Memory card connector

Claim 2

A memory card connector for connecting one or more memory cards to a printed circuit board, comprising: a dielectric header, including a base portion and a pair of arms generally extending parallel to one another from a first face of the base portion, each arm defining at least a guiding slot in an inner face thereof for facilitating insertion of the one or more memory cards into the header, the base portion having a tongue portion extending from a second face opposite the first face thereof, the header having a plurality of contact receiving cavities each including a first cavity section defined through the base portion and a second cavity section defined in the tongue portion; and a plurality of contacts received in the cavities of the header, each contact having a mating portion and an engaging portion respectively extending beyond the first and the second faces of the base portion, the whole engaging portions being parallelly and protectively received in the second cavity sections in the tongue portion.

Claim 3

The memory card connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the mating portions and the engaging portions of the contacts are positioned at different heights.

Claim 4

The memory card connector as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the mating portion and the engaging portion of the same contact have different cross-sectional dimensions.

Claim 5

The memory card connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of contacts comprises pairs of adjacent first contacts and second contacts and the mating portions of pairs of adjacent first and second contacts laterally offset toward each other half a pitch of the first engaging portions of the and second contacts and are arranged in outer and inner rows relative to the tongue portion.

Claim 6

The memory card connector as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the pitch of the mating portions of the first and second contacts is double the pitch of the engaging portions of the first and second contacts.

Claim 7

The memory card connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each arm of the header defines two guiding slots in the inner face thereof and the tongue portion is position at a height between the two guiding slots, and the engaging portions of the contacts are arranged in top and bottom faces of the tongue portion.

Claim 8

An electronic assembly comprising: a dielectric header, including a base portion and a pair of arms generally extending parallel to one another from a first face of the base portion, each arm defining at least a guiding slot in an inner face thereof for facilitating insertion of one or more memory cards into the header, the base portion having a tongue portion extending from a second face opposite the first face thereof, a plurality of contact receiving cavities being defined through the base portion and along the tongue portion; a plurality of contacts received in the cavities of the base portion, each contact having a mating portion and an engaging portion respectively extending beyond the first and the second faces of the base portion, the engaging portions being fixedly and protectively received in the cavities of the tongue portion; a dielectric housing receiving a plurality of terminals therein and defining a slit in a side face thereof, each terminal having a contacting portion extending into the slit and a mounting portion extending beyond a bottom face of the housing, the tongue portion of the header being received in the slit of the housing and the engaging portions of the contacts electrically contacting corresponding contacting portions of the terminals; and a printed circuit board (PCB) having a plurality of solder pads thereon, the header and the housing being positioned on the PCB and the mounting portions of the terminals electrically connecting to corresponding solder pads.

Claim 9

An electronic assembly comprising: a dielectric header, including a base portion and a pair of arms generally extending parallel to one another from a first face of the base portion, each arm defining at least a guiding slot in an inner face thereof for facilitating insertion of one or more memory cards into the header, the base portion having a tongue portion extending from a second face opposite the first face thereof, a plurality of contact receiving cavities being defined through the base portion and along the tongue portion; a plurality of contacts received in the cavities of the base portion, each contact having a mating portion and an engaging portion respectively extending beyond the first and the second faces of the base portion, the engaging portions being fixedly and protectively received in the cavities of the tongue portion; a dielectric housing receiving a plurality of terminals therein and defining a slit in a side face thereof, each terminal having a contacting portion extending into the slit and a mounting portion extending beyond a bottom face of the housing, the tongue portion of the header being received in the slit of the housing and the engaging portions of the contacts electrically contacting corresponding contacting portions of the terminals; and a printed circuit board (PCB) having a plurality of solder pads thereon, the header and the housing being positioned on the PCB and the mounting portions of the terminals electrically connecting to corresponding solder pads.

Claim 10

The electronic assembly as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the mating portions and the engaging portions of the contacts are positioned at different heights.

Claim 11

The electronic assembly as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the mating portion and the engaging portion of the same contact have different cross-sectional dimensions.

Claim 12

The electronic assembly as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the plurality of contacts comprises pairs of adjacent first contacts and second contacts and the mating portions of the pairs of adjacent first and second contacts laterally offset toward each other half a pitch of the engaging portions of the first and second contacts and are arranged in outer and inner rows relative to the tongue portion.

Claim 13

The electronic assembly as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the pitch of the mating portions of the first and second contacts is double the pitch of the engaging portions of the first and second contacts.

