WO2001013651A1 - Card cage for circuit cards in an optical network unit - Google Patents

Card cage for circuit cards in an optical network unit Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2001013651A1
WO2001013651A1 PCT/US2000/021899 US0021899W WO0113651A1 WO 2001013651 A1 WO2001013651 A1 WO 2001013651A1 US 0021899 W US0021899 W US 0021899W WO 0113651 A1 WO0113651 A1 WO 0113651A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
circuit cards
side walls
card cage
circuit
card
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2000/021899
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Michael R. Cosley
John Matthes
James Zipper
Barry Joe Ethridge
Mahlon Danny Kimbrough
Original Assignee
Marconi Communications, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Marconi Communications, Inc. filed Critical Marconi Communications, Inc.
Priority to AU70567/00A priority Critical patent/AU7056700A/en
Publication of WO2001013651A1 publication Critical patent/WO2001013651A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
    • H05K7/00—Constructional details common to different types of electric apparatus
    • H05K7/14—Mounting supporting structure in casing or on frame or rack
    • H05K7/1422—Printed circuit boards receptacles, e.g. stacked structures, electronic circuit modules or box like frames
    • H05K7/1424—Card cages
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04Q—SELECTING
    • H04Q1/00—Details of selecting apparatus or arrangements
    • H04Q1/02—Constructional details
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04Q—SELECTING
    • H04Q1/00—Details of selecting apparatus or arrangements
    • H04Q1/02—Constructional details
    • H04Q1/06—Cable ducts or mountings specially adapted for exchange installations
    • H04Q1/062—Cable ducts or mountings specially adapted for exchange installations vertical management arrangements
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04Q—SELECTING
    • H04Q1/00—Details of selecting apparatus or arrangements
    • H04Q1/02—Constructional details
    • H04Q1/11—Protection against environment
    • H04Q1/116—Protection against environment lightning or EMI protection, e.g. shielding or grounding
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04Q—SELECTING
    • H04Q1/00—Details of selecting apparatus or arrangements
    • H04Q1/02—Constructional details
    • H04Q1/14—Distribution frames
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04Q—SELECTING
    • H04Q2201/00—Constructional details of selecting arrangements
    • H04Q2201/12—Printed circuits

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an optical network unit (ONU) which interconnects sources of telecommunications services with customer equipment at one or more customer premises.
  • the present invention particulary relates to a card cage that supports circuit cards in installed positions in an ONU.
  • An ONU may contain a group of circuit cards including a common card and service cards that are electrically interconnected with the common card.
  • Each service card has circuitry corresponding to a particular telecommunications service provided to customers served by the ONU.
  • the common card and the service cards are installed in a card cage structure which includes a backplane. Specifically, the common card and the service cards are supported together on the backplane in installed positions perpendicular to the backplane.
  • the backplane is configured with circuitry that defines the electrical interconnections between the common card and the service cards.
  • An individual circuit card can be electrically disconnected from the other circuit cards by removing it from its installed position on the backplane, and a substitute circuit card can be installed in its place on the backplane.
  • the backplane is a relatively permanent fixture in the ONU. Therefore, the adaptability of the ONU to provide differing or newly developed telecommunications services is limited by the particular backplane circuitry in the ONU. Summary nf the Invention
  • an apparatus in accordance with a principal feature of the present invention, includes circuit cards, a card cage, and electrical connector hardware.
  • the card cage releaseably engages and supports the circuit cards in installed positions in the card cage. At least one pair of the circuit cards have serial interconnections with each other.
  • the electrical connector hardware defines all of those serial interconnections and is free of a backplane.
  • the circuit cards are accessible for electrical interconnection with each other, and electrical disconnection from each other, while remaining in their installed positions in the card cage.
  • Side walls of the card cage engage and support the circuit cards orthogonally between the side walls.
  • the side walls are configured to receive and guide movement of each circuit card between the side walls for installation and removal of the circuit cards from their installed positions separately from each other.
  • the card cage has an end wall facing between the side walls.
