Photoelectric conversion module

Abstract

To provide an optical-electrical conversion module that achieves faster communication speeds while improving maintainability. [Solution] The photoelectric conversion module includes a conversion board that performs at least one of the following: conversion from an optical signal to an electrical signal and conversion from an electrical signal to an optical signal; and a first connector disposed on a main board which is a different board from the conversion board, the first connector having a socket into which a part of the conversion board is inserted. The first connector allows at least one of the following: transmission of signals and reception of signals between the conversion board and the main board when the conversion board is partially inserted into the socket and the main board are parallel, and the conversion board can be inserted into and removed from the socket when the conversion board and the main board are not parallel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an optoelectronic conversion module.

Background Art

[0002] Optical modules used in optical communication devices and the like are known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The optical module described in Patent Document 1 has a structure in which a plurality of optical elements connected to connection terminals and one end of an optical waveguide optically coupled to the plurality of optical elements are arranged on the upper surface of a substrate provided with the connection terminals.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In order to achieve high - speed communication in information communication devices such as servers and routers, and high - speed and large - scale operations in supercomputers, a logic IC which is an arithmetic device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) arranged on a main board such as a motherboard, and an optoelectronic conversion module are required to be mounted in the vicinity of a storage device such as a memory. The optoelectronic conversion module includes a conversion board that performs conversion between light and electricity, and a connector into which the conversion board is inserted. When the connector is arranged on the outer peripheral side of the main board as in Patent Document 1, the conversion board can be easily inserted into and removed from the connector. However, the distance between the CPU and the connector is not short, and there is room for improvement in high - speed communication. On the other hand, when the connector is arranged on the main board near the CPU, the main board exists below the conversion board during insertion and removal, making it difficult to insert and remove the conversion board with respect to the connector. That is, there is room for improvement in the maintainability of the optoelectronic conversion module.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve at least some of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an optical-electrical conversion module that achieves faster communication while improving maintainability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention was made to solve at least some of the problems described above, and can be realized in the following forms.

[0007] (1) According to one embodiment of the present invention, an optical-electrical conversion module is provided. This optical-electrical conversion module includes a conversion board that performs at least one of the conversion of an optical signal to an electrical signal and the conversion of an electrical signal to an optical signal, and a first connector disposed on a main board which is a different board from the conversion board, the first connector having a socket into which a part of the conversion board is inserted, wherein the first connector is capable of transmitting and receiving signals between the conversion board and the main board when the conversion board is in a state in which a part of it is inserted into the socket and the main board is in a state in parallel, and the conversion board can be inserted into and removed from the socket when the conversion board and the main board are not in parallel.

[0008] With this configuration, the conversion board can be inserted into and removed from the socket of the first connector even when the conversion board is not parallel to the main board, that is, when the socket is tilted relative to the main board. By inserting and removing the conversion board with the socket tilted upward relative to the main board, sufficient space is created between the conversion board and the main board during insertion and removal, making it easy to insert and remove the conversion board from the socket. As a result, by positioning the first connector near the CPU and other components on the main board, faster communication is achieved, and the maintainability of the optical-electrical conversion module is improved. By positioning the first connector near the CPU, the electrical wiring between the CPU and the first connector is shortened, and power consumption is suppressed. Since the conversion board inserted into the socket is used with the conversion board parallel to the main board, a low-profile, thin optical-electrical conversion device comprising a main board and a conversion board can be realized.

[0009] (2) In the above-described photoelectric conversion module, the conversion board and the main board may be spaced apart in a parallel state, with the conversion board having a portion inserted into the socket and the main board being parallel to each other. With this configuration, a space is formed between the conversion board and the main board, which serves as a passage for cooling air, thus suppressing the overheating of the conversion board due to heat generation.

[0010] (3) In the above-described photoelectric conversion module, the first connector may be capable of changing the angle between the conversion board, which is partially inserted into the socket, and the main board. In this configuration, the first connector, which has an insertion slot into which a portion of the conversion board is inserted, is positioned on the main board in a way that allows the angle it makes with the main board to be changed. Therefore, the conversion board, which is inserted at an angle to the insertion slot, can be changed to a state parallel to the main board by the first connector.

[0011] (4) In the above-described photoelectric conversion module, the first connector is rotatably supported with respect to the main board, and the upper limit of the rotatable angle of the socket with respect to the main board may be 20 degrees or more and 60 degrees or less. In this configuration, the upper limit of the rotational angle of the socket relative to the main board is between 20 and 60 degrees. Therefore, when inserting or removing the conversion board into the socket, the insertion / removal direction is at an angle to the main board, rather than parallel. As a result, interference between the conversion board and capacitors, inductors, etc., placed on the main board such as a motherboard is suppressed.

