Patent Abstract:
A card connector ( 1 ) includes an insulating housing ( 2 ); a number of contacts ( 3 ) retained in the insulating housing ( 2 ) and a shell ( 4 ). The shell ( 4 ) covers the insulating housing ( 2 ) to define a card receiving space therebetween and defines a card insertion direction. The contacts ( 3 ) comprise a number of contacting portions ( 32 ) exposed into the card receiving space. A stopper ( 44 ) is formed on the shell ( 4 ) and protruding into the card receiving space and comprises a stopping portion ( 440 ) approximately uprightly exposed into the card receiving space along the card insertion direction to prevent the card from mis-insertion.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention is generally related to a card connector, and especially to a card connector with an anti-mismating device. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   With the development of electronic appliances, different electrical cards are used to expand additional functions of the electronic appliance, such as data storage. A card connector is required to receive the electrical card to achieve the storage function between the electrical card and the corresponding electronic appliance. However, a user may insert the electrical card into the card connector in an improper state by mistake. In this situation, the card connector, the electrical card and even the electronic appliance may be damaged. Thus, one way to solve the above mention problem is to design the card connector with an anti-mismating device. 
   A common card connector adapted for receiving a card comprises an insulating housing, a plurality of contacts received in the insulating housing and a shell covering the insulating housing. The card connector defines a card receiving space between the insulating housing and the shell. The shell is formed with a stopper uprightly protruding downwardly into the card receiving space and arranged along a transverse direction perpendicular to a card insertion direction. When the card is properly inserted, the stopper will be accommodated in a slot formed in the card and does not prevent the card from inserting into the card connector to electrically connect with the contacts. 
   When the card is improper inserted, such as in an adverse fashion, the stopper will be collide with the card to prevent the card from electrically connecting with the contacts. However, because the stopper uprightly arranges along the transverse direction, intensity of the stopper is weakened. When the card is improper inserted some times by mistake, the stopper may be deflected from an original position due to collision of the card and does not prevent the card from electrically connecting with the contacts. 
   Hence, an improved card connector is highly desired to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a card connector with an anti-mismating device. 
   To achieve the above object, a card connector comprises an insulating housing; a plurality of contacts retained in the insulating housing and a shell. The shell covers the insulating housing to define a card receiving space therebetween and defines a card insertion direction. The contacts comprise a plurality of contacting portions exposed into the card receiving space. A stopper is formed on the shell and protruding into the card receiving space and comprises a stopping portion approximately uprightly exposed into the card receiving space along the card insertion direction to prevent the card from mis-insertion. 
   Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be drawn from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with attached drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an assembled, perspective view of a card connector in accordance with the present invention with a card accommodated in; 
       FIG. 2  is an assembled, perspective view of the card connector of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded, perspective view of the card connector of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a partially exploded, perspective view of the card connector of  FIG. 1  with the card; and 
       FIG. 5  is perspective view of the insulating housing of the card connector of  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1–5 , the card connector  1  of the present invention adapted for receiving a card  6  comprises an insulating housing  2 , a plurality of contacts  3  received in the insulating housing  2 , a shell  4  and an ejector  5 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 4–5 , the insulating housing  2  is approximately L-shaped, the insulating housing  2  comprises a rear wall  20 , a right sidewall  21  extending forwardly from right end of the rear wall  20  and a bottom wall  22 . The insulating housing  2  is formed with a plurality of wedges  202  on outside of the rear wall  20  and the sidewall  21 . The rear wall  20  is formed with a plurality of bars  203  on upper face thereof and defines a plurality of receiving passages  200  running through the rear wall  20 . 
