Optical module and assembly method thereof

Abstract

The application provides an optical module and an assembling method of the optical module. The optical module comprises a shell, a circuit board, a plurality of optical fiber sockets and a socket support. The optical fiber sockets are coupled to the circuit board through optical fibers. The socket support is arranged in front of an optical interface, and a limiting portion of an elastic locking arm of the socket support is provided. An inner side wall of a receiving groove of the shell is provided with an insertion portion, a locking portion and a one-way passing portion. The limiting portion of the elastic locking arm is inserted into the shell through the insertion portion, and the limiting portion of the elastic locking arm can slide through the one-way passing portion into the locking portion and abut against each other with the locking portion, so that the socket support is locked to the shell, and the plurality of optical fiber sockets are aligned and fastened to the optical interface. The optical module is assembled according to the assembling method of the optical module, the operation is simple, the optical fiber is not easily damaged, and the assembling efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of optical communication technology, and in particular to an optical module and its assembly method. Background Technology

[0002] Chinese invention patent CN111897060B discloses an optical module. The optical module includes a housing, a circuit board disposed within the housing, a photoelectric chip, and an optical fiber module. The housing comprises a lower housing and an upper housing. The lower housing has a groove for accommodating the optical fiber module, which is housed within the groove, thus fixing and positioning the optical fiber module.

[0003] The fiber optic module comprises several optical fibers and connecting components. The connecting components include fiber optic connectors, fasteners, and fiber optic pigtails. The connecting components are used to secure the fiber optic pigtails to the fiber optic connectors. In this design, assembling the fiber optic module requires inserting the fiber optic pigtail into the socket on the fiber optic connector, then securing it by aligning upper and lower connecting plates. Furthermore, the upper and lower connecting plates are also secured to the fiber optic connector via slotted structures. This connecting component structure is complex, with numerous parts, resulting in many steps during fiber optic module assembly. Moreover, the fiber optic cables are easily pulled during assembly, potentially causing breakage of delicate fibers, thus hindering production and reducing production efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and to propose an optical module with a simplified structure and convenient assembly.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, an optical module is provided, comprising:

[0006] An optical module, comprising:

[0007] A housing has a receiving groove extending in a front-rear direction. The inner sidewall of the receiving groove is provided with an insertion part and a locking part in the front-rear direction. The insertion part is located in front of the locking part. A one-way passage part is also provided between the insertion part and the locking part. An optical interface is provided on the rear side of the housing.

[0008] A circuit board is housed within the receiving slot, with the front end of the circuit board extending forward out of the housing to form an electrical interface;

[0009] Multiple fiber optic sockets, coupled to the circuit board via optical fibers; and,

[0010] A socket bracket is provided in front of the optical interface. The socket bracket includes a panel and elastic locking arms on both sides of the panel. The optical fiber socket is snapped onto the panel. A limiting part is provided on the elastic locking arm.

[0011] The limiting part of the elastic locking arm can slide backward from the insertion part past the one-way passage part, enter the locking part and abut against the locking part, thereby locking the socket bracket to the housing and aligning and fastening the plurality of fiber optic sockets to the optical interface.

[0012] In one embodiment, the insertion portion is an outwardly recessed insertion groove, the locking portion is an outwardly recessed locking groove, and the one-way passage portion is a one-way passage protrusion that extends inward relative to the insertion groove and the locking groove.

[0013] In one embodiment, the limiting portion is a limiting protrusion that protrudes outward from the outside of the elastic locking arm. The rear side of the limiting protrusion is provided with a first guide surface, and the front side of the one-way through protrusion is a second guide surface. The first guide surface and the second guide surface are inclined relative to the front-back direction.

[0014] In one embodiment, the panel is disposed perpendicular to the bottom of the receiving groove, and at least two of the resilient locking arms extend forward from opposite sides of the panel.

[0015] In one embodiment, the front surface of the limiting protrusion is a first limiting surface, and the rear surface of the one-way protrusion toward the locking groove is a second limiting surface, wherein the first limiting surface abuts against the second limiting surface.

[0016] In one embodiment, the optical module further includes a cover and a locking assembly. The cover is disposed on the top of the housing to close the receiving groove, and a heat sink is provided on the cover. The locking assembly includes a handle and a sliding arm fixed in front of the handle, and a buckle is provided at the front end of the sliding arm.

[0017] In one embodiment, the fiber optic socket includes a fiber optic ferrule and a front baffle and a rear baffle disposed on the outside of the fiber optic ferrule. The front baffle and the rear baffle are respectively attached to the front and rear sides of the panel to limit the fiber optic ferrule.

[0018] In one embodiment, an elastic gasket is further included, which is sleeved on the outer periphery of the optical fiber ferrule and is disposed between the rear baffle and the housing.

[0019] In one embodiment, the panel has a plurality of slots for engaging the fiber optic socket. The slots include a first slot and a second slot arranged vertically. The opening of the first slot faces the upper edge of the panel, and the opening of the second slot faces the lower edge of the panel.