[0012] (5) In the above-described photoelectric conversion module, the conversion substrate has a flat plate shape having a pair of surfaces, each of the pair of surfaces having a connection terminal for transmitting and receiving signals between the conversion substrate and the main substrate, and when a part of the conversion substrate is inserted into the socket, the connection terminal on one of the pair of surfaces that does not face the main substrate may be formed closer to the socket than the connection terminal on the other of the pair of surfaces. In this configuration, when the conversion board is inserted into the socket, the position of the terminal on the socket side that connects to the connection terminal on one side of the conversion board and the position of the terminal on the socket side that connects to the connection terminal on the other side of the conversion board are misaligned in the insertion / removal direction. This allows the conversion board to be rotated relative to the socket so that it becomes parallel to the main board after it has been inserted into the socket at an angle to the main board.

[0013] (6) In the above-described form of photoelectric conversion module, the conversion substrate may include a ceramic substrate made of ceramic and having a flat plate shape with a pair of surfaces, and an electronic component disposed on the ceramic substrate that performs at least one of the following: conversion from an optical signal to an electrical signal, and conversion from an electrical signal to an optical signal. By placing heat-generating electronic components on a ceramic substrate with high thermal conductivity, the heat generated by the electronic components is dissipated, suppressing the temperature rise of the electronic components, thus improving the durability of the photoelectric conversion module.

[0014] (7) The photoelectric conversion module of the above form may further include a wiring connected at one end to the conversion board and a second connector connected at the other end of the wiring. This configuration enables high-speed communication by bringing the CPU and the first connector closer together on the main board, and by positioning the second connector on the outer edge of the main board, the maintainability of other components connected to the second connector is improved.

[0015] Incidentally, the present invention can be realized in various forms, for example, in the form of a photoelectric conversion module, a photoelectric conversion device, a photoelectric conversion substrate, a system including these, and a method for manufacturing a photoelectric conversion module.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0016] [Figure 1] It is a schematic perspective view showing the appearance of the photoelectric conversion module of the first embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a schematic cross-sectional view of the photoelectric conversion module. [Figure 3] It is a schematic front view of the electrical connector in a state where the conversion substrate is not inserted into the socket. [Figure 4] It is a schematic cross-sectional view of the electrical connector in a state where the conversion substrate is not inserted into the socket. [Figure 5] It is a schematic cross-sectional view of the conversion substrate. [Figure 6] It is a schematic perspective view of a part of the conversion substrate. [Figure 7] It is a schematic perspective view of the conversion substrate and the electrical connector of the second embodiment in a state where the conversion substrate is not inserted into the socket. [Figure 8] It is a schematic perspective view of the conversion substrate and the electrical connector of the second embodiment in a state where the conversion substrate is inserted into the socket. [Figure 9] It is a schematic cross-sectional view of the conversion substrate and the electrical connector of the second embodiment. [Figure 10] It is a schematic cross-sectional view in a state where the conversion substrate is inserted into the socket at an inclination. [Figure 11] It is an explanatory view of the conversion substrate provided with a heat sink. [Figure 12] It is a schematic top view of the conversion substrate in a modification. [Figure 13] It is a schematic top view of the conversion substrate in a modification. [Figure 14] It is a schematic cross-sectional view of the socket in the electrical connector in a modification. [Figure 15] It is a schematic cross-sectional view of the socket in the electrical connector of a modification. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0017] <First Embodiment> Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the external appearance of the photoelectric conversion module 100 according to the first embodiment. Figure 1 shows a motherboard (main board) 110, a logic IC (Integrated Circuit) 120 placed on the motherboard 110, electrical wiring 130 electrically connected to the logic IC 120, and the photoelectric conversion module 100 connected to the electrical wiring 130. For example, a CPU can be used as the logic IC 120. The electrical wiring 130 transmits and receives electrical signals between the connected logic IC 120 and the photoelectric conversion module 100.

[0018] As shown in Figure 1, the optical-electrical conversion module 100 comprises an electrical connector (first connector) 20 placed on the motherboard 110, a conversion board 10 that converts optical signals to electrical signals, an optical waveguide (wiring) 30 with one end connected to the conversion board 10, and an optical connector (second connector) 40 connected to the other end of the optical waveguide 30. The orthogonal coordinate system CS shown in Figure 1 consists of mutually orthogonal X, Y, and Z axes, and corresponds to the orthogonal coordinate system CS in Figures 2 and later. The X and Y axes are axes parallel to two orthogonal sides of the rectangular motherboard 110, respectively. The Z axis is an axis parallel to the thickness direction of the motherboard 110.

[0019] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the optical-electrical conversion module 100, the motherboard 110, the logic IC 120, and the electrical wiring 130. Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the AA cross-section in Figure 1. Note that in Figure 2, a portion of the optical waveguide 30 and the optical connector 40 of the optical-electrical conversion module 100 are omitted from the illustration. As shown in Figure 2, the electrical connector 20 comprises a socket (insertion port) 21 into which a portion of the conversion board 10 is inserted, a fixing part 22 fixed on the motherboard 110, and a rotating shaft 23 that rotatably supports the socket 21 relative to the fixing part 22.

