IP Library Granted Patent US 7,766,686
Granted Patent B2
US 7,766,686 · App. 12/008,094 · Granted Aug 3, 2010

Pluggable form factor release mechanism

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,766,686
App. No.
12/008,094
Granted
Aug 3, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

Briefly, various embodiments of a pluggable form factor release mechanism are described. For example, but without intending to limit the scope of claimed subject matter, a transceiver module may include the following: a module housing; a bail lever; an actuator; and a spring adjacent to the actuator. The bail lever and the actuator may be movably connected to the module housing in such a manner so that pivoting the bail lever away from the housing engages an end of the actuator to move towards the module housing. The actuator may rotate about a fulcrum with an opposing end of the actuator moving away from the module housing.

Claims (27)

1. A transceiver module comprising:

a module housing;

a bail lever;

an actuator; and a spring adjacent to said actuator;

wherein said bail lever and said actuator are movably connected to said module housing in such a manner that pivoting said bail lever away from said housing engages an end of said actuator to move towards said module housing so that said actuator rotates about a fulcrum with an opposing end of said actuator moving away from said module housing.

2. The transceiver module of claim 1 , wherein said transceiver comprises a form pluggable transceiver module capable of disengagement from a host receptacle.

3. The transceiver module of claim 2 , wherein said transceiver module comprises an SFP transceiver module.

4. The transceiver module of claim 1 , and further comprising a host receptacle, said host receptacle including a flexible latching extension to latch said transceiver module securely into place with said host receptacle;

wherein said opposing end of said actuator during pivoting of said bail lever away from said housing is operable to contact and flex said latching extension of said host receptacle to de-latch said module housing from said host receptacle.

5. The transceiver module of claim 4 , wherein said module housing is oriented so as to receive a printed circuit board to be mounted within said module housing in a Z-drop configuration.

6. The transceiver module of claim 5 , including a cover for said module housing to provide EMI shielding.

7. The transceiver module of claim 1 , wherein said bail lever has a sufficiently short profile so that said transceiver module is operable with a flat bezel or a zigzagged bezel.

8. A method of disengaging a transceiver module from a host receptacle comprising:

flexing a latching projection of said host receptacle away from said transceiver module via a seesaw actuator and a spring adjacent said actuator; and

pivoting a bail lever to apply a downward force on one end of said actuator so that the other end contacts said latching projection and applies an upward force.

9. The transceiver module of claim 1 , wherein said spring is operable to provide flexing tolerance to said bail lever.

10. A form pluggable transceiver module capable of being disengaged from a host receptacle comprising:

a module housing and a cover for said module housing;

a bail lever pivotally connected to said module housing;

a seesaw actuator rotatably connected to said module housing about a fulcrum; and

a spring adjacent said actuator;

said module housing being oriented so as to receive a printed circuit board to be mounted within said module housing in a Z-drop configuration;

said bail lever and said seesaw actuator being positioned relative to each other so that pivoting of said bail lever away from said module housing results in an extending projection of said bail lever to be engaged surface-to-surface against one end of said seesaw actuator;

said bail lever and said seesaw actuator being positioned relative to each other so that further pivoting beyond surface-to-surface engagement exerts a downward force on said one end of said actuator resulting in rotation of said actuator about said fulcrum and exertion of an upward force on an opposite end of said actuator so as to contact and flex a latching extension of said host receptacle away from said module housing and thereby de-latch said module housing from said host receptacle.

11. An apparatus comprising: a transceiver module, said transceiver module including a module housing, a bail lever; and means for de-latching said transceiver from a host receptacle; wherein said means for de-latching includes an actuator and a spring adjacent said actuator; and wherein said means for de-latching comprises a seesaw actuator movably connected to said module housing in such a manner that pivoting said bail lever away from said housing engages an end of said actuator to move towards said module housing so that said actuator rotates about a fulcrum with an opposing end of said actuator moving away from said module housing.

12. The transceiver module of claim 10 , wherein said bail lever has a sufficiently short profile so that said transceiver module is operable with a flat bezel or a zigzagged bezel.

13. The transceiver module of claim 10 , wherein said spring is operable to provide flexing tolerance to said bail lever.

Assignments (10)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 1, 2025
From: APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS, INC.
To: BOKF, NA D/B/A BOK FINANCIAL
Reel/Frame 072338/0695 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Nov 20, 2023
From: CIT NORTHBRIDGE CREDIT LLC
To: APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 065630/0906 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 28, 2022
From: APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS, INC.
To: CIT NORTHBRIDGE CREDIT LLC
Reel/Frame 062003/0523 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 16, 2022
From: TRUIST BANK (FORMERLY KNOWN AS BRANCH BANKING AND TRUST COMPANY))
To: APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 061952/0344 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 5, 2017
From: EAST WEST BANK, SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO UNITED COMMERCIAL BANK
To: APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS INC
Reel/Frame 043800/0480 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 5, 2017
From: EAST WEST BANK
To: APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS INC
Reel/Frame 044207/0573 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 29, 2017
From: APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS, INC.
To: BRANCH BANKING AND TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 044061/0812 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 2, 2015
From: APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS, INC.
To: EAST WEST BANK
Reel/Frame 036047/0293 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 4, 2010
From: APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS, INC.
To: EAST WEST BANK, SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO UNITED COMMERCIAL BANK
Reel/Frame 024332/0828 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 17, 2008
From: GU, XIAO-BAI
To: APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 020820/0097 →