TW201401685A - Card edge connector - Google Patents

Abstract

A card edge connector comprises a main body and two clips, the main body comprises a base and two columns disposed on opposite ends of the base, wherein the base has a slot formed between the columns. The clips dispose on the columns of the main body, respectively. A fasten section of each one of the clips penetrates the main body, and an elastic arm of the clip connects to the fasten section and suspends in a trench of the column, wherein the elastic arm has a clasp portion which can reciprocate relative to the column in the trench. When the main body is disposed on a mother board, the clasp portion of the clip is providing a location function to the main body, and when a printed circuit board (PCB) is inserted into the slot of the main body, the clasps portion of the clips clamp opposite side edge of the PCB, avoiding the PCB separated from the card edge connector.

Description

Card edge connector

This invention relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to a card edge connector.

The card edge connector is a connection interface currently used on a motherboard of an electronic device, and is used for inserting a expansion component having a circuit board such as a memory module or an interface card, and is electrically connected to the host as the expansion component. The intermediate medium of the board, in turn, expands the function or performance of the electronic device.

A common card edge connector generally includes an elongated insulative housing and two latching arms. The insulative housing has a slot extending along a longitudinal direction thereof, and the two latching arms are respectively connected along a long side of the insulative housing. On one side of the insulative housing, one end of the latching arm is pivotally connected to the insulative housing, and the other end of the latching arm is reciprocally swingable relative to the insulative housing, and on the side of the slot of the second latching arm opposite the insulative housing A bump is formed separately.

In application, the opposite side edges of the circuit board of the expansion component respectively have a notch, and the notch is formed at a position corresponding to the bump of the two fastening arms. Therefore, when the circuit board of the expansion component is inserted into the slot of the insulative housing, the two latching arms can be swung and brought closer to the circuit board, so that the two latching arms are respectively fastened to the circuit board by the bumps. In the side of the notch, the expansion element is clamped and fixed to the insulative body.

However, in this type of card edge connector, since the rotation of the two latching arms is used to achieve the function of clamping and fixing the expansion component, it is necessary to be in the card inside the electronic device or on the motherboard thereof. The edge connector is provided with a certain distance from the peripheral area of the two holding arms, so that the two holding arms have enough space to swing, so as to be The bump of the retaining arm can be detached from the notch of the circuit board, otherwise the circuit board of the expansion component will be restricted by the two latching arms and cannot be separated from the insulating body.

Also, since such a card edge connector is required to provide sufficient operation space inside the electronic device to function, it is disadvantageous for miniaturization of the electronic device.

In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a card edge connector for solving the latching arm of the conventional card edge connector, and it is necessary to provide sufficient space for the rotary swing to be fastened to or detached from the circuit board. The usable space of a circuit board provided with a card edge connector is limited, and is not suitable for the problem of miniaturized electronic devices.

The card edge connector of the present invention comprises a body and two latching members, the body comprises a base portion and two arm portions, a slot is formed on the base portion, and the slot extends in a first direction, and the two arm portions are spaced apart in the first direction The two ends of the two arms are adjacent to the opposite ends of the slot, and the two arms are respectively formed with a groove on one side of the slot, and the groove communicates with the slot in a second direction. The two fastening members are respectively disposed in the grooves of the two arms, each of the fastening components includes a holding portion and a resilient arm, the holding portion includes a first end and a second end, the first end penetrates the body, and the second end The end is exposed outside the body. The elastic arm is connected to the first end of the holding end, and the elastic arm is formed with a fastening portion with respect to a side of the slot of the base. The fastening portion is suspended in the groove and can be reciprocally displaced in the first direction.

