The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 10, 1996
Filed:
Jun. 19, 1995
Gary C Bethurum, Laguna Niguel, CA (US);
ITT Cannon, Inc., Santa Ana, CA (US);
Abstract
A plug connector is provided that has a latching mechanism for locking to a receptacle connector at the rear of an IC card, wherein the latching mechanism occupies a minimum of space which otherwise could be occupied by additional contacts. The latch mechanism includes a pin-shaped latch (40, FIG. 3) which is rotatable about a latch axis (80) and which has a pair of radial projections (84, 86) at its forward end, so when the projections are inserted into the receptacle housing and turned 90.degree., the projections prevent withdrawal of the latch and therefore prevent withdrawal of the plug connector. An actuator (44) for operating the latch, includes a pair of handles (46, 48) at opposite side edges of the plug connector and a crossbar (104) that connects them and that has a pin (106) which extends into a helical groove (102) at the rear of the latch. The hole (116, FIG. 10) in the receptacle connector housing is an undercut hole which forms a pair of forwardly-facing shoulders (112) for abutting shoulders (90) at the rear ends of the projections.