Patent Publication Number: US-6341971-B1

Title: Duplex profile connector assembly

Description:
This is a continuation-in-part of the copending application Ser. No. 09/498,828 filed Feb. 4, 2000. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to double deck connector assemblies, and particularly to an improvement to the connector assembly disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 09/619,864 filed on Jul. 20, 2000. 
     2. The Related Art 
     The copending application having the same inventorship and the same title filed on Jul. 20, 2000, generally discloses a double-deck SO DIMM (Small Outline Dual Inline Memory Module) connector assembly where two-step withdrawal of the lower module (daughter card) is achieved for more organizational arrangement. As mentioned in this copending application, each of most existing prior art double-deck connector assemblies is characterized with a relatively larger-dimensioned offset between the upper housing and the lower housing in the front-to-back direction, thus occupying more space on the printed circuit (mother) board on which the connector assembly is seated. Differently, the aforementioned copending application discloses a connector assembly with a relatively smaller-dimensioned offset between the upper and the lower housing in the front-to-back direction for saving the space on the printed circuit (mother) board. 
     Anyhow, some operators/technicians working on the assembling sometimes prefer to have a one-step withdrawal of the lower module rather than two-step one which is one of the features of the aforementioned copending application in which the lower module may be temporarily retained between the upper deck and the lower deck during rotative withdrawal. 
     Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide a double-deck connector assembly which owns the advantageous smaller offset as shown in the copending application while permitting one-step withdrawal of the lower module instead. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to an aspect of the invention, a double-deck connector assembly includes a unitary housing defining upper and lower connection ports with upper and lower central slots for respectively receiving the corresponding upper and lower modules therein. The upper connection port is slightly forwardly offset from the lower connection port. A pair of latch arms extend from two opposite ends of each connection port for retaining the corresponding module in position. A latching lug is formed on each latch arm for locking the module in position wherein the latching lug of the lower latch arm includes a vertical section received within the notch of the lower module and a horizontal section, which is integrally connected to the vertical section, abutting against and positioned on the upper surface of the lower module around the periphery of the corresponding notch, while the latching lug of the upper latch arm includes a vertical section received within the corresponding notch of the upper module and a horizontal section, which is integrally connected to the vertical section, abutting against and positioned on the upper surface of the upper module around the side edge close to said notch. Therefore, the lower module is allowed to be inserted into the lower connection port with the initial angular insertion position which is substantially above the latching lug of the upper latch arm under the condition that the upper connection port is only slightly forwardly offset from the lower connection port. The dimension, position and contour of the latching lug of the upper latch arm are properly configured to correlate the (standard) notch of the lower module for allowing insertion/withdrawal of the lower module with regard to the connector housing via deflection of the upper latch arm. 
     Specifically, such withdrawal of the lower module is arranged to be done via one step instead of the so-called two steps disclosed in the aforementioned copending application, wherein a guidance face is provided around the upper latch arm for guidably allowing the lower module to continuously/successively upwardly move, after manually releasing the lower latch arm, by capably/automatically deflecting the corresponding upper latch arm away instead of being temporarily held between the upper latch arm and the lower latch arm, so as to meet the user&#39;s desire while still keeping the advantageous smaller offset of the first generation invention disclosed in the aforementioned copending application. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a double-deck connector assembly according to the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the connector assembly of FIG. 1 from another angle. 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the connector assembly of FIG. 1 to show the latch arm and the associated support arm thereof. 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged exploded partial perspective view of the connector assembly of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the upper support arm of the connector assembly of FIG. 1 from another angle. 
     FIG.  5 (A) is a plan view of the upper support arm of the connector assembly of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial plan view of the connector assembly of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 7 is a full plan view of the connector assembly of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the printed circuit board for use with the connector assembly of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the connector assembly of FIG. 1 with a lower module at an insertion/withdrawal position. 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the connector assembly of FIG. 1 with therein both upper and lower modules in position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     References will now be in detail to the preferred embodiments of the invention. While the present invention has been described in with reference to the specific embodiments, the description is illustrative of the invention and is not to be construed as limiting the invention. Various modifications to the present invention can be made to the preferred embodiments by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined by appended claims. 
     It will be noted here that for a better understanding, most of like components are designated by like reference numerals throughout the various figures in the embodiments. Also, because the invention focuses on the one-step withdrawal of the lower module, only the structures relating to this feature are illustrated in detail while the other portions may be referred to the aforementioned copending application. Attention is directed to FIGS. 1-10 wherein a double-deck connector assembly  1  includes an insulative housing  10  defining an upper connection port  12  and a lower connection port  14  for respectively receiving upper and lower (level) modules  100 ,  200  therein (FIGS.  8 - 10 ). The upper(lower) connection port  12 ,  14  includes an upper(lower) central slot  16 ( 17 ) with a plurality of contacts  18  aside. The upper connection port  12  is somewhat forwardly offset from the lower connection port  14  in a front-to-back direction of the connector assembly  1 . 
     A pair of upper(lower) latch arms  20 ( 22 ) are respectively integrally formed at two opposite ends of the upper(lower) connection portion  12 ( 14 ). An optional auxiliary metal supporting arm  24 ( 26 ) is disposed beside each latch arm  20 ( 22 ) and directly fastened to the housing  10  for provision of auxiliary strength of the latch arm  20 ( 22 ) during deflection of the latch arm  20 ( 22 ). 
