JP2007213867A - Card connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To miniaturize a PC card connector having a card eject mechanism for ejecting a PC card by pushing an ejecting lever, by shortening the stroke of the ejecting lever without impairing operability to reduce the depth directional dimension of the PC card connector. <P>SOLUTION: When the ejecting lever 141 is pushed in the Y1-direction, a card pushing rotary member 142 is rotated around a point in which a first circular protruding part 142e is in contact with a first receiving part 134c (first rotation fulcrum A). A strong force is generated in a pushing part 142a. When the ejecting lever 141 is further moved in the Y1-direction, the rotary member 142 is rotated around a point where a second circular protruding part 142f is in contact with a second receiving part 134d (second rotation fulcrum B), and the pushing part 142 is efficiently moved in the Y2-direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a card connector, and more particularly to a card connector provided with a card ejecting mechanism that ejects a card by a pushing operation.

  A card connector having a card ejection mechanism is incorporated in a portable personal computer or the like. Along with miniaturization of portable personal computers, the size of card connectors has been reduced to almost the same size as cards. However, there is a demand to widen the limited effective space inside the portable personal computer as much as possible. To answer this, the card connector must be further reduced in size in the depth direction. Is required.

  1 and 2A to 2C show a conventional PC card connector 10. In the exploded view of FIG. 1, the frame 30 is shown in an inverted position. FIG. 2A shows a state in which a part of the frame 30 is omitted and the PC card 50 is mounted for convenience of illustration.

  FIG. 2B shows a cross section taken along line BB in FIG. FIG. 2C shows a state when a card eject operation is performed. X1 and X2 are left and right directions (width direction), Y1 and Y2 are depth directions, and Z1 and Z2 are height directions. Y1 is the card insertion direction, and Y2 is the card push-out direction (card eject direction).

  The conventional card connector 10 includes a connector main body 20, a frame 30, and a card eject mechanism 40.

  The connector body 20 has a configuration in which a large number of pin terminals 22 are aligned with a synthetic resin mold frame member 21 and is fixedly mounted on a printed circuit board 60.

  The frame 30 is a synthetic resin molded part, and includes left and right guide rails 32 and 33 and a connector main body fitting portion 31 at the back. The connector body fitting portion 31 includes a plate-like top plate portion 34 that bridges between the guide rails 32 and 33 and a back side plate portion 35 that connects the guide rails 32 and 33 on the Y1 direction end side. Have. In the frame 30, the guide rails 32, 33 are screwed to the printed circuit board 60 with the connector body fitting part 31 fitted to the connector body 20 and the top plate part 34 covers the connector body 20. Fixed to.

  The card eject mechanism 40 utilizes the lever principle, and includes an eject operation lever 41 supported on the outer surface of the guide rail 33 on the X1 side so as to be slidable in the Y1 direction, and a card pushing rotation member 42. It is the composition which becomes. The card push-out turning member 42 is a lever-shaped metal plate part, and has a pushing portion 42a at one end, a bent portion 42b at the other end, and a turning center hole 42c near the pushing portion 42a. It is. The card push-out rotation member 42 is supported on the lower surface of the plate-like bridge portion 34 by fitting a rotation center hole 42 c to a convex shaft portion 34 a protruding from the lower surface of the top plate portion 34. The bent portion 42 b is engaged with the eject operation lever 41.

  The PC card 50 has a front surface 51 in the insertion direction. The front end surface 51 has surface portions 52 and 53 on the X1 side and X2 side, and a connector portion 54 between the surface portions 52 and 53.

  2A, the PC card 50 is inserted into the frame 30, the connector portion 54 is connected to the terminal 22, the left and right sides are supported by the guide rails 31 and 32, and the PC card 50 is mounted. is there.

When ejecting the mounted card 50, the operator presses the eject operation lever 41 in the Y1 direction with the fingertip. By this operation, as shown in FIG. 2C, the card pushing rotation member 42 is rotated counterclockwise, the pushing portion 42a pushes the surface portion 53 in the Y2 direction, and the connector portion 54 of the PC card 50 is the terminal. It is moved until it exits 22. Thereafter, the operator pulls the PC card 50 with the fingertip at the Y2 direction end.
Japanese Patent No. 3484449

The center of rotation of the card push-out rotation member 42 during the eject operation is the shaft portion 34a, which is fixed, and does not change from the initial operation to the end. Therefore, the relationship between the stroke S1 of the eject operation lever 41 in the Y1 direction and the displacement distance Q of the card pushing portion 42b in the Y2 direction is
As shown by line I in FIG.