[0020] Figures 3 and 4 are explanatory diagrams of an electrical connector 20 that rotates relative to the motherboard 110. Figure 3 shows a schematic front view of the electrical connector 20 as seen from the negative X-axis direction, with the conversion board 10 not inserted into the socket 21 of the electrical connector 20. Figure 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the socket 21 tilted at an angle θ relative to the motherboard 110, with the conversion board not inserted into the socket 21. In this embodiment, since the socket 21 and the rotation axis 23 are formed integrally, when the rotation axis 23 rotates relative to the fixed part 22, the socket 21 rotates around the Y-axis relative to the fixed part 22 in accordance with the rotation of the rotation axis 23. That is, the socket 21 is rotatably supported relative to the motherboard 110 to which the fixed part 22 is fixed.

[0021] In this embodiment, the socket 21 rotates clockwise around the central axis OL of the rotation axis 23 within an angle θ range, as shown in Figure 4, with the conversion board 10 inserted into the socket 21 being parallel to the motherboard 110 (a state in which a pair of surfaces of the conversion board 10 are parallel to the XY plane (Figure 2)). In this embodiment, the upper limit of the angle θ is 40 degrees (°). In other words, the rotatable angle θ of the socket 21 relative to the motherboard 110 is from 0° to the upper limit of 40°. Therefore, in this embodiment, the angle between the conversion board 10, which is partially inserted into the socket 21, and the motherboard 110 can be changed within a range of 0° to 40°. This allows the conversion board 10 to be inserted into and removed from the socket 21 even when the socket 21 is rotated to face upward, i.e., when the conversion board 10 and the motherboard 110 are not parallel. Note that Figure 1 shows a state in which the socket 21 is rotated by an angle θ from the reference point, similar to Figure 4, and the socket 21 is facing upwards.

[0022] Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the conversion substrate 10. Figure 5 shows an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the conversion substrate 10 shown in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 5, the conversion substrate 10 comprises a flat plate-shaped substrate (ceramic substrate) 13 made of ceramic and having a pair of surfaces, an electronic component 11 positioned on the upper surface 16 of the pair of surfaces of the substrate 13, a connection terminal 14 with one end connected to the electronic component 11 and the other end extending in the positive X-axis direction of the substrate 13, an electronic component 12 positioned on the lower surface 17 of the pair of surfaces of the substrate 13, and a connection terminal 15 with one end connected to the electronic component 12 and the other end extending in the positive X-axis direction of the substrate 13. Note that the connection terminals 14 and 15 are not shown in Figure 2.

[0023] As shown in Figure 1, four electronic components 11 are arranged on the upper surface 16 of the substrate 13. Although not shown in Figures 1 and 2, four electronic components 12 are arranged on the lower surface 17 of the substrate 13, corresponding to the electronic components 11 arranged on the upper surface. Electronic components 11 and 12 are connected within the substrate 13 as shown in Figures 2 and 5. Electronic components 11 and 12 are connected to the logic IC 120 via sockets 21 and electrical wiring 130. Electronic components 11 and 12 are also connected to the optical connector 40 via optical waveguides 30. Electronic components 11 and 12 convert electrical signals received from the logic IC 120 into optical signals and transmit them to the optical connector 40. Electronic components 11 and 12 also convert optical signals received from the optical connector 40 into electrical signals and transmit them to the logic IC 120. Although electronic components 11 and 12 are schematically shown as a single component that converts electrical signals and optical signals to each other, they may consist of multiple electronic components and collectively realize the function of converting electrical signals and optical signals to each other. Alternatively, the function of converting electrical signals and optical signals to each other may be realized by encapsulating multiple electronic components to form electronic components 11 and 12. Connection terminal 14 transmits and receives electrical signals between electronic component 11 and logic IC 120. Connection terminal 15 transmits and receives electrical signals between electronic component 12 and logic IC 120.

[0024] As shown in Figure 5, comparing connection terminals 14 and 15, the connection terminal 14 formed on the upper surface 16 of the substrate 13 extends closer to the side where the conversion board 10 is inserted into the socket 21 than the connection terminal 15 formed on the lower surface of the substrate 13. In other words, with a portion of the conversion board 10 inserted into the socket 21, the connection terminal 14 formed on the upper surface 16 of the substrate 13 that does not face the motherboard 110 is located closer to the socket 21 than the connection terminal 15 formed on the lower surface 17 of the substrate 13.

[0025] Because the rotation angle of the socket 21, which is rotatably supported relative to the motherboard 110, is restricted, as shown in Figure 2, when the conversion board 10, with a portion inserted into the socket 21, is parallel to the motherboard 110, a space is formed between the lower surface of the conversion board 10 and the upper surface of the motherboard 110. In other words, the conversion board 10, with a portion inserted into the socket 21, and the motherboard 110 are spaced apart while remaining parallel.

