Removable optoelectronic module

• US RE36,820 E
• Filed: 06/03/1998
• Issued: 08/15/2000
• 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., Poplawski, Daniel S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gandhi, Jayprakash N.
• Application Number:
  US09/089,584
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 361/752, 361/756, 361/759, 361/796, 361/801, 361/802, 439/151, 439/153, 385/88, 385/89, 385/92, 385/94
• US Class Current: 361/752
• 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 6/4201 Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4246 Bidirectionally operating package structures
• 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 6/4284 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 13/6581 Shield structure

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 fight seal between the recess cover, the potting box, and the optical subassembly.

Claims

1. A .[.potting box for potting.]. .Iadd.module for .Iaddend.optoelectronic components which includes an optical .[_]. assembly, said .[.potting box.]. .Iadd.module .Iaddend.comprising:

a) a .[.wall.]. .Iadd.housing .Iaddend.having .[.a recess.]. .Iadd.a first end and a second end and a printed circuit board mounted therein and said optical assembly electrically connected to the printed circuit board, said optical assembly including a transmitting optical subassembly and a receiving optical subassembly and the housing includes an opening at the first end .Iaddend.for allowing said optical .[_]. assembly to .[.extend.]. .Iadd.communicate .Iaddend.outside of said .[.potting box.]. .Iadd.housing in order for the optical assembly to be coupled with a duplex fiber optic plug providing for bi-directional data transmission over an optical data link.Iaddend.;

.[.and.].

b) a .[.recess.]. cover .[.for forming a liquid tight seal between said recess cover, said potting box, and.]. .Iadd.enclosing .Iaddend.said optical .[_]. assembly;

.Iadd.c) said housing having an electrically conductive outside surface portion; and

d) an electrical connector at the second end of the module, the electrical connector having an insulative mating surface having a first side having electrical contacts including an area oriented substantially parallel to the first side and the insulative mating surface and electrical contacts slidingly engage a connector of a circuit card assembly to quickly install and remove the module from within said circuit card assembly and having said electrically conductive outside surface portion of said housing provide for electrostatic discharge.Iaddend..

2. The .[.potting box.]. .Iadd.module .Iaddend.of claim 1, further comprising a standoff column for mounting a circuit board containing said optoelectronic components.

3. The .[.potting box.]. .Iadd.module .Iaddend.of claim 1, with said wall having an alignment guide for engaging a groove within said recess cover.

4. A robust optoelectronic transceiver module which is quick, easy, and inexpensive to manufacture, said module comprising:

a) a main housing comprising a potting box and potting material contained within said potting box, said potting box having a bottom and a recess;

b) a circuit board encased within said potting material and having an optical subassembly mounted onto said circuit board, through said recess, and outside of said potting box;

c) a male ribbon style connector connected to said circuit board and protruding from said bottom of said main housing for quickly installing and replacing said module; and

d) a recess cover for forming a liquid tight seal between said recess cover, said potting box, and said optical subassembly.

5. An optoelectronic transceiver module comprising:

a) a main housing comprising a potting box and potting material contained within said potting box and having a recess for allowing said optical subassembly to extend outside of said potting box;

b) a circuit board encased within said potting material and an optical subassembly mounted onto said circuit board; and

c) a recess cover for forming a liquid-tight seal between said recess cover, said potting box and said optical subassembly.

6. An optoelectronic transceiver module comprising:

a) a main housing comprising a potting box and potting material contained within said potting box;

b) a circuit board encased within said potting material; and

c) a male ribbon style connector connected to said circuit board and protruding from said main housing for quickly installing and replacing said module.

7. The optoelectronic transceiver module of claim 6 wherein said ribbon style connector is a resilient male ribbon style connector.

8. A method of assembling an optoelectronic transceiver comprising the steps of:

a) placing a circuit board within a potting box;

b) injecting potting material within said potting box; and

c) mounting a liquid-tight recess cover within a recess in said potting box after said circuit board is positioned within said potting box.

9. A method of assembling an optoelectronic transceiver comprising the steps of:

a) placing a circuit board within a potting box;

b) injecting potting material within said potting box; and

c) coating said potting box with a conductive metal before said circuit board is placed within said potting box.

10. A method of assembling an optoelectronic transceiver comprising the steps of:

a) placing a circuit board within a potting box;

b) injecting potting material within said potting box; and

c) coating the potting box with a conductive metal after said potting material is injected within said potting box.

11. A method of assembling an optoelectronic transceiver comprising the steps of:

a) placing a circuit board within a potting box;

b) injecting potting material within said potting box; and

c) mounting a connector shell onto said potting box after said potting material is injected within said potting box.

12. An optoelectronic module comprising:

a) a housing including a first end wall having a through port;

b) a circuit board mounted within said housing and an optical subassembly mounted onto said circuit board adjacent said through port; and

c) an 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 circuit card assembly and the electrical connector including at least a pair of metallic fingers extending from said housing.

13. The optoelectronic module of claim 12 wherein the metallic fingers are separated by an insulator.

14. The optoelectronic module of claim 12 wherein the electrical connector includes a beam of insulative material having electrical contacts.

15. The optoelectronic module of claim 14 wherein the electrical connector protrudes perpendicularly from the second end and .[.poarallel.]. .Iadd.parallel .Iaddend.to the circuit board.

