Electrical connectors – Electromagnetic or electrostatic shield – Shielding individually surrounding or interposed between...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-09
2003-05-06
Bradley, P. Austin (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Electromagnetic or electrostatic shield
Shielding individually surrounding or interposed between...
C439S544000, C439S557000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06558196
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a shielding plate for pluggable electrical components, in particular opto-electronic transceivers. The shielding plate has an at least partially casing-shaped main portion and contact springs formed on the main portion for the electrical bonding of the shielding plate with a metallic structure. It is possible for a first part of the main portion to be arranged within the metallic structure and for a second part of the main portion to be inserted through a cutout of the metallic structure.
It has been known in the pertinent art to dispose opto-electronic transceivers in a pluggable manner on a printed-circuit board. Known in particular are pluggable transceivers of a small construction, known as small form-factor pluggable (SFP) transceivers. They are arranged in a housing on a printed-circuit board. Infrared light is coupled into and out of the transceiver via a plug receptacle which is arranged on the transceiver or coupled to it and into which an optical connector can be plugged.
A corresponding prior art housing is represented in FIG.
5
. The housing
1
comprises an upper part (top cage)
22
and a lower part (bottom cage)
21
. The two cages can be connected to each other in an engageable manner and they form a receiving housing into which a non-illustrated transceiver can be plugged in the direction of the double-headed arrow A-B or from which a transceiver can be unplugged. At the same time, the housing
1
serves as a shielding plate for the electromagnetic shielding of the pluggable transceiver.
The conventional transceiver has optoelectronic transducers such as a Fabric Perot laser or VCSEL laser and a photodiode. Infrared light is coupled in and out between the transceiver and an optical network via a plug receptacle or more generally an optical port which is arranged in the region of the end face of the housing.
The lower housing part
21
is fastened on a printed-circuit board
5
. Furthermore, mounted inside the housing and directly on the printed-circuit board
5
is an electrical connector
4
, via which the plugged-in transceiver can be connected to the printed-circuit board
5
and into which the transceiver is plugged when it is plugged into the housing
1
.
For electromagnetic shielding against interference emissions, the housing is formed in the region of the optical port as an essentially enclosing shielding plate
3
. In alternative configurations, the shielding plate is thereby a separate part which surrounds the housing in the region of the optical port. For electrical connection with a reference potential, the shielding plate
3
is connected via contact springs
31
to a non-illustrated metallic structure, for instance the rear wall of a housing which contains the board with the transceiver and further components.
FIG. 6
schematically shows how the housing or shielding plate is inserted through such a rear wall
6
.
For forming the contact springs
31
, clearances
32
are punched into the shielding plate
3
, thereby producing slit structures in the shielding plate
3
. The slit structures have the disadvantageous result that the shielding effect of the shielding plate is reduced, since undesirable coupling out of electromagnetic waves takes place. In addition, narrow constrictions
33
(bottlenecks) occur between the slits and the end face of the shielding plate and additionally lead to intensified interference emission of electromagnetic rays. In this case, it is particularly disadvantageous that the bottlenecks
33
lie in front of the metallic structure of the rear wall, and consequently outside the housing of the transceiver, and can consequently radiate undisturbed into the outside space.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a shielding plate for pluggable electrical components, and specifically for optoelectronic transceivers, which overcomes the above-noted deficiencies and disadvantages of the prior art devices and methods of this general kind, and which effectively suppresses interference emissions by electromagnetic waves and, for this purpose, prevents coupling out of electromagnetic waves.
With the above and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a shielding plate for pluggable electrical components, in particular for an opto-electronic transceiver, comprising:
an at least partially casing-shaped main portion having a first part, a second part, and a forward end;
contact springs formed on the forward end of the main portion for electrically bonding the shielding plate with a metallic structure having a cutout formed therein for receiving the main portion to be inserted therethrough, whereby the first part is disposed inside the metallic structure and the second part is insertible through the cutout;
the contact springs being projections integrally formed in one piece with the main portion at the forward end and bent back toward the first part of the main portion such that ends of the bent-back projections electrically contact the main portion at the first part which, when the contact springs are in electrical contact with the metallic structure, is disposed inside the metallic structure.
In other words, the shielding plate according to the invention is distinguished by the fact that the contact springs are formed by projections arranged at the extreme ends of the main portion and bent back toward the main portion and that the ends of the bent-back projections thereby electrically bond with the main portion in a rear region which, in the electrical bonding of the metallic structure by the contact springs, lies within the metallic structure. The rear region electrically bonded by the projections is located in particular behind a rear wall of the metallic structure.
The invention makes it possible on the basis of the bonding of the contact springs to the main portion at the extreme ends for the main portion to be formed as an essentially continuous part which has no or only a reduced number of clearances, slits etc. As a result, coupling out of electromagnetic waves is effectively prevented and improved shielding is provided.
The solution according to the invention provides in particular a chimney structure of the shielding plate, which does not allow any coupling out of electromagnetic waves through clearances in the surface of the shielding plate and provides effective shielding against interference emissions.
The configuration according to the invention also prevents interference potentials from being conducted initially via the shielding plate to the outside, i.e. to the region of the shielding plate which lies outside the metallic structure. Rather, interfering currents are conducted in the contact springs through the rear contact with the main portion back into the inner region of the metallic structure and are hindered from being radiated. Consequently, radiation essentially takes place only within the metallic structure and does not enter the outside space, so that reduced radiation is achieved.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the main portion is formed as a continuous part. In this preferred configuration of the invention, the main portion of the shielding plate is formed as an essentially continuous part which has no clearances, slits etc. The invention is also suitable however for a main portion which additionally has slits or other clearances, the number of clearances being at least reduced by the invention.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the main portion is a cut-open main portion and the projections are a comb-like, partial elongation of the cut-open main portion.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the projections are substantially rectangular projections.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the first part has a rear region and the contact springs rest resiliently on the rear region.
The term shielding plate is understood for the purposes of the invention as meaning any desired shielding e
Bradley P. Austin
Nguyen Truc
LandOfFree
Shielding plate for pluggable electrical components does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Shielding plate for pluggable electrical components, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Shielding plate for pluggable electrical components will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3084376