[0020] In one embodiment, a spacer is provided between the circuit board and the socket bracket, and the spacer has multiple slits to accommodate different optical fibers.

[0021] A method for assembling an optical module is also provided.

[0022] An assembly method for an optical module includes the following steps:

[0023] A housing, a circuit board disposed inside the housing, and a plurality of fiber optic sockets connected to the circuit board via optical fibers are provided; an optical interface is provided at the rear end of the housing, and a receiving groove is provided inside the housing. An insertion part and a locking part are provided on the inner sidewall of the receiving groove along the front-back direction, and a one-way passage part is provided between the insertion part and the locking part.

[0024] A socket bracket is provided, the socket bracket including a panel and two elastic locking arms extending forward from both sides of the panel, the panel being provided with a plurality of slots, and the elastic locking arms being provided with a limiting part;

[0025] First, snap the fiber optic socket into the slot of the socket bracket;

[0026] Then the socket bracket is installed into the housing, so that the limiting part of the elastic locking arm is inserted downward into the insertion part;

[0027] Next, push the socket bracket backward so that the limiting part of the elastic locking arm slides past the one-way passage and finally stops at the locking part, so that the socket bracket is locked onto the housing and the fiber optic socket is aligned and fastened to the optical interface.

[0028] In one embodiment, the insertion portion is an outwardly recessed insertion groove, the locking portion is an outwardly recessed locking groove, and the one-way passage portion is a one-way passage protrusion that extends inward relative to the insertion groove and the locking groove.

[0029] In one embodiment, the limiting portion is a limiting protrusion that protrudes outward from the outside of the elastic locking arm. The rear side of the limiting protrusion is provided with a first guide surface, and the front side of the one-way through protrusion is a second guide surface. The first guide surface and the second guide surface are inclined relative to the front-back direction. During assembly, the first guide surface of the limiting protrusion slides along the second guide surface of the one-way through protrusion across the one-way through protrusion.

[0030] In one embodiment, the front side of the limiting protrusion is a first limiting surface, and the rear side of the one-way through protrusion facing the locking groove is a second limiting surface. Both the first limiting surface and the second limiting surface are perpendicular to the front-back direction. After assembly, the first limiting surface of the elastic locking arm abuts against the second limiting surface of the one-way through protrusion.

[0031] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has at least the following advantages: The socket bracket of the optical module in this design is an integral component, with a simple structure and low manufacturing cost; when the optical module of this embodiment is assembled according to the above assembly method, the limiting part of the elastic locking arm of the socket bracket is inserted into the insertion part of the housing. After entering the receiving groove, the fiber optic socket on the socket bracket is aligned with the optical interface. Then, the socket bracket is pushed backward, so that the limiting part of the elastic locking arm slides from the insertion part into the locking part, and at the same time, the fiber optic socket on the socket bracket is inserted and fixed into the optical interface. Therefore, in the above assembly process of the optical module, multiple fiber optic sockets can be inserted and fixed into the optical interface simultaneously by simply inserting and pushing the socket bracket, which is simple to operate. Furthermore, the locking cooperation between the locking part and the limiting part of the elastic locking arm can keep the socket bracket in a limited position, thereby ensuring the stable installation of the fiber optic socket.

[0032] Furthermore, during the insertion of fiber optic connectors into the optical interface, unlike traditional fiber optic connectors which require one-to-one alignment with specific positions within the housing, leading to potential interference and fiber damage from pulling, the optical module of this embodiment utilizes a system where multiple fiber optic connectors move simultaneously from front to back to their designated positions, aligning with the optical interface. This minimizes interference between the connectors, preventing fiber damage and improving operational efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the optical module of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows an exploded view of the optical module.

[0035] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 The side view of the optical module shown;

[0036] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the optical module shown;

[0037] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 The exploded view of the housing, fiber optic socket, and socket bracket shown;

[0038] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 An exploded view of the fiber optic socket and socket bracket shown.

[0039] Figure 7 yes Figure 2 The diagram shown is a 3D view of the optical module with the fiber optic socket not yet inserted into the optical interface.

[0040] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 A magnified view of part C of the optical module shown;

[0041] Figure 9 yes Figure 7 A top view of the optical module shown;

[0042] Figure 10 yes Figure 7 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the optical module's fiber optic socket inserted into the optical interface;

[0043] Figure 11 yes Figure 10 A magnified view of part D of the optical module shown;

[0044] Figure 12 yes Figure 10 A top view of the optical module shown;

[0045] Figure 13 This is a flowchart of the assembly method of the optical module of the present invention.