  Q is a displacement distance in the Y2 direction of the card pushing portion 42b necessary for moving the card 50 until the connector portion 54 comes out of the terminal 22.

  The shaft portion 34a is arranged at a position close to the push portion 42a in the card push-out rotating member 42 so that the push portion 42a generates a force large enough for the connector portion 54 to come out of the terminal 22.

  For this reason, the stroke S1 of the eject operation lever 41 for the displacement distance of the card pushing portion 42b to be Q becomes longer, and the dimension in the depth direction of the card connector 10 including the moving range of the eject operation lever 41 becomes L1. It was long.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a card connector that solves the above-described problems.

Therefore, the present invention provides
It has a card eject mechanism that pushes out the card that is installed,
The card ejection mechanism is pushed by an eject operation lever when ejecting a mounted card, and is rotated by a push operation of the ejection operation lever to push the card out of the front end surface of the mounted card. It consists of a card push-out turning member that pushes in the direction,
In the card connector, the card push-out rotating member has a configuration including an operation force acting portion on which a force pushed by the eject operation lever acts, and a push portion pushing the front end surface of the card.
As the card push-out turning member lever is turned, its turning fulcrum moves in the direction of the operation force acting portion.

  According to the present invention, as the card push-out turning member lever is turned, the turning fulcrum moves in the direction of the operating force acting portion, so that the pushing portion is efficiently displaced from the middle. The stroke of the eject operation lever is shortened, and the depth of the card connector is shortened. In the initial state where the ejection resistance of the card connector is large, the rotation fulcrum exists on the side close to the pushing portion, and a sufficiently large force is generated in the pushing portion.

  Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 3 shows a PC card connector 110 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In the exploded view of FIG. 3, the frame 130 is shown in an inverted position. FIG. 4A shows a state in which a part of the frame 130 is omitted for convenience of illustration and the PC card 50 is mounted. FIG. 4B shows a cross section taken along line BB in FIG. FIG. 4C shows a state when a card eject operation is performed. X1 and X2 are left and right directions (width direction), Y1 and Y2 are depth directions, and Z1 and Z2 are height directions. Y1 is the card insertion direction, and Y2 is the card push-out direction (card eject direction).

  The card connector 110 includes a connector main body 120, a frame 130, and a card ejection mechanism 140. The card connector 110 is different from the conventional PC card connector 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in a card eject mechanism 140.

  The connector main body 120 has a configuration in which a large number of terminals 122 are aligned with a synthetic resin mold frame member 121, and is fixed and mounted on the printed circuit board 60.

  The frame 130 is a synthetic resin molded part, and includes left and right guide rails 132 and 133 for guiding the PC card 50 and a connector main body fitting portion 131 at the back. The connector body fitting portion 131 includes a plate-like top plate portion 134 that bridges between the guide rails 132 and 133 and a back side plate portion 135 that connects the guide rails 132 and 133 on the Y1 direction end side. Have. In the frame 130, the guide rails 132 and 133 are screwed to the printed circuit board 60 with the connector main body fitting part 131 fitted to the connector main body 120 and the top plate part 134 covers the connector main body part 120. Fixed to.

  FIG. 5 shows the card ejection mechanism 140 with the frame 130 turned upside down. 6 is an exploded view of the frame 130 and the card push-out turning member 142 in the same direction as that shown in FIG. 7A, 7B, and 7C show the card push-out turning member 142. FIG.

  The card eject mechanism 140 utilizes the lever principle, and includes an eject operation lever 141 supported on the outer surface of the guide rail 133 on the X1 side so as to be slidable in the Y1 direction, and a card push-out rotating member 142. Have.

  As shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C, the card push-out rotation member 142 is a lever-shaped metal plate part, and has a push portion 142a and a guide protrusion 142c at the X2 end. In addition, a bent portion 142b as an operating force acting portion is provided at the X2 end, a guide hole 142d and a first arcuate overhanging portion 142e are provided substantially at the middle between the center CL and the X2 end, and the center CL and the X1 end And a second arcuate projecting portion 142f and an L-shaped guide piece 142g. The guide hole 142d is a long hole that is long in the Y direction. Both the first arc-shaped projecting portion 142e and the second arc-shaped projecting portion 142f project in an arc shape in the Y1 direction. The first arcuate overhang 142e is formed at the same location as the guide hole 142d in the X-axis direction. The L-shaped guide piece 142g is cut and raised in the Z1 direction and bent into an L shape in the X2 direction.

