Card Connector Shallow Cam Groove Thickness Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing card connectors for cell phones are too thick and bulky due to the design of heart cam grooves, which are either orthogonal or parallel to the card surface, making them unsuitable for compact integration in electronic devices.

Innovation Solution

A card connector design featuring a housing with a cam mechanism, a slider, and a lock spring, where the cam groove is formed in a way that allows the slider and lock spring to be coplanar with the card insertion slot, reducing the overall thickness by incorporating a shallow cam groove and a compression coil spring for card ejection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the heart cam groove is provided on the surface orthogonal to the card surface, then the card can be held and ejected, but the connector thickness becomes significant

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecard holding and ejection functionalityVSAvoidconnector thickness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The cam groove is repositioned from a vertical orientation (orthogonal to card surface) to a horizontal orientation (on the surface parallel to card surface), changing the dimensional arrangement to reduce thickness while maintaining functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of having the cam groove on the traditional orthogonal surface, the invention inverts the design by placing it on the parallel surface, fundamentally changing the structural approach

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Area of stationary object

If the heart-shaped cam groove is provided on the housing surface parallel with the card, then the width is reduced, but the housing thickness and slider thickness add up to significant total thickness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnector widthVSAvoidconnector thickness

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The slider is integrated into the housing such that they share the same plane, merging their thickness contributions and eliminating additive thickness from separate components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The cam groove is designed as a shallow feature on the planar surface rather than a deep vertical groove, changing from three-dimensional depth to two-dimensional surface geometry

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The design achieves a compact card connector with reduced thickness, enabling it to be seamlessly integrated into cell phones while maintaining the functionality of holding and ejecting cards efficiently.

Implementation Method 1

a lock spring disposed substantially adjacent the cam groove

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS7670160B2Card connector

Publication Date: 2010.03.02 TE CONNECTIVITY JAPAN GK

AI summary

A card connector, comprising a housing having a card insertion slot, a contact carried by the housing, a slider carried by the housing and disposed substantially coplanar with the card insertion slot, the slider comprising a cam groove and a lock spring disposed substantially adjacent the lock spring, and a positioning member carried by the housing and being movable within the cam groove is disclosed.