The effect of the invention is that the elastic arms of the two fastening members are displaced in the arm portion of the body in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the base of the body for engaging or releasing the expansion member, since the fastening member is at the card edge connector The body is active, so it won’t take up The space of the external environment of the card edge connector allows the user to save the internal space of the electronic product without the need to additionally move or rotate the buckle member, and can directly insert the expansion component on the card edge connector. Or it is taken from the card edge connector to simplify the assembly process of the expansion component. In addition, through the arrangement of the holding sections of the two fastening members, when the card edge connector is disposed on the motherboard, the body of the card edge connector can be directly inserted into the motherboard by the holding portion of the fastening component. In addition to the accuracy of positioning the card edge connector on the motherboard, the corresponding hole also improves the stability of the card edge connector on the motherboard.

The features, implementations, and utilities of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, the card edge connector 10 disclosed in the first embodiment of the present invention includes a body 110 and two latching members 120. The body 110 is integrally formed by an insulating material. But it is not limited to this. The body 110 includes a base portion 111 and two arm portions 112. The base portion 111 can be, but is not limited to, an elongated structure having long sides and short sides. The base portion 111 is formed with a slot 1111 recessed in the surface thereof, and the slot 1111 extends in a first direction X parallel to the longitudinal direction of the base portion 111.

The two arms 112 of the body 110 are disposed on the base 111 with the slots 1111 disposed on the opposite ends of the base 111 in the first direction X such that the slots 1111 are interposed between the two arms 112. Each of the arm portions 112 defines a groove 1121 adjacent to a side surface of the slot 1111. The groove 1121 extends in a second direction Y and communicates with the slot 1111 of the base portion 111, wherein the second direction Y and the first direction X crosses each other, for example between the two For a relationship that is perpendicular or oblique to each other. A joint portion 113 is formed in the groove 1121 of each arm portion 112. A joint 1113 is formed in the joint portion 113, and the passage 1131 communicates with the groove 1121 of the arm portion 112. In addition, two openings 114 are formed on the other side of the body 110 opposite to the two arm portions 112. The two openings 114 respectively correspond to the joint portion 113 and communicate with the channel 1131 of the joint portion 113.

Referring to FIG. 1 , FIG. 2 , FIG. 5A , and FIG. 5B , the two latching members 120 of the card edge connector 10 of the present embodiment are respectively disposed on the two arm portions 112 of the body 110 and located at two positions. The inside of the groove 1121 of the arm portion 112. Each of the fastening members 120 has a holding portion 121 and a resilient arm 122. The locking member 120 as a whole or at least the elastic arm 122 is made of a material having elastic restoring force, for example, composed of plastic, rubber or metal materials. In this embodiment, the metal member integrally formed by the fastening member 120 is taken as an example, but is not limited thereto.

The holding portion 121 of the fastening member 120 includes a first end 1211 and a second end 1212. The first end 1211 of the holding portion 121 is provided with a stopping portion 1213. The stopping portion 1213 can be, but is not limited to, The surface of the first end 1211 of the holding section 121 is disposed in the form of a bump, a bump or a spring. In this embodiment, the retaining portion 1213 is an elastic piece extending from the first end 1211 of the holding portion 120. The one end of the stopping portion 1213 is connected to the first end 1211 of the holding portion 121, and the stopping portion 1213 is The other end is inclined along the second end 1212 toward the first end 1211 and spaced apart from the first end 1211 such that the stop portion 1213 is reciprocally displaceable relative to the first end 1211.

The second end 1212 of the holding section 121 includes two pins 1215. The two pins 1215 are spaced apart from the first end 1211 of the holding section 121 and can be close to or separated from each other. two The pins 1215 respectively have an inflection point bent toward the opposite direction, and the distance between the inflection points of the two pins 1215 is normally greater than the width of the first end 1211 of the holding section 121, and with the two pins 1215 mutual Close together is smaller than the width of the first end 1211 of the retaining segment 121. It should be noted that although this embodiment is exemplified by the structural form in which the second end 1212 of the holding section 121 includes the two pins 1215, in other embodiments of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B. It is shown that the second end 1212 of the holding portion 121 is also connected to the first end 1211 of the holding portion 121 in a single plate or a cylinder according to actual use requirements, which is not the structure of the two pins 1215 disclosed in the above embodiments. The form is limited.

