Removable Optical Cable for PCB Signal Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical packages with embedded active optical components are vulnerable to PCB solder reflow temperatures, limiting their application and requiring permanent attachment to circuit boards, which restricts flexibility and increases manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A removable optical cable with an optical-electrical conversion device at one end, allowing for precise alignment and attachment to an electrical package on a circuit board, enabling the separation of optical components from the board and package, facilitating easy replacement and reducing manufacturing complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If optical components are embedded in the electrical package and permanently attached to the circuit board, then the optical signal conversion function is achieved, but the device flexibility and reusability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into separate segments: the optical cable assembly with optical-electrical conversion device can be detached from the electrical package, which remains on the circuit board. This segmentation allows the optical components to be reused with different electrical packages while maintaining permanent attachment of the electrical package to the board.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical components are extracted from the electrical package and placed on a removable optical cable. This extraction allows the optical-electrical conversion device to be separated from the electrical package, enabling flexibility and reusability while the electrical package remains permanently attached to the circuit board.
2Reliability
If optical components are permanently attached to the circuit board, then structural stability is achieved, but manufacturing costs increase and heat dissipation is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into a permanently attached electrical package on the circuit board and a removable optical cable assembly. This allows standard solder reflow processes to be used for the electrical package while the optical components can be manufactured separately and attached via simpler, more cost-effective methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical components are extracted from the permanent attachment requirement, allowing them to be mounted on a removable cable assembly. This extraction enables the use of standard PCB manufacturing processes for the electrical package while reducing overall manufacturing complexity and cost.
3Volume of moving object
If optical components are co-located with integrated circuits in the electrical package, then compact design is achieved, but heat dissipation becomes problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The optical components are extracted from the electrical package and placed on a separate removable cable assembly. This physical separation allows the optical components to be positioned away from heat-generating integrated circuits, improving heat dissipation while maintaining a compact overall system design.
4Adaptability or versatility
If optical components are separated from the electrical package, then reusability and flexibility are improved, but alignment precision becomes more difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
Alignment features and positioning structures are built into the electrical package and optical cable assembly during manufacturing. These preliminary alignment mechanisms ensure that when the optical cable is connected to the electrical package, precise optical alignment is automatically achieved without requiring complex adjustment procedures.
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 solution allows for precise optical alignment, increased optical functionality, reduced costs by separating optics from the processor, and improved heat dissipation, while enabling the use of standard solder reflow processes for circuit board assembly.
Implementation Method 1
an optical-electrical conversion device attached at one end of the optical cable. The optical-electrical conversion device is configured for converting optical signal to electrical signal
Data Source
AI summary
A device for converting and optionally processing an optical signal comprises an optical cable having an optical-electrical conversion device at one end, the optical-electrical conversion device to convert the optical signal to an electrical signal or an electrical signal into an optical signal; a electrical package to removably receive the optical-electrical conversion device and generate processed signal; and a general circuit board attached to the electrical package and operable to receive the processed signal.