  • the end wall also engages the circuit cards and is free of backplane circuitry for defining serial interconnections between the circuit cards.
  • the end wall functions as a heat sink to conduct heat from the circuit cards.
  • the end wall in the preferred embodiment further provides the circuit cards with parallel electrical interconnections consisting of ground connections. This feature of the end wall is especially beneficial in the absence of backplane circuitry that might otherwise provide the circuit cards with ground connections.
  • FIG 1 is a schematic view of a telecommunications system comprising a preferred embodiment of the present invention
  • Fig. 2 shows an example of a structure common to several of the system components shown schematically in Fig. 1;
  • Fig. 3 shows an example of a structure common to several parts shown in Fig. 2;
  • Fig. 4 is an isometric view of parts shown in Fig. 2;
  • Fig. 5 is an elevational view of a part shown in Fig. 4;
  • Fig. 6 is a view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5;
  • Fig. 7 is a plan view of a part shown in Fig. 4;
  • Fig. 8 is a view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7;
  • Fig. 9 is an isometric view of another part shown in Fig. 4.
  • a telecommunications system 10 comprising a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown schematically in Fig. 1.
  • the system 10 is a fiber-to-the-curb (FTTC) system connecting a plurality of customer premises 12 with various sources of telecommunication services.
  • the service sources include the public switched telephone network 14, the Internet 16, and a video server 18, and additional service sources also could be included.
  • the FTTC system 10 includes a central office switching station 22, a plurality of host digital terminals 24, and a plurality of ONU's 26.
  • Each ONU 26 communicates with customer equipment at one or more customer premises 12.
  • the customer equipment typically includes computers 28, telephones 30 and televisions 32.
  • the ONU's are connected with the customer equipment 28, 30 and 32 by coaxial cables 34 and copper wires 36.
  • Each host digital terminal 24 is connected with a respective group of ONU's 26, and also with the central office switching station 22, by optical fiber cables 38.
  • the central office switching station 22 connects the host digital terminals 24 with the service sources 14-18 in a known manner.
  • each ONU 26 includes a card cage 40.
  • a plurality of circuit cards 42 are installed and electrically interconnected in the card cage 40.
  • the circuit cards 42 at each ONU 26 correspond to the telecommunications services required at the customer premises 12 served by the ONU 26.
  • the circuit cards 42 at any one of the ONU's 26 may include a common card interconnected with a plurality of service cards, with each service card having circuitry corresponding to a particular telecommunications service, such as high speed Internet access, digital television, etc.
  • the card cage 40 does not include a backplane.
  • the card cage 40 is configured such that the telecommunications services provided by the ONU 26 can be changed or supplemented by disconnecting and replacing one or more circuit cards 42 while the other circuit cards 42 remain installed and electrically interconnected in the card cage 40.
  • the ONU's 26 in the preferred embodiment are pedestal type structures. As shown for example in Fig. 2, the pedestal configuration is defined by a cylindrical housing 50 with a base 52 and a dome 54.
  • the base 52 of the housing 50 projects upward from beneath the ground line 55.
  • the cables and wires 34, 36 and 38 of Fig. 1, as well as a power cable (not shown), are routed upward into the housing 50 through an open lower end 56 of the base 52.
  • the dome 54 is received over a circular bulkhead 58 at the upper end of the base 52.
  • a band clamp 60 or the like is used to interlock the dome 54 releaseably with the bulkhead 58.
  • the card cage 40 is mounted on a structural frame 62 which, in turn, is mounted on the bulkhead 58.
  • the circuit cards 42 are thus contained within the dome 54 and are accessible for service when the dome 54 is unlocked and removed from the bulkhead 58.
  • circuit cards 42 have differing circuitry, as noted above, they preferably have common structural features, as shown for example in Fig. 3.
  • Each circuit card 42 in the preferred embodiment thus has a rectangular peripheral configuration with an optional heat sink plate 68 at its lower end.
