JP4370889B2 - Case for optical transceiver - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical transceiver case that is detachably attached to an external device together with an end portion of a circuit board.

  The mainstream of recent optical-electrical conversion transceivers (hereinafter referred to as optical transceivers) is a pluggable type. A pluggable optical transceiver (strictly, a case or a housing) is provided with an optical connector having an optical fiber as a transmission path at one end thereof so that it can be attached and detached (inserted / removed), and the front panel of the communication device main body. The optical transceiver itself (excluding one end) is detachably (inserted / removed) provided in the opening along with the end of the circuit board fixed to the case with a screw.

  Generally, an extraction lever is rotatably provided at one end of the case of such an optical transceiver. The optical transceiver is inserted into the communication device by pushing one end of the case with a finger while the pulling lever is raised. On the other hand, the optical transceiver is pulled out from the communication device by pulling the pull-out lever toward one end of the case with a finger and pulling the tilted pull-out lever with a finger.

  The prior art document information related to the invention of this application includes the following.

JP-A-8-220384

  However, since the conventional plug-agle type optical transceiver does not have a board protection function, when the optical transceiver is attached to or detached from the communication device body, a large force is applied to the fixing part of the circuit board of the optical transceiver due to the attachment / detachment. The substrate may be destroyed.

  In particular, because of the recent high transmission speed of optical communications, electronic components are mounted on the circuit board of the optical transceiver with high density and there is almost no space for screws to fix the circuit board to the case. The circuit board is fixed by reducing the number of screws and reducing the number of screws.

  Under these circumstances, the optical transceiver may be in a normal use state, such as when the optical transceiver is attached to or detached from the communication device, but the case can be attached to or removed from the communication device by holding the case with a finger, If an excessive force is suddenly applied to the edge of the circuit board due to mishandling during mounting or removal, such as dropping an object on the circuit board, it will be caused by excessive force only with the fixed part of the circuit board fixed to the case with screws. It is impossible to support stress. This may lead to circuit board destruction.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an optical transceiver case that protects a circuit board when being attached to or detached from an external device.

The present invention has been made to achieve the above object, and the invention of claim 1 includes an optical transmitter module, an optical receiver module, and a circuit board for controlling the optical transmitter module and the optical receiver module. The circuit board includes: a first end to which the optical transmission module and the optical reception module are connected; and a second end on which a connection terminal electrically connected to an external device is formed; at the second end with the external device to removably optical transceiver for case provided the substrate, and a lower case provided with a fixing portion for fixing the circuit board is composed of an upper case covering the lower case, The lower case includes a bottom surface, and the bottom surface of the lower case side surface of the second end of the circuit board is located on the second end of the circuit board. To the extent that deformation of the extent to which damage to the circuit board is caused when the force of the direction is applied can occur, it is formed so as to expose, to the upper case, to suppress the deformation of the upper casing direction of the circuit board Protruding portions are provided, the protruding portions are provided on the second end side of the circuit board relative to the fixing portions of the lower case, and the protruding portions are provided on the circuit board from the surface of the circuit board on the upper case side. disposed but be modified provided apart with a gap of about does not result in damage, the convex portion when the circuit board is deformed to the upper casing direction, in contact with the circuit board so as to suppress deformation of more than the clearance It is the case for optical transceivers provided in the.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the optical transceiver according to the first aspect, the convex portion is formed to extend downward from the back surface of the upper case toward the surface of the circuit board, and suppresses upward deformation of the circuit board. It is a case for.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, an optical transmitter module, an optical receiver module, the optical transmitter module, and a circuit board that controls the optical receiver module are housed, and the circuit board includes the optical transmitter module and the optical receiver module. a second end the first end and the external device connection terminals for electrically connecting to the connection is formed, detachably attached to the external device together with the second end of the circuit board in the optical transceiver for the case to be, and a lower case provided with a fixing portion for fixing the circuit board is composed of an upper case covering the lower case, the lower case has a bottom surface, said bottom surface, said of said circuit board The surface on the lower case side of the second end is such that the circuit board is damaged when a force in the upper case direction is applied to the second end of the circuit board. To the extent that the shape can occur, is formed so as to expose, to the lower case, the convex portion for suppressing deformation of the upper casing direction of the circuit board is provided, wherein the convex portion of the fixed portion of the lower case Is provided on the second end side of the circuit board, and the convex part is provided away from the surface on the upper case side of the circuit board with a gap that does not cause damage even if the circuit board is deformed. The convex portion is a case for an optical transceiver provided in an arrangement in contact with the circuit board so as to suppress deformation beyond the gap when the circuit board is deformed toward the upper case .

