Optical module heat dissipation shielding cage

Abstract

The application discloses a heat dissipation shielding cage of an optical module, which comprises a cage body, a heat dissipation base plate, a sliding block, at least one upward extending upper supporting protrusion on the upper surface of the sliding block, and at least one downward extending lower supporting protrusion on the lower surface of the sliding block; the lower cover of the cage body is provided with at least one accommodating hole for accommodating the lower supporting protrusion, and the edge of the accommodating hole is extended to form a guide plate, and the upper surface of the guide plate is a guide surface; when the optical module is inserted into the insertion cavity, the end surface of the optical module pushes the sliding block to move horizontally, the lower supporting protrusion is lifted and separated from the accommodating hole by sliding along the guide surface, and the sliding block is lifted as a whole; by the above-mentioned mode, the optical module insertion action can be used to drive the sliding block to lift, the upper surface of the optical module is directly attached to the heat dissipation base plate which is rigidly arranged above the upper cover of the cage body, so that the stress relaxation risk caused by the dependence on elastic members to maintain the contact pressure in the traditional scheme is avoided, and the stability of the contact pressure in long-term operation is ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of high-speed optical module connector technology, and in particular to a heat dissipation shielding cage for optical modules. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of high-speed optical module applications, as AI computing and data center transmission rates evolve towards 224G and above, the power consumption of optical modules is rising sharply, placing stringent demands on the thermal conductivity and long-term reliability of the heat dissipation system. Currently, optical modules are typically inserted into a metal shielding cage to achieve electrical connection and electromagnetic shielding, while heat sinks are attached to the upper surface of the optical module to conduct heat to the system air duct or liquid cooling circuit.

[0003] In existing solutions, heat sinks generally employ a flexible floating mounting method. Common practices include securing the heat sink to the system chassis or cage at its four corners using spring studs or screws, relying on the spring compression to control the contact force on the optical module; or using metal spring clips, relying on the elastic deformation of the clips themselves to provide clamping force; another method uses a floating cold plate with an independent spring array, where the cold plate is connected to a fixed bracket via multiple distributed springs to absorb the height tolerance of the optical module. These solutions all share a common feature: the heat sink itself is in a floating state, and contact with the optical module must be maintained by the continuous deformation of the elastic components.

[0004] However, this floating radiator design presents several challenges in long-term operation. The metal springs or contacts, subjected to prolonged pressure and cycling between high and low temperatures, gradually experience stress relaxation, causing the contact pressure to drop, increasing interfacial thermal resistance, and ultimately reducing heat dissipation. Spring stud designs require specialized tools for installation and removal, and careful control of the torque applied to the diagonal fasteners is essential. Even slight mishandling can lead to uneven stress on the module, causing damage, and maintenance is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Floating cold plate designs are even more complex. The structure itself is expensive, and the constant floating motion of the cold plate subjectes pipe joints and seals to alternating stress, posing risks of coolant leakage and seal aging. Furthermore, the numerous independent, elastic fixing components of the radiator occupy chassis panel space and are not conducive to high-density port layouts. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The main technical problem solved by this invention is to provide a heat dissipation shielding cage for optical modules, which can drive the slider to rise by the insertion action of the optical module, so that the upper surface of the optical module can be directly attached to the heat sink substrate rigidly set above the cage cover. This avoids the risk of stress relaxation caused by relying on elastic elements to maintain contact pressure in traditional solutions, and ensures the stability of contact pressure during long-term operation.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a heat dissipation shielding cage for an optical module, comprising: a cage body having an insertion cavity for accommodating an optical module; a heat sink substrate rigidly disposed above the upper cover of the cage body; and a slider movably disposed inside the cage body, positioned below the insertion cavity. The upper surface of the slider has at least one upwardly extending upper support protrusion, and the lower surface of the slider has at least one downwardly extending lower support protrusion. The lower cover of the cage body has at least one receiving hole for accommodating the lower support protrusion, and the edge of the receiving hole extends to form a guide plate, the upper surface of which is a guide surface. When the optical module is inserted into the insertion cavity, the end face of the optical module pushes the slider to move horizontally, causing the lower support protrusion to slide and rise along the guide surface and disengage from the receiving hole, so that the bottom surface of the lower support protrusion contacts the inner surface of the lower cover, thereby lifting the slider as a whole. After being lifted, the slider pushes the optical module upward through the upper support protrusion, so that the upper surface of the optical module directly contacts the lower surface of the heat sink substrate.

