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

• US 6,488,542 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2000
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Laity, Ian A.
• Primary Examiner(s): TA, THO DAC
• Application Number:
  US09/730,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20010000161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 439/676, 439/76.1, 439/638, 439/946, 439/946.2, 439/344, 361/686, 361/737, 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 PCMCIA communication device for interfacing between an RJ-type connector plug and a host system, the communication device comprising:

an enclosure having a front portion, a rear portion and a bottom cover panel, the bottom cover panel having a bottom cover front part and a bottom cover rear part, said front portion of said enclosure comprising a front housing part and said bottom cover front part;

a substrate contained within said enclosure, said substrate carrying circuit components and including a substrate forward margin and a substrate rear margin, said substrate forward margin and said substrate rear margin including terminals connected to said circuit components on said substrate; and

wherein

said rear portion of said enclosure has an overall thickness conforming substantially to the standards set by the PCMCIA for Type III cards, wherein said enclosure is adapted to be received in a PCMCIA card slot of a host system, said rear portion of said enclosure further comprising a subassembly and said bottom cover rear part, said subassembly comprising at least one section including an opening configured to receive said RJ-type connector plug having at least two contacts, said at least one section further including at least two contact wires disposed at least partially within said opening, said at least two contact wires each having a first portion and a second portion, said first portion of each of said at least two contact wires formed to be aligned with and make electrical contact with one of said terminals formed on said substrate rear margin when said subassembly is attached to said substrate, said second portion of each of said at least two contact wires formed to be aligned with one of said at least two contacts in said RJ-type connector plug when said RJ type connector plug is inserted in said opening.

2. The PCMCIA communications device of claim 1 wherein:

said first portion of each of said contact wires is soldered to a terminal on said substrate rear margin.

3. The PCMCIA communications device of claim 1 wherein:

said subassembly comprises a contact block and a receptacle body assembled together to form said subassembly.

4. The PCMCIA communications device of claim 1 wherein:

said subassembly comprises at least two sections.

5. The PCMCIA communications device of claim 4 wherein:

each of said at least two sections includes an opening configured to receive an RJ-type connector plug having at least two contacts; and

each of said at least two sections further includes at least two contact wires disposed at least partially within said opening; and

said at least two contact wires in each of said at least two sections each has a first portion and a second portion, said first portion of each of said contact wires being formed to be aligned with and make electrical contact with one of said terminals formed on said substrate rear margin when said subassembly is attached to said substrate and said second portion of each of said contact wires being formed to be aligned with one of said at least two contacts of said RJ-type connector plug when said RJ-type connector plugs is inserted in said opening.

6. The PCMCIA communications device of claim 5 wherein:

at least one of said openings is configured to receive an RJ-11 connector plug.

7. The PCMCIA communications device of claim 5 wherein:

one of said openings is configured to receive an RJ-11 connector plug and an other of said openings is configured to receive an RJ-45 connector plug.

8. The PCMCIA communications device of claim 7 wherein:

said PCMCIA communication device further includes a slim D-sub connector including slim D-sub connector leads attached to terminals on said substrate rear margin; and

said rear portion of said enclosure further includes an opening configured to receive a slim D-sub plug, said opening being in substantial alignment with said slim D-sub connector.

9. A communications device comprising:

a main housing part and a bottom cover panel;

a substrate carrying circuit components and including a substrate forward margin and a substrate rear margin, said substrate forward and substrate rear margins carrying a plurality of terminals connected to circuit components on said substrate;

a multicontact connector including sixty-eight connector contacts arranged in two rows of thirty four connector contacts each, said connector contacts including contact leads, a plurality of said contact leads being connected to at least some of said plurality of substrate terminals at said substrate forward margin, said substrate and said multicontact connector being disposed between said main housing part and said bottom cover panel; and

a subassembly formed separately from said main housing part and having a thickness dimension conforming substantially to the standards set by the PCMCIA for Type III cards, said subassembly comprising at least one section including an opening configured to receive an RJ-type connector plug having at least two contacts, said at least one section further comprising at least two contact wires disposed at least partially within said opening, said at least two contact wires each having a first portion and a second portion, said subassembly being connected to said substrate such that said first portion of each of said contact wires is aligned with and makes electrical contact with one of said substrate rear margin terminals and said second portion of each of said contact wires is formed to be aligned with one of said two contacts in said RJ-type connector plug when said RJ-type connector plug is inserted in said opening.

10. The PCMCIA communications device of claim 9, wherein:

said main housing part and said subassembly each includes a joinder surface, said main housing part and said subassembly being joined together along said joinder surfaces.

