Abstract:
An electrical card connector ( 100 ) adapted for accepting memory cards includes an insulative housing ( 2 ) defining a card receiving space ( 24 ), a number of terminals ( 5 ) retained in the housing for electrically connecting with the cards and a metal shell ( 1 ) substantially covering the housing. The housing includes a bottom wall ( 21 ) and a pair of sidewalls ( 22, 23 ) upwardly extending from the bottom wall. Each sidewall provides at least one elastic flap ( 221, 231 ) having an outwardly projecting locking portion ( 2211, 2311 ). The flap is movable in lateral directions under an external force. The shell includes a pair of side plates ( 12 ) each defining at least one locking hole ( 121 ) engaging with the locking portion of the at least one flap of the housing.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is related to the contemporaneously filed U.S. patent applications entitled “CONNECTOR FOR MEMORY CARDS”, entitled “CONNECTOR FOR MEMORY CARDS”, and entitled “MEMORY CARD CONNECTOR”, all of which are invented by the same inventor and assigned to the common assignee as the present invention.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Filed of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a card connector which can be mounted on electronic device, and more particularly to a compact card connector having a reliable shell.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0005]     Usually, memory cards used for consumptive electronic products, such as digital cameras, MP3 players or the PDAs, mostly can be classified into seven standard memory cards, a multi-media card (MMC), an xD-picture card (XD), a secure digital card (SD), a smart media card (SM), a compact flash card (CF) including type I and type II and the memory stick card (MS). Wherein, the difference between the SD card and the MMC card is the number of contact pins and the thickness so that a common slot socket of the read and write apparatus is enough for both of the cards. Hence, read and write connectors adapted to multiple memory cards have been provided. Such connector usually has a metallic shell for avoiding electromagnetic interference (EMI).  
         [0006]     An example of a conventional electronic card connector is disclosed U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,919 B2 issued to Ito. et al. on Aug. 26, 2001. The Ito card connector includes a connector body, a plurality of terminals received in the connector body and a shell covering the connector body. The connector body includes a bottom wall and three rims interconnecting end-to-end and upwardly extending from the respective left, right and rear sides of the bottom wall. Each rim has a plurality of protrusions projecting outwardly. The shell defines a plurality of locking holes engaging with the protrusions to secure the shell to the housing.  
         [0007]     However, when the Ito shell is bend to cover the connector body, the curving portion of the shell is elastic and is easy to rebound. Thus, the protrusions of the connector body are potentially falling out of the locking holes. Therefore, the engagement between the connector body and the shell is unreliable.  
         [0008]     Hence, an improved card connector with reliable shell is desired to overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     A main object of the present invention is to provide a compact card connector capable of reliably containing multiple cards therein.  
         [0010]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a compact and simple connector can be easily manufactured, and soldering work, servicing work and the like can be conveniently carried out.  
         [0011]     A further object of the present invention is to provide a card connector which is robust and durable.  
         [0012]     In order to achieve the objects mentioned above and others, one embodiment of an electrical card connector adapted for accepting memory cards includes an insulative housing defining a card receiving space, a plurality of terminals retained in the housing for electrically connecting with the cards and a metal shell substantially covering the housing. The housing includes a bottom wall and a pair of sidewalls upwardly extending from the bottom wall. Each sidewall provides at least one elastic flap having an outwardly projecting locking portion. The flap is movable in lateral directions under an external force. The shell includes a pair of side plates each defining at least one locking hole engaging with the locking portion of the at least one flap of the housing.  