[0007] Preferably, the upper or lower cover of the cage is provided with an upwardly extending latch, and the heat sink substrate is provided with a slot corresponding to the latch, with the latch extending into the slot to limit the horizontal displacement of the heat sink substrate.

[0008] Preferably, the top cover of the cage is also provided with an upwardly extending guide protrusion, and the heat sink base plate is also provided with a corresponding guide groove. The guide protrusion and the guide groove are matched to limit the relative position between the top cover of the cage and the heat sink base plate.

[0009] Preferably, the cage is provided with a locking spring that protrudes into the insertion cavity. After the optical module is inserted into place, the locking spring applies a lateral clamping force to the outer shell of the optical module to stably lock the optical module in the insertion cavity.

[0010] Preferably, the locking spring is a long strip-shaped spring located on both sides of the cage body insertion port, and the locking spring is inclined inward.

[0011] Preferably, it also includes a spring, one end of which is connected to the slider and the other end of which is connected to the lower cover; With the locking spring released, the spring's rebound force pulls the slider back, causing the lower support protrusion to fall back into the receiving hole, and the slider as a whole sinks and resets.

[0012] Preferably, there are multiple upper support protrusions, and the height of the multiple upper support protrusions is the same; there are multiple lower support protrusions, and the height of the multiple lower support protrusions is the same.

[0013] Preferably, the end of the slider is provided with an upwardly extending limiting push plate. When the optical module is inserted into the insertion cavity, the end face of the optical module abuts against the limiting push plate to push the slider to move.

[0014] Preferably, the cage is provided with multiple EMI springs, and the multiple EMI springs are provided with elastic contact fingers facing the inside of the insertion cavity and elastic contact fingers facing the outside of the cage. The inner side of the cage's top cover does not have elastic contact fingers that contact the upper surface of the optical module, in order to avoid the bonding path between the upper surface of the optical module and the lower surface of the heat sink substrate.

[0015] Preferably, the outer bottom surface of the lower cover is provided with a sliding support spring, the two ends of the sliding support spring are connected to the slider, and the middle part of the sliding support spring covers the outer bottom surface of the lower cover; The sliding support spring extends with a spring arm, which elastically abuts against the outer bottom surface of the lower cover to apply a downward preload to the slider, so that the slider is stably held at the bottom of the lower cover in the reset state.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this invention are: 1. The heat sink substrate is rigidly mounted on the cage cover, and the optical module floats and fits within the cage via a slider, eliminating the risk of spring stress relaxation caused by the elastic floating installation of heat sinks in existing technologies. The lifting stroke and contact pressure are precisely controlled by the fixed height dimensions of the upper and lower support protrusions, without relying on easily decaying elastic components as the main force source. This ensures that a uniform preload is continuously applied under long-term vibration and high / low temperature environments, guaranteeing that the contact pressure does not decay and providing excellent heat dissipation consistency in multi-port applications.

[0017] 2. The optical module's own insertion action drives the slider to rise and achieve a fit. When it is pulled out, the spring automatically pulls the slider back to its original position. No special tools or additional fasteners are required throughout the process, making production line assembly and after-sales maintenance and plug-and-play replacement simple and greatly improving operation and maintenance efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention when assembled with a heat sink substrate; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the invention when it is combined with the optical module; Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the slider structure of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the lower cover of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the slider and the lower cover during the reset process of the present invention; Figure 8 yes Figure 7 Enlarged diagram of section A in the middle; Figure 9This is a schematic diagram of the structure when the present invention is inserted into place; Figure 10 yes Figure 9 Enlarged schematic diagram of section B in the middle.

[0019] The components in the attached diagram are labeled as follows: 1. Cage body; 11. Top cover; 111. Locking tongue; 112. Guide protrusion; 12. Bottom cover; 121. Receiving hole; 122. Guide plate; 13. Insertion cavity; 14. Locking spring; 2. Slider; 21. Upper support protrusion; 22. Lower support protrusion; 23. Limiting push plate; 3. Spring; 4. EMI spring; 5. Sliding support spring; 51. Spring arm; 8. Optical module; 9. Heat sink base plate. Detailed Implementation