11. A PCMCIA communications device for interfacing between an RJ-type connector plug and a host system, the communications device comprising:

an enclosure including a top housing and an opposed bottom sheet metal panel, the housing having a main portion and a rear portion, the rear portion of the housing comprising a receptacle body having a rear end surface and an overall thickness conforming substantially to the PCMCIA Type III standard, the main housing portion and the receptacle body being separately molded from plastic, and being joined along mating joinder surfaces on the main housing portion and the receptacle body;

a substrate contained within the enclosure, the substrate carrying circuit elements and including a front margin, a rear margin and a top surface, the substrate carrying a plurality of terminals on the top surface of the substrate along the rear margin thereof, said terminals being connected to circuit elements on the substrate;

a connector at the front margin of the substrate, the connector being connected to circuit elements on the substrate and adapted to mate with a corresponding connector on the host system;

at least one receptacle defined by the receptacle body, the at least one receptacle communicating with the rear end surface of the receptacle body, the at least one receptacle being sized and configured to receive the RJ-type connector plug having a plurality of contacts; and

at least two contact wires associated with the at least one receptacle, each of the at least two contact wires having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of each of the at least two contact wires including a horizontally extending portion electrically connected to one of the terminals along the rear margin of the substrate and the second portion of each of the at least two contact wires extending into the at least one receptacle and being shaped and positioned for engagement with a corresponding contact on the connector plug when the plug is inserted in the at least one receptacle.

12. The communications device of claim 11, in which:

the at least one receptacle is sized and configured to receive an RJ-11 connector plug.

13. The communications device of claim 11, in which:

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

14. The communications device of claim 11, in which:

the receptacle body defines at least two receptacles, said at least two receptacles being disposed in side-by-side relationship, each of the receptacles communicating with the rear end surface of the receptacle body and sized and configured to receive an RJ-type connector plug having a plurality of contacts.

15. The communications device of claim 14, in which:

one of the at least two receptacles is sized and configured to matingly receive an RJ-11 connector plug and another of the at least two receptacles is sized and configured to matingly receive an RJ-45 connector plug.

16. A communications device for use in a host system having a PCMCIA slot, the device being adapted to connect the host system to an information transfer system, the communications device comprising:

an enclosure including a housing having a front end and a rear portion, the rear portion of the housing including a receptacle body having a rear end and an overall thickness conforming substantially to the PCMCIA Type III standard;

a substrate contained within the enclosure, the substrate carrying circuit elements and including a rear margin carrying terminals connected to circuit elements on the substrate;

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;

a contact block attached to the receptacle body, the contact block carrying at least two contact wires; and

a receptacle defined by the receptacle body, the receptacle being disposed between the rear end of the receptacle body and the contact block, the receptacle being sized and configured to receive an RJ-type connector plug having a plurality of contacts, each of the at least two contact wires carried by the contact block having a first portion connected to a terminal on the rear margin of the substrate and a second portion extending into the receptacle, the second portion of each contact wire being shaped and positioned for engagement with a corresponding contact on the connector plug when the plug is inserted in the receptacle, whereby the device is adapted to be directly connectable to the information transfer system utilizing the connector plug.

17. The communications device of claim 16, in which:

the substrate includes a top surface carrying the terminals on the rear margin of the substrate, the first portion of each of said contact wires including a horizontally extending portion electrically connected to one of said terminals.

18. The communications device of claim 16, in which:

the housing comprises a molded plastic structure and includes a top wall and side walls depending from the top wall, the top wall and side walls defining an internal cavity for receiving the substrate; and

in which the enclosure includes;

a bottom sheet metal cover panel enclosing the cavity.

19. The communications device of claim 16, in which:

the housing includes a main housing part, the main housing part and the receptacle body being separately molded from plastic as one-piece, unitary structures, the main housing part and the receptacle body being joined along mating joinder surfaces on the main housing part and the receptacle body.

20. The communications device of claim 16, in which:

the receptacle is sized and configured to receive an RJ-11 connector plug.

21. The communications device of claim 16, in which:

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

22. A communications device for use in a host system having a PCMCIA slot, the device being adapted to transfer information to and from the host system, the communications device comprising:

an enclosure including a housing having a front end and a rear portion, the rear portion of the housing including a receptacle body having a rear end and an overall thickness conforming substantially to the PCMCIA Type III standard;

a substrate contained within the enclosure, the substrate carrying circuit elements and including a rear margin carrying terminals connected to circuit elements on the substrate;

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;

a contact block attached to the receptacle body, the contact block comprising first and second contact wire sections, each contact wire section carrying at least two contact wires; and

a first receptacle and a second receptacle defined by the receptacle body, each receptacle being configured to receive an RJ-type connector plug having a plurality of contacts, the first and second receptacles being disposed in side-by-side relationship between the rear end of the receptacle body and the contact block, the first contact wire section of the contact block and the first receptacle being in alignment with each other and the second contact wire section of the contact block and the second receptacle being in alignment with each other, each of the at least two contact wires carried by the first contact wire section of the contact block having a first portion connected to a terminal on the rear margin of the substrate and a second portion extending into the first receptacle, the second portion of each contact wire being shaped and positioned for engagement with a corresponding contact on a connector plug when the plug is inserted in the first receptacle, each of the at least two contact wires carried by the second contact wire section of the contact block having a first portion connected to a terminal on the rear margin of the substrate and a second portion extending into the second receptacle, the second portion of each contact wire being shaped and positioned for engagement with a corresponding contact on a connector plug when the plug is inserted in the second receptacle.