The elastic arm 122 of the fastening member 120 includes two vertical segments 1221 and a fastening portion 1222. The elastic arm 122 is obliquely connected to the first end 1211 of the holding portion 121 through a vertical portion 1221, so that the elastic arm 122 and the holding portion are fixed. An angle θ greater than 90° but less than 180° is formed between 121. The fastening portion 1222 of the elastic arm 122 is connected between the two vertical segments 1221. The fastening portion 1222 can be, but is not limited to, a bend extending from one of the vertical segments 1221 to the other vertical segment 1221. The structure is such that the fastening portion 1222 has a height on the resilient arm 122 relative to the two vertical segments 1221.

Referring to FIG. 1 , FIG. 2 , FIG. 5A , FIG. 7 and FIG . 8 , in the assembly, the two fastening members 120 respectively pass through the holding portion 121 through the two joint portions 113 of the body 110 and hold the segments 121 . The first end 1211 is engaged in the channel 1131 of the joint portion 113, and the second end 1212 of the holding portion 121 is passed out to the outside of the body 110. When the holding portion 121 of the latching member 120 passes through the body 110 to the certain distance in the second direction Y via the channel 1131 of the joint portion 113, due to the elastic arm 122 of the latching member 120 and the first end 1211 of the retaining portion 121 An angle θ is formed to connect the elastic arm 122 to The vertical section 1221 of the holding section 121 abuts against the surface of the joint portion 113 of the body 110 to limit the ability of the snap member 120 to be displaced toward the joint portion 113 in the second direction Y. At the same time, the engaging portion 1222 of the elastic arm 122 is suspended in the groove 1121 of the arm portion 112 and inclined toward the slot 1111 of the body 110. Therefore, when the elastic arm 122 is subjected to an external force, the elastic deformation of the groove 1121 can be elastically deformed by the elastic force of the elastic arm 122, thereby driving the engaging portion to reciprocally displace in the groove 1121 along the first direction X.

In addition, in the process of the retaining section 121 of the latching member 120 penetrating the body 110, when the stopping portion 1213 of the retaining section 121 passes through the joint portion 113 of the body 110, the first portion 1211 will first be at the joint portion 113. The inside of the passage 1131 is pressed, and then, when the stopper portion 1213 of the holding portion 121 is displaced in the second direction Y to the position where the passage 1131 of the joint portion 113 communicates with the opening 114 of the body 110, by itself The elastic restoring force is unfolded in the opening 114 of the body 110 and abuts against a joint surface adjacent to a wall surface of the opening, that is, against the other side of the joint opposite the groove to limit the fastener The ability of 120 to be displaced in the second direction Y toward the groove 1121 of the arm portion 112. As shown in FIG. 7, since the holding portion 121 of the latching member 120 and the elastic arm 122 are respectively clamped on opposite sides of the joint portion 113 of the body 110, the ability of the latching member 120 to reciprocally displace in the second direction is restricted. Therefore, the snap member 120 is firmly coupled to the body 110.

Referring to FIG. 5A, FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 , it should be noted that, in the present invention, in order to further increase the stability of the fastening component 120 when it is coupled to the body 110 , the fastening component 120 can be selectively selected. At least one limiting portion 1214 is disposed on the holding portion 121 and at least one abutting surface 1132 is disposed correspondingly at the joint portion 113 of the body 110. The limiting portion 1214 of the latching member 120 may be unilaterally disposed at the first end of the holding portion 121 One side of the 1211 is disposed on opposite sides of the first end 1211 of the holding section 121 at the same time. The abutting surface 1232 of the body 110 is disposed in the channel 1131 of the joint portion 113, and the structural shape of the abutting surface 1232 is matched with the structural shape of the limiting portion 1214 of the latching member 120. For example, when the abutting surface 1232 is When the slope is inclined, the limiting portion 1214 of the latching member 120 is a beveled structure formed on the side of the first end 1211.