[0020] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0021] Example 1: This embodiment provides a heat dissipation shielding cage for an optical module. (See reference...) Figures 1-10The optical module heat dissipation shielding cage includes: a cage body 1, which has a plug-in cavity 13 for accommodating an optical module 8; a heat sink substrate 9, which is rigidly disposed above the upper cover 11 of the cage body 1; a slider 2, which is movably disposed inside the cage body 1 and is located below the plug-in cavity 13; the upper surface of the slider 2 has at least one upwardly extending upper support protrusion 21, and the lower surface of the slider 2 has at least one downwardly extending lower support protrusion 22; the lower cover 12 of the cage body 1 has at least one receiving hole 121 for accommodating the lower support protrusion. 22. A guide plate 122 extends from the edge of the receiving hole 121, and the upper surface of the guide plate 122 is a guide surface. When the optical module 8 is inserted into the insertion cavity 13, the end face of the optical module 8 pushes the slider 2 to move horizontally, causing the lower support protrusion 22 to slide and rise along the guide surface and disengage from the receiving hole 121, so that the bottom surface of the lower support protrusion 22 contacts the inner surface of the lower cover 12, thereby lifting the slider 2 as a whole. After being lifted, the slider 2 pushes the optical module 8 upward through the upper support protrusion 21, so that the upper surface of the optical module 8 directly contacts the lower surface of the heat sink substrate 9. The cage 1 is formed by the upper cover 11 and the lower cover 12, thereby forming the insertion cavity 13 for accommodating the optical module 8 inside the cage 1. The upper cover 11 and the lower cover 12 can be fixedly connected by welding or fastening.

[0022] Specifically, rigid setting means that after the heat sink substrate 9 is assembled, it does not produce elastic displacement or floating gap in the vertical and horizontal directions relative to the upper cover 11 of the cage 1. The heat sink substrate 9, as a rigid reference surface for heat conduction, always exists stably and has obvious advantages in terms of long-term thermal resistance stability. Because the pressure attenuation of the rigid contact interface is almost zero, it can ensure that the thermal resistance between the optical module 8 and the heat sink substrate 9 is maintained at a very low and stable level for several years or even the entire life cycle of the equipment.

[0023] If the heat sink is floating, it must rely on elastic components such as spring 3 and sheet metal to maintain contact pressure with the optical module 8. Under the high and low temperature cycling conditions of long-term operation in data centers or AI servers, these elastic components will inevitably experience stress relaxation and creep, causing the contact pressure to gradually decrease over time, the interface thermal resistance to increase sharply, and ultimately leading to temperature drift or even thermal failure of the optical module 8 chip. In addition, the floating cold plate can also pose a safety hazard of leakage at pipe joints during long-term vibration.

[0024] refer to Figure 8 In the initial state, the lower support protrusion 22 falls into the receiving hole 121, the slider 2 is in the lowered position, and the optical module 8 can enter the insertion cavity 13 without obstruction. As the optical module 8 continues to be inserted, the end face of the optical module 8 abuts against the slider 2 and pushes it forward horizontally. (Reference) Figure 10During this horizontal displacement, the lower support protrusion 22 slides out of the receiving hole 121 and contacts the guide surface of the guide plate 122. Since the guide surface is an inclined surface extending downwards from the receiving hole 121, one end of the guide surface naturally transitions to the inner surface of the bottom of the lower cover 12. Under the action of the horizontal thrust and the inclined surface of the guide surface, the lower support protrusion 22 is forced to slide upwards along the guide surface. After the lower support protrusion 22 completely disengages from the receiving hole 121, due to the height difference between the receiving hole 121 and the inner surface of the bottom of the lower cover 12, the bottom surface of the lower support protrusion 22 slides directly onto the inner surface of the lower cover 12, thereby lifting the slider 2 upwards by a stroke corresponding to this height difference. (Reference) Figures 3-5 After being lifted, the slider 2 elastically pushes the lower surface of the optical module 8 through the upper support protrusion 21 on its upper surface, forcing the optical module 8 to move upward until the upper surface of the optical module 8 directly contacts the lower surface of the rigidly set heat sink substrate 9 over a large area. Through the cooperation between the lower support protrusion 22 and the guide surface of the guide plate 122, the insertion action of the optical module 8 itself is transformed into the pre-tightening force required for contact, without the need for any external tools or independent elastic force-applying components, achieving efficient coupling of insertion-locking and contact-conducting heat.

[0025] Example 2: refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The upper cover 11 or lower cover 12 of the cage body 1 is provided with an upwardly extending latch 111, and the heat sink substrate 9 is provided with a corresponding slot. The latch 111 extends into the slot to limit the horizontal displacement of the heat sink substrate 9. Furthermore, the upper cover 11 of the cage body 1 is also provided with an upwardly extending guide protrusion 112, and the heat sink substrate 9 is also provided with a corresponding guide groove. The guide protrusion 112 and the guide groove are matched in a limiting manner to further limit the relative position between the upper cover 11 of the cage body 1 and the heat sink substrate 9.

