Patent ID: 7891997

Claim:
A card connector for receiving an electronic card therein, the electronic card having a plurality of contact pads thereon, the card connector comprising: an insulative housing; a plurality of conductive terminals, each conductive terminal being mounted on the housing and configured to contact a respective contact pad upon insertion of the electronic card into the card connector; a card guiding mechanism, the card guiding mechanism having a slide member for guiding the electronic card as it moves within the card connector, the slide member being moveable along a path between a first operative position, at which the electronic card is initially inserted into a receptacle of the card connector in a card insertion direction, and a second operative position, at which the electronic card is fully inserted into the card connector, and an urging member, the urging member for urging the slide member in a direction opposite to the card insertion direction and for ejecting the card by moving the slide member from the second operative position towards the first operative position; and a shell, the shell being mounted on the housing and covering at least the slide member and a part of the electronic card upon insertion of the card into the card connector; wherein: one of the housing and the shell has a guide surface with a bulge projecting into the path of the slide member; upon movement of the slide member from the second operative position to the first operative, the slide member engages the bulge to slow the movement of the slide member from the second operative position to the first operative position; and the path of the slide member is dimensioned to permit the slide member to separate from the guide surface as the slide member engages the bulge and to rotate relative to the insertion direction.