Therefore, when the holding portion 121 of the latching member 120 passes through the joint portion 113 of the body 110 to a certain distance, the limiting portion 1214 of the retaining portion 121 abuts against the abutting surface 1232 of the joint portion 113, and further restricts the buckle. The ability of the member 120 to be displaced in the second direction Y toward the joint portion 113 causes the snap member 120 to be more firmly coupled to the body 110.

It can be understood that the limiting portion 1214 of the fastening component 120 can also be disposed in the form of a bump or a bump at a position where the elastic arm 122 is adjacent to the holding segment 121, that is, the vertical position of the elastic arm 122. A position where the straight section 1221 is connected to the first end 1211 of the holding section 121. Therefore, when the holding portion 121 of the latching member 120 passes through the joint portion 113 of the body 110, the limiting portion 1214 of the latching member 120 abuts against the surface of the joint portion 113, that is, the joint portion 113 is opposite to the groove 1121. The side surface serves as an abutting surface, so that the latching member 120 is confined in the groove 1121 to prevent the retaining portion of the latching member 120 from continuously displacing outside the body 110 after passing through the body 110.

In the present invention, the stability of the fastening component 120 coupled to the body 110 can be further increased by the limiting structure formed by the limiting portion 1214 of the latching member 120 and the engaging portion 113 abutting against each other. Therefore, the position and structure of the joint portion 113 of the limiting portion 1214 of the latching member 120 and the body 110 are in a cooperative relationship, and can be correspondingly changed according to actual needs, and is not limited to the above embodiment.

In the application of the card edge connector of the present invention, the memory module is used as the card The expansion elements of the edge connectors are combined as an example, but are not limited thereto. In addition, a plurality of conductive terminals are disposed in the base of the card edge connector for electrically connecting the card edge connector to a motherboard to serve as a medium for the expansion component to be electrically connected to the motherboard. However, since the arrangement of the conductive sub-terminals is conventional and is not a technical feature of the present invention, it will not be described again.

Referring to FIG. 7 , FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 , when the card edge connector 10 is disposed on the motherboard 30 , the card edge connector 10 first passes through the holding plate 121 of the second fastening component 120 and passes through the motherboard 30 . The positioning holes (not shown) cause the body 110 of the card edge connector 10 to abut against the surface of the motherboard 30 and limit the ability of the body 110 to be freely displaced on the motherboard 30. It should be noted that the card edge connector 10 may be disposed on the motherboard 30 through a Surface Mount Technology (SMT) or a Direct Insertion Process (DIP). When the surface sticking technique is used, the user can select the second end 1212 of the retaining section 121 to be a single plate or a cylindrical snap member 120 on the body 110 of the card edge connector 10 (as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B). The figure shows the function of providing positioning on the motherboard 30 by the holding section 121 of the latching member 120. On the other hand, when the plug-in method is used, the user can select the second end 1212 of the holding portion 121 to be a latching member 120 in the form of two pins 1215 on the body 110 of the card edge connector 10 (as shown in FIG. 5A and FIG. As shown in FIG. 5B, after the holding section 121 passes through the motherboard 30, the two pins 1215 can be abutted against the side edges of the positioning holes of the motherboard, thereby temporarily positioning and fixing the body 110 of the card edge connector 10. On the motherboard 30.

As shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 7, FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, after the card edge connector 10 is disposed on the motherboard 30, the user can insert the expansion component 20 into the card edge connection. On the device 10. The expansion component 20 has a circuit board 210, and a notch 211 is respectively disposed on opposite sides of the circuit board 210. The expansion component 20 is first embedded in the groove of the two arm portions 112 of the body 110 by the opposite sides of the circuit board 210. The groove 1121 is inserted into the slot 1111 of the base 111 by the guiding of the groove 1121. During this process, the opposite sides of the circuit board 210 of the expansion component 20 respectively abut the latching portions 1222 of the two latching members 120, and then the circuit board 210 continuously moves toward the slot 1111 of the base 111, and the circuit The opposite sides of the plate 20 are continuously pushed against the engaging portion 1222, so that the elastic arm 122 is elastically deformed, and the engaging portion 1222 of the two fastening members 120 is displaced in the first direction X, so that the two engaging portions 1222 are The distance between them is elongated.

