Type III PCMCIA card with integrated receptacles for receiving standard communications plugs

• US 6,183,308 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2000
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Xircom Incorporated (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Laity, Ian A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradley, Paula
• Assistant Examiner(s): TA, THO DAC
• Application Number:
  US09/584,070
• Time in Patent Office: 251 Days
• Field of Search: 439/676, 439/76.1, 439/638, 439/946, 439/946.2, 439/344, 361/737, 361/686, 361/785
• US Class Current: 439/676
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6658 on printed circuit board H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/64 for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/00 Coupling parts adapted for co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts for dissimilar contact members H01R13/35; supported only by co-operation with a counterpart H01R31/00; with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/90
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/02 for simultaneous co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/06 Intermediate parts for linking two coupling parts, e.g. adapter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/94
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0273 having extensions for peripherals, e.g. LAN, antennas details of antennas H01Q1/2275
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/946 Memory card cartridge

Abstract

A Type III PCMCIA communications card for insertion in a slot in a host computer comprises a housing including a top wall and longitudinal, parallel side walls depending from the top wall, the longitudinal side walls and top wall defining an internal cavity enclosed by a bottom cover panel. The housing further has a forward end, a rear margin and a rear end surface, the rear margin of the housing defining at least one substantially longitudinally oriented receptacle extending forwardly from the rear end surface and sized and configured to receive a standard RJ-type modular plug. A substrate, mounted within the cavity of the housing, supports electronic components for carrying out the communications function. The substrate has a rear margin carrying a contact block including a plurality of contact wires, each contact wire having a first portion connected to components on the substrate, and a second portion extending into the at least one receptacle, the second portion of the contact wire being shaped and positioned for engagement with a corresponding contact on the connector plug. A connector provided at the forward end of the housing is adapted to be received by a corresponding connector within the slot of the host computer. The card has an overall height not exceeding approximately 10.5 mm, the communications card being directly connectable to a digital information system such as a LAN or a telephone line system utilizing standard RJ-type connectors.

Claims

1. A device for use in a host system having a PCMCIA Type III standard slot, the device being adapted to connect the host system to an information transfer system, the device comprising:

a housing having longitudinal sides, a transverse front end and a rear portion, at least the rear portion of the housing having a thickness conforming substantially to the PCMCIA Type III standard, the rear portion of the housing defining a forwardly extending receptacle sized and configured to receive an RJ-type standard connector plug having a plurality of contacts;

a substrate enclosed within the housing, the substrate carrying circuit elements;

a connector at the front end of the housing connected to circuit elements on the substrate and adapted to mate with a corresponding connector within the slot of the host system; and

a contact block disposed within the rear portion of the housing, the contact block having an overall height within the thickness confines of the rear portion of the housing, the contact block having a top portion and a plurality of side-by-side contact wire sections, each contact wire section being adapted to carry a plurality of contact wires connected to circuit elements on the substrate, the receptacle being in longitudinal alignment with one of the contact wire sections of the contact block, at least the one contact wire section carrying a plurality of contact wires, each of the plurality of contact wires carried by the one contact wire section including a generally vertically oriented, U-shaped part extending rearwardly into the receptacle, the U-shaped part of each of the plurality of contact wires having an upper leg and a lower leg, the upper leg being generally horizontal and extending rearwardly from the top portion of the contact block and having a rear extremity, the lower leg extending forwardly from the rear extremity of the upper leg and having a free forward end, the lower leg being shaped and positioned for spring biased engagement with a corresponding contact on the connector plug when the plug is inserted in the receptacle, wherein the device is adapted to be directly connectable to the information transfer system utilizing the standard RJ-type connector plug.

2. A device, as defined in claim 1, in which:

each contact wire section of the contact block includes a generally horizontal flange extending rearwardly from the top portion of the contact block, the flange being adapted to support a portion of each of the plurality of contact wires adapted to be carried by said contact wire section.

3. A device, as defined in claim 1, in which:

the contact block comprises three contact wire sections.

4. A device, as defined in claim 1, in which:

the receptacle is sized and configured to receive an RJ-45 connector plug.

5. A device, as defined in claim 1, in which:

the contact block comprises a one-piece, unitary, molded plastic structure.

6. A device, as defined in claim 5, in which:

the substrate includes a rear margin within the rear portion of the housing; and

the contact block is mounted on the rear margin of the substrate.

7. A device, as defined in claim 1, in which:

the rear portion of the housing defines a second forwardly extending receptacle in side-by-side relationship with the first mentioned receptacle, the second receptacle being sized and configured to receive an RJ-11 connector plug and disposed in longitudinal alignment with a second contact wire section of the contact block, the second contact wire section of the contact block carrying a plurality of contact wires connected to circuit elements on the substrate and substantially identical in configuration to those carried by the one contact wire section.

8. A device, as defined in claim 7, in which:

the rear portion of the housing defines a third forwardly extending receptacle in side-by-side relationship with the first and second receptacles, the third receptacle being sized and configured to receive a second RJ-11 connector plug and disposed in longitudinal alignment with the third contact wire section of the contact block, the third contact wire section of the contact block carrying a plurality of contact wires connected to circuit elements on the substrate and substantially identical in configuration to those carried by the one contact wire section.

9. A device, as defined in claim 8, in which:

the rear portion of the housing further defines a fourth forwardly extending receptacle in side-by-side relationship with the first, second and third receptacles, the fourth receptacle being adapted to receive a cellular communications connector, the fourth receptacle including electrical contacts connected to circuit elements on the substrate.