Abstract:
A device may have: a frame section having a cage with a first receiving portion and a second receiving portion, the second receiving portion receiving a module; a first plate having an end, the first plate being received by the first receiving portion; a heat pipe having a first end attached to the end of the first plate and having a second end; a second plate attached to the second end of the heat pipe; and a spring attached to the first plate to bias the first plate against the module, the first plate being capable of receiving heat dissipated by the module, the heat pipe being capable of receiving the heat received by the first plate and transferring the heat to the second plate, the second plate receiving the heat transferred by the heat pipe and dissipating the received heat.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    A small form-factor pluggable (SFP) module is a transceiver used for telecommunication and data communication applications. An SFP module interfaces with an interface card, such as a circuit board for a network device (e.g., a switch, router, media converter, or similar device) to a fiber optic or copper networking cable. An SFP module dissipates heat during normal operation and may include a heat sink attached to the SFP module to reduce the dissipated heat. Multiple SFP modules are sometimes placed adjacent to each other and parallel to airflow, thereby causing a preheating effect when corresponding heat sinks, attached to each SFP module, dissipate heat in a confined location and over a confined area. Further, an individual heat sink for an SFP module may be unreliable and may be susceptible to separation from the SFP module during assembly of the SFP module and during installation of the SFP module in an interface card. Additionally, manufacturing an SFP module with an attached heat sink is often a labor intensive and costly process. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    According to one example implementation, a device may have a frame section having a cage with a first receiving portion and a second receiving portion. The second receiving portion may receive a module. The device may also have a first plate having an end, the first plate being received by the first receiving portion to attach the first plate to the frame section; a heat pipe having a first end attached to the end of the first plate and having a second end; a second plate attached to the second end of the heat pipe; a cover attaching the first plate, the heat pipe, and the second plate to the frame section; and a spring attached to the first plate and disposed between the first plate and the cover to bias the first plate against the module. The first plate may receive heat dissipated by the module. The heat pipe may receive the heat received by the first plate and transfer the heat to the second plate. The second plate may receive the heat transferred by the heat pipe and dissipate the received heat. 
         [0003]    According to another example implementation, a device may have an interface card having a frame section having a cage with a first receiving portion and a second receiving portion. The second receiving portion may receive a module. The device may also have a first plate having an end, the first plate being received by the first receiving portion to attach the first plate to the frame section; a heat pipe having a first end attached to the end of the first plate and having a second end; a second plate attached to the second end of the heat pipe; and a spring attached to the first plate to bias the first plate against the module. The first plate may receive heat dissipated by the module. The heat pipe may receive the heat received by the first plate and transfer the heat to the second plate. The second plate may receive the heat transferred by the heat pipe and dissipate the received heat. 
         [0004]    According to another example implementation, a device may have an interface card having a frame section having a cage with a first receiving portion and a second receiving portion. The second receiving portion may receive a module. The device may also have a first plate having an end, the first plate being received by the first receiving portion to attach the first plate to the frame section; a flexible heat pipe having a first end attached to the end of the first plate and having a second end; a second plate attached to the second end of the flexible heat pipe; and a spring attached to the first plate to bias the first plate against the module. The first plate may receive heat dissipated by the module. The flexible heat pipe may receive the heat received by the first plate and transfer the heat to the second plate. The second plate may receive the heat transferred by the flexible heat pipe and dissipate the received heat. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  illustrates an overview of an interface card as described herein; 
           [0006]      FIGS. 2A-2B  illustrate isometric views of an interface card; 
           [0007]      FIGS. 3A-3D  illustrate details of a cold plate; 
           [0008]      FIGS. 4A-4B  illustrate details of a cold plate with a heat pipe and spring attached to the cold plate; 
           [0009]      FIGS. 5A-5B  illustrate an example implementation as described herein; and 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  illustrates a block diagram of example components of a module. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in different drawings may identify the same or similar elements. 
         [0012]    Systems and/or methods, as described herein, may cool of an interface card having multiple SFP modules installed in the interface card adjacent to each other. In some implementations, the systems and/or methods may prevent a preheating effect from arising when multiple SFP modules are installed adjacent to each other. For example, the systems and/or methods may utilize a heat pipe to receive heat dissipated by an SFP module and transfer the dissipated heat to a substantially remote location from where the heat was dissipated. In some implementations, the dissipated heat may be dissipated, a second time, over a larger area in relation to when heat is dissipated via individual heat sinks attached to individual SFP modules. 
