Abstract: The present invention relates to an opto-electronic system including an opto-electronic module and a cage assembly for electrically connecting and securing the electronic module to a host computer device. Corresponding mechanical features are provided on the module and the cage assembly to prevent modules from being plugged into incompatible cage assemblies.

Abstract: The invention relates to a high density small form factor opto-electronic transceiver system in which the module housing and guide rail from a large form factor transceiver system, e.g. an X2 transceiver, are used to house a plurality of small form factor transceivers. Ideally up to four independently functioning pluggable small form factor transceivers are plugged into the module housing of the larger form factor transceiver, which has been modified to form a shell. The shell houses a printed circuit board, which has a plurality of electrical connectors on one end for receiving the transceivers, and a single electrical connector on the other end for plugging into a host system.

Abstract: The latest 10 Gb/s optical transceivers include large heat sinks with heat dissipating fins or pins extending from an upper surface thereof, which can cause difficulties when the transceivers are passed through an opening of a faceplate onto the guide rail of a host device. Often the heat dissipating fins or pins will contact an edge of the faceplate opening causing a series of ratcheting impacts that can damage the fins or pins. Accordingly, the present invention provides a guide rail with a resilient arm extending therefrom comprised of a vertical section extending along the side of the transceiver and a horizontal section extending above the top of the heat sink, but below the edge of the faceplate. A lead-in section extends outwardly and upwardly from the horizontal section providing a camming surface for guiding the transceiver into position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a bail latching device for an opto-electronic transceiver, including a pivotal latching member and a bail. The bail includes ends extending at an acute angle from a plane defined by the side arms for pivoting the latching member when the bail is rotated from a rest position to a removal position. Ideally, in the rest position, the side arms of the bail extend downwardly on each side of a front end of the transceiver. In the removal position, the bail is parallel to a removal direction, whereby the bail rotates the latching member to an unlatching position and then provides a handle to grasp while removing the transceiver from a standard cage.

Abstract: The invention relates to a latch device for a pluggable opto-electronic module, such as an optical transceiver, for locking the module in a rail or cage system of a host machine. The latest generation of optical transceivers include all metal housings, instead of all plastic or partial plastic, to ensure adequate heat dissipation. The relatively heavier housings necessitate the use of more robust latch devices. The latch device according to the present invention includes a sliding element with arms extending therefrom for pivoting a latching hook out of engagement with the rail or cage system. In a preferred embodiment, a pair of latching hooks are provided, one on each side of the module. The latching hooks are mounted on the ends of spring arms, which extend from the same sheet of spring metal positioned across the bottom of the housing.

Abstract: An optical coupler includes a first plate and a second plate superposed over the first plate. At least the second plate has at least one groove formed therein. The at least one groove extends continuously from one edge of the second plate to another edge of the second plate. An optical fiber is disposed in the at least one groove.

Abstract: An optical transceiver arrangement includes a retainer assembly. The retainer assembly includes at least one housing adapted to be coupled to a fiber optic cable, and at least one carrier assembly having a carrier, and a die chip attached to the carrier. The die chip has at least one active region. The optical transceiver arrangement further includes at least one optical coupler disposed within the housing for optically coupling the at least one active region to the fiber optic cable. The optical transceiver arrangement also includes a laminate assembly having the retainer assembly disposed thereon. The die chip is electrically coupled to the laminate assembly.

Abstract: In one aspect of the invention, an assembly includes an optical-electronic die having electrically conductive pads and a submount with first and second opposing sides and a third side essentially perpendicular to the first submount side. The first and third submount sides have an adjoining edge, with electrically conductive pads on the first submount side bonded to the die pads, second electrically conductive pads on the third side of the submount, and electrically conductive traces interconnecting the first and second submount pads. The conductive traces are formed on the first and third sides and adjoining edge of the submount by a process that uses a shadow mask.

Abstract: An optical coupler and housing arrangement includes a housing portion adapted to receive an optical connector of a fiber optic cable, and further includes an optical coupler portion integrally formed with the housing portion. The optical coupler portion is adapted to transmit optical signals to and from the fiber optic cable. The optical coupler portion has a plurality of optical fibers for transmitting the optical signals. Each of the optical fibers extends from one end surface of the optical coupler portion to another end surface of the optical coupler portion. The housing portion has a recess for receiving the optical connector, with one of the end surfaces of the optical coupler portion forming a back surface of the recess.

Abstract: A coupling arrangement includes a vertical cavity surface emitting laser. A carrier has the vertical cavity surface emitting laser affixed thereto. An optical coupler is coupled to the vertical cavity surface emitting laser, and has a plurality of optical fibers which receive light emitted from the vertical cavity surface emitting laser. The vertical cavity surface emitting laser is separated from the optical coupler by a gap and is free of direct contact with the optical coupler. The gap is less than about 50 microns, and is greater than zero microns. A curable adhesive is disposed in the gap for coupling the vertical cavity surface emitting laser to the optical coupler. The adhesive has a viscosity that defines a size of the gap.

Abstract: A plug which has a plugging portion and a stem extending therefrom is formed of an elastomeric material in order to deform to create a wiping engagement and a seal with the walls of a receiving cavity. The stem and plugging portion include both cavities for receiving alignment pins in the device being plugged and a manually engageable portion on a distal end of the stem for removing the plug from the sealed cavity, such as within an optical subassembly module. The side edges of the plugging member conform to the cavity cross-section to enhance the sealing yet do not unduly deform the member. The sealing member is formed with one or more standoffs to engage an end face of the cavity, assuring no contact between the optical elements and the plug. The edges of the plug deform upon insertion to create the seal and form a wiping engagement with the cavity interior.

