames to prevent breakage or deformation of the lateral side frames.

Additionally, the benefits of this invention may be applied to card edge connectors having a single lateral side frame and a single latch.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS

A card edge connector illustrated inFIGS. 3–5according to the present invention is disposed on an upper surface of a motherboard for receiving and electrically connecting a daughterboard.

The card edge connector includes an insulating housing10, a plurality of terminals20and two latches30. The insulating housing10is made of plastic materials, and includes a main body11and two lateral side frames12connecting the main body11. The main body11includes a reception opening111, and the each side frame12has a slot formed along a longitudinal direction for guiding the daughterboard between the two lateral side frames12and for inserting the daughterboard into the reception opening111. Each side frame12has a buckling arm14disposed on a free end thereof for securing the daughterboard resiliently.

The terminals20are disposed on the main body11of the insulating housing10; each of the terminals20includes a contact portion21and a solder portion22. The contact portion21is disposed inside the reception opening111of the insulating housing11for electrically connecting a pad of the daughterboard. The solder portion22extends outwardly from the main body11for soldering with a pad of the motherboard for electrical connection.

The latches30are individually mounted on a free end of two lateral side frames12of the insulating housing10. The latches30are punched by metallic materials. Referring toFIGS. 6–8, each latch30includes a main portion31, which is elongated. The main portion31has an orientation portion32extended from an inner side thereof so as to mate with an orientation slot15formed at each of the two lateral side frames12of the insulating housing10for securing the main portion31to the lateral side frame12, and a solder portion33being horizontal, formed at low level and extended from an inner side thereof so as to connect to a motherboard.

The main portion31is extended inwardly between two lateral side frames12to be formed with a restrictive body34, for restraining the inward trip of the side frame12, and extended along an outside face of two lateral side frames12and formed with a resilient arm35. The restrictive body34extends from a head of the main portion31and projects upwardly. The resilient arm35is disposed on a rear of the main portion31and has a free end capable of moving inwardly and outwardly. The free end of the resilient arm35is extended between the two restrictive bodies34to be formed with a stopping plate36. The stopping plate36is folded inwardly from the free end of the resilient arm35and formed by further bending downwardly. And the stopping plate36is disposed at proper position of the restrictive body34.

The solder portion22of each terminal20and the solder portion33of each latch30solder to the upper surface of the motherboard for electrical connection. When the daughterboard inserts into the reception opening111of the insulating housing10, the solder portion21of each contact20electrical connects the daughterboard, so as to enable the daughterboard electrically connect the motherboard.

When the daughterboard is ejected, the two lateral side frames12can be moved outwardly to release the buckling arm14, which has been secured the daughterboard. The two lateral side frames12push the resilient arms35outwardly in order to move the stopping plate36to abut against the restrictive body34for an orientation. Because the restrictive body34is an unmoved, secured structure, the stopping plate36can be orientated stably while abutting against the restrictive body34. Therefore, the side frame12will not over extend in order to prevent breakage or deformation thereof since the side frame12is only capable of moving a distance dictated by the distance between the restrictive body34and the stopping plate36.

While a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown and described, it is envisioned that those skilled in the art may devise various modifications of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.