  As shown in FIG. 6, a guide shaft 134 a protrudes from the Z2 side surface of the top plate portion 134 of the connector main body fitting portion 131 of the frame 130. Further, a guide slit 134b is formed in the top plate portion 134. Further, first and second receiving portions 134c and 134d are formed on the surface on the Z2 side of the top plate portion 134 at the position on the back side plate portion 135 side.

  The guide shaft 134a is formed at a location corresponding to the guide hole 142d of the card push-out rotating member 142, and is thinner than the guide hole 142d.

  The guide slit 134b is formed at a location corresponding to the L-shaped guide piece 142g of the card push-out turning member 142 and is long in the Y1-Y2 direction.

  The first receiving portion 134c is formed at a location corresponding to the first arc-shaped protruding portion 142e of the card pushing rotation member 142, and the receiving surface 134c1 on the Y2 side has a U shape.

  The second receiving portion 134d is formed at a location corresponding to the second arcuate protruding portion 142f of the card pushing rotation member 142, and the receiving surface 134d1 on the Y2 side has a U shape.

  As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 8A, the card pushing rotation member 142 has the guide protrusion 142c fitted in the slit 134e and the guide hole 142d fitted in the guide shaft 134a. The L-shaped guide piece 142g is supported by the surface on the Z2 side of the top plate portion 134 in a state where the L-shaped guide piece 142g is fitted to the slit 134b, and the bent portion 142b is engaged with the eject operation lever 141.

  The guide hole 142d and the guide shaft 134a are in a loose fitting relationship (see FIG. 8A), the L-shaped guide piece 142g is movable along the slit 134b, and the bent portion 142b is ejected. Assuming that the operation lever 141 is not engaged, the card push-out rotating member 142 is freely movable within a predetermined range in the Y1-Y2 direction on the top plate portion 134 of the frame body 131. .

  Next, regarding the rotation state of the card push-out turning member 142 when the eject operation lever 141 is moved in the Y1 direction, that is, the card push-out turning member 142 when the push portion 142a moves the distance Q in the Y2 direction. The state of rotation will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 8A shows a state in the initial state shown in FIG. 4A, that is, a state when the PC card 50 is mounted. The pushing portion 142a is moved in the Y1 direction by the mounted PC card 50, and the card push-out turning member 142 is turned in the C direction. In addition, the dashed-two dotted line of FIG. 5 shows the state at this time.

  The end portion on the Y2 side of the guide hole 142d is fitted with the guide shaft 134a, and the first arcuate projecting portion 142e is in contact with the first receiving portion 134c. Therefore, the portion on the X2 side of the card push-out rotating member 142 is in a state capable of moving in the Y2 direction.

  The second arcuate projecting portion 142f is separated from the second receiving portion 134d.

  The eject operation lever 141 has moved in the Y2 direction.

  When the operation of pushing the eject operation lever 141 in the Y1 direction is performed, the card pushing rotation member 142 is rotated in the CC direction. As shown in FIG. 8B, the card push-out turning member 142 has a point (first turning fulcrum A) that is in contact with the first receiving part 134c of the first arcuate overhanging part 142e. The push portion 142a is moved in the Y2 direction by being pivoted to the center.

  The PC card 50 is pushed by the pushing portion 142a and starts moving in the Y2 direction, and the connector portion 54 starts to come out of the terminal 22.

  Further, the second arcuate projecting portion 142f approaches the second receiving portion 134d.

  When the eject operation lever 141 is further moved in the Y1 direction, as shown in FIG. 8C, the second arcuate projecting portion 142f comes into contact with the second receiving portion 134d.

  When the eject operation lever 141 is further moved in the Y1 direction, as shown in FIG. 8D, the card push-out rotation member 142 is brought into contact with the second receiving portion 134d of the second arcuate overhang portion 142f. The push part 142a is moved in the Y2 direction by turning around the contact point (second rotation fulcrum B), and moved by a distance Q from the position shown in FIG.