Claim 14

The electronic assembly as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the engaging portions of the contacts are arranged in top and bottom faces of the tongue portion and the contacting portions of the terminals are arranged in an upper and a lower rows to contact corresponding engaging portions of the contacts.

Claim 15

An electrical assembly comprising: a dual-port memory card connector including a header with a pair of arms defining two guiding slots therein for receiving upper and lower memory cards therein; two rows of upper contacts disposed in the header corresponding to the upper memory card with engaging portions exposed to a rear face of the header; two rows of lower contacts disposed in the header corresponding to the lower memory card with engaging portions exposed to the rear face of the header; a tongue portion extending rearward from the rear face of the header, said tongue portion defining thereof top and bottom faces respectively receiving the engaging portions of the upper contacts and those of the lower contacts therein; and an adaptor positioned behind the memory card connector, said adaptor including a dielectric housing defining a slit with a row of upper terminals and a row of lower terminals located by two sides thereof; wherein the tongue member is received within the slit with the upper terminals engaging the upper contacts and the lower terminals engaging the lower contacts.

Claim 16

An electrical assembly comprising: a dual-port memory card connector including a header with a pair of arms defining two guiding slots therein for receiving upper and lower memory cards therein; two rows of upper contacts disposed in the header corresponding to the upper memory card with engaging portions exposed to a rear face of the header; two rows of lower contacts disposed in the header corresponding to the lower memory card with engaging portions exposed to the rear face of the header; a tongue portion extending rearward from the rear face of the header, said tongue portion defining thereof top and bottom faces respectively receiving the engaging portions of the upper contacts and those of the lower contacts therein; and an adaptor positioned behind the memory card connector, said adaptor including a dielectric housing defining a slit with a row of upper terminals and a row of lower terminals located by two sides thereof; wherein the tongue member is received within the slit with the upper terminals engaging the upper contacts and the lower terminals engaging the lower contacts.

Claim 17

The assembly as claimed in claim 13 , wherein said tongue member is positioned at a mid-height of said housing.

Claim 18

The assembly as claimed in claim 13 , wherein both the memory card connector and the adaptor are seated on a printed circuit board.

Claim 19

An adaptor for use with a dual-port memory card connector, comprising: an insulative housing defining a horizontal slit therein; an opening formed around a bottom/rear portion of the housing; one row of upper terminals and one row of lower terminals located by two sides of the slit; each of said upper terminals and said lower terminals including a contacting portion extending into the slit, and a mounting portion extending downwardly through the opening; wherein the mounting portion of the upper terminal is further horizontally and rearwardly bent to extend beyond a rear face of the housing, while the mounting portion of the lower terminal is further horizontally and forwardly bent to extend under a bottom face of the housing.

Claim 20

An adaptor for use with a dual-port memory card connector, comprising: an insulative housing defining a horizontal slit therein; an opening formed around a bottom/rear portion of the housing; one row of upper terminals and one row of lower terminals located by two sides of the slit; each of said upper terminals and said lower terminals including a contacting portion extending into the slit, and a mounting portion extending downwardly through the opening; wherein the mounting portion of the upper terminal is further horizontally and rearwardly bent to extend beyond a rear face of the housing, while the mounting portion of the lower terminal is further horizontally and forwardly bent to extend under a bottom face of the housing.

Claim 21

A memory card connector for connecting one or more memory cards to a printed circuit board, comprising: a dielectric header including a base portion and a pair of arms forwardly extending from a front face of the base portion, the base portion having a tongue portion extending from a rear face thereof and a plurality of contact receiving cavities defined in a top surface and a bottom surface of the tongue portion; and a plurality of contacts received in the cavities of the dielectric header, each contact having a mating portion and an engaging portion respectively extending beyond the front and the rear faces of the base portion, the engaging portions being fixedly and protectively resided in the cavities in the top and the bottom surfaces of the tongue portion and each having a side surface unshrouded by the tongue portion.

Claim 22

A memory card connector for connecting one or more memory cards to a printed circuit board, comprising: a dielectric header including a base portion and a pair of arms forwardly extending from a front face of the base portion, the base portion having a tongue portion extending from a rear face thereof and a plurality of contact receiving cavities defined in a top surface and a bottom surface of the tongue portion; and a plurality of contacts received in the cavities of the dielectric header, each contact having a mating portion and an engaging portion respectively extending beyond the front and the rear faces of the base portion, the engaging portions being fixedly and protectively resided in the cavities in the top and the bottom surfaces of the tongue portion and each having a side surface unshrouded by the tongue portion.

Claim 23

The memory card connector as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the engaging portions of the contacts are parallel with the top surface of the tongue portion of the header.