Abstract:
A plug-in module ( 100 ) includes opposite sidewalls ( 11, 21 ) parallel to each other and extending along a longitudinal direction parallel to a mating direction of the plug-in module, and a latch mechanism ( 8 ). The latch mechanism includes an actuating member ( 4 ) and a pair of ejectors ( 5 ). The actuating member is rotatably assembled to the sidewalls and includes a pair of actuating arms ( 42 ) each formed with an actuating end ( 43 ) at one distal end thereof, and an operating portion ( 41 ) across the sidewalls along a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and connecting the other distal ends of the pair of actuating arms. The pair of ejectors are rotatably assembled to the sidewalls to cooperate with the actuating ends of the actuating member. The actuating member is configured and arranged such that movement of the operating portion thereof in up-to-down direction results in down-to-upward movement of the actuating arms and the actuating ends to thereby actuate the ejectors outwardly rotate relative to the sidewalls adapted for deflecting the latch tab of the module receptacle to separate the plug-in module from the module receptacle.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention generally relates to a plug-in module, and more particularly to a plug-in module used for high-speed transmission. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   SFP (Small Form-factor Pluggable), X-SFP and QSFP are all modules for fiber optic transmission or signal transmission. All of the modules are of small size or form factor which is important. The smaller the form factor of the module, the less space taken on a printed circuit board to which it couples. A smaller form factor allows a greater number of modules to be coupled onto a printed circuit board to support additional communication channels. However, the smaller form factor makes it more difficult for a user to handle. 
   When such a module embedded in a system fails, it is desirable to replace it, particularly when other communication channels are supported by other modules. To replace a failed module, it needs to be pluggable into a module receptacle. While, plugging in a new module is usually easy, it is more difficult to remove the failed module because of other components surrounding it. Additionally, a user should not attempt to pull on cables of the module in order to try and remove a failed module or else the user might cause damage thereto. 
   A typical release method for a pluggable module is to push in on the module itself and then pull out on the module to release it from a cage assembly or module receptacle. It has been determined than this method is not very reliable with users complaining of the difficulty in removing pluggable modules in such manner. Users often complain that traditional methods offer little leverage in getting a sufficient grip on the module when attempting to pull it out of a module receptacle. Another complaint is that traditional actuators used to remove modules are inaccessible or invisible. Other users complain than once released by the traditional method, it is difficult to withdraw the module out of its cage or module receptacle. 
   Therefore, designers developed different solutions to solve above problems accounted by the users, such as disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,851,867, 6,749,448, 6,884,097, 6,908,323, 7,052,306, 6,824,416 and 7,090,523. The theories of theses patents are substantially the same, that is each module is received in corresponding cage or module receptacle and comprises a pair of sliders with forward ends engaging with tabs of the cage, and a bail or lever capable of rotating to actuate the sliders linearly to separate forward ends of the sliders from the tabs. The action theory of theses patents successfully solve the problems mentioned above. The present invention provides a plug-in module with an improved latch mechanism operating in a theory different from that of these patents while still successfully solving the problems. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a plug-in module with improved latch mechanism for unplugging the plug-in module conveniently. 
   In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a plug-in module configured for latching engagement with a module receptacle adapted for mounting to a printed circuit board comprises opposite sidewalls parallel to each other and extending along a longitudinal direction parallel to a mating direction of the plug-in module, and a latch mechanism. The latch mechanism comprises an actuating member and a pair of ejectors. The actuating member is rotatably assembled to the sidewalls and comprises a pair of actuating arms each formed with an actuating end at one distal end thereof, and an operating portion across the sidewalls along a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and connecting the other distal ends of the pair of actuating arms. The pair of ejectors are rotatably assembled to the sidewalls to cooperate with the actuating ends of the actuating member. The actuating member is configured and arranged such that movement of the operating portion thereof in up-to-down direction results in down-to-upward movement of the actuating arms and the actuating ends to thereby actuate the ejectors outwardly rotate relative to the sidewalls adapted for deflecting the latch tab of the module receptacle to separate the plug-in module from the module receptacle. 
   Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIGS. 1-2  are exploded, perspective views of a plug-in module in accordance with the present invention and viewed from different aspects; 
       FIGS. 3-5  are partially assembled views of the plug-in module and viewed from different aspects; 
       FIGS. 6-7  are assembled views of the plug-in module of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; and 
       FIGS. 8-11  are cross-section views of the plug-in module taken along lines  8 - 8  to  11 - 11  of  FIG. 6 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the present invention in detail. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , a plug-in module  100  in accordance with the present invention comprises a base  2 , a cover  1  assembled with the base  2  to form a die cast housing  7 , and a latch mechanism  8  assembled to the base  2  and the cover  1  for unplugging the plug-in module  100  from a module receptacle (not shown) conveniently. The latch mechanism  8  comprises a die-cast actuating member  4  assembled to the base  2  and the cover  1 , a pair of die-cast ejectors  5  assembled to the base  2  and the cover  1  and capable of being actuated by the actuating member  4 , and a pair of bias elements  6  assembled to the base  2  and the actuating member  4  for providing elastic restoring force to the actuating member  4 . In the preferred embodiment, the plug-in module  100  is a QSFP (Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable) module in accordance with Revision 1.0 of the QSFP Transceiver specification released on Dec. 1, 2006. However, the plug-in module  100  also can be other types of modules without betray the spirit of the present invention. 
