Patent Publication Number: US-2020288589-A1

Title: Standardized hot-pluggable transceiving unit with heat dissipation capabilities

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to the field of standardized hot-pluggable transceiving units. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a standardized hot-pluggable transceiving unit having heat dissipation capabilities. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) units represent one example of standardized hot-pluggable transceiving units. SFP units are standardized units adapted to be inserted within a chassis of a hosting unit. A suite of specifications, produced by the SFF (Small Form Factor) Committee, describe the size of the SFP unit, so as to ensure that all SFP compliant units may be inserted smoothly within one same chassis, i.e. inside cages, ganged cages, superposed cages and belly-to-belly cages. Specifications for SFP units are available at the SFF Committee website. 
     SFP units may be used with various types of exterior connectors, such as coaxial connectors, optical connectors, RJ45 connectors and various other types of electrical connectors. In general, an SFP unit allows connection between an external apparatus, via a front connector of one of the aforementioned types, and internal components of a hosting unit, for example a motherboard, a card or a backplane leading to further components, via a back interface of the SFP unit. Specification no INF-8074i Rev 1.0, entitled “SFP (Small Form-factor Pluggable) Transceiver, dated May 12, 2001, generally describes sizes, mechanical interfaces, electrical interfaces and identification of SFP units. 
     The SFF Committee also produced specification no SFF-8431 Rev. 4.1, “Enhanced Small Form-factor Pluggable Module SFP+”, dated Jul. 6, 2010. This document, which reflects an evolution of the INF-8074i specification, defines, inter alia, high speed electrical interface specifications for 10 Gigabit per second SFP+ modules and hosts, and testing procedures. The term “SFP+” designates an evolution of SFP specifications. 
     INF-8074i and SFF-8431 do not generally address internal features and functions of SFP devices. In terms of internal features, they simply define identification information to describe SFP devices&#39; capabilities, supported interfaces, manufacturer, and the like. As a result, conventional SFP devices merely provide connection means between external apparatuses and components of a hosting unit, the hosting unit in turn exchanging signals with external apparatuses via SFP devices. 
     Recently, SFP units with internal features and functions providing signal processing capabilities have appeared. For instance, some SFP units now include signal re-clocking, signal reshaping or reconditioning, signals combination or separation, signal monitoring, etc. Furthermore, some SFP units now include content processing capabilities, for processing the content transported by the signals received by the SFP units. 
     The integration of a larger number of electronic component within the housing of an SFP unit increases the global power consumption of the SFP unit, and accordingly the heat generated by the SFP unit. Therefore, it becomes practical and sometimes even mandatory to use heat dissipation means for extracting at least some of the generated heat from the SFP unit. A failure to perform heat dissipation may result in damaging some of the electronic component within the housing of the SFP unit, harming a person manipulating the SFP unit, etc. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a new standardized hot-pluggable transceiving unit having heat dissipation capabilities. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a transceiving unit. The transceiving unit comprises a housing adapted to being inserted into a port of a hosting unit, the housing defining a top surface. The transceiving unit comprises at least one electronic component located inside the housing. The transceiving unit comprises an insert disposed along the top surface of the housing, the insert passively extracting heat generated by the at least one electronic component located inside the housing. The transceiving unit comprises a rear connector located on a back panel of the housing. 
     According to a second aspect, the present disclosure provides transceiving unit. The transceiving unit comprises a housing adapted to being inserted into a port of a hosting unit, the housing comprising a front panel. The transceiving unit comprises a heat sink integrated to the front panel for passively extracting heat generated by the at least one electronic component located inside the housing. The transceiving unit comprises a rear connector located on a back panel of the housing. 
     In a particular aspect, the insert is made of copper, silver, graphite, gold, platinum, or an alloy of a combination thereof. 
