Smart card connector carriage

摘要

A smart card connector has a carriage ( 252 ) that prevents inadvertent card pullout and that pushes the card rearward when a user intends to do so. The connector housing includes an insulative support ( 52 ) that is molded with at least one upstanding rib ( 275, 277 ) lying beside the card path. The carriage is formed from a piece of sheet metal that is bent to form a pair of flanges ( 310, 314 ) that lie on opposite sides of the rib and to form a base ( 312 ) that connects the flanges and that lies on top of the rib. One of the flanges forms a blade ( 184 ) with a free end, the free end forming a spur ( 186 ) for movement into and out of the card path. The housing forms a blade-engaging wall ( 298, 300 ) that controls the deflection of the blade so the spur moves into the card path only when the carriage moves forward.