Removable transceiver module and receptacle

• US 5,879,173 A
• Filed: 10/17/1997
• Issued: 03/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stratos International Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Methode Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: McGinley, James W., Gilliland, Patrick B., Poplawski, Daniel S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Application Number:
  US08/954,679
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 439/74, 439/76.1, 439/64, 439/377, 439/108, 439/607, 439/609, 439/138, 439/354, 439/297, 439/372, 439/660, 385/92, 385/88, 385/89
• US Class Current: 439/138
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3817 containing optical and electrical conductors cables including electrical and optical conductors H01B11/22; G02B6/3816 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3831 comprising a keying element on the plug or adapter, e.g. to forbid wrong connection keying element on the ferrule G02B6/3851; keying element for electrical coupling H01R13/64
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3849 using mechanical protective elements, e.g. caps, hoods, sealing membranes G02B6/3816 takes precedence; provisionally see H01R13/44
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4245 Mounting of the opto-electronic elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4246 Bidirectionally operating package structures
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4251 Sealed packages G02B6/4248 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4261 Packages with mounting structures to be pluggable or detachable, e.g. having latches or rails
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4277 Protection against electromagnetic interference [EMI], e.g. shielding means shielding of electric apparatus H05K9/00, of instruments G12B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/428 containing printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4284 of optical modules with disconnectable electrical connectors latching arms for electrical connectors H01R13/627
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4292 the light guide being disconnectable from the opto-electronic element, e.g. mutually self aligning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6582 with resilient means for engaging mating connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6594 the shield being mounted on a PCB and connected to conductive members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/946 Memory card cartridge

Abstract

A robust optoelectronic transceiver module which is quick, easy, and inexpensive to manufacture. The transceiver module has a main housing which consists of a potting box with potting material inserted therein. In addition, a circuit board is encased by the potting material. The circuit board has an optical subassembly mounted thereon. The optical subassembly extends outside of the potting box through a recess. Correspondingly, a recess cover is provided for forming a liquid tight seal between the recess cover, the potting box, and the optical subassembly. The module housing may be pluggable via release levers having detentes received in apertures of a receptacle and a pluggable connector of the module mated within the receptacle. The receptacle may include grounding means such as a ground clip mounted within the receptacle and a protective door to limit electromagnetic emissions.

Claims

1. A removable optoelectronic transceiver module and receptacle assembly comprising:

a transceiver module housing having a first end, a second end and an electrically conductive outside surface;

a circuit board mounted within the housing and an optical subassembly electrically connected to the circuit board adjacent said first end;

a fiber optic SC duplex receptacle at the first end;

a pair of latch levers attached adjacent the first end and a pluggable male ribbon style electrical connector at the second end connected to said circuit board and protruding from said housing for quickly installing and replacing said module to or from a circuit card assembly and the male ribbon style connector having at least a pair of metallic fingers extending from said housing on opposed sides of an insulator;

a receptacle housing including a first end having a metallic conductive door mounted at the first end for receiving the module therethrough and opposed thereto a second end, the second end including a circuit card connector having signal contacts mating with the male ribbon style connector of the module, wherein upon mating of the ribbon style connector of the module with the circuit card connector of the receptacle a majority of the module is received within the receptacle; and

a ground tab provided by the receptacle for contacting the electrically conductive outside surface of the transceiver module in order to reduce electromagnetic interference and to provide for an FCC compliant module.

2. The transceiver module and receptacle assembly of claim 1 wherein the ground tab is attached to an arm which is molded within the receptacle housing.

3. The module and receptacle assembly of claim 1 wherein the door is hinged adjacent the top surface of the receptacle housing wherein upon insertion of the module within the receptacle the door is opened and provides an effective open aperture at the first end of the receptacle and the electrically conductive outside surface of the module includes a portion of the first end of the module for reducing the effective open aperture when the first end is mounted within the open aperture wherein the electrically conductive portion is electrically connected to the ground tab of the receptacle in order to reduce electromagnetic interference and to provide for an FCC compliant module.

4. The transceiver module and receptacle assembly of claim 1 including:

the ground tab mounted at the second end of the transceiver receptacle in order to provide grounding of the transceiver module to the receptacle.

5. The transceiver module and receptacle assembly of claim 1 wherein the transceiver module includes an external surface that is metallized and upon insertion within the receptacle, the metallized transceiver module housing abuts against the ground tab protruding within the receptacle chamber in order to ground the transceiver module to the receptacle in order to provide for the harmless dissipation of static charge.

6. The transceiver module and receptacle assembly of claim 1 wherein the pair of latch levers are attached to the sides of the transceiver module housing and latching to the interior surface of the receptacle.

