JP3741015B2 - Optical module with connector terminals - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an optical module, and more particularly to an optical module provided with a connector terminal for inputting and outputting electrical signals.
[0002]
[Prior art]
An optical module is widely used as a converter for converting an optical signal into an electric signal or a converter for converting an electric signal into an optical signal in an optical communication system such as an optical LAN.
[0003]
More specifically, such an optical module is mounted on a motherboard included in the optical transmission apparatus, receives an electrical signal supplied from the motherboard, converts it into a corresponding optical signal, and then sends the optical signal to the optical transmission path or It fulfills the function of supplying the electrical signal to the motherboard after receiving the optical signal propagating from the transmission line and converting it into a corresponding electrical signal.
[0004]
Therefore, the optical module includes a plurality of lead pins for inputting and outputting electrical signals. The mother board has a mounting surface for mounting the optical module, and the mounting surface is provided with a plurality of through holes for inserting the plurality of lead pins. The plurality of lead pins are inserted into the plurality of through holes while the optical module is mounted on the mounting surface of the motherboard, and the lead pins and the through holes are electrically connected to each other through solder later. However, with the solder connection method using lead pins and through-holes, it is difficult to adopt a large number of high-density integrated arrangements with respect to a plane parallel to the mounting surface of the motherboard. For this purpose, it is not sufficient to increase the number of electrical signal connection points for inputting and outputting between the optical module and the motherboard and to integrate them at a high density.
[0005]
For this reason, the inventor has adopted an optical module (hereinafter referred to as “optical with connector terminal”) that employs a mechanical connection method using a connector terminal instead of a solder connection method using a lead pin and a through-hole. Module)).
[0006]
An optical module with a connector terminal houses an optical element assembly including an optical element that is a light emitting element or a light receiving element, an electric circuit unit for processing an electric signal of the optical element assembly, an optical element assembly, and an electric circuit unit A housing, and the electric circuit portion includes one connector terminal for inputting / outputting electric signals to / from the mother board so as to protrude outside the housing.
[0007]
One connector terminal is configured to include one of a plurality of plugs or a plurality of receptacles. In one connector terminal, either one of the plurality of plugs or the plurality of receptacles is provided so as to be electrically insulated from each other, thereby serving as an input / output terminal for a plurality of electric signals with respect to the electric circuit portion of the optical module. Plays a function.
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In order to drive the optical module with connector terminals at high speed, either one of the plurality of plugs or the plurality of receptacles included in one connector terminal is integrated in a large number and at a high density. Similarly, the mounting surface of the mother board corresponding to this is provided with the other connector terminal formed by integrating either the plurality of plugs or the plurality of receptacles in a large number and a high density.
[0009]
Here, the mating direction of the other connector terminal provided on the mother board is generally provided so as to be substantially perpendicular to the mounting surface of the mother board. In order to reduce the height of the optical module with connector terminals, the fitting length between one connector terminal of the optical module with connector terminal and the other connector terminal of the motherboard is substantially the same as the mounting surface of the motherboard. It was constrained to the vertical direction. On the other hand, for example, one connector terminal includes a plurality of connector terminals by fitting the fitting direction of one connector terminal included in the optical module with a connector terminal in an inclined state with respect to the mounting surface of the motherboard. The timing for fitting one of the plug or the plurality of receptacles and the other of the plurality of plugs or the plurality of receptacles included in the other connector terminal is dispersed to reduce the pressing force for fitting. It was difficult.
[0010]
For this reason, a large pressing force is required to simultaneously fit one connector terminal of the optical module with connector terminal and the other connector terminal of the motherboard so that their fitting directions coincide with each other. It was. For example, in order to increase the number and density of integration on the mounting surface of the motherboard, when connecting points with several hundred plugs and receptacles at 1.25 mm intervals with respect to a plane parallel to the mounting surface, In order to fit one connector terminal and the other connector terminal, a pressing force of about 10 kgf was required.