[0026] Thus, after assembly, the heat sink substrate 9 is locked above the top cover 11 of the cage 1. The engagement of the latch 111 with the slot mainly provides translational constraint along the insertion direction and laterally, preventing the heat sink substrate 9 from shifting back and forth or sliding left and right under the pushing and pulling action of the optical module 8 during insertion and removal. The cooperation between the guide protrusion 112 and the guide groove further increases the constraint strength, resisting the slight deflection tendency caused by vibration or external force, thereby fundamentally eliminating any possibility of displacement of the heat sink substrate 9 in the horizontal plane, ensuring that no elastic floating gap is generated, and achieving rigid setting. It should be understood that this rigid fixation does not rely on the clamping force of elastic elements, but is achieved through rigid geometric engagement. Therefore, there is no risk of stress relaxation leading to attenuation of constraint force, thus providing a solid structural guarantee for long-term stable low thermal resistance contact between the optical module 8 and the heat sink substrate 9.

[0027] Furthermore, although this embodiment describes that both the latch 111 and the guide protrusion 112 extend upward from the upper cover 11, in other embodiments, the limiting structure can also be partially or completely reversed, for example, by extending a pin or boss downward from the heat sink substrate 9 and inserting it into the corresponding hole or groove of the upper cover 11, as long as the core function of rigidly limiting the relative horizontal displacement of the two is satisfied after assembly.

[0028] Example 3: To further ensure the stable operation and convenient maintenance of optical module 8 within the insertion cavity 13, specifically, refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The cage 1 is provided with locking springs 14 protruding into the insertion cavity 13. After the optical module 8 is inserted into place, the locking springs 14 apply a lateral clamping force to the outer shell of the optical module 8 to stably lock the optical module 8 in the insertion cavity 13. Furthermore, the locking springs 14 are elongated springs located on both sides of the insertion port of the cage 1, and the locking springs 14 are inclined inwards. The locking springs 14 can be located on both sides of the lower cover 12. This inwardly inclined elongated structure allows the locking springs 14 to slide smoothly over the edge of the module shell during the insertion of the optical module 8, and to quickly rebound using their own elastic restoring force when inserted into place, tightly clamping the side wall of the optical module 8. It should be understood that the lateral clamping force here also has other functions, such as when the slider 2 is raised, the slider 2 pushes the optical module 8 upwards through the upper support protrusion 21 to make it fit against the heat sink substrate 9, which will inevitably bring a continuous upward pushing force to the optical module 8. If there is only pushing without lateral restraint, the optical module 8 is prone to displacement under long-term vibration. The lateral clamping provided by the locking spring 14 firmly anchors the optical module 8 at the predetermined height position of the insertion cavity 13 from the horizontal dimension, ensuring that the contact pressure between the upper surface of the optical module 8 and the lower surface of the heat sink substrate 9 will not be locally attenuated due to module shaking. Although this embodiment describes a long strip shape with an inward tilt, in other embodiments, the locking spring 14 can also be a long strip with a wavy shape, as long as it can provide a reliable lateral clamping reaction force after the module is in place.

[0029] Meanwhile, reference Figure 5 and Figure 6To achieve automatic reset after the optical module 8 is removed, the shielding cage in this embodiment also includes a spring 3. One end of the spring 3 is connected to the slider 2, and the other end is connected to the lower cover 12. Specifically, a first hook extends from the lower surface of the slider 2, and a second hook is provided on the bottom surface of the lower cover 12. The rings at both ends of the spring 3 are respectively hooked onto the first hook and the second hook, thereby achieving an elastic connection between the slider 2 and the lower cover 12. When the locking spring 14 is unlocked, the rebound force of the spring 3 pulls the slider 2 back horizontally, causing the lower support protrusion 22 to fall back into the receiving hole 121, and the slider 2 sinks and resets as a whole. Here, "unlocking the locking spring 14" refers to the operation when the maintenance personnel manually pull the optical module 8 outward to overcome the lateral clamping force of the locking spring 14, so that the optical module 8 is released from the lateral constraint and pulled out of the cage 1.