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the convex portion is formed to extend laterally along the surface of the circuit board from the inner side surface of the lower case, and suppresses upward deformation of the circuit board. This is a case for an optical transceiver.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, an optical transmission module, an optical reception module, the optical transmission module, and a circuit board that controls the optical reception module are housed, and the circuit board includes the optical transmission module and the optical reception module. a second end the first end and the external device connection terminals for electrically connecting to the connection is formed, detachably attached to the external device together with the second end of the circuit board in the optical transceiver for the case to be, and a lower case provided with a fixing portion for fixing the circuit board is composed of an upper case covering the lower case, the lower case has a bottom surface, said bottom surface, said of said circuit board The surface on the lower case side of the second end is such that the circuit board is damaged when a force in the upper case direction is applied to the second end of the circuit board. To the extent that the shape can occur, it is formed so as to expose the grooves provided in the lower case, wherein the fitting plate for suppressing the deformation of the upper casing direction of the circuit board into the groove, the plate is the lower case Is provided on the second end side of the circuit board with respect to the fixed part of the circuit board, and the plate has a gap that does not cause damage even if the circuit board is deformed from the surface on the upper case side of the circuit board. The plate is an optical transceiver case that is provided apart from the circuit board so as to suppress deformation beyond the gap when the circuit board is deformed toward the upper case .

  The invention according to claim 6 is the optical transceiver case according to claim 5, wherein the groove is formed downward along the inner surface of the lower case.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to reliably protect the circuit board when it is attached to or detached from the external device.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  1 is an exploded perspective view of an optical transceiver using an optical transceiver case showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view in which the viewpoint of FIG. 1 is shifted in the z direction, and FIG. 3 is a perspective of FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view in which the viewpoint of FIG. 3 is shifted in the z direction. In this embodiment, the width direction, the length direction, and the height direction of the case or the optical transceiver are defined as an x direction, a y direction, and a z direction, respectively.

  As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, the optical transceiver case (housing) 1 according to the present embodiment has a substantially box shape in which a circuit board 2 is fixed inside and most of the upper part and the rear part are open. The lower case 3 and a substantially plate-like upper case (lid) 4 that covers most of the upper part of the lower case 3 are attached to and detached from the external device together with the other end of the circuit board 2. It is provided as possible. External devices include communication devices such as switching hubs and media converters.

  The lower case 3 and the upper case 4 are formed by die casting with a metal having high heat dissipation properties such as Zn and Al including each part described later. The lower case 3 and the upper case 4 may be formed by cutting a metal with high heat dissipation such as Zn or Al.

  One end (front end) of the circuit board 2 is soldered to an LD (semiconductor laser) module 5 as an optical transmission module that transmits an optical signal, and a PD (photodiode) module as an optical reception module that receives an optical signal. 6 are connected and fixed respectively.

  On the other end (rear end) portion of the circuit board 2, a card edge portion 7 that fits with a card edge connector of an external device (not shown) is formed. Although details are not shown, a connection terminal for electrically connecting the circuit board 2 and an external device is formed on the card edge portion 7. On both side surfaces on the other end side of the circuit board 2, a concave groove 9 for positioning and fixing for fixing the circuit board 2 to the lower case 3 with two board fixing screws 8 is formed.

