Electronic module connector having a locking cover

• US 6,024,593 A
• Filed: 07/15/1998
• Issued: 02/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tyco Electronics Services GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation (Meggitt PLC)
• Inventors: Hyland, James Henry
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khiem
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, TULSIDAS C
• Application Number:
  US09/116,139
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 439/142, 439/635, 439/326, 439/331, 235/441, 235/492, 235/479, 361/737, 361/736, 361/740, 361/801, 361/752
• US Class Current: 439/326
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 13/0862 the locking arrangement being of the rotate-slide and lock type, such as, e.g. common in mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0021 for reading/sensing record carriers having surface contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2442 with a single cantilevered beam
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/447 Shutter or cover plate
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/639 Additional means for holding or locking coupling parts together, after engagement, e.g. separate keylock, retainer strap

Abstract

An electrical connector (10) is provided for receiving an electronic module (60), the connector (10) having an insulative base (20) which is mountable to a printed circuit board and supports electrical contacts (26) which are also connected to the printed circuit board. A cover (30) is provided for receiving the electronic module (60) and is rotatably mounted to the base (20) and securably thereto by the cooperation of a locking disc (40) with locking projections (21) extending from sidewalls of the base (20).

Claims

1. An electrical connector for receiving a planar electronic card comprising:

an insulative base having a pivot end and a pair of side walls extending from the pivot end, the insulative base being mountable to a printed circuit board and having electrical contacts therein for connection to the printed circuit board, and;

a cover for receiving a planar electronic card, the cover being rotatably mounted to the base at the pivot end and securable thereto by cooperation of a locking disc mechanism disposed on a major surface of the cover with at least one locking projection extending from at least one of the side walls of the insulative base.

2. The electrical connector according to claim 1 wherein the locking disc mechanism comprises a disc body having at least one tab extending from an edge thereof.

3. The electrical connector according to claim 2 wherein the disc body is rotatably secured in a disc receiving area disposed along a top surface of a cover body by opposed disc locking projections extending from a deflectable portion of the cover body whereby the disc is rotatable on the cover body in a plane that is substantially parallel to the electronic card received by the cover.

4. The electrical connector according to claim 3 wherein the disc locking projections are profiled to have camming surfaces at a disc receiving edge whereby the respective opposed locking projections and the deflectable portions are urged apart as the locking disc is urged into the disc receiving area.

5. The electrical connector according to claim 4 wherein the base further comprises at least one locking projection extending from one of the side walls for receiving the at least one tab of the disc body.

6. The electrical connector according to claim 5 wherein the at least one locking projection consists of a side wall, a top wall extending from the side wall and a stop wall extending from both the top wall and side wall to form a tab receiving channel.

7. The electrical connector according to claim 6 wherein the disc body is rotatably securable to the base by engagement of the tab with the top wall of the locking projection and simultaneous engagement of at least one embossment disposed on the underside of the locking disk with at least one closed position detent disposed on the top surface of the cover body.

8. The electrical connector according to claim 3 wherein the locking disc is securable in an open position on the cover body by the engagement of the at least one embossment disposed on the underside of the locking disk with at least one open position detent disposed on the top surface of the cover body.

9. An electrical connector having a base and a cover for receiving a planar electronic card, the cover being rotatably attached to the base and securable thereto, the connector being characterized by:

a locking disc mechanism disposed along a major surface of the cover having a disc body rotatably secured to the cover such that it is rotatable in a plane which is substantially parallel to the electronic card, the disc body having at least one tab extending from an edge thereof for rotatably engaging a locking projection extending from the base toward the cover.

10. An electrical connector for receiving a plurality of planar electronic cards comprising:

an insulative base having a pivot and a pair of side walls extending from the pivot end, the insulative base being mountable to a printed circuit board and having electrical contacts therein for connection to the printed circuit board, and;

a cover for receiving a plurality of planar electronic cards, the cover being rotatably mounted to the base at the pivot end and securable thereto by cooperation of a locking disc mechanism disposed on a major surface of the cover with at least one locking projection extending from at least one of the side walls of the insulative base.

11. The electrical connector according to claim 10 wherein the locking disc mechanism comprises a disc body having at least one tab extending from an edge thereof.

12. The electrical connector according to claim 11 wherein the disc body is rotatably secured in a disc receiving area disposed along a top surface of a cover body by opposed disc locking projections extending from a deflectable portion of the cover body whereby the disc is rotatable on the cover body in a plane that is substantially parallel to the electronic card received by the cover.

13. The electrical connector according to claim 12 wherein the disc locking projections are profiled to have camming surfaces at a disc receiving edge whereby the respective opposed locking projections and the deflectable portions are urged apart as the locking disc is urged into the disc receiving area.

14. The electrical connector according to claim 13 wherein the base further comprises at least one locking projection extending from one of the side walls for receiving the at least one tab of the disc body.

15. The electrical connector according to claim 14 wherein the at least one locking projection consists of a side wall, a top wall extending from the side wall and a stop wall extending from both the top wall and side wall to form a tab receiving channel.

16. The electrical connector according to claim 15 wherein the disc body is rotatably securable to the base by engagement of the tab with the top wall of the locking projection and simultaneous engagement of at least one embossment disposed on the underside of the locking disk with at least one closed position detent disposed on the top surface of the cover body.

17. The electrical connector according to claim 12 wherein the locking disc is securable in an open position on the cover body by the engagement of the at least one embossment disposed on the underside of the locking disk with at least one open position detent disposed on the top surface of the cover body.