Removable transceiver module and receptacle

Abstract

A robust optoelectronic transceiver module which is quick, easy, and inexpensive to manufacture. The transceiver module has a main housing which consists of a potting box with potting material inserted therein. In addition, a circuit board is encased by the potting material. The circuit board has an optical subassembly mounted thereon. The optical subassembly extends outside of the potting box through a recess. Correspondingly, a recess cover is provided for forming a liquid tight seal between the recess cover, the potting box, and the optical subassembly. The module housing may be pluggable via release levers having detentes received in apertures of a receptacle and a pluggable connector of the module mated within the receptacle. The receptacle may include grounding means such as a ground clip mounted within the receptacle and a protective door to limit electromagnetic emissions.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A transceiver module and receptacle assembly comprising: 
 a transceiver module housing having a first end and second end;    a latching means attached adjacent the first end and a pluggable connector at the second end; and    a grounding means associated with the receptacle.    
     
     
         2 . The transceiver module and receptacle assembly of  claim 1  including: 
 a receptacle housing defining a chamber; and  
 the grounding means of the receptacle includes a ground surface protruding within the chamber.  
 
     
     
         3 . The transceiver module and receptacle assembly of  claim 2  wherein the ground surface is attached to an arm which is molded within the receptacle housing.  
     
     
         4 . The transceiver module and receptacle assembly of  claim 1  including: 
 a receptacle housing having a first end having a protective door mounted thereto.  
 
     
     
         5 . The module and receptacle system of  claim 4  wherein the door is hinged adjacent the top surface of the receptacle housing.  
     
     
         6 . The transceiver module and receptacle assembly of  claim 1  including: 
 the transceiver module housing having a metallized grounding portion to come in contact with the grounding means of the transceiver receptacle in order to provide grounding of the transceiver module to the receptacle.  
 
     
     
         7 . The transceiver module and receptacle assembly of  claim 6  wherein the transceiver module external surface is metallized and upon insertion within the receptacle, the metallized transceiver module housing abuts against a ground surface protruding within the receptacle chamber in order to ground the transceiver module to the receptacle.  
     
     
         8 . The transceiver module and receptacle assembly of  claim 1  wherein the latching means includes release levers attached to the sides of the transceiver module housing and latching to the interior surface of the receptacle.  
     
     
         9 . The transceiver module and receptacle assembly of  claim 1  including a transceiver connector attached to the first end of the transceiver module housing.  
     
     
         10 . The transceiver module and receptacle assembly of  claim 9  wherein the transceiver connector is a fiber optic plug receptacle.  
     
     
         11 . The transceiver module and receptacle assembly of  claim 10  wherein the transceiver module includes an optoelectronic subassembly.  
     
     
         12 . The transceiver module and receptacle of  claim 9  wherein the transceiver connector is an electrical plug receptacle.  
     
     
         13 . The transceiver module of  claim 12  wherein the transceiver module includes an electrical subassembly.  
     
     
         14 . A transceiver module and receptacle assembly comprising: 
 a transceiver module housing having a first end and a second end;    release levers mounted to the transceiver module housing adjacent the first end and a pluggable connector at the second end; and    a receptacle housing having a first end having a protective door mounted thereto and the receptacle housing defining a chamber having a ground surface protruding into the chamber.    
     
     
         15 . The transceiver module and receptacle assembly of  claim 14  wherein the receptacle includes at a second end a receptacle connector for receiving the pluggable connector of the transceiver module.  
     
     
         16 . The transceiver module and receptacle assembly of  claim 15  wherein the ground surface is attached to an arm which is attached to the receptacle housing.  
     
     
         17 . The transceiver module and receptacle assembly of  claim 16  wherein the door is hingedly attached adjacent the top of the receptacle housing.  
     
     
         18 . The transceiver module and receptacle assembly of  claim 14  wherein the pluggable connector includes ground contacts offset from adjacent electrical contacts to provide for hot plugging.  
     
     
         19 . A transceiver receptacle comprising: 
 a transceiver receptacle housing defining a chamber and including a first end having a protective door mounted thereto and grounding means associated with the receptacle.    
     
     
         20 . The transceiver receptacle of  claim 19  wherein the receptacle housing includes at a second end a receptacle connector for receiving a pluggable connector of a transceiver module.  
     
     
         21 . The transceiver receptacle of  claim 19  wherein the grounding means includes ground surface protruding within the chamber.  
     
     
         22 . The transceiver receptacle of  claim 21  wherein the ground surface is attached to an arm which is molded within the receptacle housing.  
     
     
         23 . A transceiver module comprising: 
 a transceiver module housing having a first end and a second end;    a latching means attached adjacent the first end; and    a pluggable connector at the second end.    
     
     
         24 . The transceiver module of  claim 23  including: 
 a transceiver connector at the first end.  
 
     
     
         25 . The transceiver module of  claim 24  wherein the transceiver connector includes a modular port for receiving various media transducers.  
     
     
         26 . The transceiver module of  claim 25  wherein the media transducer includes a fiber optic plug receptacle and an optoelectronic subassembly.  
     
     
         27 . The transceiver module of  claim 25  wherein the media transducer includes an electrical plug receptacle and an electrical subassembly.  
     
     
         28 . The transceiver module of  claim 23  wherein the pluggable connector includes a D-shaped shroud surrounding a circuit board protruding transversely from the second end and having electrical contacts attached thereto.  
     
     
         29 . The transceiver module of  claim 23  wherein the pluggable connector includes ground contacts offset from adjacent electrical contacts.