  • the heat sink plate 68 adjoins a ground plane within the circuit card 42 so as to conduct heat from the internal circuitry and the electrical components (not shown) mounted on the component side 70 of the circuit card 42.
  • a stiffener 72 extends across the opposite side of the circuit card 42.
  • An upper end section 76 of the circuit card 42 is located above the stiffener 72.
  • Retainers 78 at the ends of the stiffener 72 project transversely from the circuit card 42.
  • Each card cage 40 in the preferred embodiment is a rectangular box with a pair ofopposed plastic side walls 80, as shown in Fig. 4.
  • the side walls 80 engage and support the circuit cards 42 in installed positions in which the circuit cards 42 extend orthogonally between the side walls 80. More specifically, the side walls 80 are alike and have opposed guide structures 82.
  • the guide structures receive the circuit cards 42 upon insertion of the circuit cards 42 through an open upper end 83 of the card cage 40, and guide movement of the circuit cards 42 vertically between the side walls 80 upon installation and removal of the circuit cards 42 from their installed positions in the card cage 40.
  • the guide structures 82 in the preferred embodiment define vertically elongated slots 85.
  • Each pair ofopposed slots 85 receives opposite side edge portions 86 of a single circuit card 42. This enables each circuit card 42 to be guided vertically into and out of its installed position separately from each other circuit card 42.
  • lower edge surfaces 88 (Fig. 3) of the circuit cards 42 move into abutment with the side walls 80 at stop surfaces 90 (Figs. 5 and 6) at the lower ends of the slots 85.
  • the retainers 78 projecting transversely from the circuit cards 42 are simultaneously moved into corresponding slots 92 at the upper ends 94 of the side walls 80.
  • the upper end sections 76 of the circuit cards 42 are then accessible for electrical interconnection with each other, and electrical disconnection from each other, outward of the side walls 80 while remaining in their installed positions in the card cage 40.
  • An end wall 100 of the card cage 40 faces upward between the side walls 80.
  • the end wall 100 is a metal plate with parallel upper and lower side surfaces 102 and 104.
  • Apertures 105 are provided near the four corners of the end wall 100 for pegs 106 on the side walls 80 to be heat-staked to the end wall 100.
  • Additional apertures 107 in the end wall 100 receive fasteners (not shown) that fasten the end wall 100 to the structural frame 62 (Fig. 4).
  • Support tabs 108 project vertically from the upper side surface 102 of the end wall 100.
  • the support tabs 108 are arranged in a staggered array of groups 110 such that each group 110 of support tabs 108 corresponds to a pair of opposed slots 85 in the side walls 80.
  • a lower edge portion 112 of the heat sink plate 68 on the circuit card 42 is releaseably engaged by a corresponding set 110 of support tabs 108 on the end wall 100.
  • the end wall 100 can function as a heat sink for the circuit cards 42, and can also provide parallel ground connections for the circuit cards 42.
  • the card cage 40 further includes a pair ofopposed plastic side walls 120 and 122 that are parallel to the circuit cards 42. These side walls 120 and 122 have substantially the same peripheral size and shape as the circuit cards 42, and thus project upward from the upper ends 94 of the other side walls 80 equally with the circuit cards 42. Locking tabs 124 on the vertically projecting side walls 120 and 122 are received through apertures 125 in the shorter side walls 80 to lock the side walls 120, 122 and 80 together. However, any other suitable fastening structures could be used to interconnect the various walls 80, 100, 122 and 124 of the card cage 40.
  • one of the vertically projecting side walls 120 has a cable management structure including an array of retainer tabs 130 around which optical fiber cables can be wound and stored on the card cage 40.
  • the other vertically projecting side wall 122 has an alternative embodiment of a cable management structure including a similar array of retainer tabs 132.
  • Those retainer tabs 132 are sized and shaped to support wound copper drop cables or other larger cables, and are spaced from the major section 134 of the side wall 122 to define a corresponding array of passages 135.
  • the passages 135 enable spliced wires (not shown) to extend through the side wall 122 for interconnection of the circuit cards 42 with a plurality of connectors 140 that are mounted on the structural frame 62.
