Opto-electronic device assembly

An object of the present invention is to provide a new modular SLC (Surface Laminar Circuit) interconnect system for replacing the traditional ceramic substrate implanted with 56 Duece modules, the interconnect system includes an organizer for accurately positioning the connector assemblies, and a plurality of fully populated connector housings defining a pitch same as that defined by the Duece modules. Each connector housing defines two receiving slots to receive two SLC modules which are further commonly held by a heat sink above. Each SLC module is equipped with a plurality of micro-controllers, a plurality of OE glass lenses, a plurality of IC chips, and a molded lens and fiber able assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to opto-electronic (OE) device assemblies, and more specifically to integrating multiple OE modules with waveguide, e.g., Fiber or Polymer Waveguide (PWG), as an OE sub-assembly to further reduce user's installation and testing costs.

2. Description of Related Art

Most computer and communication networks today rely on copper wire to transmit data between nodes in the network. Since the data transmitted over the copper wire and the data processed within the nodes are both represented in the form of electrical signals, the transfer of data at the node-copper wire interface is straight forward. Other than perhaps level shifts and signal amplification, no other signal processing is required for data transmitted over the copper wire to be decoded by the node. The drawback with using copper wire is its relatively narrower bandwidth. Copper's ability to transmit data is significantly limited compared to other mediums, such as fiber optics. Accordingly much of the computer and communication networks built today, including the Internet, are using fiber optic cable instead of copper wire.

With fiber optic cable, data is transmitted using light wave, rather than electrical signals. For example, a logical one (1) may be represented by a light pulse of a specific duration and a logical zero (0) may be represented by the absence of a light pulse for the same duration. In addition, it is also possible to transmit at the same time multiple colors of light over a single strand of optic fiber, with each color of light representing a distinct data stream. Since light is attenuated less in fiber than electrons traveling through copper, and multiple data streams can be transmitted at one time, the bandwidth of optic fiber is significantly greater than copper.

While fiber optic data transmission has proven very efficient, substantial problems have been encountered when applying these light signals to process data. Transferred data is typically stored in various locations before, during and after it is processed by a computer. Since there is currently no efficient technique to “store” these light packets of data, networks will likely continue to use fiber optics for transmitting data between nodes and silicon chips to process the data within the nodes for the foreseeable future. Building such networks requires opto-electronic transceivers, which connect optical transmission devices to electronic computing devices through devices that transform optical signals to electronic signals, and vice-versa.

Ideally, such opto-electronic transceivers should provide secured and reliable connections between the various devices and should be compact in size. Secured connections ensure that the individual devices do not disconnect and therefore cause a failure in the opto-electronic transformation process. Compactly sized transceiver modules allow a higher density of optical cables to be attached to an electronic printed circuit board, thereby increasing the bandwidth available to the computing system.

While the transceiver design adequately ensures a secure connection between optical and electronic devices, assembly of its individual sub-assemblies is mechanically complex.

In view of the foregoing, a simple and compact opto-electronic transceiver capable of providing secure connections between optical and electronic devices would be desirable. Specifically, this instant invention is to replace the current ceramic substrate which is implanted with 56 Duece modules thereon.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a new modular SLC (Surface Laminar Circuit) interconnect system for replacing the traditional ceramic substrate implanted with 56 Duece modules. The interconnect system includes an organizer for accurately positioning the connector assemblies, and a plurality of fully populated connector housings defining a pitch same as that defined by the Duece modules. Each connector housing defines two receiving slots to receive two SLC modules which are further commonly held by a heat sink above. Each SLC module is equipped with a plurality of micro-controllers, a plurality of OE glass lenses, a plurality of IC chips, and a molded lens and fiber able assembly.

