Release mechanism for pluggable fiber optic transceiver

• US 6,789,958 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2001
• Issued: 09/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies Fiber Optics GmbH (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Ahrens, Michael E., Cannon, Neil P.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THANH TAM T
• Application Number:
  US09/945,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20030044129A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 361/728, 361/747, 361/754, 385/88, 385/89, 385/90, 385/91-94, 385/134, 385/135, 439/142, 439/144, 439/476.1, 439/483, 439/484
• US Class Current: 385/92
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/389 characterised by the method of fastening connecting plugs and sockets, e.g. screw- or nut-lock, snap-in, bayonet type
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence

Abstract

A release mechanism for manually securing a pluggable fiber optic transceiver to a cage mounted on a host circuit board. The release mechanism includes a pivoting faceplate connected to a transceiver housing such that the faceplate is rotatable from a first position in which the faceplate is positioned over a front surface of the housing to a second position in which the faceplate is pivoted away from the front surface of the housing. The release mechanism also includes a lever that disengages a boss from an opening formed in a resilient transceiver latch of the cage when the faceplate is in the second position. In one embodiment the boss is mounted on the housing, and the lever pushes the transceiver latch away from the boss. In another embodiment, the boss is mounted on the lever.

Claims

1. A pluggable transceiver comprising:

a housing having a front wall defining a receptacle for receiving a fiber optic connector;

a release mechanism including a faceplate pivotably connected to the housing such that the faceplate is rotatable from a first position in which the faceplate is positioned over the front surface of the housing to a second position in which the faceplate is pivoted away from the front surface of the housing; and

a pin inserted into a first through hole formed adjacent to the front surface of the housing, and inserted into a second through hole defined in a flange of the faceplate.

2. A pluggable transceiver comprising:

a housing having a front wall defining a receptacle for receiving a fiber optic connector;

a release mechanism including a faceplate pivotably connected to the housing such that the faceplate is rotatable from a first position in which the faceplate is positioned over the front surface of the housing to a second position in which the faceplate is pivoted away from the front surface of the housing; and

a lever connected to the housing by torsion members and having first end located adjacent to the faceplate,

wherein the torsion members bias the lever into a locked position when the faceplate is in the first position, and

wherein the faceplate includes a cam positioned to displace the first end of the lever when the faceplate is moved into the second position such that the lever is pivoted relative to the housing around an axis defined by the torsion members.

3. The pluggable transceiver according to claim 2, wherein the lever further comprises a second end located such that the torsion members are positioned between the first end and the second end, wherein the second end includes a forked member.

4. The pluggable transceiver according to claim 2, wherein the lever further comprises a second end located such that the torsion members are positioned between the first end and the second end, wherein the second end includes a boss.

5. A pluggable transceiver comprising:

a housing having a front wall defining a receptacle for receiving a fiber optic connector; and

a release mechanism including;

a faceplate pivotably connected to the housing such that the faceplate is rotatable from a first position to a second position, wherein the faceplate includes a cam; and

a lever movably mounted on the housing and having a first end located adjacent to the cam,

wherein the cam is formed such that when the faceplate is rotated from the first position to the second position, the first end of the lever is displaced by the cam such that the lever moves from an unbiased position to a biased position.

6. The pluggable transceiver according to claim 5, wherein the faceplate defines a front opening that is aligned with the receptacle when the faceplate is in the first position.

7. The pluggable transceiver according to claim 5, wherein the faceplate further includes a top wall that is positioned to block insertion of the fiber optic connector into the receptacle when the faceplate is in the second position, and

wherein the top wall includes a curved surface shaped to facilitate manual removal of the pluggable transceiver.

8. The pluggable transceiver according to claim 5, further comprising a pin inserted into a first through hole formed adjacent to the front surface of the housing, and inserted into a second through hole defined in a flange of the faceplate.

9. The pluggable transceiver according to claim 5, wherein the lever is connected to the housing by torsion members that bias the lever into a locked position when the faceplate is in the first position,

wherein the lever includes a second end located such that the torsion members are positioned between the first end and the second end, and

wherein the second end includes a forked member.

10. The pluggable transceiver according to claim 5,

wherein the lever is connected to the housing by torsion members that bias the lever into a locked position when the faceplate is in the first position,

wherein the lever includes a second end located such that the torsion members are positioned between the first end and the second end, and

wherein the second end includes a boss.

