Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6290519
-
Patent Number
6,290,519
-
Date Filed
Thursday, December 28, 200023 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, September 18, 200123 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
-
CPC
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US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 439 157
- 439 159
- 439 160
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International Classifications
-
Abstract
A card edge connector (20) comprises an insulative housing (22) with a plurality of conductive contacts (26) for electrically and mechanically engaging with an inserted memory module (60). A pair of towers (30) are formed on opposite ends of the housing and each defines a cavity (32) for insertion of an eject member (40) therein. The eject member is adapted to rotate in the tower, alternately locking and ejecting the memory module out of the housing at its upright and fully slanted position, respectively. The eject member forms a stopping device (50) for abutting against an outer end wall (36) of the housing during ejection of the memory module, thereby helping to prevent the eject member from over-rotating, and protecting the eject member and the housing from being damaged by an unusually large operating force applied by a user against the eject member.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ejector for use with a card edge connector, and particularly to an ejector which is adapted to be assembled to the housing of the connector, and which includes a stopping device to protect the ejector from damage caused by an unusually large operating force applied by a user.
2. Description of Prior Art
With the development of communication and computer technology, Dual In-line Memory Module (DIMM) cards have become more and more popular for use in the PC industry, and thus DIMM socket connectors mounted on mother boards for mechanically and electrically connecting to DIMM cards are required. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,074,800, 5,167,517, 5,211,568, 5,302,133 and 5,364,282 disclose typical DIMM connectors. These can be compared with conventional card edge connectors, as featured in U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,734. DIMM connectors typically include a pair of latch/eject members at two opposite ends thereof to latchably retain a DIMM card. These latches not only prevent inadvertent ejection of the inserted card due to vibration or external impact, but also allow easy ejection of DIMM cards by a rotational movement of the latch/eject member.
Referring to
FIG. 6
, U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,803, which was granted to the same assignee on Jun. 3, 1997, discloses such a DIMM connector
10
. The DIMM connector
10
comprises an elongate housing
12
mounted on a mother board (not shown) and a plurality of conductive contacts
16
retained in the housing
12
. An inserted card (not shown) is adapted for insertion into a central slot
14
defined in the housing
12
to make an electrical and mechanical connection with the conductive contacts
16
for signal transmission. A pair of latch/eject members
70
(only one shown) are rotatably engaged with opposite ends of the housing and alternately lock an inserted card in the housing
12
or eject the inserted card from the housing
12
. An engaging block
40
is formed on both ends of a pair of elongated walls of the housing
12
, each forming a slanted surface
42
thereon. The latch/eject member
70
includes an eject portion
78
for abutting against the slanted surface
42
of the engaging block
40
. Using this engagement, the inserted card is ejected out of the housing
12
and the latch/eject member
70
is prevented from over-rotation during ejection of the inserted card. The engaging block
40
and the eject portion
78
must both be strong enough to withstand an engaging force therebetween caused by an operating force pressing against the lever portion
82
of the latch/eject member
70
. Accordingly, if a user presses against the lever portion
82
with too large an operating force, the engaging force will be too large, causing damage to the engaging block
40
and the eject portion
78
since they are relatively thin and fragile.
Hence, an improved ejector for use with such a card edge connector is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A main object of the present invention is to provide an eject member for use with a card edge connector wherein the eject member provides a stopping device for preventing damage to the eject member caused by an unusually large operating force applied by a user during ejection of a memory module from the card edge connector.
