Keyed Optical Transceiver Module Insertion

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing optical transceiver modules and chassis designs lack effective mechanisms to ensure correct insertion, leading to potential damage from incorrect orientation or mismatched standards, relying heavily on user knowledge and current solutions like color coding or labeling which are not foolproof.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating keying features on both the optical module and chassis to prevent incorrect insertion, ensuring the module is always inserted correctly, maintaining thermal and EMI shielding properties, and being simple, reliable, and cost-effective to implement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If color coding or labeling is used to prevent incorrect insertion, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability is insufficient because these solutions are not foolproof

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of insertionVSAvoidprevention of incorrect insertion

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies asymmetry by providing keying features with specific geometric shapes (protrusions and corresponding recesses) that are asymmetric in nature. The keying feature on the module has a specific orientation and shape that only matches the corresponding keyway in the correct chassis slot, making incorrect insertion physically impossible. This geometric asymmetry provides foolproof prevention compared to symmetric color coding schemes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

2Reliability

If keying features are added to module and chassis, then reliability of correct insertion is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of incorrect insertionVSAvoidstructural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The keying system is segmented into separate, simple components: a keying feature (protrusion) on the module and a corresponding keyway (recess) in the chassis. This segmentation allows each component to remain simple while together they provide reliable interlocking. The keying feature is just a small geometric element added to the module housing, and the keyway is a corresponding feature in the chassis, neither adding significant complexity to their respective components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Object-affected harmful factors

If keying features are designed to prevent incorrect insertion, then protection against damage is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection from damageVSAvoidkeying feature alignment

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The keying features are designed with local quality by concentrating the precision requirements to specific localized areas (the keying feature and keyway interfaces) rather than requiring precision throughout the entire module-chassis assembly. The keying features are small, well-defined geometric elements with tolerances localized to the interface region, while the rest of the components can be manufactured with standard tolerances. This localized approach to precision reduces overall manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS7435015B2Keyed transceiver module

Publication Date: 2008.10.14 WISTRON CORP

AI summary

An optical module and chassis incorporating “keying” features that ensure the correct insertion of the module into a given chassis, thereby preventing damage to the module and/or the system to which the chassis is connected.