[0026] Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view of a part of the conversion board 10. Figure 6 shows a schematic perspective view of the upper surface 16 side of the board 13, which is part of the conversion board 10. As shown in Figure 6, the board 13 has a notch 18 that is cut out to penetrate in the thickness direction. On the other hand, the socket 21 of the electrical connector 20 has a protrusion (not shown) at a position corresponding to the notch 18 when the conversion board 10 is inserted into the socket 21. The notch 18 and the protrusion engage to position the conversion board 10 when it is inserted into the socket 21. Note that in Figure 6, a part of the connection terminal 14 located on the socket 21 side when it is inserted into the socket 21 is hatched, but the connection part between the hatched part and the electronic component 11 is not shown.

[0027] As described above, in the optical-electrical conversion module 100 of this embodiment, the angle between the conversion board 10, which is partially inserted into the socket 21, and the motherboard 110 can be changed within a range of 0° to 40°. This allows the conversion board 10 to be inserted into and removed from the socket 21 even when the socket 21 is rotated to face upward, i.e., when the conversion board 10 and the motherboard 110 are not parallel. In this embodiment, inserting and removing the conversion board 10 is performed with the socket 21 tilted upward relative to the motherboard 110, which creates sufficient space between the conversion board 10 and the motherboard 110 during insertion and removal, making it easy to insert and remove the conversion board 10 into and from the socket 21. As a result, the electrical connector 20 is positioned near the logic IC 120 located on the motherboard 110, enabling faster communication and improving the maintainability of the optical-electrical conversion module 100. By positioning the electrical connector 20 near the logic IC 120, the electrical wiring 130 between the logic IC 120 and the electrical connector 20 is shortened, thereby reducing power consumption. The conversion board 10, when plugged into the socket 21, is used in a state parallel to the motherboard 110, thus realizing a low-profile, thin photoelectric conversion device comprising the motherboard 110 and the conversion board 10.

[0028] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, when the conversion board 10, which is partially inserted into the socket 21, is parallel to the motherboard 110, the conversion board 10 and the motherboard 110 are separated. As a result, a space is formed between the conversion board 10 and the motherboard 110, which suppresses the overheating of the conversion board 10 due to heat generation.

[0029] Furthermore, in the electrical connector 20 of this embodiment, the socket 21 is rotatably supported relative to the motherboard 110. Based on the state in which the conversion board 10 inserted into the socket 21 is parallel to the motherboard 110, the socket 21 rotates clockwise around the rotation axis 23 within a range of 0° to 40°. In this embodiment, since the upper limit angle in which the socket 21 can rotate relative to the motherboard 110 is 40° (20° to 60°), when inserting or removing the conversion board 10 into or from the socket 21, the insertion or removal direction is tilted at an angle rather than being parallel to the motherboard 110. Therefore, interference between the conversion board 10 and capacitors, inductors, etc., placed on the motherboard 110 is suppressed.

[0030] Furthermore, in this embodiment, with a portion of the conversion board 10 inserted into the socket 21, the connection terminal 14 formed on the upper surface 16 of the board 13 that does not face the motherboard 110 is located closer to the socket 21 than the connection terminal 15 formed on the lower surface 17 of the board 13. Therefore, with the conversion board 10 inserted into the socket 21, the position of the socket 21 terminal connected to the connection terminal 14 on one side of the conversion board 10 and the position of the socket 21 terminal connected to the connection terminal 15 on the other side of the conversion board 10 are misaligned in the insertion / removal direction. As a result, after the conversion board 10 is inserted into the socket 21 at an angle to the motherboard 110, the conversion board 10 can be rotated relative to the socket 21 so that it becomes parallel to the motherboard 110.

[0031] Furthermore, in the conversion substrate 10 of this embodiment, the substrate 13 on which the electronic components 11 and 12 are arranged is made of ceramic and has a flat plate shape with a pair of surfaces. Since the heat-generating electronic components 11 and 12 are arranged on the substrate 13 made of ceramic, which has high thermal conductivity, the heat generated by the electronic components 11 and 12 can be diffused and the temperature rise of the electronic components 11 and 12 can be suppressed, thereby improving the durability of the photoelectric conversion module 100.

[0032] Furthermore, in addition to the conversion board 10 and electrical connector 20, the optical-electrical conversion module 100 of this embodiment includes an optical waveguide 30 with one end connected to the conversion board 10 and an optical connector 40 connected to the other end of the optical waveguide 30. Therefore, high-speed communication is achieved by bringing the logic IC 120 and the electrical connector 20 closer together on the motherboard 110, and the optical connector 40 is positioned on the outer edge of the motherboard 110, thereby improving the maintainability of other components connected to the optical connector 40.