To fulfill the above-mentioned object, a card edge connector, for use with a memory module, in accordance with the present invention comprises an elongated, insulative housing defining a central slot for insertion of the memory module and a plurality of conductive contacts. The conductive contacts are retained in opposite elongated walls of the housing and extend into the central slot for electrically and mechanically engaging with the memory module. The insulative housing forms at least one tower at one end thereof which includes a pair of side walls and an outer end wall defining a cavity therebetween. Additionally, an engaging block defines an inward side of the cavity opposite to the outer end wall of the tower. An eject member is adapted for insertion into the cavity of the tower for latching with the memory module and for ejecting the memory module from the housing. The eject member includes a main body with an eject portion and a lock portion extending respectively from lower and upper ends of the main body. The eject portion is adapted for engaging with the engaging block at the limit of its inward rotation during ejection of the memory module from the card edge connector. A stopping device is integrally formed on the main body for abutting against an outer surface of the end wall of the housing, preventing the eject member from over-rotating during the ejection of the memory module from the card edge connector and preventing the eject portion and engaging block from being damaged.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of a card edge connector of the present invention before a memory module shown by dotted lines is engaged therewith;
FIG. 2
is a partial enlarged perspective view of an insulative housing of the card edge connector of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 3
is a partial enlarged perspective view of an eject member of the card edge connector of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 4
is a partial enlarged perspective view of the card edge connector of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 5
is a partial cross-sectional view of
FIG. 4
; and
FIG. 6
is a cross-sectional view of a prior art card edge connector.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to
FIG. 1
, a card edge connector
20
, i.e. a DIMM connector, in accordance with the present invention comprises an elongated insulative housing
22
with two rows of conductive contacts
26
positioned in two elongated walls
23
of the housing
22
, and a pair of eject members
40
rotatably mounted at two opposite ends of the housing
22
. The housing
22
is substantially similar to the housing
12
of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,803, having the same assignee as the present invention, which is incorporated herein by reference. The housing
22
defines a central slot
24
extending along its lengthwise direction for insertion of a memory module
60
therein. The conductive contacts
26
extend into the central slot
24
for electrically and mechanically engaging with the memory module
60
.
Referring to
FIG. 2
, a pair of towers
30
are integrally formed on two opposite ends of the housing
22
and each defines a cavity
32
communicating with the central slot
24
for receiving a corresponding eject member
40
(see
FIG. 2
) therein. Each tower
30
comprises a pair of side walls
34
defining a pair of through holes
38
, and an outer end wall
36
defining an outward boundary of the cavity
32
. The end wall
36
defines an opening
33
communicating with the cavity
32
for entrance of the eject member
40
. A pair of tapered engaging blocks
39
(only one shown in
FIG. 5
) are respectively formed on two inner surfaces of the elongated walls
23
adjacent each cavity
32
and defining an inward boundary of the cavity
32
. Each engaging block
39
forms a slanted surface
392
extending obliquely downward at a predetermined angle.
Referring to
FIG. 3
, each eject member
40
includes a main body
42
having lock and eject portions
46
,
44
both horizontally extending from upper and lower ends thereof, respectively. The lock portion
46
is adapted for locking with a corresponding recess
62
defined in the memory module
60
which is inserted and received within the central slot
24
of the housing
22
. A lever portion
48
extends obliquely upward from the upper end of the main body
42
opposite to the lock portion
46
for accepting an operating force applied by the user thereagainst during ejection of the memory module
60
from the housing
22
. A pair of spindles
45
are formed on opposite sides of the main body
42
for rotatable insertion into the through holes
38
of the tower
30
. The eject portion
44
has a front end surface
442
adapted for rotating upward and engaging with the engaging block
39
when the eject member
40
is rotated about the spindles
45
, thereby ejecting the memory module
60
out of the housing
22
.
Additionally, a stopping device
50
integrally extends from an outer surface
43
of the main body
42
from a location adjacent to the pair of spindles
45
. The stopping device
50
forms a pair of upright surfaces
52
adjacent opposite sides of the main body
42
and a slanted surface
54
obliquely extending downward and outward from the upright surfaces
52
at the predetermined angle defined by the slanted surface
392
of the engaging block
39
in the housing
22
.
In assembly, referring to
FIGS. 1
,
4
and
5
, each eject member
40
is inserted downward into the opening
33
of a corresponding tower
30
with the eject member
40
being held at an oblique angle. The eject member
40
is pressed downward until the spindles
45
are rotatably received into the corresponding through holes
38
of the tower
30
.
