Card connector

Abstract

A card connector includes contacts of two kinds for two memory cards, each adapted to contact a connection portion of the memory card, and a housing having two inserting openings each into which the respective memory card is inserted and arranging and holding the contacts. The two inserting openings are arranged one above the other substantially in parallel relationship, and an insertion-preventing member is arranged in a position between the inserting openings so as not to contact the contacts of two kind so that once either of the memory cards has been inserted, the other memory card is prevented from being inserted by means of the insertion-preventing member. The card connector thus constructed is simple in construction and easy to remove the memory card and can achieve a miniaturization of the connector without limiting design of circuits of substrate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a card connector according to the invention;

FIG. 1B is a perspective view of an insertion-preventing member according to the invention;

FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view of the connector taken along the insertion-preventing member;

FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2A with a card inserted in the upper portion of the connector;

FIG. 2C is also a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2A with a card inserted in the lower portion of the connector;

FIG. 3A is a front view of the card connector viewed from the side of its inserting opening;

FIG. 3B is a bottom plan view of the card connector shown in FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the card connector with a card inserted in its upper portion; and

FIG. 4B is a perspective view similar to FIG. 4A with a card inserted in the lower portion.

Claims

1. A card connector into and from which two memory cards are detachably inserted and removed, including contacts of two kinds for said two memory cards, respectively, each adapted to contact a connection portion of the memory card, and a housing having two inserting openings each into which the respective memory card is inserted and arranging and holding said contacts, wherein said two inserting openings provided in said housing are arranged one above the other substantially in parallel relationship, and an insertion-preventing member is arranged in a position between said inserting openings so as not to contact said contacts of two kinds so that once either of the memory cards has been inserted, the other memory card is prevented from being inserted by means of said insertion-preventing member.

2. The card connector as set forth in claim 1, wherein said insertion-preventing member at least comprises a holding portion for holding the insertion-preventing member in said housing, an elastic portion having an elasticity and being contiguous to said holding portion, and two projections consisting of an upper projection and a lower projection located at a tip of said elastic portion, and said housing is formed with an inserting groove for receiving said insertion-preventing member therein so as to permit the elastic portion of said insertion-preventing member to be displaceable.

3. The card connector as set forth in claim 1, wherein when either of said two memory cards has been inserted into one of the inserting openings, one of said two projections is pushed by said memory card so that said elastic portion is displaced to cause the other projection to extend into the other inserting opening, thereby permitting only one memory card to be inserted at a time.

4. The card connector as set forth in claim 2, wherein when either of said two memory cards has been inserted into one of the inserting openings, one of said two projections is pushed by said memory card so that said elastic portion is displaced to cause the other projection to extend into the other inserting opening, thereby permitting only one memory card to be inserted at a time.