Patent Abstract:
In a connector adapted to be selectively connected to two types of cards inserted towards an insertion direction and different from each other in width thereof, a housing defines a guide space and has a guide portion for guiding an insertion of a selected one of the cards. The guide portion extends in the guide space in a particular direction intersecting the insertion direction. An eject mechanism is provided for moving the selected one towards a removing direction opposite to the first direction. The eject mechanism includes an eject member to be engaged with the selected one and moved together with the selected one, an operating member for moving the eject member towards the removing direction, and a rotary member having a rotation center and rotatable around the rotation center to transmit operation of the operating member to the eject member. The rotation center is disposed in the guide space.

Full Description:
[0001]     This application claims priority to prior Japanese application JP 2005-41003, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to a connector connectable selectively to two types of cards different in width.  
         [0003]     For example, a card called an express card is used as an object to be connected to the connector. The express card is produced in accordance with a card standard defined by PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) and has two types including a narrow card/34 module and a wide card/54 module. Therefore, a connector used for connection of the express card is desired to be connectable to both of the two types of cards.  
         [0004]     For example, a connector of the type is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2004-318511 and has a housing adapted to receive a card to be inserted therein. The housing has a left insertion space and a right insertion space. Between the left and the right insertion spaces, a particular mechanism is disposed for guiding the narrow card to the left insertion space or the right insertion space. The mechanism has a rotary member rotated when it is pushed by the card. Thus, the narrow card is guided by the mechanism to one of the left and the right insertion spaces to be inserted therein. On the other hand, the wide card is inserted into a wide space as a combination of the left and the right insertion spaces.  
         [0005]     As described above, the above-mentioned connector is adapted to connect each of two types of cards different in width. However, since the narrow card is guided by the particular mechanism having the rotary member to the left or the right insertion space, the card may not smoothly be guided to a predetermined connecting portion.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a connector in which not only a wide card but also a narrow card is smoothly guided to a predetermined connecting position.  
         [0007]     It is another object of this invention to provide a connector reduced in size.  
         [0008]     It is still another object of this invention to provide a connector in which a card is smoothly ejected.  
         [0009]     It is yet another object of this invention to provide a connector which is capable of saving a space.  
         [0010]     Other objects of the present invention will become clear as the description proceeds.  
         [0011]     According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector adapted to be selectively connected to two types of cards inserted towards an insertion direction and different from each other in width thereof, the connector comprising a housing defining a guide space and having a guide portion for guiding an insertion of a selected one of the cards, the guide portion extending in the guide space in a particular direction intersecting the insertion direction, and an eject mechanism for moving the selected one towards a removing direction opposite to the first direction, the eject mechanism comprising an eject member to be engaged with the selected one and moved together with the selected one, an operating member for moving the eject member towards the removing direction, and a rotary member having a rotation center and rotatable around the rotation center to transmit operation of the operating member to the eject member, the rotation center being disposed in the guide space. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0012]      FIG. 1A  is a schematic view of a characteristic part of a card connector according to an embodiment of this invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 1B  is a schematic view of a characteristic part of a modification of the card connector illustrated in  FIG. 1A ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2A  is a top rear perspective view of a first card;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2B  is a bottom rear perspective view of the first card;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2C  is a bottom front perspective view of the first card;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3A  is a top rear perspective view of a second card;  
         [0018]      FIG. 3B  is a bottom rear perspective view of the second card;  
         [0019]      FIG. 3C  is a bottom front perspective view of the second card;  
         [0020]      FIG. 4A  is a front view of the second card;  
         [0021]      FIG. 4B  is a plan view of the second card;  
         [0022]      FIG. 4C  is a rear view of the second card;  
         [0023]      FIG. 4D  is a left side view of the second card;  
         [0024]      FIG. 4E  is a right side view of the second card;  
         [0025]      FIG. 4F  is a bottom view of the second card;  
         [0026]      FIG. 5  is a bottom view of a characteristic part of the card connector in  FIG. 1A  in a first stage of insertion of the first card;  
         [0027]      FIG. 6  is a bottom view similar to  FIG. 5  in a second stage;  