When one side of the circuit board 20 is inserted into the slot 1111 of the base portion 111, the notch 211 of the opposite side of the circuit board 20 corresponds to the engaging portion 1222 of the elastic arm 122. At this time, since the pressure applied to the engaging portion 1222 is released, the engaging portion 1222 can be reset by the elastic restoring force of the elastic arm 122 and embedded in the notch 211 of the circuit board 20. Therefore, the circuit board 20 is subjected to the restriction of the two latching members 120 and cannot be detached from the card edge connector 10. Similarly, when the user wants to remove the expansion element 20 from the card edge connector 10, the opposite sides of the circuit board 210 abut and push the elasticity during the user's withdrawal from the expansion element 20. The engaging portion 1222 of the arm 122 lengthens the distance between the engaging portions 1222 of the two latching members 120, and disengages the engaging portion 1222 from the notch 211 of the circuit board 210, thereby allowing the circuit board 210 of the expansion component 20 to be The card edge connector 10 is detached in the second direction Y.

Based on the above, the card edge connector of the present invention achieves the restriction or release of the expansion component by the reciprocating displacement of the fastening portion of the fastening member in a direction parallel to the longitudinal edge of the base member during the insertion of the expansion member. , so that users do not need to additionally move, rotate the card The fastener can be directly inserted into the card edge connector or pulled out from the card edge connector, thereby simplifying the assembly process of the expansion component. Moreover, since the internal space of the electronic product does not need to reserve the rotation space of the fastener, in addition to not wasting the internal space of the electronic product, it can be applied to the miniaturized electronic product, and contributes to the miniaturization of the electronic product. development of. In addition, through the fixing section of the snap member passing through the body and forming the positioning mechanism in the external body, the positioning and/or fixing function of the card edge connector on the motherboard can be provided, thereby increasing the convenience of assembly and Practicality.

Referring to FIG. 11 , the second embodiment of the present invention is substantially identical in structure to the first embodiment, and the difference between the two is that the card edge connector 10 disclosed in the second embodiment of the present invention has a buckle. The resilient arms 122 of the member 120 are connected straight to the retaining segment 121, rather than being tilted. At the same time, the first end of the holding portion 121 can be fixed to the joint portion of the body 110 by welding or adhesively; or the thickness of the fastening member 120 or at least The thickness of the holding portion 121 of the latching member 120 is set to match the width of the channel of the joint portion, that is, equal to or slightly larger than the width of the channel, so that the holding portion 121 of the latching member 120 is coupled to the body 110 in a tight fit manner. The ability to limit the displacement of the catch member 120 in the second direction Y is limited, and the setting of the limit structure such as the stop portion and the limit portion can be omitted.

In this way, in a case where the holding portion 121 of the latching member 120 is fixed to the body 110, the elastic arm 122 of the latching member 120 can be reciprocally displaced in the first direction X by its elastic restoring force for use on the body 110. Clip or release the expansion unit.

Based on the above, the card edge connector of the present invention is in the process of inserting the expansion component, The expansion component can be directly inserted into the card edge connector or pulled out from the card edge connector without additionally pulling or rotating the fastener, in addition to simplifying the assembly process of the expansion component, and saving electronic products. The use of internal space contributes to the miniaturization of electronic products. In addition, in the operation of assembling the card edge connector to the motherboard, the user can pre-position on the motherboard through the holding portion of the snap member, and then fix the card edge connector on the motherboard, thereby avoiding The card edge connector is displaced on the motherboard before the fixing process or in the fixing process, thereby improving the yield of the product.

Although the embodiments of the present invention are disclosed above, it is not intended to limit the present invention, and those skilled in the art, regardless of the spirit and scope of the present invention, the shapes, structures, and features described in the scope of the present application. And the number of modifications may be made, and the scope of patent protection of the present invention shall be determined by the scope of the patent application attached to the specification.

