De-latching mechanisms for fiber optic modules

• US 6,943,854 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2002
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lumentum Operations, LLC (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: JDS Uniphase Corporation (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Teo, Tat Ming, Tan, Kee S., Pang, Ron C., Chiu, Liew C., Sim, Yong P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chowdhury, Tarifur R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Richard H
• Application Number:
  US10/271,398
• Publication Number:
  US 20030059167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 385 53- 94
• US Class Current: 349/53
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3825 with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3893 Push-pull type, e.g. snap-in, push-on
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4246 Bidirectionally operating package structures
• 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 6/4292 the light guide being disconnectable from the opto-electronic element, e.g. mutually self aligning arrangements

Abstract

Rotate-and-pull mechanisms for fiber optic modules. The rotate-and-pull mechanisms have a lever-actuator to unlatch and withdraw a fiber optic module from a cage assembly or a module receptacle. The lever-actuator pivotally couples to the fiber optic module so that when lever-actuator is rotated about its pivot point, the lever-actuator causes the second actuator to release the fiber optic module from the cage assembly. The lever-actuator includes an actuating-tab to cause the second actuator to move when the lever-actuator is rotated. By pulling the lever-actuator away from the cage assembly, the fiber optic module is withdrawn from the cage assembly. A belly-to-belly mounting configuration is introduced for the rotate-and-pull release fiber optic modules.

Claims

1. A de-latch mechanism for fiber optic modules comprising:

a first movable rotational actuator with a pivot point on a first axis, the first movable rotational actuator rotationally coupled to a fiber optic module at the pivot point; and

a second movable actuator movably coupled to the fiber optic module;

wherein rotating the first movable rotational actuator about the pivot point moves the second movable actuators as a whole to release the fiber optic module from a cage assembly; and

wherein the second actuator is a sliding actuator to slide perpendicular to the first axis, the sliding actuator having one or ore ramps at a second end to release the fiber optic module from the cage assembly.

2. The de-latch mechanism of claim 1 wherein the first movable actuator includes an actuating tab coupled to the first movable rotational actuator, wherein the actuating tab rotates with the first movable actuator about the pivot point to cause the second movable actuator to release the fiber optic module from the cage assembly.

3. The de-latch mechanism of claim 2 wherein the actuating tab rotates about the first axis with the first movable rotational actuator.

4. The de-latch mechanism of claim 1 wherein pulling the first movable rotational actuator away from the cage assembly causes the fiber optic module to withdraw from the cage assembly.

5. The de-latch mechanism of claim 1 further comprising:

a pivot fastener coupled to the fiber optic module at the pivot point of the first movable rotational actuator, the pivot fastener to rotationally couple the first movable rotational actuator to the fiber optic module.

6. The fiber optic module of claim 1 wherein the first movable rotational actuator is a bail latch actuator.

7. The de-latch mechanism of claim 1 wherein the first movable rotational actuator includes a pull-handle coupled to a center member to rotate about the pivot point and couple the first movable rotational actuator to the second movable actuator to release the fiber optic module from the cage assembly.

8. A fiber optic module comprising:

a printed circuit board;

one or more electro-optic transducers coupled to the printed circuit board, the one or more electro-optic transducers to convert between optical signals and electrical signals;

a keeper to secure the fiber optic module to a cage assembly;

a first movable rotational actuator rotationally coupled to the fiber optic module about a pivot point on a first axis, the first movable rotational actuator to rotate to disengage and withdraw the fiber optic module from the cage assembly; and

a second movable actuator having one or more ramps movably coupled to the fiber optic module, the second movable actuator to move as a whole perpendicular to the first axis and disengage the keeper in response to the first movable rotational actuator being rotated about the pivot point to disengage the fiber optic module from the cage assembly.

9. The fiber optic module of claim 8 wherein the fiber optic module is a small form factor pluggable (SFP) fiber optic module and the cage assembly is a small form factor pluggable (SFP) cage assembly.

10. The fiber optic module of claim 8 wherein the first movable rotational actuator is a bail latch actuator.

11. The fiber optic module of claim 10 wherein the bail latch actuator has a first end rotationally coupled to the fiber optic module at the pivot point and a second end free to rotate away from the fiber optic module to release the fiber optic module from the cage assembly and enable a finger to pull on the bail latch actuator to withdraw the fiber optic module from the cage assembly.