[0011]
And since the circuit wiring and other elements are provided with high density on the mounting surface other than the portion where the optical module with connector terminals is mounted on the mounting surface of the motherboard and the opposite surface opposite to the mounting surface, the motherboard Are fixed to a jig or the like for mounting an optical module with a connector terminal by gripping one end portions facing each other. For this reason, when one connector terminal of the optical module with a connector terminal is fitted to the other connector terminal of the motherboard and mounted, a large pressing force acts in a direction substantially perpendicular to the mounting surface of the motherboard. Then, if the motherboard is bent by this pressing force, before the one connector terminal and the other connector terminal are properly mated, the bent motherboard and the connector terminal are attached and the housing of the optical module is contacted. In other words, pressing force is further applied to the optical module with connector terminals so that one connector terminal cannot be properly fitted to the other connector terminal provided on the mounting surface of the motherboard. was there.
[0012]
Accordingly, the present invention is an optical module with a connector terminal having one connector terminal, and includes one of a plurality of plugs or a plurality of receptacles included in one connector terminal, which are integrated in a large number and at a high density. It is another object of the present invention to provide an optical module with a connector terminal which can be mounted on the mother board by being properly fitted to the other connector terminal provided on the mother board.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
An optical module with a connector terminal according to a first aspect of the present invention includes an optical element assembly including an optical element that is a light emitting element or a light receiving element, an electric circuit unit for processing an electric signal of the optical element assembly, an optical element assembly, and an electric element. A housing for housing the circuit portion, and one connector terminal configured by integrating a plurality of plugs or a plurality of receptacles as a plurality of plugs or a plurality of receptacles as an electric signal input / output portion of the electric circuit portion. . The housing of the optical module with a connector terminal has a bottom surface that comes into contact with a mother board on which the optical module with a connector terminal is mounted. The connector terminal is provided to be exposed to the outside of the housing from the bottom surface. Is provided with an avoidance part for avoiding contact of the bent motherboard.
[0014]
According to the optical module with a connector terminal according to the first aspect of the present invention, since the bottom surface of the housing is provided with the avoidance portion that prevents the bent motherboard from coming into contact with the optical module, the connector terminal is normally fitted with the other connector terminal provided on the motherboard. I can do it.
[0015]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The above and other objects and features of the present invention will be readily apparent from the preferred embodiments of the present invention described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals are assigned to the same components.
[0016]
【Example】
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an optical transmission module 1 with a connector terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention as seen obliquely from above. The optical transmission module 1 with a connector terminal includes an optical element assembly 2 including a light emitting element (not shown), an electric circuit unit 4 (see FIG. 3) for processing an electric signal of the optical element assembly 2, and an optical element assembly. 2 and a housing 3 that encloses an electric circuit portion. One end of the optical element assembly 2 is connected to an optical fiber 9 that is a part of the optical transmission path, and the signal light emitted from the optical element assembly 2 enters the optical fiber 9 and propagates to the optical transmission path.
[0017]
FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the optical module with connector terminals of FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the optical transmission module 1 with connector terminal further includes a bottom surface 31 that comes into contact with the mounting surface 5 a (see FIG. 3) of the motherboard, and an electrical signal is input to the electric circuit unit 4 on the bottom surface 31. One connector terminal 32 made up of a plurality of plugs 32 a is provided so as to be exposed to the outside of the housing 3.
[0018]
One connector terminal 32 has 40 plugs 32a along the A axis parallel to the bottom surface 31 and 8 plugs 32a along the direction perpendicular to the A axis in a plane parallel to the bottom surface 31. Also with respect to the direction, they are arranged so as to be spaced apart from each other by 1.25 mm. In addition, the fitting directions of the plurality of plugs 32a are all the same and are substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface 31, and the connector terminal 32 has a substantially rectangular shape which is vertically long in the direction parallel to the A axis on the bottom surface 31. It is configured. The plurality of plugs 32a are provided on one connector terminal 32 so as to be insulated from each other, and each of the plurality of plugs 32a is electrically connected to the wiring circuit of the electric circuit unit 4 by a ball grid array.