[0033] <Second Embodiment> Figures 7 to 10 are explanatory diagrams of the electrical connector 20a and the conversion board 10a of the second embodiment. In the photoelectric conversion module 100a of the second embodiment, the socket 21a of the electrical connector 20a does not rotate relative to the motherboard 110. Instead, the socket-side terminals 24 and 25, which are located inside the socket 21a and connect to the connection terminals 14 and 15 of the conversion board 10a, deform within a predetermined range. By deforming, the socket-side terminals 24 and 25 follow the tilt of the conversion board 10 inserted into the socket 21a relative to the motherboard 110. In addition, in the second embodiment, the side surfaces 19L and 19R (a pair of surfaces perpendicular to the Y-axis) of the conversion board 10 inserted into the socket 21a, which have surfaces parallel to the insertion / removal direction, are fixed by hooks 26L and 26R formed on the electrical connector 20a.

[0034] Figures 7 and 8 show schematic perspective views of the electrical connector 20a and conversion board 10a of the second embodiment. Figure 7 shows the state in which the conversion board 10a is not inserted into the socket 21a. Figure 8 shows the state in which a portion of the conversion board 10a is inserted into the socket 21a and the conversion board 10a is fixed to the socket 21a by hooks 26 and 27.

[0035] As shown in Figure 7, one electronic component 11a is arranged on the upper surface 16a of the substrate 13a of the conversion substrate 10a in the second embodiment. In addition, a notch 18L that penetrates in the thickness direction is formed on the side surface 19L (the side on the negative Y-axis side) of the substrate 13a parallel to the insertion / removal direction. A notch 18R that penetrates in the thickness direction is formed on the side surface 19R (the side on the positive Y-axis side) of the substrate 13a, which is parallel to the insertion / removal direction and opposite to the side surface 19L.

[0036] As shown in Figure 7, the electrical connector 20a of the second embodiment includes extensions 27L and 27R extending from both ends of a socket 21a into which a portion of the conversion board 10a is inserted, toward the side into which the conversion board 10a is inserted, and hooks 26L and 26R supported at the respective ends of the extensions 27L and 27R on the negative X-axis side so as to be rotatable around the Z-axis. The hooks 26L and 26R rotate in the rotation directions DR1 and DR2 shown in Figure 7. The hook 26L has a projection 28L for engaging with a notch 18L when the conversion board 10a is inserted into the socket 21a. Similarly, the hook 26R has a projection 28R for engaging with a notch 18R when the conversion board 10a is inserted into the socket 21a. In addition, the socket 21a has a projection 28 formed thereon that engages with a notch 18L formed on the substrate 13a to position the conversion board 10a relative to the socket 21a.

[0037] Figure 9 shows a schematic cross-section of the conversion board 10a inserted into and fixed in the socket 21a, with the conversion board 10a and the motherboard 110 in a parallel position. Unlike the first embodiment, Figure 9 shows socket-side terminals 24 and 25 that connect to the connection terminals 14 and 15 of the conversion board 10a. The cross-sections of the socket-side terminals 24 and 25 are curved in shape, with their position in the Z-axis direction changing along the insertion and removal direction of the socket 21a.

[0038] Figure 10 shows an enlarged schematic cross-section of the conversion board 10a inserted into the socket 21a at an angle, and the conversion board 10a is not fixed to the hooks 26L and 26R of the electrical connector 20a. In the state shown in Figure 10, a space SP1 is formed between the socket-side terminal 24 and the upper part 21U of the socket 21a where the socket-side terminal 24 is located. Similarly, a space SP2 is formed between the socket-side terminal 25 and the lower part 21B of the socket 21a where the socket-side terminal 25 is located. The socket-side terminal 24, which has a curved cross-sectional shape, can deform in the positive Z-axis direction by the amount of space SP1. Similarly, the socket-side terminal 25 can deform in the negative Z-axis direction by the amount of space SP2. Therefore, as shown in Figure 9, after the conversion board 10a is inserted into the socket 21a at an angle, the conversion board 10a can be supported by the socket-side terminals 24 and 25 and rotated so that the conversion board 10a and the motherboard 110 become parallel. With the conversion board 10a and the motherboard 110 in parallel positions, the sides 19L and 19R of the conversion board 10a are fixed by hooks 26L and 26R, as shown in Figure 8.

[0039] <Modified form of this embodiment> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various forms without departing from its spirit, for example, the following modifications are also possible.

[0040] <Example 1> In the first and second embodiments described above, an example of an optical-electrical conversion module 100, 100a was described, which includes a conversion board 10, 10a and electrical connectors 20, 20a having sockets 21, 21a into which a portion of the conversion board 10, 10a is inserted. However, the optical-electrical conversion module 100, 100a can be deformed within a range that allows for changing the angle between the conversion board 10, 10a, which is partially inserted into the sockets 21, 21a, and the motherboard 110 on which the electrical connectors 20, 20a are located.