Abstract: A method of making a head disk assembly using a fixture is disclosed. The head disk assembly includes a base having an interior-horizontal surface and a side wall extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the horizontal surface, a disk for coupling to the base, and a head for coupling to the base. The disk includes a head facing surface and an outer diameter and the head includes a disk facing surface. The fixture includes a light source for propagating a light beam towards the side wall, a light reflecting structure for receiving the light beam and outputting a reflected light beam, and a control structure for controlling a vertical movement of the light reflecting structure, the light reflecting structure includes a reflecting mirror surface defining an angle with respect to the horizontal surface.

Abstract: An actuator of a high performance tape drive for coarse and fine positioning of a read/write head incorporates at least a pair of cantilevered beam springs which support a read/write head for controlled movement relative to a moving storage tape. The beam springs and head are controlled by a rocker member that transmits movement of a voice coil to the head for servo controlled fine positioning of the head relative to the data track of the tape.

Abstract: An actuator of a high performance tape drive for coarse and fine positioning of a read/write head incorporates at least a pair of cantilevered beam springs which support a read/write head for controlled movement relative to a moving storage tape. The beam springs and head are controlled by a rocker member that transmits movement of a voice coil to the head for servo controlled fine positioning of the head relative to the data track of the tape.

Abstract: A head disk assembly ("HDA") comprises an enclosure including a base and a pivot bearing cartridge having a shaft and a outer shell rotatable about the shaft. The outer shell has a cylindrical surface. The shaft is affixed to the base at a predetermined location. The enclosure has an internal volume with a limited height above the predetermined location. The cartridge has an elongated portion in the volume, the elongated portion having a height approximately equal to the limited height. The HDA further comprises a plurality of rotating disks, each having at least one recording surface. The HDA further comprises an arm stack comprising a plurality of arms, and a plurality of head gimbal assemblies. Each arm has a stacking portion and a cantilever portion. Each head gimbal assembly has one end attached to the cantilever portion of a respective arm and has an opposite end positioned adjacent a recording surface.

Abstract: An actuator for coarse and fine positioning of a read/write head incorporates at least one pivoted member to position the read/write head relative to storage tape that stores the data. The pivoted member may be a beam supporting a read/write head or link of a four bar linkage and is typically pivoted on a carriage. The pivoted motion and the associated motion of the read/write head must not introduce excessive zenith tilt or the recording/writing of data will be unreliable.

Abstract: A pivot bearing structure formed of a leaf spring is incorporated into a rocker or force transmission member which whenever mounted to a carriage of a high density data tape drive system precisely defines the pivot axis of the rocker and provides a very high degree of stiffness in a vertical plane, that plane being parallel to the recording surface of the magnetic tape. The rocker derives motion from a voice coil motor (VCM) and transmits that controlled motion to a magnetic head which is suspended for movement in a vertical plane while in contact with a length of magnetic tape upon which data is recorded or from which data is read. The movement of the magnetic head may be very precisely controlled by energizing the VCM, because the pivot axis is extremely well defined due to the stiffness in the vertical plane of the pivot bearing. Movement of the VCM coil directly translates into movement of the magnetic head.

Abstract: A tape drive which may accommodate tapes having a servo control track thereon as well as tapes without such tracks advantageously uses a lockout to prevent unwanted head translation when operating in an open loop mode. The lockout may be accomplished by energizing a voice coil motor to fix the head position, driving the voice coil motor to a fixed stop positioning the head, or latching a rocker connected to the head, thereby preventing movement of the head. The latching/unlatching function may be accomplished by driving an actuator supporting the beam springs, head and latch to an end-of-track position to similarly unlatch the rocker and return the assembly to a servo controlled mode of operation.

Abstract: A tape drive is fabricated with a chassis and a bridge. The bridge acts to support the read/write head actuator and to also define the datum surfaces for locating a mating magnetic tape cartridge. The bridge is manufactured of materials which are highly rigid and stable dimensionally. The chassis of the tape drive is fabricated from materials such as plastics which are relatively flexible and do not have the rigidity of that characterized by the bridge. The more flexible chassis of the tape drive permits the isolation of distortions and distortionary forces in the chassis and does not transmit those forces and distortions to the bridge. The effect of the two piece arrangement is that the pieces may be made relatively inexpensively and retain reliability of much more expensive materials in manufacturing processes herefore considered necessary.

Abstract: A tape drive system is described which incorporates a zero clearance bearing for use on a lead screw positioning system having a structure which inherently flexes or closes onto the external surfaces of the lead screw to cause a precise positioning of the lead screw axis relative to a bearing and a bearing support for the bearing. The bearing contact surfaces of the central passage of the bearing which engage the external surfaces of the lead screw are generally planar in form and thus form line contacts with the external surface of the lead screw. The disclosed tape drive system is enhanced in that the play and loose fitting parts in conventional bearing systems are eliminated, and the subject bearing will act to confine the axis of the lead screw to a fixed position relative to the carriage structure of a high density tape drive or other device utilizing a precision lead screw positioning system.