  • the connectors 140 in the preferred embodiment comprise URLS protection cartridges and blocks, and are interconnected with the cables and wires 34, 36 and 38 (Fig. 1) in a known matter.
  • the circuit cards 42 in the preferred embodiment include a common card 150 and a plurality of service cards 152, 154 and 156. Serial connections are made between the common card 150 and each of the service cards 152-156 by ribbon cables 158.
  • the ribbon cables 158 extend between connectors 160 on the upper end sections 76 of the circuit cards 150- 156.
  • the preferred embodiment of the invention includes the ribbon cables 158 and the connectors 160, serial connections between the circuit cards 42 can be made by any other suitable electrical hardware, such as cables, wires, optical fibers, or the like, with corresponding connectors on the cards 42.
  • any one or more of these circuit cards 150-156 can be disconnected from the ribbon cables 158 and replaced with a different circuit card without necessarily disconnecting and removing the remaining circuit cards from their installed positions in the card cage 40.
  • One or more additional common cards and service cards can likewise be installed and interconnected at various suitable locations in the card cage 40.
  • the existing circuit cards 150-156 could remain installed and interconnected with each other while the additional cards are being installed and interconnected. Alternatively, the spacing and locations of the existing circuit cards 150-156 could be varied to accommodate the additional cards. Since the card cage 40 is free of a backplane, such adaptations to the ONU 26 can be made to provide differing or newly developed telecommunications services without limitations dictated by backplane circuitry.

Abstract

An ONU includes circuit cards, a card cage, and electrical connector hardware. The card cage releaseably engages and supports the circuit cards in installed positions in the card cage. At least one pair of the circuit cards have serial interconnections with each other. The electrical connector hardware defines all of those serial interconnections and is free of a backplane.

Description

CARD CAGE FOR CIRCUIT CARDS IN AN OPTICAL NETWORK UNIT
Background of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical network unit (ONU) which interconnects sources of telecommunications services with customer equipment at one or more customer premises. The present invention particulary relates to a card cage that supports circuit cards in installed positions in an ONU. An ONU may contain a group of circuit cards including a common card and service cards that are electrically interconnected with the common card. Each service card has circuitry corresponding to a particular telecommunications service provided to customers served by the ONU. The common card and the service cards are installed in a card cage structure which includes a backplane. Specifically, the common card and the service cards are supported together on the backplane in installed positions perpendicular to the backplane. The backplane is configured with circuitry that defines the electrical interconnections between the common card and the service cards.
An individual circuit card can be electrically disconnected from the other circuit cards by removing it from its installed position on the backplane, and a substitute circuit card can be installed in its place on the backplane.
However, the backplane is a relatively permanent fixture in the ONU. Therefore, the adaptability of the ONU to provide differing or newly developed telecommunications services is limited by the particular backplane circuitry in the ONU. Summary nf the Invention
In accordance with a principal feature of the present invention, an apparatus includes circuit cards, a card cage, and electrical connector hardware. The card cage releaseably engages and supports the circuit cards in installed positions in the card cage. At least one pair of the circuit cards have serial interconnections with each other. The electrical connector hardware defines all of those serial interconnections and is free of a backplane.
In accordance with another principal feature of the invention, the circuit cards are accessible for electrical interconnection with each other, and electrical disconnection from each other, while remaining in their installed positions in the card cage. Side walls of the card cage engage and support the circuit cards orthogonally between the side walls. The side walls are configured to receive and guide movement of each circuit card between the side walls for installation and removal of the circuit cards from their installed positions separately from each other.
In accordance with yet another principal feature of the invention, the card cage has an end wall facing between the side walls. The end wall also engages the circuit cards and is free of backplane circuitry for defining serial interconnections between the circuit cards. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the end wall functions as a heat sink to conduct heat from the circuit cards. The end wall in the preferred embodiment further provides the circuit cards with parallel electrical interconnections consisting of ground connections. This feature of the end wall is especially beneficial in the absence of backplane circuitry that might otherwise provide the circuit cards with ground connections.
