System for removing electrical charges associated with memory card connectors

摘要

A system for removing electrical charges from a memory card (10) when the card is electrically coupled to a header connector (18) of an electronic apparatus (12). The header connector has a plurality of pin terminals (24, 26) mounted therein, including a plurality of pin signal terminals (24). The memory card includes a circuit substrate (30), and an elongate receptacle (42) mounted at an edge (38) of the substrate. A plurality of receptacle terminals (46, 48) are mounted within the receptacle, and include receptacle signal terminals (46) which are adapted for electrical connection to corresponding pin signal terminals (24). A pair of cover plates (44) sandwich the circuit substrate therebetween. At least a portion of one of the cover plates is conductive. One of the receptacle terminals includes a receptacle ground terminal (48) coupled to the conductive portion of the one cover plate. A pin ground terminal (26) is provided on the header connector of the electronic apparatus. The receptacle ground terminal (48) and the pin ground terminal (26) are adapted for interconnection to remove electrical charges from the memory card before connection of the receptacle signal terminals (46) and the pin signal terminals (24) when the memory card is electrically coupled to the header connector.