7. The transceiver module and receptacle assembly of claim 1 including a metallic SC duplex receptacle assembly at the first end of the transceiver module housing.

8. The transceiver module and receptacle assembly of claim 7 wherein the transceiver connector is a fiber optic plug receptacle.

9. A transceiver module and receptacle assembly of claim 1 wherein a circuit card connector is provided which includes contacts arranged to allow for hot plugging and dissipation of static charge.

10. An optoelectronic transceiver receptacle comprising:

a transceiver receptacle located on a circuit card of a communication system chassis and the communication system having components that generate and use timing signals or pulses at a rate in excess of 9,000 cycles per second, and the receptacle including

a first end having a protective door mounted thereto, the protective door formed of a conductive material and providing EMI shielding from radiating components on the circuit card in order to provide an FCC compliant communication system; and

a first grounding means including a ground tab extending into the receptacle and mounted at second end of the receptacle;

an electrical receptacle connector mounted at the second end of the receptacle; and

the receptacle connector having a second grounding means, the receptacle connector for receiving a connector of a removable optoelectronic transceiver module and a majority of the module is received within the receptacle and wherein the module is grounded upon insertion within the receptacle via a ground contact finger offset from a signal contact finger so that the ground contact finger mates with a corresponding ground contact finger prior to the mating of the signal contact finger with a corresponding signal contact finger wherein the first grounding means and the second grounding means provide for the harmless dissipation of static charge and provides for the proper sequencing of power connections to facilitate hot plugging of the optoelectronic transceiver module.

11. The transceiver receptacle of claim 10 wherein the receptacle housing includes the receptacle connector having the ground tab for grounding a pluggable connector of a transceiver module.

12. The transceiver receptacle of claim 10 wherein the grounding means includes a ground surface protruding within the receptacle.

13. The transceiver receptacle of claim 12 wherein the ground surface is attached to an arm which is molded within the receptacle house.

14. The transceiver receptacle of claim 10 wherein the receptacle has mounted therein a guide rail for receiving a transceiver module.

15. The transceiver receptacle of claim 14 wherein the guide rail includes a detente for guiding the transceiver module along the guide rail.

16. The transceiver receptacle of claim 10 wherein the receptacle includes a mounting panel at the first end;

the electrical receptacle connector opposed to the mounting panel at a second end;

the receptacle being defined by the area between the first end and the second end; and

a guide rail mounted in the receptacle between the first end and the second end wherein the guide rail guides a transceiver module through the receptacle to align the male ribbon style connector of the transceiver module with the electrical receptacle connector.

17. The transceiver receptacle of claim 16 wherein the electrical receptacle connector is a circuit card connector mounted to the circuit card that is mounted transverse to the mounting panel.

18. The transceiver receptacle of claim 14 wherein a pair of guide rails are mounted on the circuit card.

19. The transceiver receptacle of claim 10 wherein the guide rail receives a frame member of a transceiver module housing.

20. A removable optoelectronic transceiver module comprising:

a transceiver module housing having a first end and a second end;

a latching means attached adjacent the first end;

a pluggable electrical connector at the second end having a shroud, the pluggable connector for mounting the module within a chassis; and

a first ground member located outside of the shroud including a metallic surface adjacent the pluggable connector providing for a first electrical connection to a receptacle;

a second ground member surrounded by the shroud, isolated from the first ground member, the second ground member adjacent module signal contacts and providing a second electrical connection between the second ground member and a ground contact of the receptacle, both of said first and second electrical connections occurring prior to the electrical connection of at least some of the adjacent module signal contacts wherein the first and second ground members provide for the harmless dissipation of static charge; and

the receptacle including a first end having a conductive door mounted thereto providing EMI shielding from radiative components within the chassis and upon mating of the pluggable connector through the conductive door and within the receptacle a majority of the module is received within the receptacle and the first and second ground members contact the receptacle in order to reduce electromagnetic interference and provide for an FCC compliant module.

21. The transceiver module of claim 20 including:

a transceiver connector at the first end.

22. The transceiver module of claim 20 wherein the transceiver connector includes a modular port for receiving a media transducer.

23. The transceiver module of claim 21 wherein the pluggable connector includes a D-shaped shroud surrounding a circuit board protruding transversely from the second end and having electrical contacts attached thereto.

24. The transceiver module of claim 20 wherein the second ground member includes the pluggable connector having ground contacts connected to the signal ground and the ground contacts are offset from adjacent electrical contacts.

25. The transceiver module of claim 20 wherein the first ground member makes contact with a ground tab of the receptacle before signal contacts, in order to ground the module to the circuit ground and provide for static discharge.

26. The transceiver module of claim 20 wherein the contacts of the pluggable connector are arranged to allow the hot plugging.

