Claims
- 1. A device which facilitates mounting of a miniature card on a printed circuit board by securing forward and rear portions of the miniature card in place, comprising:
- a forward wall having first and second distal ends;
- first and second parallel sidewalls connected to the forward wall at the first and second distal ends thereof, respectively;
- a rear wall having first and second distal ends connected respectively to the first and second sidewalls such that the rear wall is substantially parallel with the forward wall;
- a resilient overhang wall portion disposed between the forward wall and the first and second sidewalls on upper surfaces thereof;
- a latch mechanism disposed on the rear sidewall,
- the device being positioned on the printed circuit board by securing at least two of the walls to the printed circuit board, whereby the miniature card is secured in place by positioning the forward portion of the miniature card between the overhang portion and the printed circuit board, and pivoting the rear portion of the miniature card downward until the latch mechanism engages the rear portion of the miniature card;
- wherein the latch mechanism includes a plurality of slidably movable miniature card retaining members which extend over a portion of the miniature card when the miniature card is inserted between the overhang portion and the printed circuit board;
- wherein the latch mechanism further includes a resilient spring member having two spring arms which, in the absence of a counter force, extends the plurality of miniature card retaining members over the portion of the miniature card when the miniature card is inserted between the overhang portion and the printed circuit board;
- wherein each of the plurality of miniature card retaining members includes a planar retaining surface abutted to a beveled edge, the beveled edge operating to contact the miniature card prior to insertion between the overhang portion and the printed circuit board such that the spring member is compressed until the miniature card is fully inserted between the overhang portion and the printed circuit board, whereupon the spring member forces the retaining members outward over the portion of the miniature card; and
- wherein the plurality of retaining members are connected by a cross bar so that the miniature card is released by simultaneously compressing the respective spring arms associated with the retaining members by applying force to the crossbar.
- 2. The device of claim 1 wherein the crossbar is curved toward the rear wall between the retaining members.
- 3. The device of claim 1 wherein the resilient overhang portion is deflected by the miniature card when the miniature card is fully inserted between the overhand portion and the printed circuit board, and force upon the forward portion of the miniature card by the overhang portion causes the rear portion of the miniature card to pop out of rear wall when the latch is released.
- 4. The device of claim 1 further including first and second retainer members extending from the first and second sidewalls, respectively, the first and second retainer members each including a latch member disposed thereon such that the device can be secured to the printed circuit board by pre-drilling holes in the printed circuit board and inserting the retainer members therethrough.
- 5. The device of claim 1 further including a plurality of threaded holes formed in at least two walls of the forward wall, rear wall and sidewalls.
- 6. A device which facilitates mounting of a miniature card on a printed circuit board by securing forward and rear portions of the miniature card in place, comprising:
- a frame comprising forward and rear walls connected by first and second parallel sidewalls, the forward wall having first and second distal ends, the first and second parallel sidewalls connected to the forward wall at the first and second distal ends thereof, respectively, the rear wall having first and second distal ends connected respectively to the first and second sidewalls such that the rear wall is substantially parallel with the forward wall, and a resilient overhang wall portion disposed between the forward wall and the first and second sidewalls on upper surfaces thereof;
- a latch mechanism secured to the frame, the device being positioned on the printed circuit board by securing at least two of the walls to the printed circuit board, whereby the miniature card is secured in place by positioning the forward portion of the miniature card between the overhang portion and the printed circuit board, and pivoting the rear portion of the miniature card downward until the latch mechanism engages the miniature card;
- wherein the latch mechanism is slidably movable and further includes a plurality of miniature card retaining members which extend over a portion of the miniature card when the miniature card is inserted into the frame;
- wherein the latch mechanism further includes a resilient spring member which, in the absence of a counter force, extends the plurality of miniature card retaining members over the portion of the miniature card when the miniature card is inserted into the frame;
- wherein each of the plurality of miniature card retaining members includes a planar retaining surface abutted to a beveled edge, the beveled edge operating to contact the miniature card prior to insertion into the frame such that the spring member is compressed until the miniature card is fully inserted into the frame, whereupon the spring member forces the retaining members outward over the portion of the miniature card; and
- wherein the latch mechanism has a curved surface disposed between the plurality of retaining members such that application of sufficient counter force upon the curved surface compresses the spring member and pushes the miniature card retaining members away from the miniature card.
