WO2022194372A1

WO2022194372A1 - Housings for electromagnetically insulating electrical components

Info

Publication number: WO2022194372A1
Application number: PCT/EP2021/056864
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sergio MOSTI; Claudio D'INCÀ; Alberto Deho
Original assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ)
Priority date: 2021-03-17
Filing date: 2021-03-17
Publication date: 2022-09-22

Abstract

A housing for electromagnetically insulating an electrical component installed within the housing is provided. The housing comprises a plurality of walls defining a space for receiving the electrical component. The housing further comprises one or more contact elements arranged to contact the electrical component when the electrical component is installed within the space, in order to establish a ground connection between a casing of the electrical component and the housing.

Description

Housings for electromagnetically insulating electrical components

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to housings for electromagnetically insulating electrical components, such as optical transceivers, installed within the housing.

Background

Telecommunications units may be equipped with one or more electrical components, such as optical transceivers, e.g. Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) optical transceivers, installed within the units. The optical transceivers may be for facilitating data communications between the telecommunications units. When designing the telecommunications units for housing such optical transceivers, it is desirable to ensure that the units operate within proscribed limits of electromagnetic interference emissions, e.g. by preventing undesirable levels of electromagnetic interference generated by the optical transceivers from being emitted from the unit. Ensuring that the optical transceivers are suitably shielded may be of particular importance when the telecommunications unit is to house multiple optical transceivers, each of which may generate electromagnetic interference.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the electrical components, e.g. the optical transceivers, may be housed within a dedicated housing 100 or cage provided in, e.g. as part of, the telecommunications unit. As depicted, the housing 100 may comprise a plurality of walls 102 defining one or more spaces 104 for receiving the optical transceivers within the housing 100.

The housing 100 may serve the purpose of aligning the optical transceivers with respective electrical connector 112 provided on a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) 110 of the telecommunications unit. The electrical connectors 112 may be, for example, for supplying power and/or transmitting control/data signals to the optical transceivers. The housing 100 also has the purpose of ensuring that an appropriate ground connection is established between the housing 100 and a frame (not shown) of the telecommunications unit on which the housing is mounted. As shown in Figure 1 , the housing 100 comprises a plurality of sprung fingers 106 for contacting the frame of the telecommunications unit. For example, the sprung fingers 106 may be to contact a front panel of the frame. In this way, the appropriate ground connection may be established between the housing 100 and the frame of the telecommunications unit. Ensuring that the appropriate ground connection is established may enable the optical transceivers to be electromagnetically insulated within the telecommunications unit, as described below.

With reference to Figure 3, the optical transceivers 300 comprises a casing 302 and a plurality of electrical contacts 304 for contacting the housing 100 in order to establish a reliable ground connection between the casing 302 and the housing 100. The electrical contacts 304 may be sized and spaced apart over the casing 302, such that when the optical transceiver 300 is installed within the housing, gaps present between ground connections between the casing 302 and the housing are sufficiently small to appropriately attenuate electromagnetic interference that may be generated by the optical transceiver 300. In this way, the optical transceiver 300 may be electromagnetically insulated within the housing 100.

However, as shown in Figure 3, the optical transceiver 300 comprises a retaining feature 306, provided on a base face 300a of the transceiver, to be engaged by a retainer 108 of the housing (shown in Figures 1 and 2) in order to retain the optical transceiver 300 within one of the housing spaces 104. The presence of the retaining feature 306 on the optical transceiver limits the available space for arranging the electrical contacts 304 on the casing 302 over the base face 300a. This may lead to a gap between ground connections between the optical transceiver 300 and the housing 100, which is sufficiently large to enable electromagnetic interference to be emitted. When frequencies of electromagnetic interference generated by the optical transceivers 300 increase, e.g. due to an operating frequency of the optical transceivers increasing, the size of this gap can become more relevant to the level of electromagnetic interference being emitted from the telecommunications unit. Furthermore, different suppliers of optical transceiver 300 provide optical transceivers with differing designs and arrangements of the electrical contacts 304, so that the level of electromagnetic interference emitted from the telecommunications unit can vary depending on the particular design of the optical transceivers 300 installed within the housing 100 of the telecommunications unit.

In addition, when a heat sink (not shown) of the optical transceiver 300 is arranged on an opposite face of the optical transceiver from the base face 300a, an identification label 308 of the optical transceiver 300 is typically provided on the base face 300a, which further reduces the area of the base face of the casing that can form a ground connection with the housing 100.

Summary

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a housing for electromagnetically insulating an electrical component installed within the housing. The housing comprises a plurality of walls defining a space for receiving the electrical component. The housing further comprises one or more contact elements arranged to contact the electrical component when the electrical component is installed within the space, and establish a ground connection between a casing of the electrical component and the housing, e.g. a wall of the housing. The contact elements may be arranged to contact the electrical components at distal ends of the contact elements.

The housing may comprise a retainer for engaging the electrical component in order to retain the electrical component within the space. The retainer may be coupled to or integrally formed with a base wall of the housing, e.g. defining one side of the space. One or more of the contact elements may be arranged to contact a side of the casing facing the base wall. For example, the contact elements may be coupled to or integrally formed with the base wall.

The housing may define an opening through which the electronic component can be installed into the space in an installation direction. One of the contact elements may overlap with, e.g. be at least partially aligned with, the retainer in a direction perpendicular to the installation direction. One or more of the contact elements may be coupled to a wall of the housing defining the space. The wall may be the base wall. The one or more of the contact elements may be configured to contact the electrical component adjacent to another wall of the housing defining the space, e.g. defining another side of the space.

One or more of the contact elements may be mechanically biased against the electrical component when the electrical component is received within the space. For example, the contact elements may be resiliently deformable. The contact elements may protrude from the wall into the space.

One of the walls of the housing may comprise a contact area configured to be contacted by a contact element of the electrical component. One of the contact elements of the housing may be arranged to contact the electrical component at a position between the contact area and another of the walls of the housing.

One of the walls of the housing may comprise two or more contact areas configured to be contacted by respective contact elements of the electrical component. One of the contact elements of the housing may be arranged to contact the electrical component at a position between two of the contact areas.

The housing may define an opening through which the electronic component can be installed into the space. One or more of the contact elements of the housing and one or more of the contact areas may be spaced apart around the opening.

The housing may define an opening through which the electronic component can be installed into the space. The electrical component may be installed through the opening in an installation direction. One or more edges of the contact element extending in a direction perpendicular to the installation direction may be rounded.

The housing may comprise a plurality of contact elements spaced apart along one of the walls of the housing. The housing may define an opening through which the electronic component can be installed into the space in an installation direction. The plurality of contact elements may be spaced apart in a direction extending away from the opening, e.g. in the installation direction. One or more of the contact elements may be coupled to one of the walls at proximal ends of the contact elements and may be disconnected from the one of the walls at distal ends of the contact elements. Distal ends of one more of the contact elements may be closer to a further wall of the housing than the proximal ends of the contact elements are to the further wall of the housing. For example, the contact elements may comprise one or more corners or bends along the length of the contact element. In some arrangements, the contact element may comprise an s-shaped portion.

The distal ends of the one or more contact elements may be mechanically biased into the space for receiving the electronic component. The distal ends of the one or more contact elements may be mechanically biased into the space by virtue of the resiliency of the one or more contact elements. The housing may be configured such that installing the electrical component into the space causes the electronic component to engage the distal ends of the one or more contact elements to urge the distal ends of the one or more contact elements towards one or more of the walls of the housing.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an electrical component housing assembly. The electrical component housing assembly comprises a housing for electromagnetically insulating an electrical component installed within the housing, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of walls defining a space for receiving the electrical component. The housing further comprises one or more contact elements arranged to contact the electrical component when the electrical component is installed within the space, and establish a ground connection between a casing of the electrical component and the housing. The electrical component housing assembly further comprises the electrical component installed within the space.

The electrical component may comprise one or more contact elements arranged to contact one of the walls of the housing when the electrical component is installed within the space. The housing may comprise one or more contact areas configured to be contacted by the contact elements of the electrical component.

The housing may define an opening through which the electronic component can be installed into the space. Two or more selected from the one or more of the contact elements of the housing; and the one or more of the contact areas may be spaced apart around the opening. For example, one or more of the contact elements of the housing and tone or more of the contact areas may be spaced apart around the opening

To avoid unnecessary duplication of effort and repetition of text in the specification, certain features are described in relation to only one or several aspects or embodiments of the invention. However, it is to be understood that, where it is technically possible, features described in relation to any aspect or embodiment of the invention may also be used with any other aspect or embodiment of the invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is perspective view of a previously proposed housing for electrical components; and

Figure 2 is a top cross-sectional view of the housing shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a bottom view of an electrical component to be housed within the housing shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a top, cross-sectional view of an electrical component installed within a housing according to arrangements of the present disclosure;

Figure 5a is a partial top, cross-sectional view of the housing shown in Figure 4;

Figure 5b is a perspective view of another housing according to arrangements of the present disclosure;

Figure 6 is a partial, cross-sectional perspective view of the housing shown in Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a side, cross-sectional view of the housing shown in Figures 4 and 5; and Figures 8a and 8b are bottom, cross-sectional views of the housing shown in Figures 4 to 7.

Detailed Description

With reference to Figure 4, a housing 400, according to arrangements of the present disclosure, will now be described. The housing 400 is for electromagnetically insulating an electrical component, such as an optical transceiver 300, e.g. a Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) optical transceiver, installed within the housing. The housing 400 may be configured to reduce a magnitude of electromagnetic interference generated by the electrical component that is emitted from the housing 400 compared to previous proposed housings.

The housing 400 is similar to the housing 100 described above and comprises a plurality of walls 402 defining one or more spaces 404 for receiving the electrical components. In particular, the housing may comprise a base wall 402a forming a base side of the spaces 404. The housing may further comprise two or more side walls 402b, 402c, 402d, 402e, 402f, 402g. The side walls 402b-402g may extend at an angle, e.g. perpendicular, to the base wall 402a and may define lateral sides of the spaces 404. As depicted, the side walls 402b-402g are spaced apart across the base wall 402a and each of the spaces 404 is defined between an adjacent pair of the side walls 402b-402g. The housing may further comprise an upper wall (omitted in Figure 4 for clarity) forming a top side of the spaces 404 opposite to the base side.

The walls 402 of the housing may be manufactured from, or may comprise, an electrically conductive material. For example, the walls 402 may be manufactured from a sheet metal. Furthermore, the walls 402 may be electrically connected to one another. As described above, and depicted in Figure 1, the housing 400 may comprise a plurality of sprung fingers 106, or other grounding features, for contacting the frame of the telecommunications unit in which the housing 400 is installed, in order to establish a ground connection between the housing 100 and the frame of the telecommunications unit. The sprung fingers 106 may be electrically connected to the one or more of the walls 402, so that the walls 402 are electrically grounded. Additionally or alternatively, the walls 402 may be ground via one or more other electrical grounding paths. In the arrangements shown in Figures 4 and 5a, the walls 402 of the housing define a plurality of spaces for receiving the electrical components. However, in other arrangements, such as that depicted in Figure 5b, the walls of the housing may define a single space for receiving an electrical component.

Referring now to Figure 5a, the housing 400 further comprises one or more contact elements 410, which are arranged to contact the electrical component 300, e.g. the casing 302 of the electrical component, when the electrical component is installed within one of the spaces 404. The contact elements 410 may be configured to establish a ground connection between the electrical component 300 and the housing 400, e.g. with one of the walls of the housing.

The contact elements 410 are electrically connected to the walls 402 of the housing. For example, the contact elements 410 may be coupled to, e.g. attached to or integrally formed with, one or more of the walls 402 of the housing. As depicted, the contact elements 410 may be coupled to or integrally formed with the base wall 402a of the housing. However, in other arrangements, the contact elements 410 may be coupled to any of the other walls of the housing in additional, or as an alternative, to the base wall. For example, different ones of the contact elements 410 may be coupled to different walls 402.

The contact elements 410 may project from the walls of housing into the spaces 404 for receiving the electrical components, so that the contact elements 410 engage the electrical component, e.g. the casing 302 of the electrical component, when the electrical component is received within the spaces 404. The contact elements 410, or portions of the contact elements, may be mechanically biased into the spaces 404, such that the contact elements, or portions thereof, are biased against the electrical component when the electrical components are received with the spaces.

As depicted, the contact elements may comprise proximal ends 410a coupled to a particular wall of the housing and distal ends 410b, which may be disconnected from the walls. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the distal ends 410b of the contact elements may project from the particular wall into the space defined by the particular wall. The distal ends 410b of the contact elements may be biased into the space defined by the particular wall. For example, the distal ends 410b of the contact elements may be biased into the space by virtue of the resiliency of the contact elements 410. In other words, the contact elements 410 may be resiliently deformable and may be biased into the space by virtue of their resiliency.

The housing 400 may define one or more openings 408 into the respective spaces 404 defined by the housing. The openings 408 may be arranged, e.g. positioned and oriented, to enable the electrical components to be installed into the spaces 404 through the respective openings 408 in an installation direction Di extending through the opening. For example, the installation direction Di may be a direction perpendicular to a plane in which the opening 408 is disposed.

The contact elements 410 may be configured, e.g. shaped, such that installing the electrical components, such as the optical transceiver 300, into one of the spaces 404, e.g. in the installation direction Di, causes the electrical component to engage the distal ends 410b of the contact elements that project into that space, and urge the distal ends 410b towards the walls of the housing, e.g. towards the walls to which the proximal ends of the electrical contacts are coupled. The contact elements 410 may thereafter be biased against the electrical component, in order to maintain the electrical connection between the electrical component, e.g. the casing of the electrical component, and the housing.

In the arrangements shown in Figures 4 to 7, the walls 402 are sheet metal components and the contact elements 410 are portions of the sheet metal forming the walls 402 that have be cut out around a perimeter of the contact elements and formed, e.g. bent, so that the contact elements 410 project from the walls into the space. As depicted, the contact elements 410 may extend, e.g. between the proximal and distal ends of the contact elements, principally in a direction parallel with the installation direction Di that an electrical component may be installed into the space in which the electrical contacts project. As shown in Figure 7, the contact elements 410 may be formed such the contact elements project further from the wall into the space along a length of the contact elements extending in the direction parallel with the installation direction Di.

With reference to Figure 7, the distal ends 410b of the contact elements may be rounded. In particular, edges of the distal ends 410b of the contact elements extending in direction with a component perpendicular to the installation direction Di may be rounded, so that the electrical component 300 is able to ride over the edge of the distal ends of the contact elements during installation and removal from the spaces without causing damage to the electrical component or the contact elements.

Returning to Figures 4 to 6, the housing 400 may comprise a retainer 409. The retainer

409 is for engaging the retaining features 306 of the electrical component 300 when the electrical component is received within one of the spaces 404, in order to retain the electrical component 300 within the space. As depicted, the housing 400 may comprise a retainer 409 associated with each of the spaces 404.

The retainer 409 may be coupled to, e.g. attached to or integrally formed with, one of the walls of the housing, such as the base wall 402a. The contact elements 410 may be arranged to contact a side of the electrical component, e.g. the base side 302a casing of the electrical component, facing the one of the walls to which the retainer 409 is coupled.

As shown in Figure 5a, a first one of the contact elements 412 may be positioned to at least partially overlap with the retainer 409 in a direction perpendicular to the installation direction Di. In some arrangements, the first one of the contact elements 412 may be coupled to, e.g. attached to or integrally formed with, the retainer 409. In this way, the first one of the contact elements 412 may be arranged to contact the electrical component 300 at a position that is at least partially aligned with the retaining feature 306 of the electrical component in the direction perpendicular to the installation direction Di. As described above, electrical contacts may not be provided on the electrical component 300 in positions aligned with the retaining feature 306, and hence, arranging the first one of the contact elements 412 of the housing in this way may reduce a gap between electrical contacts between the electrical component 300 and the housing 400.

Figure 5a illustrates a top section view of one of the spaces 404 defined by the housing for receiving an electrical component 300. Each of the spaces 404 defined by the housing may be similar. In other words, a similar arrangement of the contact elements

410 and contact areas 420 (described below) may be provided within each space.

As shown in Figure 5a, the housing, e.g. one of the walls of the housing, such as the base wall 402a, comprises two or more contact areas 420, such as first and second contact areas 420a, 420b, configured to be contacted by respective contact elements 304 of the electrical component 300, illustrated in Figure 3 above.

Figures 8a and 8b illustrate bottom, cross-sectional views of one of the spaces 404 defined by the housing 400, with an electrical component 300 installed within the space. In Figure 8a, the base wall 402a of the housing has been omitted to illustrate the position of the contact elements 304 of the electrical component relative to the housing 400. As shown in Figures 8a and 8b, second ones of the contact elements 414 may be arranged to contact the electrical component at positions between one of the contact areas 420a, 420b and the side wall 402c, 402d of the housing defining the space. In arrangements, in which the housing comprises two or more contact areas 420a, 420b, the second contact elements 414 may be arranged to contact the electrical component at positions between the contact areas 420a, 420b and ones of the side walls 404c, 404d of the housing adjacent, e.g. closest to, the contact areas 420a, 420b. In some arrangements, a further one of the contact elements 410, such as the first contact element 412, may be arranged to contact the electrical component 300 at a position between two of the contact areas 420a, 420b. By contacting the electrical component at positions between two of the contact areas and/or between the contact areas and the side walls 402d, 402e of the housing, the size of gaps between the positions at which the electrical component is electrically connected to the housing may be reduced.

As illustrated in Figure 5a and 8b, one or more of the contact areas 420a, 420b and one or more of the contact elements 412, 414 may be spaced apart from one another around the opening 408 into the space 404, e.g. along an edge of the opening.

The housing 400 may further comprise one or more third contact elements 416, which are spaced apart from others of the contact elements, e.g. the first and/or second contact elements 412, 414 and/or others of the third contact elements 416, along one or more of the side walls 402d, 402e of the housing. In this way, the one or more third contact elements 410c may be arranged to contact the electrical component 300, e.g. the casing 302 of the electrical component, at or adjacent to the sides of the spaces 404. As described above, the identification label 308 may be arranged on the side of the electrical component facing the side, e.g. the base side, of the space 404. Hence, by positioning the one or more third contact elements 416 to contact the electrical component 300, e.g. the casing 302 of the electrical component, at or adjacent to the lateral sides of the spaces 404, the third contact elements 416 may contact an area of the casing 302 not covered by the identification label 308.

As shown in Figure 5a, in one or more arrangements, contact elements 410 may be provided at each lateral side of the space 404 for receiving the electrical components. Such contact elements may be arranged to contact the electrical components at or close to each of the lateral side walls 402d, 402e defining the space. In some arrangements, two or more contact elements 410 may be provided to contact the electrical component on each lateral side of the space. The contact elements on each side of the space may be spaced apart from one another in direction away from the opening, e.g. the installation direction Di. For example, in the arrangements depicted in the figures, two contact elements are provided on one side of each space and three contact elements are provided along the other (lateral) side of each space.

As described above, the contact elements 410 are coupled to one of the walls, e.g. the base wall 402a, of the housing at proximal ends 410a of the contact elements. The contact elements 410 may be shaped such that the distal ends 410b of the contact elements are closer to another wall, e.g. one of the lateral side walls 402b-402g, than the proximal ends 410a of the contact element. For example, the contact elements 410 may comprise one or more curved or angled portions along the length of the contact elements, such that the contact element extends towards the side wall. In this way, the contact elements 410 may be configured to contact the electronic component at or close to the side walls, without compromising the structural strength of the connections between the contact elements 410 and the base wall 402a.

Generally, all terms used herein are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the relevant technical field, unless a different meaning is clearly given and/or is implied from the context in which it is used. All references to a/an/the element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc. are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of the element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise. The steps of any methods disclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless a step is explicitly described as following or preceding another step and/or where it is implicit that a step must follow or precede another step. Any feature of any of the embodiments disclosed herein may be applied to any other embodiment, wherever appropriate. Likewise, any advantage of any of the embodiments may apply to any other embodiments, and vice versa. Other objectives, features and advantages of the enclosed embodiments will be apparent from the following description.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that although the invention has been described by way of example, with reference to one or more exemplary examples, it is not limited to the disclosed examples and that alternative examples could be constructed without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A housing for electromagnetically insulating an electrical component installed within the housing, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of walls defining a space for receiving the electrical component, wherein the housing further comprises one or more contact elements arranged to contact the electrical component when the electrical component is installed within the space, and establish a ground connection between a casing of the electrical component and the housing.

2. The housing of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a retainer for engaging the electrical component in order to retain the electrical component within the space, wherein the retainer is coupled to or integrally formed with a base wall of the housing, and wherein one or more of the contact elements are arranged to contact a side of the casing facing the base wall.

3. The housing of claim 2, wherein the housing defines an opening through which the electronic component can be installed into the space in an installation direction, wherein one of the contact elements overlaps with the retainer in a direction perpendicular to the installation direction.

4. The housing of any of the preceding claims, wherein one or more of the contact elements are coupled to a wall of the housing defining the space.

5. The housing of claim 4, wherein the one or more of the contact elements are configured to contact the electrical component adjacent to another wall of the housing defining the space.

6. The housing of any of the preceding claims, wherein one or more of the contact elements are mechanically biased against the electrical component when the electrical component is received within the space.

7. The housing of any of the preceding claims, wherein one of the walls of the housing comprises a contact area configured to be contacted by a contact element of the electrical component, wherein one of the contact elements of the housing is arranged to contact the electrical component at a position between the contact area and another of the walls of the housing.

8. The housing of any of the preceding claims, wherein one of the walls of the housing comprises two or more contact areas configured to be contacted by respective contact elements of the electrical component, wherein one of the contact elements of the housing is arranged to contact the electrical component at a position between two of the contact areas.

9. The housing of claim 7 or 8, wherein the housing defines an opening through which the electronic component can be installed into the space wherein one or more of the contact elements of the housing and one or more of the contact areas are spaced apart around the opening.

10. The housing of any of the preceding claims, wherein the housing defines an opening through which the electronic component can be installed into the space, wherein the electrical component can be installed through the opening in an installation direction, wherein one or more edges of the contact element extending in a direction perpendicular to the installation direction are rounded.

11. The housing of any of the preceding claims, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of contact elements spaced apart along one of the walls of the housing.

12. The housing of claim 11 , wherein the housing defines an opening through which the electronic component can be installed into the space in an installation direction, wherein the plurality of contact elements are spaced apart in a direction extending away from the opening.

13. The housing of any of the preceding claims, wherein one or more of the contact elements are coupled to one of the walls at proximal ends of the contact elements and are disconnected from the one of the walls at distal ends of the contact element.

14. The housing of claim 13, wherein the distal ends of one more of the contact elements are closer to a further wall of the housing than the proximal ends of the contact elements are to the further wall of the housing.

15. The housing of claim 13 or 14, wherein the distal ends of the one or more contact elements are mechanically biased into the space for receiving the electronic component.

16. The housing of claim 15, wherein the distal ends of the one or more contact elements are mechanically biased into the space by virtue of the resiliency of the one or more contact elements.

17. The housing of any of the preceding claims, wherein the housing is configured such that installing the electrical component into the space causes the electronic component to engage the distal ends of the one or more contact elements to urge the distal ends of the one or more contact elements towards one or more of the walls of the housing.

18. The housing of any of the preceding claims, wherein the housing is a metal cage for a Small Form-factor Pluggable, SFP, optical transceiver.

19. An electrical component housing assembly comprising: a housing for electromagnetically insulating an electrical component installed within the housing, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of walls defining a space for receiving the electrical component, wherein the housing further comprises one or more contact elements arranged to contact the electrical component when the electrical component is installed within the space, and establish a ground connection between a casing of the electrical component and the housing; and the electrical component installed within the space.

20. The electronic component housing assembly of claim 19, wherein the electrical component comprises one or more contact elements arranged to contact one of the walls of the housing when the electrical component is installed within the space, wherein the housing comprises one or more contact areas configured to be contacted by the contact elements of the electrical component.

21. The electronic component housing assembly of claim 20, wherein the housing defines an opening through which the electronic component can be installed into the space, wherein one or more of the contact elements of the housing and one or more of the contact areas are spaced apart around the opening.