[0041] The conversion board 10 only needs to be able to perform at least one of the following: conversion from optical signals to electrical signals and conversion from electrical signals to optical signals. The electronic components 11 and 12 placed on the conversion board 10 may be modulators, laser drivers, and amplifiers, etc. The electrical connector 20 placed on the motherboard 110 may be a connector other than an electrical connector (e.g., an optical connector). Similarly, the optical connector 40 may be a connector other than an optical connector (e.g., an electrical connector). The optical waveguide 30 connected to the optical connector 40 may use wiring that is appropriately corresponding to the type of optical connector 40. The motherboard 110 on which the electrical connector 20 is placed may be a board other than a motherboard.

[0042] In the first embodiment described above, as shown in Figure 4, the socket 21, which is rotatably supported by the fixing part 22, rotated within an angle range θ around the central axis OL of the rotation axis 23. The angle range θ was 0° to 40°, but other angle ranges are also possible. For example, it is preferable that the upper limit of the angle is in the range of 20° to 60°, with 0° being the reference point where the conversion board 10 and the motherboard 110 are parallel. In this specification, "parallel" of the conversion board 10 and the motherboard 110 includes a range of plus or minus 5°. Therefore, the state in Figure 4 where the angle θ is tilted 5° counterclockwise from 0° around the central axis OL, in other words, where the conversion board 10 is tilted toward the motherboard 110, is also included in "parallel" in this specification. The angle between the conversion board 10 and the motherboard 110 can also be expressed as the angle between the board 13 on which the electronic components 11 and 12 of the conversion board 10 are arranged and the motherboard 110.

[0043] Each component of the photoelectric conversion module 100 may include elements other than those arranged in the first and second embodiments described above. Figure 11 is an explanatory diagram of a conversion substrate 10b equipped with a heat sink HS. Figure 11 shows a schematic cross-section of a modified photoelectric conversion module 100b, a motherboard 110, a logic IC 120, and electrical wiring 130. The photoelectric conversion module 100b shown in Figure 11 differs from the photoelectric conversion module 100 of the first embodiment shown in Figure 2 in that it is equipped with a heat sink HS. The heat sink HS, positioned on the upper surface of the electronic component 11, is made of metal and dissipates heat from the electronic component 11.

[0044] The optical-electric conversion module 100 and the motherboard 110 may be housed in an enclosure or similar structure. In this case, if an optical connector 40 can be attached to the enclosure, the optical-electric conversion module 100 can be modified to have a different optical waveguide length depending on the enclosure in which the optical-electric conversion module 100 and the motherboard 110 are housed.

[0045] <Modification 2> In the conversion board 10, the shape of the substrate 13 on which the electronic components 11 and 12 are arranged is deformable. Figures 12 and 13 are schematic top views of the conversion boards 10c and 10d in modified examples. In the conversion boards 10c and 10d shown in Figures 12 and 13, the shapes of the substrates 13c and 13d differ from those of the substrate 13 in the first embodiment. As shown in Figure 12, the insertion surface IF of the substrate 13c, which is inserted into the socket 21, has a shape in which the central part protrudes in the insertion / removal direction when viewed from the thickness direction (Z-axis direction). Also, as shown in Figure 13, the insertion surface IFd of the substrate 13d has a diagonal shape that is not parallel to the straight line perpendicular to the insertion / removal direction when viewed from the thickness direction. As shown in Figures 12 and 13, the shapes of the conversion boards 10c and 10d are deformable. As shown in Figures 12 and 13, the insertion surfaces IF and IFd are formed by straight lines that are inclined with respect to a straight line perpendicular to the insertion / removal direction, which makes it easier to insert the conversion boards 10c and 10d into the socket.

[0046] In the first and second embodiments described above, the positional relationship was explained using terms such as "top surface" and "bottom surface" in an example where the motherboard 110 is positioned vertically downwards, using the Cartesian coordinate system CS. However, the arrangement of the motherboard 110 and the setting of the Cartesian coordinate system CS are modifiable. For example, if the motherboard 110 is positioned vertically upwards, the conversion board 10 is inserted into and removed from a socket 21 that is tilted downwards relative to the motherboard 110.

[0047] <Variation 3> In the second embodiment described above, as shown in Figure 7, notches 18, 18L, 18R and protrusions 28, 28L, 28R were used to position the socket 21a and the substrate 13a of the conversion substrate 10a that is inserted into the socket 21a. However, the notches and protrusions are deformable. For example, the conversion substrate 10a and the electrical connector 20a do not have to have notches and protrusions used for positioning. The shape and number of notches and protrusions on the conversion substrate 10a and the electrical connector 20a are deformable. Protrusions may be formed on the substrate 13a, and notches corresponding to the protrusions may be formed on the socket 21a. The shape of the notches and protrusions may be a semicircle, an oval, a rectangle, a triangle, etc. The notches formed on the substrate 13a do not penetrate the substrate 13a in the thickness direction, but may be grooves with a predetermined depth along the thickness direction.