     In another particular aspect, the transceiving unit is a standardized hot-pluggable transceiving unit and the housing has standardized dimensions. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments of the disclosure will be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of an SFP unit; 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the SFP unit of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a front elevation view of the SFP unit of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is back elevation view of the SFP unit of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the SFP unit of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the SFP unit of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of the SFP unit of  FIG. 1  with an insert for passively extracting heat; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the SFP unit of  FIG. 6  with an insert for passively extracting heat; 
         FIG. 9  is a top view of the SFP unit of  FIG. 1  with an insert for passively extracting heat, and without front connectors; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the SFP unit of  FIG. 6  with an insert for passively extracting heat, and without front connectors; 
         FIG. 11  is a front elevation view of the SFP unit of  FIG. 3  with an integrated heat sink; 
         FIGS. 12A, 12B and 13  are side elevation views of the SFP unit of  FIG. 2  with an integrated heat sink; 
         FIG. 14  is a front elevation view of the SFP unit of  FIG. 3  with two integrated heat sinks; and 
         FIGS. 15 and 16  are a side elevation views of the SFP unit of  FIG. 12A  with an active cooling device in addition to the integrated heat sink. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The foregoing and other features will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of illustrative embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     The present disclosure describes standardized hot-pluggable transceiving units, such as Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP)/SFP+ units, having internal features that far exceed those of conventional units. Conventional units merely provide connection capabilities between a hosting unit in which they are inserted and external apparatuses. The standardized hot-pluggable transceiving unit disclosed herein provides heat dissipation capabilities, in order to adapt to the heat generated by the power consumption of electronic component located within the housing of the transceiving unit. 
     The following terminology is used throughout the present disclosure:
         SFP: Small Form-factor Pluggable, this term refers to units that are insertable into a chassis of a hosting unit; in the present disclosure, an SFP unit complies with an industry standard specification.   Connector: A device component for physically joining circuits carrying electrical, optical, radio-frequency, or like signals.
 
Standardized Hot-Pluggable Transceiving Unit with Conventional Capabilities
       

     In the rest of the disclosure, an SFP unit is used to illustrate an example of a standardized hot-pluggable transceiving unit. However, the teachings of the present disclosure are not limited to an SFP unit; but can be applied to any type of standardized hot-pluggable transceiving unit. 
     An SFP unit comprises a housing having a front panel, a back panel, a top, a bottom and two sides. Generally, the front panel includes at least one connector for connecting a cable, a fiber, twisted pairs, etc. The back panel includes at least one rear connector for connecting to a hosting unit. However, some SFP units may have no front connector, or alternatively no rear connector. The SFP unit may be fully-compliant or partially compliant with various SFP standards, such as SFP, SFP+, XFP (SFP with 10 Gigabit/s data rate), Xenpak, QSFP (Quad (4-channel) SFP with 4×1 Gigabit/s data rate), QSFP+ (Quad (4-channel) SFP with 4×10 Gigabit/s data rate), CFP (C form-factor pluggable with 100 Gigabit/s data rate), CPAK, SFP28 (SFP with 25 Gigabit/s data rate), SFP56 (SFP with 50 Gigabit/s data rate), SFP112 (SFP with 112 Gigabit/s data rate), QSFP28 (Quad (4-channel) SFP with 4×28 Gigabit/s data rate), QSFP56 (Quad (4-channel) SFP with 4×56 Gigabit/s data rate), QSFP112 (Quad (4-channel) SFP with 4×112 Gigabit/s data rate), or any other standardized Small Form-factor Pluggable unit. 
     In the rest of the description, when the terminology SFP unit is used, it may encompass any of the aforementioned standards when applicable. 
     Reference is now made concurrently to  FIGS. 1-6 , which are, respectively, a top view, a side elevation view, a front elevation view, a back elevation view, a bottom view and a perspective view of an SFP unit  10 . The SFP unit  10  comprises a housing  12 . The housing defines a top  14 , a bottom  24 , and two sides  22 . The housing  12  is at least partially of dimensions in compliance with at least one of the previously mentioned SFP standards. Alternatively, the housing  12  has functional dimensions based on at least one of the aforementioned SFP standards. 
     The SFP unit  10  further comprises a back panel  16  affixed to the housing  12 . The back panel  16  comprises a rear connector  17 , for instance an electrical or an optical connector. In an example, the back panel  16  comprises the rear connector  17  (also named a host connector) suitable to connect the SFP unit  10  to a backplane of a chassis (not shown for clarity purposes) of a hosting unit, as known to those skilled in the art. More specifically, the connection is performed via a port of the hosting unit adapted for insertion of the SFP unit  10  and connection of the rear connector  17  to the backplane of the hosting unit. 
