Type iii pcmcia card with integrated receptacles for receiving standard communications plugs

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.