Abstract:
An electrical card connector ( 100 ) mounted on a Printed Circuit Board includes an insulating housing ( 1 ), a shell ( 2 ) mounted on the insulating housing and a terminal module ( 3 ). The insulating housing defines an accommodating room ( 14 ), and the shell defines a receiving slot ( 5 ) with the insulating housing for a card inserted. The terminal module comprises a plurality of terminals ( 30 ) and a position section ( 32 ) retained on the PCB. Wherein the terminal module is soldered on the PCB directly, and receiving in the accommodating room of the insulating housing separately.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an electrical card connector for accessing an electrical card, and more particularly to an electrical card connector mounted on a Printed Circuit Board (PCB). 
         [0003]    2. Description of Prior Arts 
         [0004]    An universal electrical card connector is structured by an insulating housing with a plurality of terminals integrally. U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,260, for example, discloses an electrical card connector including an insulating housing, a receiving slot for a card movably received, and a number of terminals protruding into and retained in the receiving slot. The terminals are embedded by the insulating housing, and soldered on the PCB. 
         [0005]    However, one problem of the electrical card connector in U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,260 is that the insulating housing is likely to distort during the terminals soldered with high temperature. Therefore, the electrical card connector is degradation, leading to an undesirable signal transmission between the electrical card connector and the PCB. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide an electrical card connector mounted on a PCB, which can avoid an insulating housing distortion. 
         [0007]    In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, an electrical card connector mounted on a PCB includes an insulating housing, a shell mounted on the insulating housing and a terminal module. The insulating housing defines an accommodating room, and the shell defines a receiving slot with the insulating housing for a card inserted. The terminal module comprises a plurality of terminals and a position section retained on the PCB. Wherein the terminal module is soldered on the PCB directly, and received in the accommodating room of the insulating housing separately. 
         [0008]    Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective, assembly view of an electrical card connector in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but taken from another aspect; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the electrical card connector shown in  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of a terminal module of the electrical card connector. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0013]    Referring to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 2 , a perspective, assembly view of an electrical card connector  100  in accordance with present invention is shown. The electrical card connector  100  has an insulating housing  1 , a terminal module  3  receiving a plurality of terminals  30 , and a shell  2  mounted on the insulating housing  1  and the terminal module  3 . 
         [0014]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , the insulating housing  1  comprises a panel  10 , a pair of lateral parts  12  extending upwardly from the opposite sides of the panel  10  and a tail portion  13  extending upwardly from an end edge of the panel  10 . On the panel  10 , an accommodating room  14  is defined. The configuration of the accommodating room  14  is accordant with that of the terminal module  3 . Each lateral part  12  comprises a plurality of embossments  15  located separately. A plurality of recesses  16  are defined on the lateral parts  12  and the tail portion  13  depressing in an up-to-down direction, respectively. 
         [0015]    The shell  2  comprises a body plate  20 , a pair of lateral walls  21  extending downwardly from the opposite sides of the body plate  20 , and a back wall  22  extending from the body plate  20  between the lateral walls  21 . Each lateral wall  21  has a plurality of holes  23  corresponding to the embossments  15  and a plurality of position foots  24  tending horizontally from the low edge of the lateral walls  21 . A plurality of fasteners  25  extend downwardly from the body plate  20 . 
         [0016]    As shown in  FIG. 2  to  FIG. 3 , the bottom surface of the terminal module  3  engages with a PCB (not shown) completely. The terminal module  3  comprises a base section  31 , a plurality of terminals  30  received in the base section  31  and a switch set  4  located beside the base section  31 . 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the terminal module is shown detailedly. The base section  31  comprises a plurality of openings  310 , a plurality of position poles  32  (shown in  FIG. 2 ) extending downwardly from the bottom surface of the base section  31 , and a limb  33  extending horizontally and outwardly from the base section  31 . The openings  310  go through the base section  31  in an up-to-down direction, and are arranged in two rows in a front-to-back direction. The climb  33  is flat and smooth for being sucked by a picking up equipment, and has a locking section  36  for fixing the switch set  4 . The locking section  36  comprises a receiving channel  361  and a pair of locking arms  362  extending backwardly from the opposite sides of the receiving channel  361  beyond the limb  33 . On each outside surface of the locking arms  362 , a block  363  is formed. 
         [0018]    The terminals  30  adapted for being embedded in the base section  31 , include a first terminal group  301  and a second terminal group  302 . Each terminal  30  comprises an engaging portion  303  for engaging electrically with a card, a soldering portion  304  for soldered on the PCB and a joining portion  305  connecting the engaging portion  303  with the soldering portion  304 . Each joining portion  305  of the first terminal group  301  is longer than that of the second terminal group  302 , and extends in a card insertion direction. Each engaging portion  303  of the first terminal group  301  protrudes out of the former opening  310 , and each engaging portion  303  of the second terminal group  302  protrudes out of the backer opening  310 . Accordingly, the soldering portions  304  extend beyond the rear end of the base section  31 . 
         [0019]    The switch set  4  comprises an active member  40  and a passive member  42 . The active member  40  has a fixing section  401  resembling a lath configuration, and an elastic engaging section  402  rising slantingly from the fixing section  401 . The passive member  42  has a main body  420 , a pair of fixing arms  421  extending downwardly from the opposite sides of the main body  420 , and a projecting portion  422  extending upwardly from the main body  420  between the fixing arms  421 . The main body  420  has a hollow  423  surrounded by the fixing arms  421 . Each fixing arm  421  has a setting hatch  424  connecting with the hollow  423 . The passive member  42  is mounted on the locking arms  362  of the locking section  36 , and the hollow  423  is placed over the receiving channel  361  rightly. The fixing arms  421  matches with the locking arms  362  by the setting hatches  424  clasping corresponding blocks  363 . The fixing section  401  of the active member  40  is placed in the receiving channel  361 , and the engaging section  402  protrudes out of the hollow  423  to be located at the frontage of the projecting portion  422 , at the same time, the end of the engaging section  402  collides with the lower surface of the main body  420 . Normally, the switch set  4  is closed. When a card is inserted, the engaging section  402  is pressed down together with the end thereof separated with the main body  420 , then, the switch set  4  is open. 
         [0020]    Going with  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 4 , how to assemble the electrical card connector  100  is described in following segment. Firstly, the terminal module  3  is mounted on the PCB with the position poles  32  of the terminal module  3  plugged into the PCB. Certainly, the position poles  32  can be replaced by other position members. Secondly, the soldering sections  304  of the terminals  30  are soldered on the PCB achieving the terminals  30  connecting electrically with the PCB. The fasteners  25  of the shell  2  lock with corresponding recesses  16  of the insulating housing  1 , and the holes  23  of the shell  2  mating with corresponding embossments  15  to establish a receiving slot  5  for a card receiving movably. Thirdly, the members formed by the shell  2  and the insulating housing  1  are assembled with the terminal module  3  placed on the PCB, allowing the terminal module  3  to retain in the accommodating room  14  properly, the engaging section  303  of the terminals  30  protruding into the receiving slot  5 . Finally, the position foots  24  of the shell  2  are mounted on the PCB achieving the shell  2  and the insulating housing  1  placed on the PCB. 
         [0021]    Comparing with prior arts, the insulating housing and the terminal module of the present invention match with each other in a separated way. In a word, the terminal module is soldered on the PCB, in turn the section formed by the shell and the insulating housing mounted on the PCB without soldering therebetween. Therefore, the insulating housing is capable of avoiding a distortion. 
         [0022]    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.