Looking for a CF receptacle.

I hope someone can help me with this parts search.

The device I am building has a Compact Flash Type 1 slot. The CF receptacle has 3/4" guide arms and is mounted just inside the case, so that about 1/2" of CF card protrudes when inserted. The receptacle is surface mount, flush with the PCB.

I want to recess the card even more so that only 1/4" of CF card pokes out of the hole. However if I do that then inserting the card and mating with the guide arms is going to be tricky.

I'm looking for a CF receptacle with either longer guide arms or some kind of cover that will help with alignment.

Any ideas?

Thanks, Paul.

Reply to
Paul Marciano
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We have an aluminium bracket to support the CF, it has the exact square window for a type 1 CF. We can sell them for $1 each. Go to

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and see if it will fit your need. Thanks.

Reply to
linnix

Faced with the same problem, we molded guide arms into our plastic.

Maybe implement a PCMCIA slot and use a PCMCIA-CF adapter?

Reply to
larwe

Why have any of it poke out at all? Is there a reason (PCB size, whatever) that disallows a fully recessed slot, with an eject button, like some digital cameras have it?

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Hans-Bernhard Broeker (broeker@physik.rwth-aachen.de)
Even if all the snow were burnt, ashes would remain.
Reply to
Hans-Bernhard Broeker

Probably due to cost, sockets with eject button are expensive in terms of PCB area and the socket itself. Actually, we did exactly the opposite, using less recessed area on the PCB and mounting the PCB away from the case. However, the case opening needs to be big enough for your fingers or a tool to pull the CF out. As long as the outer perimeter of the case is bigger than the CF, it would be fine. The main point is that you don't want the CF as shock absorber when you drop the unit.

Since we need a big window on the case, we attach an aluminium bracket to guide the CF in.

Reply to
linnix

Hans,

I would prefer a fully recessed card with an ejector but we don't have the space. The unit is rack-mounted so I'm not worried about it being dropped. What I want is to reduce the temptation to casually pull the card out. I think it's poking out a bit too far right now. If you're standing next to it, it's just begging to be played with.

I think 1/4" protrusion is awkward enough to dissuade causual removal but still enough to get your finger tips on.

It's a stupid little problem.

Reply to
Paul Marciano

That's a good idea. Thanks.

Reply to
Paul Marciano

We have the same idea/problem. Even with rack mounted, your arm or elbow can accidentally knock out the CF. We have seen problem with the CF damaged, as well as the socket whipping out of the PCB. That was before we changed to TH mounted, rather than SM. With smaller PCB mounting area, we need stronger TH mounting and extended bracket.

We recessed the whole board behind the 5-1/4 panel, which is a custom panel with lifted door (garage style) and lock. With these units in server farms, they need to be completely hidden and protected. And yes, a remote controlled door opener was considered, just for fun.

It's not as stupid as you think.

Reply to
linnix

I find it hard to see pure added cost as a driving factor here. Hitting a hard limit (as in: the rear wall of the case), maybe, but not the simple cost of using more PCB space. We're talking about an existing design that already sacrifices a little over (1.5 x 1) square inches, and willing to increase that to (1.5 x 1.25). A fully recessed slot with an eject button would bring that to about (1.75 x

1.5).

And that's before considering that CF is out on the bulky end of the range of available media formats. I.e. if space really is an issue, maybe CF was the wrong form factor.

Indeed. If PCB area is precious, an entire CF card is not something you want to park on it. So separate the PCB from the CF socket by a short cable, or use a socket with enough room underneath that you can fit some components in there. The cabled approach has the additional benefit of reducing the risk of clumsiness-induced PCB damage. It's a fundamental rule of user interface mechanics: don't allow the force of the user's fingers to connect to any soldered joint. At least not if you can afford any alternative.

A slot with an eject button would *save* space in that setup --- the eject button is considerably thinner than a human finger, and less dangerous than most applicable tools by a wide margin.

To put it bluntly, if Canon can fit this kind of slot in its "Digital IXUS" series of cameras, what could possibly keep somebody from fitting it in a rack-mounted housing, which is probably large enough to throw the Ixus through its front door from across the room?

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Hans-Bernhard Broeker (broeker@physik.rwth-aachen.de)
Even if all the snow were burnt, ashes would remain.
Reply to
Hans-Bernhard Broeker

Yes, that's how it's been used on ours, with an IDE cable.

The adaptor itself requires no other components. Any PCB space needed would increase cost and weight for no reason. Furthermore, the adaptor is a low cost 2 layers PCB, while the main board is a 4 layers 4mm/2mm space/hole PCB.

We would even hide the eject button, if any. By the way, we almost never remove the CF anyway. Our goal is to hide the 1G or 2G CFs in public area, i.e. server farms. We don't want to lose the CFs, although they are getting cheaper everyday.

Canon don't have to think about puting their digital cameras in public areas.

Reply to
linnix

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