Electrical card connector having polarization mechanism

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to electrical card connectors for electrically connecting electrical cards with printed circuit boards, and particularly to card connectors having polarization mechanisms to prevent cards from being incorrectly inserted into the card connectors.

[0004] 2. Related Art

[0005] With ongoing developments in electronics and communications, more and more electrical cards are being designed to satisfy all kinds of needs. As a result, different kinds of electrical card connectors are being developed. Most card connectors have a polarization mechanism to ensure that a card is correctly inserted into the card connector. If the card is incorrectly inserted, the polarization mechanism prevents the card from being fully inserted.

[0006] Conventionally, a bevel is formed on an electrical card, and a corresponding electrical card connector has a ramp portion matching the bevel. When the card is inserted into the connector, the bevel must mate with the ramp; otherwise, the ramp prevents full insertion of the card. A pertinent card connector is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 11-66247 by Kokai.

[0007] The polarization mechanism of the Kokai patent application can prevent a card from being improperly inserted. However, damage to the contacts of the connector may occur, because a front edge of a wrongly inserted card can press against the contacts. Moreover, forcible improper insertion can easily damage the card.

[0008] Accordingly, an electrical connector with an improved polarization mechanism which can prevent the front edge of an improperly inserted card from damaging the contacts is desired.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical card connector which ensures that an electrical card can be inserted thereinto correctly and safely.

[0010] To achieve the above object, an electrical card connector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a shell, an insulative body, a plurality of contacts mounted in the insulative body, an ejection mechanism and a polarization mechanism. The shell covers the insulative body and the contacts. The ejection mechanism is mounted in the insulative body, and includes a slide block. The polarization mechanism includes a guiding groove defined in the shell and an elastic piece attached to the slide block. The elastic piece has an arcuate engaging portion and a blocking portion. The guiding groove forms a blocking edge to abut against the blocking portion, thereby preventing rearward movement of the slide block when a card is incorrectly inserted. When the mating card with a notch cut in at a side thereof is correctly inserted into the connector, the notch receives the engaging portion therein, allowing the blocking portion to move out of alignment with the blocking edge, so that the card can be fully inserted into the connector successfully. When the card is incorrectly inserted into the connector, the blocking portion is blocked by the blocking edge.

[0011] These and additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after reading the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the appended drawings.

[0012] FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective view of an electrical card connector according to the present invention;

[0013] FIG. 2 is a top view of the assembled connector of FIG. 1, showing an electrical card being correctly inserted into the electrical card connector;

[0014] FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2, but showing the electrical card fully inserted in the electrical card connector of FIG. 1;

[0015] FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 2, but showing an electrical card being incorrectly inserted into the electrical card connector; and

[0016] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of that portion of FIG. 4 encircled by the line V.

[0017] Referring to FIG. 1, an electrical card connector 7 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a shell 1, an insulative body 2, a plurality of contacts 3, an ejection mechanism 4 and a polarization mechanism 5.

[0018] The shell 1, which can be made of a conductive material, includes a top wall 10 and a plurality of sidewalls 12 bent perpendicularly downwardly from edges of the top wall 10. A guiding groove 16 is defined in the top wall 10. The guiding groove 16 is L-shaped, and forms a longitudinal groove 160 and a transverse groove 162 connecting with a front end of the longitudinal groove 160. A blocking edge 166 is formed adjacent a junction of the longitudinal groove 160 and the transverse groove 162. A retaining hole 14 is defined in each sidewall 12.

[0019] The insulative body 2 includes a header 24, a first arm 20, a second arm 22 and a bottom wall 26. The header 24, the first arm 20 and the second arm 22 all project upwardly from the bottom wall 26. The first arm 20 and the second arm 22 perpendicularly extend from opposite sides of the header 24 respectively. The first arm 20 has a blocking piece 200 at a front end thereof and forms a slide groove 202 therein to facilitate stable sliding of the ejection mechanism 4 along the first arm 20. The header 24 defines an opening 240 therein proximate the second arm 22. A plurality of fastenings 28 projects from outer surfaces of the header 24, the first arm 20 and the second arm 22, to engage with the retaining holes 14 of the shell 1.

[0020] The contacts 3 include a plurality of touch contacts 30 and a detecting contact 32. The touch contacts 30 are mounted in the bottom wall 26 and match with pads (not shown) of an inserted mating electrical card 6 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The detecting contact 32 is received in the opening 240.

[0021] The ejection mechanism 4 is in moveable contact with the first arm 20 and can slide in the slide groove 202. The ejection mechanism 4 includes a slide block 40, a coil spring 42 and a connecting rod (not shown) for positioning the ejection mechanism 4. The coil spring 42 is interposed between the header 24 and the slide block 40. Since the ejection mechanism 4 disclosed in the embodiment is well known by those skilled in the art, a detailed description thereof is omitted here.

