Pivot Lever Grounding in Transceiver Modules
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Solution Overview
Problem
Shielded copper communication cables face intermittent and unreliable chassis ground connections due to wear and tear, as well as dimensional variations between plugs and jacks, leading to degraded signal transmission.
Innovation Solution
A transceiver module with a pivot lever that establishes a reliable chassis ground connection by electrically contacting both the housing and the conductive elements of a shielded plug, utilizing a latch mechanism and wire bail to ensure consistent contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional jack and plug configurations are used for shielded cables, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the chassis ground connection becomes intermittent and unreliable due to wear and tear and dimensional variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a movable pivot lever that can dynamically adjust its position to maintain reliable electrical contact with the shielded plug's grounding conductor. The lever is biased by a spring to apply constant pressure, compensating for wear and dimensional variations, thus transforming a static contact structure into a dynamic one that adapts to changing conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The pivot lever acts as an intermediary component between the jack housing and the shielded plug's grounding conductor. It provides a dedicated mechanical and electrical interface that ensures reliable ground connection, separating the grounding function from the signal transmission function and thereby improving overall connection reliability.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If fixed grounding conductors are used in jacks and plugs, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the grounding connection degrades over time due to friction and wear during insertion and removal
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot lever is designed to move and rotate, allowing it to self-adjust and maintain optimal contact pressure with the grounding conductor over time. This dynamic capability enables the structure to compensate for wear and deformation, significantly extending the durability of the grounding connection without complicating the manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the grounding function with the latch mechanism by integrating the pivot lever into the existing jack structure. The lever serves dual purposes: providing reliable ground connection and assisting in the latching action, thereby improving durability without proportionally increasing manufacturing complexity.
3Reliability
If dimensional variations between plugs and jacks are accommodated, then the adaptability increases, but the grounding electrical conductors make only intermittent and unreliable mutual electrical contact
Solution Approach 1:
The movable pivot lever can dynamically adjust its position and angle to accommodate dimensional variations between different plugs and jacks. The spring bias ensures continuous contact pressure, allowing the system to adapt to a range of dimensional tolerances while maintaining reliable electrical contact, unlike fixed conductors that fail under similar variations.
Data Source
AI summary
A transceiver module that utilizes a pivot lever to ground a shielded cable that is plugged into the transceiver module. In one example embodiment, a transceiver module includes a housing, a jack, and a movable pivot lever. The housing is operative to be electrically connected to chassis ground when the transceiver module is received within a host port. The jack is defined in the housing and operative to receive a shielded plug. The pivot lever is configured to allow removal of the transceiver module from within the host port. Further, the pivot lever is configured to be in electrical contact with both the housing and a conductive element of the shielded plug received by the jack such that a chassis ground is established between the housing and the shielded plug.