         [0028]      FIG. 7  is a bottom view similar to  FIG. 5  in a third stage;  
         [0029]      FIG. 8  is a bottom view similar to  FIG. 5  in a fourth stage;  
         [0030]      FIG. 9  is a bottom view similar to  FIG. 5  in a fifth stage;  
         [0031]      FIG. 10  is a bottom view similar to  FIG. 5  in a sixth stage;  
         [0032]      FIG. 11  is a bottom view showing a path of the first card in the card connector illustrated in  FIG. 1A ;  
         [0033]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the card connector in  FIG. 1A  as seen from the side of a first eject bar;  
         [0034]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 12  with an inner structure seen through;  
         [0035]      FIG. 14A  is a perspective view of an eject mechanism of the card connector in  FIG. 1A  as seen in one direction;  
         [0036]      FIG. 14B  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 14A  as seen in another direction;  
         [0037]      FIG. 14C  is an enlarged view of a rectangular part X in  FIG. 14B ;  
         [0038]      FIG. 15A  is a plan view of the card connector in  FIG. 1A  when a second card is fitted thereto;  
         [0039]      FIG. 15B  is a plan view similar to  FIG. 15A  when the second card is ejected therefrom;  
         [0040]      FIG. 16A  is a plan view of the second card and the eject mechanism in an ejected state;  
         [0041]      FIG. 16B  is an enlarged view of a rectangular part Y in  FIG. 16A ;  
         [0042]      FIG. 17  is a bottom view of the eject mechanism in the ejected state;  
         [0043]      FIG. 18  is a bottom view of a characteristic part of the card connector in  FIG. 1A  in a first stage of insertion of the first card, with a second eject bar faced to the first card;  
         [0044]      FIG. 19  is a bottom view similar to  FIG. 18  in a second stage;  
         [0045]      FIG. 20  is a bottom view similar to  FIG. 18  in a third stage;  
         [0046]      FIG. 21  is a bottom view similar to  FIG. 18  in a fourth stage;  
         [0047]      FIG. 22  is a bottom view similar to  FIG. 18  in a fifth stage;  
         [0048]      FIG. 23  is a bottom view similar to  FIG. 18  in a sixth stage;  
         [0049]      FIG. 24  is a bottom view similar to  FIG. 18  in a seventh stage; and  
         [0050]      FIG. 25  is a bottom view similar to  FIG. 18  in an eighth stage. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0051]     Referring to  FIG. 1A , description will be made of a card connector (hereinafter simply be referred to as a “connector”) according to an embodiment of this invention.  
         [0052]     As will be understood from the following description, the connector depicted at  1  in the figure uses a rotary lever mechanism and has a rectangular housing  2 . The housing  2  has a rectangular cutout portion  2   a  formed at a right upper corner thereof, a guide space  2   b  formed under the cutout portion  2   a  to guide a first card, and a first guide wall  2   c  and a first slide guide  2   d  which are formed on the right side of the guide space  2   b . In parallel to the first slide guide  2   d , a first eject bar  3  is arranged to be slidable. The first eject bar  3  has an operation button  3   a.    
         [0053]     The housing  2  is provided with a second guide wall  2   e  and a second slide guide  2   f  which are formed on its right side surface adjacent to the cutout portion  2   a . In parallel to the second slide guide  2   f , a second eject bar  4  is arranged to be slidable. The second eject bar  4  has an end portion  4   a  and an eject portion  4   b  protruding from the end portion  4   a  in a direction perpendicular thereto.  
         [0054]     In the guide space  2   b , a shaft  2   g  is disposed and supports a rotary lever  5  fitted over the shaft  2   g . The first eject bar  3  is engaged with one end of the rotary lever  5 . The second eject bar  4  is engaged with the other end of the rotary lever  5 . Since the rotary lever  5  is disposed in the guide space  2   b , it is possible to arrange parts or components of the connector in the cutout portion  2   a . Thus, the cutout portion  2   a  can effectively used to achieve a space-saving effect.  
         [0055]     Next, description will be made of an eject operation when a first card  11  (see  FIGS. 2A  to  2 C) or a second card  21  (see  FIG. 3 ) is fitted to the connector  1 .  
         [0056]     First, it is assumed that the first card  11  (not shown) is inserted into a left side of the housing  2 . When the operation button  3   a  is pushed in an insertion direction or a first direction A 1 , the rotary lever  5  is rotated counterclockwise around the shaft  2   g . Then, the second eject bar  4  slides in an opposite direction A 1 ′ opposite to the first direction A 1  so that the eject portion  4   b  pushes a front end  11   a  of the first card  11 . As a consequence, the first card  11  is ejected from the connector  1 .  
         [0057]     Next, it is assumed that the second card  21  is inserted into the housing  2 . When the operation button  3   a  is pushed, the eject portion  4   b  pushes a front end  21   a  of the second card  21  in the manner similar to that described in connection with the first card  11 . As a consequence, the second card  21  is ejected from the connector  1 .  
         [0058]     An operation of inserting the first or the second card  11  or  21  will be described later.  
         [0059]     The connector  1  in  FIG. 1A  uses the rotary lever mechanism. Alternatively, a gear mechanism may be used instead as illustrated in  FIG. 1B . Specifically, in the connector using the gear mechanism, each of the first and the second eject bar  3  and  4  is provided with a rack (not shown) which is engaged with a spur gear disposed between the first and the second eject bars  3  and  4 .  
