Abstract:
An electrical card connector includes an insulative housing, a plurality of terminals retained in the insulative housing, a slide carrier slidable in the insulative housing, an eject mechanism mounted in the insulative housing for pushing the slide carrier, and a locking body attached to the slider for locking the slier carrier with the slider together while an electrical card is inserted into therein. The locking body defines an engaging portion protruding into the insertion slot. The engaging portion is deflectable to release locking engagement between the slider and the slide carrier while another electrical card being inserted into the insertion slot.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an electrical card connector, more particularly to an electrical card connector with improved slide carrier. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Most of the current electrical card connectors have an insertion slot and terminal groups for accommodating and electrical connection with a variety of electronic cards, such as memory stick (MS) cards, smart media (SM) cards, multimedia cards (MMC), secure digital (SD) card, and extreme digital (XD) cards. The electrical card connector usually defines a first terminal group corresponding to one card and a second terminal group corresponding to another card respectively. However, under such circumstance, if the user accidentally inserts one card into the electrical card connector only to electrical contact the first terminals group, a unnecessary physical contact may be established between the second terminal group and the first electrical card. Thus the second terminal group may be damaged by the first electrical card. 
         [0005]    To overcome the above problem, the inventor used to invent an electrical card connector compatible with a slide carrier for protecting terminals. This electrical card connector includes an inslulative housing, a first terminal group corresponding to MS card, a second terminal group corresponding to SD card, a slide carrier slidable in the insulative housing for protecting the second terminal group, and an eject mechanism mounted in the insulative housing. The housing defines an insertion slot for receiving MS card and SD card. The first terminal group and the second terminal group have contact portions extending into the insertion slot respectively. The eject mechanism includes a slider to slide with the slide carrier in a card insertion direction, a coiled spring abutting against the slider, and a link rod for controlling positions of the slider. The slide carrier defines a plurality of grooves corresponding to the contact portions of the second terminal group, and a plurality of support portions each disposed into the grooves respectively. The contact portions of the second terminal group presses downwardly on the support portions respectively. 
         [0006]    While the MS card is being inserted into the insertion slot, the MS card passes over the slide carrier to directly push the eject mechanism to slide inwardly. The MS card only touch the contact portions of the first terminal group, while not touch the contact portions of the second terminal group. While the SD card is being inserted into the insertion slot. The SD card pushes the slide carrier to slide inwardly with the slider together. The contact portions of the second terminal group are pulled upwardly out of the grooves to mate with the SD card. However, the slide carrier would drive the SD to slide toward an opening of the insertion slot if an electrical equipment which installing the electrical card connector is hit or shocked by exterior objects. As a result, signal transmission between the SD card and the second terminal group is terribly affected. 
         [0007]    Hence, an improved electrical card connector with improved card restriction structure is needed to solve the problem above. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    According to one aspect of the present invention, an electrical card connector comprises an insulative housing defining a front mating face, and an insertion slot extending rearwardly from the mating face for receiving a first card and a second card shorter than the first card; a plurality of terminals retained in the insulative housing, the terminals each having a contact portion extending into the insertion slot, and a tail portion extending out of the insulative housing for being mounted on a print circuit board; a slide carrier slidable in the insulative housing, the slide carrier defining a push portion to eject the second card; an eject mechanism mounted in the insulative housing for pushing the slide carrier toward the mating face, and defining a protrusion on a rear end thereof to eject the first card; and a locking body attached to the slider to lock the slide carrier with the slider together; wherein the locking body defines an engaging portion protruding into the insertion slot, the engaging portion is deflectable to release locking engagement between the slider and the slide carrier while the first card being inserted into the insertion slot. 
         [0009]    According to another aspect of the present invention, an electrical card connector, comprises an insulative housing defining a front mating face, and an insertion slot extending rearwardly from the mating face for receiving a first card and a second card shorter than the first card; a plurality of terminals retained in the insulative housing, the terminals each having a contact portion extending into the insertion slot for contacting the first card or the second card, and a tail portion extending out of the insulative housing for being mounted on a print circuit board; a push-push eject mechanism mounted in the insulative housing, and including a slider slidable in a card insertion direction, a coiled spring abutting against the slider, and a link rod to control positions of the slider with respect to the insulative housing, the slider includes a front slider and a rear slider which abutting against each other in a card insertion direction, the rear slider defining a protrusion into the insertion slot to eject the first card, the front slider defining a push portion located at front and outside of the protrusion; and a locking body unlocking the front slider with the rear slider together while the first card is inserted into the insertion slot; wherein the locking body locks the front slider with the rear slider together while the second card is inserted into the insertion slot. 