12. The fiber optic module of claim 8 wherein the first movable rotational actuator is activated to disengage and withdraw the fiber optic module by causing the first movable rotational actuator to rotate about the pivot point into a horizontal position and pulling the first movable rotational actuator away from the cage assembly.

13. The fiber optic module of claim 8 wherein the first movable rotational actuator is activated to disengage the fiber optic module by moving the first movable rotational actuator into a horizontal position to cause the keeper to disengage the fiber optic module from the cage assembly and ease the withdrawal of the fiber optic module from the cage assembly.

14. The fiber optic module of claim 8 wherein the keeper is coupled to the second movable actuator.

15. The fiber optic module of claim 8 wherein rotating the first movable rotational actuator about the pivot point causes the second movable actuator to slide and release the fiber optic module from the cage assembly.

16. A fiber optic module comprising:

a printed circuit board;

one or more electro-optic transducers coupled to the printed circuit board, the one or more electro-optic transducers to convert between optical signals and electrical signals; and

a nose receptacle to receive one or more fiber optic cables and optically couple the one or more electro-optic transducers thereto, the nose receptacle including

one or wore fiber optic cable receptacles, each fiber optic cable receptacle to receive one or more fiber optic cable plugs,

a first movable bail-latch actuator to release the fiber optic module from a cage assembly using a rotational action about a first axis, and

a second movable actuator to couple to the first movable bail-latch actuator, the second movable actuator to move as a whole perpendicular to the first axis and having one or more ramps to release a keeper from a latch to release the fiber optic module from the cage assembly in response to a rotational action on the first movable bail-latch actuator.

17. The fiber optic module of claim 16 wherein, the fiber optic module is a small form pluggable (SFP) fiber optic module and the cage assembly is a small form pluggable (SFP) cage assembly.

18. The fiber optic module of claim 16 wherein, the second movable actuator slides to release the fiber optic module from the cage assembly.

19. The de-latch mechanism of claim 16, wherein the first movable rotational actuator includes

an actuating tab coupled to the first movable rotational actuator, wherein the actuating tab rotates when the first movable rotational actuator is rotated about the pivot point to cause the second movable actuator to release the fiber optic module from the cage assembly.

20. The de-latch mechanism of claim 19 wherein the actuating tab rotates about the same axis as the first movable actuator when the first movable actuator is rotated.

21. The de-latch mechanism of claim 16, wherein pulling the first movable rotational actuator;

away from the cage assembly withdraws the fiber optic module from the cage assembly.

22. The de-latch mechanism of claim 16, further comprising:

a pivot fastener at the pivot point of the first movable rotational actuator to rotationally couple the first movable rotational actuator to the fiber optic module.

23. The de-latch mechanism of claim 16, wherein the first movable rotational actuator is a bail latch actuator, the bail latch actuator has a first end rotationally coupled to the fiber optic module at the pivot point and a second end free to rotate away from the fiber optic module to release the fiber optic module from the cage assembly and enable a finger to pull on the bail latch to withdraw the fiber optic module from the cage assembly.

24. A fiber optic module comprising:

a nose receptacle with a bottom portion;

a first actuator rotationally coupled to the bottom portion of the nose receptacle for rotation about a first axis;

a second actuator movably coupled to the bottom portion of the nose receptacle, the second actuator having a first end and a second end opposite the first end; and

the first actuator to couple to the second actuator near the first end and move the first and second ends of the second actuator to release the fiber optic module front a cage assembly in response to a rotation of the first actuator about the first axis;

wherein the second actuator is a sliding actuator to slide perpendicular to the first axis, the sliding actuator having one or more ramps at the second end to release the fiber optic module from the cage assembly.

25. The fiber optic module of claim 24, wherein the first actuator is a bail latch actuator.

26. The fiber optic module claim 24, wherein a free end of the first actuator rotates away from the fiber optic module so that the first actuator can be easily pulled to withdraw the fiber optic module from the cage assembly.

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

a first pin coupled to the bottom portion and the first actuator, the first pin to rotationally couple the first actuator to the bottom portion at the first axis.

28. The fiber optic module of claim 24, wherein the nose receptacle has one or more ports;

and wherein the fiber optic module further comprises;

one or more optoelectronic devices aligned with the one or more ports of the nose receptacle, and

one or more printed circuit boards coupled to the one or more optoelectronic devices.