         [0013]    While the systems and/or methods are described in terms of providing an interface card having multiple SFP modules installed adjacent to each other, in practice, the systems and/or methods are not so limited. For example, the systems and/or methods may be applied to any device susceptible to the preheating effect and may apply to other types of modules, including or excluding SFP modules, such as SFP enhance (SFP+) modules, Centum form-factor pluggable (CFP) modules, CFP2 modules, XENPACK form-factor pluggable (XFP) modules, or some other type of module. 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  illustrates an overview of an interface card as described herein. In some implementations, interface card  100  may receive a module, such as SFP module  129 , and may transmit data received by SFP module  129  to a connected device (e.g., a switch transport network chassis, an optical transport network tributary module, etc.) via connector  134 . In some implementations SFP module  129  may dissipate heat during normal operation. Interface card  100  may include components to dissipate the heat, associated with SFP module  129 , in a manner that prevents a preheating effect from arising when multiple SFP modules  129  are installed adjacent to each other. For example, interface card  100  may include cover  102 , a first plate (e.g., cold plate  106 ), heat pipes  108 , a second plate (e.g., dissipating plate  110 ), and frame section  112 . 
         [0015]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , frame section  112  may include base  122 , handle  124 , cage  126 , top receiving portion  128 , front receiving portion  130 , ribs  132 , and connector  134 . Base  122  may be a printed circuit board (PCB) and may include processors, modules, heat sinks, and/or other components associated with transmitting signals received by SFP module  129  to a connected device via connector  134 . 
         [0016]    Handle  124  may be disposed at a distal end of frame section  112  and to permit a user of interface card  100  to carry interface card  100  and to aid installation of interface card  100  to a connecting device. 
         [0017]    Cage  126  may include a recess having two portions, such as a first receiving portion (e.g., top receiving portion  128 ) and a second receiving portion (e.g., front receiving portion  130 ). In some implementations, cage  126  may receive cold plate  106 , via top receiving portion  128 , to confine cold plate  106  in place and to attach cold plate  106  to frame section  112 . As further shown in  FIG. 1 , heat pipe  108  may attach to cold plate  106  and dissipating plate  110  may attach to heat pipe  108 . Thus, cold plate  106 , heat pipe  108 , and dissipating plate  110  may attach to frame section  112  when cold plate  106  is received by top receiving portion  128 . 
         [0018]    As further shown in  FIG. 1 , cover  102  may attach to frame section  112  and to dissipating plate  110  to confine cold plate  106 , heat pipe  108 , and dissipating plate  110  to frame section  112 . For example, cover  102  may include recesses  114  to receive fasteners  115  to attach cover  102  to dissipating plate  110  via recess  118 . In some implementations, cover  102  may be made from an aluminum sheet metal, or some other material. Cover  102  may include recesses  116  to attach cover  102  to frame section  112  via ribs  132 . In some implementations, cover  102  may be provided to protect components of interface card  100 . 
         [0019]    In some implementations, cage  126  may receive SFP module  129  via front receiving portion  130  (e.g., as part of an installation of SFP module  129  into interface card  100 ). When SFP module  129  is installed in interface card  100 , SFP module  129  contacts cold plate  106  and applies force F1 to a bottom portion of cold plate  106  to engage cold plate  106  to allow cold plate  106  to receive heat dissipated by SFP module  129 . For example, cold plate  106  may include a thermal conductive material, such as aluminum or copper, to receive heat dissipated by SFP module  129 . Springs  104  may be attached to cold plate  106  via fins  107  to provide a biasing force (e.g., force F2), to engage cold plate  106  with SFP module  129  such that cold plate  106  may receive heat dissipated by SFP module  129 . The biasing force provided by springs  104  is described below with respect to  FIG. 5B . In some implementations, springs  104  may include a coil spring, a torsion spring, a spring clip, or some other type of spring. 
         [0020]    As further shown in  FIG. 1 , cold plate  106  may include fins  107  to dissipate heat received by SFP module  129 . Heat pipe  108  may be attached to a distal end of cold plate  106  to receive heat received by cold plate  106  (e.g., heat associated with SFP module  129 ), and may connect with dissipating plate  110  via groove  119  to transfer the heat to dissipating plate  110 . For example, heat pipe  108  may include a thermal conductive material, such as aluminum or copper, thereby allowing heat pipe  108  to transfer heat from a received location (e.g., from cold plate  106 ) to a desired location (e.g., dissipating plate  110 ). Alternatively, heat pipe  108  may include a hollow pressurized tube containing an air/water mixture such that the water boils at a location where heat pipe  108  attaches to cold plate  106  and the water condenses at a location where heat pipe  108  attaches to dissipating plate  110 . Dissipating plate  110  may include fins  111  to dissipate heat at a location substantially remote from heat dissipated by SFP module  129  thereby preventing the preheating effect. 
