Fiber-optic modules with housing/shielding

• US 6,659,655 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2001
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lumentum Operations, LLC (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: E2O Communications Incorporated (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Wei, Cheng Ping, Sim, Yong Peng, Dair, Edwin, Jiang, Wenbin
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, TULSIDAS C
• Application Number:
  US09/782,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20020110336A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 385/92, 439/607, 439/609
• US Class Current: 385/92
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4201 Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details
• 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 6/4256 Details of housings
• 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 6/4292 the light guide being disconnectable from the opto-electronic element, e.g. mutually self aligning arrangements

Abstract

A fiber-optic module having a housing/shielding unit and a module chassis frame having optical, electrical and electro-optical components. The housing/shielding unit functions both as a protective outer housing and an electromagnetic shield. The housing/shielding unit includes forward fingers for a flush mounting in one embodiment and backward fingers for an extended mounting in another embodiment. The fingers can contact a bezel, face-plate or wall of host system to ground the housing/shielding unit to a chassis ground. The module chassis frame may be formed of a conductive material and grounded as well through a host system faceplate or otherwise to the chassis ground. A transmit ground for transmitter components and a receive ground for receiver components are isolated from the chassis ground.

Claims

1. A fiber-optic module comprising:

a module chassis frame having optical, electrical, and opto-electronic components affixed therein, the optical, electrical, and opto-electronic components to process optical and electrical signals;

a housing/shielding unit around the module chassis frame, the housing/shielding unit having a frontal opening to accept a fiber-optic cable connector, the housing/shielding unit is conductive and is isolated from a signal ground of the fiber optic module for the electrical and opto-electronic components, the housing/shielding unit has one or more fingers near an edge of the frontal opening to ground the housing/shielding unit to a chassis ground of a host system; and

a plurality of solderable PCB pins to solder to a printed circuit board of the host system.

2. The fiber-optic module of claim 1 wherein,

the housing/shielding unit is a one-piece integrated housing/shielding unit to protect components and to shield electromagnetic radiation.

3. The fiber-optic module of claim 1 wherein,

the housing/shielding unit protects the optical, electrical, and opto-electronic components and shields electromagnetic radiation.

4. The fiber-optic module of claim 1 wherein,

the housing/shielding unit when coupled to ground shields electromagnetic radiation.

5. The fiber-optic module of claim 1 wherein,

the one or more fingers curve outward and forward from the edge of the frontal opening.

6. The fiber-optic module of claim 1 wherein,

the one or more fingers lift up from one or more surfaces of the housing/shielding unit and extend backward from the edge of the frontal opening.

7. The fiber-optic module of claim 1 wherein,

the housing/shielding unit is one of metal, plated plastic, and conductive plastic.

8. The fiber-optic module of claim 1 wherein,

the module chassis frame is non-conductive and includes a pin to mount the fiber optic module to a host printed circuit board.

9. The fiber-optic module of claim 1 wherein,

the optical, electrical, and opto-electronic components include a transmitter subassembly and a receiver subassembly to transceive optical signals over a duplex optical fibre ribbon and the fiber optic module is a fiber-optic transceiver module.

10. The fiber-optic module of claim 8 wherein,

the fiber optic module includes a duplex SC optical connector and the fiber-optic module is a 1×

9 fiber optic module.

11. The fiber-optic module of claim 1 wherein,

one finger of the one or more fingers extends from each side of the housing/shielding unit.

12. The fiber-optic module of claim 1 wherein,

a plurality of fingers of the one or more fingers extend from each side of the housing/shielding unit.

13. The fiber-optic module of claim 1 wherein,

the one or more fingers is one finger to extend from one side of the housing/shielding unit.

14. The fiber-optic module of claim 1 wherein,

the one or more fingers are equally sized and equally spaced around each side around a perimeter of the frontal opening of the housing/shielding unit.

15. The fiber-optic module of claim 1 wherein,

the housing/shielding unit is an external electromagnetic shield and the fiber-optic module further has an internal electromagnetic shield coupled to the housing/shielding unit.