Brief Description of the Drawings Fig 1 is a schematic view of a telecommunications system comprising a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 shows an example of a structure common to several of the system components shown schematically in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows an example of a structure common to several parts shown in Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is an isometric view of parts shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is an elevational view of a part shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5;
Fig. 7 is a plan view of a part shown in Fig. 4;
Fig. 8 is a view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7; and
Fig. 9 is an isometric view of another part shown in Fig. 4.
Description of a Preferred Embodiment
A telecommunications system 10 comprising a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown schematically in Fig. 1. The system 10 is a fiber-to-the-curb (FTTC) system connecting a plurality of customer premises 12 with various sources of telecommunication services. As shown for example in Fig. 1, the service sources include the public switched telephone network 14, the Internet 16, and a video server 18, and additional service sources also could be included. The FTTC system 10 includes a central office switching station 22, a plurality of host digital terminals 24, and a plurality of ONU's 26. Each ONU 26 communicates with customer equipment at one or more customer premises 12. The customer equipment typically includes computers 28, telephones 30 and televisions 32. The ONU's are connected with the customer equipment 28, 30 and 32 by coaxial cables 34 and copper wires 36. Each host digital terminal 24 is connected with a respective group of ONU's 26, and also with the central office switching station 22, by optical fiber cables 38.
The central office switching station 22 connects the host digital terminals 24 with the service sources 14-18 in a known manner.
As shown schematically in Fig. 1, each ONU 26 includes a card cage 40. A plurality of circuit cards 42 are installed and electrically interconnected in the card cage 40. The circuit cards 42 at each ONU 26 correspond to the telecommunications services required at the customer premises 12 served by the ONU 26. For example, the circuit cards 42 at any one of the ONU's 26 may include a common card interconnected with a plurality of service cards, with each service card having circuitry corresponding to a particular telecommunications service, such as high speed Internet access, digital television, etc. In accordance with the present invention, the card cage 40 does not include a backplane. Moreover, the card cage 40 is configured such that the telecommunications services provided by the ONU 26 can be changed or supplemented by disconnecting and replacing one or more circuit cards 42 while the other circuit cards 42 remain installed and electrically interconnected in the card cage 40.
The ONU's 26 in the preferred embodiment are pedestal type structures. As shown for example in Fig. 2, the pedestal configuration is defined by a cylindrical housing 50 with a base 52 and a dome 54. The base 52 of the housing 50 projects upward from beneath the ground line 55. The cables and wires 34, 36 and 38 of Fig. 1, as well as a power cable (not shown), are routed upward into the housing 50 through an open lower end 56 of the base 52. The dome 54 is received over a circular bulkhead 58 at the upper end of the base 52. A band clamp 60 or the like is used to interlock the dome 54 releaseably with the bulkhead 58. The card cage 40 is mounted on a structural frame 62 which, in turn, is mounted on the bulkhead 58. The circuit cards 42 are thus contained within the dome 54 and are accessible for service when the dome 54 is unlocked and removed from the bulkhead 58.
Although the circuit cards 42 have differing circuitry, as noted above, they preferably have common structural features, as shown for example in Fig. 3. Each circuit card 42 in the preferred embodiment thus has a rectangular peripheral configuration with an optional heat sink plate 68 at its lower end. The heat sink plate 68 adjoins a ground plane within the circuit card 42 so as to conduct heat from the internal circuitry and the electrical components (not shown) mounted on the component side 70 of the circuit card 42. A stiffener 72 extends across the opposite side of the circuit card 42. An upper end section 76 of the circuit card 42 is located above the stiffener 72. Retainers 78 at the ends of the stiffener 72 project transversely from the circuit card 42.
