[CARD ADAPTER]

• US 20060273173A1
• Filed: 06/03/2005
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wieson Technologies Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Wieson Technologies Company Limited
• Inventors: Ho, Chia-Nan
• Granted Patent: US 7,252,231 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/441
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0021 for reading/sensing record carriers having surface contacts
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0034 the connector being capable of simultaneously receiving a plurality of cards in the same insertion slot
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0043 the plurality of cards being cards of different formats, e.g. SD card and memory stick

Abstract

A card adapter is disclosed to include a connector electrically connected to a circuit board, a locating frame fixedly fastened to the circuit board, and a sliding cardholder, which has a holder base pivotally coupled to the locating frame through a sliding joint and defining two vertically spaced accommodating chambers for receiving different electronic cards, and terminals mounted in a partition board between the accommodating chambers, and the terminals each having a front contact portion respectively suspending in the first or second accommodating chamber for the contact of the inserted electronic cards and a rear connecting portion positioned in a respective terminal groove at a plug plate at the rear side of the partition board for insertion with the plug plate into the connector to contact a respective terminal in the connector.

Claims

1. A card adapter comprising a connector mounted in a circuit board and electrically connected to said circuit board, a locating frame fixedly mounted in said circuit board, and a sliding cardholder coupled to said locating frame and adapted to hold a plurality of electronic cards and to electrically connect the electronic cards to said connector, wherein:

said sliding cardholder comprises a holder base pivotally movably coupled to said locating frame, and a plurality of metal terminals respectively mounted in said holder base, said holder base comprising a first accommodating chamber at a bottom side thereof for receiving a first electronic card, a second accommodating chamber at a top side thereof for receiving a second electronic card, a partition board set between said first accommodating chamber and said second accommodating chamber, and a plug plate extending from one end of said partition board to the outside of said holder base and insertable into said connector, the terminals of said sliding cardholder each having a front contact portion and a rear connecting portion, the front contact portions of the terminals of said sliding cardholder being respectively suspending in said first accommodating chamber and said second accommodating chamber for the contact of respective contacts of the inserted electronic cards in said first accommodating chamber and said second accommodating chamber, the rear connecting portions of the terminals of said sliding cardholder being respectively extending to said plug plate for insertion with said plug plate into said connector;

said connector comprises an electrically insulative housing fixedly fastened to said circuit board, said electrically insulative housing having a front receiving chamber adapted to receive said plug plate of said sliding cardholder, and a plurality of terminals respectively mounted in said electrically insulative housing, the terminals of said connector each comprising a front contact portion respectively suspended in said front receiving chamber for the contact of the rear connecting portions of the terminals of said sliding cardholder and a rear bonding portion respectively soldered to a respective contact at said circuit board.

2. The card adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said locating frame comprises two parallel arms, said arms each having an elongated sliding slot;

said holder base of said sliding cardholder comprises two pivot rods symmetrically disposed at two opposite lateral sides thereof and respectively coupled to the elongated sliding slots of said locating frame.

3. The card adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said partition board has a plurality of slots disposed in communication between said first accommodating chamber and said second accommodating chamber for the passing of the terminals of said sliding cardholder.

4. The card adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plug plate has a plurality of terminal grooves arranged in parallel;

the rear connecting portions of the terminals of said sliding cardholder are respectively positioned in said terminal grooves.

5. The card adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electrically insulative housing of said connector has a plurality of bottom mounting rods for fastening to respective mounting through holes at said circuit board.

6. The card adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electrically insulative housing has two metal grounding plates fixedly provided at two sides thereof for connecting to respective grounding contacts at said circuit board.

7. The card adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said holder base of said sliding cardholder comprises a plurality of sliding grooves respectively symmetrically provided inside said first accommodating chamber and said second accommodating chamber for guiding inserted electronic cards into said first accommodating chamber and said second accommodating chamber respectively.

8. The card adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sliding cardholder further comprises a cover fastened to said holder base, said cover comprising top and bottom panels respectively extending over top and bottom sides of said second accommodating chamber and said first accommodating chamber.

9. A card adapter comprising a connector mounted in an external circuit board and electrically connected to said external circuit board, a locating frame fixedly mounted in said external circuit board, and a sliding cardholder coupled to said locating frame and adapted to hold a plurality of electronic cards and to electrically connect the electronic cards to said connector, wherein:

said sliding cardholder comprises a holder base pivotally movably coupled to said locating frame, and a plurality of metal terminals respectively mounted in said holder base, said holder base comprising a first accommodating chamber at a bottom side thereof for receiving a first electronic card, a second accommodating chamber at a top side thereof for receiving a second electronic card, an internal circuit board set between said first accommodating chamber and said second accommodating chamber, and a plug plate extending from one end of said internal circuit board to the outside of said holder base and insertable into said connector, the terminals of said sliding cardholder each having a rear end respectively soldered to said internal circuit board and a front contact portion, the front contact portions of the terminals of said sliding cardholder being respectively suspending in said first accommodating chamber and said second accommodating chamber for the contact of respective contacts of the inserted electronic cards in said first accommodating chamber and said second accommodating chamber;

said connector comprises an electrically insulative housing fixedly fastened to said external circuit board, said electrically insulative housing having a front receiving chamber adapted to receive said plug plate of said sliding cardholder, and a plurality of terminals respectively mounted in said electrically insulative housing, the terminals of said connector each comprising a front contact portion respectively suspended in said front receiving chamber for connection to the terminals of said sliding cardholder electrically upon insertion of said plug plate into said front receiving chamber and a rear bonding portion respectively soldered to a respective contact at said external circuit board.

10. The card adapter as claimed in claim 9, wherein said locating frame comprises two parallel arms, said arms each having an elongated sliding slot;

said holder base of said sliding cardholder comprises two pivot rods symmetrically disposed at two opposite lateral sides thereof and respectively coupled to the elongated sliding slots of said locating frame.

11. The card adapter as claimed in claim 9, wherein said plug plate is provided with an electric circuit that is electrically connected to the terminals of said sliding cardholder at said internal circuit board for the contact of the front contact portions of the terminals of said connector.

12. The card adapter as claimed in claim 9, wherein said electrically insulative housing of said connector has a plurality of bottom mounting rods for fastening to respective mounting through holes at said circuit board.

13. The card adapter as claimed in claim 9, wherein said electrically insulative housing has two metal grounding plates fixedly provided at two sides thereof for connecting to respective grounding contacts at said external circuit board.