  On the circuit board 2, wiring patterns and terminals are formed, and a transmission / reception integrated IC 10 for controlling signals transmitted and received by the LD module 5 and the PD module 6, an LD driver 11 for driving an LD element provided in the LD module 5, and the like. Electronic components are mounted.

  In one end portion of the lower case 3, two connector insertion ports 12 are formed in parallel, in which an optical connector including an optical fiber serving as a transmission path is detachably (inserted / removed). A holding part 13 for holding the LD module 5 and the PD module 6 is formed in the lower case 3 on the other end side of the connector insertion port 12. Steps 14 for placing the circuit board 2 are formed on both side walls 3 s of the lower case 3 which is the other end side of the holding portion 13.

  Step portions 15 for placing one end portion of the upper case 4 are formed on the other end portions of the both side walls 12 s of the connector insertion port 12. On both side walls 12 s, an unillustrated pulling lever for pulling the case 1 (an optical transceiver 31 described later) from an external device together with the other end of the circuit board 2 is rotatably provided.

  Screw holes 17 into which four case fixing screws 16 for fixing the upper case 4 to the lower case 3 are screwed to the respective step portions 15 and the other end sides on both sides of the inner bottom surface 3d of the lower case 3. 18 are formed respectively. Screw holes 19 into which two board fixing screws 8 for fixing the circuit board 2 to the lower case 3 are screwed are formed on both sides of the inner bottom surface 3d of the lower case 3 which is one end side of the screw hole 18, respectively. The

  The fixing portion 61 of the circuit board 2 includes the board fixing screw 8, the concave groove 9, and the screw hole 19 described above. The bottom surface of the lower case 3 is formed to be shorter forward than the side walls 3s. That is, the lower end of the lower case 3 is formed to be open at the bottom, together with the top and the back.

  At one end and the other end of the upper case 4, a positioning and through-hole 20 for fixing the upper case 4 to the lower case 3 with four case fixing screws 16 is formed.

  The upper case 4 is provided with convex portions (stoppers) 21 and 21 for suppressing deformation of the circuit board 2 so as to face each other. More specifically, each convex portion 21, 21 is connected to the back surface 4 b of the upper case 4, which is the other end side of the through hole 20 formed in the other end portion of the upper case 4, from the back surface 4 b of the upper case 4 to the lower case. 3 is formed to extend downward toward the surface 2f of the circuit board 2 fixed to 3, and to suppress upward deformation of the circuit board 2 when being attached to or detached from an external device. That is, each convex part 21, 21 is located on the other end side of the circuit board 2 with respect to the fixing part 61 of the circuit board 2.

  In the present embodiment, as the convex portions 21 and 21, the base portions 21b of the convex portions 21 and 21 on the back surface 4b side are formed so as to be thickened inward in the width direction of the back surface 4b, and are reinforced. The whole was formed into a substantially Γ shape or an inverted Γ shape.

  The length L of each convex part 21, 21 is the distance between the tip of each convex part 21, 21 and the surface 2 f of the circuit board 2 when the upper case 4 is fitted and fixed to the lower case 3 to which the circuit board 2 is fixed. In addition, a slight gap (small gap) d (see FIG. 5) is set to a length for partitioning.

  Even if the micro gap d is excessively applied to the end of the circuit board due to mishandling at the time of attachment / detachment, even if the circuit board 2 is deformed upward by the micro gap d due to this sudden force. The clearance is such that the circuit board 2 is not damaged and does not break down. Further, in consideration of manufacturing tolerances of the circuit board 2, the lower case 3, and the upper case 4, the minute gaps d are intentionally partitioned.

  Thus, the optical transceiver 31 using the narrow and narrow case 1 is a pluggable optical transceiver similar to the background art, and includes the circuit board 2, the lower case 3, the upper case 4, and the LD module 5. And the PD module 6.

  Next, the assembly procedure of the optical transceiver 31 will be described.