   The cover  1  comprises a step-shape main upper wall  10 , a pair of first sidewalls  11  extending downwardly from opposite side edges of the upper wall  10 , opposite first front and rear walls  12 ,  13  with different heights downwardly extending from front and rear edges of the upper wall  10  and connecting with the pair of first sidewalls  11 . The upper wall  10  extends forwardly beyond the first front wall  13  to form a first front flange  14  with a pair of elliptical holes  140  laterally arranged. An L-shape cutout  141  recesses downwardly from upper surface of the upper wall  10  and locates at a left corner of the upper wall  10 . A first flange  101  is formed on the upper wall  10  to divide the cover  1  into a front first mating section  102  and a rear first installation section  103  which is higher and shorter than the first mating section  102  but lower than the first flange  101 . The first flange  101  indicates the final insertion position of the plug-in module  100 . 
   The first installation section  103  forms a pair of ear sections  121  together with the first rear wall  12  and extending laterally beyond the pair of first sidewalls  11 . Lower sections of the first flange  101  and middle portions of the first sidewalls  11  are partially cutout with upper flanges thereof left. Thus, a pair of first accommodating spaces  110  which extend from the ear sections  121  till a middle position of the first mating section  102  corresponding to lower contour of the actuating member  4  are formed. An arc-shape first rail recess  112  is recessed upwardly from the upper flange of the first sidewall  11  and locates adjacent to the first flange  101 . A first pivot recess  115  is recessed inwardly from outer periphery of first sidewall  11  and locates above the first rail recess  112 . A first cooperating recess  113  is recessed inwardly from forward end of the first accommodating space  110  and opens toward outside. A circular first pivot hole  114  recesses upwardly from the first sidewall  11  and communicating with the first cooperating recess  113 . The first cooperating recess  113  is of L-shape and communicates with the first pivot hole  114 , the first accommodating space  110 . The first cooperating recess  113  forms an inner first step  1130  and an L-shape outer second step  1132  respectively corresponding to the contours of the actuating member  4  and the ejector  5 . 
   The first rear wall  12  has a relatively large thickness along mating direction and defines a first semicircular exit opening  120  for the exist of a cable (not shown) and the above-described ear sections  121 . A plurality of teeth  121  are formed on inner periphery of the first exit opening  120  for interferentially engaging with the cable. A pair of first fastening holes  122  are defined in the ear sections  121  to locate at opposite sides of the exit opening  120 . Another pair of first fastening holes  122  are formed in a pair of standoffs formed adjacent to the first pivot holes  114  all for fastening to the base  2 . A pair of tips  130  are formed at two corners of the first front wall  13  and below the first front wall  13  to form a pair of spaces  131  between the bottom surfaces of the first sidewalls  11 . A continuous slot  15  recesses upwardly from inner edges of the first sidewalls  11  and the first rear wall  12 . 
   The base  2  comprises a step-shape bottom wall  20 , a pair of second sidewalls  21  extending upwardly from opposite side edges of the bottom wall  20 , opposite second front and rear walls  22 ,  23  upwardly extending from front and rear edges of the bottom wall  20  and connecting with the pair of second sidewalls  21 . 
   The bottom wall  20  comprises a front second mating section  202  and a rear second installation section  203  lower than the second mating section  202  to form a second flange  201  therebetween for indicating the final insertion position of the plug-in module  100  together with the first flange  101 . The second rear wall  22  has a relatively large thickness along the mating direction and partially cut to form a semicircular second exit opening  220  which cooperates with the first exit opening  120  to form an exit channel  70  ( FIG. 7 ) for the exist of the cable (no shown). The second rear wall  22  also defines a pair of circular second fastening holes  222  at opposite sides of the second exit opening  220  corresponding to the first fastening holes  122  for a pair of screws  9  protruding therethrough to fasten the base  2  with the cover  1 . The bottom wall  20  extends beyond the second front wall  23  to form a second front flange  24  parallel spaced from the first front flange  14  with a front end of a printed circuit board (not shown), which is accommodated between the base  2  and the cover  1 , exposed between the front flanges  14 ,  24 . 