[0046] The reference numerals in the attached figures are explained as follows:

[0047] 1. Optical module;

[0048] 10. Housing; 11. Receiving groove; 101. Electrical interface; 102. Optical interface; 12. Insertion groove; 13. Locking groove; 14. One-way passage protrusion; 141. Second limiting surface; 142. Second guide surface;

[0049] 20. Circuit board; 21. Optoelectronic chip;

[0050] 30. Fiber optic socket; 31. Fiber optic ferrule; 32. Front baffle; 33. Rear baffle; 34. Elastic gasket;

[0051] 40. Socket bracket; 41. Panel; 411. Reinforcing rib; 42. Elastic locking arm; 421. Elastic part; 422. Limiting protrusion; 423. First limiting surface; 424. First guide surface; 43. Slot; 431. First slot; 432. Second slot;

[0052] 50. Cover; 51. Heat sink;

[0053] 60. Optical fiber;

[0054] 70. Locking assembly; 71. Handle; 72. Sliding arm; 73. Buckle; 74. Elastic element;

[0055] 80. Spacers;

[0056] 90. Bolts and fasteners. Detailed Implementation

[0057] Although the invention can be readily embodied in various forms, only some specific embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings and will be described in detail in this specification. It is understood that this specification should be regarded as an exemplary illustration of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to what is described herein.

[0058] Therefore, a feature pointed out in this specification is used to illustrate one feature of one embodiment of the invention, and does not imply that every embodiment of the invention must have the described feature. Furthermore, it should be noted that this specification describes many features. While certain features may be combined to illustrate possible system designs, these features may also be used in other combinations not explicitly stated. Therefore, unless otherwise stated, the described combinations are not intended to be limiting.

[0059] In the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, the directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, and back) used to explain the structure and movement of the various elements of the invention are relative rather than absolute. These descriptions are appropriate when these elements are in the positions shown in the drawings. If the descriptions of the positions of these elements change, these directional indications also change accordingly.

[0060] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 An optical module 1 mainly includes a housing 10, a circuit board 20, multiple fiber optic sockets 30, and a socket bracket 40. The circuit board 20, the multiple fiber optic sockets 30, and the socket bracket 40 are all housed within the housing 10. The multiple fiber optic sockets 30 are fixed within the housing 10 by the socket bracket 40. Furthermore, the fiber optic sockets 30 are optocoupled to the circuit board 20 via optical fibers. The optical module 1 is suitable for connecting communication signals between optoelectronic devices, enabling signal transmission.

[0061] The housing 10 is elongated, and a receiving groove 11 is formed inside the housing 10 along its front-to-back extension direction. The optical module 1 also includes a cover 50. The cover 50 is placed on top of the housing 10 to cover the receiving groove 11, and the cover 50 and the housing 10 are interlocked to form a closed receiving cavity. The circuit board 20, the fiber optic socket 30, and the socket bracket 40 are all located inside the receiving cavity. The cover 50 can be fastened to the housing 10 by means of snap-fit, screw connection, or other methods.

[0062] Specifically, after the cover 50 is placed on the housing 10, the cover 50 is then fastened to the housing 10 using bolts 90. The bottom of the housing 10 may have a screw hole, and the cover 50 has a corresponding countersunk hole.

[0063] Furthermore, the cover 50 is equipped with heat sinks 51. The heat sinks 51 can improve the heat dissipation effect of the optical module 1. The multi-layered stacked heat sinks 51 can be soldered and fixed to the cover 50 by reflow soldering process, and have high heat dissipation performance.

[0064] Please see Figure 3 and Figure 4 The front end of the housing 10 is an electrical interface 101, and the rear end of the housing 10 is an optical interface 102. The receiving groove 11 is also elongated and narrow, and it is opened along the front-to-back direction. The optical interface 102 of the housing 10 can be a plug-in structure, so that the fiber optic socket 30 can be stably housed within the optical interface 102. One end of the optical interface 102 is located on the rear side wall of the receiving groove 11. The optical interface 102 connects the receiving groove 11 and the outside of the housing 10. One end of the optical interface 102 is used to pass through the fiber optic socket 30, and the other end is used to connect to an external optical plug, so that the external optical plug can transmit optical signals with the fiber optic socket 30 located in the optical interface 102.

[0065] Circuit board 20 is mounted within receiving slot 11 and positioned near electrical interface 101. Optoelectronic chip 21 is disposed on circuit board 20 and electrically connected to it. Optical fiber 60 transmits optical signals between optoelectronic chip 21 and optical interface 102. Circuit board 20 is housed within receiving slot 11, and its front end has gold fingers for electrical connection with other signal devices. The front end of circuit board 20 with gold fingers protrudes forward into electrical interface 101.

[0066] Multiple fiber optic sockets 30 are connected to the circuit board 20 via optical fibers 60. One end of each optical fiber 60 is optically coupled to the aforementioned optoelectronic chip 21. Furthermore, a spacer 80 is provided between the circuit board 20 and the socket support 40. This spacer 80 has multiple slits to accommodate different optical fibers 60, serving to organize the fibers and prevent them from interfering with or tangling.