16. The fiber-optic module of claim 15 wherein,

the internal electromagnetic shield is a U-plate to seal around an optical connector to deter electromagnetic radiation from leaking out through the frontal opening of the fiber optic module.

17. The fiber-optic module of claim 16 wherein,

the U-plate includes a flap, the flap to couple to the housing/shielding unit to ground the U-plate when the housing/shielding unit is grounded.

18. The fiber-optic module of claim 15 wherein,

the internal electromagnetic shield is a shielding collar around an opto-electronic device to shield it from electromagnetic radiation.

19. The fiber-optic module of claim 1 wherein,

the one or more fingers are a plurality of fingers to further seal an opening in a host system panel of the host system to avoid electromagnetic radiation from leaking out through the opening in the host system panel.

20. The fiber-optic module of claim 1 wherein,

the one or more fingers of the housing/shielding unit are spring loaded to flex into position and couple to a bezel, faceplate or host panel of the host system to ground the housing/shielding unit when the fiber-optic module is mounted into an opening therein.

21. The fiber-optic module of claim 20 wherein,

the one or more fingers are a plurality of backward fingers around a perimeter of the frontal opening of the housing/shielding unit to provide an electromagnetic interference (EMI) seal.

22. The fiber-optic module of claim 1 wherein,

the one or more fingers of the housing/shielding unit are spring loaded to flex into position and couple to a bezel, faceplate or host panel to ground the housing/shielding unit when the bezel, faceplate or host panel is coupled to the host system.

23. The fiber-optic module of claim 22 wherein,

the one or more fingers are a plurality of forward fingers around a perimeter of the frontal opening of the housing/shielding unit to provide an electromagnetic interference (EMI) seal.

24. A fiber-optic module comprising:

a module chassis frame having optical, electrical, and opto-electronic components affixed therein, the optical, electrical, and opto-electronic components to process optical and electrical signals; and

a housing/shielding unit around the module chassis frame, the housing/shielding unit having a frontal opening to accept a fiber-optic cable connector, the housing/shielding unit is conductive and is isolated from a signal ground of the fiber optic module for the electrical and opto-electronic components, the housing/shielding unit has one or more fingers near an edge of the frontal opening to ground the housing/shielding unit, the one or more fingers surround the frontal opening and couple to a back side surface of a system housing of a host system around an opening therein to ground the housing/shielding unit to a chassis ground of the host system.

25. The fiber-optic module of claim 24 wherein,

the one or more fingers are one or more forward fingers extending from the edge of the frontal opening.

26. The fiber-optic module of claim 25 wherein,

the one or more forward fingers are a plurality of forward fingers around a perimeter of the frontal opening of the housing/shielding unit to further provide an electromagnetic interference (EMI) seal.

27. The fiber-optic module of claim 24 further comprising:

a plurality of solderable PCB pins to solder to a printed circuit board of the host system.

28. The fiber-optic module of claim 24 wherein,

the housing/shielding unit is a one-piece housing/shielding unit to protect the optical, electrical, and opto-electronic components and to shield electromagnetic radiation.

29. The fiber-optic module of claim 24 wherein,

the one or more fingers extend from each side of the housing/shielding unit.

30. The fiber-optic module of claim 24 wherein,

the housing/shielding unit is an external electromagnetic shield and the fiber-optic module further has an internal electromagnetic shield coupled to the housing/shielding unit.

31. The fiber-optic module of claim 30 wherein,

the internal electromagnetic shield is a shielding collar around an opto-electronic device to shield it from electromagnetic radiation.

32. The fiber-optic module of claim 30 wherein,

the internal electromagnetic shield is a U-plate to seal around an optical connector to deter electromagnetic radiation from leaking out through the frontal opening of the fiber optic module.

33. The fiber-optic module of claim 32 wherein,

the U-plate includes a flap, the flap to couple to the housing/shielding unit to ground the U-plate when the housing/shielding unit is grounded.

