PULL TAB WITH EXCHANGEABLE IDENTIFICATION MARKER FOR PLUGGABLE COMMUNICATIONS MODULES

• US 20150092327A1
• Filed: 09/27/2013
• Published: 04/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Meadowcroft, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,430,004 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/183 Internal mounting support structures, e.g. for printed circuit boards, internal connecting means for buses G06F13/409

Abstract

A pull tab with exchangeable identification marker for pluggable communications modules is provided. In general, the pull tab includes an identification region that receives an exchangeable identification marker. The exchangeable identification marker is attached to the pull tab via at least one of compression, fastening, clipping, spring force, and retention features built into the pull tab. This attachment can be permanent, semi-permanent, removable, and combinations thereof. Moreover, the exchangeable identification marker can be attached to, and even removed from, the pull tab while the pluggable communications module is connected to other communications equipment.

Claims

1. A pull tab for a pluggable module, comprising:

a pair of elongate arms having proximal and distal ends, the elongate arms adapted to operatively attach to the pluggable module via the proximal ends; and

a web section coupling the pair of elongate arms via the distal ends, the web section comprising;

a first recess disposed at least on a first side of the web section and configured to receive at least a portion of an exchangeable identification marker; and

a first retaining feature configured to maintain a position of the exchangeable identification marker relative to the web section when the at least a portion of the exchangeable identification marker engages the first recess, and wherein the exchangeable identification marker is configured to at least engage with and disengage from the pull tab while the pluggable module is installed in a socket.

2. The pull tab of claim 1, wherein the web section further comprises:

a marker clearance area disposed adjacent to the first recess and through the web section from the first side to a second side, wherein the marker clearance area is sized to receive a portion of an exchangeable identification marker body.

3. The pull tab of claim 1, wherein the web section further comprises:

a second retaining feature configured to maintain a position of the exchangeable identification marker relative to the web section when the at least a portion of the exchangeable identification marker engages the first recess.

4. The pull tab of claim 1, wherein the first retaining feature is configured to prevent rotation of the exchangeable identification marker when the exchangeable identification marker is engaged with the first recess of the web section.

5. The pull tab of claim 1, wherein the first recess passes through the first side of the web section to a second side of the web section.

6. The pull tab of claim 1, wherein the first recess is configured as a receptacle having a bottom depth within the web section.

7. The pull tab of claim 6, wherein the web section further comprises:

a second recess configured as a receptacle disposed on a second side of the web section and having a bottom depth within the web section, and wherein the first and second recesses are configured to receive an engaged exchangeable identification marker.

8. The pull tab of claim 1, wherein the web section includes a viewing relief area, and wherein the viewing relief area is configured as a relieved portion of material adjacent to the web section, such that an engaged exchangeable identification marker is visible at least from a distal end of the pull tab.

9. The pull tab of claim 8, wherein the viewing relief area is configured to provide a partially unobstructed view of an engaged exchangeable identification marker from a viewing position along a plane that is coplanar with the first side of the web section and distal to both the distal ends and the web section.

10. An exchangeable identification marker for attachment to a pull tab, the pull tab being configured to operate in connection with a pluggable module, the exchangeable identification marker comprising:

a body having at least one identification surface; and

at least one engagement feature configured to engage the exchangeable identification marker with the pull tab, wherein the exchangeable identification marker is configured to at least engage with and disengage from the pull tab while the pluggable module is installed in a socket and the pull tab is engaged with the pluggable module.

11. The exchangeable identification marker of claim 10, wherein the body is arranged as a spring clip, and wherein the spring clip is configured to clip onto the pull tab via a spring force created at least partially by a cross-section of the spring clip.

12. The exchangeable identification marker of claim 11, wherein the cross-section of the spring clip is substantially “

C-shaped,” and

wherein the at least one engagement feature is disposed on at least one open portion of the substantially “

C-shaped”

cross-section.

13. The exchangeable identification marker of claim 10, wherein the body is configured as a snap rivet, the snap rivet further comprising:

a flanged head including the at least one identification surface of the body;

a retaining feature disposed adjacent to the flanged head; and

a coupling having a proximal and a distal end, wherein the coupling connects to the flanged head at the proximal end and the retaining feature at the distal end.

14. The exchangeable identification marker of claim 13, wherein the snap rivet includes at least one anti-rotational feature on at least one of the flanged head, the retaining feature, and the coupling, and wherein the at least one anti-rotational feature engages with a portion of the pull tab.

15. The exchangeable identification marker of claim 13, wherein the snap rivet is arranged as two pieces, comprising:

a first body configured to pass through at least a portion of the pull tab, the first body having a receiving feature configured to interconnect to another body; and

a second body interconnected to the receiving feature of the first body.

16. The exchangeable identification marker of claim 15, wherein the first body employs the first feature, and wherein the second body employs the second feature.

17. The exchangeable identification marker of claim 15, wherein at least one of the first body and second body includes a security fastening feature to prevent unauthorized removal of the exchangeable identification marker from the flexible pull tab.

18. The exchangeable identification marker of claim 17, wherein the security fastening feature requires a security tool to at least one of attach and remove the exchangeable identification marker.

19. A communications platform, comprising:

at least one motherboard having a memory and a microcontroller; and

two or more receiving sockets, wherein each of the two or more receiving sockets is configured to receive and interconnect an installed optical transceiver to the communications platform;

at least two optical transceivers installed with the two or more receiving sockets, each of the at least two optical transceivers comprising;

a module housing coupled to an optical transceiver;

an electromechanical coupling configured to interconnect the optical transceiver to the communications platform; and

a pull tab operatively connected to the module housing, wherein the pull tab includes an exchangeable identification marker, and wherein the exchangeable identification marker is configured to at least engage with and disengage from the pull tab while the optical transceiver is installed in at least one of the two or more receiving sockets.

20. The communications platform of claim 19, wherein first and second optical transceivers are installed with the two or more receiving sockets, wherein the pull tab of the first optical transceiver includes a first exchangeable identification marker, wherein the pull tab of the second optical transceiver includes a second exchangeable identification marker, and wherein the first and second exchangeable identification markers provide a different identification.