Industrial interconnect system incorporating transceiver module cage

Abstract

An interconnect system includes a transceiver module assembly that is mountable in an industrial receptacle. The receptacle mates to an industrial optical connector to form an environmentally sealed connection. The receptacle has an interior passageway and mating means for attaching the module assembly. The module assembly includes a spring-loaded module cage for receiving active devices, such as SFP transceivers. The spring-loaded module cage can adjust its position within the receptacle to accommodate different type of modules from various vendors. When attached to the platform, the module assembly is positioned so that the cage's open end is accessible through the receptacle's passageway. Users have the option of plugging/unplugging the transceiver module either through the passageway or by removing the module assembly from the receptacle.

1 . An interconnect system, comprising: 
 a receptacle adapted to mate to a connector to form an environmentally-sealed connection therewith; and    a module cage located within the receptacle.    
     
     
         2 . The interconnect system of  claim 1 , wherein the module cage is configured to receive a module selected from the group consisting of a Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) transceiver module and an XFP module.  
     
     
         3 . The interconnect system of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle includes means for mounting to a panel.  
     
     
         4 . The interconnect system of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a flexible electrical conductor forming an electrically conductive path between a module inserted into the module cage and a host PCB.    
     
     
         5 . The interconnect system of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle and module cage are each made of conductive material.  
     
     
         6 . The interconnect system of  claim 5 , wherein an electrically conductive path is formed between the receptacle and the module cage.  
     
     
         7 . The interconnect system of  claim 1 , wherein the connector is an optical connector.  
     
     
         8 . The interconnect system of  claim 1 , further comprising the connector.  
     
     
         9 . An interconnect system, comprising: 
 a receptacle having a passageway formed therein and mating means; and    a module assembly, including:    a spring-loaded mount having a movable member biased by a spring means;    a printed circuit board mounted to the movable member, the printed circuit board having one or more electrical contacts adapted to interface with a module;    a module cage attached to the printed circuit board, the module cage and the printed circuit board forming an enclosure with an open end for receiving the module; and    an attachment releasably attaching the module assembly to the mating means of the receptacle so that the enclosure's open end is accessible through the receptacle's passageway.    
     
     
         10 . The interconnect system of  claim 9 , wherein the receptacle is adapted to mate to a connector to form an environmentally-sealed connection therewith.  
     
     
         11 . The interconnect system of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a flexible conductor connected to the printed circuit board, forming a conductive path with the electrical contacts.    
     
     
         12 . The interconnect system of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a conductive gasket fitted around the exterior of the receptacle.    
     
     
         13 . The interconnect system of  claim 9 , wherein the receptacle, module cage, and spring-loaded mount are each made of conductive material and an electrically conductive path is formed between the receptacle, module cage, and spring-loaded mount.  
     
     
         14 . The interconnect system of  claim 9 , wherein the module cage is configured to receive a module selected from the group consisting of a Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) transceiver module and an XFP module.  
     
     
         15 . The interconnect system of  claim 9 , wherein the spring-loaded mount comprises: 
 a housing having a floor and two substantially parallel longitudinal walls extending upwardly from the floor to form a trough;    a pair of stops formed, respectively, on interior sides of the housing walls;    a pair of spring abutments extending, respectively, from the interior sides of the housing walls towards the middle of the trough, the abutments and stops being spaced apart along the housing walls to form widened areas along the housing walls;    the movable member having a pair of parallel longitudinal bars held together by first and second cross members, the parallel bars being spaced apart so as to snuggly engage the interior sides of the housing walls, the bars having wider rear portions engaging the widened areas, the wider rear portions forming outward ledges on the bars for abutting against the stops;    one or more posts extending upwardly from the bars, for mounting the printed circuit board;    a pair of spring receptacles formed, respectively, at the ends of the bars; and    a pair of compression springs, each positioned in a respective spring receptacle and against a respective spring abutment, for biasing the movable member so that the bars' outward ledges abut against the stops.    
     
     
         16 . The interconnect system of  claim 9 , wherein the spring-loaded mount comprises: 
 a housing having a passageway formed therein for receiving the module cage and the printed circuit board;    a flange extending from the exterior surface of the housing;    a coupling ring fitted around the housing and adapted to mate to the receptacle; and    a spring washer fitting around the exterior of the housing and engaging the flange and coupling ring, for biasing the housing against the receptacle when the coupling ring and receptacle are mated.    
     
     
         17 . The interconnect system of  claim 9 , wherein the mating means includes a platform extending from the passageway.  
     
     
         18 . The interconnect system of  claim 9 , wherein the attachment is selected from the group consisting of a spring clip and a coupling ring.  
     
     
         19 . The interconnect system of  claim 9 , further comprising the module.  
     
     
         20 . The interconnect system of  claim 19 , wherein the module is selected from the group consisting of a Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) transceiver module and an XFP module.