         [0010]    The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electrical card connector according to the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is an inner view of the electrical card connector; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the electrical card connector; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is another exploded view of the electrical card connector; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a lifting plate of the electrical card connector; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a partly perspective view of the electrical card connector after full insertion of a first card; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a partly perspective view of the electrical card connector after full insertion of a second card; 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a partly enlarged view taken from the circle shown in  FIG. 7 ; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a partly perspective view of the electrical card connector after full insertion of a third card. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0021]    In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known circuits have been shown in block diagram form in order not to obscure the present invention in unnecessary detail. For the most part, details concerning timing considerations and the like have been omitted inasmuch as such details are not necessary to obtain a complete understanding of the present invention and are within the skills of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-9 , an electrical card connector  100  for being mounted on a PCB (not shown) can be used for insertion of many kinds of cards such as MS card  200 , SD card  300 , and XD card  400 , as best shown in  FIGS. 6 ,  7  and  9 . It is a common knowledge that the MS card  200  is thicker and longer than the SD card  300  and the XD card  400 , the SD card  300  is thicker and longer than the XD card  400 . In order to simplify description hereinafter, the MS card  200  is also named the first card  200 , and the SD card  300  is named the second card  300 , the XD card  400  is named the third card  400 . The electrical card connector  100  includes an insulative housing  1 , a plurality of terminals  2  retained in the insulative housing  1 , a slide carrier  3  sliding in the insulatice housing  1 , a lifting plate  4  mounted on a front of the insulative housing  1 , a spring  5  mounted on the slide carrier  3 , a push-push eject mechanism  6 , a locking body  7  fixed on the eject mechanism  6 , a switch terminal group  8  fixed on the insulative housing  1 , and a metal shell  9  covering the insulative housing  1 . The terminals  2  are divided into a first terminal group  21  for mating with the first card  200 , a second terminal group  22  for mating the second card  300 , and a third terminal group  23  for mating the third card  400  arranged along a card insertion direction. 
         [0023]    The insulative housing  1  defines a front mating face  10  and a insertion slot  12  extending rearwardly from the mating face  10 . The insertion slot  12  includes a first insertion slot  121  and a second insertion slot  122  which overlap partly with each other in an vertical direction of the insulative housing  1 . An overlap part is formed between the first insertion slot  121  and the second insertion slot  122 . The first insertion slot  121  is defined for receiving the first card  200  and the second card  300 . The second insertion slot  122  is defined for receiving the third card  400 . The insulative housing  1  includes a base portion  11 , a pair of side walls  13  extending forwardly from lateral sides of the base portion  11 , and a bottom wall  14  connecting the base portion  11  and the side walls  14 . The insertion slot  12  is formed between the base portion  11 , the side walls  13  and the bottom wall  14 . The side walls  13  each defines a receiving cavity  15  recessed from the mating face  10  respectively for receiving the lifting plate  4 . The bottom wall  14  defines a pair of slide slots  142  behind the receiving cavity  15  and extending into the side walls  13  respectively. 
         [0024]    One side wall  13  of the insulative housing  1  defines a receiving chamber  132  disposed at an outer side of the slide slot  142 . The other side wall  13  defines a plurality of locating slots  141  to fix the switch group  8 . The bottom wall  14  defines a plurality of passages  141  extending rearwardly through the base portion  11 , and a position space  143  fixing an insulator plate  16  which insert molding around the third terminal group  23 . The position space  143  is recessed from a bottom surface of the bottom wall  14 . The position space  143  defines a plurality of protrusion posts  1430  corresponding to through holes  160  formed on the insulator plate  16 . 
         [0025]    Each terminals  2  includes a retaining portion  210 ,  220 ,  230 , a flexible portion  211 ,  221 ,  231  extending from an end of the retaining portion  210 ,  220 ,  230 , a tail portion  212 ,  222 ,  232  extending from another end of the retaining portion  210 ,  220 ,  230  out of the insulative housing  1  for being mounted on the PCB, and a contact portion  213 ,  223 ,  233  cantileveredly extending from the retaining portion  210 ,  220 ,  230  into the insertion slot  12 . The retaining portions  210 ,  220  of the first terminal group  21  and the second terminal group  22  are retained in the passages  141  of the insulative housing  1 . The retaining portions  230  of the third terminal group  23  is insert molded in the insulator plate  16 . The contact portions  233  of the third terminal group  23  are positioned at front of other contact portions  213 ,  223 . 