34. A fiber-optic module comprising:

a module chassis frame having optical, electrical, and opto-electronic components affixed therein, the optical, electrical, and opto-electronic components to process optical and electrical signals; and

a housing/shielding unit around the module chassis frame, the housing/shielding unit having a frontal opening to accept a fiber-optic cable connector, the housing/shielding unit is conductive and is isolated from a signal ground of the fiber optic module for the electrical and opto-electronic components, the housing/shielding unit has a plurality of backward fingers lifted up from a surface thereof near an edge of the frontal opening and extending away therefrom, the plurality of backward fingers to surround a perimeter of the housing/shielding unit near the frontal opening and to couple to an inner surface of an opening in a system housing to ground the housing/shielding unit to a chassis ground and to seal the opening to avoid electromagnetic radiation leaking out therefrom.

35. The fiber-optic module of claim 34 further comprising:

a plurality of solderable PCB pins to solder to a printed circuit board of the host system.

36. The fiber-optic module of claim 34 wherein,

the housing/shielding unit is a one-piece housing/shielding unit to protect the optical, electrical, and opto-electronic components and to shield electromagnetic radiation.

37. A fiber-optic module comprising:

a module chassis frame having optical, electrical, and opto-electronic components affixed therein, the optical, electrical, and opto-electronic components to process optical and electrical signals;

a housing/shielding unit around the module chassis frame, the housing/shielding unit having a frontal opening to accept a fiber-optic cable connector, the housing/shielding unit is conductive and has

one or more fingers near an edge of the frontal opening to ground the housing/shielding unit,

a pair of bottom side flaps, and

a strap and a septum coupled to the strap,

the strap wrapping around a part of the frontal opening and the module chassis frame, the septum to couple to the pair of bottom side flaps, the strap and the septum to hold the module chassis frame and the housing/shielding unit together; and

a plurality of solderable PCB pins to solder to a printed circuit board of a host system.

38. The fiber-optic module of claim 37 wherein,

the one or more fingers of the housing/shielding unit are spring loaded to flex into position and couple to a bezel, faceplate or host panel when the fiber-optic module is mounted into an opening therein.

39. The fiber-optic module of claim 37 wherein,

the one or more fingers of the housing/shielding unit are spring loaded to flex into position and couple to a bezel, faceplate or host panel when the bezel, faceplate or host panel is coupled to a host system.

40. The fiber-optic module of claim 37 wherein,

the housing/shielding unit is an external electromagnetic shield and the fiber-optic module further has an internal electromagnetic shield coupled to the housing/shielding unit.

41. The fiber-optic module of claim 40 wherein,

the internal electromagnetic shield is a shielding collar around an opto-electronic device to shield it from electromagnetic radiation.

42. The fiber-optic module of claim 40 wherein,

the internal electromagnetic shield is a U-plate to seal around an optical connector to deter electromagnetic radiation from leaking out through the frontal opening of the fiber optic module.

43. The fiber-optic module of claim 42 wherein,

the U-plate includes a flap, the flap to couple to the housing/shielding unit to ground the U-plate when the housing/shielding unit is grounded.

44. A fiber-optic module comprising:

a chassis having a pair of optical connector receptacles at one end and a pair of walls coupled to a base at an opposite end, the pair of walls having slots on inside surfaces, the pair of optical connector receptacles having a rectangular opening along the width of the chassis, the base having one or more pin openings;

a printed circuit board coupled into the slots in the pair of walls of the chassis, the printed circuit board having one or more pins in the one or more pin openings in the base of the chassis, the printed circuit board having electrical components to process electrical signals of the one or more pins;

a pair of opto-electronic components having pins coupled to traces of the printed circuit board at an edge, the traces coupled to at least one of the one or more pins and the electrical components of the printed circuit board, the pair of opto-electronic components to process electrical and optical signals;

