Abstract:
A sturdy parallelepiped housing includes a base including a plurality of spaces with a gigabit interface converter (GBIC) placed in one of the spaces and a plurality of stoppers are fitted against the GBIC; and a cover including a plurality of risers urging against walls in the base. A plurality of threaded holes is further formed in each of the base and the cover so that the housing can be fastened together by fasteners.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to housing structure of an electronic device and, more particularly, to a gigabit interface converter (GBIC) housing with enhanced structural strength.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0004]    Conventionally, an optoelectronic transceiver (e.g., a gigabit optoelectronic transceiver) module is implemented for transmitting and receiving data in duplex in an optical communication environment. The gigabit optoelectronic transceiver module comprises a connector, a conversion circuit, a laser source, and a light detector. The connector is coupled to a host or computer. Data received from the host or computer is converted into an optical signal by the conversion circuit and the laser source prior to outputting. Alternatively, the optical signal is received by the light detector prior to converting it into an electronic signal. Finally, the electronic signal is sent to the host or computer via the connector.  
           [0005]    For having a prolonged lifetime for application, in addition to an advanced circuitry, the gigabit optoelectronic transceiver module should have an enhanced housing capable of passing impact and stress tests. However, no prior art gigabit optoelectronic transceiver module has such a desired housing. Therefore, it is desirable to provide an improved gigabit interface converter housing in order to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problem.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    An object of the present invention is to provide a gigabit interface converter housing which is sturdy enough to withstand a strong impact.  
           [0007]    In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a parallelepiped housing for enclosing a gigabit interface converter (GBIC) including a printed circuit board, a laser source, a light detector, and a connecter wherein one end of each of the laser source and the light detector is coupled to a first end of the printed circuit board and the connecter is formed at a second end opposite to the first end of the printed circuit board, the housing comprising: a base having a first spacer, a first space, a second space and a third space, wherein the first space has a first stopper and a second stopper for positioning the printed circuit board and for being fitted against the connecter therebetween, the second space is adapted for positioning the laser source, the third space is adapted for positioning the light detector, the first spacer is adapted for separating the second and the third spaces, and the first spacer having a first fastener for fastening the printed circuit board; and a cover, having a first protrusion and a second protrusion for being fitted against the connector of the GBIC.  
           [0008]    In another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a gigabit interface converter (GBIC) including: an interface having a printed circuit board, a laser source, a light detector, and a connecter wherein one end of each of the laser source and the light detector is coupled to a first end of the printed circuit board and the connecter is formed at a second end opposite to the first end of the printed circuit board; wherein the first space has a first stopper and a second stopper for positioning the printed circuit board and for being fitted against the connecter therebetween, the second space is adapted for positioning the laser source, the third space is adapted for positioning the light detector, the first spacer is adapted for separating the second and the third spaces, and the first spacer having a first fastener for fastening the printed circuit board; and a cover, having a first protrusion and a second protrusion for being fitted against the connector.  
           [0009]    Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of gigabit interface converter (GBIC) housing according to the invention; and  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the assembled GBIC housing. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0012]    With reference to FIG. 1, there is shown a gigabit interface converter (GBIC)  2  enclosed in a parallelepiped sturdy housing consisting of a cover  3  and a base  1  in accordance with the invention. Each of the GBIC  2 , the cover  3 , and the base  1  has a substantially rectangular shape and each of them is described in detail below.  
         [0013]    The base  1  comprises a plurality of spaces consisting of first, second, and third spaces  11 ,  12 , and  13 . The first space  11  is at a forward portion of the base  1  and the second and third spaces  12  and  13  are at a rear portion thereof. First and second spacers  121  and  122  are provided between the second and third spaces  12  and  13 . Preferably, the first and second spacers  121  and  122  are adjacent but not coupled together, i.e., there is a gap between them. A fastener  1211  is formed at a forward side of the first spacer  121  facing the first space  11 .  
         [0014]    The GBIC  2  comprises a printed circuit board  21 , a laser source  22 , a light detector  23 , and a connecter  24 . There are many integrated circuits (ICs) and passive elements on the printed circuit board  21  for providing an optical-to-electrical or an electrical-to-optical conversion. Preferably, the laser source  22  is a laser diode and the light detector  23  is a light detection diode respectively. One end of each of the laser source  22  and the light detector  23  is coupled to one end of the printed circuit board  21  and the other ends thereof are coupled to an optical fiber (not shown) for transmitting or receiving optical signals thereto/from. The connecter  24  is formed at the other end of the printed circuit board  21  for coupling to a mating connector of a host or computer (not shown). The connecter  24  is a D type connector. The connecter  24  includes a first upward protrusion  241 , a second upward protrusion  242 , a first downward protrusion  243  and a second downward protrusion  244 . The first upward protrusion  241  and the second upward protrusion  242  contact the surface of the printed circuit board  21 , and the downward protrusion  243  and the downward protrusion  244  contact the back of the printed circuit board  21  so as to protect the connection part that the internal pins of the connecter  24  are connected to the printed circuit board  21 .  
         [0015]    The GBIC  2  is positioned on the base  1  in which both the printed circuit board  21  and the connecter  24  are placed in the first space  11 , the laser source  22  is placed in the third space  13 , and the light detector  23  is placed in the second space  12  respectively. There is a first spacer  121  between the laser source  22  and the light detector  23 . The fastener  1211  of the first spacer  121  uses for fastening the fastener part  25  of the printed circuit board  21 . It is envisaged that the printed circuit board  21  will not be damaged when a strong external force is suddenly applied on the connecter  24  which is exposed to the outside.  
         [0016]    The base  1  at its two front corners further comprises a first stopper  111  urged against the first downward protrusion  243  and a second stopper  112  urged against the second downward protrusion  244  so as to position the GBIC  2 . Hence, the engagement portion of the pins of the connecter  24  with the printed circuit board  21  can be further protected.  
         [0017]    The cover  3  at its inner surface has a first protrusion  31 , a second protrusion  32 , a second fastener  38  and a third fastener  39 . The first protrusion  31  is fitted against the first upward protrusion  241  of the connecter  24 , the second protrusion  32  is fitted against the second upward protrusion  242  of the connecter  24 . There is a first fastening wall  131  in the second space  12 , and there is a second fastening wall  132  in the third space  13 . Wherein the first fastening wall  131  uses for fastening the second fastener  38  of the cover  3 , and the second fastening wall  132  uses for fastening the third fastener  39  of the cover  3 .  
         [0018]    The base  1  further comprises a plurality of screw holes  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17 , and  18 . The cover  3  further comprises a plurality of threaded holes  33 ,  34 ,  35 , and  36 . The GBIC  2  further comprises a threaded hole  212 . Hence, a plurality of screws (only one is shown)  37  can be used to fasten the cover  3 , the GBIC  2 , and the base  1  together. In detail, four screws are driven through the pair of threaded/screw holes  35  and  16 , the pair of threaded/screw holes  36  and  17 , the pair of threaded/screw holes  33  and  14 , and the pair of threaded/screw holes  34  and  15  respectively while one screw is driven through the pair of threaded holes  18  and  212 . It is appreciated that the number of the pairs of threaded/screw holes can be increased or decreased in other applications. The assembled GBIC  2 , cover  3 , and base  1  is shown in a cross-sectional view of FIG. 2.  
         [0019]    In brief, the invention utilizes a housing that positions a GBIC, the housing includes a cover and a base, wherein the cover or the base has a plurality of protrusions, a plurality of fasteners and a plurality of fastening walls so as to fasten or be fitted against the GBIC in order to withstand a strong impact.  
         [0020]    Although the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.