[0067] The other end of the optical fiber 60 is connected to the optical fiber socket 30, which is installed at the optical interface 102. The optical module 1 directly uses the optical fiber 60 to transmit optical signals between the optoelectronic chip 21 and the optical interface 102. The optical fiber socket 30 is directly assembled into the optical interface 102, eliminating the need for an intermediate converter, resulting in a simpler and more compact structure and easier assembly.

[0068] The socket bracket 40 supports the fiber optic socket 30 and secures it within the optical interface 102. During optical signal transmission in the optical module 1, the fiber optic socket 30 requires high stability and must not wobble or move. When the fiber optic socket 30 is inserted into the optical interface 102, the socket bracket 40 restricts its movement, preventing it from shifting along the axial direction of the optical interface 102. Therefore, the socket bracket 40 and the optical interface 102 respectively limit the axial and circumferential movement of the fiber optic socket 30, ensuring its stable position.

[0069] Please see Figure 5 Specifically, in this embodiment, the socket bracket 40 is positioned close to the front of the optical interface 102, aligning the fiber optic socket 30 with the optical interface 102. The socket bracket 40 includes a panel 41 and elastic locking arms 42 disposed on both sides of the panel 41. The panel 41 is disposed perpendicular to the bottom of the receiving groove 11. The panel 41 has multiple slots 43. These slots 43 are used to engage the fiber optic socket 30. The end of the elastic locking arm 42 is provided with a limiting portion; in some embodiments not shown, the limiting portion may also be located in the middle of the elastic locking arm 42. Specifically, in this embodiment, the limiting portion is a limiting protrusion 422 protruding towards the inner wall of the receiving groove 11. The socket bracket 40 is fixed to the housing 10 by the elastic locking arms 42.

[0070] An insertion part and a locking part are provided on the inner sidewall of the receiving groove 11 along the front-back direction. Specifically, in this embodiment, the insertion part is an insertion groove 12 that is recessed outward from the inner sidewall of the receiving groove 11, and the locking part is a locking groove 13 that is recessed outward from the inner sidewall of the receiving groove 11.

[0071] The insertion slot 12 is located in front of the locking slot 13. A one-way passage is also provided between the insertion slot 12 and the locking slot 13. Specifically, in this embodiment, the one-way passage is a one-way passage protrusion 14 that protrudes inward relative to the insertion slot 12 and the locking slot 13. The limiting protrusion 422 of the elastic locking arm 42 is inserted into the housing 10 through the insertion slot 12. Then, the socket bracket 40 is moved backward so that the limiting protrusion 422 of the elastic locking arm 42 slides from the insertion slot 12 past the one-way passage protrusion 14 into the locking slot 13 and abuts against the locking slot 13, thus locking the socket bracket 40 onto the housing 10, and inserting and securing the fiber optic socket 30 into the optical interface 102.

[0072] In other embodiments not shown, the engaging relationship between the limiting protrusion 422 of the elastic locking arm 42 and the insertion groove 12 and locking groove 13 can be modified as follows: the insertion part can be an insertion protrusion protruding inward from the inner wall of the receiving groove, and the locking part can be a locking protrusion protruding inward from the inner wall of the receiving groove. The one-way passage part can be a one-way passage groove, which is recessed outward relative to the insertion protrusion and the locking protrusion. The insertion protrusion and the locking protrusion protrude towards the inner side of the receiving groove, and the one-way passage groove can be recessed towards the outer side of the receiving groove. The limiting part of the elastic locking arm can be a limiting groove. The limiting groove is recessed inward from the outer side of the elastic locking arm. The limiting groove is inserted into the receiving groove by the insertion protrusion and moves along the one-way passage groove, and abuts against the locking protrusion.

[0073] In the optical module 1 of this embodiment, the limiting protrusion 422 of the elastic locking arm 42 of the socket bracket 40 is inserted into the insertion groove 12 (insertion part). After entering the receiving groove 11, the fiber optic socket 30 on the socket bracket 40 is aligned with the optical interface 102. Then, the socket bracket 40 is pushed backward, causing the elastic locking arm 42 to slide from the insertion groove 12 (insertion part) into the locking groove 13 (locking part), and at the same time, the fiber optic socket 30 on the socket bracket 40 is inserted into the optical interface 102. Therefore, in the assembly process of the optical module 1, the assembly of the fiber optic socket 30 only requires inserting it downward first and then pushing the socket bracket 40 backward to simultaneously insert multiple fiber optic sockets 30 into the optical interface 102. The operation is simple and can prevent fiber optic entanglement and damage. Furthermore, the locking engagement between the locking groove 13 and the elastic locking arm 42 can keep the socket bracket 40 in a limited position, thereby ensuring the stable installation of the fiber optic socket 30.

[0074] Please see Figure 5 and Figure 7 Specifically, in this embodiment, the optical module 1 further includes a locking assembly 70. The locking assembly 70 includes a handle 71 and a sliding arm 72 fixed in front of the handle 71. The handle 71 is installed at the rear of the housing 10 for easy pulling of the optical module 1. The front end of the sliding arm 72 is provided with a latch 73 for engaging with a switch or similar device. When the optical module 1 is inserted into a port of a switch housing (not shown), the optical module 1 is engaged and fixed with the housing via the latch 73.