10‧‧‧ card edge connector

110‧‧‧ body

111‧‧‧ base

1111‧‧‧Slot

112‧‧‧arms

1121‧‧‧ trench

113‧‧‧Combination Department

1131‧‧‧ channel

1132‧‧‧ to the top

114‧‧‧Opening

120‧‧‧Card fasteners

121‧‧‧ Holding section

1211‧‧‧ first end

1212‧‧‧ second end

1213‧‧‧stop

1214‧‧‧Limited

1215‧‧‧ pins

122‧‧‧Flexible arm

1221‧‧‧ vertical section

1222‧‧‧Deduction Department

20‧‧‧Extension components

210‧‧‧ boards

211‧‧ ‧ gap

30‧‧‧ motherboard

Θ‧‧‧ angle

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic view showing the combination of the first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a partially enlarged schematic view of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the body of the first embodiment of the present invention.

5A to 6B are perspective views of the fastener according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 7 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 8 is a side cross-sectional view showing the first embodiment of the present invention.

9 and 10 are schematic views showing the state of use of the first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

10‧‧‧ card edge connector

110‧‧‧ body

111‧‧‧ base

1111‧‧‧Slot

112‧‧‧arms

1121‧‧‧ trench

113‧‧‧Combination Department

114‧‧‧Opening

120‧‧‧Card fasteners

121‧‧‧ Holding section

1211‧‧‧ first end

1212‧‧‧ second end

1213‧‧‧stop

1215‧‧‧ pins

122‧‧‧Flexible arm

1222‧‧‧Deduction Department

Θ‧‧‧ angle

Claims (10)

A card edge connector includes: a body, comprising: a base, the base is formed with a slot, and the slot extends along a first direction; and the two arms are spaced apart along the first direction Adjacent to the opposite ends of the slot, the two arms are respectively formed with a groove on one side of the slot, the groove extending in a second direction and communicating with the slot; and two buckles The fastening member includes a holding portion and a resilient arm, the holding portion includes a first end and a second end, the first end extends through the body The second end is exposed to the outside of the body, the elastic arm is connected to the first end of the holding end, and the elastic arm is formed with a fastening portion with respect to a side of the slot of the base, the fastening portion is suspended Placed in the groove and reciprocally displaced in the first direction. The card edge connector of claim 1, wherein the elastic arm of each of the latching members is obliquely connected to the first end of the holding segment. The card edge connector of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises two joint portions, wherein the two joint portions are respectively disposed in the groove of the two arm portions, and each of the joint portions has a passage formed therein. The holding portion is formed in the joint portion, and the holding portion of each of the fastening members penetrates the body through the passage, and the first end of the holding portion is engaged in the passage. The card edge connector of claim 3, wherein the holding segment further comprises a stop a stop portion is coupled to the first end of the holding portion and protrudes from the first end surface, and the retaining portion passes through the stop portion in the second direction against the joint portion with respect to the groove The other side. The card edge connector of claim 4, wherein the body is further formed with an opening opposite to the other side of the groove of the two arm portions, the opening corresponding to the joint portion and communicating with the joint portion The passage portion of the retaining portion abuts against the joint portion adjacent to a wall surface of the opening. The card edge connector of claim 3, wherein at least one abutting surface is disposed in the channel of the joint portion, and each of the latching members further includes a limiting portion, the limiting portion abutting the combination The part should be on the top. The card edge connector of claim 6, wherein the abutting surface of the joint portion is a sloped surface, and the limiting portion of the retaining portion is a beveled structure matched to the abutting surface. The card edge connector of claim 1, wherein the second end of the holding segment is provided with two pins, the two pins are spaced apart from the first end of the holding segment, and the two pins are mutually Close or separate. The card edge connector of claim 1, wherein the resilient arm further comprises two vertical segments, the fastening portion being coupled between the two vertical segments. The card edge connector of claim 9, wherein the fastening portion is a bent structure extending from the two vertical segments.