[0019]
FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the cross section along the A axis that is substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface 31 in FIG. 2 and viewed from the arrow Z side. In addition, in FIG. 3, it has described so that the bottom face 31 of the optical transmission module 1 with a connector terminal may be located below. 3 shows a mother board 5 on which the optical transmission module 1 with connector terminals is mounted in addition to the optical transmission module 1 with connector terminals, together with a side sectional view seen in the same manner as the optical transmission module 1 with connector terminals. .
[0020]
The mother board 5 has a plate shape having a mounting surface 5a that is substantially square and an opposite surface 5b that is opposite to the mounting surface 5a. One connector of the optical transmission module 1 with optical connector terminals is provided on the mounting surface 5a. The other connector terminal 52 fitted to the terminal 32 is provided.
[0021]
The other connector terminal 52 has a plurality of receptacles 52a corresponding to the one connector terminal 32, 40 in a plane parallel to the mounting surface 5a along the direction parallel to the A axis, and perpendicular to the A axis. 8 pieces are provided along the direction to be 1.25 mm apart from each other. The fitting directions of the plurality of receptacles 52a are all substantially perpendicular to the mounting surface 5a, and the other connector terminal 52 has a substantially rectangular shape that is vertically long in the direction parallel to the A axis on the mounting surface 5a. It is configured in shape.
[0022]
The one connector terminal 32 of the optical transmission module 1 with connector terminal and the other connector terminal 52 of the motherboard 5 are positions where the bottom surface 31 of the optical transmission module 1 with connector terminal is in contact with the mounting surface 5 a of the motherboard 5. Thus, it is defined that the plurality of plugs 32a and the receptacles 52a included therein are individually fitted at optimum fitting positions to form a plurality of electrical connection points. The mounting surface 5a and the opposite surface 5b except for the part on which the optical transmission module 1 with connector terminal 1 is mounted and the four sides of the mounting surface 5a and the opposite surface 5b, An electric element (not shown) or a wiring circuit (not shown) that electrically connects each of the other electronic elements as appropriate is integrated and disposed. Therefore, in order to mount the optical transmission module 1 with optical connector terminals on the mounting surface 5a of the mother board 5, the mother board 5 is gripped by the pair of gripping means 6 on the one side part 5c and the other side part 5d, and is positioned and fixed. Made.
[0023]
Here, as shown in FIG. 3, in the optical transmission module 1 with a connector terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention, two opposing sides perpendicular to the A axis of the bottom surface 31 of the housing 3 are chamfered planes. A chamfered portion 33 is provided.
[0024]
According to the inventor's experiment, the elastic modulus of the mother board 5 is 7500 N / mm ⁻² , the length a in which 40 plugs 32a of one connector terminal 32 and 40 receptacles 52a of the other connector terminal are arranged along the A axis. 55 mm, length of 8 arranged in the direction perpendicular to the A axis is 15 mm, length b along the A axis between the one side portion 5c and the other side portion 5d where the mother board 5 is held and fixed is 300 mm, the mother board 5 in the direction perpendicular to the A-axis is 300 mm, and the fitting length between the other connector terminal 52 provided on the mother board 5 and one connector terminal 31 of the optical transmission module 1 with connector terminal is 1 mm. The angle c formed by the chamfered portion 33 provided on the bottom surface 31 of the optical transmission module 1 with connector terminal and the bottom surface 31 is 10 degrees, and one connector terminal 32 is disposed in the mother board 5. When installed near the core, one connector terminal 32 of the optical transmission module 1 with connector terminal and the other connector terminal 52 of the mother board 5 are to be fitted to each other through the other connector terminal 52 from the one connector terminal 32. Thus, even when a substantially vertical pressing force is applied to the mounting surface 5a of the mother board 5 and the mother board 5 is bent, the housing 3 of the optical transmission module 1 with connector terminal and the mounting surface 5a of the mother board 5 do not contact each other. Therefore, one connector terminal 32 of the optical transmission module 1 with connector terminal and the other connector terminal 52 provided on the mother board 5 are normally fitted, and the optical module 1 with connector terminal is mounted on the mounting surface 5 a of the mother board 5. Can be implemented.