23. The communications device of claim 22, in which:

the substrate includes a top surface carrying the terminals on the rear margin of the substrate, the first portion of each of said contact wires including a horizontally extending portion electrically connected to one of said terminals.

24. The communications device of claim 22, in which:

the housing is a molded plastic structure and includes a top wall and side walls depending from the top wall, the top wall and side walls defining an internal cavity for receiving the substrate; and

in which the enclosure includes;

a bottom sheet metal cover panel enclosing the cavity.

25. The communications device of claim 22, in which:

the housing includes a main housing part, the main housing part and the receptacle body being separately molded from plastic as one-piece, unitary structures, the main housing part and the receptacle body being joined along mating joinder surfaces on the main housing part and the receptacle body.

26. An enclosure for a PCMCIA communications device adapted to be received by a PCMCIA slot in a host system, the enclosure comprising:

a housing including a front end, a top wall and side walls depending from the top wall, the top wall and the side walls defining an internal cavity for receiving a printed circuit board, the housing further having a main housing part and a rear portion, the rear portion comprising a receptacle body, the main housing part and the receptacle body being separately molded from plastic as one-piece, unitary structures, the main housing part and the receptacle body being joined along mating joinder surfaces, the receptacle body having a rear end surface, the receptacle body defining at least one receptacle communicating with the rear end surface of the receptacle body, the at least one receptacle being sized and configured to closely receive an RJ-type modular connector plug, at least the receptacle body conforming substantially to the PCMCIA Type III thickness standard; and

a bottom metal cover panel enclosing the internal cavity.

27. The enclosure defined in claim 26, in which:

the at least one receptacle is sized and configured to receive an RJ-11 modular connector plug.

28. The enclosure defined in claim 26, in which:

the at least one receptacle is sized and configured to receive an RJ-45 modular connector plug.

29. The enclosure defined in claim 26, which further includes:

a contact block for carrying contact wires, the contact block being attached to the receptacle body forwardly of the at least one receptacle.

30. The enclosure defined in claim 26, in which:

the receptacle body defines a plurality of side-by-side receptacles, each of said plurality of receptacles being sized and configured to receive an RJ-type modular connector plug.

31. The enclosure defined in claim 30, in which:

said plurality of side-by-side receptacles includes two receptacles, one of the two receptacles being sized and configured to receive an RJ-11 modular connector plug and the other of the two receptacles being sized and configured to receive an RJ-45 modular connector plug.

32. The enclosure defined in claim 30, which further includes:

a contact block for carrying contact wires, the contact block being attached to the receptacle body forwardly of the plurality of receptacles, the contact block including a contact wire section associated with each one of the plurality of receptacles.

33. An enclosure for a PCMCIA communications device adapted to be received by a PCMCIA slot in a host system, the enclosure comprising:

a housing including a front end, a top wall and side walls depending from the top wall, the top wall and the side walls defining an internal cavity for receiving a printed circuit board, the housing further having a main housing part and a rear portion, the rear portion comprising a subassembly, the main housing part and the subassembly being separately molded from plastic, the subassembly having a rear end surface, the subassembly comprising at least one opening communicating with the rear end surface, the at least one opening being sized and configured to closely receive an RJ-type modular connector plug, at least the subassembly being compatible with the standards set by the PCMCIA for the thickness of Type III PC cards; and

a bottom metal cover panel enclosing the internal cavity.

34. The enclosure defined in claim 33, in which:

the at least one opening is sized and configured to receive an RJ-11 modular connector plug.

35. The enclosure defined in claim 33, in which:

the at least one opening is sized and configured to receive an RJ-45 modular connector plug.

36. The enclosure defined in claim 33, wherein said subassembly includes a contact block for carrying contact wires.

37. The enclosure defined in claim 33, in which:

the subassembly comprises a plurality of side-by-side openings, each of said plurality of openings being sized and configured to receive an RJ-type modular connector plug.

38. The enclosure defined in claim 37, in which:

said plurality of side-by-side openings includes two openings, one of the two openings being sized and configured to receive an RJ-11 modular connector plug and the other of the two openings being sized and configured to receive an RJ-45 modular connector plug.

39. The enclosure defined in claim 37, wherein:

said subassembly further comprises a contact block for carrying contact wires, the contact block including a contact wire section associated with each one of the plurality of openings.