         [0021]    While a particular arrangement of components is shown with respect to interface card  100 , in practice, interface card  100  may include additional, fewer, or differently arranged components that what is shown in  FIG. 1 . Further, interface card  100  may include components to receive any number of SFP modules  129  and cold plates  106 . For example, interface card  100  may include multiple cages  126  to receive multiple cold plates  106  and multiple SFP modules  129 . 
         [0022]      FIGS. 2A-2B  illustrate isometric views of interface card  100 . For clarity, cover  102  is not shown in  FIGS. 2A-2B . In  FIG. 2A , assume that SFP module  129  is installed in interface card  100  and that SFP module  129  dissipates heat in the direction of H1. As described above, cold plate  106  may receive the heat and dissipate a portion of the heat via fins  107 . Additionally, heat pipe  108  may receive a portion of the heat and transfer the portion of the heat in the direction of H2. As described above, dissipating plate  110  may receive the portion of the heat transferred by heat pipe  108  and dissipate the transferred heat via fins  111 . In some implementations, and as shown in  FIG. 2B , springs  104  may be attached to cold plates  106  via fins  107 . 
         [0023]      FIGS. 3A-3D  illustrate details of cold plate  106 .  FIG. 3A  illustrates a top view of cold plate  106 . As shown in  FIG. 3A , fins  107  may include cutout section  302  to receive spring  104  and confine spring  104  in place. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3B  illustrates an isometric view of cold plate  106 . As shown in  FIG. 3B , cold plate  106  may include protrusion  304  on a bottom portion of cold plate  106 . In some implementations, protrusion  304  contacts SFP module  129  when SFP module  129  is installed in interface card  100  to engage SFP module  129  with cold plate  106 . Protrusion  304  may include a thermal conductive material, such as aluminum, copper, silver, or some other thermal conductive material, to receive heat dissipated by SFP module  129 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 3C  illustrates a side view of cold plate  106 . As shown in  FIG. 3C , cold plate  106  may include chamfer  306  to aid in installation of SFP module  129  into interface card  100 . For example, chamfer  306  may include an inclined surface to allow for smooth insertion of SFP module  129  into interface card  100 . As shown in  FIG. 3C , cold plate  106  may include a width of approximately 30.48 millimeters (mm) and a height of approximately 2.54 millimeters. As further shown in  FIG. 3C , fins  107  may be provided approximately 1.778 mm apart on cold plate  106 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 3D  illustrates a front view of cold plate  106 . As shown in  FIG. 3D , cold plate  106  may include groove  308  to receive and confine heat pipe  108  to cold plate  106 . As further shown in  FIG. 3D , cold plate  106  may include a depth of approximately 12.7 mm. 
         [0027]    While a particular design of cold plate  106  is shown in  FIGS. 3A-3D , in practice, cold plate  106  may have a different design, shape, dimensions, or size than what is shown in  FIGS. 3A-3D . 
         [0028]      FIGS. 4A-4B  illustrate details of cold plate  106  with heat pipe  108  and spring  104  attached to cold plate  106 .  FIGS. 4A-to   4 B illustrate spring  104  and heat pipe  108  attached to cold plate  106 .  FIG. 4A  illustrates an isometric view of cold plate  106  with spring  104  and heat pipe  108  attached to cold plate  106 . As shown in  FIG. 4A , cold plate  106  may receive heat pipe  108  via groove  308 . Additionally, cold plate  106  may receive spring  104  via cutout section  302 . As shown in  FIG. 4A , cutout section  302  may confine spring  104  to cold plate  106 .  FIG. 4B  illustrates a top view of cold plate  106  with spring  104  and heat pipe  108  attached to cold plate  106  as described above. 