         [0026]    The slide carrier  3  includes a flat bottom plate  31  defining a plurality of through grooves  311  corresponding to the contact portions  223  of the second terminal group  22 , and a pair of slide portions  32  disposed opposite lateral of the bottom plate  31 . The bottom plate  31  defines a plurality of support portions  313  each connecting opposite inner walls of two adjacent grooves  311  respectively. The support portions  313  are disposed in the grooves  311  and under a top surface of the bottom plate  31  respective. The slide portion  32  defines a depression  322  at an inner side wall thereof for receiving a side of the second card  300 . The slide portion  32  includes a first push portion  323 , and a second push portion  325  located at a front end thereof. The first push portion  323  is disposed behind the second push portion  325  and adjacent to the depression  322 . A top portion of the slide portion  32  defines a fixing slot  326  to fix the spring  5 . A rear outer side of the slide portion  32  defines a locking slot  328  facing to an outer side of the slide carrier  3 , and an inclined surface  329  adjacent behind the locking slot  328 . 
         [0027]    The lifting plate  4  includes an elongated cross beam  41  disposed in the overlap part of the first insertion slot  121  and the second insertion slot  122 , and a pair of guiding blocks  42  formed opposite sides of the cross beam  41  for guiding and restricting the electrical cards  200 ,  300 ,  400  inserted into the first insertion slot  121  or the second insertion slot  122 . The guiding blocks  42  are received in the receiving cavity  15  to be prevented from out of the insulative housing  1 . The first insertion slot  121  is disposed above the cross beam  41 . The second insertion slot  122  is disposed under the cross beam  41 . A front end of the cross beam  41  defines a first inclined surface  411 , and a second inclined surface  412  above the first inclined surface  411  which both extend toward the mating surface  10  of the insulative housing  1 . The first inclined surface  411  and the second inclined surface  412  are made of a blade-shape. The guiding block  42  defines a first guiding surface  421 , a second guiding surface  422 , and a third guiding surface  423  which all extending inclined far from the mating face  10  into the insertion slot  12 . Both of the first guiding surface  421  and the third guiding surface  423  are perpendicular to a level surface. The third guiding surface  423  is offset outwardly relative to the first guiding surface  411 . The second guiding surface  422  extends upwardly and obliquely along the card insertion direction. 
         [0028]    The eject mechanism  6  includes a slider  61  movable in the receiving chamber  132  abutting against the slide carrier  3  toward the mating face  10 , a coiled spring  62  abutting against the slider  61 , and a link rod  63  for controlling positions of the slider  61  with respect to the insulative housing  1 . The slider  61  defines a heart-shaped cam recessed from a top surface thereof, a protrusion  611  protruding into the insertion slot  12  from a rear end thereof, a retaining slot  612  to fix the locking body  7 , and a receiving slot  613  extending forwardly from the retaining slot  612  through out thereof. 
         [0029]    The locking body  7  is a metal spring, and includes a locating portion  71  retained in the retaining slot  612  of the slider  61 , an engaging portion  72  protruding into the insertion slot  12  for locking the first card  200 , a flexible portion  73  extending from the locating portion  71  to the engaging portion  72 , and a chip locking portion  74  protruding downwardly from a distal end of the engaging portion  72 , The locking portion  72  locks into the locking slot  328  of the slide carrier  3  before insertion of the cards  200 ,  300 ,  400 . 
         [0030]    The switch terminal group  8  includes a first switch terminal  81 , a second switch terminal  82 , and a third switch terminal  83  disposed in an inner side of the first switch terminal  81  and the second switch terminal  82 . The first switch terminal  81  and the second switch terminal  82  contacts the third switch terminal  82  respectively while the cards  200 ,  300 ,  400  inserted into the insertion slot  12  fully. The switch terminal group  8  is widely used in electrical card connector, so detailed description is omitted hereinafter. 