- 7. The device of claim 6 further including at least first and second guide posts formed on the latch mechanism and at least first and second corresponding guide slots formed on the frame such that the guide posts are disposed in the guide slots and the sliding motion of the latch mechanism is thereby limited to the direction and extent of the guide slots.
- 8. The device of claim 6 wherein the spring member is a flexible curvature with a central portion disposed between distal ends, the distal ends extending outwardly toward the rear wall of the frame.
- 9. The device of claim 6 wherein the frame includes at least first and second retainer hooks which securingly maintain the latch mechanism mounted on the frame.
- 10. The device of claim 6 wherein the resilient overhang portion is deflected by the miniature card when the miniature card is fully inserted into the frame, and force upon the forward portion of the miniature card by the overhang portion causes the rear portion of the miniature card to pop out of the frame when the latch is released.
- 11. The device of claim 6 further including first and second retainer members extending from the first and second sidewalls, respectively, the first and second retainer members each including a latch member disposed thereon such that the device can be secured to the printed circuit board by pre-drilling holes in the printed circuit board and inserting the retainer members therethrough.
- 12. The device of claim 6 further including a plurality of threaded holes formed in at least two walls of the forward wall, rear wall and sidewalls.
- 13. A device which facilitates mounting of a miniature card on a printed circuit board by securing forward and rear portions of the miniature card in place, comprising:
- a docking port having a forward wall having first and second distal ends, first and second parallel sidewalls connected to the forward wall at the first and second distal ends thereof, respectively, a rear wall having first and second distal ends connected respectively to the first and second sidewalls such that the rear wall is substantially parallel with the forward wall, and a resilient overhang wall portion disposed between the forward wall and the first and second sidewalls on upper surfaces thereof;
- an interface connector secured within the docking port to electrically connect the device to the printed circuit board, the interface connector including an elastomeric connection device with top and bottom surfaces and a plurality of electrical connections which provide electrical pathways between said top and bottom surfaces, and an electrically insulating body with an upper surface having an opening disposed therein, said opening adapted to receive said elastomeric connection device, said insulating body further adapted to be received by the host, and to receive the miniature card, such that the top surface of the elastomeric connection device comes into contact with, and is deflected by, the miniature card and the bottom surface of the elastomeric connection device comes into contact with, and is deflected by, the printed circuit board when the printed circuit board, interface connector and miniature card are interconnected; wherein the interface connector is partially shielded from above by the overhang wall portion once inserted into the docking port; and
- a latch mechanism mounted on the frame the docking port to secure the device within the docking port,
- the docking port being positioned on the printed circuit board by being secured to at least two of the walls to the printed circuit board, whereby the miniature card is secured in place by positioning the forward portion of the miniature card between the overhang portion and the top surface of the elastomeric connection device, and pivoting the rear portion of the miniature card downward until the latch mechanism engages the rear portion of the miniature card.
- 14. The device of claim 13 wherein the docking port includes at least first and second retainer hooks which securingly maintain the latch mechanism mounted on the docking port.
- 15. The device of claim 13 wherein the latch mechanism further includes a resilient spring member which, in the absence of a counter force, extends the at least one miniature card retaining member over a portion of the miniature card when the miniature card is inserted into the docking port.
- 16. The device of claim 15 wherein the at least one miniature card retaining member includes a planar retaining surface abutted to a beveled edge, the beveled edge operating to contact the miniature card prior to insertion into the docking port such that the spring member is compressed until the miniature card is fully inserted into the frame, whereupon the spring member forces the retaining member outward over the portion of the miniature card.
- 17. The device of claim 15 wherein the latch mechanism has two miniature card retaining members and a curved surface disposed therebetween such that application of counter force upon the curved surface compresses the spring member and pushes the miniature card retaining members away from the miniature card.
- 18. The device of claim 15 further including at least first and second guide posts formed on the latch mechanism and at least first and second corresponding guide slots formed on the docking port such that the sliding motion of the latch mechanism is limited to the direction and extent of the guide slots.
- 19. The device of claim 15 wherein the spring member is a flexible curvature with a central portion disposed between distal ends, the distal ends extending outwardly toward the rear wall of the docking port.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/674,445 entitled MINIATURE CARD INTERFACE CONNECTOR, filed Jul. 2, 1996.
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Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
5224873 |
Duffet et al. |
Jul 1993 |
|
5395251 |
Rodriguez et al. |
Mar 1995 |
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5613866 |
Niimura |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
674445 |
Jul 1996 |
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