Self-locking Unidirectional Interposer Springs for Optical Transceivers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current optical transceiver housing assemblies face issues with uneven introduction and potential damage due to indentations or bumps, leading to suspect connections and increased complexity and cost with multiple piece parts and fasteners.
Innovation Solution
A flexible spring device made from a single strand of surface conductive material with parallel extensions and a spacer component, featuring bends of 45 to 135 degrees, provides identical spring configurations for smooth introduction and reliable grounding without additional fasteners or adhesives, ensuring secure contact with the CPU circuit board.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If indentations or bumps are used to secure the housing assembly within the CPU receptacle, then the housing can be temporarily secured, but uneven introduction and potential damage to transceiver components occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the harmful indentations or bumps from the housing assembly design. Instead of using these protruding features that cause uneven introduction and potential damage, the invention extracts this securing mechanism and replaces it with smooth peripheral edges that glide into place without causing damage to delicate photodiodes or other components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm caused by rigid securing mechanisms into a benefit by using flexible grounding springs. These springs provide the necessary securing force while accommodating misalignment and preventing damage, thus turning the potential harmful effect of rigid connection into a beneficial flexible connection that protects components.
2Reliability
If multiple piece parts and fasteners are used to create flexible springs for grounding, then secure grounding connection is achieved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate components (fasteners, multiple spring pieces, adhesives) into a single integrated flexible grounding spring made from one continuous strand of conductive material. This consolidation maintains the grounding function while dramatically reducing part count and simplifying manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible grounding spring serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides electrical grounding, acts as a mechanical connector, and provides flexible tension to maintain contact. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate fasteners and spring components, reducing overall device complexity.
3Strength
If additional fasteners and multiple piece parts are used to create flexible springs, then secure attachment is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines attachment strength and flexibility into a single continuous strand structure. The flexible grounding spring is formed from one continuous piece of conductive material that inherently provides both mechanical attachment strength and electrical grounding, eliminating the need for separate fasteners and reducing manufacturing steps.
4Ease of operation
If the housing assembly is introduced with skewed angle or pitch, then insertion can occur, but suspect connections result
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic flexibility into the grounding connection through the flexible grounding springs. These springs can accommodate angular and pitch variations during insertion by flexing and adjusting their position, allowing the housing to be introduced at skewed angles while maintaining reliable grounding contact throughout the connection process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables smooth, reliable, and even introduction of the optical transceiver housing with reduced manufacturing complexity, maintaining continuous contact and simplifying the production of identical flexible tension means for both sides of the housing assembly.
Implementation Method 1
flexible spring configurations must exhibit sufficient strength to allow for flexion upon introduction of the housing within a slot within a CPU, yet sufficient force as well to reliably maintain contact
Implementation Method 2
a single strand of surface conductive material with parallel extensions and a spacer component
Data Source
AI summary
This invention relates to novel latching mechanisms for a pluggable assembly or module that comprises a communications interface between a computer processing unit and the housing of an optical transceiver (such as a XENPAK module). Such connections require multiple flexible spring configurations to ground the module housing to the CPU circuit board. Such flexible spring configurations must exhibit sufficient strength to allow for flexion upon introduction of the housing within a slot within a CPU, yet sufficient force as well to reliably maintain contact of the conductive springs on the optical transceiver to a grounding strip on the CPU circuit board. Furthermore, the springs themselves must release upon application of sufficient force as the user slides the transceiver housing from the CPU slot as well. In this manner, a more reliable manner of permitting smooth introduction of an optical transceiver housing within a CPU as well as omitting of potential damaging obstacles such as indentations or other like notches within the transceiver housing has been provided. The actual spring configuration itself is encompassed within this invention, as is the optical transceiver housing including such multiple spring configurations.