   The shell  4  covers the insulating housing  2  and defines a card receiving space (not labeled) therebetween with an entrance opening (not labeled) at front end of the card connector  1 . Each contact  3  comprises a holding portion  31  securely held in the receiving passages  200 , a soldering portion  30  extending rearward from the holding portion  31  to solder on a printed circuit board (not shown) and a contacting portion  32  extending forwardly from the soldering portion  30  and exposed in the card receiving space. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 5 , the right sidewall  21  defines a cavity  214  to accommodate the ejector  5  and the sidewall  21  defines a cut  215  adjacent to front end thereof to communicate with the cavity  214 . A block portion  213  is formed on front end of the sidewall  21  due to the cavity  214 . The block portion  213  defines a concave  201 , a holding cut  2131  and a pinhole  2130  along a card insertion direction. A cutout  2132  is formed on the block portion  213  opposite to the concave  201 . A column  211  protrudes into the cavity  214  from rear end of the sidewall  21 . 
   The ejector  5  comprises a slider  50  accommodated in the cavity  214 , a pin member  52 , a spring  51  and a resilient member  53 . One end of the pin member  52  is secured in the pinhole  2130  and the other end is moveably received in a hear-shaped slot recessed downwardly form an upper face of the slider  50 . One end of the spring is received in a hole recessed forwardly from rear end of the slider  50  and the other end is disposed around the column  211  of the sidewall  21 . One end of the resilient member  53  is secured in the holding hole  2131  and the other end presses downwardly the pin member  52  into the hear-shaped slot of the slider  50 . When a card is inserted, the card will push the slider to move to a locked position to electrically connect with the contacts  3 . In this position, the pin member  52  cooperates with the hear-shaped slot to make the slider in the locked position and the spring  51  is pressed to produce elastic deformation. When pushing the card rearward again, the spring  51  cooperates with the pin member  52  and the heart-shaped slot to urge the slider  50  to move forwardly and then eject the card out of the card connector  1 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 3–5 , the shell  4  is stamped from a metal sheet and comprises a main body  40  and a pair of left and right side portions  41 ,  42  extending downwardly from opposite lateral sides of the main body  40 . The left side portion  41  is formed with a horizontal portion  410  extending towards the card receiving space and served as a guiding portion. The right side portion  42  and rear end of the main body  40  adjacent to the right side portion  42  define a plurality of mating holes  43  to accommodate the wedges  202  of the insulating housing  2 . A pair of soldering feet  45  are formed on the left and right side portions  41 ,  42  respectively and the right soldering foot  45  is received in the cutout  2132 . The main body  40  defines a plurality of rectangular holes  400  at rear end thereof along a transverse direction perpendicular to the card insertion direction to accommodate the bars  203  of the insulating housing  2  and formed with a locking portion  404  formed at front end thereof adjacent to the right side portion  42  to lock in the concave  201 . Thus, the shell  4  securely covers the insulating housing  2 . An opening  403  corresponding to the resilient member  53  is formed at front end of the main body  40  adjacent to the right side portion  42 . 
   The main body  40  defines a plurality of escaping holes  401  at rear end thereof corresponding to the contacting portions  32  of the contacts  3 . The main body  40  further forms a stopper  44  thereof adjacent to the right side portion  42 . The stopper  44  is uprightly exposed into the card receiving space. The stopper  44  comprises a stopping portion  440  arranging along the card insertion direction and a protection portion  441  bended perpendicularly to the stopping portion  440  from a front end of the stopping portion  440  adjacent to the entrance opening to avoid the sharp front end of the stopping portion  440  damaging the card  6 . 
   The card  6  forms a plurality of contacting pads  60  at rear end thereof to electrically connect with the contacting portions  32  of the contacts  3  when the card is properly inserted. A rectangular slot  61  is formed on rear end of the card  6  corresponding to the stopper  44 . When the card  6  is properly inserted, the protection portion  441  and the stopping portion  440  are received in the slot  61  of the card  6 . Thus, the stopper  44  does not collide with the card  6 . When the card  6  is improperly inserted, because the stopper  44  protrudes into the card receiving space, the stopper  44  collides with the rear end of the card  6  to prevent the card from inserting into the card connector  1 . Thus, avoiding improper insertion of the card  6 . 
   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.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6