Abstract:
A pluggable transceiver module assembly includes a cage ( 4 ) having a latch ( 41 ) formed thereon, and a pluggable transceiver module ( 1 ) for assembling to the cage. The pluggable transceiver module ( 1 ) includes a housing ( 10 ) having a latching portion ( 141 ) engageable with the latch, an actuator ( 31 ) and a pivot ( 34 ) slidably mounted on the housing, a lever ( 32 ) and a spring member ( 33 ). The lever engages with the pivot and manipulates to drive the pivot and therefore the actuator to operate the latch. The spring member has a first connecting portion ( 331 ) coupled with the lever and a second connecting portion ( 334 ) assembled to the housing. The first connecting portion exerts a restoring force to the actuator.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a pluggable transceiver module, such as a transceiver module for high speed communication, and more specifically, to a pluggable transceiver module having releasing mechanism for separating such modules from their receptacles. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    A pluggable transceiver module is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,767,143 issued to Huang on Jul. 27, 2004. The pluggable transceiver module is retained in a complementary cage having a latch arranged thereon. The pluggable transceiver module includes a housing and a releasing mechanism disposed on the housing. The housing has a latching portion arranged thereon for engaging with the latch of the cage. The releasing mechanism includes an actuator slidably arranged on the housing and a lever rotatably assembled on the housing for moving the actuator between an initial position and a final position. When the lever moves to drive the actuator to the final position, the actuator disengages the latching portion from the latch of the cage and is ready for unplugging therefrom. 
         [0005]    When the module is inserted into the cage, the actuator may be positioned in the final position under an undesirable movement of the actuator. That would result in breaking the engagement between the first and latching portions. When the pluggable transceiver module is released from the cage, it is very much likely that the lever could not exert a driving force for moving the actuator from the final position back toward the initial position. 
         [0006]    Hence, an improved pluggable transceiver module with releasing mechanism is needed to solve the above problem. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    An object of the present invention is to provide a pluggable transceiver module comprising a releasing mechanism having a spring member for preventing undesirable movement of an actuator. 
         [0008]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a pluggable transceiver module comprising a releasing mechanism having a spring member for providing a restoring force for moving an actuator from a final position back toward an initial position. 
         [0009]    In order to achieve the object set forth, a pluggable transceiver module assembly includes a cage having a latch formed thereon, and a pluggable transceiver module for assembling to the cage. The pluggable transceiver module includes a housing having a latching portion engageable with the latch, an actuator and a pivot slidably mounted on the housing, a lever and a spring member. The lever engages with the pivot and manipulates to drive the pivot and therefore the actuator to operate the latch. The spring member has a first connecting portion coupled with the lever and a second connecting portion assembled to the housing. The first connecting portion exerts a restoring force to the actuator. 
         [0010]    When assemble the module to the cage, the spring member exerts a resilient force to the lever for preventing undesirable movement of the actuator. Therefore, the actuator is securely kept in an initial position, and the pluggable transceiver module could be easily assembled into the cage. When the pluggable transceiver module is to be released from the cage, the spring member exerts a restoring force to the lever for moving the actuator from a final position back toward the initial position. Therefore, the actuator returns to the initial position. 
         [0011]    Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is an assembled perspective view of a pluggable transceiver module in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the pluggable transceiver module as shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is another exploded perspective view of the pluggable transceiver module as shown in  FIG. 1 , taken from another aspect; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is an assembled perspective view of the pluggable transceiver module inserted in a cage with an actuator positioned in an initial position; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 4 , taken from another aspect; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is an assembled perspective view of the pluggable transceiver module inserted in a cage with the actuator positioned in a final position; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 5 , taken from another aspect. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the present invention in detail. Referring to  FIGS. 1-7 , a pluggable transceiver module  1  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is adapted to be retained in a cage  4 . The pluggable transceiver module  1  includes a housing  10 , a printed circuited board  20  received in the housing  10  and having a plurality of signal transmitting and receiving components (not shown) disposed thereon, and a releasing mechanism  30  assembled to the housing  10 . The pluggable transceiver module  1  further includes a cable  200  electrically connected with the printed circuit board  20 . The cage  4  includes a latch  41  formed thereon. 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the housing  10  has a longitudinal body having a front end  11  and a rear end  12 . The printed circuit board  20  has a plurality of conductive pads  21  exposed adjacent to the front end  11 . The cable  200  extends outwardly from the rear end  12 . The housing  10  has a top wall  13 , a bottom wall  14  and two opposite lateral walls  15 . The bottom wall  14  has a latching portion  141  disposed adjacent to the rear end  12  of the housing  10 . In this embodiment of the present invention, the latching portion  141  is a protruding portion  141  formed on the bottom wall  14 . The bottom wall  14  also has a pair of guiding rails  142  formed thereon. The guiding rails  142  project inwardly toward each other. Each lateral wall  15  has a projecting post  151  formed thereon and a horizontal guiding slot  152  defined below the projecting post  151 . 
