Abstract:
A pluggable optical transceiver having a slidable actuator assembly for quickly and easily removing the transceiver from a receptacle cage assembly is provided. The actuator assembly includes an actuator collar and slide member that can slide in a forward and rearward direction. As force is exerted on the actuator collar, the actuator and slide member slide rearwardly causing the transceiver to become disengaged from the receptacle. In this manner, the transceiver is released and can be removed easily from the receptacle.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/377,934 having a filing date of May 2, 2002. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     The instant invention relates to pluggable optical transceivers. Particularly, the invention relates to a push-pull actuator release collar for quickly and easily removing a small form factor pluggable (SFP) transceiver from a transceiver-receptacle cage assembly. 
     Pluggable optical transceivers are known in the art, and have been the subject of various industry standards and sourcing agreements between common vendors. In particular, multiple vendors have entered into a multi-source agreement (MSA) setting forth common standards and specifications for small form factor pluggable (SFP) transceivers. By way of review, an optical transceiver is an integrated fiber optic component including an optical transmitter and an optical receiver. The pluggable transceiver includes a first end with a fiber optic connector and a second end with an electrical connector. For the SFP transceiver, the fiber optical connector is an LC-type duplex connector. The electrical connector is a card edge connector that is received into a female electrical connector housed inside a receptacle. The receptacle assembly is mounted on a daughter card of a host system. A common mechanical and electrical outline for the SFP transceiver is defined by the MSA. However, each individual manufacturer (vendor) is responsible for its own development and manufacturing of the SFP transceiver including developing a method for releasing the transceiver from the receptacle assembly. 
     The MSA provides some specifications for securing the transceiver to the receptacle cage. Particularly, the MSA specifies a spring-loaded latching tab in the receptacle that engages a standard locking detent on the bottom surface of the transceiver. When the transceiver is slidably inserted into the receptacle, the detent engages the latching tab and the transceiver is physically retained in place by the interlocking engagement of the detent to the latching tab. 
     Turning to the subject of the present invention, the MSA does not provide any standard mechanisms for releasing and removing the transceiver from the receptacle cage. In this regard, the instant invention provides a novel actuator assembly for disengaging the latching tab from the detent, thus allowing a person to easily remove the transceiver. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     The actuator assembly of the present invention comprises two separate components. The first component is a slide member slidably mounted on the bottom surface of the transceiver. The slide member is located adjacent to the locking detent on the transceiver. 
     The second component of the actuator assembly is an actuator collar that is mounted on and surrounds the front end of the transceiver (i.e., the LC Duplex connector end of the transceiver). The actuator collar, adapted to slide in a forward and rear direction, is captured between the slide member and shoulder abutments on the transceiver housing. Pushing the actuator collar rearwardly causes the lower horizontal leg (i.e., cross-bar) of the collar to engage the slide member. The actuator collar pushes the slide in a linear direction rearwardly towards the latching tab in the receptacle cage. The slide member has angled cam-surfaces that engage the latching tab and cause the tab to become disengaged from the locking detent. Thus, the transceiver is released from the receptacle cage. Kick-out springs in the receptacle cage automatically force the transceiver to slide forward. The user can then pull the transceiver easily out of the receptacle. 
     The slide member further comprises a pair of leaf springs. When the transceiver is released and pulled out of the receptacle cage, the leaf springs force the actuator collar and slide member to spring back to their initial forward positions. 
     Among the objects of the instant invention are: providing an optical transceiver module having an integrated actuator assembly; providing an actuator assembly having a slide member that can engage a latching tab in a receptacle cage to unlock a transceiver module from the cage; and providing an actuator assembly, wherein the profile of the assembly is substantially within the defined dimensions of the transceiver module. 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective top view of a two-part receptacle cage and a transceiver module having an actuator assembly in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a transceiver module showing the actuator release collar and slide member in accordance with the present invention; and 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective bottom view of the transceiver module showing the slide member and leaf springs in further detail. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, the pluggable transceiver package of the instant invention is illustrated and generally indicated at  10  in FIGS. 1-3. As will be hereinafter more fully described, the instant pluggable transceiver module  10  includes an integrated actuator assembly generally indicated at  12  for disengaging the transceiver  10  from a corresponding receptacle cage generally indicated at  14 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the optical transceiver  10  is generally an integrated fiber optic component including an optical transmitter  11 A and an optical receiver  11 B. The pluggable transceiver  10  includes a plastic housing frame  16  having a first end  50  with fiber optic connector ports  18  formed therein, and an opposite second end  52  with an electrical edge connector  20  projecting therefrom. For the SFP transceiver  10 , the fiber optic connector ports  18  are an LC-type duplex connector. 
     The housing  16  of the transceiver  10  includes an upper (top) surface  54  and lower (bottom) surface  56 . The lower surface  56  of the housing  16  includes a slide member  34  and a locking detent  32 . The locking detent  32  secures the transceiver  10  in the receptacle cage  14  as described in further detail below. More specifically, the slide member  34  and locking detent  32  are mounted in a channel  58  that extends longitudinally along at least a portion of the lower surface  56  of the transceiver  10 . The locking detent  32  is located at the rear of the longitudinal channel  58  adjacent to the slide member. 