In brief, technically speaking the prior art is to install a plurality of OE module in a LGA socket which is for electrical interface. After the OE module converting the electrical signal into optical signal and vice versa, an optical connector with waveguide is to attach to the optical interface of OE module for optical signal transmission or receiving. Due to the active components of OE module which generates heat, a heat sink/spreader is required for heat dissipation. In the field, it is troublesome to install all those components, inspection, testing and field service. The invention is to put all those troublesome behind by organizing all those components in an Active Optical Cable (AOC) package. The user just plugs in the AOC into socket or unplug just like an ordinary cable assembly. An organizer is to allow a plurality of AOC to align with the socket to form a compact package in a dense area. It makes easy installation and field serviceable. Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

ReferringFIGS. 1-24, an aluminum frame10defines a ceramic substrate receiving area to receive a ceramic substrate12therein. The ceramic substrate12defines two connector areas14, on two opposite ends in a longitudinal direction, forming LGA (Land Grid Array) pads16thereon. A modular SLC (Surface Laminar Circuit) interconnect system18is fastened to the aluminum frame10around each of the connector areas14, and includes an aluminum organizer20defining a plurality of elongated cavities22in a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction while each of the cavities22extends along the longitudinal direction. The aluminum organizer20defines a plurality of fastening holes24and a plurality of locating holes26to receive corresponding screws28and dowel pins30for locating and fastening the organizer20upon the aluminum frame10. The organizer20further includes a pair of tower structures32on two lateral sides in the transverse direction to commonly defines plural pairs of vertical guide channels34. A plurality of card edge connectors36are respectively disposed in the corresponding cavities22. The cavity22is configured to allow the connector36to be assembled thereinto in only an upper direction.

Each connector36includes an insulative housing38defines a pair of card receiving slots40in the transverse direction while each card receiving slot40extends along the longitudinal direction. A plurality of passageways42are formed in the housing38and by two sides of the corresponding card receiving slot40in a staggered manner along the transverse direction. A plurality of contacts44are disposed in the corresponding passageways42, respectively. Each contact44includes an upper contacting section46extending into the corresponding card receiving slot40, a middle retaining section48retained to the housing38, and a lower tail section50for contacting the corresponding LGA pad16wherein in a side view the upper contacting sections46of the contacts44which share the same card receiving slot40, are symmetrically arranged with each other while the lower tail sections50of the contacts44sharing the same card receiving slot40are arranged same with each other but commonly symmetrically arranged with the lower tail sections of the contacts sharing the other card receiving slot40. It is noted that the distance or pitch between the pair of card receiving slots40is 3.0 mm for compliance with the traditional SLC to SLC arrangement, and the pitch between the adjacent two contacts on the same side is 0.6 mm.

A plurality of SLC or AOC modules60are assembled to the organizer20and the associated connectors36, respectively. Each SLC module60includes two opposite SLC or AOC assemblies62each comprising an SLC board63capable of transmission of twelve pairs Tx and twelve pairs Rx with 0.6 mm pitch thereof, two micro-controllers, two OE glass lenses, four Tx and Rx IC chips, a pair of OE cable assembly66, and a single heat sink64to which both two SLC assemblies62are commonly assembled via mounting screws59. The heat sink64defines a pair of opposite guide rails61respectively received in the corresponding guide channels34, respectively.

The pair of OE cable assemblies66are respectively connected to the corresponding SLC board63. Each OE cable assembly66includes a molded lens mechanism68and a fiber cable part70. The fiber cable part70includes a plurality of fibers72with reduced cladding of 125 μm pitch, enclosed in a strain relief74. The molded lens mechanism68includes a base76defining a mounting face78for mounting to the SLC assembly62and a connecting face80opposite to the mounting face78for connecting with the fiber cable part70. A pair of mounting posts82are formed on the mounting face78for extending into a pair of corresponding through holes65in the SLC board63. A plurality of V-grooves84are formed in the connecting face80for receiving the corresponding fibers72, respectively, and a plurality of lens structures86arranged in two staggered rows, are formed on the connecting face80in alignment with the V-groves84, respectively, so as to be coupled with the corresponding fibers72for transmitting light to the corresponding OE glass lenses on the SLC assembly62.

When assembled, for each SLC module60, each OE cable assembly66is assembled to the corresponding SLC board63. The SLC board63with the corresponding circuit pads around a bottom edge region, is inserted into the corresponding card received slot40at the bottom while assembled to the heat sink64via mounting screws59. The heat sink64is assembled to the organizer20via engagement between the guide rails61of the heat sink64and the guide channels34of the organizer20.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. For example, the fin structures may use different material from the overmold case for better heat transfer for efficiently lowering temperature.