Push-to-insert, push-to-eject and pull-to-extract card connector

• US 8,337,224 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2011
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Bychkov, Eyal, Maydar, Yaniv, Bernstein, Noam, Cohen, Itay
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Application Number:
  US13/211,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20120040549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 439/159, 439/155, 439/923
• US Class Current: 439/159
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 13/0806 using an arrangement for ejection of an inserted card
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6275 Latching arms not integral with the housing H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/635 by mechanical pressure, e.g. spring force

Abstract

An apparatus, including a chassis having an opening into which an electrical component is insertable, means for coupling to the electrical component, the means for coupling slidably movable, relative to the chassis, in a first direction generally away from the opening, and in a second direction generally toward the opening to a first position in response to force in the first direction exerted upon the means for coupling, and to a second position in response to force in the first direction exerted upon the means for coupling when the means for coupling is in the first position, wherein the first position is different, with respect to the chassis, than the second position.

Claims

1. An assembly for a receptacle for an electrical connector plug, comprising:

a chassis;

a slideable component mounted between two sides of the chassis; and

a receptacle for an electrical connector plug, mounted on the slideable component,

wherein the slideable component moves along the two sides of the chassis relative to the chassis into a locked position, without forming a separation gap between the chassis and the side of the slideable component that faces the electrical connector plug, in response to the electrical connector plug being pushed into the chassis for insertion into the receptacle, and moves along the two sides of the chassis relative to the chassis into a rest position in response to the electrical connector plug being pushed into the chassis for extraction from the receptacle, wherein the rest position is different than the locked position relative to the chassis, and wherein the electrical connector plug is electrically coupled to the receptacle after being pushed into said the chassis when the slideable component moves into the rest position, and after being pushed into the chassis when the slideable component moves into the locked position.

2. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a spring-loaded locking mechanism coupled with the slideable component, for locking the slideable component into the locked position.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the slideable component advances and then retracts along the two sides of the chassis, under tension of the spring-loaded mechanism, in response to the electrical connector plug being pushed into the chassis for extraction from the receptacle.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the receptacle comprises contact pins, the assembly further comprising a flexible printed circuit for connecting the contact pins to a printed circuit board when the slideable component is in the rest position and when the slideable component is in the locked position.

5. An apparatus, comprising:

a chassis having an opening into which an electrical component is insertable;

a slideable component mounted between two sides of the chassis; and

means for coupling to the electrical component, mounted on the slideable component,

wherein the slideable component is slidably movable along the two sides of the chassis, relative to the chassis, in a first direction generally away from the opening, without forming a separation gap between the chassis and the side of the slideable component that faces the opening, and in a second direction generally toward the opening;

to a first rest position in response to force in the first direction exerted upon the means for coupling; and

to a second rest position in response to force in the first direction exerted upon the means for coupling when the means for coupling is in the first rest position,

wherein the first rest position is different, with respect to the chassis, than the second rest position.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the means for coupling comprises a receptacle for a connector plug of the electrical component.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the receptacle comprises contact pins, the apparatus further comprising a flexible printed circuit for connecting the contact pins to a printed circuit board when the slideable component is in the first rest position and when the slideable component is in the second rest position.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 comprising two spring-loaded latches coupled with the slideable component.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the electrical component, when coupled with the means for coupling, is fully inserted into the chassis when the slideable component is in the first rest position.

10. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the electrical component, when coupled with the means for coupling, protrudes from the chassis when the slideable components is in the second rest position.

11. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the electrical component is a wireless communicator.

12. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the electrical component is a memory card.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

a chassis having an opening into which an electrical component is insertable;

a slideable component mounted between two sides of the chassis; and

means for coupling to the electrical component, mounted on the slideable component,

wherein the slideable component is slidably movable along the two sides of the chassis, relative to the chassis, in a first direction generally away from the opening, without forming a separation gap between the chassis and the side of the slideable component that faces the opening, to a first rest position and, in a second direction generally toward the opening, to a second rest position, wherein the first rest position is different, with respect to the chassis, than the second rest position, and wherein the electrical component, when electrically coupled with the means for coupling when the means for coupling is in the first rest position, remains electrically coupled therewith when the slideable components moves from the first rest position to the second rest position.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for coupling comprises a receptacle for a connector plug of the electrical component.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the receptacle comprises contact pins, the apparatus further comprising a flexible printed circuit for connecting the contact pins to a printed circuit board when the slideable component is in the first rest position and when the slideable component is in the second rest position.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising two spring-loaded latches coupled with the slideable component.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the electrical component, when coupled with the means for coupling, is fully inserted into the chassis when the slideable component is in the first rest position.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the electrical component, when coupled with the means for coupling, protrudes from the chassis when the slideable component is in the second rest position.

19. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the electrical component is a wireless communicator.

20. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the electrical component is a memory card.