         [0060]     Referring to  FIGS. 2A  to  2 C, the first card  11  will be described.  
         [0061]     The first card  11  is an express card/34 module and has a rectangular shape. The first card  11  has a pair of narrow grooves  11   b  formed on longitudinal opposite sides of a top surface thereof and extending in a longitudinal direction (insert/eject direction). The first card  11  has a pair of wide grooves  11   c   1  formed on longitudinal opposite sides of a bottom surface thereof in the vicinity of the front end  11   a . Furthermore, the first card  11  has a pair of narrow grooves  11   c   2  continued from the wide grooves  11   c   1 , respectively. The first card  11  further has, adjacent to each of the wide grooves  11   c   1 , a corner portion  11   d , a tapered portion  11   e , and a parallel surface  11   f . Each of the corner portions  11   d , the tapered portions  11   e , and the parallel surfaces  11   f  will be called here a guided portion.  
         [0062]     Referring to  FIGS. 3A  to  3 C and  4 A to  4 F, the second card  21  will be described.  
         [0063]     The second card  21  is an express card/54 module. The second card  21  has a shape such that a small rectangle around an upper right corner of a large rectangle is cut away and has a cutout portion  21   b . The second card  21  has a pair of narrow grooves  21   c  formed on longitudinal opposite sides of a top surface thereof. The second card  21  has a pair of wide grooves  21   d   1  formed on longitudinal opposite sides of a bottom surface thereof in the vicinity of the front end  21   a . The second card  21  is provided with a pair of narrow grooves  21   d   2 , a pair of generally triangular grooves  21   d   3 , and a pair of narrow grooves  21   d   4  successively formed continuously from the grooves  21   d   1 , respectively. Since the second card  21  has the generally triangular grooves  21   d   3 , the second card  21  is not brought into contact with the rotary lever  5 , the shaft  2   g , and the second eject bar  4  as an eject mechanism when the second card  21  is fitted to the connector  1 .  
         [0064]     Next referring to FIGS.  5  to  11 , description will be made of an insertion process of the first card  11 .  
         [0065]     In a first stage illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the first card  11  is started to be inserted into the housing  2  in the first direction A 1 . When insertion of the first card  11  proceeds to reach a second stage illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the corner portions  11   d  of the first card  11  are contacted with an inclined guide surface  2   b   1  of the guide space  2   b  of the housing  2 . The inclined guide surface  2   b   1  is inclined with respect to the first direction A 1 .  
         [0066]     When the insertion of the first card  11  further proceeds, the first card  11  is moved in the first direction A 1  and a particular direction or a second direction A 2  perpendicular to the first direction A 1 . Then, a third stage illustrated in  FIG. 7  is reached. In the third stage, the corner portions  11   d  of the first card  11  are started to be guided by a parallel guide surface  2   b   2  of the guide space  2   b  of the housing  2 . The parallel guide surface  2   b   2  is parallel to the firs direction A 1 .  
         [0067]     When the insertion of the first card  11  still further proceeds, the first card  11  is moved only in the first direction A 1 . Then, a fourth stage illustrated in  FIG. 8  is reached. In the fourth stage, the tapered portion  11   e  of the first card  11  is started to be guided by an inclined guide surface  2   b   3  of the guide space  2   b  of the housing  2 . The inclined guide surface  2   b   3  is also inclined with respect to the first direction.  
         [0068]     When the insertion of the first card  11  yet further proceeds, the first card  11  is moved in the first and the second directions A 1  and A 2 . Then, a fifth stage illustrated in  FIG. 9  is reached. In the fifth stage, the tapered portion  11   e  of the first card  11  is started to be guided by a parallel guide surface  2   b   4  of the guide space  2   b  of the housing  2 .  
         [0069]     When the insertion of the card  11  further proceeds, the first card  11  is moved only in the first direction A 1 . Then, a sixth stage illustrated in  FIG. 10  is reached. In the sixth stage, a left side surface of the groove  11   c   1  on the left side of the bottom surface of the first card  11  is guided by the parallel guide surface  2   b   4  of the guide space  2   b  of the housing  2 . In  FIG. 11 , an area between two broken lines  7   a  and  7   b  shows a path  2   b   5  of the first card  11  in the connector  1 . A combination of the inclined guide surfaces  2   b   1  and  2   b   3  will be called an inclined surface. A combination of the inclined guide surfaces  2   b   1  and  2   b   3  and the parallel guide surfaces  2   b   2  and  2   b   4  will be referred to as a guide surface.  
         [0070]     Referring to FIGS.  12  to  17 , the connector  1  will be described in detail.  
