Optical Transceiver Elastomer Mounting for Heat and Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional optical transceivers with co-axial packages struggle to efficiently dissipate heat and maintain precise optical alignment at high transmission rates, especially with the increasing power consumption and heat generation in 10 Gbps or higher data rates, due to mechanical stress and tolerance issues in butterfly packages.

Innovation Solution

The optical transceiver design incorporates a receptacle member with an elastomer between the receptacle member and the frame, allowing for sliding movement and reducing mechanical stress, along with a frame structure that includes grooves and projections to secure the receptacle member, enabling effective heat dissipation and precise optical coupling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a butterfly package is used to install temperature controlling devices and dissipate heat, then heat dissipation capability is improved, but mechanical stress and tolerance issues worsen optical alignment precision

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipation capabilityVSAvoidoptical alignment precision

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The receptacle member is divided into a first portion (for optical receptacle) and a second portion (for receiving sleeve portions), allowing independent positioning and adjustment of each segment to simultaneously satisfy optical alignment and heat dissipation requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

An elastomer is introduced as an intermediary material between the receptacle member and the frame, providing flexible positioning that compensates for mechanical stress and tolerance variations, thereby maintaining optical alignment precision while enabling effective heat dissipation through the butterfly package structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stability of the object's composition

If the receptacle member is rigidly fixed to the frame, then structural stability is improved, but mechanical stress reduces optical alignment and heat dissipation efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidoptical alignment

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

An elastomer layer is used between the receptacle member and the frame to provide flexible, compliant mounting that absorbs mechanical stress and allows for precise optical alignment while maintaining structural stability of the overall assembly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Temperature

If thermal sheets are inserted between components and frame, then heat conduction is improved, but space for temperature controlling devices is reduced in co-axial packages

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat conduction efficiencyVSAvoidpackage space for temperature control

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The butterfly package structure segments the receptacle into distinct portions, creating adequate space within the body portion to install temperature controlling devices while maintaining effective heat conduction paths through the frame structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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

This design enhances heat dissipation efficiency and maintains precise optical alignment, reducing mechanical stress and improving the operational stability of high-speed optical transceivers by allowing for flexible positioning and secure attachment of sub-assemblies.

Implementation Method 1

putting a resin member, typically an elastomer, between the receptacle member and the frame at the second portion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the frame of the transceiver according to the present invention puts the receptacle member between side walls of the frame, and the side walls each provides a groove in an inner surface thereof, while, the outer side surface of the side wall of the receptacle member provides a projection to be mated with the groove of the side wall of the frame

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical interlocking: Mechanical Fastener

Implementation Method 3

The sub-assemblies each installs a semiconductor optical device that optically couples with the optical fiber secured in the optical connector

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOptical coupling: Optical Fibre

Data Source

PatentUS7364373B2Optical transceiver consistently satisfying optical alignment and heat-dissipation

Publication Date: 2008.04.29 SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES LTD

AI summary

The present invention provides an optical transceiver with a structure that is able to cope with both the heat-dissipation and the optical coupling of the sub-assembly with a butterfly package. The optical transceiver includes a frame, a receptacle member, a transmitter optical sub-assembly, a receiver optical sub-assembly, a substrate and a cover. At least one of sub-assemblies provides, what is called, a butterfly package assembled with the receptacle member. The assembly of the receptacle member with the sub-assembly is fixed to the frame with an elastomer put between the receptacle member and the frame. The sub-assembly is assembled with the receptacle member as satisfying the optical alignment, while, the assembly of the receptacle member and the sub-assembly is fixed to the frame in a unit. Accordingly, the optical alignment and the fixing to the frame are consistently satisfied.