a pair of optical connectors each having an optical port with a lens, a flange, a snap lock clip, a ferrule barrel, and a recess between the optical port and the flange, the pair of optical ports of the pair of optical connectors coupled to the pair of opto-electronic components respectively at one end and each of the snap lock clip and the ferrule barrel inserted into the respective pair of optical connector receptacles of the chassis at an opposite end;

a plate having a pair of u-shaped openings and a flap, the plate inserted into the rectangular opening of the chassis, the u-shaped openings of the plate engaging the recess between the optical port and the flange in each pair of the optical connectors to hold the pair of opto-electronic components and the pair of optical connectors to the chassis; and

a shielded housing around the chassis coupled to the plate, the shielded housing to conduct electromagnetic radiation to ground, the shielded housing having one or more fingers near an edge to couple to ground.

45. The fiber-optic module of claim 44 wherein,

the shielding housing is a one-piece shielded housing to protect components and to shield electromagnetic radiation.

46. The fiber-optic module of claim 44 wherein,

the shielded housing to protect the printed circuit board, its electrical components and the pair of opto-electronic devices coupled to the printed circuit board,

the shielded housing to shield external electrical components from electromagnetic radiation generated by the pair of opto-electronic devices and the electrical components, and

the shielded housing to shield the pair of opto-electronic devices and the electrical components from electromagnetic radiation generated by the external electrical components.

47. The fiber-optic module of claim 44 further comprising:

a pair of collars around the optical ports of the pair of optical connectors, the pair of collars coupled to the plate to couple to ground, the pair of collars to shield the pair of opto-electronic devices.

48. The fiber-optic module of claim 47 wherein,

the pair of collars to shield the pair of opto-electronic devices from electromagnetic radiation generated by the other to reduce cross-talk.

49. The fiber-optic module of claim 44 wherein,

the pair of opto-electronic devices couple to the printed circuit board by coupling pins to traces on a top side and a bottom side of the printed circuit board in a straddle mounted configuration.

50. The fiber-optic module of claim 44 wherein,

the chassis is formed of a conductive material to further shield the fiber optic module.

51. The fiber-optic module of claim 50 wherein,

the chassis further has a pair of mounting pins to mount the fiber optic module to a host printed circuit board.

52. The fiber-optic module of claim 44 wherein,

the chassis further has a pair of mounting pins coupled to a bottom surface to mount the fiber optic module.

53. The fiber-optic module of claim 44 wherein,

the chassis further has a slot between the pair of optical connector receptacles.

54. The fiber-optic module of claim 53 wherein,

the shielded housing has a strap at one end and a backside at an opposite end to hold the shielded housing around the chassis coupled to the plate, the strap engaged in the slot of the chassis between the pair of optical connector receptacles.

55. The fiber-optic module of claim 54 wherein,

the shielded housing has a septum at an end of the strap, the septum coupled to bottom flaps of the shielded housing.

56. The fiber-optic module of claim 44 wherein,

the shielded housing is an external electromagnetic shield and the plate is an internal electromagnetic shield coupled to the external electromagnetic shield.

57. The fiber-optic module of claim 44 wherein,

the pair of optical connectors are SC optical connectors and the fiber-optic module is a 1×

9 fiber-optic module.

58. The fiber-optic module of claim 44 wherein,

the one or more fingers curve outward and forward from the edge.

59. The fiber-optic module of claim 44 wherein,

the one or more fingers lift up from one or more surfaces of the shielded housing and extend backward from the edge.

60. The fiber-optic module of claim 44 wherein,

the shielded housing is one of metal, plated plastic, and conductive plastic.

61. The fiber-optic module of claim 44 wherein,

the one or more fingers are equally sized and equally spaced around a perimeter of the shielded housing.

