Patent Publication Number: US-2009227149-A1

Title: Electrical card connector with improved contacts

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to electrical card connectors, and more particularly to an electrical card connector with improved contacts. 
     2. Description of Related Arts 
     IC cards have been developed and a type of IC card called a subscriber identification module card (SIM card) is used in cellular phones as an identification and storage unit for subscriber related data. A SIM card normally includes a terminal array for connection through a card connector to the external equipment. The connector usually includes a card socket for receiving the SIM card and a plurality of resilient contacts for engaging the terminal array of the card when the card is inserted into the socket. 
     A conventional electrical card connector forms a plurality of conventional contacts and an insulating housing. Each contact comprises a flat main portion with a plurality of spinous portions extending along a latitudinal direction, a contact portion for contacting with the terminal array of the card, a flexible connecting portion connecting the contacting portion with the flat main portion and a rail portion extending from the flat main portion and soldered with a circuit board. The insulating housing defines a plurality of receiving channels for receiving the flat main portions and forms a plurality of fixing portions extending along a latitudinal direction for interfering with the spinous portions in a horizontal direction, so that the contacts are fixed in the insulating housing. Accompanying with a minimization of the electric product, it is more and more difficult to define receiving channels in the insulating housing with fixing portions, which extend along a latitudinal direction; when the card is inserted, the contact portion is pressed by the card, the fixing portions and the edges of the insulating housing adjacent to the receiving channels are easy to be destroyed by the contacts and then, the contacts may drop off from the receiving channels, the electrical performance of the card connector is not effectively achieved. 
     Hence, an improved electrical card connector is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical card connector with improved contacts. 
     To achieve the above object, an electrical card connector, assembled on a printed circuit board (PCB), includes an insulating housing and a plurality of contacts received in the insulating housing. The insulating housing defines a plurality of receiving channels and a plurality of fixing channels. Each contact includes a base portion, a contact portion cantilevered above the base portion and partially received in the receiving channel, and a pair of fixing portions respectively at two lateral sides of the base portion and received in corresponding fixing channels. 
     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 DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective, assembled view of an electrical card connector according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective, exploded view of the electrical card connector; and 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the contact. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       FIGS. 1-3  illustrate an electrical card connector  100  in accordance with the present invention, assembled on a printed circuit board (PCB) (not shown) and comprising an insulating housing  1 , a plurality of contacts  3  received in the insulating housing  1 , a metal shield  2  shielding over the insulating housing  1  for defining a card receiving space  4 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the insulating housing  1 , generally rectangular shaped, defines a plurality of receiving channels  12  respectively and correspondingly arranged in two parallel lines and also defines two fixing channels  11  sandwiching each receiving channel  12 . The receiving channel  12  is wider and longer than the fixing channel  11  in size. Both the receiving channels  12  and the fixing channels  11  extend through an upper side and a lower side of the insulating housing  1 . The lengthwise receiving channel  12  and the lengthwise fixing channel  11  extend along a card insertion/ejection direction perpendicular to a direction defined by the parallel lines. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2-3 , the contacts  3  are divided into two groups which are retained in the insulating housing  1 , respectively. Each contact  3  comprises a base portion  31 , a contact portion  33  shaped as an arch, a U-shaped connecting portion  32  connecting the contact portion  33  with the base portion  31  and a rail portion  35  extending from a free end of the base portion  31  opposite to the U-shaped connecting portion  31 . The contact portion  33  is just above the base portion  31  for electrically contacting with a SIM card (not shown). Each contact  3  further forms a pair of fixing portions  34  respectively at two lateral sides thereof. The fixing portions  34  extend vertically and upwardly from two edges of the base portion  31 . Each fixing portion  34  forms a taper portion  341  with a width gradually decreased from a bottom face to a top face. The fixing portion  34  has elasticity and can be elastically pressed in a certain scope. The fixing portion  34  further forms a supporting pole  342  downwardly extending and adjacent to the rail portion  35 , for one purpose to be soldered with the PCB and for another purpose to support the whole contact  3  on the insulating housing  1  so as to prevent the contact  3  from dropping off from the insulating housing  1 . The rail portion  35  is laid on the PCB for preventing the contact  3  from concentrating excessive pressure on the supporting pole  342 . 
     In assembly, the contact  3  is inserted into the insulating housing  1  along a down-to-up direction, the taper portion  341  goes through the fixing channel  11  and presses against the insulating housing  1  due to the elasticity thereof. Accordingly, the fixing portion  34  is received in the fixing channel  11 . The contact portion  33  is partially received in the corresponding receiving channel  12  and partially exposed into the card receiving space  4 . Because of the flexibility of the U-shaped connecting portion  32 , the contact portion  33  can be pressed and the receiving channel  12  provides a space for a movement of the contact portion  33 . 
     In the present invention, for the fixing portion  34  extends along a vertical direction and is received in the fixing channels  11  under a condition of the taper portion  341  engaging the insulating housing  1 , hence, the contact  3  is fixedly engaged with the insulating housing  1  and is not easy to fall down from the insulating housing  1 . The supporting portion  342  distracts pressure on the supporting  342  generated by the contact&#39;s own weight and the card&#39;s insertion. 
     While a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention has been shown and described, equivalent modifications and changes known to persons skilled in the art according to the spirit of the present invention are considered within the scope of the present invention as described in the appended claims.