Thermal protection for modular components in a network device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10690868-B1
Application number	US-201816154589-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 8, 2018
Priority date	May 29, 2018
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an optical module comprising a first end for insertion into a network device and a second end extending from the network device when the optical module is inserted into the network device, and a thermal protective layer extending over a portion of the second end of the optical module, the thermal protective layer preventing direct contact with an external surface of the optical module during removal of the optical module from the network device. The thermal protective layer exposes a portion of the external surface of the second end of the optical module to allow heat to be released from the external surface of the optical module.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
an optical module comprising a first end for insertion into a network device and a second end extending from the network device when the optical module is inserted into the network device; and
a thermal protective layer extending over a portion of said second end of the optical module, the thermal protective layer preventing direct contact with an external surface of the optical module during removal of the optical module from the network device;
wherein the thermal protective layer comprises a sleeve extending circumferentially around at least a portion of the optical module and in direct contact with said second end of the optical module, and wherein the thermal protective layer exposes a portion of the external surface of said second end of the optical module to allow heat to be released from the external surface of the optical module.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sleeve comprises a plurality of openings exposing the external surface of the optical module.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the thermal protective layer comprises a thermoplastic material.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a temperature of an outer surface of the thermal protective layer does not exceed 48° C. during operation of the optical module.

5. An apparatus comprising:
an optical module comprising a first end for insertion into a network device and a second end extending from the network device when the optical module is inserted into the network device; and
a thermal protective layer extending over a portion of said second end of the optical module, the thermal protective layer preventing direct contact with an external surface of the optical module during removal of the optical module from the network device;
wherein the thermal protective layer exposes a portion of the external surface of said second end of the optical module to allow heat to be released from the external surface of the optical module, and wherein the thermal protective layer comprises a plurality of raised elements disposed over a portion of said second end of the optical module.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the raised elements extend between approximately 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm from the external surface of the optical module.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the raised elements comprise a plurality of dots disposed in a pattern on the external surface of the optical module.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the raised elements comprise a clear epoxy.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the raised elements are applied to the external surface of the optical module using a printing process.

10. An apparatus comprising:
a module for insertion into a modular electronic system; and
a thermal protective layer extending over at least a portion of an external surface of the module, the thermal protective layer preventing direct contact with an external surface of the module during removal of the module from the modular electronic system;
wherein the thermal protective layer exposes a portion of the external surface of the module to allow heat to be released from the external surface of the module and wherein the module comprises a line card and the thermal protective layer is in direct contact with the line card, and wherein the thermal protective layer comprises a plurality of raised elements disposed over a portion of the module.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the thermal protective layer extends over at least a portion of a face plate and one other surface of the module.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the raised elements extend between approximately 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm from the external surface of the module.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the raised elements are applied to the external surface of the module using a printing process.

14. An apparatus comprising:
a chassis;
a plurality of cards inserted into the chassis; and
a plurality of optical modules each comprising a first end inserted into one of the cards and a second end extending from the card;
wherein a thermal protective layer extends over at least a portion of said second end of each of the optical modules, the thermal protective layer preventing direct contact with an external surface of the optical module during removal of the optical module from the modular chassis;
wherein the thermal protective layer exposes a portion of the external surface of said second end of the optical module to allow heat to be released from the external surface of the optical module.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the thermal protective layer comprises a sleeve extending circumferentially around at least a portion of the optical module and in direct contact with said second end of the optical module.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the thermal protective layer comprises a plurality of raised elements disposed over a portion of the optical module.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the thermal protective layer extends over at least a portion of the card.

18. An apparatus comprising:
an optical module comprising a first end for insertion into a network device and a second end extending from the network device when the optical module is inserted into the network device; and
a thermal protective layer extending over a portion of said second end of the optical module, the thermal protective layer preventing direct contact with an external surface of the optical module during removal of the optical module from the network device;
wherein the thermal protective layer exposes a portion of the external surface of said second end of the optical module to allow heat to be released from the external surface of the optical module, and wherein the thermal protective layer comprises a plurality of openings defining a spaced pattern on at least one surface of the optical module.

Assignees

• Cisco Tech Inc

Inventors

• Goergen Joel Richard
• Cap Mehmet Onder
• Jayaprakash Arjun
• Pinjala Damaruganath
• Mantelli Marc Henry
• Nandanan Umeshbabu
• Kohli Jatin
• Gupta Rohit Dev

Classifications

• G02B6/4273 Primary

  with heat insulation means to thermally decouple or restrain the heat from spreading · CPC title

• G02B6/4268

  Cooling (of instruments G12B15/00; of electric apparatus H05K7/20; of semiconductor devices H10W76/47) · CPC title

• G02B6/4436

  Heat resistant · CPC title

• G02B6/4269 Primary

  with heat sinks or radiation fins · CPC title