[0022] The slide block 40 is moveably positioned against the first arm 20 between the coil spring 42 and the blocking piece 200. The slide block 40 includes an elongate supporting arm 400 and a triangle shaped interfering block 402. A front end of the supporting arm 400 is blocked in its forward movement by the blocking piece 200. A positioning hole 407 is defined in an inner surface of the front end of the supporting arm 400. A receiving groove 404 is defined in inner and upper surfaces of the supporting arm 400, extending rearwardly from and being in communication with the positioning hole 407. An inclined surface 405 and a horizontal surface 406 define a lower boundary of the receiving groove 404. An engaging groove 408 is defined in the supporting arm 400 in communication with the receiving groove 404.

[0023] The interfering block 402 protrudes inwardly and perpendicularly from a rearward end of the supporting arm 400, and has a bevel face 409 at a forward side thereof which matches with a bevel 62 of the mating electrical card 6 (see FIGS. 2 and 3).

[0024] The polarization mechanism 5 includes the guiding groove 16 defined in the top wall 10 of the shell 1 and an elastic piece 50. The elastic piece 50 has a fixing portion 500 and an elongate elastic arm 502. The elastic arm 502 has an arcuate engaging portion 504 toward a rearward end thereof and a blocking portion 506 at a rearward end thereof. The blocking portion 506 protrudes above the rest of the elastic arm 502. The fixing portion 500 is bent from a front end of the elastic arm 502 to engage with the positioning hole 407. The elastic arm 502 has an inclination to match the inclination of the inclined surface 405.

[0025] Referring FIGS. 1 and 2, in assembly, the elastic piece 50 is mounted on the slide block 40 of the ejection mechanism 4, the fixing portion 500 of the elastic piece 50 being inserted into the positioning hole 407 of the supporting arm 400, locking the elastic piece 50 to the slide block 40. The elastic arm 502 is received in the receiving groove 404 of the supporting arm 400. The coil spring 42 is assembled to the header 24 and the slide block 40 is slideably engaged in the slide groove 202 between the coil spring 42 and the blocking piece 200, with the arcuate engaging portion 504 of the elastic piece 50 extending toward an inside of the insulative body 2. The detecting contact 32 is attached to the header 24.

[0026] The shell 1 is then engaged to the insulative body 2, the retaining holes 14 of the sidewalls 12 engaging with the fastenings 28 of the body 2, and the blocking portion 506 of the elastic piece 50 protruding through the transverse groove 162 to extend above an upper surface of the top wall 10 of the shell 1. Note that when no card 6 is present into the electrical card connector 7, the elastic arm 50 is biased inward toward the inside of the body 2, but is moveable under an outward force to a position where the blocking portion 506 is in the engaging groove 408.

[0027] FIG. 2 shows the mating electrical card 6 being correctly inserted into the card connector 7. In addition to the bevel 62 at a front corner, the card 6 has a notch 60 at a side of the card 6. In this embodiment, the notch 60 is in a lateral side of the card at a position corresponding to the position of the engaging portion 504 when the bevel 62 of the card 6 abuts the interfering block 402 of the slide block 40. When the card 6 is correctly inserted into the connector 7, the card initially presses the elastic piece 50 outwardly so that the blocking portion 506 is pushed into the engaging groove 408 and into the transverse groove 162 of the shell 1. As the card 6 is pushed in further, the bevel 62 abuts the bevel face 409 and the notch 60 receives the engaging portion 504 of the elastic piece 50 therein, as the elastic piece springs inwardly toward the inside of the insulative body. Thus, the blocking portion 506 moves inwardly, into alignment with the longitudinal groove 160, so that further movement of the card 6 into the connector 7 moves the slide block 40 with the elastic piece 50 rearward in the slide groove 202 along the first arm 20, the blocking portion 506 sliding rearwardly in the longitudinal groove 160, until the card 6 is fully inserted into the connector 7. FIG. 3 shows the card 6 fully inserted in the connector 7.

[0028] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, when the card 6 is incorrectly inserted into the connector 7, a lateral side of the card 6, without the notch at the correct position, presses the elastic piece 50 outward, so that the blocking portion 506 is pressed into the engaging groove 408 and catches on the blocking edge 166, preventing further rearward movement of the slide block 40. Then the card 6 is prevented from moving in and possibly damaging the touch contacts 30 of the electrical card connector 7.

[0029] Although the present invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment thereof, the description is illustrative and is not to be construed as limiting the invention. Various modifications to the present invention may be made to the preferred embodiment by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.