[0075] Specifically, in this embodiment, the sliding arm 72 is slidably disposed on the outer side of both side walls of the housing 10. Furthermore, an elastic member 74 is provided between the sliding arm 72 and the side wall of the housing 10. Both ends of the elastic member 74 abut against the sliding arm 72 and the side wall of the housing 10, respectively. The elastic member 74 can be a spring or the like.

[0076] When the operator pulls handle 71, the sliding arm 72 moves relative to the housing 10, causing the latch 73 of the sliding arm 72 to disengage and the elastic element 74 to compress, thereby separating the optical module 1 from the housing. When the optical module 1 is pulled out of the housing, the elastic element 74 returns to its elastic deformation, causing the sliding arm 72 to reset.

[0077] Please see Figure 6 Specifically, in this embodiment, each fiber optic socket 30 includes a fiber optic ferrule 31, a front baffle 32 and a rear baffle 33 sleeved on the outside of the fiber optic ferrule 31, and an elastic gasket 34. The fiber optic ferrule 31 is connected to the optical fiber 60. The front baffle 32 and the rear baffle 33 are spaced apart from each other.

[0078] Furthermore, an elastic gasket 34 is fitted onto the fiber optic ferrule 31 and positioned between the rear baffle 33 and the housing 10. The elastic gasket 34 possesses a certain degree of elasticity, thus absorbing vibration and assembly errors. The elastic gasket 34 can be a conductive rubber ring. The elastic gasket 34 forms electromagnetic shielding between the optical interface 102 and the fiber optic socket 30, thereby improving the electromagnetic interference immunity of the optical module 1.

[0079] Specifically, in this embodiment, there are four fiber optic sockets 30. The four fiber optic sockets 30 are arranged in a rectangular pattern. There can also be multiple fiber optic sockets 30, such as six or eight. Furthermore, different arrangement methods are possible depending on different usage requirements.

[0080] The shape of the slot 43 is designed to accommodate the fiber optic ferrule 31. Furthermore, the opening of the slot 43 has a tapered portion that can hold the outer wall of the fiber optic ferrule 31, thus ensuring the fiber optic ferrule 31 is stably housed within the slot 43. The panel 41 is engaged between the front baffle 32 and the rear baffle 33, with the front baffle 32 and rear baffle 33 respectively abutting against the front and rear sides of the panel 41 to limit the fiber optic ferrule 31. Therefore, the front baffle 32 and rear baffle 33 limit the fiber optic ferrule 31 axially, ensuring its stable fixation on the panel 41. Thus, simply inserting the fiber optic ferrule 31 of the fiber optic socket 30 into the slot 43 is sufficient for convenient operation.

[0081] Specifically, in this embodiment, the panel 41 has four slots 43. These slots 43 include two first slots 431 and two second slots 432 arranged vertically, wherein the openings of the first slots 431 face the upper edge of the panel 41, and the openings of the second slots 432 face the lower edge of the panel 41. That is, two first slots 431 with upward openings are provided on the upper edge of the panel 41, and two second slots 432 with downward openings are provided on the lower edge of the panel 41.

[0082] Furthermore, a reinforcing rib 411 is provided on the front side of the panel 41 facing the circuit board 20. There can be multiple reinforcing ribs 411, which are arranged in an alternating manner to improve the strength of the panel 41.

[0083] Specifically, in this embodiment, the resilient locking arms 42 are located on opposite sides of the panel 41. The resilient locking arms 42 extend forward from the panel 41.

[0084] There can be at least two resilient locking arms 42, each corresponding to one of the two opposite inner sidewalls of the receiving groove 11. The two resilient locking arms 42 engage with the two inner sidewalls of the receiving groove 11 respectively. Specifically, in this embodiment, the lateral width of the socket bracket 40 is equal to the width of the receiving groove 11, and the socket bracket 40 can slide stably along the bottom of the receiving groove 11. The length direction of the housing 10 is longitudinal, and the width direction of the housing 10 is transverse. Furthermore, the resilient locking arms 42 maintain contact with the inner sidewalls of the receiving groove 11. Therefore, when the socket bracket 40 is pushed backward, the resilient locking arms 42 can sequentially engage with the insertion groove 12 and the locking groove 13.

[0085] Please see Figure 6 The resilient locking arm 42 extends forward from the panel 41. The resilient locking arm 42 includes an elastic portion 421 and a limiting protrusion 422 located at the front end of the elastic portion 421. The elastic portion 421 is a long, narrow elastic arm extending forward from the side edge of the panel 41. The elastic portion 421 is parallel to the inner wall of the receiving groove 11 and extends a certain length in the front-rear direction, giving the elastic portion 421 elasticity. The elastic portion 421 facilitates the movement of the resilient locking arm 42 along the inner wall of the housing 10.

