Appeal No. 2006-0542 Page 2
Application No. 10/054,083
A conventional card-edge connectors feature a slot balanced along its length by
two opposing planar surfaces. A card having a trace-covered edge is inserted into the
slot by positioning the trace-covered edge over the slot and pressing sharply downward
on the top edge of the card. This action deflects contact springs inside the slot and
forces the card into the slot. (Id., ¶ 3.) According to the appellants, however,
"[a] common complaint among assembly line workers is that the amount of user force
required to insert cards into card-edge connectors is excessive." (Id., ¶ 5.)
The appellants' card-edge connector also includes a slot for receiving a contact
surface of a card. Levers are movably coupled with the connector. Each lever includes
an engaging member and a contact surface that joins with the card's contact surface to
depress the card into the slot when the lever is moved from an open position to a
service position. (Id., abs.)
A further understanding of the invention can be achieved by reading the following
claim.
1. A card-edge connector assembly, comprising:
a connector having a slot therein to receive an edge portion of a
card; and
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