         [0071]     The housing  2  has an insertion slot  2   h  through which the card is inserted into the housing  2 . The rotary lever  5  has a hole  5   a  fitted over the shaft  2   g  of the housing  2 . The rotary lever  5  has one end  5   b  engaged with a right-angled portion  3   b  formed at an end of the first eject bar  3 . The rotary lever  5  has the other end  5   c  provided with a hole  5   c   1  engaged with a protruding portion  4   d  formed in the vicinity of a curved rear end  4   c  of the second eject bar  4 . The rear end  4   c  of a smooth shape is positioned nearer to the insertion slot  2   h  than engaging portions  4   d  and  5   c   1  of the second eject bar  4  and the rotary lever  5 . The shaft  2   g  of the housing  2  is disposed in the guide space  2   b . Since the rear end  4   c  (see  FIG. 14 ) of the second eject bar  4  has an R shape (smooth shape), the rear end  4   c  is brought into contact with an end of the card to smoothly guide the card to a predetermined fitting position. The rear end  4   c  will be referred to as a contact portion.  
         [0072]     The second eject bar  4  further has an extended portion  4   e  extended from the rear end  4   c . The extended portion  4   e  has an end  4   f  displaced from the rear end  4   c  towards the insertion direction or the first direction A 1 .  
         [0073]     Referring to FIGS.  18  to  25  in addition, description will be made of the insertion process of the first card  11  more in detail.  
         [0074]     In a first stage illustrated in  FIG. 18 , the first card  11  is started to be inserted into the housing  2 . In the first stage, the second eject bar  4  is faced to the first card  11 .  
         [0075]     When the insertion of the first card  11  slightly proceeds to reach a second stage illustrated in  FIG. 19 , the first card  11  is closely adjacent to the second eject bar  4 . Further, the corner portions  11   d  of the first card  11  are brought into contact with the inclined guide surface  1   b   1  to be guided.  
         [0076]     When the insertion of the first card  11  further proceeds, a third stage illustrated in  FIG. 20  is reached. In the third stage, the front end  11   a  of the first card  11  is brought into contact with the curved rear end  4   c  of the second eject bar  4 .  
         [0077]     When the insertion of the first card  11  further proceeds, a fourth stage illustrated in  FIG. 21  is reached. In the fourth stage, the front end  11   a  of the first card  11  pushed the rear end  4   c  of the second eject bar  4  to slide the second eject bar  4 . At this time, the parallel surface  11   f  of the first card  11  is guided by the parallel guide surface  2   b   2  of the guide space  2   b.    
         [0078]     When the insertion of the first card  11  further proceeds, a fifth stage illustrated in  FIG. 22  is reached. In the fifth stage, the front end  11   a  of the first card  11  further pushes the rear end  4   c  of the second eject bar  4  to further slide the second eject bar  4 . In addition, the tapered portion  11   e  of the first card  11  slides along the inclined guide surface  2   b   3  of the guide space  2   b  of the housing  2 .  
         [0079]     When the insertion of the first card  11  further proceeds, a sixth stage illustrated in  FIG. 23  is reached. In the sixth stage, the second eject bar  4  slides to a final position of its stroke. The tapered portion  11   e  further slides along the inclined guide surface  2   b   3 .  
         [0080]     When the insertion of the first card  11  further proceeds, a seventh stage illustrated in  FIG. 24  is reached. In the seventh stage, the tapered portion  11   e  at a left corner of the groove  11   c   1  on the left side of the bottom surface of the first card  11  is started to be guided by the parallel guide surface  2   b   4  of the guide space  2   b  of the housing  2 .  
         [0081]     When the insertion of the first card  11  further proceeds, an eighth stage illustrated in  FIG. 25  is reached. In the eighth stage, the left side surface of the groove  11   c   1  on the left side of the bottom surface of the first card  11  is guided by the parallel guide surface  2   b   4  of the guide space  2   b  of the housing  2 .  
         [0082]     In case where the first card  11  is inserted into a left half of the housing  2  from the outset, the front end  11   a  of the first card  11  pushes the eject portion  4   b  of the second eject bar  4  without contacting the inclined guide surface  2   b   1  of the housing  2 . Therefore, the second eject bar  4  slides in the first direction A 1  in  FIG. 1A . The rotary lever  5  is rotated clockwise around the shaft  2   g . The first eject bar  3  slides in the opposite direction A 1 ′ opposite to the first direction A 1 .  
         [0083]     While the present invention has thus far been described in connection with the preferred embodiment thereof, it will readily be possible for those skilled in the art to put this invention into practice in various other manners. For example, although the description is made about a case where express cards are selectively used one at a time, the other cards can be used in place of the express cards.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8