Apparatus, system, and method for preventing demate between field-replaceable units and telecommunications systems

1. An apparatus comprising:

a field-replaceable unit that:

is designed to mate with a backplane of a telecommunications system; and

facilitates communication among computing devices within a network; and

at least one multi-bar ejector that:

is coupled to the field-replaceable unit;

fastens to a housing of the telecommunications system to enable the field-replaceable unit to mate with the backplane of the telecommunications system;

includes at least one lever;

includes at least one link that is coupled to the lever via a joint capable of moving from a first end of the link toward a second end of the link; and

includes a spring coupled to the joint such that, when the multi-bar ejector is fastened to the housing of the telecommunications system:

the joint moves from the first end of the link toward the second end of the link; and

the spring applies a force on the field-replaceable unit that pushes the field-replaceable unit toward the backplane of the telecommunications system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the force applied by the spring causes the field-replaceable unit to fully mate with the backplane of the telecommunications system.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the force applied by the spring maintains the field-replaceable unit in a fully mated position with respect to the backplane of the telecommunications system such that, when the multi-bar ejector is fastened to the housing, the field-replaceable unit does not demate from the backplane of the telecommunications system.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the spring comprises a set of Belleville disc springs stacked in series.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the link is capable of rotating, at the joint, in at least one direction with respect to the lever.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the spring is coupled to the link such that applying force to the lever transmits force to the spring.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the multi-bar ejector comprises a pawl that, when engaged with the housing of the telecommunications system, facilitates fastening the field-replaceable unit to the housing of the telecommunications system.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein:

the second end of the link is coupled to the pawl via an additional joint attached to the second end of the link; and

when force is applied to the lever, the force transmitted to the spring applies a torque to the pawl such that the pawl engages with the housing of the telecommunications system.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the field-replaceable unit includes a first side of at least one connector;

the backplane of the telecommunications system includes a second side of the connector; and

the multi-bar ejector, when fastened to the housing, causes the first side of the connector included on the field-replaceable unit to mate with the second side of the connector included on the backplane of the telecommunications system.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the force applied by the spring causes the field-replaceable unit to fully mate with the backplane of the telecommunications system such that no air gap exists between the first side of the connector included on the field-replaceable unit and the second side of the connector included on the backplane of the telecommunications system.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the force applied by the spring causes the field-replaceable unit to fully mate with the backplane of the telecommunications system such that any air gap that exists between the first side of the connector included on the field-replaceable unit and the second side of the connector included on the backplane of the telecommunications system has a negligible effect on the integrity of signals exchanged between the field-replaceable unit and the backplane of the telecommunications system via the connector.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the spring is preloaded such that the force that pushes the field-replaceable unit toward the backplane of the telecommunications system is sufficient to drive the field-replaceable unit into a fully mated position.

13. A field-replaceable unit comprising:

a communications circuit that facilitates communication among computing devices within a network;

at least one connector that facilitates communicatively coupling the communications circuit to a backplane of a telecommunications system; and

at least one multi-bar ejector that:

fastens to a housing of the telecommunications system to enable the connector to communicatively couple the communications circuit to the backplane of the telecommunications system;

includes at least one lever;

includes at least one link that is coupled to the lever via a joint capable of moving from a first end of the link toward a second end of the link; and

includes at least one spring coupled to the joint such that, when the multi-bar ejector is fastened to the housing of the telecommunications system:

the joint moves from the first end of the link toward the second end of the link; and

the spring applies a force on the field-replaceable unit that pushes the connector toward the backplane of the telecommunications system.

14. The field-replaceable unit of claim 13 , wherein the force applied by the spring causes the field-replaceable unit to fully mate with the backplane of the telecommunications system.

15. The field-replaceable unit of claim 13 , wherein the force applied by the spring maintains the field-replaceable unit in a fully mated position with respect to the backplane of the telecommunications system such that, when the multi-bar ejector is fastened to the housing, the field-replaceable unit does not demate from the backplane of the telecommunications system.

16. The field-replaceable unit of claim 13 , wherein the spring comprises a set of Belleville disc springs stacked in series.

17. The field-replaceable unit of claim 13 , wherein the link is capable of rotating, at the joint, in at least one direction with respect to the lever.

18. The field-replaceable unit of claim 13 , wherein the spring is coupled to the link such that applying force to the lever transmits force to the spring.

19. The field-replaceable unit of claim 13 , further comprising a pawl that, when engaged with the housing of the telecommunications system, facilitates fastening the field-replaceable unit to the housing of the telecommunications system.

20. A method comprising:

securing at least one spring to a multi-bar ejector that:

fastens to a housing of a telecommunications system;

includes at least one lever;

includes at least one link that is coupled to the lever via a joint capable of moving from a first end of the link toward a second end of the link; and

coupling the multi-bar ejector to a field-replaceable unit designed to mate with a backplane of the telecommunications system such that, when the multi-bar ejector is fastened to the housing of the telecommunications system:

the joint moves from the first end of the link toward the second end of the link; and

the spring secured to the multi-bar ejector applies a force on the field-replaceable unit that pushes the field-replaceable unit toward the backplane of the telecommunications system.