Method and apparatus for mounting and positioning parallel optical transceiver modules in a mid-plane mounting configuration with improved mounting density and alignment accuracy

摘要

An optical communications system is provided in which module locating pins of the system mate with inwardly-shaped corners formed on parallel optical transceiver modules of the system when the parallel optical transceiver modules are mounted on a mid-plane mounting structure of the system. The inwardly-shaped corners of the parallel optical transceiver modules are complementary in shape to portions of the module locating pins. The mating of the module locating pins with the inwardly-shaped corners of the modules operates to passively position the modules at intended spatial locations relative to each other and relative to the mid-plane mounting structure. The inwardly-shaped corners consume very little space in the modules and the pins consume very little space in the optical communications system. Consequently, the pitch between adjacent parallel optical transceiver modules can be kept very small and the mounting density of the modules on the mid-plane mounting structure can be very high.