[0030] It must be emphasized that there is a timing coordination logic between the locking of optical module 8 and the resetting of slider 2. Under the normal state where optical module 8 is locked within the insertion cavity 13, the clamping force of the locking spring 14 is sufficient to resist the pulling force of spring 3 attempting to pull slider 2 back, thus maintaining a stable locked state. At this time, although spring 3 is in a stretched, energy-stored state, because optical module 8 presses down on slider 2 and the locking spring 14 restricts the displacement of optical module 8, spring 3 cannot drive slider 2 to move. Only when optical module 8 is actively pulled out and the lateral clamping force completely disappears, thus removing the physical constraint of optical module 8 pressing down on slider 2, is the previously accumulated restoring force of spring 3 released, pulling slider 2 back horizontally. (Reference) Figure 8 During the retraction process, the lower support protrusion 22 slides along the inner surface of the lower cover 12 until it is realigned and falls into the receiving hole 121. The slider 2 then sinks down and resets to its initial low position, preparing for the next insertion of the optical module 8. This ensures smooth operation with insertion locking and automatic reset, avoiding interference. As an equivalent alternative, the specific form of the first hook and the second hook is not limited to a simple bent hook; it can also be a perforated, hanging ring, or locking post structure. The end of the spring 3 can also be connected by a bent hook instead of a ring, as long as it can provide a stable horizontal pulling force during reset.

[0031] Example 4: refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4The upper support protrusions 21 are multiple, and the height dimensions of the multiple upper support protrusions 21 are consistent; the lower support protrusions 22 are multiple, and the height dimensions of the multiple lower support protrusions 22 are consistent. During the process of the optical module 8 being lifted as a whole by the slider 2, if there are differences in the height dimensions of the multiple upper support protrusions 21 or lower support protrusions 22, the optical module 8 will tilt after being lifted. This tilting will, on the one hand, cause localized contact rather than large-area uniform contact between the upper surface of the optical module 8 and the lower surface of the heat sink substrate 9, resulting in a sharp increase in local thermal resistance and the inability to dissipate heat evenly, leading to localized heat accumulation; on the other hand, in the tilted state, the force is concentrated on a few higher protrusions, which can easily cause localized stress concentration and even damage the housing or internal chip of the optical module 8. By ensuring the consistency of the height dimensions of the multiple protrusions, this embodiment ensures that the optical module 8 is subjected to uniform force during lifting, and that each support point shares the preload, eliminating the risk of tilting and localized stress concentration, enabling the optical module 8 and the heat sink substrate 9 to maintain a long-term stable and extremely low thermal resistance parallel contact state. It should be understood that the number of upper support protrusions 21 and lower support protrusions 22 can be increased or decreased according to the size and weight of the optical module 8.

[0032] Furthermore, the end of the slider 2 is provided with an upwardly extending limiting push plate 23. When the optical module 8 is inserted into the insertion cavity 13, the end face of the optical module 8 abuts against the limiting push plate 23 to push the slider 2 to move horizontally. Initially, the optical module 8 does not directly rub against the bottom or side of the slider 2; instead, the front face of the optical module 8 abuts against the limiting push plate 23, converting the insertion force into a horizontal traction force along the insertion direction of the slider 2. When the optical module 8 is inserted, if the operator does not align the angle correctly or the optical module 8 attempts to tilt upwards past the slider 2, the upwardly extending limiting push plate 23 acts as a physical barrier, blocking the front end of the optical module 8 and preventing it from directly passing over the slider 2 and inserting deep into the insertion cavity 13 without moving the slider 2. When the optical module 8 maintains the correct posture and its end face smoothly abuts against the vertical surface of the limiting push plate 23, it smoothly pushes the slider 2 forward and completes the subsequent automatic lifting and fitting action. As an equivalent alternative, the shape of the limiting push plate 23 is not limited to a simple upright plate. It can also be a hook-shaped shape with inward bending or a shape with a buffer pad, as long as it has an upward extension height to block the light module 8 from passing over and has the function of bearing the end face thrust to drive the slider 2 to move horizontally.

[0033] Example 5: refer to Figure 3 and Figure 6The cage 1 is equipped with multiple EMI springs 4, each with elastic contact fingers facing inwards towards the insertion cavity 13 and outwards towards the cage 1. These EMI springs 4 are mainly divided into side EMI springs and bottom EMI springs based on their placement. The side EMI springs are located on the sides of the lower cover 12, and the bottom EMI springs are located on the bottom edge of the lower cover 12. The elastic contact fingers facing inwards towards the insertion cavity 13 are used to make elastic contact with the housing of the inserted optical module 8, achieving module-level grounding and guiding the electromagnetic interference generated by the optical module 8 to the cage 1 nearby. The elastic contact fingers facing outwards towards the cage 1 are used to make elastic contact with the system chassis panel, achieving grounding and further guiding residual interference inside the cage 1 to the entire equipment rack. This forms a complete shielding closed loop from the interference source to the grounding terminal, ensuring electromagnetic compatibility in high-speed signal transmission environments.