[0086] Please see Figure 7 and Figure 8 The limiting protrusion 422 protrudes outward from the outside of the elastic locking arm 42. By pushing the limiting protrusion 422 backward, it can be sequentially engaged into the insertion groove 12 and the locking groove 13.

[0087] The limiting protrusion 422 includes a first limiting surface 423 facing forward and a first guide surface 424 facing rearward. Preferably, the plane containing the first limiting surface 423 is parallel to the plane containing the panel 41. Preferably, the first limiting surface 423 is perpendicular to the front-rear direction or forms a small angle (e.g., 5 degrees) with the front-rear direction.

[0088] Please see Figure 8 and Figure 9 The unidirectional protrusion 14 includes a second limiting surface 141 facing the rear and a second guiding surface 142 facing the front.

[0089] The second limiting surface 141 is a one-way surface passing through the rear side of the protrusion 14. Furthermore, the second limiting surface 141 is parallel to the first limiting surface 423. When the limiting protrusion 422 is inserted into the locking groove 13, the first limiting surface 423 and the second limiting surface 141 abut against each other, preventing the socket bracket 40 from moving forward, thereby keeping the socket bracket 40 fixed.

[0090] The second guide surface 142 is the front surface of the one-way through protrusion 14. The first guide surface 424 and the second guide surface 142 are inclined relative to the front-back direction, wherein the first guide surface 424 can slide backward along the second guide surface 142 past the one-way through protrusion 14. The first guide surface 424 and the second guide surface 142 are preferably designed as matching inclined or curved surfaces. The cooperation between the first guide surface 424 and the second guide surface 142 allows the limiting protrusion 422 to smoothly slide past the one-way through protrusion 14 into the locking groove 13 when the operator pushes the socket bracket 40 backward, which is convenient for operation.

[0091] Preferably, the projected shape of the insertion slot 12 is larger than the projected shape of the limiting protrusion 422, so that the limiting protrusion 422 can move downward and be inserted into the insertion slot 12. Furthermore, in the front-rear direction, the length of the insertion slot 12 is greater than the length of the limiting protrusion 422. The limiting protrusion 422 can not only enter the receiving groove 11 downward through the insertion slot 12, but also adjust the distance between the panel 41 and the rear sidewall of the receiving groove 11 in the front-rear direction via the insertion slot 12.

[0092] Specifically, the operator can push the socket bracket 40 backward to insert the fiber optic socket 30 into the optical interface 102. The limiting protrusion 422 moves backward, slides past the one-way through protrusion 14, enters the locking groove 13 through the insertion groove 12, and abuts against the locking groove 13 (or the second limiting surface 141 of the one-way through protrusion 14 facing the locking groove 13).

[0093] The assembly process of optical module 1 will now be explained in detail:

[0094] Please see Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 When the operator moves the socket bracket 40 downwards so that the limiting protrusion 422 is inserted into the insertion slot 12, a first gap A is formed between the panel 41 of the socket bracket 40 and the rear side wall of the receiving slot 11. This first gap A can be used to accommodate the portion of the fiber optic socket 30 extending rearward from the slot 43. The limiting protrusion 422 moves in the front-to-back direction within the insertion slot 12, adjusting the distance of the first gap A to facilitate the socket bracket 40 and the fiber optic socket 30 falling into the receiving slot 11.

[0095] When the socket bracket 40 and the fiber optic socket 30 are fully inserted into the receiving groove 11, the fiber optic socket 30 on the socket bracket 40 is aligned with the optical interface 102 in the front-to-back direction. Please also refer to... Figure 10 , Figure 11 and Figure 12 When the operator pushes the socket bracket 40 backward, the socket bracket 40 moves backward toward the optical interface 102, so that the fiber optic socket 30 is inserted into the optical interface 102. At the same time, the limiting protrusion 422 of the elastic locking arm 42 also enters the locking groove 13 from the insertion groove 12. The first limiting surface 423 and the second limiting surface 141 abut against each other, thereby completing the assembly of the fiber optic socket 30.

[0096] After the fiber optic socket 30 is inserted into the optical interface 102 and assembled, a second gap B is formed between the panel 41 and the rear wall of the receiving groove 11. The second gap B is smaller than the first gap A. This second gap B can accommodate the rear baffle 33 and the elastic gasket 34 of the fiber optic socket 30. Preferably, the sum of the thicknesses of the rear baffle 33 and the elastic gasket 34 is slightly greater than the size of the second gap B, thereby pressing the elastic gasket 34 tightly against the rear wall of the receiving groove 11, further improving the stability and sealing of the socket bracket 40.

[0097] The present invention also provides a method for assembling an optical module, which includes the following steps:

[0098] Please see Figure 13 In step S10, a housing, a circuit board disposed inside the housing, and a plurality of fiber optic sockets connected to the circuit board via optical fibers are provided; an optical interface is provided at the rear end of the housing, a receiving groove is provided inside the housing, an insertion part and a locking part are provided on the inner sidewall of the receiving groove along the front-back direction, and a one-way passage part is provided between the insertion part and the locking part.

