Electronic card connector having improved grounding plate

• US 6,354,876 B1
• Filed: 12/15/2000
• Issued: 03/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yu, Hung-Chi
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, HIEN D
• Application Number:
  US09/738,693
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 439/607-610, 439/92, 439/95, 439/101, 439/159, 439/160, 439/108
• US Class Current: 439/607.22
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/57 surface mounting terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6485 Electrostatic discharge protection in general H05F1/00, for electric apparatus H05K9/0067

Abstract

An IC card connector comprises a dielectric housing (10), a number of terminals (20), a conductive grounding plate (40), and a metal shield (30) with an actuating rod (50). The housing has a cross bar (13) with a mating surface (11) against which an inserted IC card abuts. The terminals have mounting ends (22) protruding forwardly from the cross bar. The grounding plate includes a base (45), a flange (42) for securing the grounding plate on the housing, a pair of bridges (41) abutting against the mating surface, and a number of soldering fingers (44) projecting rearwardly from the mating surface. The soldering fingers and the mounting ends are soldered to a printed circuit board at rear and front sides of the cross bar, respectively, thereby facilitating inspection and re-soldering of the mounting ends.

Claims

1. An IC card connector for mounting on a printed circuit board, comprising:

an insulative housing including a space for accommodating an IC card and a cross bar, the cross bar having a mating surface against which the IC card abuts and a front surface opposite the mating surface;

a plurality of conductive terminals secured in the cross bar, each of terminals including an engaging end protruding into the space from the mating surface for mating with the IC card, and a mounting end extending from the front surface for being soldered on the printed circuit board; and

a conductive grounding plate secured on the cross bar and having at least one soldering finger for being soldered on the printed circuit board;

wherein each soldering finger is soldered at a position wherein the distance between each soldering finger and the mating surface is less than the distance between the mounting ends of the terminals and the mating surface;

wherein

the at least one soldering finger and the mounting ends of the terminals are soldered at respective different sides of the cross bar;

wherein

the grounding plate has at least one bridge abutting against the mating surface of the cross bar, and the at least one soldering finger extends from the bridge toward the space;

wherein

the grounding plate further includes a base extending over, the space and a plurality of tongues protruding from the base into the space for engaging with the IC card.

2. The IC card connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one soldering finger is soldered at a position within the space, and the mounting ends are soldered at a position outside the space.

3. The IC card connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the grounding plate includes a flange engaging with the cross bar for securing the grounding plate on the cross bar.

4. The IC card connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the grounding plate defines an opening, through which the engaging ends of the terminals extend.

5. The IC card connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one bridge extends over the front surface and a lower surface of the cross bar, and the at least one soldering finger extends from the bridge into the space for being soldered on the printed circuit board.

6. The IC card connector as claimed in claim 5, wherein the grounding plate defines an opening, through which the terminals extend.

7. The IC card connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the grounding plate is substantially planar.

8. The IC card connector as claimed in claim 7, wherein the grounding plate includes a base with a flange secured in the cross bar, and a plurality of soldering fingers extending from the base.

9. The IC card connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein the soldering fingers extend in a direction from the mating surface toward the space.

10. An IC card connector assembly comprising:

an IC connector including;

an insulative housing defining a space for accommodating an IC card, and a cross bar having mating surface for mating with the IC card and a front surface opposite to said mating surface;

a plurality of conductive terminals retained in said cross bar and extending out of the front surface with mounting ends thereof for soldering;

a conductive grounding plate including a base positioned on the cross bar, and at least one soldering finger; and

a printed circuit board to which the IC connector is mounted;

wherein

both mounting ends of the terminals and said at least one solder finger are surface mounted to said printed circuit board while respectively by two sides of said cross bar;

wherein

a metal shield is attached to the housing and cooperates with the housing to sandwich the base of the grounding plate therebetween in a mechanical and electrical contact relationship;

wherein

said base of the grounding plate includes at least one bridge abutting against the mating surface of the crossbar and a free end being in contact with the shield and providing guidance function of insertion of the IC card.

11. The assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein said base of the grounding plate, and said printed circuit board are located on the same side of said housing.