Small form-factor pluggable bail latch

1. An optical module comprising:

a housing;

a latch key slidably attached in the housing;

a latch boss fixedly attached to the housing and positioned adjacent to the latch key such that the latch key can slide in a direction towards the latch boss; and

a bail mounted on the housing, the bail being rotatable about a shaft attached to the housing, the bail further including a cam that pushes the latch key when the bail is rotated about the shaft,

wherein the latch boss can be engaged by a latch of a host system and wherein the latch key can displace the latch to disengage the latch from the latch boss and thus allow the optical module to be withdrawn from the host cage.

2. The module of claim 1 further comprising a recess into which the latch of a host cage may extend to secure the module to a host system.

3. The module of claim 2 wherein the latch key can partially block the recess and prevent the latch from securing the module.

4. The module of claim 1 further comprising an optical communications receptacle capable of physically receiving a corresponding optical communications connector.

5. The module of claim 1 wherein the bail comprises a shaft portion and a lever portion that extends from the optical module allowing the module to be withdrawn from the host by applying a force to the lever portion.

6. The module of claim 1 wherein the bail is made of plastic.

7. The module of claim 6 wherein said plastic is Nylon resin with about 25% glass fiber.

8. A module capable of being secured within a host system comprising:

a housing;

an optical communications receptacle attached to said housing capable of physically receiving a corresponding optical communications connector;

a latching mechanism attached to said housing comprising:

a recess for accommodating a latch of the host system;

a slidable latch key attached to said housing that at least partially occupies the recess in a first position preventing the latch of the host system from engaging the module and that is withdrawn from the recess in a second position allowing the latch to engage the module;

a horizontal shaft attached to said module across its width; and

a bail that is rotates around the shaft so as to move the latch key between the first position and the second position.

9. The module of claim 8 wherein the movement of the latch key from the second position to the first position causes the latch of the host to be displaced from the recess and so causes the latch to engage the module if such a latch is engaged.

10. The module of claim 8 further comprising a latch boss, wherein the position of the latch boss is fixed with respect to the housing.

11. The module of claim 8 wherein the latch key moves along a plane.

12. The module of claim 8 wherein the bail is made of plastic.

13. An electronic module comprising:

a housing;

an optical communications receptacle attached to said housing capable of physically receiving a corresponding optical communications connector;

a latching mechanism attached to said housing comprising:

a latch boss whose position is fixed with respect to the housing;

a movable latch key that slides alone a plane within a recess in the module; and

a bail that moves the latch key.

14. The module of claim 13 wherein the latch key displaces a latch when the latching mechanism is not latched and the latch key does not displace a latch when the latch key is in the latched position.

15. A method of physically retaining an optical module within a host cage comprising:

moving the module into a predetermined location substantially within the host cage to allow engagement of a latch mechanism;

rotating a bail portion of the latch mechanism such that a latch key portion slides along a plane within a recess in the module to allow a latch of the host to engage a latch boss, said latch boss having a fixed position with respect to the module; and

locking the module in position by placing the bail in a retained position where it is held allowed the latch of the host to engage the latch boss and thus physically prevent removal of the module.

16. A latching mechanism for retaining an optical module within a host comprising:

a host portion and a module portion, the host portion comprising:

a spring biased member with an opening to engage the module portion the module portion comprising:

a latch boss whose position is fixed with respect to the module and which is so disposed so as to be engaged by said opening;

a latch key that slides and thereby causes the host portion to be displaced; and

a bail that rotates and thereby causes the latch key to slide.