Optical data link

• US 6,239,427 B1
• Filed: 12/02/1998
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Mizue, Toshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John R.
• Application Number:
  US09/203,767
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 250/227.11, 250/214 R, 250/216, 250/239, 385/88, 385/89, 385/90, 385/91, 385/92, 385/93, 385/94
• US Class Current: 250/239
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4246 Bidirectionally operating package structures
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4292 the light guide being disconnectable from the opto-electronic element, e.g. mutually self aligning arrangements

Abstract

A housing for mounting a subassembly having outer lead pins, which is an optical module having a light-receiving device or light-emitting device, is configured such that the outer lead pins are positioned and secured at their predetermined positions while penetrating through the housing, thereby yielding a structure for easily assembling the subassembly, while the configuration of the housing and its manufacturing process are simplified. The structure for positioning by penetration includes a through hole having securing means, guide grooves provided so as to correspond to the respective outer lead pins, and the like. Also, an electric shield can be constructed when the housing is provided with conductive plating, a thin metal sheet, and the like.

Claims

1. An optical data link comprising a housing;

and a communication subassembly, attached to said housing, having an optical device, wherein said housing is configured such that a plurality of outer lead pins provided in said communication subassembly are secured as being positioned while penetrating through said housing at predetermined positions;

said optical data link further comprising;

a through hole disposed at one end portion of said housing, for receiving a pluralitv of said outer lead pins provided in said communication subassembly and securing means for positioning and securing said plurality of outer lead pins at predetermined positions within said through hole.

2. An optical data link according to claim 1, wherein said housing comprises:

a main body lower part for mounting said communication subassembly;

a main body upper part adapted to engage said main body lower part; and

an optical receptacle section, secured to a front portion of said main body lower part, for mating with an optical connector accommodating an optical fiber.

3. An optical data link according to claim 1, wherein said communication subassembly is a receiving subassembly in which a light-receiving device for receiving an optical signal from an optical fiber and an electronic device for processing an output signal of said light-receiving device are encapsulated with a resin.

4. An optical data link according to claim 1, wherein said communication subassembly is a transmitting subassembly in which a light-emitting device for transmitting an optical signal to an optical fiber and an electronic device for supplying an electric signal to said light-emitting device are encapsulated with a resin.

5. An optical data link according to claim 3, wherein said receiving subassembly has an integrated structure comprising an optical device mounting section for mounting said light-receiving device, an electronic device mounting section for mounting said electronic device, and a lead frame having an inner lead pin for mechanically and electrically connecting said optical device mounting section and electronic device mounting section to each other, said integrated structure encapsulating said light-receiving device and electronic device discretely and independently from each other with a resin.

6. An optical data link according to claim 4, wherein said transmitting subassembly has an integrated structure comprising an optical device mounting section for mounting said light-emitting device, an electronic device mounting section for mounting said electronic device, and a lead frame having an inner lead pin for mechanically and electrically connecting said optical device mounting section and electronic device mounting section to each other, said integrated structure encapsulating said light-receiving device and electronic device discretely and independently from each other with a resin.

7. An optical data link according to claim 2, wherein:

said main body upper part is a conductive molded member;

said main body lower part has a conductive member whose all surfaces are conductive, and an insulating member made of a resin;

said conductive member has a conductive guide groove for coming into electric contact with and securing a grounding outer lead pin in said outer lead pins of said communication subassembly;

said insulating member has an insulating guide groove for securing an outer lead pin to which a predetermined voltage is applied or in which inputting or outputting of a signal is effected, in said outer lead pins of said communication subassembly; and

at least one said conductive guide groove or at least one said grounding outer lead pin being formed such that an elastic deformation of said grounding outer lead pin keeps electric contact between said grounding outer lead pin and said conductive member, while said main body upper part and said conductive member being disposed in electric contact with each other, so as to constitute an electric shield covering said communication subassembly.

8. An optical data link according to claim 7, wherein said conductive member is made of a resin whose all surfaces are coated with conductive plating.

9. An optical data link according to claim 7, wherein said conductive member is made of a metal.

10. An optical data link according to claim 7, wherein at least one said conductive guide groove has a protrusion for elastically deforming said grounding outer lead pin so as to keep electric contact.

11. An optical data link according to claim 7, wherein at least one said grounding outer lead pin has a bent portion for keeping electric contact with said conductive guide groove.

12. An optical data link according to claim 2, wherein:

said optical receptacle section is molded with a polyphenylene sulfide resin;

said main body upper part is molded with a liquid crystal polymer resin coated with conductive plating; and

said main body lower part is molded with a liquid crystal polymer resin or polyphenylene sulfide resin, a portion of said main body lower part mating with said main body upper part being coated with conductive plating.

13. An optical data link according to claim 12, wherein said communication subassembly comprises a grounding outer lead pin for coming into contact with said main body upper part, an inner wall of said main body upper part as a whole being coated with conductive plating, said grounding outer lead pin and said inner wall of said main body upper part coated with said conductive plating being adapted to come into electric contact with each other.

14. An optical data link according to claim 1, wherein said housing is integ rally provided with an optical receptacle for mating with an optical connector so as to make said optical connector connect with said communication subassembly.

15. An optical data link according to claim 1, wherein said securing means comprises:

a plurality of depressions, formed at a side wall portion of said through hole provided in said housing, for mating with said plurality of outer lead pins discretely and independently from each other; and

a member, assembled into said through hole, having at least one protrusion for fastening said plurality of outer lead pins mating with said depressions to a side wall of said depressions.

16. An optical data link according to claim 1, wherein said securing means comprises:

a member having a plurality of depressions corresponding to said plurality of outer lead pins, said member being adapted to mate with said plurality of outer lead pins discretely and independently from each other when assembled into said through hole formed in said housing; and

at least one protrusion, formed at a side wall portion of said through hole, for fastening said plurality of outer lead pins inserted into said depressions of said member to a side wall of said depressions.

17. An optical data link according to claim 15, further comprising a shield plate made of a metal covering said communication subassembly, one end portion of said shield plate being held between said member and a grounding lead pin in said plurality of outer lead pins.

18. An optical data link according to claim 15, in which a side wall of said member facing said communication subassembly is coated with metal plating covering said communication subassembly, one end portion of said metal plating being in electric contact with a grounding lead pin in said plurality of outer lead pins.