   Each second sidewall  21  has different thicknesses along the mating direction of the plug-in module  100 . The middle and rear sections of the sidewall  21  are thicker than front section of the sidewall  21  and form the thicker section of the sidewall  21  and the front section is a thinner section of the sidewall  21 . The thicker section is partially cut to form a second accommodating space  210  which opens toward outside corresponding to the first accommodating space  110  of the cover  1  to corporately form an accommodating channel  71  of the plug-in module  100  to receive the actuating member  4 . A deeper bias receiving slot  216  recesses upwardly into the second sidewall  21  and communicates with the second accommodating space  210 . A projection  2160  ( FIG. 10 ) is formed on the bottom of the bias receiving slot  216  to serve as position means for the bias elements  6 . An arc-shape second rail recess  212  is recessed downwardly from outer part the second sidewall  12  corresponding to the first rail recess  112 . A second pivot recess  215  is recessed inwardly from inner part of second sidewall  12  and locates below the second rail recess  212  corresponding to the first pivot recess  115 . Particularly, the first pivot recess  115  is deeper than the second pivot recess  215 , that is to say, the angle of the first pivot recess  115  is larger than that of the second pivot recess  215 . A front second cooperating recess  213  corresponding to the first cooperating recess  113  is defined in the second sidewall  21  and communicates with the second accommodating space  210 . A second pivot hole  214  is defined in a front end of the thicker section of the second sidewall  21  corresponding to the first pivot hole  114  and communicates with the second cooperating recess  213 . Corresponding to the first and second steps  1130 ,  1132 , the second cooperating recess  230  forms an inner first step  2130  on inner part of the second sidewall  21  and an outer second step  2132  on outer part of the second sidewall  21 . A continuous rib  25  forms on inner periphery of the pair of second sidewalls  21  and the second rear wall  22  for being received in the continuous slot  15 . A pair of tips  231  extends forwardly from forward ends of the pair of second sidewalls  21  and locates above the second front wall  23 . A positioning slit  217  recesses downwardly from outer part of the second sidewall  21  and in front of the second rail recess  212  to communicate with the cooperating recess  213 . 
   The actuating member  4  is assembled to the base  2  and the cover  1  to actuate the ejectors  5  outwardly move. The actuating member  4  comprises an n-shape operating portion  41  and a pair of actuating arms  42  extending forwardly from opposite lower ends of the operating portion  41 . The operating portion  41  comprises an extrusion section  410  extending rearwardly from the horizontal section thereof and forming a plurality of ribs thereon for facilitating the operation of the user. Each actuating arm  42  is of spindly shape, that is to say, the actuating arm  42  comprises a wider middle section and a pair of narrower opposite front and rear ends. A substantially m-shape compressing opening  420  is defined in inner contour of the narrower rear end of each actuating arm  42 . A column-shape spindle  421  protrudes from inner surface of one actuating arm  42  toward the other actuating arm  42 . The location of the spindle  421  is at the wider middle section. A pair of arc-shape protuberances  422  protrude outwardly from upper and lower edges of the middle section of each actuating arm  42 , and just locate to align with the spindle  421  along vertical direction. A positioning protrusion  423  is formed on lower edge of the actuating arm  42  and in front of the lower protuberance  422 . An actuating end  43  is formed at distal end of each actuating arm  42 . The actuating end  43  is of hook shape with a step  430  formed on inner periphery thereof. Upper and forward surfaces of the actuating end  43  are tapered to form an inclined actuating surface  431  and a tapered end  432 . 
   The pair of ejectors  5  are assembled to the base  2  and the cover  1  to be actuated by the actuating member  4  for releasing the plug-in module  100  from the module receptacle. Each ejector  5  comprises a front pivot  51  vertically arranged for being received in the first and second pivot holes  114 ,  214 , a main portion  52  extending rearwardly from the pivot  51 , and a tapered cooperating end  53  formed at distal end of the main portion  52 . The main portion  52  comprises an inner surface and an opposite outer surface. A first block rib  520  is formed with upper section of the main portion  52  and adjacent to the pivot  51  and a pair of wedge-shape cutouts  523  is defined at upper and lower sections of the main portion  52  to form a bridge  521  and a pair of bottom second block ribs  522 . Lower surface and rearward surface of the cooperating end  53  are tapered to form an inclined cooperating surface  531  and a tapered end  532 . 
   Each bias element  6  is substantially V-shape and comprises a n-shape positioning portion  60  with a positioning hole  600  defined therein and opening downwardly, a flat base portion  61  extending forwardly from lower end of the positioning portion  60 , and an elastic spring arm  62  bending upwardly and rearwardly from distal end of the base portion  61  with a certain angle with the base portion  61 . An upright free end  63  is formed at distal end of the spring arm  62 . 
   In assembly, referring to  FIGS. 3-5  in conjunction with  FIGS. 1-2 , the bias elements  6  are assembled to the base  2 , the actuating member  4  and the ejectors  5  are assembled to the cover  1 . 