[0099] Specifically, in this embodiment, the insertion portion can be an outwardly recessed insertion groove 12. The locking portion can be an outwardly recessed locking groove 13, and the one-way passage portion is a one-way passage protrusion 14 protruding inward relative to the insertion groove 12 and the locking groove 13. The one-way passage protrusion 14 protrudes toward the receiving groove 11. The one-way passage protrusion 14 includes a second limiting surface 141 and a second guiding surface 142. The second limiting surface 141 is the rear side surface of the one-way passage protrusion 14. The second guiding surface 142 is the front side surface of the one-way passage protrusion 14.

[0100] Furthermore, the process may include step S101, in which the locking assembly 70 is mounted on the housing 10. The locking assembly 70 is slidably connected to the housing 10 via the sliding arm 72.

[0101] Step S11, a socket bracket is provided. The socket bracket 40 includes a panel 41 and two elastic locking arms 42 extending forward from both sides of the panel 41. The panel 41 is provided with a plurality of slots 43, and the elastic locking arms 42 are provided with a limiting part.

[0102] There are at least two resilient locking arms 42, and these resilient locking arms 42 are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the panel 41. The resilient locking arms 42 extend forward from the panel 41. The limiting portion of the resilient locking arm 42 is a limiting protrusion 422. The limiting protrusion 422 protrudes outward from the outside of the resilient locking arm 42. The limiting protrusion 422 includes a first limiting surface 423 and a first guide surface 424. The first limiting surface 423 is the front side of the limiting protrusion 422. The first guide surface 424 is the rear side of the limiting protrusion 422.

[0103] The first limiting surface 423 and the second limiting surface 142 abut against each other and are both perpendicular to the front-back direction. The first guiding surface 424 and the second guiding surface 142 are inclined relative to the front-back direction. The first guiding surface 424 of the limiting protrusion 422 can slide backward along the second guiding surface 142 of the one-way protrusion 14.

[0104] Step S12: First, snap the fiber optic socket 30 into the slot 43 of the socket bracket 40.

[0105] In the above steps, it is only necessary to insert each fiber optic socket 30 into the corresponding slot 43 to achieve the assembly between the fiber optic socket 30 and the socket bracket 40, which is relatively convenient.

[0106] Step S13, then insert the socket bracket 40 into the housing 10, so that the limiting part of the elastic locking arm 42 is inserted downward into the insertion part.

[0107] Specifically, the socket bracket 40 is installed into the housing 10, so that the limiting protrusion 422 of the elastic locking arm 42 is correspondingly received in the insertion slot 12. The socket bracket 40 is located in front of the optical interface 102, and the fiber optic socket 30 is aligned with the optical interface 102.

[0108] In step S14, the socket bracket 40 is then pushed backward, causing the limiting part of the elastic locking arm 42 to slide past the one-way passage and finally stop at the locking part, thereby locking the socket bracket 40 onto the housing 40 and aligning and fastening the fiber optic socket 30 to the optical interface 102.

[0109] Specifically in this embodiment, the limiting protrusion 422 of the elastic locking arm 42 slides backward from the insertion groove 12 through the one-way through protrusion 14 and is locked in the locking groove 13, and the fiber optic socket 30 moves backward to be inserted into the optical interface 102, the socket bracket 40 is locked on the housing 10, and the fiber optic socket 30 is fastened to the optical interface 102.

[0110] The method also includes the step of fastening the cover plate 50 to the top of the housing 10, so that the housing 10 is sealed to form an optical module.

[0111] Therefore, in the optical module assembly method of this embodiment, the assembly of the fiber optic socket 30 and socket bracket 40 only requires inserting the socket bracket 40 with the fiber optic socket 30 downwards into the housing 10, and then pushing the fiber optic socket 30 backwards to simultaneously insert multiple fiber optic sockets 30 into the optical interface 102, which is relatively simple to operate. Furthermore, the locking engagement between the locking groove 13 and the elastic locking arm 42 keeps the socket bracket 40 in a limited position, thereby ensuring the stability of the fiber optic socket 30's position. Moreover, the above-described optical module assembly method is less likely to damage the fiber optic socket 30 and the fiber optic cable 60, thus improving product yield. The socket bracket of this optical module is an integral component, with a simple structure and low manufacturing cost.

[0112] The above embodiments of electrical connectors are merely illustrative examples. The structures of the various parts of the electrical connector assembly are not fixed combinations. In the absence of structural conflicts, the various parts of the electrical connector in multiple embodiments can be arbitrarily combined and used.

[0113] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily make corresponding modifications or alterations based on the main concept and spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of protection claimed in the claims.