[0048] Figure 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the socket 21e of the modified electrical connector 20e. Figure 14(a) shows the socket 21e without the conversion board 10e inserted, and Figure 14(b) shows the socket 21e with a portion of the conversion board 10e inserted. In the socket 21e shown in Figure 14, the positions of the upper part 21Ue and the socket-side terminals 24e formed on the upper part 21Ue and the socket-side terminals 25e formed on the lower part 21Ub and the lower part 21Ub are different from those of the socket 21a of the second embodiment shown in Figures 9 and 10. The positions of the upper part 21Ue and the socket-side terminals 24e formed on the upper part 21Ue are closer to the logic IC 120, while the positions of the lower part 21Ub and the socket-side terminals 25e formed on the lower part 21Ub are further away from the logic IC 120. In response to the change in the relative positions of socket-side terminals 24e and 25e, the position of connection terminal 15e relative to connection terminal 14 formed on board 13a on the conversion board 10e changes in a direction away from connection terminal 14.

[0049] As shown in Figure 14, the length of the upper part 21Ue of the socket 21e along the X-axis direction may be made shorter by a length L1 than the length of the lower part 21Be, so that the conversion board 10e can be inserted into and removed from the electrical connector 20e without a rotating part at an angle. In this case, fixing members may be provided on the socket 21e or the motherboard 110 so that the conversion board 10e can be held horizontally. Examples of fixing members provided on the socket are the hooks 26, 26L, 26R and extensions 27L, 27R shown in Figures 7 and 8. A leaf spring may be used as the fixing member.

[0050] In the second embodiment described above, as shown in Figure 10, the electrical connector 20a has a space SP1 formed between the upper part 21U of the socket 21a and the socket-side terminal 24, and a space SP2 formed between the lower part 21B of the socket 21a and the socket-side terminal 25. Spaces SP1 and SP2 allowed the conversion board 10a, which was inserted into the socket 21a at an angle, to rotate, but the configuration that supports the conversion board 10a so that it can rotate is deformable. For example, even without spaces SP1 and SP2, the upper part 21U and the socket-side terminal 24 may be joined together, and the upper part 21U may elastically deform together with the socket-side terminal 24 within a predetermined range, thereby supporting the conversion board 10a inserted into the socket 21a so that it can rotate.

[0051] Figure 15 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the socket 21f of the modified electrical connector 20f. The socket 21f shown in Figure 15 differs in the shape of its upper part 21Uf from the socket 21a of the second embodiment shown in Figure 10. The upper part 21Uf of the modified embodiment has a shape in which a portion of the side in the negative X-axis direction into which the conversion board 10a is inserted is cut off compared to the upper part 21U of the second embodiment. That is, of the lower part 21B and upper part 21Uf of the socket 21f, the upper part 21Uf, which is further away from the motherboard 110, has less protrusion in the negative X-axis direction, making it easier to insert the conversion board 10a into the socket 21f of the modified embodiment. Note that in Figure 15, the shape of the upper part 21U of the second embodiment is shown with a dashed line for comparison with the upper part 21U of the second embodiment.

[0052] The embodiments of this specification have been described above based on the embodiments and modifications described above. The embodiments described above are for the purpose of facilitating understanding of this specification and do not limit it. This specification may be modified and improved without departing from its spirit and the scope of the claims, and equivalents thereof are included in this specification. Furthermore, any technical features that are not described as essential in this specification may be deleted as appropriate.