62. A system for providing electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, the system comprising:

a module chassis frame having a front end and a back end, the front end being open to allow for a printed circuit board including electrical components to be attached therein, the back end having a pair of separately enclosed compartments, one compartment to house a transmitter subassembly and another compartment to house a receiver subassembly;

the transmitter subassembly having a first shielding collar around a transmitter and the receiver subassembly having a second shielding collar around a receiver;

a U-plate having a top portion and a bottom portion having a pair of U-shaped openings, the top portion including a flap, the U-plate coupled into a slot of the module chassis frame to hold and shield the transmitter subassembly and the receiver subassembly; and

an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding box wrapped around the module chassis frame and coupled to the U-plate, the electromagnetic interference shielding box having a front end and a back end, the front end having an opening to allow insertion of optical connectors into the module chassis frame, the opening having a plurality of fingers around its perimeter, the plurality of fingers to contact a host system to ground out the EMI shielding box.

63. The system of claim 62 wherein,

the EMI shielding box is a one-piece shielded housing to protect components and to shield electromagnetic radiation.

64. The system of claim 62 wherein,

the module chassis frame is formed of a plastic.

65. The system of claim 62 wherein,

the module chassis frame is formed of a conductive plated plastic.

66. The system of claim 62 wherein,

the module chassis frame is formed of a metal.

67. The system of claim 62 wherein,

the EMI shielding box is glued to the module chassis frame.

68. The system of claim 62 wherein,

the EMI shielding box is welded to the module chassis frame.

69. The system of claim 62 wherein,

the plurality of fingers contact a host system faceplate of the host system to minimize electromagnetic radiation leaking out of the host system.

70. The system of claim 69 wherein,

the plurality of fingers contact a backside of the host system faceplate around an opening.

71. The system of claim 69 wherein,

the plurality of fingers contact an inside surface of an opening in the host system faceplate.

72. A fiber-optic module comprising:

a means for holding optical, electrical, and opto-electronic components, the optical, electrical, and opto-electronic components to process optical and electrical signals;

a means for shielding and housing the means for holding, the means for shielding and housing having a frontal opening to accept a fiber-optic cable connector, the means for shielding and housing being conductive and electrically isolated from a signal ground for the electrical and opto-electronic components, the means for shielding and housing having one or more means for contacting near an edge of the frontal opening to ground the means for shielding and housing to a chassis ground of a host system; and

a plurality of solderable PCB pins to solder to a printed circuit board of the host system.

73. The fiber-optic module of claim 72 wherein,

the means for shielding and housing is a one-piece means for shielding and housing to protect components and to shield electromagnetic radiation.

74. The fiber-optic module of claim 72 wherein,

the means for shielding and housing is a one-piece integrated housing/shielding unit to protect components and to shield electromagnetic radiation.

75. The fiber-optic module of claim 72 wherein,

the means for shielding and housing protects the optical, electrical, and opto-electronic components and shields electromagnetic radiation.

76. The fiber-optic module of claim 72 wherein,

the means for shielding and housing when coupled to ground through one or more means for contacting conducts electromagnetic radiation thereto.

77. The fiber-optic module of claim 72 wherein,

the one or more means for contacting curve outward and forward from the edge of the frontal opening.

78. The fiber-optic module of claim 72 wherein,

the one or more means for contacting lift up from one or more surfaces of the shielding and housing means and extend backward from the edge of the frontal opening.

79. The fiber-optic module of claim 72 wherein,

the means for shielding and housing is formed out of one of metal, plated plastic, and conductive plastic.

80. The fiber-optic module of claim 72 wherein,

the means for holding is conductive and includes a pin to mount the fiber optic module to a host printed circuit board and couple the means for holding to ground.

81. The fiber-optic module of claim 72 wherein,

the optical, electrical, and opto-electronic components include a transmitter subassembly and a receiver subassembly to transceive optical signals over an optical fibre and the fiber optic module is a fiber-optic transceiver module.

82. The fiber-optic module of claim 72 wherein,

the means for shielding and housing further for providing an electromagnetic interference (EMI) seal around an opening in the host system.

83. The fiber-optic module of claim 82 wherein,

the means for shielding and housing further for protecting the optical, electrical, and opto-electronic components.

84. The fiber-optic module of claim 82 wherein,

the one or more means for contacting provide the electromagnetic interference (EMI) seal around the opening in