Methods and apparatus for fiber-optic modules with shielded housing/covers having mixed finger types

A method of forming a shielded housing for a fiber-optic module, the method comprising:

• forming a flat pattern of a front portion of the shielded housing from a sheet of conductive material, the flat pattern including one or more forward fingers and one or more backward fingers;
• folding the flat pattern along fold lines to form flaps and sides of the shielded housing;
• and
• bending the flat pattern along bend lines to form the one or more forward fingers and the one or more backward fingers of the shielded housing.

A method for assembling a fiber optic module comprising:

• assembling optical, electrical and optical-electrical components into a chassis to form a first subassembly;
• forming a back portion of a shielded housing around the first subassembly to form a second subassembly;
• storing the second subassembly in inventory waiting for customer orders;
• and
• if a customer order is received, forming a front portion of the shielded housing around the second subassembly in response thereto.

A fiber-optic module comprising:

• a chassis having a pair of optical connector receptacles at one end and a pair of walls coupled to a base at an opposite end, the pair of walls having slots on inside surfaces, the pair of optical connector receptacles having a rectangular opening along the width of the chassis, the base having one or more pin openings;
• a printed circuit board coupled into the slots in the pair of walls of the chassis, the printed circuit board having one or more pins in the one or more pin openings in the base of the chassis, the printed circuit board having electrical components to process electrical signals of the one or more pins;
• a pair of opto-electronic components having pins coupled to traces of the printed circuit board at an edge, the traces coupled to the one or more pins or the electrical components of the printed circuit board, the pair of opto-electronic components to process electrical and optical signals;
• a pair of optical connectors each having an optical port with a lens, a flange, a snap lock clip, a ferrule barrel, and a recess between the optical port and the flange, the pair of optical ports of the pair of optical connectors coupled to the pair of opto-electronic components respectively at one end and each of the snap lock clip and the ferrule barrel inserted into the respective pair of optical connector receptacles of the chassis at an opposite end;
• a plate having a pair of u-shaped openings and a flap, the plate inserted into the rectangular opening of the chassis, the u-shaped openings of the plate engaging the recess between the optical port and the flange in each pair of the optical connectors to hold the pair of opto-electronic components and the pair of optical connectors to the chassis;
• a first portion of a shielded housing around the chassis to protect the pair of opto-electronic components and the electrical components;
• and
• a second portion of the shielded housing around the chassis coupled to the plate, the second portion of the shielded housing having one or more forward fingers and one or more backward fingers to couple to a panel.

A system for providing electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, the system comprising:

• a module chassis frame having a front end and a back end, the front end being hollow to allow for optical, electrical and optical-electrical components to be attached therein, the back end having a pair of separately enclosed compartments, each compartment to house a transmitter subassembly and a receiver subassembly, the transmitter subassembly having a first shielding collar around the transmitter subassembly and the receiver subassembly having a second collar around the receiver subassembly;
• a U-plate having a top portion and a bottom portion having a pair of U-shaped openings, the top portion including a flap, the U-plate coupled into a slot of the module chassis frame to hold and shield the transmitter subassembly and the receiver subassembly;
• a first portion of an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding box around the module chassis frame;
• and
• a second portion of an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding box around the module chassis frame and coupled to the U-plate, the electromagnetic interference shielding box having one or more forward fingers around its perimeter and one or more backward fingers to contact to a host system.

A fiber-optic module comprising:

• a means for holding optical, electrical, and opto-electronic components, the optical, electrical, and opto-electronic components to process optical and electrical signals;
• and
• a first portion of a means for shielding and housing the means for holding;
• and
• a second portion of a means for shielding and housing the means for holding, the second portion having a frontal opening to accept a fiber-optic cable connector, the second portion of the means for shielding and housing being conductive and including
• one or more first finger means near an edge of the frontal opening, the one or more first finger means to provide an EMI seal around an opening in a host system, and
• one or more second finger means near an edge of the frontal opening, the one or more second finger means to provide an EMI seal around the opening in the host system.