[0034] The inner side of the upper cover 11 of the cage 1 does not have elastic contact fingers that contact the upper surface of the optical module 8, in order to avoid the contact path between the upper surface of the optical module 8 and the lower surface of the heat sink substrate 9. In conventional designs, in order to achieve so-called complete shielding, a row of elastic contact fingers is often arranged on the inner side of the upper cover 11, which scrapes the upper surface of the optical module 8 to achieve grounding. However, in this application, the upper surface of the optical module 8 must achieve unobstructed direct contact with the lower surface of the heat sink substrate 9. If these elastic contact fingers are retained on the inner side of the upper cover 11, when the optical module 8 is pushed upward by the slider 2, the elastic contact fingers on the inner side of the upper cover 11 will act like a fence between the optical module 8 and the heat sink substrate 9, forcing the optical module 8 to compress these elastic fingers in order to make difficult contact with the heat sink substrate 9. Furthermore, the elastic reaction force generated after the elastic contact finger is compressed will directly offset the bonding pre-tightening force provided by the slider 2, resulting in a micro gap between the upper surface of the optical module 8 and the lower surface of the heat sink substrate 9, which will increase the interface thermal resistance.

[0035] Furthermore, the absence of elastic contact fingers on the inner side of the top cover 11 prevents the elastic element from scratching the upper surface of the optical module 8 during insertion and removal. The upper surface of the optical module 8 is typically smooth, and some high-end modules even have labels or specific optical windows. If there were downward-extending metal elastic fingers on the inner side of the top cover 11, these metal elastic contact fingers could easily leave scratches or tear the labels on the upper surface of the optical module 8 during repeated insertion and removal, affecting the appearance and identification of the optical module 8. By eliminating the elastic contact fingers on the inner side of the top cover 11, the vertical movement space of the optical module 8 within the insertion cavity 13 becomes completely clear, ensuring smooth insertion and removal without scratches. This protects the appearance of the optical module 8 and ensures unobstructed heat dissipation and bonding paths.

[0036] Example 6: refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6The outer bottom surface of the lower cover 12 is provided with a sliding support spring 5. The two ends of the sliding support spring 5 are connected to the slider 2, and the middle part of the sliding support spring 5 covers the outer bottom surface of the lower cover 12. The sliding support spring 5 extends with a spring arm 51, which elastically abuts against the outer bottom surface of the lower cover 12 to apply a downward preload to the slider 2, so that the slider 2 is stably held at the bottom of the lower cover 12 in the reset state.

[0037] Specifically, the sliding support spring 5 is roughly shaped like a "Z" and this arched structure allows for elastic deformation. Both ends of the sliding support spring 5 pass through pre-drilled holes in the lower cover 12, forming a fixed connection with the slider 2 located inside the cage 1, for example, by spot welding. The middle part of the sliding support spring 5 spans and covers the outer bottom surface of the lower cover 12, serving as the support base for the spring arm 51. When the sliding support spring 5 is installed in place, the spring arm 51, relying on its own material elasticity, abuts against the outer bottom surface of the lower cover 12. This abutment generates a reaction force, which, since both ends of the sliding support spring 5 are fixedly connected to the slider 2, is converted into a continuous downward preload on the slider 2.

[0038] In the reset state where the optical module 8 is not inserted, the slider 2 is positioned solely by the lower support protrusion 22 falling into the receiving hole 121. This falling fit is usually a clearance fit to facilitate sliding and lifting. Without any additional restraint, in situations where there is long-term vibration, such as in data centers or vehicles, or where the equipment tilts during transportation and installation, the slider 2 is prone to jumping from its lowered position or moving horizontally due to vibration or gravity shift. Once the position of the slider 2 shifts, the upper support protrusion 21 on the slider 2 may protrude from the bottom of the insertion cavity 13. When the operator attempts to insert the optical module 8, the end face of the optical module 8 will directly impact the unreset slider 2, causing insertion interference or even damage to the optical module 8. The downward preload provided by the sliding support spring 5 always firmly presses the slider 2 against the bottom of the lower cover 12, ensuring that the lower support protrusion 22 remains stably within the receiving hole 121, eliminating the risk of positional shift caused by vibration or tilting, and providing a reliable initial state guarantee for the smooth and unobstructed insertion of the optical module 8.

