Abstract:
An optoelectrical transceiver module is adapted to be retained in a metal cage ( 6 ). The optoelectrical transceiver module includes a latch ( 137 ) of a housing ( 1 ) of an optoelectrical assembly ( 10 ), an ejector ( 17 ) for disengaging the latch from a retaining tab ( 611 ) of the cage, a de-latching mechanism ( 20 ), an upper cover ( 4 ), and a lower cover ( 5 ). The de-latching mechanism includes a driving device ( 7 ) and a linking rod ( 8 ). The driving device is rotatably attached to the upper cover, and movably engaged with the ejector. Pulling the driving device drives the ejector to slide into the housing, whereupon the latch of the optoelectrical transceiver module is released from the retaining tab of the cage.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to an optoelectrical transceiver module for fiber-optic communications, and in particular to an optoelectrical transceiver module having a de-latching mechanism.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Optoelectrical transceiver modules provide bi-directional transmission of data between an electrical interface and an optical data link. The module receives electrically encoded data signals, which are converted into optical signals and transmitted over the optical data link. The module also receives optically encoded data signals, which are converted into electrical signals and transmitted onto the electrical interface.  
           [0005]    The optoelectrical module is generally retained in a complementary cage. The cage conventionally comprises spring means located in a rear portion thereof. When the optoelectrical module is withdrawn from the cage, an ejecting block of the optoelectrical module forces a fixed latch of the optoelectrical module out from a retaining hole defined in a spring latch of the cage. The fixed latch is released from the spring latch. The optoelectrical module is then ejected from the cage by the spring means. The optoelectrical module forms a guide rail at a bottom of a front portion thereof. An ejecting block slidably engages in the guide rail at the bottom of the optoelectrical module. In order to withdraw the optoelectrical module from the cage, the ejecting block is manually pushed inwardly under the optoelectrical module. Please refer to the copending application Ser. No. 09/999,446 filed on Dec. 3, 2001 having the same inventor and the same assignee with the application. However, it is inconvenient to manually push the ejecting block at that location. This is particularly so in modern systems having high port densities in and around the cage that restrict access to the ejecting block.  
           [0006]    An improved optoelectrical transceiver module which provides for convenient withdrawal of the module from a complementary cage is desired.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an optoelectrical module having a release device which is readily operated in front of the optoelectrical module.  
           [0008]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a de-latching mechanism for easily operating the abovementioned release device.  
           [0009]    In order to achieve the objects set out above, an optoelectrical transceiver module in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is adapted to be retained in a metal cage. The optoelectrical transceiver module comprises a latch of a housing of an optoelectrical assembly, an ejector for disengaging the latch from a retaining tab of the cage, a de-latching mechanism, an upper cover, and a lower cover. The de-latching mechanism comprises a driving device and a linking rod. The driving device is rotatably attached to the upper cover, and movably engaged with the ejector. Pulling the driving device drives the ejector to slide into the housing, whereupon the latch of the optoelectrical transceiver module is released from the retaining tab of the cage.  
           [0010]    Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be drawn from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with attached drawings, in which: 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an optoelectrical transceiver module in accordance with the present invention, viewed from a top aspect;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is an assembled view of FIG. 1;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is also an assembled view of FIG. 1, but viewed from a bottom aspect;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a metal cage, and an ejector of the module of FIG. 1 shown with broken lines. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]    Referring to FIG. 1, an optoelectrical transceiver module in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises an optoelectrical assembly  10 , an upper cover  4 , a lower cover  5 , an ejector  17  and a de-latching mechanism  20 . The upper cover  4  retains the optoelectrical assembly  10  therein. The ejector  17  is received in the optoelectrical assembly  10 . The de-latching mechanism  20  is movably attached to the upper cover  4 , and movably engaged with the ejector  17 .  
         [0016]    Referring also to FIGS. 2 and 3, the optoelectrical assembly  10  comprises a housing  1  which is generally made of plastic material. The housing  1  comprises a front end  11 , a lower portion  13 , two parallel and opposite sidewalls  14  extending generally upwardly from the lower portion  13 , a bracket  15 , and an upper portion  16 . The lower portion  13 , the sidewalls  14  and the upper portion  16  integrally enclose the bracket  15 . A front section of the lower portion  13  forms an ejector seat (not shown) to receive the ejector  17 . A triangular latch  137  is integrally formed on a middle portion of a bottom surface of the lower portion  13 . A bottom surface of the triangular latch  137  slants upwardly toward the bottom surface of the lower portion  13 , from a front end of the triangular latch  137  to a rear end of the triangular latch  137 . Two spaced and parallel recesses  138  are defined in an inner face of the lower portion  13  of the housing  1 .  