         [0031]    The metal shell  9  is stamped from a metal sheet and includes a top wall  91  and a pair of bending walls  92  extending downwardly from lateral sides of the top wall  91 . The top wall  91  forms a spring tab  910  abutting against the guiding block  42  of the lifting plate  4  in the vertical direction of the insulative housing  1 . 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , while the first card  200  is being inserted into the electrical card connector  100 , the first card  200  would be restricted in a left-right direction by the first guiding surface  421  and guided by the first inclined surface  411  in the vertical direction of the insulative housing  1  to make the first card  200  be upwardly and rearwardly inserted into the first insertion slot  121 . At the same time, the lifting plate  4  moves downwardly, the spring  5  abuts against a side of the first card  200 . The first card  200  abuts against the engaging portion  72  of the locking body  7  to make the locking portion  74  escape from the locking slot  328  of the slide carrier  3 . The slide carrier  3  is unmovable while the first card  200  being continued to be inserted. The first card  200  moves rearwardly and pass over the slide carrier  3  to directly push protrusion  611  of the eject mechanism  6 . Finally, the contact portions  213  of the first terminal group electricity contact the first card  200 . 
         [0033]    While the first card  200  is being ejected, the protrusion  611  of the eject mechanism  6  abuts against a front end of the first card  200  to push the first card  200  to move toward the mating face  10  and out of the electrical card connector  100 . The flexible portion  73  drives the locking portion  74  along the inclined surface  329  to insert into the locking slot  328  again. Therefore, the slide carrier  3  is unmovable while the first card  200  being inserted or withdrawn always. Thus, the contact portions  223  of the second terminal group  22  could not protrude upwardly to touch the first card  200 , the second terminal group  22  is protected. 
         [0034]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , while the second card  300  is being inserted into electrical card connector  100 , the second card  300  would be restricted in a left-right direction by the first guiding surface  421  and guided by the first inclined surface  411  to make the second card  300  be inserted into the first insertion slot  121 . At the same time, the lifting plate  4  moves downwardly, a side of the second card  200  is receiving in the depression  322  of the slide carrier  3 . A front end of second card  300  abuts against the first push portion  323  to push the slide carrier  3  further to push eject mechanism  6  slide together in the insultive housing  1 . The support portions  313  push the contact portions  223  of the second group  22  to be raised upwardly gradually to electricity contact the second card  300 . 
         [0035]    Since the slide carrier  3  and the slider  61  of the eject mechanism  6  are locked with each other, and the slider  61  is restricted by the coiled spring  62  and the link rod  63 . The second card  300  would not be pulled toward the mating face  10  by the slide carrier  3  While an electrical equipment which installing the electrical card connector  100  is hit or shock by other objects. It ensures reliability electrical connect between the second card  300  and the electrical connector  100 . While the second card  300  is being ejected, the first push portion  323  of the slide carrier  3  push the front end of the second card  300  to push the first card  200  to move toward the mating face  10  and out of the electrical card connector  100 . The coiled spring  62  abuts against the slider  61  to move with the slide carrier  3  together. Finally, The contact portions  223  of the second terminal group  22  moves downwardly to be received in the grooves  311  again, and lose contact with the second card  300 . 
         [0036]    Referring to  FIG. 9 , while the third card  400  is being inserted into electrical card connector  100 , the third card  400  would be restricted in a left-right direction by the third guiding surface  423 , and guided by both of the first inclined surface  411  and the second guiding surface  422  in the vertical direction of the insulative housing  1  to make the third card  300  be inserted into the second insertion slot  122  because the third card  400  is much wider. A front end of the third card  400  pushes the second push portion  325  to make the slide carrier  3  move rearwardly with the eject mechanism  4  together. The contact portions  233  of the third terminal group  23  electrically connect the third card  400 . 
         [0037]    The locking body  7  locks the slide carrier  3  with the eject mechanism together. The third card  400  would not be pulled toward the mating face  10  by the slide carrier  3  while an electrical equipment which installing the electrical card connector  100  is hit or shock by other objects. Reliability electrical connection between the third card  400  and the electrical connector  100  is ensured. While the third card  300  is being ejected, the second push portion  325  of the slide carrier  3  push the front end of the third card  400  to push the third card  400  out of the electrical connector  100 . The coiled spring  62  abuts against the slider  61  to move forwardly with the slide carrier  3  together. 
         [0038]    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. For example, the tongue portion is extended in its length or is arranged on a reverse side thereof opposite to the supporting side with other contacts but still holding the contacts with an arrangement indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.