In use, the memory module
60
is inserted into the central slot
24
of the housing
22
so as to make an electrical and mechanical connection with the conductive contacts
26
for signal transmission therebetween. At the same time, the eject members
40
are rotated to a first position at which the lock portions
46
of the eject members
40
are locked with corresponding recesses
62
of the memory module
60
for retaining the memory module
60
in the housing
22
. In this first position, the upright surfaces
52
abut against corresponding outer surfaces
362
of the end walls
36
, protecting the eject member
40
and the housing
22
from being damaged by over-rotation of the eject members
40
. When the memory module
60
is to be ejected out of the housing
22
, an operating force is exerted against the lever portions
48
of the eject members
40
which rotates the eject members
40
outward to a second position, the eject members
40
pivoting about the axis defined by the spindles
45
until the slanted surfaces
54
of the stopping devices
50
abut against a corresponding outer surfaces
362
of the end walls
36
. At the same time, each eject portion
44
is raised until the front end surface
442
thereof abuts against the slanted surface
392
of the corresponding engaging block
39
, thereby ejecting the memory module
60
out of the central slot
24
of the housing
22
. The engagement between the stopping device
50
and the outer end wall
36
of the housing
22
at this second position not only prevents the eject member
40
from over-rotation in connect with the eject portion
44
and the engaging block
39
, but also protects the eject portion
44
and the engaging block
39
from being damaged due to an unusually large operating force applied by the user against the lever portion
48
.
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
Claims
- 1. An electrical connector for use with a daughter card, comprising:an elongated, insulative housing having a plurality of conductive contacts fixed therein for electrically and mechanically engaging with said daughter card inserted in the housing, at least one tower integrally formed on one end of said housing, said tower defining a cavity and comprising an end wall defining an outward boundary of the cavity; and an eject member being rotatably engaged with the cavity of the tower for locking the daughter card in the housing in a first position and for ejecting the daughter card out of the housing in a second position, said eject member including a main body and a stopping device projecting from said main body for engaging with the end wall of the housing when the eject member is at the first and second positions, thereby preventing the eject member from over-rotating beyond the first and second positions and protecting the eject member and the housing from damage.
- 2. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said stopping device extends from an outer surface of the main body of the eject member.
- 3. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the stopping device forms an upright surface abutting against an outer surface of the end wall of the housing when the daughter card is coupled to the housing and the eject member is at the first position.
- 4. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein the stopping device forms a slanted surface adjacent to the upright surface for abutting against the outer surface of the end wall during ejection of the daughter card from the housing when the eject member is at the second position.
- 5. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the main body of the eject member forms an eject portion extending perpendicularly from a lower end thereof for abutting against a slanted surface of an engaging block defining an inward boundary of the cavity of the housing for ejecting the daughter card from the housing when the slanted surface of the stopping device abuts against the outer surface of the end wall of the housing.
- 6. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein a lock portion extends perpendicularly from an upper end opposite to the lower end of the main body for locking in a corresponding recess defined in the daughter card, and a lever portion extends obliquely upwardly from the upper end of the main body opposite to the lock portion for a user to exerting an operating force thereagainst.
- 7. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main body forms a pair of spindles at opposite sides thereof and adjacent to the stopping device for insertion into two through holes defined in a pair of side walls of the tower.
- 8. An electrical connector for use with a memory module, comprising:an elongated, insulative housing forming a pair of opposite elongate walls, the elongate walls defining a central slot therebetween for insertion of the memory module therein, the insulative housing further forming at least one tower at one end thereof, said tower having a pair of elongate walls and an outer end wall defining a cavity therebetween, an engaging block defining an inward boundary of the cavity and opposite the outer end wall; a plurality of conductive contacts being retained in opposite elongate walls of the housing and extending into the central slot for electrically and mechanically engaging with the memory module; and an eject member being rotatably engaged in the cavity of the tower for latching the memory module in a first position and for ejecting the memory module from the housing in a second position, said eject member having a main body, an eject portion extending from a lower end of the main body for engaging with the engaging block of the housing at the second position for ejecting the memory module from the housing, the main body further forming a stopping device abutting against an outer surface of the end wall of the housing when the eject portion is at the second position for preventing the eject member from over-rotating and for protecting the eject portion and the engaging block from damage.
US Referenced Citations (7)