[0053] The present invention can also be realized in the following forms. [Application Example 1] A photoelectric conversion module, A conversion substrate that performs at least one of the following: conversion from an optical signal to an electrical signal, and conversion from an electrical signal to an optical signal. A first connector is disposed on a main board which is a different board from the aforementioned conversion board, and the first connector has an insertion port into which a part of the aforementioned conversion board is inserted, The aforementioned connector 1 is, With the conversion board partially inserted into the socket and the main board in a parallel position, at least one of the following is possible: transmission of signals and reception of signals between the conversion board and the main board. The conversion board can be inserted into and removed from the socket even when the conversion board and the main board are not parallel. A photoelectric conversion module characterized by the following features. [Application Example 2] The photoelectric conversion module described in Application Example 1, The conversion board and the main board are separated in a parallel state, with the conversion board partially inserted into the socket and the main board in a parallel state. A photoelectric conversion module characterized by the following features. [Application Example 3] A photoelectric conversion module as described in Application Example 1 or Application Example 2, The first connector is capable of changing the angle between the conversion board, which is partially inserted into the socket, and the main board. A photoelectric conversion module characterized by the following features. [Application Example 4] A photoelectric conversion module described in any one of Application Examples 1 to 3, The aforementioned connector 1 is, The aforementioned socket is rotatably supported with respect to the main board, The upper limit of the rotatable angle of the socket relative to the main board is 20 degrees or more and 60 degrees or less. A photoelectric conversion module characterized by the following features. [Application Example 5] A photoelectric conversion module described in any one of Application Examples 1 to 4, The conversion substrate has a flat plate shape with a pair of surfaces, Each of the pair of surfaces has a connection terminal for transmitting and receiving signals between the conversion board and the main board, With a portion of the conversion board inserted into the socket, the connection terminal on one of the pair of surfaces that does not face the main board is formed closer to the socket than the connection terminal on the other of the pair of surfaces. A photoelectric conversion module characterized by the following features. [Application Example 6] A photoelectric conversion module described in any one of Application Examples 1 to 5, The aforementioned conversion board is A ceramic substrate made of ceramic and having a flat plate shape with a pair of surfaces, An electronic component disposed on the ceramic substrate that performs at least one of the following: conversion from an optical signal to an electrical signal, and conversion from an electrical signal to an optical signal. Having, A photoelectric conversion module characterized by the following features. [Application Example 7] A photoelectric conversion module described in any one of Application Examples 1 to 6, further comprising: A wiring, one end of which is connected to the aforementioned conversion board, A second connector connected to the other end of the aforementioned wiring, Equipped with, A photoelectric conversion module characterized by the following features. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e… Conversion board 11, 11a, 12… Electronic components 13, 13a, 13c, 13d... Substrate (ceramic substrate) 14, 15, 15e… Connection terminals 16,16a...Top surface of the circuit board 17…Bottom surface of the circuit board 18, 18L, 18R... Notches 19L, 19R... Side of the circuit board 20, 20a, 20e, 20f... Electrical connectors (first connector) 21, 21a, 21e, 21f... Sockets (outlets) 21B, 21Be... bottom of the socket 21U, 21Ue, 21Uf... Top of the socket 22…Fixed part 23…Rotation axis 24, 24e, 25, 25e… Socket-side terminals 26, 26L, 26R… Hooks 27L,27R…extension part 28, 28L, 28R… protruding part 30...Optical waveguide (wiring) 40… Optical connector (second connector) 100, 100a, 100b... Photoelectric conversion modules 110... Motherboard (main circuit board) 120...Logic IC 130... Electrical wiring CS… Cartesian coordinate system DR1, DR2... Direction of hook rotation HS… Heatsink IF, IFd... Insertion surface of the circuit board OL…center axis SP1,SP2…Space

Claims

1. A photoelectric conversion module, A conversion substrate that performs at least one of the following: conversion from an optical signal to an electrical signal, and conversion from an electrical signal to an optical signal. A first connector is disposed on a main board which is a different board from the conversion board, and the first connector has an insertion port into which a part of the conversion board is inserted, The first connector is, With the conversion board partially inserted into the socket and the main board in a parallel position, at least one of the following is possible: transmission of signals and reception of signals between the conversion board and the main board. The conversion board can be inserted into and removed from the socket even when the conversion board and the main board are not parallel. A photoelectric conversion module characterized by the following features.

2. The photoelectric conversion module according to claim 1, The conversion board and the main board are separated in a parallel state, with the conversion board partially inserted into the socket and the main board in a parallel state. A photoelectric conversion module characterized by the following features.

3. The photoelectric conversion module according to claim 1, The first connector is capable of changing the angle between the conversion board, which is partially inserted into the socket, and the main board. A photoelectric conversion module characterized by the following features.

4. The photoelectric conversion module according to claim 3, The first connector is, The aforementioned socket is rotatably supported with respect to the main board, The upper limit of the rotatable angle of the socket relative to the main board is 20 degrees or more and 60 degrees or less. A photoelectric conversion module characterized by the following features.

5. The photoelectric conversion module according to claim 1, The conversion substrate has a flat plate shape with a pair of surfaces, Each of the pair of surfaces has a connection terminal for transmitting and receiving signals between the conversion board and the main board, With a portion of the conversion board inserted into the socket, the connection terminal on one of the pair of surfaces that does not face the main board is formed closer to the socket than the connection terminal on the other of the pair of surfaces. A photoelectric conversion module characterized by the following features.

6. The photoelectric conversion module according to claim 1, The aforementioned conversion board is A ceramic substrate made of ceramic and having a flat plate shape with a pair of surfaces, An electronic component disposed on the ceramic substrate that performs at least one of the following: conversion from an optical signal to an electrical signal, and conversion from an electrical signal to an optical signal. Having, A photoelectric conversion module characterized by the following features.

7. A photoelectric conversion module according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further, A wiring, one end of which is connected to the aforementioned conversion board, A second connector connected to the other end of the aforementioned wiring, Equipped with, A photoelectric conversion module characterized by the following features.

Images