Each card cage 40 in the preferred embodiment is a rectangular box with a pair ofopposed plastic side walls 80, as shown in Fig. 4. The side walls 80 engage and support the circuit cards 42 in installed positions in which the circuit cards 42 extend orthogonally between the side walls 80. More specifically, the side walls 80 are alike and have opposed guide structures 82. The guide structures receive the circuit cards 42 upon insertion of the circuit cards 42 through an open upper end 83 of the card cage 40, and guide movement of the circuit cards 42 vertically between the side walls 80 upon installation and removal of the circuit cards 42 from their installed positions in the card cage 40.
As best shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the guide structures 82 in the preferred embodiment define vertically elongated slots 85. Each pair ofopposed slots 85 receives opposite side edge portions 86 of a single circuit card 42. This enables each circuit card 42 to be guided vertically into and out of its installed position separately from each other circuit card 42. When the circuit cards 42 are moved vertically downward between the side walls 80 fully to their installed positions, lower edge surfaces 88 (Fig. 3) of the circuit cards 42 move into abutment with the side walls 80 at stop surfaces 90 (Figs. 5 and 6) at the lower ends of the slots 85. The retainers 78 projecting transversely from the circuit cards 42 are simultaneously moved into corresponding slots 92 at the upper ends 94 of the side walls 80. The upper end sections 76 of the circuit cards 42 are then accessible for electrical interconnection with each other, and electrical disconnection from each other, outward of the side walls 80 while remaining in their installed positions in the card cage 40.
An end wall 100 of the card cage 40 faces upward between the side walls 80. As shown separately in Figs. 7 and 8, the end wall 100 is a metal plate with parallel upper and lower side surfaces 102 and 104. Apertures 105 are provided near the four corners of the end wall 100 for pegs 106 on the side walls 80 to be heat-staked to the end wall 100. Additional apertures 107 in the end wall 100 receive fasteners (not shown) that fasten the end wall 100 to the structural frame 62 (Fig. 4).
Support tabs 108 project vertically from the upper side surface 102 of the end wall 100. The support tabs 108 are arranged in a staggered array of groups 110 such that each group 110 of support tabs 108 corresponds to a pair of opposed slots 85 in the side walls 80. When a circuit card 42 is installed in the card cage 40, a lower edge portion 112 of the heat sink plate 68 on the circuit card 42 is releaseably engaged by a corresponding set 110 of support tabs 108 on the end wall 100. In accordance with this feature of the invention, the end wall 100 can function as a heat sink for the circuit cards 42, and can also provide parallel ground connections for the circuit cards 42.
The card cage 40 further includes a pair ofopposed plastic side walls 120 and 122 that are parallel to the circuit cards 42. These side walls 120 and 122 have substantially the same peripheral size and shape as the circuit cards 42, and thus project upward from the upper ends 94 of the other side walls 80 equally with the circuit cards 42. Locking tabs 124 on the vertically projecting side walls 120 and 122 are received through apertures 125 in the shorter side walls 80 to lock the side walls 120, 122 and 80 together. However, any other suitable fastening structures could be used to interconnect the various walls 80, 100, 122 and 124 of the card cage 40.
As shown in Fig. 4, one of the vertically projecting side walls 120 has a cable management structure including an array of retainer tabs 130 around which optical fiber cables can be wound and stored on the card cage 40. As shown in Fig. 9, the other vertically projecting side wall 122 has an alternative embodiment of a cable management structure including a similar array of retainer tabs 132. Those retainer tabs 132 are sized and shaped to support wound copper drop cables or other larger cables, and are spaced from the major section 134 of the side wall 122 to define a corresponding array of passages 135. The passages 135 enable spliced wires (not shown) to extend through the side wall 122 for interconnection of the circuit cards 42 with a plurality of connectors 140 that are mounted on the structural frame 62. The connectors 140 in the preferred embodiment comprise URLS protection cartridges and blocks, and are interconnected with the cables and wires 34, 36 and 38 (Fig. 1) in a known matter.