         [0021]    The releasing mechanism  30  includes an actuator  31 , a U-shaped lever  32 , a spring member  33 , a pivot  34  and a pull tab  35 . 
         [0022]    The actuator  31  is slidably mounted on the bottom wall  14  of the housing  10 . The actuator  31  has a base  310  and a pair of horizontal guiding grooves  311  defined at opposite sides of the base  310 . The base  310  has a pair of wedges  312  formed on a front end thereof, and a through hole  313  defined therethrough. 
         [0023]    The U-shaped lever  32  includes a bridging section  321 , and a pair of arm sections  322  extending from opposite ends of the bridging section  321 . The U-shaped lever  32  has a crimp portion  323  extends upwardly from an edge of the bridging section  321  and defines a passage  320 . Each arm section  322  has a pivot hole  324  defined in middle portion thereof, and a latch arm guiding hole  325  defined below the pivot hole  324  and adjacent to free end of the arm section  322 . 
         [0024]    The spring member  33  has a pair of first connecting portions  331  received in the passage  320  of the crimp portion  323 , a second connecting portion  334  mounted on the top wall  13  of the housing  10 , and a pair of V-shaped elastic arms  332  disposed between the first connecting portions  331  and the second connecting portion  334 . The V-shaped arms  332  each has a ring  333  engaged with the projecting post  151  of the housing  10  for increasing the resilient force of the spring member  33 . The V-shaped elastic arm  332  has a first connecting portion  334  mounted on the top wall  13  of the housing  10 . 
         [0025]    The pivot  34  is slidably mounted on the housing. The pivot  34  includes a circular stop  341  formed at one end of the pivot  34  and a washer  342  mounted to an opposite end of the pivot  34 . 
         [0026]    The pull tab  35  is attached to the bridging section  321  of the U-shaped lever  32  for pivoting the U-shaped lever  32 . 
         [0027]    In assembly, the actuator  31  is mounted on bottom wall  14  of the housing  10  with the guiding rails  142  moveably received in the guiding grooves  311 . The first connecting portion  331  of the spring member  33  is received in the passage  320  of the crimp portion  323 . The U-shaped lever  32  is attached to the rear end  12  of the housing  10 , with the projecting post  151  of the lateral wall  15  rotatably engaging with the pivot holes  324  of the U-shaped lever  32  and the ring  333  of the spring member  33 . The second connecting portion  334  of the spring member  33  is fixed on the top wall  13  of the housing  10 . The pivot  34  is inserted through one latch arm guiding hole  325  of the U-shaped lever  32 , one horizontal guiding slot  152  of the housing  10 , the through hole  313  of the actuator  31 , the other horizontal guiding slot  152  of the housing  10 , and the other latch arm guiding hole  325  of the U-shaped lever  32 . The washer  342  is mounted on the pivot  34  for securely holding the U-shaped lever  32  and the actuator  31  on the housing  10 . The U-shaped lever  32  is thus rotatably assembled on the rear end  12  of the housing  10 . Then, assembly of the releasing mechanism  30  on the pluggable transceiver module  1  is thus completed. 
         [0028]      FIGS. 4 and 5  show that the pluggable transceiver module  1  is inserted in the cage  4  with the actuator  31  positioned in the initial position. The latch  41  is formed at a front part of a bottom plate  42  of the cage  4 . The latch  41  is a latching tab  41  having a triangular opening  410  defined therein (see  FIG. 6 ). The pluggable transceiver module  1  is mounted into the cage  4  along a forward direction, the spring member  33  exerts a resilient force to the U-shaped lever  32  for urging the actuator  31  secured to the initial position. The latching portion  141  enters into the triangular opening  410  of the latch  41 .  FIGS. 6 and 7  show that the pluggable transceiver module  1  is inserted in the cage  4  with the actuator  31  positioned in the final position. When the pluggable transceiver module  1  is to be released from the cage  4 , a pulling force is exerted by the pull tab  35  onto the crimp portion  323  of the U-shaped lever  32  for pulling away the crimp portion  323  from the rear end  12  of the pluggable transceiver module  1  along a rearward direction. The U-shaped lever  32  thus pushes the actuator  31  forwardly along the guiding rails  142  from the initial position toward the final position. The wedges  312  of the actuator  31  slide forwardly along the latch  41  and pull away the latch  41  from the latching portion  141  of the pluggable transceiver module  1 . As a result, the latch  41  is released from the latching portion  141 , and the pluggable transceiver module  1  can be readily removed from the cage  4 . Under the movement of the U-shaped lever  32 , the first connecting portion  331  of the spring member  33  moves toward the second connecting portion  334 . When the U-shaped lever  32  is released, the first connecting portion  331  moves away from the second connecting portion  334  of the spring member  33  and exerts a restoring force to the U-shaped lever  32  for moving the actuator  31  toward the initial position. Therefore, the actuator  31  returns to the initial position. 
         [0029]    It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous, characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set fourth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosed is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of number, 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.