         [0029]      FIGS. 5A-5B  illustrate an example implementation as described herein.  FIG. 5A  illustrates a front view of interface card  100 . As shown in  FIG. 5A , top receiving portion  128  may receive SFP module  129  or may remain vacant. Continuing to  FIG. 5B , (e.g., cross section B-B of  FIG. 5A ), assume that SFP module  129  is installed in interface card  100  via top receiving portion  128  by inserting SFP module  129  into top receiving portion  128  in the X1 direction. As shown in  FIG. 5B , and described above, SFP module  129  contacts cold plate  106  via protrusion  304  and applies force F1 to cold plate  106 . As further shown in  FIG. 5B , spring  104  may be disposed between cold plate  106  and cover  102  to apply biasing force F2 against a top portion of cold plate  106  such that cold plate  106  engages SFP module  129 . As a result of force F1, heat pipe  108  incurs a deflection to compensate for force F1. Thus, heat pipe  108  may be made from a flexible material to allow cold plate  106  to be displaced in the direction of force F1. As described above, cold plate  106  may receive heat dissipated by SFP module  129  when cold plate  106  engages SFP module  129  as a result of biasing force F2. Further, heat pipe  108  may transfer heat to dissipating plate  110  (e.g., as shown in  FIG. 1 ) to allow dissipating plate  110  to dissipate the received heat via fins  111 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 6  illustrates a block diagram of example components of SFP module  129 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , SFP module  129  may include serializer/deserializer  610 , driver  620 , laser  630 , photodiodes  640 , amplifier  650  and serializer/deserializer  660 . In some implementations, SFP module  129  may be a transceiver module including a transmit portion and a receiving portion. The transmit portion may include serializer/deserializer  610 , driver  620 , and laser  630  to output optical signals. The receiving portion may include photodiodes  640 , amplifier  650 , and serializer/deserializer  660  to receive optical signals and convert the received optical signals to electrical signals. 
         [0031]    In some implementations, serializer/deserializer  610  may receive electrical signals in the form of parallel bit streams from circuitry housed in a chassis (e.g., an XTN chassis) via a tributary interface module (TIM). Additionally, or alternatively, serializer/deserializer  610  may receive electrical signals in some other form from some other source. Serializer/deserializer  610  may convert the received parallel bit streams into a serial bit stream that is received by driver  620 . Driver  620  may output a voltage and/or current to drive or power laser  630 . Laser  630  may supply (e.g., to an output fiber cable) a modulated optical output that is indicative of information included in the bit streams. 
         [0032]    In some implementations, photodiodes  640  may receive optical signals (e.g., from an input fiber cable) and may generate electrical signals corresponding to the received optical signals. Amplifier  650  may receive the electrical signals provided by photodiodes  640  and may adjust the voltage of the electrical signals. Amplifier  650  may also shape the electrical signals to resemble a train of pulses or a serial bit stream. The pulses are may be provided to serializer/deserializer  660 . Serializer/deserializer  660  may provide a bit stream to multiple parallel outputs. The outputs of serializer/deserializer  660  may be provided to circuitry in the chassis via the TIM. 
         [0033]    As described above, SFP module  129  may include some other type of module other than an SFP module. Thus, serializer/deserializer  610 , driver  620 , laser  630 , photodiodes  640 , amplifier  650  and serializer/deserializer  660  may be included in some other type of module. Also, the operations and/or data flows may be modified from what is described above. Further, non-dependent operations and/or data flows may be performed in parallel. 
         [0034]    As described above, interface card  100  may include components to prevent the preheating effect from arising when multiple SFP modules  129  are installed adjacent to each other. For example, interface card  100  may utilize heat pipe  108  to receive heat dissipated by SFP module  129  and transfer the dissipated heat to a substantially remote location (e.g., to dissipating plate  110 ) where the heat may be dissipated over a larger area in relation to when heat is dissipated via individual heat sinks attached to individual modules  129 . 
         [0035]    The foregoing description provides illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the possible implementations to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above disclosure or may be acquired from practice of the implementations. 
         [0036]    It will be apparent that different examples of the description provided above may be implemented in many different forms of hardware in the implementations illustrated in the figures. The actual specialized control hardware used to implement these examples is not limiting of the implementations. 
         [0037]    Even though particular combinations of features are recited in the claims and/or disclosed in the specification, these combinations are not intended to limit the disclosure of the possible implementations. In fact, many of these features may be combined in ways not specifically recited in the claims and/or disclosed in the specification. Although each dependent claim listed below may directly depend on only one other claim, the disclosure of the possible implementations includes each dependent claim in combination with every other claim in the claim set. 
         [0038]    No element, act, or instruction used in the present application should be construed as critical or essential unless explicitly described as such. Also, as used herein, the article “a” is intended to include one or more items and may be used interchangeably with “one or more.” Where only one item is intended, the term “one” or similar language is used. Further, the phrase “based on” is intended to mean “based, at least in part, on” unless explicitly stated otherwise.