As further shown in Fig. 4, the circuit cards 42 in the preferred embodiment include a common card 150 and a plurality of service cards 152, 154 and 156. Serial connections are made between the common card 150 and each of the service cards 152-156 by ribbon cables 158. The ribbon cables 158 extend between connectors 160 on the upper end sections 76 of the circuit cards 150- 156. Although the preferred embodiment of the invention includes the ribbon cables 158 and the connectors 160, serial connections between the circuit cards 42 can be made by any other suitable electrical hardware, such as cables, wires, optical fibers, or the like, with corresponding connectors on the cards 42. Importantly, any one or more of these circuit cards 150-156 can be disconnected from the ribbon cables 158 and replaced with a different circuit card without necessarily disconnecting and removing the remaining circuit cards from their installed positions in the card cage 40. One or more additional common cards and service cards can likewise be installed and interconnected at various suitable locations in the card cage 40. The existing circuit cards 150-156 could remain installed and interconnected with each other while the additional cards are being installed and interconnected. Alternatively, the spacing and locations of the existing circuit cards 150-156 could be varied to accommodate the additional cards. Since the card cage 40 is free of a backplane, such adaptations to the ONU 26 can be made to provide differing or newly developed telecommunications services without limitations dictated by backplane circuitry.
The present invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. Improvements, changes and modifications to the preferred embodiment may be contemplated by those skilled in the art as taught by the foregoing description. Such improvements, changes and modifications are intended to be covered by the appended claims.

Claims

We Claim:
1. Apparatus comprising: a plurality of circuit cards including at least one pair of circuit cards having serial interconnections with each other; a card cage releaseably engaging and supporting said circuit cards in installed positions in said card cage; and electrical connector hardware defining all of said serial interconnections, said electrical connector hardware being free of a backplane.
2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said card cage is configured to support said circuit cards in a telecommunications equipment housing.
3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said electrical connector hardware is releaseable from said pair of circuit cards while said pair of circuit cards remain in said installed positions.
4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said card cage includes opposed side walls engaging and supporting said circuit cards orthogonally between said side walls, said side walls being configured to receive and guide movement of each circuit card between said side walls for installation and removal of said circuit cards from said installed positions separately from each other.
5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said card cage further has an end wall interconnecting and facing between said side walls, said end wall engaging said circuit cards and comprising a heat sink structure configured to conduct heat from said circuit cards.
6. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said card cage further has an end wall interconnecting and facing between said side walls, said end wall engaging and providing said circuit cards with parallel interconnections consisting of ground connections.
7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said card cage has a wall with a cable management structure configured to support a quantity of stored cable wound around said cable management structure.
8. Apparatus comprising: a telecommunications equipment housing having a base portion and an access portion; a plurality of circuit cards; and a card cage releaseably engaging and supporting said circuit cards on said base portion of said housing in installed positions in which said circuit cards are accessible to be electrically interconnected with each other, and electrically disconnected from each other, while remaining in said installed positions when said access portion of said housing is in an open condition.
9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 further comprising electrical connector hardware serially interconnecting at least two of said circuit cards, said electrical connector hardware being releaseable from said two circuit cards while said two circuit cards remain in said installed positions.
10. Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said card cage has opposed side walls with upper ends, said circuit cards having opposite edge portions engaged and supported by said side walls, and further having upper end sections projecting upward from said upper ends of said side walls, said electrical connector hardware being releaseably interconnected with said two circuit cards at said upper end sections of said two circuit cards.
11. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said housing includes a circular bulkhead supporting said card cage on said base portion of said housing and said access portion of said housing is a cylindrical dome receivable over said bulkhead.
12. Apparatus as defined in claim 11 further comprising a structural frame supporting said card cage on said bulkhead.
13. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said card cage includes opposed side walls engaging and supporting said circuit cards orthogonally between said side walls, said side walls being configured to receive and guide movement of each circuit card between said side walls for installation and removal of said circuit cards from said installed positions separately from each other.
14. Apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said card cage further has an end wall facing between said side walls, said end wall engaging said circuit cards and comprising a heat sink structure configured to conduct heat from said circuit cards, said end wall being free of backplane circuitry defining serial interconnections between said circuit cards.
15. Apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said card cage further has an end wall facing between said side walls, said end wall engaging and providing said circuit cards with parallel interconnections consisting of ground connections.
16. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said card cage has a wall with a cable management structure configured to support a quantity of stored cable wound around said cable management structure.
17. Apparatus comprising: a card cage configured to support circuit cards in a telecommunications equipment housing, said card cage having opposed side walls; said side walls of said card cage being configured to engage and support the circuit cards in installed positions in which the circuit cards extend orthogonally between said side walls and project outward from between said side walls, whereby each circuit card has a free end section accessible outward of said side walls to be electrically interconnected with, and electrically disconnected from, the free end section of at least one other circuit card outward of said side walls while the circuit cards remain in their installed positions.
18. Apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said card cage further has an end wall facing outward between said side walls, said end wall comprising a heat sink structure configured to engage and conduct heat from the circuit cards when the circuit cards are in their installed positions, said end wall being free of backplane circuitry for defiriing serial interconnections between the circuit cards.
19. Apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said card cage further has an end wall facing outward between said side walls, said end wall being configured to engage and provide the circuit cards with parallel interconnections consisting of ground connections when the circuit cards are in their installed positions.
20. Apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said side walls of said card cage define pairs ofopposed guide structures configured to receive and guide movement of each circuit card between said side walls for installation and removal of the circuit cards separately from each other.
21. Apparatus as defined in claim 20 wherein said side walls of said card cage further define stop surfaces against which the circuit cards are moved into abutment with said side walls upon being moved fully to their installed positions.
22. Apparatus as defined in claim 21 wherein said guide structures define slots and said stop surfaces define ends of said slots.
23. Apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said card cage has a wall with a cable management structure configured to support a quantity of stored cable wound around said cable management structure.
24. Apparatus comprising: a card cage configured to support circuit cards in a telecommunications equipment housing, said card cage having opposed side walls and an end wall facing between said side walls; said side walls being configured to engage and support the circuit cards in installed positions extending orthogonally between said side walls; said end wail also being configured to engage the circuit cards when the circuit cards are in their installed positions and being free of backplane circuitry for defining serial interconnections between the circuit cards.
25. Apparatus as defined in claim 24 wherein said end wall comprises a heat sink structure configured to engage and conduct heat from the circuit cards when the circuit cards are in their installed positions.
26. Apparatus as defined in claim 24 wherein said end wall is configured to engage and provide the circuit cards with parallel interconnections consisting of ground connections when the circuit cards are in their installed positions.
27. Apparatus as defined in claim 24 wherein said card cage has an open end which is located opposite said end wall and through which said circuit cards are insertable in, and removable from, said card cage.
28. Apparatus as defined in claim 27 wherein said side walls define pairs ofopposed guide structures configured to receive each circuit card upon insertion of each circuit card through said open end of said card cage, and to guide movement of each circuit card between said side walls, for installation and removal of the circuit cards from their installed positions separately from each other.
29. Apparatus as defined in claim 28 wherein said side walls further define stop surfaces against which the circuit cards are moved into abutment with said side walls upon being moved fully to their installed positions.
30. Apparatus as defined in claim 29 wherein said guide structures define slots and said stop surfaces define ends of said slots.
31. Apparatus as defined in claim 24 wherein said card cage has a wall with a cable management structure configured to support a quantity of stored cable wound around said cable management structure.
PCT/US2000/021899 1999-08-16 2000-08-10 Card cage for circuit cards in an optical network unit WO2001013651A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

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AU70567/00A AU7056700A (en) 1999-08-16 2000-08-10 Card cage for circuit cards in an optical network unit

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US09/375,312 US6366464B1 (en) 1999-08-16 1999-08-16 Card cage for circuit cards in an optical network unit
US09/375,312 1999-08-16

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AU (1) AU7056700A (en)
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AU7056700A (en) 2001-03-13

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