Type III pccard system with full wall modular extendable RJ45/11 connector

• US 6,456,496 B1
• Filed: 10/30/2000
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: 3Com Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Aldridge, Timothy W., Nelson, Jon A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sircus, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, THANH TAM T
• Application Number:
  US09/702,237
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 439/74, 439/131, 361/752, 361/801, 361/803, 361/683, 361/684, 361/737
• US Class Current: 361/737
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/06 for computer periphery
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/62 Sliding engagements with one side only, e.g. modular jack coupling devices
• 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

Abstract

An interlocking computer card device having computer module dimensions such as a PCMCIA type III architecture comprising two PCMCIA type II computer card devices. Each computer card device has a full wall extendable media connector and a substantially identical computer card housing. The full wall extendable media connector can be configured to couple with a media-plug facing different directions or it can be attached to an antenna for receiving wireless communications. The computer card housing has a bottom planar surface, a top planar surface, a connector housing that extends out of the top planar surface and a recess that has substantially the same shape as the connector housing. The computer card housing also has protrusions and dimples that are configured for coupling with corresponding dimples and protrusions of another computer card housing.

Claims

1. A computer card device comprising:

a housing configured for interlocking with a substantially identical housing of another computer card device, said housing of the computer card device comprising;

(a) a bottom planar surface;

(b) a top planar surface;

(c) a connector housing that extends out of a first area of the top planar surface; and

(d) a recess that extends between a second area of the top planar surface and the bottom planar surface and has substantially the same shape as the connector housing; and

an extendable media connector at least partially disposed in the connector housing, wherein the media connector comprises four sides and a face, and wherein each of at least two of the four sides and face defines an aperture for receiving a media plug.

2. A computer card device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first area of the top planar surface is a first front comer of the top planar surface, and wherein the second area of the top planar surface is a second front comer of the top planar surface.

3. A computer card device as recited in claim 1, wherein the top planar surface has at least one dimple extending into said top planar surface and at least one protrusion protruding away from said top planar surface, and wherein said at least one dimple and at least one protrusion have substantially the same size and shape.

4. A computer card device as recited in claim 1, wherein said computer card device is a PCMCIA card.

5. A computer card device as recited in claim 1, wherein the thickness of the housing between the top planar surface and the bottom planar surface is approximately 5 mm.

6. A computer card device as recited in claim 1, wherein the thickness of the housing between a top surface of the connector housing and the bottom surface of the computer card housing is approximately 10.5 mm.

7. A computer card device comprising:

a full wall extendable media connector having a first end that is attached to the computer card device and a second end having a face and four sides; and

wherein each of at least two of the four sides and face defines an aperture for receiving a media plug; and

a computer card housing configured for interlocking with a substantially identical housing of another computer card device, said computer card housing comprising;

(a) a bottom planar surface;

(b) a top planar surface;

(c) a connector housing that extends out of a first area of the top planar surface; and

(d) a recess that extends between a second area of the top planar surface and the bottom planar surface and has substantially the same shape as the connector housing.

8. A computer card device as recited in claim 7, wherein the first area of the top planar surface is a first front comer of the top planar surface, and wherein the second area of the top planar surface is a second front comer of the top planar surface.

9. A computer card device as recited in claim 7, wherein the full wall extendable media connector is slidably retractable into the computer card housing.

10. A computer card device as recited in claim 7, wherein the second end of the full wall extendable media connector is attached to an antenna.

11. A computer card device as recited in claim 10, wherein the full wall extendable media connector is translucent and is illuminated by light pipes when the antenna is receiving a signal.

12. A computer card device as recited in claim 7, wherein the media plug is one of either an RJ-11 series plug and an RJ-45 series plug.

13. A computer card device as recited in claim 7, wherein the face of the second end of the full wall extendable media connector and at least one of the sides of the second end of the full wall extendable media connector is configured for coupling with a media plug.

14. A computer card device as recited in claim 13 wherein the media plug is one of either and RJ-11 series plug and an RJ-45 series plug.

15. A computer card device as recited in claim 7, wherein a turret rotatably connects the second end of the full wall extendable media connector to the first end of the full wall extendable media connector.

