US6290136B1 — Card ejection mechanism for PCMCIA connector

Claim 1

Independent Claim 248 words

A card connector for interconnecting an inserted card with a printed circuit board on which the connector is mounted, the card connector comprising: a header defining a plurality of terminal-receiving passageways therein; a plurality of terminals received in corresponding passageways of the header for connecting with a mating contact array of the card; a metal shield attached to the header and comprising a body and a pair of opposite extensions extending from the body, the extensions being spaced a distance substantially equal to the width of the card, the body and the extensions defining a receiving slot for receiving the card; a card ejection mechanism adapted to lease the card comprising an ejector, a guide, a push rod disposed in the guide, and swing arm attached to the shield and coupled at one end with the push rod, the swing arm attached to the shield and coupled at one end with the push rod, the swing arm being pivotally coupled with a slide plate, the push rod being actuatable to cause the slide plate to eject the card from the receiving slot; and engaging means formed on the shield and the guide of the card ejection mechanism for mounting the guide to the shield, the engaging means of the shield comprising a plurality of mounting openings formed in one of the extensions thereof, and bent stop members extending from the shield into some of the mounting openings in order to mount said ejection assembly onto said metal shield.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 248 words

A card connector for interconnecting an inserted card with a printed circuit board on which the connector is mounted, the card connector comprising: a header defining a plurality of terminal-receiving passageways therein; a plurality of terminals received in corresponding passageways of the header for connecting with a mating contact array of the card; a metal shield attached to the header and comprising a body and a pair of opposite extensions extending from the body, the extensions being spaced a distance substantially equal to the width of the card, the body and the extensions defining a receiving slot for receiving the card; a card ejection mechanism adapted to lease the card comprising an ejector, a guide, a push rod disposed in the guide, and swing arm attached to the shield and coupled at one end with the push rod, the swing arm attached to the shield and coupled at one end with the push rod, the swing arm being pivotally coupled with a slide plate, the push rod being actuatable to cause the slide plate to eject the card from the receiving slot; and engaging means formed on the shield and the guide of the card ejection mechanism for mounting the guide to the shield, the engaging means of the shield comprising a plurality of mounting openings formed in one of the extensions thereof, and bent stop members extending from the shield into some of the mounting openings in order to mount said ejection assembly onto said metal shield.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 79 words

The card connector as described in claim 1 , wherein the engaging means of the guide comprises a plurality of latches for engaging with the corresponding openings of the shield, a plurality of abutments proximate a portion of the latches for abutting against the extension of the shield, and a latching hole defined between the latch and the corresponding proximate abutment, the vertical distance between the latch and the abutment being slightly smaller than the thickness of the shield.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 24 words

The card connector as described in claim 2 , wherein the latches and abutments integrally extend from upper and lower surfaces of the guide.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 46 words

The card connector as described in claim 2 , wherein a portion of the latches comprise stop pads formed on ends thereof and slightly bent for abutting against corresponding stop members bent in an opposite direction to prevent the guide from disengaging from the shield extension.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 36 words

The card connector as described in claim 1 , wherein the push rod comprises a restriction tab perpendicularly extending from an upper edge of a free end thereof, a hole being formed in the restriction tab.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 41 words

The card connector as described in claim 5 , wherein the swing arm comprises a perpendicularly bent claw at one end thereof for being retained in the hole of the restriction tab of the push rod thereby restricting a movement thereof.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 31 words

The card connector as described in claim 6 , wherein the swing arm comprises a slide tab at the other end thereof bent in an opposite direction relative to the claw.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 52 words

The card connector as described in claim 7 , wherein the shield comprises an arcuate slot formed in a front portion thereof for retaining the slide tab of the swing arm, a concave plane being formed adjacent to an edge of the arcuate slot for allowing a movement of the slide tab.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 28 words

The card connector as described in claim 1 , wherein the swing arm comprises a trunnion for being pivotably received in a pivot hole formed in the shield.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 36 words

The card connector as described in claim 1 , wherein the slide plate comprises an insertion projection for insertion into a retention hole of the swing arm, thereby coupling the slide plate with the swing arm.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 38 words

The card connector as described in claim 1 , wherein the slide plate comprises a pair of downwardly bent ejector tabs integrally formed proximate opposite ends thereof for ejecting the card from the receiving slot of the shield.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 28 words

The card connector as described in claim 1 , wherein the extensions of the shield are inwardly bent to cooperate with the body to define the receiving slot.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 29 words

The card connector as described in claim 1 , wherein the shield comprises an L-shaped retention hook downwardly extending from a longitudinal edge thereof for retaining the push rod.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 187 words

A card connector for used with a card, comprising: a header and a plurality of terminals received therein; a metal shield attached to the header and comprising a body and a pair of opposite extensions extending from the body, the extensions being spaced a distance substantially equal to the width of the card, the body and the extensions defining a receiving slot for receiving the card; a card ejection mechanism adapted to release the card and comprising a guide enclosing a push rod being actuatable to eject the card from the receiving slot; and openings formed in one of the shield and the guide, and latches formed on the other of said shield and said guide for mounting the guide to the shield where said guide is attached to the shield in a lateral direction of the shield to the latches inserted into the corresponding openings, respectively, and then said guide is moved along the longitudinal direction of the shield to have the latches latchably engaged with portions of the shield around said corresponding openings, respectively, in order to mount said ejection assembly onto said metal shield.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 187 words

A card connector for used with a card, comprising: a header and a plurality of terminals received therein; a metal shield attached to the header and comprising a body and a pair of opposite extensions extending from the body, the extensions being spaced a distance substantially equal to the width of the card, the body and the extensions defining a receiving slot for receiving the card; a card ejection mechanism adapted to release the card and comprising a guide enclosing a push rod being actuatable to eject the card from the receiving slot; and openings formed in one of the shield and the guide, and latches formed on the other of said shield and said guide for mounting the guide to the shield where said guide is attached to the shield in a lateral direction of the shield to the latches inserted into the corresponding openings, respectively, and then said guide is moved along the longitudinal direction of the shield to have the latches latchably engaged with portions of the shield around said corresponding openings, respectively, in order to mount said ejection assembly onto said metal shield.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 36 words

The card connector as described in claim 14 , wherein a stop device is formed around at least one opening to prevent backward movement of the guide with regard to the shield along said longitudinal direction.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2004-09-17	2005-03-19	2005-09-18	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2008-09-17	2009-03-19	2009-09-18	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2012-09-17	2013-03-19	2013-09-18	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Card ejection mechanism for PCMCIA connector

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