         [0013]     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. As should be understood, however, the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings:  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electrical card connector in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a partially enlarged view of  FIG. 1 , specially showing a side plate of the outer shell engaging with the sidewall of the insulative housing;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is another perspective view of the card connector, wherein an outer shell is taken away;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a partially enlarged view of  FIG. 3 , specially showing a sidewall the insulative housing;  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is another perspective view of  FIG. 3 , taken from a bottom aspect;  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an insulative housing shown in  FIG. 6 , taken from bottom aspect;  
         [0022]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a terminal module shown in  FIG. 6 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 9  is another perspective view of  FIG. 8 ;  
         [0024]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of an insulative casing of the terminal module shown in  FIG. 9 ;  
         [0025]      FIG. 11  is an exploded view of a plurality of terminals shown in  FIG. 8 ; and  
         [0026]      FIG. 12  is a left side elevational view of  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0027]     The present invention will now be described with reference to drawings, and first to  FIGS. 1 and 6 . An electrical card connector  100  according to the present invention for mounting on a PCB (not shown) is of generally rectangular shape and comprises an insulative housing  2 , an outer shell  1  covering the housing  2 , a terminal module  3  embedded in the housing  2  and a positioning member  4 . A plurality of terminals, designated numeral  5 , are disposed in the housing  1  of the card connector  100 . In the preferred embodiment, such terminals  5  are provided for mating with an xD-picture card (XD). For convenience, such terminals are referred to hereafter as XD terminals  5 . The card connector further includes a grounding contact  6 , a pair of switch contacts  7 , a written contact  8  and a pair of written protection contacts  9 . The structure and the function of the grounding contact  6 , the switch contacts  7 , the written contact  8  and the written protection contacts  9  are well known to those skilled in the art, a detailed description is omitted herein.  
         [0028]     Referring to  FIGS. 3-7 , the housing  2  comprises an upper wall  20 , a bottom wall  21  and a pair of left and right sidewalls  22 ,  23  connecting the upper wall  20  to the bottom wall  21  thereby forming a card receiving space  24  therebetween for receiving multiple memory cards (not shown). The upper wall  20  includes a pair of written protection contact mounting recesses  201  in a front portion thereof for receiving the written protection contacts  9  and a protrusion  202  projecting upwardly from a front middle portion thereof for latching with the outer shell  1 . A plurality of spaced longitudinal cutouts (not labeled) are defined in a rear portion of the upper wall  20  thereby forming a plurality of parallel crossrails  203  between adjacent two cutouts. A row of slots  2031 , as best shown in  FIG. 7 , are defined in an inner side surface of the crossrails  203  and communicate with the card receiving space  24 . A plurality of passages  211  are spaced along an inner side surface of the bottom wall  21  and communicate with the card receiving space  24 . The bottom wall  21  further defines a grounding contact mounting recess  212  and a written contact mounting recess  213  adjacent to the right sidewall  23  of the housing  2 . The grounding contact mounting recess  212  and the written contact mounting recess  213  communicate with each other and respectively for receiving the grounding contact  6  and the written contact  9 . The left and right sidewalls  22 ,  23  respectively have a plurality of cantilevered flaps  221 ,  231 . The flaps  221 ,  231  respectively extending downwardly from outer edges of the left and right sidewalls  22 ,  23  and are essentially parallel to and laterally offset from the left and right sidewalls  22 ,  23 , thereby forming a plurality of gaps  222 ,  232 , specially shown in  FIG. 4 , between inner side surfaces of corresponding flaps and outer surfaces of the left and right sidewalls  22 ,  23 . Each flap  221 ,  231  forms a locking portion  2211 ,  2311  projecting outwardly therefrom for engaging with the outer shell  1 . Each locking portion  2211 ,  2311  has a trapeziform cross-section. A top surface of the locking portion  2211 ,  2311  is an inclined surface acting as a lead-in surface during the outer shell  1  being attached to the housing  2 , and a bottom surface of the locking portion  2211 ,  2311  is perpendicular to outer side surface of the flap  221 ,  231 . The right sidewall  23  further defines a pair of switch contact mounting recesses  233  in a lower rear portion for receiving the switch contacts  7  therein. A pair of guiding columns  25  are formed on opposite sides of the bottom wall  21  along the left and right sidewalls  22 ,  23 . A pair of ribs  26  respectively project inwardly from inner side surfaces of the left and right sidewalls  22 ,  23 . The ribs  26  are dimensioned and positioned under the columns  25  for engaging with the terminal module  3 , which will be discussed more detailed hereinafter. A pair of grooves  27  are defined on a rear portion of opposite sidewalls  22 ,  23  and communicate with the card receiving space  24 . Each groove  27  forms an embossment  271  for engaging with the positioning member  4 , as will be more fully discussed.  