[0039] Since slider 2 is movably mounted inside cage 1, it experiences significant horizontal acceleration when optical module 8 is pulled out and spring 3 pulls it back to its original position. If only the edge of the receiving hole 121 is used for limiting its movement, in extreme cases, the impact force could cause slider 2 to extend beyond the receiving hole 121 or even detach from cage 1. However, the sliding support spring 5 has one end anchored to slider 2 and the other end passing through the lower cover 12 and anchored to the outer bottom surface, thus limiting the outward movement range and freedom of slider 2. Even if slider 2 experiences an abnormal impact during retraction, the sliding support spring 5 can confine slider 2 inside cage 1, preventing it from falling out and improving overall operational reliability and impact resistance.

[0040] Example 7: Taking the assembly and operation of data centers or AI servers by OEMs as an example, this paper provides a detailed explanation of the complete operation process of this technical solution in practical applications.

[0041] The assembly process during the assembly stage on the OEM's production line is as follows: Step S100: Cage 1 is crimped or soldered onto the PCB motherboard. Specifically, cage 1 serves as the basic frame for load-bearing and shielding. The bottom surface of the lower cover 12 of cage 1 is usually provided with pads or crimping springs for connection with the PCB board. Through SMT surface mount technology or special crimping tools, cage 1 is firmly fixed to the corresponding high-speed signal interface position on the PCB motherboard, ensuring reliable mating between the gold fingers of optical module 8 and the connector on the PCB board after insertion.

[0042] In step S200, the heat sink substrate 9 is rigidly positioned and fitted above the upper cover 11 of the cage 1. Specifically, the heat sink substrate 9 is placed above the upper cover 11, so that the latch 111 extending upward from the upper cover 11 or the lower cover 12 extends into the corresponding slot of the heat sink substrate 9, and at the same time, the guide protrusion 112 extending upward from the upper cover 11 is fitted and fitted with the corresponding guide groove of the heat sink substrate 9, thereby completely locking the displacement freedom of the heat sink substrate 9 in the horizontal plane and achieving rigid fixation.

[0043] In step S300, a downward, tight-fitting pressure is applied to the heat sink base plate 9 from the system chassis panel. During the assembly of the server or switch, after the chassis panel is installed in place, the structure inside the panel directly presses against the top of the heat sink base plate 9, firmly pressing the heat sink base plate 9 against the upper cover 11 of the cage 1. This rigid downward pressure provided by the external chassis panel further eliminates any tiny gaps in the vertical direction between the heat sink base plate 9 and the upper cover 11, making the heat sink base plate 9 an absolutely stable heat conduction reference surface.

[0044] During the insertion and removal of optical modules during production line assembly or on-site maintenance by operation and maintenance personnel, the operation process is as follows: In step S400, production line workers or maintenance personnel manually insert the optical module 8 into the insertion cavity 13 of the cage 1, achieving automatic lifting, bonding, and locking without any tools. When the front end of the optical module 8 abuts against the upward-extending limiting push plate 23 at the end of the slider 2, the optical module 8 pushes the slider 2 forward horizontally as the hand pushes. The lower support protrusion 22 on the lower surface of the slider 2 slides and lifts along the guide surface and disengages from the receiving hole 121, with the bottom surface contacting the inner surface of the lower cover 12, thus lifting the slider 2 as a whole. After being lifted, the slider 2 pushes the optical module 8 upward through the upper support protrusion 21 with the same height on its upper surface, so that the upper surface of the optical module 8 directly and extensively contacts the lower surface of the rigidly set heat sink substrate 9. At the same time, after the optical module 8 is inserted into place, the long strip-shaped locking springs 14 on both sides of the insertion port of the cage 1 apply a lateral clamping force to the outer shell of the optical module 8, stably locking the optical module 8 in the insertion cavity 13.

[0045] In step S500, during maintenance, the optical module 8 is manually pulled out, and the slider 2 automatically resets. When it is necessary to replace the faulty optical module 8, the maintenance personnel only need to pinch the pull ring of the optical module 8 by hand, apply outward pulling force to overcome the lateral clamping force of the locking spring 14, so that the optical module 8 is released from the lock and pulled out of the insertion cavity 13. After the optical module 8 is completely pulled out, the slider 2 loses the downward pressure constraint and end face thrust of the optical module 8. The rebound force of the spring 3, which was previously in a stretched and stored state, is released, pulling the slider 2 horizontally back, so that the lower support protrusion 22 falls back into the receiving hole 121 of the lower cover 12, and the slider 2 sinks and resets as a whole; at the same time, the sliding support spring 5 on the outer bottom surface of the lower cover 12 applies downward pre-pressure to the slider 2 through its spring arm 51, so that the slider 2 is stably held at the bottom of the lower cover 12, preparing for the next unobstructed insertion of the optical module 8.