     The SFP unit  10  further comprises a front panel  18  affixed to the housing  12 . The front panel  18  comprises zero, one or more connector(s). For example,  FIGS. 1-6  illustrate a front panel  18  with a connector  20  of a co-axial cable type (adapted to send and/or receive video IP flows) and a connector  21  (also of the co-axial cable type, also adapted to send and/or receive video IP flows). The SFP unit  10  further comprises an engagement mechanism, such as for example a latch  26  as shown in a resting position on the bottom  24  in  FIG. 2 , for maintaining the SFP unit  10  in place within a chassis. 
     Transceiving Unit with a Top Insert for Extracting Heat 
     Referring now concurrently to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the SFP unit  10  of  FIGS. 1-6  is represented with an insert  100 . 
     The insert  100  is disposed along the top surface  14  of the housing  12 . The insert  100  is made of a material having the property of being an excellent heat conductor. For example, the insert  100  is made of copper, silver, graphite, gold, platinum, an alloy of at least two of these, etc. The role of the insert  100  is to extract heat generated by one or more electronic component located inside the housing  12 . 
       FIG. 7  represents a top view of the SFP unit  10  with the insert  100 , corresponding to  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 8  represents a perspective view of the SFP unit  10  with the insert  100 , corresponding to  FIG. 6 . 
     In a first exemplary implementation, the insert  100  is integral to the top surface  14  of the housing  12 . The housing  12  is made of a material different from the material of the insert  100 . For example, the housing  12  is made of steel or aluminum. A portion of material having the shape of the insert  100  is extruded from the top surface  14  of the housing  12 , and the insert  100  is positioned within the extruded portion of the top surface  14  of the housing  12 . The thickness of the insert  100  may be lower than, equal to or greater than the thickness of the top surface  14  of the housing  12 . The insert  100  is affixed to the top surface  14  of the housing  12  by means well known in the art (e.g. the insert  100  is welded to the top surface  14  of the housing  12 , the insert  100  is held together with the top surface  14  of the housing  12  by fasteners or bonding, etc.). In a particular configuration, the original top surface  14  of the housing  12  is entirely replaced with the insert  100 , so that the heat extraction capabilities are deployed on the entire top surface  14 . 
     In a second exemplary implementation, the insert  100  is affixed above the top surface  14  of the housing  12 . The insert  100  is positioned above a portion of the top surface  14  of the housing  12 . The insert  100  is affixed to the top surface  14  of the housing  12  by means well known in the art (e.g. the insert  100  is welded above the top surface  14  of the housing  12 , the insert  100  is held together with the top surface  14  of the housing  12  by fasteners or bonding, etc.). In a particular configuration, the top surface  14  of the housing  12  is entirely covered by the insert  100 , so that the heat extraction capabilities are deployed on the entire top surface  14 . 
     As mentioned previously, the SFP unit  10  includes one or more electronic component located inside the housing  12 . The one or more electronic component generates heat within the housing  12 , and at least part of the generated heat is passively extracted from the housing  12  by the insert  100 . The extracted heat is released by the insert  100  outside the housing  12 . Examples of electronic component include an optical to electrical signal converter, an electrical to optical signal converter, a signal re-clocking unit, a signal processing unit, a data processing unit adapted for processing data transported by a signal, etc. The signal or data processing unit may consist of processor(s), Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA), Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), etc. 
       FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate the SFP unit  10  comprising the rear connector  17  and at least one front connector (e.g.  20  and  21 ). However, in a different configuration represented in  FIGS. 9  (top view) and  10  (perspective view), the SFP unit  10  comprises the rear connector  17 , but no front connector located on the front panel  18 . 
     In the configuration ( FIGS. 9 and 10 ) where the SFP unit  10  has no front connector located on the front panel  18 , the front panel  18  may include components such as one or more led, a screen, etc. 
     The present disclosure is not limited to SFP units, but also applies to other types of standardized hot-pluggable transceiving units including the insert  100 . Furthermore, the present disclosure is not limited to SFP units or other types of standardized hot-pluggable transceiving units comprising a housing with standardized dimensions. The present disclosure also applies to any transceiving unit including the insert  100  and adapted to being inserted into a chassis/a corresponding port of a hosting unit. 
     Transceiving Unit with a Heat Sink for Extracting Heat 
     Referring now concurrently to  FIGS. 11, 12A, 12B and 13 , the SFP unit  10  of  FIGS. 1-6  is represented with a heat sink  200 . 