27. A removable transceiver module comprising:

a housing including a first end;

a circuit board mounted within said housing and an electronic circuit connected to said circuit board adjacent said first end;

a plug receptacle at the first end;

an electrically conductive surface;

a male ribbon style electrical connector at a second end of said housing connected to said circuit board and protruding from said housing for quickly installing and replacing said module to or from a receptacle mounted to a circuit card assembly and the male ribbon style connector including an insulating beam extending from said housing and having metallic fingers on each side of the beam to provide for hot plugging of the module wherein the ground contact is mated before the signal contact when the male ribbon style connector is mated within the receptacle and

the receptacle including a conductive door providing for EMI shielding of conductive components on the circuit card assembly and when a majority of the module is received within the receptacle the electrically conductive surface is conductivity coupled to a chassis of the circuit card assembly in order to provide a reduction of electromagnetic emissions from the module and to provide an FCC compliant circuit card assembly.

28. The optoelectronic module of claim 27 wherein ground contact protrudes beyond the signal contact, wherein the ground contact will make contact with a connector of a receptacle before the signal contacts.

29. The optoelectronic module of claim 28 wherein the ground contact provides for static discharge.

30. The optoelectronic module of claim 28 wherein the ground contact establishes a reference voltage.

31. The optoelectronic module of claim 27 wherein the electrical connector protrudes perpendicularly from an end face of the second end and parallel to the circuit board.

32. The optoelectronic module of claim 27 wherein the pair of metallic fingers extend from said housing on opposed sides of an insulator.

33. The optoelectronic module of claim 27 wherein said housing includes a mounting member for facilitating the insertion and removal of said module to and from a circuit card assembly.

34. The removable optoelectronic module of claim 27 wherein the circuit card assembly includes a circuit card connector for receiving the male ribbon style electrical connector of the module, the circuit card connector having circuit card ground contacts offset from circuit card signal contacts so that the ground contact of the male ribbon style connector is mated with the circuit card ground contacts before the signal contact of the male ribbon style connector is mated with the circuit card signal contacts.

35. The electrical connector of claim 27 wherein the circuit board protrudes from the second end forming the male ribbon connector and having the metallic fingers formed of a conductive material affixed to the circuit board.

36. The electrical connector of claim 27 wherein a shroud protrudes from the second end of the housing surrounding the distal end of the circuit board.

37. The electrical connector of claim 27 wherein the circuit board includes a circuitry mounted thereon which is connected to a plurality of contacts.

38. The electrical connector of claim 27 wherein the housing includes a D-shaped shroud protruding from the second end.

39. An optoelectronic transceiver module and receptacle assembly for receiving a removable optoelectronic transceiver module, the assembly comprising:

the optoelectronic transceiver module including an electrically conductive outside surface;

a transceiver receptacle located on a circuit card of a communication system chassis for receiving a majority of the module therein and the receptacle including

a first end having a protective door mounted thereto, the protective door formed of a conductive material and providing EMI shielding from radiating components on the circuit card in order to provide an FCC compliant communication system; and

a grounding tab within the receptacle and the receptacle includes at a second end an electrical receptacle connector for receiving a connector of the removable optoelectronic transceiver module wherein the grounding tab, the protective door or the electrically conductive outside surface of the module provide a reduction of electromagnetic emissions from within the communication system chassis whether or not the module is inserted within the receptacle.

40. A transceiver receptacle comprising:

a transceiver receptacle located on a circuit card of a communication system chassis and the receptacle including

a first end having a protective door mounted thereto, the protective door formed of a conductive material and providing EMI shielding from radiating components on the circuit card; and

a grounding tab provided by the receptacle for abutting against an electrically conductive surface of a removable transceiver module and the receptacle includes at a second end an electrical receptacle connector for receiving a connector of the removable transceiver module wherein upon mating of the receptacle connector with the removable transceiver module connector a majority of the removable transceiver module is received within the receptacle and the grounding tab, the protective door or the electrically conductive surface provide a reduction of electromagnetic emissions from within the communication system chassis whether or not the removable transceiver module is inserted within the receptacle.

41. The transceiver receptacle of claim 40 wherein the removable transceiver module includes a transceiver connector having an electrical plug receptacle.

42. The transceiver receptacle of claim 40 wherein the removable transceiver module includes a media transducer having an electrical plug receptacle and an electrical subassembly.

43. The transceiver receptacle of claim 40 wherein the protective door provides for shielding and not for static discharge purposes.

44. The transceiver receptacle of claim 40 wherein the grounding tab abuts against an electrically conductive outer surface of the module in order to ground the module and reduce electromagnetic interference and provide for an FCC compliant module.