Patent Publication Number: US-2018054016-A1

Title: Electrical connector card tray having a frame and a cover detachably mounted to the frame

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a card tray for a card connector and more particularly to a card tray having a detachable cover to positively confine an inserted electronic card in the card tray. 
     2. Description of Related Arts 
     China Patent No. 203071270 discloses a card tray having a frame and a hand-gripping or face plate portion. The frame has a bottom plate portion for seating an electronic card. The card tray is to be inserted into a card connector. 
     U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0113495 discloses a card tray having a main body and a hand-gripping portion. The main body has a lateral side opening for inserting an electronic card, a spacer for seating the inserted electronic card, and a supporting plate positioned at an opposing side of the opening for limiting displacement of the inserted electronic card. The side opening and related structure may be replaced by a guide slope surface and associated structure. 
     WO 2017/039872 discloses a card connector including a base and a shielding tray that can be detachably connected to the base. The shielding tray has a fixing portion operable to fix an electronic card in a fixed position within the shielding tray. A flat portion may be arranged on the shielding tray so that the card can be laid against the flat portion upon having been installed to the shielding tray. Surrounding portions may be arranged on the shielding tray and the fixing portion may be provided on the surrounding portions. The surrounding portions can be implemented as a wall perpendicular to the flat portion. 
     A card tray of a different construction is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A card tray comprises: a frame having a seating portion; and a cover detachably mounted to the frame, the cover and the frame confining a space for an electronic card. Inadvertent falling of an electronic card off the frame during connecting/disconnecting the card tray to/from an electrical connector is prevented. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is an assembled perspective view of a card tray in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is another perspective view of the card tray; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the card tray with a cover thereof detached and a frame thereof loaded with electronic cards; 
         FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 3  but with the electronic cards removed; 
         FIG. 5  is another perspective view of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is another perspective view of the frame; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the frame loaded with electronic cards; 
         FIG. 8  is another perspective view of the cover; and 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the card tray taken along line A-A in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-9  in general, and particularly to  FIG. 3 , a card tray  100  for accommodating one or more electronic cards  200  is to be connected to an electrical connector in an electronic device. The card tray  100  includes a frame  1  and a cover  2  to be detachably mounted to the frame  1 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4-6 , the frame  1  is made of stainless steel, aluminum alloy, or the like metallic material. The frame  1  includes a main body  12  and a front face plate  11 . The main body  12  has a receiving space  14  opening upward for accommodating an electronic card  200 . 
     The main body  12  includes a first cross beam  120 , a second cross beam  121 , and a middle cross beam  122 . The middle cross beam  122  divides the space  14  into two parts. The main body  12  also includes a seating portion  13  for holding an inserted electronic card  200 . The first cross beam  120  has a pair of first through holes  123  and a pair of first abutments  124  beside the through holes  123 . Two sides of the main body  12  has a pair of second through holes  125  and a pair of second abutments  126  beside the through holes  125 . The second cross beam  121  has a pair of third through holes  128  and a pair of third abutments  127  beside the through holes  128 . The third through holes  128  are in fluid communication with the space  14 . 
     The cover  2  is made of stainless steel. The cover  2  includes a main body  21 , a pair of first fingers  211  bent from one end of the main body  21 , a pair of second fingers  213  at two sides of the main body  21 , and a pair of third fingers  214  bent from the other end of the main body  21 . A slot  212  is formed beside the second finger  213 . 
     In use, an electronic card  200  is received in the same  14  and seated upon the seating portion  13  and the cover  2  is attached to the frame  1 . Namely, first the first fingers  211  extend through the first through holes  123 , the second fingers  213  extend through the second through holes  125 , and the third fingers  214  extend through the third through holes  128 . Then the cover  2  slides relative to the frame  1  so that the first fingers  211  engage the first abutments  124 , the second fingers  213  engage the second abutments  126 , and the third fingers  214  engage the third abutments  127 . Therefore, the main body  21  engages a top of the frame  1  and the fingers  211 ,  213 , and  214  engage a bottom of the frame  1  with the electronic card  200  positively confined in the space  14 . 
     The cover  2  is detachable from the frame  1  by a sliding movement in a reverse direction to disengage the fingers  211 ,  213 , and  214  from the abutments  124 ,  126 , and  127 , respectively. 
     Provision of a detachable cover  2  ensures that inadvertent falling of an electronic card off the frame  1  during connecting/disconnecting the card tray  100  to/from an electrical connector is prevented. 
     Notably, because the card tray is essentially an closed manner to efficiently hold the electronic card therein without withdrawal risk, the user may easily align the card tray with the corresponding opening of the portable device for installing the electronic card advantageously. On the contrary, in some traditional designs, the cellular phone may need to be put in an upside down horizontal manner for changing the electronic card because the orientation limitation of the card tray with regard to the corresponding connector in the cellular phone.