16. The optoelectronic module of claim 12 wherein said electrical connector is a male ribbon style connector.

17. The optoelectronic module of claim 12 wherein said housing includes a mounting member for facilitating the insertion and removal of said module to and from a circuit card assembly. .Iadd.

18. An optoelectronic module comprising:

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

a circuit board mounted within said housing;

a fiber optic SC duplex receptacle at said first end;

an optical subassembly electrically connected to said circuit board and adjacent said SC duplex receptacle; and

a male ribbon-style electrical connector at said second end of said housing protruding from said housing for quickly installing and replacing said module to or from a circuit card assembly, said electrical connector capable of mating with a cooperatively-configured female ribbon-style electrical connector on said circuit card assembly..Iaddend..Iadd.19. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 18, wherein metallic fingers of said electrical connector are directly connected to electrical traces on said circuit board..Iaddend..Iadd.20. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 18, wherein said electrically conductive outside surface is provided by a metal plating on said housing..Iaddend..Iadd.21. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 18, wherein said electrically conductive outside surface is provided by a metallic coating on said housing..Iaddend..Iadd.22. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 18, wherein said electrically conductive outside surface is metal..Iaddend..Iadd.23. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 18, further comprising;

a plurality of latch members for securing a fiber optic SC duplex connector plug to said SC duplex receptacle..Iaddend..Iadd.24. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 18, wherein said electrically conductive outside surface provides for the dissipation of electrostatic discharge..Iaddend..Iadd.25. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 18, wherein said electrically conductive outside surface provides for electromagnetic shielding..Iaddend..Iadd.26. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 18, wherein said fiber optic SC duplex receptacle has an electrically conductive surface..Iaddend..Iadd.27. An optoelectronic module comprising;

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

a circuit board mounted within said housing;

a fiber optic receptacle at said first end;

an optical subassembly electrically connected to said circuit board and adjacent said receptacle; and

a ribbon-style electrical connector at said 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 circuit card assembly, said electrical connector including at least a pair of metallic fingers protruding from within said housing..Iaddend..Iadd.28. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 27, wherein said metallic fingers are directly connected to electrical traces on said circuit board..Iaddend..Iadd.29. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 27, wherein said electrical connector is a male ribbon-style connector capable of mating with a cooperatively-configured female ribbon-style electrical connector on said circuit card assembly..Iaddend..Iadd.30. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 27, wherein said fiber optic receptacle is configured to receive a fiber optic SC duplex connector plug..Iaddend..Iadd.31. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 27, wherein said electrically conductive outside surface provides for dissipation of electrostatic charges..Iaddend..Iadd.32. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 27, wherein said electrically conductive outside surface provides for electromagnetic shielding..Iaddend..Iadd.33. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 27, wherein said electrically conductive outside surface is provided by a metal housing..Iaddend..Iadd.34. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 27, wherein said electrically conductive outside surface is provided by a metallic coating on said housing..Iaddend..Iadd.35. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 27, wherein said electrically conductive outside surface is metal..Iaddend..Iadd.36. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 27, wherein said ribbon-style electrical connector includes a beam portion of insulative material having a first side and second side and at least twenty contact fingers dispersed along said first side and said second side of said beam portion..Iaddend..Iadd.37. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 27, wherein said fiber optic receptacle has an electrically conductive surface..Iaddend..Iadd.38. An optoelectronic module comprising;

a housing having a first end, a second end and a means for providing dissipation of electrostatic charge;

a circuit board mounted within said housing;

a fiber optic receptacle at said first end;

an optical subassembly electrically connected to said circuit board and adjacent said receptacle; and

a ribbon-style electrical connector at said 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 circuit card assembly wherein said electrostatic charge is

19. dissipated..Iaddend..Iadd. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 38, wherein said fiber optic receptacle has an electrically conductive surface..Iaddend..Iadd.40. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 38, wherein said means for providing dissipation includes an electrically conductive outside surface of said housing..Iaddend..Iadd.41. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 40, wherein said electrically conductive outside surface is provided by a metallic coating on said housing..Iaddend..Iadd.42. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 40, wherein said electrically conductive outside surface is provided by a metal plating on said housing..Iaddend..Iadd.43. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 40, wherein said electrically conductive outside surface provides for electromagnetic shielding..Iaddend..Iadd.44. An optoelectronic module comprising:

a housing having a first end, a second end and electromagnetic shielding;

a circuit board mounted with the housing;

a fiber optic receptacle at the first end;

an optical subassembly electrically connected to the circuit board and adjacent said receptacle; and

a ribbon-style electrical connector at the 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 circuit card assembly..Iaddend..Iadd.45. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 44, wherein said fiber optic receptacle has an electrically conductive surface..Iaddend..Iadd.46. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 44, wherein said electromagnetic shielding includes an electrically conductive outside surface of said housing..Iaddend..Iadd.47. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 46, wherein said electrically conductive outside surface is provided by a metallic coating on said housing..Iaddend..Iadd.48. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 46, wherein said electrically conductive outside surface is provided by metal plating on said housing..Iaddend..Iadd.49. The optoelectronic module as claimed in claim 46, wherein said electrically conductive outside surface provides for dissipation of electrostatic charge..Iaddend.