  First, the LD module 5 and the PD module 6 are connected and fixed to one end of the circuit board 2 by soldering. The circuit board 2 is placed on each step 14 of the lower case 3 so that the concave grooves 9 and the screw holes 19 coincide with each other, and are fixed by screwing with two board fixing screws 8. The LD module 5 and the PD module 6 are fitted and held in the holding unit 13 of the third. At this time, the state shown in FIGS.

  On the upper surface of the step portion 15 and both side walls 12s of the lower case 3 to which the circuit board 2 is fixed, the convex portions 21 and 21 are on the card edge portion 7 side of the circuit board 2, and the through holes 20 When the upper case 4 is placed and fitted so that the screw holes 17 and 18 coincide with each other, and fixed with the four case fixing screws 16, the circuit board 2, the LD module 5, and the PD module 6 are fixed. Are accommodated in the case 1, and the optical transceiver 31 shown in FIG. 5 is obtained.

  At this time, the tips of the convex portions 21 and 21 are separated from the surface 2f of the circuit board 2 by a minute gap d. Further, the other end of the case 1 is open at the back and below, and the back surface of the card edge portion 7 of the circuit board 2 is exposed.

  The operation of the present embodiment will be described.

  In the case 1 (optical transceiver 31), the card edge portion 7 formed at the other end portion of the circuit board 2 together with the case 1 is inserted into the external device in the −y direction, so that the circuit board 2 and the external device are electrically connected. In addition, the LD module 5 and the PD module 6 are connected to optical connectors each having an optical fiber (not shown) that is inserted from the connector insertion port 12 and is connected to one end of the LD module 5 and the PD module 6, respectively. The PD module 6 and the transmission path are optically coupled and used.

  Usually, the case 1 is inserted into an external device by pushing one end of the case 1 with a finger in a state where the pulling lever provided in the lower case 3 is raised. On the other hand, the case 1 is pulled out from an external device by pulling the pull-out lever toward one end (front) of the case with a finger and pulling the tilted pull-out lever while holding it with a finger. In such a normal use state, an excessive force is not applied to the other end portion of the circuit board 2, so that the circuit board 2 is not damaged and is not destroyed.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, when the case 1 is picked up with a finger to attach / detach to / from an external device or an object is dropped on the case 1 during attachment / detachment, suddenly due to mishandling at the time of attachment / detachment. Even when an excessive force F in the upward direction (in the diagonally upward direction in FIG. 6) is applied to the other end portion of the circuit board 2 (particularly, the back surface of the card edge portion 7), Since the portion 21 serves as a stopper, the upward deformation of the circuit board 2 is suppressed, so that stress due to an excessive force F applied to the fixing portion 61 of the circuit board 2 can be reduced.

  Therefore, according to the case 1, the circuit board 2 can be reliably protected without being damaged or destroyed even if the circuit board 2 is not damaged or broken due to mishandling at the time of attachment / detachment to / from an external device. That is, the case 1 has a substrate protection (substrate destruction prevention) function.

  Further, when the upper case 4 is fitted and fixed to the lower case 3 to which the circuit board 2 is fixed, the tips of the convex portions 21 are separated from the surface 2f of the circuit board 2 by a minute gap d. Even if the circuit board 2 is deformed upward by the minute gap d by the force F, the circuit board 2 is not damaged and does not break. Furthermore, the manufacturing tolerances of the circuit board 2, the lower case 3, and the upper case 4 can be absorbed by forming the minute gaps d.

  Since each convex part 21 is located on the other end side of the circuit board 2 relative to the fixing part 61 of the circuit board 2, stress due to excessive force F applied to the fixing part 61 of the circuit board 2 can be further alleviated.

  A second embodiment will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the optical transceiver case 71 is formed by die casting (or cutting) of Zn or Al, and includes a lower case 73 and an upper case 74. The upper case 74 has the same configuration as the upper case 4 except that the convex portions 21 and 21 of FIGS.