16. An interlocking computer card apparatus configured for slidably engaging an expansion slot of an electrical apparatus, said interlocking computer card apparatus comprising:

a first computer card device having a first computer card housing comprising;

(a) a bottom planar surface;

(b) a top planar surface;

(c) a connector housing that extends out of a first area of the top planar surface; and

(d) a recess that extends between a second area of the top planar surface and the bottom planar surface and has substantially the same shape as the connector housing; and

a second computer card device having a second computer card housing that is substantially identical to the computer card housing of the first computer card device and comprising;

a bottom planar surface, a top planar surface, a connector housing that extends out of a first area of the top planar surface, and a recess that extends between a second area of the top planar surface and the bottom planar surface and has substantially the same shape as the connector housing, wherein the top planar surface of the second computer card housing engages the top planar surface of the first computer card housing; and

a first extendable media connector at least partially disposed in the connector housing of the first computer card housing, wherein the first media connector comprises four sides and a face, and wherein each of at least two of the four sides and face defines an aperture for receiving a media plug.

17. An interlocking computer card apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the connector housing of the first computer card housing slidably engages a recess of the second computer card housing and wherein a connector housing of the second computer card housing slidably engages the recess of the first computer card housing.

18. An interlocking computer card apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the first area of the top planar surface is a first front corner of the top planar surface, and wherein the second area of the top planar surface is a second front corner of the top planar surface.

19. An interlocking computer card apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the top planar surface of the first computer card device has at least one protrusion, and wherein the top planar surface of the second computer card device has at least one dimple, such that the at least one protrusion is coupled with the at least one dimple.

20. An interlocking computer card apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the first extendable media connector is slidably retractable into the connector housing of the first computer card housing, and wherein the second extendable media connector is slidably retractable into the connector housing of the second computer card housing.

21. An interlocking computer card apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the interlocking computer card apparatus has a PCMCIA type III architecture.

22. An interlocking computer card apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the expansion slot of the electrical apparatus is a PCMCIA type III expansion slot.

23. An interlocking computer card apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the interlocking computer card apparatus has a substantially uniform thickness.

24. An interlocking computer card apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the first and second computer card devices are PCMCIA type II cards.

25. An interlocking computer card apparatus as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

a second extendable media connector at least partially disposed in the connector housing of the second computer card housing, wherein the second media connector comprises four sides and a face, and wherein each of at least two of the four sides and face defines an aperture for receiving a media plug.

26. An interlocking computer card apparatus configured for slidably engaging an expansion slot of an electrical apparatus, said interlocking computer card apparatus comprising:

a first computer card device having a first full wall extendable media connector and a first computer card housing, the first full wall extendable media connector having a first end that is attached to the first computer card device and a second end having a face and four sides, wherein each of at least two of the four sides and face of the second end of the first full wall extendable media connector defines an aperture for receiving a media plug, the first computer card housing comprising;

(a) a bottom planar surface;

(b) a top planar surface;

(c) a connector housing that rectilinearly extends out of a first comer area of the top planar surface; and

(d) a recess that extends between a second comer area of the top planar surface and the bottom planar surface, said recess configured for slidably receiving a connector housing that is substantially identical to the connector housing of the first computer card housing; and

a second computer card device comprising;

(e) a second full wall extendable media connector having a first end that is attached to the second computer card device and a second end having a face and four sides; and

(f) a second computer card housing that is substantially identical to the computer card housing of the first computer card device, wherein a top planar surface of the second computer card housing engages the top planar surface of the first computer card housing.

27. An interlocking computer card apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein a connector housing of the second computer card housing slidably engages the recess of the first computer card housing, and wherein the connector housing of the first computer card housing engages a recess of the second computer card housing.

28. An interlocking computer card apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein the second end of the second full wall extendable media connector is attached to an antenna.

29. An interlocking computer card apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein each of at least two of the four sides and face of the second end of the second full wall extendable media connector defines an aperture for receiving a media plug.

30. An interlocking computer card apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the media plug is one of either an RJ-11 series plug and an RJ-45 series plug.

31. An interlocking computer card apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein the expansion slot is a PCMCIA type III expansion slot.

32. An interlocking computer card apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein the interlocking computer card apparatus has a PCMCIA type III architecture.

33. An interlocking computer card apparatus as recited in claim 32, wherein the first computer card device and the second computer card device are type II PCMCIA cards.

34. An interlocking computer card apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein the first full wall extendable media connector is slidably retractable into the connector housing of the first computer card housing, and wherein the second full wall extendable media connector is slidably retractable into the connector housing of the second computer card housing.

35. An interlocking computer card apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein the top planar surface of the first computer card device has at least one protrusion, and wherein the top planar surface of the second computer card device has at least one dimple, such that the at least one protrusion is coupled with the at least one dimple.