Transceiver module adapter device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9549470-B2
Application number	US-201414471047-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2014
Priority date	Sep 27, 2013
Publication date	Jan 17, 2017
Grant date	Jan 17, 2017

Abstract

There is provided an adapter device for connecting and interfacing a transceiver module in conformance with first mechanical specifications and first connector specifications into a host socket adapted to receive transceiver modules in conformance with second mechanical specifications and second connector specifications. The adapter device comprises: a rigid-flex circuit board having first and second levels of rigid circuit board portions and a flexible circuit board portion interconnecting the two levels to convey high-speed electrical signals therebetween, the two levels being integral with said flexible circuit board portion; a first connector mounted on the first level of rigid circuit board and in conformance with the first connector specifications, for electrically connecting the transceiver module to the adapter device to convey high-speed signals; and a second connector mounted on the second level of rigid circuit board and in conformance with the second connector specifications, for electrically connecting the adapter device into the host socket to convey high-speed signals.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An adapter device for connecting and interfacing a hot-pluggable transceiver module in conformance with first mechanical specifications and first connector specifications into a transceiver module host socket adapted to receive hot-pluggable transceiver modules in conformance with second mechanical specifications and second connector specifications, the adapter device comprising:
a rigid-flex circuit board having first and second levels of rigid circuit board portions and a flexible circuit board portion interconnecting said first and second levels to convey high-speed electrical signals therebetween, said first and second levels being integral with said flexible circuit board portion;
a first connector mounted on said first level of said circuit board and in conformance with said first connector specifications of said hot-pluggable transceiver module, for electrically connecting said hot-pluggable transceiver module to said adapter device to convey high-speed signals; and
a second connector mounted on said second level of said circuit board and in conformance with said second connector specifications of said transceiver module host socket, for electrically connecting said adapter device into said transceiver module host socket to convey high-speed signals.

2. The adapter device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a gearbox chip for converting high-speed signals in conformance with said first connector specifications to high-speed signals in conformance with said second connector specifications and vice-versa.

3. The adapter device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said gearbox chip is mounted on said second level of said circuit board.

4. The adapter device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said adapter device comprises an outer housing wherein the rigid flex circuit board is located, said adapter device further comprising a heat riser at least partly made of a thermally conductive material and thermally linking said gearbox chip to a wall of said outer housing of said adapter device that is to be in physical contact with a heat sink of said transceiver module host socket.

5. The adapter device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said heat riser and said wall are together made as a single unit from the same integral material.

6. The adapter device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said wall has a hole through which said heat riser is exposed out of the adapter device in order to physically contact said heat sink of said transceiver module host socket, said heat riser also being in physical contact with said gearbox chip.

7. The adapter device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the adapter device further comprises:
an outer housing within which the rigid-flex circuit board is located and in conformance with said second mechanical specifications, the housing having a front end that is to be accessible when the adapter device is inserted into said transceiver module host socket and having an opening for inserting said hot-pluggable transceiver module into said adapter device, and
a receiving socket defined within the housing and in conformance with said first mechanical specifications, for receiving said hot-pluggable transceiver module when the same is inserted into the adapter device through said opening.

8. The adapter device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the adapter device further comprises:
an outer housing within which the rigid-flex circuit board is located, the housing having a front end that is to be accessible when the adapter device is inserted into said transceiver module host socket and having an opening for inserting said hot-pluggable transceiver module into said adapter device, and walls transverse to said front end; and
a receiving socket defined within the housing for receiving said hot-pluggable transceiver module when the same is inserted into the adapter device;
at least one of said walls of said outer housing having a first window therethrough, said receiving socket being configured such that at least a portion of a housing of said hot-pluggable transceiver module is to extend within said first window when said hot-pluggable transceiver module is inserted into said adapter device.

9. The adapter device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein said receiving socket is configured such that said at least a portion of a housing of said hot-pluggable transceiver module is to extend within said window in substantial coplanarity with said one of said walls having said window in order to obtain physical contact of said at least a portion of a housing of said hot-pluggable transceiver module with a heat sink of said transceiver module host socket.

10. The adapter device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein at least one of said walls of said outer housing has a second window therethrough, said first level of said circuit board lying at least partly within said second window.

11. The adapter device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the adapter device comprises an outer housing within which the rigid flex circuit board is located, the outer housing having a front end that is to be accessible when the adapter device is inserted into said transceiver module host socket and an opening for inserting said hot-pluggable transceiver module into said adapter device, said opening being surrounded by a bezel portion defining said opening such that the same has a shape that is complementary to a transverse cross-section of said hot-pluggable transceiver module to be received therein.

12. The adapter device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said housing further comprises spring-loaded retaining tabs adapted to releasably hold said hot-pluggable transceiver module in place when inserted.

13. The adapter device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein high-speed signals in conformance with said first connector specifications comprise either a plurality of serial electrical lanes having a 25-Gpbs data rate or a plurality of serial electrical lanes having a 10-Gpbs data rate, and high-speed signals in conformance with said second connector specifications comprise a plurality of serial electrical lanes having a 10-Gpbs data rate.

14. The adapter device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said second mechanical specifications and said second connector specifications are according to 100 G Form factor Pluggable Multi-Source Agreement (CFP MSA) and said first mechanical specifications and said first connector specifications are according to CFP2 MSA.

15. The adapter device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said first connector and said second connector are connectors in compliance with industry-Standard connector specifications.

16. The adapter device as claimed in claim 1 , where said first level and said second level of rigid circuit board portions have mutually-different thicknesses.

17. An adapter device for connecting and interfacing a hot-pluggable transceiver module in conformance with first mechanical specifications and first connector specifications into a transceiver module host socket adapted to receive hot-pluggable transceiver modules in conformance with second housing form factor and second connector specifications, the adapter device comprising:
an outer housing in conformance with said second mechanical specifications, the housing having a front end that is to be accessible when the adapter device is inserted into said transceiver module host socket and having an opening for inserting said hot-pluggable transceiver module into said adapter device;
a receiving socket defined within the outer housing and in conformance with said first mechanical specifications, for receiving said hot-pluggable t

Assignees

• Exfo Inc

Inventors

• Blier Michel
• Begin Patrick
• Prestipino Sergio

Classifications

• H05K2201/10189

  Non-printed connector · CPC title

• H05K1/189 Primary

  characterised by the use of flexible or folded printed circuits · CPC title

• G02B6/00

  Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings · CPC title

• H05K1/0243

  Printed circuits associated with mounted high frequency components · CPC title

• G02B6/4246

  Bidirectionally operating package structures · CPC title