Claims

1. An optical module, characterized in that, include: A housing has a receiving groove extending in a front-rear direction. The inner sidewall of the receiving groove is provided with an insertion part and a locking part in the front-rear direction. The insertion part is located in front of the locking part. A one-way passage part is also provided between the insertion part and the locking part. An optical interface is provided on the rear side of the housing. A circuit board is housed within the receiving slot, with the front end of the circuit board extending forward out of the housing to form an electrical interface; Multiple fiber optic sockets, coupled to the circuit board via optical fibers; and, A socket bracket is provided in front of the optical interface. The socket bracket includes a panel and elastic locking arms on both sides of the panel. The optical fiber socket is snapped onto the panel. A limiting part is provided on the elastic locking arm. The limiting part of the elastic locking arm can slide backward from the insertion part past the one-way passage part, enter the locking part and abut against the locking part, thereby locking the socket bracket to the housing and aligning and fastening the plurality of fiber optic sockets to the optical interface.

2. The optical module as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The insertion part is an outwardly recessed insertion groove, the locking part is an outwardly recessed locking groove, and the one-way passage part is a one-way passage protrusion that extends inward relative to the insertion groove and the locking groove.

3. The optical module as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The limiting part is a limiting protrusion that protrudes outward from the outside of the elastic locking arm. The rear side of the limiting protrusion is provided with a first guide surface, and the front side of the one-way through protrusion is a second guide surface. The first guide surface and the second guide surface are inclined relative to the front-back direction.

4. The optical module as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The panel is disposed perpendicular to the bottom of the receiving groove, and at least two of the resilient locking arms extend forward from opposite sides of the panel.

5. The optical module as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The front surface of the limiting protrusion is a first limiting surface, and the rear surface of the one-way protrusion facing the locking groove is a second limiting surface. The first limiting surface abuts against the second limiting surface.

6. The optical module as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The optical module also includes a cover and a locking assembly. The cover is placed on top of the housing to close the receiving groove, and a heat sink is provided on the cover. The locking assembly includes a handle and a sliding arm fixed in front of the handle, and a buckle is provided at the front end of the sliding arm.

7. The optical module as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The fiber optic socket includes a fiber optic ferrule and a front baffle and a rear baffle disposed on the outside of the fiber optic ferrule. The front baffle and the rear baffle are respectively attached to the front and rear sides of the panel to limit the fiber optic ferrule.

8. The optical module as described in claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes an elastic gasket, which is sleeved on the outer periphery of the optical fiber ferrule and is located between the rear baffle and the housing.

9. The optical module as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The panel has multiple slots for engaging the fiber optic socket. The slots include a first slot and a second slot arranged vertically. The opening of the first slot faces the upper edge of the panel, and the opening of the second slot faces the lower edge of the panel.

10. The optical module as described in claim 1, characterized in that, A spacer is provided between the circuit board and the socket bracket, and the spacer has multiple slits to accommodate different optical fibers.

11. A method for assembling an optical module, comprising the following steps: A housing, a circuit board disposed inside the housing, and a plurality of fiber optic sockets connected to the circuit board via optical fibers are provided; an optical interface is provided at the rear end of the housing, and a receiving groove is provided inside the housing. An insertion part and a locking part are provided on the inner sidewall of the receiving groove along the front-back direction, and a one-way passage part is provided between the insertion part and the locking part. A socket bracket is provided, the socket bracket including a panel and two elastic locking arms extending forward from both sides of the panel, the panel being provided with a plurality of slots, and the elastic locking arms being provided with a limiting part; First, snap the fiber optic socket into the slot of the socket bracket; Then the socket bracket is installed into the housing, so that the limiting part of the elastic locking arm is inserted downward into the insertion part; Next, push the socket bracket backward so that the limiting part of the elastic locking arm slides past the one-way passage and finally stops at the locking part, so that the socket bracket is locked onto the housing and the fiber optic socket is aligned and fastened to the optical interface.

12. The assembly method of the optical module as described in claim 11, characterized in that, The insertion part is an outwardly recessed insertion groove, the locking part is an outwardly recessed locking groove, and the one-way passage part is a one-way passage protrusion that extends inward relative to the insertion groove and the locking groove.

13. The assembly method of the optical module as described in claim 12, characterized in that, The limiting part is a limiting protrusion that protrudes outward from the outside of the elastic locking arm. The rear side of the limiting protrusion is provided with a first guide surface, and the front side of the one-way through protrusion is a second guide surface. The first guide surface and the second guide surface are inclined relative to the front-back direction. During the assembly process, the first guide surface of the limiting protrusion slides along the second guide surface of the one-way through protrusion across the one-way through protrusion.

14. The assembly method of the optical module as described in claim 13, characterized in that, The front side of the limiting protrusion is a first limiting surface, and the rear side of the one-way through protrusion facing the locking groove is a second limiting surface. Both the first limiting surface and the second limiting surface are perpendicular to the front-back direction. After assembly, the first limiting surface of the elastic locking arm abuts against the second limiting surface of the one-way through protrusion.

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