         [0017]    The upper cover  4  is generally made of metal. The upper cover  4  comprises an upper plate  41 , two sidewalls  42  integrally depending from the upper plate  41 , and a bottom plate  43  formed between front portions of the sidewalls  42 . Each sidewall  42  has a slender rear portion  426 . A distance between the sidewalls  42  is substantially equal to a distance across a narrowed top portion of the base  3  (best seen in FIG. 3). A bent tab  421  extends inwardly from the front portion of each sidewall  42 . An outwardly protruding grounding finger  422  is formed in a middle portion of each sidewall  42 . A lower rear portion of each sidewall  42  forms an internal reception socket  423 . A stamped pivot head  427  is outwardly formed on the front portion of each side wall  42 , between the bent tab  421  and a front edge of the side wall  42 . A horizontal second guide slot  429  is defined in the front portion of each side wall  42 , below the pivot head  427 . A countersunk portion  416  is formed in a middle of a rear portion of the upper plate  41 . A countersunk hole  44  is defined in a middle of the countersunk portion  416 , for extension of a screw (not labeled) therethrough. A stop  412  is inwardly stamped from a middle of a front portion of the upper plate  41 . Two outwardly protruding grounding fingers  413  are formed in a middle portion of the upper plate  41 . Two spaced elongate locking tabs  431  integrally extend forwardly from a front edge of the bottom plate  43 . Two elbow-shaped locking tabs  424  integrally depend from respective opposite bottom edges of the sidewalls  42  near the bottom plate  43 . Two rectangular tabs  425  integrally extend rearwardly from the front portions of the sidewalls  42  respectively, at the bottom plate  43 . A label  9  showing information about the optoelectrical module is for adhering to the upper plate  41 .  
         [0018]    The lower cover  5  comprises a pair of positioning tabs  54  (only one visible) extending upwardly from respective opposite sides of a rear portion thereof.  
         [0019]    The ejector  17  comprises a main body  170 , and a push bar  178  at a front end of the main body  170 . A pair of slanted ejecting protrusions  176  is formed at rear end of the main body  170 . The main body  170  comprises a transverse guide beam  177  integrally formed rearwardly of the push bar  178 . Opposite ends of the guide beam  177  protrude from opposite sides respectively of the main body  170 . A through hole  179  is longitudinally defined through the guide beam  177 .  
         [0020]    The de-latching mechanism  20  comprises a U-shaped driving device  7  and a linking rod  8 . The driving device  7  comprises a top beam  70 , and a pair of latch arms  71  depending from opposite ends of the top beam  70  respectively. A handle portion  72  extends upwardly from a front edge of the top beam  70 . A pair of pivot holes  711  is respectively defined in middle portions of the latch arms  71 . A pair of first guide slots  713  is longitudinally defined near free ends of the latch arms  71  respectively. A straight stop  81  and a round stop  82  are formed at respective opposite ends of the linking rod  8 .  
         [0021]    In assembly, the optoelectrical assembly  10  is inserted into the upper cover  4 . The stop  412  of the upper cover  4  prevents over-insertion of the optoelectrical assembly  10  into the upper cover  4 . The lower cover  5  is then attached to the combined optoelectrical assembly  10  and upper cover  4 . The positioning tabs  54  of the lower cover  5  are engagingly received in the reception sockets  423  of the upper cover  4 . The ejector  17  is then snapped into the ejector seat (not shown) of the housing  1  of the optoelectrical assembly  10 . The guide beam  177  of the ejector  17  abuts against the front end  11  of the housing  1 . A top face of the front portion of the lower cover  5  is firmly held by the ejecting protrusions  176  of the ejector  17  (see FIG. 3). The push bar  178  is fully exposed forward of the upper cover  4 . The locking tabs  431  of the upper cover  4  are bent rearwardly and inwardly, and are respectively engaged in the recesses  138  of the lower portion  13  of the housing  1 . The locking tabs  431  and the stop  412  of the upper cover  4  prevent over-extension of the optoelectrical assembly  10  into the upper cover  4 . The elbow-shaped tabs  424  of the upper cover  4  are bent inwardly and upwardly, and are engagingly received in the housing  1 . The rectangular tabs  425  of the upper cover  4  are bent inwardly to fixedly retain the housing  1 . The screw (not labeled) is extended through the countersunk hole  44  of the upper cover  4  to threadedly engage in the base  3 . The upper and lower covers  4 ,  5  are thereby firmly attached to the optoelectrical assembly  10 .  
         [0022]    Referring particularly to FIG. 2, the driving device  7  is attached to the upper cover  4 . The stamped pivot heads  427  of the upper cover  4  are rotatably engaged in the pivot holes  711  of the driving device  7 . The straight stop  81  of the linking rod  8  is inserted through one first guide slot  713  of the driving device  7 , one second guide slot  429  of the upper cover  4 , the through hole  179  of the ejector  17 , the other second guide slot  429 , and the other first guide slot  713 . The straight stop  81  and the round stop  82  of the linking rod  8  respectively protrude from the sidewalls  42  of the upper cover  4 . Finally, the straight stop  81  is deformed to rotatably fasten the linking rod  8  in position. The label  9  is adhered onto the upper plate  41 . Assembly of the optoelectrical module is thus completed.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a process of releasing the optoelectrical module from engagement inside a complementary cage  6 . The cage  6  has an inwardly protruding retaining tab  611  formed at a front part of a bottom plate thereof. The retaining tab  611  has a triangular hole  613  defined therein, and the triangular hole  613  engagingly retains the triangular latch  137  of the optoelectrical module therein. The handle portion  72  of the driving device  7  is pulled forwardly away from the front of the optoelectrical module. Accordingly, the driving device  7  pulls the ejector  70  into the ejector seat (not shown) of the housing  1 . The ejecting protrusions  174  of the ejector  17  enter a space (not labeled) between the bent portion  611  and a bottom of the optoelectrical module. The ejecting protrusions  174  slidingly contact the retaining tab  611 , and progressively force the retaining tab  611  away from the optoelectrical module. As a result, the retaining tab  611  is released from the triangular latch  137 . The optoelectrical module is then ejected from the cage  6  by conventional spring means (not shown) located in a rear portion of the cage  6 .  
         [0024]    It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiment described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing the present invention&#39;s advantages. Thus, it is intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.