         [0029]     Referring to  FIGS. 1, 2  and  6 , the outer shell  1  is formed with a metal sheet and provided for covering the housing  2 . The shell  1  includes a top plate  11 , a pair of side plates  12  extending downwardly from opposite sides of the top plate  11  and a rear plate  13  extending downwardly from a rear end of the top plate. The top plate  11  defines an aperture  111  for engaging with the protrusion  202  of the housing  2 . Each side plate  12  defines a plurality of locking holes  121  for engaging with the locking portions  2211 ,  2311  of the housing  2 .  
         [0030]     Referring to  FIGS. 8-12 , the terminal module  3  includes an insulative casing  31  and a plurality of first, second, and third conductive terminals  32 ,  33 ,  34  received in the insulative casing  31 . In the preferred embodiment, the first and second terminals  32 ,  33  are respectively provided for mating with a Smart Media Card (SM) and a Memory Stick Card (MS). The third terminals  34  are provided for mating with a secure digital card (SD) or a multi-media card (MMC). For convenience, such first, second and third terminals  32 ,  33 ,  34  are respectively referred to hereafter as SM terminals  32 , MS terminals  33  and SD terminals  34 .  
         [0031]     As best shown in  FIG. 10  in conjunction with  FIG. 8 , the insulative casing  31  comprises a first horizontal plate  311 , a second horizontal plate  312  and a vertical plate  313  connecting rear portions of the first and the second horizontal plates  311 ,  312  to define a insertion space  314 . The second horizontal plate  312  is essentially twice as length as the first horizontal plate  311 . A pair of guiding rabbets  3120  are defined in opposite sides of the second horizontal plate  312  for engaging with the ribs  26  of the housing  2 . The vertical plate  313  defines a plurality of T-shaped passageways  3130  adjacent to the first horizontal plate  311  and a plurality of comb passages  3132  adjacent to the second horizontal plate  312 . A dividing wall  3131  is dimensioned to separate the comb passages  3132  into two portions. The dividing wall  3131  provides multiple functions such as providing polarization for the SM terminals  32  during assembling the terminal module  3 , as will be discussed later.  
         [0032]     As best shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the SM terminals  32  comprise two arrays of SM terminals  32 . The two arrays of SM terminals  32  are substantially identical in configuration and structure except that they are of different lengths. Each SM terminal  32  includes a middle SM body portion  321 , a front V-shaped SM contacting portion  323  for electrically connecting with an SM card, and a rear L-shaped SM mounting portion  322  for being soldered to a circuit board (not shown), on which the electrical card connector is mounted. Each MS terminal  33  comprises a MS body portion  331 , a front MS contacting portion  333  for mating with a MS card and a rear L-shaped MS mounting portion  332  for being soldered to the circuit board. Each SD terminal  34  includes a middle SD body portion  341 , a front SD contacting portion  344  adapted for a SD card, a rear L-shaped SD mounting portion  343  for being soldered to the circuit boards and a connecting portion  342  connecting the SD mounting portion  343  to the SD body portion  341 . In the preferred embodiment, the SD terminals  34  are of ten pieces. Some connecting portions  342  of the SD terminals  34  are bent in a right-to-left direction, and the other pieces are bent in a left-to-right direction. Each L-shaped mounting portion  322 ,  332 ,  343  of the SM, MS and SD terminals  32 ,  33 ,  34  includes a vertical portion (not labeled) and a horizontal portion (not labeled) extending rearwardly from an end of the vertical portion.  
         [0033]     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , the positioning member  4  is of a generally elongated rectangular configuration and includes a base portion  41  and a pair of positioning arms  42  symmetrically extending downwardly from opposite sides of the base portion  41 . The base portion  41  defines a plurality of positioning recesses  411  at a bottom edge thereof for receiving the SM, MS and SD mounting portions  322 ,  332 ,  343  of the SM, MS and SD terminals  32 ,  33 ,  34 . The positioning arms  42  are provided for engaging with the embossments  271  of grooves  27  of the housing  2  to securely position the positioning number  4 .  