[0025]
4 shows that a pressing force substantially perpendicular to the mounting surface 5a of the motherboard 5 is applied from one connector terminal 32 to the mounting surface 5a of the motherboard 5 in the direction of arrow B which is substantially perpendicular to the mounting surface 5a of the motherboard in FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view when the optical transmission module with connector terminal 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention is mounted on a mother board 5. FIG. It can be seen that the two chamfered portions 33 provided on the bottom surface 31 function as an avoidance portion of the mother board 5.
[0026]
Here, in the above-described embodiment, in order to avoid contact with the bottom portion 31 of the housing 5 when the mother board 5 is bent, two opposing sides perpendicular to the A axis of the bottom surface 31 of the housing 3 are A flat chamfered portion 33 that forms a predetermined angle with the bottom surface 31 that has been chamfered. However, within a range that does not depart from the objects and effects of the present invention, the chamfered portion 33 is, for example, a second bottom surface 33 in which a plane parallel to the bottom surface 31 is arranged close to the electric circuit portion 4 as shown in FIG. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5 (b), it can be easily changed by those skilled in the art to appropriately change the R surface 33 having the R shape, and is within the scope of the present invention.
[0027]
Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments, the optical element is a light emitting element. However, a light receiving module with a connector terminal in which the optical element is a light receiving element can also be used. The light receiving element, the light emitting element assembly including the light receiving element, Obviously, an optical transmission / reception module with connector terminals provided with an assembly is also within the scope of the present invention.
[0028]
【The invention's effect】
As described in detail above, according to the present invention, in the optical module with connector terminal having one connector terminal, the mother board that is bent when mated with the other connector terminal of the motherboard contacts the bottom surface of the housing. An avoidance unit for avoiding contact is provided. Therefore, according to the optical module with connector terminals of the present invention, even if one of the plurality of plugs or receptacles provided in one connector terminal is integrated in a large number and at a high density, it is configured to correspond to this and provided in the motherboard. The other connector terminal can be normally fitted and mounted on the motherboard.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an optical transmission module 1 with a connector terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention as seen obliquely from above.
FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the optical module with connector terminals of FIG. 1 as seen obliquely from below.
3 is a side cross-sectional view of the cross section taken along the A axis and substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface 31 in FIG. 2, as viewed from the arrow Z side.
4 is a cross-sectional side view when the optical transmission module with connector terminal 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention is mounted on the mother board 5 by applying a pressing force in the direction of arrow B in FIG.
FIG. 5A shows the chamfered portion 33 of the optical module 1 with connector terminal of FIG. 3 as a second bottom surface 33 in which a plane parallel to the bottom surface 31 is arranged close to the electric circuit portion 4; It is side surface sectional drawing. FIG. 5B is a side sectional view in which the chamfered portion 33 of the optical module 1 with connector terminal of FIG. 3 is an R surface 33 having an R shape.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Optical module with connector terminal 2 ... Optical element assembly 3 ... Housing 4 ... Electric circuit part 5 ... Mother board 9 ... Optical fiber 31 ... Bottom surface 32 ... One connector terminal 33 ... Chamfering part 52 ... Other connector terminal

Claims (1)

An optical element assembly including an optical element which is a light emitting element or a light receiving element;
An electrical circuit section for processing electrical signals of the optical element assembly;
A housing for housing the optical element assembly and the electric circuit portion;
In an optical module with a connector terminal comprising: one connector terminal provided with a large number and a high density of any one of a plurality of plugs or a plurality of receptacles as an input / output unit of an electric signal of the electric circuit unit,
The housing has a bottom surface that comes into contact with a motherboard on which the optical module with connector terminals is mounted;
The connector terminal is provided so as to be exposed to the outside of the housing from the bottom surface, and includes an avoiding portion for avoiding the bent motherboard from contacting the bottom surface.
An optical module with a connector terminal.

Images