   The actuating member  4  are assembled to the cover  1  along down-to-up direction. The operating portion  41  locates above the cover  1  and upper portions of the pair of actuating arms  42  occupy the first accommodating spaces  110  with outer surfaces of the actuating member  4  substantially coplanar with the outer surfaces of the first sidewalls  1 . Upper portions of the pair of spindles  421  are rotatably received in the first pivot recesses  115  of the first sidewalls  11 , and the pair of upper protuberances  422  are respectively rotatably received in the pair of first rail recesses  112  of the pair of first sidewalls  11 . The upper sections of the actuating ends  43  are received in the first cooperating recesses  113  with the steps  431  latching with the first step  1130 . The ejectors  5  are assembled to the cover  1  with the pivots  51  inserted into the first pivot holes  114  and the main portions  52  and the cooperating ends  53  occupying the left spaces of the first cooperating recesses  113 . In such circumstances, the actuating end  43  is located below the cooperating end  53  with the actuating surfaces  431 ,  531  attaching to each other. The L-shape second step  1132  abuts against the bridge  521  and the second block rib  522 . 
   The pair of bias elements  6  are assembled to the base  2  with the base portion  61  and the positioning portion  60  received in the bias receiving slots  216  and the projections  2160  received in the positioning holes  600  to position the bias elements  6  to the base  2 . The width of each bias receiving slot  216  is substantially equal to that of the bias element  6 , thus, the positioning portion  60  and the base portion  60  are positioned by the bias receiving slot  216 . The spring arm  62  is exposed beyond the bias receiving slot  216 . 
   The base  2  is then assembled to the cover  1 , the actuating member  4  and the ejectors  5  together with the pair of bias elements  6  with the pair of tips  231  inserted into the spaces  131  of the cover  1  then rotating the base  2  a certain angle to combine the base  2  and the cover  1  into the housing  7 . The lower sections of the actuating arms  42 , the actuating ends  43  and the ejectors  5  occupy the second accommodating space  210 , the second cooperating recess  213  and the second pivot hole  214  in a manner similar to the assembly described above. The lower portions of the pair of spindles  421  are rotatably received in the second pivot recesses  215 , and the lower protuberances  422  are rotatably received in the second rail recesses  212 . The lower sections of the actuating ends  43  are received in the second cooperating recesses  213  with the steps  431  latching with the second steps  2130 . The lower sections of the pivots  51  inserted into the second pivot holes  214 . While, the lower sections of the main portions  52  and the cooperating ends  53  occupy the left spaces of the second cooperating recesses  213 . The L-shape second step  2132  abuts against the bridge  521  and the other second block rib  522 . The positioning protrusion  423  of each actuating arm  42  is received in the positioning slit  217 . The spring arm  62  and the upright free end  63  of each bias element  6  are received in the compressing opening  420  of the actuating member  4 . After such assembly, referring to  FIGS. 6-7 , since the spindly shape of the actuating arms  42 , only the wider middle sections of the actuating arms  42  are sandwiched by the first and second sidewalls  11 ,  21 . That is to say, the rear ends of the actuating arms  42  has some distance to the second sidewalls  21  which serves as operating space for the operating portion  41 , and the front ends of the actuating arms  42  and the actuating ends  43  has some distances to the first and second sidewalls  11 ,  21  which serve as operating spaces for the actuating ends  43 . 
   After the above assembly, the plug module  100  is achieved. The first and second accommodating spaces  110 ,  210  corporately form the accommodating channel  71  of the housing  7  to receive the actuating member  4 , and the first and second cooperating recesses  113 ,  213  corporately form a cooperating space  72  of the housing  7  which is commonly used by the actuating member  4  and the ejectors  5 . When removing the plug-in module  100  from the module receptacle, operator may exerts a downward force to the operating portion  41  of the actuating member  4 , the spindles  421  and the arc-shape protuberances  422  rotate in the first and second rail recesses  112 ,  212  and the first and second pivot recesses  115 ,  215 . Thus, the actuating arms  42  rotate along counter-clockwise direction with front ends thereof downwardly move and the actuating ends  43  upwardly move relative to the spindles  421  and the protuberances  422 . Thus, the actuating surfaces  431  slide along the actuating surfaces  531  to actuate the pair of ejectors  5  outwardly move around the pivots  51  thereof. The outwardly moving ejectors  5  push tabs of the module receptacle outwardly move, then operator may pull the operating portion  41  rearwardly move to separate the plug-in module  100  from the module receptacle. At the same time, the spring arms  62  of the bias elements  6  are compressed by the actuating arms  42 . When release the pulling force exerted to the operating portion  41 , the compressed spring arms  62  of the bias elements  6  resume to their original statement, thus, providing elastic restore force to actuate the actuating member  4  and the ejectors  5  to their original positions. 
   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.