     The heat sink  200  is integrated to the front panel  18  of the housing  12 . The role of the heat sink  200  is to extract heat generated by one or more electronic component located inside the housing  12 . Heat sinks are well known in the art and can be designed to operate in the context of an SFP unit. 
     The one or more electronic component generates heat within the housing  12 , and at least part of the generated heat is passively extracted from the housing  12  by the heat sink  200 . The extracted heat is released by the heat sink  200  outside the housing  12 . Examples of electronic component include an optical to electrical signal converter, an electrical to optical signal converter, a signal re-clocking unit, a signal processing unit, a data processing unit adapted for processing data transported by a signal, etc. The signal or data processing unit may consist of processor(s), Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA), Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), etc. 
     In a first exemplary implementation, the heat sink  200  is at least partially located inside the front panel  18  of the housing  12 . A first end of the heat sink  200  extends within the housing  12 , for collecting the heat generated by the one or more electronic component located inside the housing  12 . A second end of the heat sink  200  extends outside the housing  12  through an opening in the front panel  18  of the housing  12 , for evacuating the heat (generated by the one or more electronic component located inside the housing  12 ) in the environment outside the housing  12 . Alternatively, the second end of the heat sink  200  does not extend outside the housing  12 , but is in contact with the environment outside the housing  12  through an opening in the front panel  18  of the housing  12 . The heat sink  200  is affixed to the front panel  18  and/or the rest of the housing  12  by means well known in the art (e.g. the heat sink  200  is welded to the front panel  18  and/or the rest of the housing  12 , the heat sink  200  is held together with the front panel  18  and/or the rest of the housing  12  by fasteners or bonding, etc.).  FIG. 11  represents a front elevation view of the SFP unit  10  with the heat sink  200 , corresponding to  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 12A  represents a side elevation view of the SFP unit  10  with the heat sink  200  extending outside the front panel  18 , corresponding to  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 12B  represents a side elevation view of the SFP unit  10  with the heat sink  200  not extending outside the front panel  18 , corresponding to  FIG. 2 . 
     In a second exemplary implementation, the heat sink  200  is affixed to a surface of the front panel  18  external to the housing  12 . The heat sink  200  is positioned along a portion of the external surface of the front panel  18  of the housing  12  and is located outside of the housing  12 . The heat sink  200  is affixed to the front panel  18  of the housing  12  by means well known in the art (e.g. the heat sink  200  is welded to the front panel  18  of the housing  12 , the heat sink  200  is held together with the front panel  18  of the housing  12  by fasteners or bonding, etc.). Heat generated by the one or more electronic component located inside the housing  12  is transmitted to the front panel  18  of the housing  12 , extracted by the heat sink  200  and released in the environment outside the housing  12  through thermal contact between the heat sink  200  and the external surface of the front panel  18  of the housing  12 .  FIG. 11  represents a front elevation view of the SFP unit  10  with the heat sink  200 , corresponding to  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 13  represents a side elevation view of the SFP unit  10  with the heat sink  200 , corresponding to  FIG. 2 . 
     In a third exemplary implementation, the heat sink  200  is a plug and play heat sink adapted for being inserted into a front connector (e.g.  20 ) located on the front panel  18  of the housing  12 . When plugged into the front connector, the heat sink  200  is in thermal contact with the external surface of the front panel  18  of the housing  12 . Heat generated by the one or more electronic component located inside the housing  12  is transmitted to the front panel  18  of the housing  12 , extracted by the heat sink  200  and released in the environment outside the housing  12  through thermal contact between the heat sink  200  and the external surface of the front panel  18  of the housing  12 . This implementation has not been represented in the Figures. 
     The representation of the heat sink  200  in the Figures is schematic for simplification purposes. The heat sink  200  may have various form factors (as is well known in the art) as long as the heat sink  200  is designed for being integrated to the front panel  18  of the housing  12 . 
       FIGS. 11, 12A, 12B and 13  illustrate the SFP unit  10  comprising the rear connector  17 , but no front connector located on the front panel  18 . However, in a different configuration not represented in the Figures for simplification purposes, the SFP unit  10  comprises the rear connector  17 , and at least one front connector (e.g.  20  and  21 ). The respective designs of the heat sink  200  and the at least one front connector are adapted for being concurrently supported by the front panel  18  of the housing  12 . 