[0046] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0047] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0048] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0049] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0050] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0051] In this invention, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example, which is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0052] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A heat dissipation shielding cage for an optical module, characterized in that, include: The cage (1) has a plug-in cavity (13) for accommodating the optical module (8); Heat sink base plate (9), which is rigidly disposed above the upper cover (11) of the cage (1); Slider (2), the slider (2) is movably disposed inside the cage (1), the slider (2) is disposed below the insertion cavity (13); The upper surface of the slider (2) is provided with at least one upwardly extending upper support protrusion (21), and the lower surface of the slider (2) is provided with at least one downwardly extending lower support protrusion (22). The lower cover (12) of the cage (1) is provided with at least one receiving hole (121), the receiving hole (121) is used to receive the lower support protrusion (22), and the edge of the receiving hole (121) extends to form a guide plate (122), the upper surface of the guide plate (122) is a guide surface; When the optical module (8) is inserted into the insertion cavity (13), the end face of the optical module (8) pushes the slider (2) to move horizontally, so that the lower support protrusion (22) slides and rises along the guide surface and disengages from the receiving hole (121), so that the bottom surface of the lower support protrusion (22) contacts the inner surface of the lower cover (12), thereby lifting the slider (2) as a whole; After being lifted, the slider (2) pushes the optical module (8) upward through the upper support protrusion (21), so that the upper surface of the optical module (8) is directly attached to the lower surface of the heat sink substrate (9).

2. The optical module heat dissipation shielding cage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper cover (11) or lower cover (12) of the cage (1) is provided with an upwardly extending latch (111), and the heat sink base plate (9) is provided with a slot corresponding to the latch (111). The latch (111) extends into the slot to restrict the horizontal displacement of the heat sink base plate (9).

3. The optical module heat dissipation shielding cage according to claim 2, characterized in that: The upper cover (11) of the cage (1) is also provided with an upwardly extending guide protrusion (112), and the heat sink base plate (9) is also provided with a corresponding guide groove. The guide protrusion (112) and the guide groove are matched to limit the relative position between the upper cover (11) of the cage (1) and the heat sink base plate (9).

4. The optical module heat dissipation shielding cage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cage (1) is provided with a locking spring (14) protruding into the insertion cavity (13). After the optical module (8) is inserted into the cavity, the locking spring (14) applies a lateral clamping force to the outer shell of the optical module (8) to stably lock the optical module (8) in the insertion cavity (13).

5. The optical module heat dissipation shielding cage according to claim 4, characterized in that: The locking spring (14) is a long strip spring located on both sides of the insertion port of the cage (1), and the locking spring (14) is inclined inward.

6. The optical module heat dissipation shielding cage according to claim 4, characterized in that: It also includes a spring (3), one end of which is connected to the slider (2) and the other end is connected to the lower cover (12); When the locking spring (14) is unlocked, the rebound force of the spring (3) pulls the slider (2) back, causing the lower support protrusion (22) to fall back into the receiving hole (121), and the slider (2) sinks down and resets as a whole.

7. The optical module heat dissipation shielding cage according to claim 1, characterized in that: There are multiple upper support protrusions (21), and the height of the multiple upper support protrusions (21) is the same; there are multiple lower support protrusions (22), and the height of the multiple lower support protrusions (22) is the same.

8. The optical module heat dissipation shielding cage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The slider (2) has an upwardly extending limiting push plate (23) at its end. When the optical module (8) is inserted into the insertion cavity (13), the end face of the optical module (8) abuts against the limiting push plate (23) to push the slider (2) to move.

9. The optical module heat dissipation shielding cage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cage (1) is provided with a plurality of EMI springs (4), and the plurality of EMI springs (4) are provided with elastic contact fingers facing the inside of the plug cavity (13) and elastic contact fingers facing the outside of the cage (1); The inner side of the upper cover (11) of the cage (1) is not provided with elastic contact fingers that contact the upper surface of the optical module (8) in order to avoid the bonding path between the upper surface of the optical module (8) and the lower surface of the heat sink substrate (9).

10. The optical module heat dissipation shielding cage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer bottom surface of the lower cover (12) is provided with a sliding support spring (5), the two ends of the sliding support spring (5) are connected to the slider (2), and the middle part of the sliding support spring (5) covers the outer bottom surface of the lower cover (12). The sliding support spring (5) extends with a spring arm (51), which elastically abuts against the outer bottom surface of the lower cover (12) to apply a downward pre-pressure to the slider (2), so that the slider (2) is stably held at the bottom of the lower cover (12) in the reset state.

Images