  The ratio of the length of the arm obtained by internally dividing the length between the force point (bending portion 142b) and the action point (pushing portion 142a) of the eject operation lever 141 by the rotation fulcrum (A, B) is shown in FIG. ), E1 / E2, about 0.5, and 1.0 or less. When the operation of pushing the eject operation lever 141 in the Y1 direction proceeds, as shown in FIG. 8B, the rotation fulcrum of the eject operation lever 141 is in the X1 direction from A (the direction farther from the push portion 142a, and the bent portion The ratio of the length of the eject operation lever 141 arm is E11 / E12, which is about 1.5, which is larger than E1 / E2 and becomes 1.0 or more.

  The relationship between the stroke S1 of the eject operation lever 141 in the Y1 direction and the displacement distance Q of the card pushing portion 142b in the Y2 direction is shown in FIG. 9 in the first stage where the rotation fulcrum is the first rotation fulcrum A. As shown by line II, when the rotation fulcrum moves from the first rotation fulcrum A to the second rotation fulcrum B, the inclination is increased by the line III. Line III shows that the displacement of the card pushing portion 142b in the Y2 direction accompanying the movement of the eject operation lever 141 in the Y1 direction has increased more than before, and the displacement of the card pushing portion 142b has become more efficient. Means.

  Therefore, the stroke S10 in the Y1 direction of the eject operation lever 141 necessary for moving the card pressing portion 142b by the distance Q in the Y2 direction is shorter than the conventional stroke S1.

  As a result, as shown in FIG. 4A, the dimension in the depth direction of the card connector 100 including the movement range of the eject operation lever 41 is L10, and the dimension in the depth direction of the conventional card connector 10 is Compared with the conventional card connector 10, the card connector 100 is shorter than L 1, and the size in the depth direction is shortened to reduce the size.

  Line IV in FIG. 10 indicates that the PC card 50 is moved in the Y2 direction so that the connector portion 54 is detached from the terminal 22 from the mounted state in which the connector portion 54 of the PC card 50 is deeply fitted to the terminal 22 of the connector main body 120. It shows how the drag force that resists the movement of the PC card 50 that is mounted, that is, the ejected PC card 50 changes.

  The drag force when the PC card 50 starts to move is the static friction force FR between the connector main body 120 and the terminal 22.

  The drag force after the PC card 50 starts to move is a dynamic friction force between the connector main body 120 and the terminal 22.

  Although the static friction force FR between the connector main body 120 and the terminal 22 is large, the dynamic friction force is smaller than the static friction force FR.

  Therefore, the rotation fulcrum of the eject operation lever 141 moves from the first rotation fulcrum A to the second rotation fulcrum B, and the arm length ratio becomes E11 / E12, which is 1.0 or more. However, the eject operation lever 41 is always pushed in without being particularly heavy.

  When the pushing operation of the eject operation lever 141 is started, the rotation fulcrum is at the first rotation fulcrum A, the arm length ratio E1 / E2 is about 0.5, and FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the force F2 in the Y2 direction generated at the card pushing portion 142b is about twice the normal operation force F1 applied to the eject operation lever 141, and is larger than the static friction force FR, so that the eject operation lever 141 is normally operated. The PC card 50 begins to be ejected. Therefore, the pushing operation of the eject operation lever 141 is made without a sense of incongruity.

  Although the eject operation lever 141 is located on the lower surface of the top plate portion 134, on the X2 side, the guide projection 142c is fitted with the slit 134e, and the guide hole 142d comes out of the guide shaft 134a. In the X2 side, the L-shaped guide piece 142g locks the top surface of the top plate portion 134, and the eject operation lever 141 does not fall from the top plate portion 134.

  In addition, when ejecting the card | curd 50 currently mounted, the operator pushes the eject operation lever 141 in the Y1 direction with the fingertip. By this operation, as shown in FIGS. 4C, 5, and 8A to 8D, the card push-out turning member 42 is turned in the CC direction, and the pushing portion 42a moves the surface portion 53 to Y2. By pushing in the direction, the PC card 50 is moved until the connector part 54 comes out of the terminal 22. Thereafter, the operator grasps and pulls out the Y2 direction end side of the PC card 50 with the fingertip.