     A first or upper latching lug  28  is formed around the distal end of the upper latch arm  20  for latchably engaging the upper module  100  (FIGS.  8  and  10 ). A second or lower latching lug  34  is formed around the distal end of the lower latch arm  22  for latchably engaging the lower module  200 . Because the offset arrangement between the upper connection port  12  and the lower connection port  14 , the first latching lug  28  of the upper latch arm  20  is also forwardly offset from the second latching lug  34  of the lower latch arm  22 . 
     As shown in FIG. 9, the lower module  200  is adapted to be first installed into the lower connection port  14 , with the front edge of the lower module  200  being received within the lower central slot  17 , at an insertion or full withdrawal angular position as shown in FIG. 4 where the first latching lug  28  is positioned under the lower module  200 . 
     Successively, the lower module  200  is downwardly rotated about the lower central slot  17 , and thus the pair of upper latch arms  20  will be deflected outwardly by slidable engagement between the first latching lugs  28  and the lateral sides of the lower module  200  until the lower module  200  completely passes over the first latching lugs  28 . Naturally and preferably, the lower module  200  is continuously downwardly rotated to the completely locked horizontal position, by outwardly deflecting the lower latch arms  22 , where the lower module  200  is retained in the lower connection port  14  by the lower latching lug  34  of the lower latch arm  22 . 
     Understandably, the upper module  100  can be inserted into the upper connection port  12 . FIG. 10 shows the whole assembly with both the upper module  100  and the lower module  200  therein. 
     Oppositely, during withdrawal of the upper and the lower modules  100  and  200 , the upper module  100  is first backwardly, i.e., upwardly, rotated from the horizontal position to the insertion/withdrawal angular position by outward deflection of the upper latch arms  20 , and leaves the upper connection port  12 . 
     Successively, by manually outwardly deflecting the lower latch arms  22  and via the spring forces of the contacts  18  in the lower connection port  14  the lower module  200  is backwardly, i.e., upwardly, rotated from the horizontal position to the insertion/withdrawal angular position. Different from what is shown in the aforementioned copending application where by confrontation with the upper latch arm  20 , the lower module will be temporarily held in an intermediate position between the upper latch arm and the lower latch arm, in this invention during the rotative upward movement, the lower module  200  will actively outwardly push the upper latch arm  20  away and pass over the upper latch arm  20  to reach the original insertion/withdrawal position without blocking, thus resulting in one step withdrawal thereof. This is because of formation of a guidance means around the lower portion of the upper latch arm  20 . The details are as below. 
     Similar to the aforementioned copending application, referring to FIGS. 1-6 the lower support arm  26  which is similar to what is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,332, includes a main body  80  retaining to the housing  10  with an upward first tang  82  adapted to cooperate with the main body  80  for interrelating the lower latch arm  22  so that the support arm  26  may supportably engage the lower latch arm  22  when the lower latch arm  22  is deflected. A downward second tang  84  is positioned beside the first tang  82 , which is adapted to engage the fixed arm  23  under the lower latch arm  22  for preventing inward over-deflection of the lower latch arm  22 . A downward third tang  86  is positioned beside the second tang  84 , which is adapted to engage the fixed arm  23  for prevent outward over-deflection of the lower latch arm  22 . 
     Somewhat similarly and somewhat differently, the upper support arm  24  includes a main body  60  retaining the upper support arm  24  to the housing  10  with an upward first tag  62  cooperating with the main body  60  to interrelate the upper latch arm  20  so that the upper support arm  24  may supportably engage the upper latch arm  20  when the upper latch arm  20  is deflected. A downward second tag  64  is positioned beside the first tag  62 , which is adapted to engage a stopper tang  88  on the upper portion of the lower latch arm  22  for preventing outward over-deflection of the upper latch  20 . A downward third tag  66  is positioned beside the second tag  64 , which is adapted to engage the upper portion of the lower support arm  26  for preventing inward over-deflection of the upper latch arm  20 . 
     Different from what is disclosed in the copending aforementioned application, the second tag  64  includes a slanting guidance surface  65  generally right under the upper latching lug  28 . Thus, as soon as the lower module  200  is released from the lower latch arms  22 , the edge portion of the rotatably upwardly moving lower module  200 , wherein such upward rotation is due to resilient/restoring forces of the contacts  18  in the lower connection port  14 , may guidably/automatically move along the guidance surface  85 , thus capably outwardly deflecting the upper support arm  24  and its associated upper latch arm  20  until the lower module  200  finally fully reaches its original insertion/withdrawal position. Accordingly, a one step withdrawal of the lower module  200  is implemented in place of the two-step withdrawal disclosed in the aforementioned copending application. 
     It should be noted that in this embodiment the guidance surface is provided on the metal support arm, while such a guidance surface may be formed on the plastic latch arm instead. Also, in this embodiment the third tag  66  is adapted to engage the upper portion of the metal lower support arm  26 , while alternately it can engage the upper portion of the lower latch arm  22  for obtaining the same effect. 
     While the present invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, the description is illustrative of the invention and is not to be construed as limiting the invention. Various modifications to the present invention can be made to the preferred embodiments by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claim. For example, the housing may be made by two separate pieces to respectively form the upper and lower connection ports as shown in the Pat. No. 5,755,585. Similarly, the latch arms may not be integrally formed with the housing but being instead the separate pieces, either metal or enhanced plastics, attached thereto. Moreover, in this embodiment the latch unit includes the latch arm and its associated support arm which are different materials, i.e., metal vs. plastics, while instead they may be integrally formed/manufactured together, either with different or same material thereof, for compliance with some application conditions. 
     Therefore, person of ordinary skill in this field are to understand that all such equivalent structures are to be included within the scope of the following claims.