     As shown in FIG. 2, the optical transmitter  11 A and receiver  11 B are mounted on a circuit board  13  that is received inside the housing frame  16  of the transceiver  10 . The rear edge of the circuit board  13  forms the electrical edge connector  20  that protrudes from the open end of the housing frame  16 . A metallic cover  22  encloses the top surface  54  of housing frame  16  (FIG. 1) and provides electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and case grounding to the chassis ground. A portion of the bottom surface  56  of the housing  16  is enclosed by a separate plastic cover  23 . The outer dimensions of the male plug end of the LC-type duplex fiber optic cable are standard, and therefore the corresponding female fiber optic connector ports must also be standard dimensions. The first end  50  of the housing frame  16  is generally rectangular, slightly longer side-to-side, when viewed from the front. The width and height of the housing frame  16  are fixed by SFP standards. The two connector ports  18  are symmetrically positioned and arranged within the rectangular outline. Latching surfaces are provided within the connector ports  18  to permit engagement with the standard latch members of the fiber optic cable. The arrangement of the actuator collar  42  around the outside surface of the first end  50  of the transceiver  10  is described further below. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the electrical edge connector  20  is received into a female electrical connector  24  housed inside the receptacle assembly  14  which is in turn mounted on a daughter card of a host system (not shown). The receptacle cage  14  includes kick-out springs  26  located at the rear end of the cage  14  which engage the rear end  52  of the transceiver  10  and bias the transceiver  10  outwardly. A spring-loaded latch tab  28  is located at the open forward end  60  of the receptacle cage  14 . The latching tab  28  includes an opening or aperture  30  therein for locking the detent  32  of the transceiver  10 . In FIGS. 1-3, the opening is triangular-shaped. 
     During insertion of the transceiver module  10  into the receptacle cage  14 , the transceiver slides into receptacle  14  and the locking detent  32  catches and locks with opening  30  in the latching tab  28 . The transceiver  10  is secured to the receptacle  14  by means of detent  32  engaging and entering the opening  30  in the latching tab  28 . In this manner, the transceiver  10  is locked within the receptacle  14 . Basically, a person can insert the transceiver module into the receptacle cage  14  by pushing the transceiver  10  into the cage until he or she feels the resistance of the kick-out springs  26  located at the rear of the cage  14 . Then, the person should push the transceiver  10  further until feeling the “click” of the detent  32  locking with the opening  30 . 
     In order to release and remove the transceiver module  10  from the receptacle cage  14 , the transceiver  10  of the present invention includes an actuator assembly  12 . More particularly, the actuator assembly  12  comprises two separate components. 
     As shown in FIG. 3, the first component is a slide member  34  slidably mounted in a channel  58  extending along the lower surface of the housing frame  16 . The slide member  34  is located adjacent to the locking detent  32 . The slide member  34  is captured within the channel  58  by shoulder abutments  40 . 
     The actuator assembly further comprises an actuator collar  42  surrounding the front end  50  of the transceiver frame  16  as further illustrated in FIG.  3 . More particularly, the actuator collar is a rectangular-like shaped, integrated structure including opposing upper  62  and lower  64  horizontal legs (or cross-bars) that connect two vertical side arms  66  and  68 . The first end  50  of the transceiver housing frame  16  includes a shoulder portion  46  have a relatively small thickness so that the vertical side arms  66  and  68  of the actuator collar  42  remain flush with the transceiver housing  16 . As a result, the entire transceiver module  10  can meet generally accepted SFP outer dimensional specifications. 
     A person can push the actuator collar  42  rearwardly, i.e., in the direction of arrows  48  as shown on the collar  42  in FIG.  2 . The lower horizontal leg  64  of the collar  42  acts as a cam and pushes the slide member  34  in a linear direction rearwardly towards the latching tab  28  in the receptacle cage  14 . The slide member  34  has angled cam surfaces  36  at its rear end that engage the surface of the latching tab  28 , thereby causing the locking detent to become separated from the opening  30  and releasing the transceiver  10  from the receptacle cage  14 . With the locking detent  32  and latching tab  28  disengaged, the kick-out springs  26  automatically force the transceiver  10  to slide outwardly. The user can then simply pull the transceiver  10  forwardly out of the receptacle  14 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the slide member  34  further comprises a pair of leaf springs  38 . Initially, the transceiver  10  is locked in the receptacle cage  14  with the actuator collar  42  and slide member  34  in a forward resting position. When a person pushes the actuator collar  42  rearwardly and causes the cross-bar  64  to make contact with the slide member  34 , the springs  38  are forced rearwardly. The slide member  34  moves in a rearward direction and engages the latching tab  28  on the receptacle cage  14 , thereby releasing the transceiver from the cage  14 . Subsequently, the springs  38  force the slide member  34  and actuator collar  42  to spring back to their original forward positions. 
     While there is shown and described herein certain specific structures embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.