  The side walls 73 s of the lower case 73 are laterally extended from the inner side surface 73 i of the lower case 73 to the surface 2 f of the circuit board 2 at a position closer to the other end side of the circuit board 2 than the fixing part 61 of the circuit board 2. The protrusions 75 are formed so as to face each other so as to be opposed to the upper deformation of the circuit board 2 when being attached to and detached from the external device.

  The vertical position of each convex portion 75 is such that when the circuit board 2 is fixed to the lower case 73, the same minute gap d as in FIG. 5 is defined between the lower end of the convex portion 75 and the surface 2 f of the circuit board 2. To. The other structure of the lower case 73 is the same as that of the lower case 3 of FIGS.

  Also with this case 71, the same effect as the case 1 of FIGS. However, in the case 71, as shown in FIG. 8, when the circuit board 2 is fixed to the lower case 73, the LD module 5 and the PD module 6 are fixed between the gaps formed by the convex portions 75 and the step portions 14. The other end of the circuit board 2 is inserted. At this time, the presence of the convex portion 75 makes it difficult to incorporate the circuit board 2 into the lower case 73 as compared to the case 1 of FIGS.

  A third embodiment will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 9, a case 91 for an optical transceiver includes a lower case 93 formed by die casting (or cutting) of Zn or Al, and a U-shaped cross section formed by press molding a metal such as SUS or Cu alloy. The upper case 94 is formed. The lower case 93 has substantially the same configuration as the lower case 73 of FIGS. 7 and 8 except that stepped portions 95 on which both side surfaces of the upper case 94 are placed are formed on both side walls 93 of the lower case. .

  The lower case 93 is effective when used when the upper case is formed by press molding. This is because since the upper case 94 is a press-molded product, the thickness is small, and the convex portions 21 and 21 as shown in FIGS.

  A fourth embodiment will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the optical transceiver case 101 includes a lower case 103 formed by die casting (or cutting) of Zn or Al, and an upper case 74 shown in FIGS.

  On both side walls 103 s of the lower case 103, grooves 104 are formed below the inner side surface 103 i of the lower case 103 at positions closer to the other end portion of the circuit board 2 than the fixing portion 61 of the circuit board 2. It is provided so as to face each other. In each groove 104, a single plate 105 that suppresses upward deformation of the circuit board 2 when being attached to or detached from an external device is fitted so as to cross between the grooves 104. As the material of the plate 105, for example, the same material as that of the lower case 103 is used.

  When the circuit board 2 is fixed to the lower case 103 and the plate 105 is fitted in each groove 104, the lower end of each groove 104 is between the lower end of the plate 105 and the surface 2f of the circuit board 2 as shown in FIG. The gap d is defined. The upper end of each groove 104 is made to coincide with the upper end of both side walls 103s. Other configurations of the lower case 103 are the same as those of the lower case 3 of FIGS.

  Also with this case 101, the same effect as the case 1 of FIGS. Further, in the case 101, the upper case 74 can be prevented from being deformed downward by the upper end of the plate 105. Furthermore, the lower case 103 can be reinforced.

  The present invention is particularly effective when used in a pluggable type optical transceiver using a narrow and narrow case, because a large moment of force may act on the other end of the circuit board 2 when being attached to or detached from an external device. is there.

It is a disassembled perspective view of the optical transceiver using the case for optical transceivers which shows suitable embodiment of this invention. It is the perspective view which shifted the viewpoint of FIG. 1 to the z direction. It is the perspective view which shifted the viewpoint of FIG. 1 to the y direction. It is the perspective view which shifted the viewpoint of FIG. 3 to the z direction. FIG. 2 is a completed view of the optical transceiver shown in FIG. 1 viewed from the y direction. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6A-6A in FIG. 5. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows 2nd Embodiment. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows a state when fixing a circuit board to the lower case of FIG. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows 3rd Embodiment. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows 4th Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Optical transceiver case 2 Circuit board 3 Lower case 4 Upper case 5 Optical transmission module 6 Optical reception module 21, 21 Convex part 31 Optical transceiver

Claims (6)