     In the configuration where the SFP unit  10  has no front connector located on the front panel  18 , the front panel  18  may include components (in addition to the heatsink  200 ) such as one or more led, a screen, etc. Alternatively, the heat sink  200  occupies substantially the entire surface of the front panel  18 . 
     In an alternative configurations, the heat sink  200  may be integrated to one of the back panel  16 , the top  14 , the bottom  24 , or one of the sides  21 . Several heat sinks  200  may also be integrated to a combination of at least some of the front panel  18 , the back panel  16 , the top  14 , the bottom  24 , and at least one of the sides  21 . 
     The SFP unit  10  may comprise more than one heat sink  200  integrated to the front panel  18  of the housing  12 . For example,  FIG. 14  represents a front elevation view of the SFP unit  10  with two heat sinks  200 , corresponding to  FIG. 3 . 
     Optionally, the SFP unit  10  further comprises an active cooling device  300  located inside the housing  12 . The active cooling device  300  aims at improving the efficiency of the heat sink  200  for extracting heat generated by the one or more electronic component located inside the housing  12 . 
     Various types of active cooling devices may be used in the context of the present disclosure, such as for example a fan, a blower, a thermoelectric cooler, a heat pipe, etc. In a particular configuration, the active cooling device  300  is located in the vicinity of a surface of the front panel  18  internal to the housing  12 . 
       FIG. 15  represents a side elevation view of the SFP unit  10  (corresponding to  FIG. 12A ) with the heat sink  200  and an active cooling device  300  of the type fan, blower or thermoelectric cooler. In the case where the active cooling device  300  is a fan or a blower, it collaborates with the heat sink  200  by pushing heat generated by the one or more electronic component inside the housing  12  towards the heat sink  200 ; the heat sink  200  extracting the heat from the housing  12  and releasing the heat outside the housing  12  as previously described. In the case where the active cooling device  300  is a thermoelectric cooler, it complements the action of the heat sink  200  by absorbing some of the heat generated by the one or more electronic component inside the housing  12 . 
       FIG. 16  represents a side elevation view of the SFP unit  10  (corresponding to  FIG. 12A ) with the heat sink  200  and an active cooling device  300  of the type heat pipe. The heat pipe  300  extends longitudinally within the housing  12 . The heat pipe  300  collaborates with the heat sink  200  by absorbing heat generated by the one or more electronic component inside the housing  12  and releasing the absorbed heat in the vicinity of the heat sink  200 ; the heat sink  200  extracting the heat from the housing  12  and releasing the extracted heat outside the housing  12  as previously described. 
     Optionally, the SFP unit  10  further comprises the previously described insert  100 . 
     Thus, the following implementations of the SFP unit  10  are considered by the current disclosure: the SFP unit  10  comprising the heat sink  200  only, the SFP unit  10  comprising the heat sink  200  and the cooling device  300 , the SFP unit  10  comprising the heat sink  200  and the insert  100 , the SFP unit  10  comprising the heat sink  200  and a combination of the cooling device  300  and the insert  100   
     The present disclosure is not limited to SFP units, but also applies to other types of standardized hot-pluggable transceiving units including the heat sink  200 . Furthermore, the present disclosure is not limited to SFP units or other types of standardized hot-pluggable transceiving units comprising a housing with standardized dimensions. The present disclosure also applies to any transceiving unit including the heat sink  200  and adapted to being inserted into a chassis/a corresponding port of a hosting unit. 
     As mentioned previously, the SFP unit  10  comprises at least one connector (e.g. the rear connector  17  and optionally front connector(s)  20 ) for receiving and transmitting signals, each signal transporting one or more flow of data. For example, the flow of data consists of an IP flow transporting a data content (e.g. a video content). The signals and optionally the transported flows of data are processed by the electronic component located inside the housing  12  of the SFP unit  10 , as is well known in the art. 
     In a particular implementation, at least one of the front connectors is not adapted for receiving signals transporting IP flows. For example, one or more front connector (e.g.  20 ) is a Serial Digital Interface (SDI) connector adapted for receiving SDI signals transporting SDI video payloads. Other types of front connectors, such as a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) video connector for receiving a HDMI signals transporting HDMI video payloads, may be used as well. 
     Although the present disclosure has been described hereinabove by way of non-restrictive, illustrative embodiments thereof, these embodiments may be modified at will within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and nature of the present disclosure.