         [0034]     Referring to  FIGS. 8-12 , in assembly, firstly to assemble the terminal module  3 , in the preferred embodiment, the MS terminals  33  and the SD terminals  34  are installed in respective ones of the comb passages  3132  of the casing  31 . The MS and SD body portions  331 ,  341  of the MS and SD terminals  33 ,  34  are held in the second horizontal plate  312  of casing  31 , and the MS and SD contacting portion  333 ,  344  extend beyond the casing  31 . It should be noted that the MS terminals  33  and the SD terminals  34  can also be integrally formed with the casing  31 . The SM terminals  32  are inserted into the casing  31  in a rear-to-front direction to form the terminal module  3 . The SM body portions  321  of two arrays of SM terminals  32  are alternately spaced along the passageways  3130  of the casing  31 , the SM mounting portions  322  are partially received in the passageways  3130  of the casing  31 , and the SM contacting portion  323  extend beyond the first horizontal plate  311  and are arranged in two lines.  
         [0035]     Referring to  FIGS. 3, 5  and  6  in conjunction with  FIGS. 7, 8  and  9 , the terminal module  3  is installed into the housing  2 . The second horizontal plate  312  of the casing  31  extends along the guiding columns  25  in a rear-to-front direction. The ribs  26  of the housing  2  are received in the guiding rabbets  3120 . The body portions  321  of the SM terminals  32  are snugly received in corresponding slots  2031  of the crossrail  203  of the housing  2 . Each SM, MS and SD contacting portions  323 ,  333 ,  344  of the SM, MS and SD terminals  32 ,  33 ,  34  extend into the card receiving space  24  and are appropriately curved inwardly, whereby the card can be smoothly inserted into the connector  100  to connect with corresponding terminals  32 ,  33 ,  34  without any jamming and buckling.  
         [0036]     The positioning member  4  is attached to the housing  2  to accurately position the terminal module  3 . The base portion  41  of the positioning number  4  abuts against the vertical plate  313  of the casing  31 . The positioning arms  42  extend into the grooves  27  of the housing  2  and latch with the embossments  271 . Horizontal portions of the SM, MS and SD mounting portions  322 ,  332 ,  343  of the SM, MS and SD  5  terminals  32 ,  33 ,  34  are held in the positioning recesses  411  of the positioning number  4 .  
         [0037]     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 5  in conjunction with  FIG. 6 , the XD terminals  5  are installed in corresponding passages  211  of the housing  2  in a front-to-rear direction and are exposed in the card receiving space  24  for mating with the x-D picture card. The grounding contact  6  is fixed in the grounding contact mounting recess  212  of the bottom wall  21  of the housing  2 . The switch contacts  7  are retained in the switch contact mounting recesses  233  of the right sidewall  23  of the housing  2 . The written contact  8  is held in the written contact mounting recess  213  of the housing  2 . The written protection contacts  9  are received in the written protection contact mounting recesses  201 .  
         [0038]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2  in conjunction with  FIG. 6 , the outer shell  1  is attached to the housing  2 . The top plate  11  of the outer shell  1  adheres to the upper wall  20  of the housing  2 . The protrusion  202  of the upper wall  20  of the housing  2  is interferentially fitted in the aperture  111  of top plate  11  of the outer shell  1 . The rear plate  13  abuts against a rear portion of the base portion  41  of the positioning member  4 . The locking portions  2211 ,  2311  of the flaps  221 ,  231  of the housing  2  are interferentially fitted in the locking holes  121  of the side plates  12 , thereby securely assembling the outer shell  1  to the housing  2 .  
         [0039]     Due to the above-described structure of the card connector  100 , when the side plates  12  of the outer shell  1  covers the left an right sidewalls  22 ,  23  of the housing  2 , the cantilevered flaps  221 ,  231  of the left and right sidewalls  22 ,  23  are flexible to move inwardly into the gaps  222 ,  232 . After the locking portions  2211 ,  2311  of the flaps latchably engage with the locking holes  121  of the side plates  12 , the flaps  221 ,  231  moves outwardly and come back to their normal positions. Thus, a reliable engagement between the outer shell  1  and the housing  2  is obtained.  
         [0040]     While terms such “front”, “rear”, “upper”, “lower”, “left” and “right” have been used to help describe the invention as it is illustrated, it should be understood that the electrical connector  100  can be used in any orientation with respect to earth.  
         [0041]     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.