An optical transmission module;
An optical receiver module;
A circuit board for controlling the optical transmission module and the optical reception module;
The circuit board includes a first end to which the optical transmission module and the optical reception module are connected and a second end formed with a connection terminal that is electrically connected to an external device.
In the circuit board and the second of said external device detachably optical transceiver for cases provided with an end portion of,
A lower case having a fixing part for fixing the circuit board;
An upper case covering the lower case;
The lower case includes a bottom surface, and the bottom surface has a surface on the lower case side of the second end portion of the circuit board, and a force in the upper case direction is applied to the second end portion of the circuit board. Formed so as to be exposed to such an extent that the circuit board can be deformed to the extent that damage is caused.
Providing the upper case with a convex portion for suppressing deformation of the circuit board toward the upper case ,
The convex portion is provided on the second end side of the circuit board from the fixed portion of the lower case,
The convex portion is provided apart from the surface on the upper case side of the circuit board with a gap that does not cause damage even if the circuit board is deformed ,
The optical transceiver case, wherein the convex portion is provided in an arrangement in contact with the circuit board so as to suppress deformation beyond the gap when the circuit board is deformed toward the upper case.   The optical transceiver case according to claim 1, wherein the convex portion is formed to extend downward from the back surface of the upper case toward the surface of the circuit board, and suppresses upward deformation of the circuit board. An optical transmission module;
An optical receiver module;
A circuit board for controlling the optical transmission module and the optical reception module;
The circuit board includes a first end to which the optical transmission module and the optical reception module are connected and a second end formed with a connection terminal that is electrically connected to an external device.
In the circuit board and the second of said external device detachably optical transceiver for cases provided with an end portion of,
A lower case having a fixing part for fixing the circuit board;
An upper case covering the lower case;
The lower case includes a bottom surface, and the bottom surface is a surface of the second end portion of the circuit board on the lower case side, and a force in the upper case direction is applied to the second end portion of the circuit board. It is formed so as to be exposed to the extent that deformation can occur to the extent that the circuit board is sometimes damaged,
Providing the lower case with a convex portion for suppressing deformation of the circuit board toward the upper case ,
The convex portion is provided on the second end side of the circuit board from the fixed portion of the lower case,
The convex portion is provided apart from the surface on the upper case side of the circuit board with a gap that does not cause damage even if the circuit board is deformed ,
The optical transceiver case, wherein the convex portion is provided in an arrangement in contact with the circuit board so as to suppress deformation beyond the gap when the circuit board is deformed toward the upper case.   The optical transceiver case according to claim 3, wherein the convex portion is formed to extend from an inner side surface of the lower case to a side along a surface of the circuit board, and suppresses upward deformation of the circuit board. An optical transmission module;
An optical receiver module;
A circuit board for controlling the optical transmission module and the optical reception module;
The circuit board includes a first end to which the optical transmission module and the optical reception module are connected and a second end formed with a connection terminal that is electrically connected to an external device.
In the circuit board and the second of said external device detachably optical transceiver for cases provided with an end portion of,
A lower case having a fixing part for fixing the circuit board;
An upper case covering the lower case;
The lower case includes a bottom surface, and the bottom surface is a surface of the second end portion of the circuit board on the lower case side, and a force in the upper case direction is applied to the second end portion of the circuit board. It is formed so as to be exposed to the extent that deformation can occur to the extent that the circuit board is sometimes damaged,
Wherein a groove is provided in the lower case, fitting a plate for suppressing the deformation of the upper casing direction of the circuit board into the groove,
The plate is provided closer to the second end of the circuit board than the fixed portion of the lower case;
The plate is provided away from the surface of the circuit board on the upper case side with a gap that does not cause damage even if the circuit board is deformed ,
The case for an optical transceiver, wherein the plate is provided so as to be in contact with the circuit board so as to suppress deformation beyond the gap when the circuit board is deformed in the direction of the upper case.   The optical transceiver case according to claim 5, wherein the groove is formed downward along an inner surface of the lower case.

Images