It is a perspective view which shows the conventional card connector. FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating the card connector of FIG. 1, in which FIGS. 1A and 1B show a state in which a PC card is mounted, and FIG. 2C shows a state in which the PC card is ejected. It is a perspective view which shows the connector for cards which becomes Example 1 of this invention. FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams showing the card connector of FIG. 3, in which FIGS. 3A and 3B show a state where a PC card is mounted, and FIG. 3C shows a state where the PC card is ejected. It is a figure which shows a card | curd eject mechanism with the flame | frame turned over. FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a frame and a card push-out turning member in the same direction as shown in FIG. 5. It is a figure which shows a card | curd pushing rotation member. It is a figure which shows the condition of rotation of a card pushing rotation member when operating an eject operation lever. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the operation stroke of an eject operation lever, and the displacement distance of a card | curd pushing part. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the movement distance of the PC card ejected, and the ejection drag of a PC card.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 110 PC card connector 120 Connector main body part 130 Frame 131 Connector main body fitting part 132,133 Guide rail 134 Top plate part 134a Guide shaft 134b Guide slit 134c 1st receiving part 134d 2nd receiving part 135 Back side plate part 140 Card eject mechanism 141 Eject operation lever 142 Card pushing rotation member 142a Pushing part 142b Bending part 142d Guide hole 142e First arcuate overhanging part 142f Second arcuate overhanging part 142g L-shaped guide piece A First turn Dynamic fulcrum B Second rotation fulcrum

Claims (5)

It has a card eject mechanism that pushes out the card that is installed,
The card ejection mechanism is pushed by an eject operation lever when ejecting a mounted card, and is rotated by a push operation of the ejection operation lever to push the card out of the front end surface of the mounted card. It consists of a card push-out turning member that pushes in the direction,
In the card connector, the card push-out rotating member has a configuration including an operation force acting portion on which a force pushed by the eject operation lever acts, and a push portion pushing the front end surface of the card.
A card connector characterized in that, as the card push-out turning member lever is turned, its turning fulcrum moves in the direction of the operation force acting portion. A card having a connector part at the tip in the insertion direction is used,
A connector body in which a large number of pin terminals are aligned;
A guide rail for guiding the card inserted on both sides, a connector body fitting portion in the back part, and a frame in which the connector body fitting portion covers the connector body;
A card eject mechanism that pushes out the card that is installed,
The card ejection mechanism is provided along the guide rail, and is provided at an eject operation lever that is pushed when ejecting a card that is mounted, and at the connector body fitting portion, and the eject operation lever And a card push-out turning member that is turned by pushing operation and pushes the front end surface of the loaded card in the direction of pushing out the card,
The card push-out turning member has an operation force acting portion on which a force pushed by the eject operation lever acts, and a push portion pushing the front end surface of the card.
In the card connector,
A card having a rotation fulcrum forming means for moving and forming a rotation fulcrum in the direction of the operation force acting portion as the card push-out rotation member lever is rotated. connector. The card connector according to claim 2,
The rotation fulcrum forming means is
A plurality of protruding portions formed at different positions in the longitudinal direction of the card pushing rotation member lever;
The connector main body fitting portion of the frame comprises a plurality of receiving portions formed at different positions corresponding to the protruding portion of the card pushing rotation member lever,
Initially, of the plurality of overhang portions of the card push-out rotation member lever, an overhang portion at a position close to the push portion is supported by a corresponding receiving portion to form a rotation fulcrum,
As the card push-out turning member lever is turned, another overhanging portion of the overhanging portion on the side of the operation force acting portion is supported by a corresponding receiving portion to form another rotation fulcrum. A card connector characterized by that. The card connector according to claim 2,
The rotation fulcrum forming means is
The card pushing rotation member lever is formed with a first protruding portion formed at a position closer to the pushing portion than the center in the longitudinal direction, and at a position closer to the operating force acting portion than the center in the longitudinal direction. A second overhang,
The connector main body fitting portion of the frame comprises first and second receiving portions formed at positions corresponding to the first and second protruding portions of the card push-out rotating member lever,
Initially, the first overhanging portion is supported by the first receiving portion to form a first rotation fulcrum,
After the card push-out turning member lever is turned by a predetermined angle, the second overhanging part is supported by the second receiving part to form a second turning fulcrum, and the first overhanging part The card connector is characterized in that the first rotation fulcrum disappears away from the first receiving portion. The card connector according to claim 2,
An L-shaped cut-and-raised part formed on the card push-out turning member lever at a position closer to the operation force acting part than the center in the longitudinal direction;
And further comprising a slit formed in the top plate portion of the connector body fitting portion of the frame,
The L-shaped cut-and-raised portion passes through the slit to lock the top surface of the top plate portion, and when the card push-out turning member lever is turned, the cut-and-raised portion is A card connector characterized in that it moves in the slit while locking the upper surface of the plate portion.

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