11. A transceiver assembly comprising:

a cage defining a front opening and including a lower wall having a transceiver latch; and

a pluggable transceiver removably insertable into the front opening of the cage and connected to the cage by a boss inserted into the transceiver latch, the pluggable transceiver including;

a housing having a front surface defining a receptacle for receiving a fiber optic connector; and

a release mechanism including;

a faceplate pivotably connected to the housing such that the faceplate is rotatable from a first position position in which the faceplate is located adjacent to the front wall of the housing to a second position in which the faceplate is positioned away from the front surface of the housing, wherein the faceplate includes a cam; and

a lever movably mounted on the housing and having a first end located adjacent to the cam,

wherein the cam is formed such that when the faceplate is rotated from the first position to the second position, the first end of the lever is displaced by the cam such that the lever moves from an unbiased position in which the boss is engaged with the transceiver latch, to a biased position in which the boss is disengaged from the transceiver latch.

12. The transceiver assembly according to claim 11, wherein the faceplate defines a front opening that is aligned with the receptacle when the faceplate is in the first position.

13. The transceiver assembly according to claim 11,

wherein the faceplate further includes a top wall that is positioned to block insertion of the fiber optic connector when the faceplate is in the second position, and

wherein the top wall includes a curved surface shaped to facilitate manual removal of the pluggable transceiver.

14. The transceiver assembly according to claim 11, further comprising a pin inserted into a first through hole formed adjacent to the front surface of the housing, and inserted into a second through hole defined in a flange of the faceplate.

15. The transceiver assembly according to claim 11,

wherein the boss is formed on a lower wall of the housing;

wherein the lever is connected to the housing by torsion members that bias the lever into a plane defined by the lower wall when the faceplate is in the first position,

wherein the lever includes a forked member located such that the torsion members are positioned between the first end and the forked member, and

wherein the forked member is positioned to push the transceiver latch away from the boss when the faceplate is rotated into the second position.

16. The transceiver assembly according to claim 11,

wherein the lever is connected to the housing by torsion members that bias the lever into a plane defined by the lower wall when the faceplate is in the first position,

wherein the boss is formed on a second end of the lever such that the torsion members are positioned between the first end and the boss, and

wherein the cam pulls the first end of the lever when the faceplate is rotated into the second position such that the boss is disengaged from the transceiver latch.

17. A pluggable transceiver comprising:

a housing having a front wall defining a receptacle for receiving a fiber optic connector; and

a release mechanism including;

a first lever pivotably connected to the housing such that the first lever is rotatable from a first position to a second position, wherein the first lever includes a cam; and

a second lever movably mounted on the housing and having a first end located adjacent to the cam,

wherein the cam is formed such that when the first lever is rotated from the first position to the second position, the first end of the second lever is displaced by the cam such that the second lever moves from an unbiased position to a biased position.

18. The pluggable transceiver according to claim 17, wherein the first lever defines a front opening that is aligned with the receptacle when the first lever is in the first position.

19. The pluggable transceiver according to claim 17, wherein the first lever further includes a top member that is positioned to block insertion of the fiber optic connector into the receptacle when the first lever is in the second position, and

wherein the top member is shaped to facilitate manual removal of the pluggable transceiver.

20. The pluggable transceiver according to claim 17, further comprising a pin inserted into a first through hole formed adjacent to the front surface of the housing, and inserted into a second through hole defined in a flange of the first lever.

21. The pluggable transceiver according to claim 17, further comprising a torsion member disposed to bias the second lever into a locked position when the first lever is in the first position.

22. A transceiver assembly comprising:

a cage defining a front opening and including a lower wall defining an opening; and

a pluggable transceiver removably insertable into the front opening of the cage and connected to the cage by a boss inserted into the opening, the pluggable transceiver including;

a housing having a front surface defining a receptacle for receiving a fiber optic connector; and

a release mechanism including;

a first lever pivotably connected to the housing such that the first lever is rotatable from a first position position in which the first lever is located adjacent to the front wall of the housing to a second position in which the first lever is positioned away from the front surface of the housing, wherein the first lever includes a cam; and

a second lever movably mounted on the housing and having a first end located adjacent to the cam,

wherein the cam is formed such that when the first lever is rotated from the first position to the second position, the first end of the second lever is displaced by the cam such that the second lever moves from an unbiased position in which the boss is engaged with the opening, to a biased position in which the boss is disengaged from the opening.

23. The transceiver assembly according to claim 22, wherein the first lever defines a front opening that is aligned with the receptacle when the first lever is in the first position.

24. The transceiver assembly according to claim 22,

wherein the first lever further includes a top member that is positioned to block insertion of the fiber optic connector when the first lever is in the second position, and

wherein the top member is shaped to facilitate manual removal of the pluggable transceiver.

25. The transceiver assembly according to claim 22, further comprising a pin inserted into a first through hole formed adjacent to the front surface of the housing, and inserted into a second through hole defined in a flange of the first lever.

26. The transceiver assembly according to claim 22, further comprising a torsion member disposed to bias the second lever into a plane defined by the lower wall when the first lever is in the first position,

wherein the boss is formed on a second end of the second lever, and

wherein the cam pulls the first end of the second lever when the first lever is rotated into the second position such that the boss is disengaged from the opening.