Patent Publication Number: US-7717727-B2

Title: Latching device for locking a daughter board in an edge connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a latching device, which is used for retaining a daughter board such as a memory card in an electrical connector to complete an electrical connection between the daughter board and a mother board. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   A conventional latching device for retaining a daughter board in a card edge connector, includes an insulating base member, a latching member attached on a front face of the base member and a grounding member attached on a rear face of base member, both of which is retained on the base member through bolts. The grounding member includes a slender bridge portion and a pair of retaining portions extending from two opposite ends of the bridge portion and a pair of solder portions. The retaining portions are inserted into and retained in corresponding slots defined in the rear face of the base member. The grounding member might be abutting against the rear face loosely, especially in a high type base member. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   An object of the present invention is to provide a latching device with a slender grounding member fitly attached on a rear face thereof. 
   In order to achieve above-mentioned object, a latching device comprises a base member of insulating material including a bridge portion and a pair of board-connecting portions connected by the bridge portion; a metallic latching member located at a front face of the bridge portion of the base member, the latching member comprising a latching portion toward a top face of the board-connecting portion; a metallic grounding member comprising a bridge portion and a pair of connecting portions extending downwards from two opposite ends of the bridge portion, the grounding member being secured to a rear of the base member; each connecting portion comprising a first retaining portion and a second retaining portion and retained in corresponding slots defined on a rear face of the board-connecting portion, the first retaining portion being located higher than the second retaining portion. 
   Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present 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 DRAWINGS 
     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: 
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a latching device in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the latching device; 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the latching device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the latching device shown in  FIG. 2 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Reference will be made to the drawing figures to describe the present invention in detail, wherein depicted elements are not necessarily shown to scale and wherein like or similar elements are designated by same or similar reference numeral through the eight views and same or similar terminology. 
   A latching device  100  shown in  FIGS. 1 through 4  are used to be assembled on a mother board to lock one end of a daughter board (not shown), of which another end is inserted in an electrical connector (not shown) spaced seating on the mother board from the latching device  100 . Therefore, an electrical connection between the daughter board and a mother board are established. The latching device includes an insulating base member  1  of resin material, a latching member  2  and a grounding member  3 . 
   The base member  1  includes a pair of board-connecting portions  10  spaced from each other and integrally connecting by a bridge portion  11 . The bridge portion  11  is located at a back-top edge of the board-connecting portions  10 . Each board-connecting portion  10  defines a positioning post  101  and a limited portion  102  of triangle shape at a top face  109  thereof, wherein the post  101  is near to a front edge of the board-connecting portion  10  compared with the limited portion  102 . Each board-connecting portion  10  define a retaining post  105  shown in  FIG. 1 , the retaining posts  105  are used to be inserted in corresponding holes on the mother board to retain the device  100  on the mother board. Moreover, a board lock  4  is provided with a portion  40  retained in a slot  106  on a front face  107  of the board-connecting portion  10  and a soldering portion  41  extending out of the board-connecting portion to be soldered on the mother board, thereby the device  100  is assembled on the PCB. 
   The latching member  2  made of a longitudinal metal sheet is resilient and includes a bridge portion  20  which has two hole  21  at the middle portion thereof and opposite arm portions  22  extending therefrom. The holes  21  of the latching member  2  corresponds to holes  112  running through the bridge portion  11  and a pair of bolts  31  and other like article secure the bridge portion  20  on a front face  110  of the bridge portion  11 . The bridge portion  11  of the base member defines the arc front face  110 , thereby arm portions  22  can shift rearwards until against the front face  110  of the bridge portion  11 . The top face  114  of the bridge is used for picking-up. 
   A pair of latching portions  23  bend from a top edge of the opposite ends of the bridge portion  22  respectively. The latching portions slant forwards and downward to face the top faces  109 /supporting faces of the board-connecting portions, thereby a card-end receiving space is defined, and a top face  231  of the latching portion is adapted for guiding the daughter board. A pair of handle portions  24  bends outwards and rearward for a user&#39;s operation. 
   The grounding member  30  is made of a conductive metal sheet. The grounding member includes a longitudinal bridge portion  301  with two holes  306  at a middle portion thereof. The bolts  31  pass into the holes  306 ,  112  and  21  and retain the bridge portion  301  of the grounding member  30  on the rear face of the bridge portion  11  of the base member  11 . The grounding member  30  defines a connecting portion  302  extending downwards from a bottom edge of the opposite ends of the bridge portion  301 , the connecting portions  302  abut against the back face of the base member. A first retaining portion or tab  303  bends forwards from a lateral edge of the connecting portion  302 , which is inserted into and retained in a slot  103  (labeled in  FIG. 4 ) on a back face  108  of the board-connecting portion  10 . A second retaining portion  304  bends forward from a bottom edge of the connecting portion  302  with barbs  3041  at an inner edge thereof, which is inserted into and retained in a slot  104  (labeled in  FIG. 4 ) on the back face of the board-connecting portion  10 . The second retaining portions are wider than the connecting portion  302  in the longitudinal direction of the latching device, as a result a soldering portion  305  extends backward from a back edge of the second retaining portion. The soldering portions  305  extend out of the board-connecting portion  10 . The grounding trip completes through the grounding member  30  and the bolts  31 , which two form a grounding device  3 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , the first retaining portion  303  and the second retaining portion  304  are located in different positions along a high direction, thereby the connecting portion  302  are tight abutting against the board-connecting portion  10 . The barbs  304  of the second retaining portion also offset from the first retaining portions  303  to further secure the connecting portions against the board-connecting portion  10 . 
   However, the disclosure is illustrative only, changes may be made in detail, especially in matter of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention.