WO2022218532A1

WO2022218532A1 - A housing for an electrical component

Info

Publication number: WO2022218532A1
Application number: PCT/EP2021/059816
Authority: WO
Inventors: Claudio D'INCÀ; Alberto Deho; Sergio MOSTI
Original assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ)
Priority date: 2021-04-15
Filing date: 2021-04-15
Publication date: 2022-10-20

Abstract

A housing for electrical components is provided. The housing comprises: a plurality of walls defining one or more spaces for receiving the electrical components; one or more coupling elements for coupling the housing to a base member; and one or more contacting elements. The contacting elements are electrically connected to one or more of the walls. The contacting elements are arranged to contact the base member when the housing is coupled to the base member by the coupling elements to electrically connect the one or more walls to the base member. The contacting elements comprises a contacting portion and a biasing portion, wherein the biasing portions of the contacting elements are configured to bias the contacting portions against the base member when the housing is coupled to the base member.

Description

A housing for an electrical component Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a housing for an electrical component and is particularly, although not exclusively, concerned with a housing for improving electromagnetic interference shielding of electrical components received 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. The housing 100 may comprise a plurality of walls 102 formed from electromagnetic interference shielding material, e.g. an electrically conductive material, which define spaces 104 for receiving the optical transceivers within the housing. As depicted, the housing 100 may be a folded sheet metal part or assembly comprising one or more folded sheet metal components which form the walls 102 of the housing. The housing 100 may comprise a plurality of connecting pins 106 for connecting the housing, e.g. the walls 102 of the housing, to a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) 200 on which one or more electrical connectors 202 (illustrated in Figure 2) may be provided for electrically connecting to the electrical components received within the spaces 104 defined by the housing.

Additionally, the connecting pins 106 may be for establishing an electrical ground connection between the housing 100 and the PCB 200. Electrically grounding the conductive walls of the housing 100 by the connecting pins 106 may improve electromagnetic interference shielding of the electrical components received within the spaces 104 defined by the housing.

As illustrated in Figure 3, the walls 102 of the housing may define one or more openings 108 into the respective spaces 104 of the housing. The openings 108 to be closed by the PCB 200 when the housing 100 is coupled to the PCB. The openings 108 into the spaces may be to enable the electrical components received within the spaces 104 to be electrically connected to the electrical connectors 202 on the PCB 200. As shown in Figure 3, one or more of the connecting pins 106 may be provided around the openings. In particular, the connecting pins 106 may depend from edges of the walls 102, e.g. the particular lengths of the walls, defining the openings 108.

Figure 4 shows an arrangement in which two of the housing 100 are connected to the PCB 200 on opposite sides of the PCB. The housings 100 are symmetrically disposed about a plane defined by the PCB 200 in a “belly-to-belly” arrangement. As illustrated in Figure 4, one or more gaps 402 may be present between the walls 102 of the housing 100 and the PCB 200 at positions around the openings 108 in which connecting pins 106 are not provided on the housing for connecting the housing 100 to the PCB 200. The gaps 402 may be present due to the method by which the housing 100 is manufactured and/or the manufacturing tolerances applied to dimensions of the housing. Additionally or alternatively, the gaps 402 may exist and/or the size of gaps may be increased due to the need to accommodate for the attachment method, e.g. a press-fit attachment method, used to couple the housing 100 to the PCB 200. The gaps 402 present between the housing 100 and the PCB 200 around the edges of the openings 108 may create areas at which electromagnetic interference generated by the electrical components installed within the housing 100 may be emitted from the housing without being attenuated to a desirable level.

Summary

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a housing for electrical components. The housing comprises: a plurality of walls defining one or more spaces for receiving the electrical components; one or more coupling elements for coupling the housing to a base member; and one or more contacting elements. The contacting elements are electrically connected to one or more of the walls. The contacting elements are arranged to contact the base member to electrically connect the one or more walls to the base member when the housing is coupled to the base member by the coupling elements. The contacting elements comprise a contacting portion and a biasing portion, wherein the biasing portions of the contacting elements are configured to bias the contacting portions against the base member when the housing is coupled to the base member.

The biasing portions may be resiliently deformable portions of the contacting elements. The biasing portions may be configured to bias the contacting portions of the respective contacting elements against the base member by virtue of their resilience.

The coupling elements and the contacting elements may be together configured such that when the housing is coupled to the base member by the coupling elements, the contacting portions of the contacting elements engage a surface of the base member facing the housing.

The contacting elements may be configured such that the biasing portions are resiliently deformed due to the engagement between the contacting portions and the base member when the housing is coupled to the base member.

The coupling elements may comprise press-fit pins to be received within openings formed in the base member to couple the housing to the base member. The housing may comprise two or more coupling elements. One or more of the contacting elements may be arranged between the two of the coupling elements along one or more of the walls of the housing.

The coupling elements and/or the contacting elements may depend from one or more edges of the walls. The walls may define an opening into one of the spaces. Edges of the walls may define a perimeter of the opening. One or more of the contacting elements may depend from the edges of the walls defining the perimeter of the opening. Additionally or alternatively, one or more of the coupling elements may depend from the edges of the walls defining the perimeter of the opening.

The walls may define a plurality of spaces for receiving a plurality of electrical components. At least one of the walls may be an interior wall arranged between two of the spaces. One or more of the contacting elements may be coupled to the interior wall to electrically connect the interior wall to the base member.

The one or more contacting elements may be integrally formed with one or more of the walls respectively. One or more of the walls of the housing may be folded sheet metal components. The housing may comprise a cage for electromagnetically insulating pluggable optical transceivers, such as small form factor pluggable optical transceivers or pluggable optical transceivers of any other desirable form factor, installed within the spaces defined by the housing.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a housing assembly comprising the above-mentioned housing and the base member. The housing may be configured such that the contacting elements are electrically connected to the base member when the housing is coupled to the base member.

The base member may comprise an electrically conductive element extending over a surface of the base member configured to be contacted by the contacting elements of the housing when the housing is coupled to the base member.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of manufacturing a housing assembly for housing electrical components. The housing assembly comprises a housing comprising: a plurality of walls defining one or more spaces for receiving the electrical components; one or more coupling elements for coupling the housing to a base member; and one or more contacting elements, wherein the contacting elements are electrically connected to one or more of the walls and wherein the contacting elements are arranged to contact the base member to electrically connect the one or more walls to the base member when the housing is coupled to the base member by the coupling portions, and wherein the contacting elements comprise a contacting portion and a biasing portion, wherein the biasing portions of the contacting elements are configured to bias the contacting portions against the base member when the housing is coupled to the base member. The method comprises: folding the sheet of material to form one or more of the walls.

The housing may comprise the above-mentioned housing.

The method may further comprise coupling the housing to the base member such that the contacting elements are electrically connected to the base member.

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 a front perspective view of a previously proposed housing from electrical components;

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

Figure 3 is a bottom perspective view of the housing shown in Figure 1 ; Figure 4 is a side view of a previously proposed housing assembly comprise two of the housings shown in Figure 1 ;

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

Figure 5b is a partial side perspective view of the housing shown in Figure 5a;

Figure 6 is a detail side view of contacting elements of the housing shown in Figures 5a and 5b;

Figure 7 is a perspective side view of a housing assembly according to arrangements of the present disclosure;

Figure 8 is a top view of a base member for the housing assembly shown in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a flow chart illustrating a method of manufacturing a housing assembly according to arrangement of the present disclosure; and

Figure 10 is a flow chart illustrating another method of manufacturing a housing assembly according to arrangements of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

With reference to Figures 5a and 5b, a housing 500, according to arrangements of the present disclosure, will now be described. The housing 500 is for receiving electrical component, such as an optical transceiver, e.g. a Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) optical transceiver, and electromagnetically insulating such electrical components installed within the housing. The housing 500 may be configured to reduce a magnitude of electromagnetic interference generated by the electrical component that is emitted from the housing 500 compared to previous proposed housings.

The housing 500 is similar to the housing 100 described above and comprises a plurality of walls 502 defining one or more spaces 504 for receiving the electrical components. The walls 502 may be formed from an electromagnetic interference shielding material, such as an electrically conductive material, e.g. metal sheet. The walls 502 may be electrically connected to one another.

The housing may comprise a base wall 502a forming a base side of the spaces 504. The housing may further comprise two or more side walls 502b, 502c, 502d, 502e, 502f, 502g. The side walls 502b-502g may extend at an angle, e.g. perpendicular, to the base wall 502a and may define lateral sides of the spaces 504. As depicted, the side walls 502b-502f are spaced apart across the base wall 502a and each of the spaces 504 is defined between an adjacent pair of the side walls 502b-502g. The housing 500 may further comprise an upper wall 502h forming a top side of the spaces 504 opposite to the base side. The side walls 502a-502g may extend between the base wall and the upper wall to define the spaces. The housing may further comprise a back wall 502i, which may extend between the base wall and the upper wall at one end of the side walls 502b, 502g to form a rear side of the spaces 504.

As illustrated, first and last side walls 502b, 502g may be external walls of the housing 500, e.g. separating the spaces 504 within the housing from the exterior of the housing, and the others of the side walls may be interior walls 502c-502f of the housing, e.g. arranged between ones of the spaces 504 defined by the housing. In other words, one or more of the side walls may be internal walls for separating adjacent spaces within the housing 500.

In the arrangement shown in Figures 5a and 5b, the walls 502 of the housing define a plurality of spaces 504 for receiving electrical components. In particular, the housing shown in Figures 5a and 5b defines 5 spaces. However, in other arrangements, the walls 502 of the housing may define any other number of spaces, such as 6, more than 6, 4, 3, 2 or a single space, for receiving electrical components. When the housing defines a single space, both of the side walls of the housing, e.g. defining either lateral side of the single space, may be external side walls.

The walls 502 of the housing 500 are, similarly to the housing 100, configured to define openings 508 into the housings 500. In particular, the openings 508 may be defined by lengths of edges of the side walls 502b-502g, base wall 502a and back wall 502i defining the spaces. As described above, the openings 508 may be to enable electrical components received within the spaces 504 defined by the housing to be electrically connected to electrical connectors provided on the base member. The openings 508 may be to be closed by a base member when the housing is coupled to the base member.

The housing 500 further comprises one or more coupling elements 506 for coupling the housing to a base member, such as the PCB 200. The coupling elements may be for electrically connecting the housing, e.g. the walls of the housing, to the base member. For example, the coupling elements 506 may be for electrically connecting the housing to an electrical ground of the PCB. The coupling elements 506 may be coupled to, e.g. attached to or integrally formed with, one or more of the walls 402 of the housing 500. Further, the coupling elements 506 may be electrically connected to the one or more walls 502. In this way, the walls 502 of the housing may be electrically connected to an electrical ground of the base member.

Referring briefly to Figure 7, the coupling elements 506 may be configured to be received within respective openings (not shown) formed in the base member 702, in order to couple the housing 500 to the base member. The openings may be formed in, e.g. extend inward from, a first surface 702a of the base member 702 facing the housing 500 when the housing is coupled to the base member 702. For example, the coupling elements 506 may comprise connecting pins and the openings in the base member may be pin holes for receiving the connecting pins. The connecting pins 506 may be push-fit pins. The connecting pins 506 and pin holes may be together configured such that pressing the housing 100 against the base member 702 such that the connecting pins 506 are received within the pins holes results in the housing being coupled to the base member by the connecting pins 506. Additionally or alternatively, the coupling elements 506, e.g. in the form of pins or otherwise, may be configured to be secured to the base member 702 using any other desirable joining/attaching method, such as soldering or adhering.

As shown in Figure 7, one or more of the coupling elements 506 may be spaced apart along lengths of edges of the walls, e.g. the side walls and back wall, defining the openings 508. As described above with reference to Figure 4, gaps 704 present between the housing 500 and the base member 702 in locations around the openings 508 into the housing spaces 504, where coupling elements 506 are not provided may allow for electromagnetic interference to be emitted from the housing 500 without being adequately attenuated. In order to reduce the size, e.g. a dimension, of gaps the gaps 704 between the housing 500 and the base member 702 to which the housing 500 is coupled, the housing 500 further comprises one or more contacting elements 600. The contacting elements 600 are electrically connected to one or more of the walls 502 of the housing and are arranged to contact the base member 702, e.g. the first surface 702a of the base member 702, when the housing 500 is coupled to the base member. The contacting elements are thereby configured to electrically connect the one or more walls 502 of the housing to the base member 702. For example, the contacting elements 600 may be formed on the side walls 502a-502g, e.g. the edges of the side walls 502a-502g, and/or on the back wall 502i along lengths of the walls forming the openings 508 into the spaces 504.

The contacting elements 600 may be configured to contact a surface of the base member 702 facing the housing 500, e.g. the first surface 702a, when the housing is coupled to the base member by the coupling elements 506. In this way, the contacting elements 600 may electrically connect the one or more walls 502 to the base member 702 at a greater number of locations around the openings 508 than the housing is electrically connected to the base member around the openings by the coupling elements 506 alone. A maximum dimension of the gaps, e.g. around perimeters of the opening 508, may thereby be reduced. Electrically connecting the housing to the base member 702 by the contacting elements 600 rather than through the provision of additional coupling elements 506 may improve electromagnetic interference shielding provided by the housing 500, without increasing the complexity of the method used for attaching the housing 500 to the base member 702.

Referring now to Figure 6, the contacting elements 600 may comprise a contacting portion 602 and a biasing portion 604. The biasing portion 604 may be configured to bias the contacting portion 602 of the contacting element 600 against the base member 702, e.g. against the first surface 702a of the base member facing the housing when the housing is coupled to the base member. The contacting portion 602 may be configured to contact the base member, e.g. the first surface 702a of the base member, in order to establish an electrical connection between the base member and the housing.

The biasing portion 604 may be a resiliently deformable portion of the contacting element. For example, the biasing portion 604 may be formed from a resiliently deformable material and, as illustrated in Figures 6, may be shaped in order to reduce a stiffness of the biasing portion 604 in a direction in which the contacting element 600 generally protrudes from the housing walls 502 to contact the base member. In other words, the biasing portion 604 may be shaped in order to facilitate or encourage resilient deformation of the biasing portion in the direction in which the contacting element generally protrudes from the housing 500. The direction which the contacting element protrudes from the walls of the housing may be a direction normal to the first surface of the base member which faces the housing when the housing is coupled to the base member. For example, the biasing portion 604 may be shaped to form a spring, e.g. a helical or flat, e.g. planar, spring. In the arrangement depicted, the biasing portion 604 comprises an elongate member comprising a plurality of lengths 604a, 604b that extend locally in directions obliquely angled relative to the first surface of the base member to be contacted by the contacting element. The obliquely angled lengths of the biasing portion are connected in series with one another by sharp bends or corners 604c. The biasing portion 604 may be configured to bias the contacting portion 602 against the base member, e.g. against the first surface of the base member, by virtue of its resilience.

The housing 500, e.g. the coupling elements 506 of the housing, may be configured such that, when the housing 500 is coupled to the base member 702, the biasing portions 604 of the contacting elements are resiliently deformed due to the contact between the contacting portions 602 of the respective contacting element 600 and the base member 702, e.g. the first surface 702a of the base member.

Returning to Figures 5a and 5b, the housing 500 may comprise a plurality of the coupling elements 506 and one or more of the coupling elements may be arranged between two of the coupling elements 506. For example, one or more of the coupling elements may be provided between two of the coupling elements 506 along one or more of the side walls 502a-502f and back wall 502h, around a particular opening 508.

As shown in Figure 5a, the contacting elements 600 may be provided on one or more of the interior side walls 502c, 502d, 502f of the housing for electrically connecting the interior side walls to the base member 702, e.g. around one or more of the openings 508. In this way, the contacting elements 600 may improve electromagnetic interference shielding between the spaces 504 of the housing, e.g. to reduce interference and/or crosstalk between electrical components housed within adjacent spaces of the housing.

Referring now to Figure 7, a housing assembly 700 according to arrangements of the present disclosure comprises a housing, such as the housing 500, and a base member 702. The base member 702 may comprise a PCB, such as the PCB 200. The housing assembly 700 may comprise a further housing 710, which may be similar to, e.g. the same as, the housing 500. The further housing 710 may be coupled to the base member 702 on an opposite side of the base member from the housing 500. A second surface 702b of the base member 702 may therefore face the further housing 710 when the further housing is coupled to the base member 702 and the features described above in relation to the interaction between the housing 500 and the first surface may apply equally to the interaction between the further housing 710 and the second surface. Further, it will be appreciated that the details described herein relating to the interaction between the housing 500 and the base member 702 may apply equally to interactions between the further housing 710 and the base member 702. The further housing 710 may be positioned symmetrically relative to the housing 500 about a plane of the base member 702.

As shown in Figure 7, the contacting elements 600 may protrude from the walls of the housing 500 towards the base member by a greater distance than a distance between the walls and the base member, e.g. the surface of the base member facing the housing, when the housing is coupled to the base member. In Figure 7, the contacting elements are shown clashing with, e.g. overlapping, the base member however it will be appreciated than when the housing is coupled to the base member, the contacting portions 602 of the contacting elements 600 will contact the surface of the base member and the biasing portions 604 of the contacting elements will be resiliently deformed by virtue of the contact with the base member so that the contacting element is located between the housing, e.ge the wall of the housing and the surface of the base member. Due to the resilient nature of the biasing portions 604, the respective contacting portions 602 are thereafter urged against the surface, e.g. the first surface, of the base member 702 to maintain contact with the base member.

With reference to Figure 8, a base member 800, e.g. the base member 702 for the housing assembly 700, may comprise an electrically conductive element 802 extending over a surface of the base member, e.g. the first surface. The electrically conductive element 802 may be shaped such that when the housing 500 is coupled to the base member, the contacting elements 600 contact the electrically conductive element 802. For example as depicted in Figure 8, a shape of the electrically conductive element 802 may correspond to a shape, e.g. a projected shape, of the edges of the walls defining in openings 508. The electrically conductive element 802 may at least partially define an electrical ground of the base member 702.

When the base member 800 is to be provided in a housing assembly comprising the housing 500 and a further housing 710 a further electrically conductive element may also be provided on an opposite surface of the base member 800, e.g. the second surface 702b, to be contacted by the contacting elements of the further housing.

The electrically conductive element 802 and/or the further electrically conductive element may be formed by a layer of the base member 800. For example, when the base member comprises a PCB, the electrically conductive element 802 may be a layer in the structure of the PCB. The electrically conductive element 802 may be formed, e.g. shaped, through an etching process. Alternatively, the electrically conductive element 802 may be coupled to a substrate of the base member 702.

With reference to Figure 9, a method 900 of manufacturing a housing assembly will now be described. The housing assembly comprises a housing comprising a plurality of walls defining one or more spaces for receiving electrical components. The housing further comprises one or more coupling elements for coupling the housing to a base member, such as the base member 702, 800. The housing further comprises one or more contacting elements electrically connected to one or more of the walls and arranged to contact the base member to electrically connect the one or more walls to the base member. The contacting elements may comprise a contacting portion and a biasing portion. The biasing portions of the contacting elements may be configured to bias the contacting portions against the base member when the housing is coupled to the base member. For example, the housing may comprise the housing 500. The housing assembly may comprise the housing assembly 700.

The method 900 may comprise a first step 902, at which one or more of the coupling elements are formed on a sheet of material. For example, the coupling elements may be formed on a sheet of material which forms a net to be folded, in order to form the housing, or one or walls of the housing. In other words, forming the one or more coupling elements may comprise shaping the sheet of material to form a net for the housing, the net comprising the coupling elements. Additionally or alternatively, in the first step 902, one or more of the contacting elements may be formed on the sheet of material. Forming the contacting elements may comprise shaping the sheet of material to form the net for the housing, the net comprising the contacting elements.

The method 900 further comprises a second step 904, at which the sheet of material is folded to form one or more of the walls of the housing. In this way, the housing may be formed such that the coupling elements are integrally formed with the walls of the housing.

With reference to Figure 10, another method 1000 of manufacturing a housing assembly will now be described. The method 1000 may comprise the method 900. In particular, the method 1000 may comprise the first and second steps 902, 904. The method 1000 may further comprise a third step 1006 in which the housing, e.g. formed through the first and second steps 902, 904, is coupled to a base member, such as the base member 702, 800, such that the contacting elements are electrically connected to the base member.

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 electrical components, the housing comprising: a plurality of walls defining one or more spaces for receiving the electrical components; one or more coupling elements for coupling the housing to a base member; and one or more contacting elements , wherein the contacting elements are electrically connected to one or more of the walls, wherein the contacting elements are arranged to contact the base member to electrically connect the one or more walls to the base member when the housing is coupled to the base member by the coupling elements, and wherein the contacting elements comprise a contacting portion and a biasing portion , wherein the biasing portions of the contacting elements are configured to bias the contacting portions against the base member when the housing is coupled to the base member.

2. The housing of claim 1 , wherein the biasing portions are resiliently deformable portions of the contacting elements, and wherein the biasing portions are configured to bias the contacting portions of the respective contacting elements against the base member by virtue of their resilience.

3. The housing of claim 1 or 2, wherein the coupling elements and the contacting elements are together configured such that when the housing is coupled to the base member by the coupling elements, the contacting portions of the contacting elements engage a surface of the base member facing the housing.

4. The housing of any of the preceding claims, wherein the contacting elements are configured such that the biasing portions are resiliently deformed due to the engagement between the contacting portions and the base member when the housing is coupled to the base member.

5. The housing of any of the preceding claims, wherein the coupling elements comprise press-fit pins to be received within openings formed in the base member to couple the housing to the base member.

6. The housing of any of the preceding claims, wherein the housing comprises two or more coupling elements, wherein one or more of the contacting elements are arranged between the two of the coupling elements along one or more of the walls of the housing.

7. The housing of any of the preceding claims, wherein the coupling elements and the contacting elements depend from one or more edges of the walls.

8. The housing of any of the preceding claims, wherein the walls define an opening into one of the spaces, wherein edges of the walls define a perimeter of the opening, wherein one or more of the contacting elements depend from the edges of the walls defining the perimeter of the opening.

9. The housing of claim 8, wherein one or more of the coupling elements depend from the edges of the walls defining the perimeter of the opening.

10. The housing of any of the preceding claims, wherein the walls define a plurality of spaces for receiving a plurality of electrical components, wherein at least one of the walls is an interior wall arranged between two of the spaces, and wherein one or more of the contacting elements are coupled to the interior wall to electrically connect the interior wall to the base member.

11. The housing of any of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more contacting elements are integrally formed with one or more of the walls respectively.

12. The housing of any of the preceding claims, wherein one or more of the walls of the housing are folded sheet metal components.

13. The housing of any of the preceding claims, wherein the housing comprises a cage for electromagnetically insulating pluggable optical transceivers, such as pluggable optical transceivers, installed within the spaces defined by the housing.

14. A housing assembly comprising the housing of any of the preceding claims and the base member, wherein the housing is configured such that the contacting elements are electrically connected to the base member when the housing is coupled to the base member.

15. The housing assembly of claim 14, wherein the base member comprises an electrically conductive element extending over a surface of the base member configured to be contacted by the contacting elements of the housing when the housing is coupled to the base member.

16. A method of manufacturing a housing assembly for housing electrical components, wherein the housing assembly comprises a housing comprising: a plurality of walls defining one or more spaces for receiving the electrical components; one or more coupling elements for coupling the housing to a base member; and one or more contacting elements, wherein the contacting elements are electrically connected to one or more of the walls and wherein the contacting elements are arranged to contact the base member to electrically connect the one or more walls to the base member when the housing is coupled to the base member by the coupling portions, and wherein the contacting elements comprise a contacting portion and a biasing portion, wherein the biasing portions of the contacting elements are configured to bias the contacting portions against the base member when the housing is coupled to the base member, wherein the method comprises: folding the sheet of material to form one or more of the walls.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the housing comprises the housing of any of claims 1 to 13.

18. The method of claim 16 or 17, wherein the method further comprises coupling the housing to the base member such that the contacting elements are electrically connected to the base member.