BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a card edge connector, and more particularly to a card edge connector having an engagement of ground contacts and a ground plate.
2. Description of Related Arts
U.S. Ser. No. 10/581,206B discloses a card edge connector which includes an insulating housing, contacts ad a ground member retained in the housing. The ground member includes two ground plates, each long plate defines a plurality of elastic fingers from an upper edge thereof and pressing against the ground plate. It can be seen that the distance between the ground contacts and the ground plate is limited to be small, the length of the finger is limited and the top arc portions of the fingers can be easily damaged.
An improved card edge connector is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a card edge connector, the connector comprises an elongated housing comprising opposite long walls and defining a card slot between the long walls, two rows of contacts retained in the long walls respectively and a ground member comprising two long plates retained in the long walls respectively. Each row of contacts comprises ground contacts and signal contacts. The ground contacts comprise retaining sections retained in the housing, elastic sections extending upward from the retained sections with mating portions exposed to the card slot and leg sections extending downward from the retaining sections. Each of the ground contacts further comprises an engaging portion curved from the elastic section and touching corresponding long plate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a card edge connector according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the card edge connector in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the card edge connector in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged exploded perspective of parts of the card edge connector of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of contacts and ground member in FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a side view of the contacts and the ground member in FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of four contacts in FIG. 5;
FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the card edge connector FIG. 1 taken broken lines 8-8; and
FIG. 9 is a sectional view of parts of the card edge connector FIG. 1 taken broken lines 9-9.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIGS. 1-9, an embodiment of this present invention is a card edge connector 100, which includes an elongate housing 1 made from insulating material, conductive contacts 2 retained in the housing 1 and a ground member 3. The housing 1 defines two opposite long/side walls 11 with a card (receiving) slot 12 between the long walls 11 and two opposite short/end walls 13 and a bottom wall 14 connecting with the long walls 11 and short walls 13. The contacts 2 are arranged in two rows and each include ground contacts 21 and signal contacts 22. In this embodiment, these two kinds of contacts have a same construction. The ground contact 21 includes a retaining section 23 retained in the housing, an elastic section 24 extending upward and with an arc mating portion or contacting section 241 extending into the card slot 12, and a leg section 25 extending downward and out the housing. The ground contact 21 further defines an engaging portion 26 for engagement with the ground member 3, the engaging portion 26 is curved from the elastic section 24.
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5, the ground member 3 includes two long/ground plates/bars 31 retained in long walls respectively and a plurality of upright sections 32 extending from an upper edge of each long wall 31. The engaging portions 26 press against the upright sections 32 one by one. The ground member 3 further defines at least one retaining ribs 33 upwards from the upper edge of the long wall 31, and the retaining ribs 33 are interfered with the long wall 11. The width of the upright section 32 in an elongate direction are smaller than that of the retaining section 33, while a height of the upright section 32 is larger than that of the retaining section 33 in an upright direction. Understandingly, the engaging portions 26 are arc and the upright sections 32 are linear, so that the ground member 3 is simple compared with the traditional grounding member requisitely forming deflectable spring tangs engaged with the corresponding grounding contacts.
The elastic sections 24 include the engaging portions 26 slating outward from the retaining sections 23, linear portions 241 slanting inwards from the engaging portions 26 and the mating portions 21 extending from the linear portions 241. The upper end of each engaging portion 26 unitarily connects the lower end of the elastic section 24 and the lower end of each engaging portion 26 connects the upper end of the retaining section 23. The engaging portion 26 extends from the upper edge of the retaining section 23 and slant towards the long plate 31. From a top view, the engaging portions 26 and the elastic sections 24 are located at opposite sides of the retaining sections 23. The arc shape engaging portion 26 lengthens the contact, thereby enhancing deformation performance of the ground contacts. The elastic sections 24 will be pushed outwards in a transverse direction when a card is inserted in the card slot 11, and cause an outward force of the engaging portions 24 to enhance an engagement between the engaging portions 26 and the upright sections 32. Please noted, pressing points of the engaging portions 26 and the long plates 31 also functions as pivot points of the elastic sections 24 rotating outwards when the card is inserted in the card slot 11.
Referring to FIGS. 8-9, each of the long walls 11 defines a receiving slot 111, and the long plate 31 is inserted in the receiving slot 111. The retaining sections 33 are located between but disconnect with two adjacent contacts 2 as best shown in FIG. 5. The long walls 11 define grooves/passageways 112 and the contacts 2 are received in the grooves 112. Each groove 112 defines side face 113 extending along the elongated direction and the upright direction, and two end faces 114 extending along the transverse direction and the upright direction as best shown in FIG. 4. The retaining sections 23 are retained in slots 115 defined on end faces 114 and separate from the side face 113. The housing 1 further forms a plurality of slits 116 communicatively aligned with the receiving slot 111 to receive the corresponding upright sections 32, respectively. The long wall 11 forms a plurality of protrusions in the corresponding grooves 112 wherein the elastic section 24 may abut against the protrusion at position P (FIG. 8) when the card is inserted within the card slot 12 so as to reinforce the reaction of the contact during mating.
In this embodiment, the signal contacts 22 and the ground contacts 21 share a same construct, that is the signal contacts also have engaging portions 26. Referring to FIG. 5, the ground member 3 defined no upright sections 32 so that the engaging portions 26 of signal contacts 221 directly abut against the corresponding side faces 113. Referring to FIG. 6, a pair of ground contacts 21 and a pair of differential signal contacts 22 are arranged alternately, and the long plates 31 defines no upright sections aligned with the engaging portions 26 of the signal contacts 22. Alternately, the signal contacts may be construed without any engaging portions, that is the linear portions 241 direct from the retaining sections 23.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, the two long plates 31 connect with two short plates 34 at opposite ends thereof. The short plates are attached on the bottom of the housing 1.
However, the disclosure is illustrative only, changes may be made in detail, especially in matter of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention.
Patent Application
20200343661
