EP0486208A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical backplane interconnecting circuit boards
Assignee: GPT Ltd
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Filing: 1991-11-06
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-11-06
Abstract
Abstract A system for interconnection of a stack of circuit boards, wherein each of at least a plurality of the circuit boards has an end region carrying one or more light transmitters or light receivers, an optical structure forming an interconnecting backplane for the circuit boards, the optical structure comprising a first surface carrying a mulitplicity of hologram elements disposed to receive light beams from said light transmitters and to route said light beams to a second reflective surface where said light beams are reflected back to said hologram elements for routing to said light receivers.
Inventors
- 👤 Stuart Charles Robertson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 13:39
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/26; G02B6/42; G02B6/43; G02B5/00; G02B5/32; G02B6/4201; G02B6/4204; H; H05; H05K; H05K1/00; H05K1/02; H05K1/0274; H05K1/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
98 words
A system for interconnection of a stack of circuit boards, wherein each of at least a plurality of the circuit boards has an end region carrying one or more light transmitters or light receivers, an optical structure forming an interconnecting backplane for the circuit boards, characterised in that the optical structure comprises a first surface carrying a multiplicity of hologram elements disposed to receive light beams from said light transmitters and to route said light beams to a second reflective surface where said light beams are reflected back to said hologram elements for routing to said light receivers.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
98 words
A system for interconnection of a stack of circuit boards, wherein each of at least a plurality of the circuit boards has an end region carrying one or more light transmitters or light receivers, an optical structure forming an interconnecting backplane for the circuit boards, characterised in that the optical structure comprises a first surface carrying a multiplicity of hologram elements disposed to receive light beams from said light transmitters and to route said light beams to a second reflective surface where said light beams are reflected back to said hologram elements for routing to said light receivers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein each circuit board has a heat sink block secured to the rear end of the circuit board and has within it apertures carring one or more transmitter and/or receiver elements.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the block has two columns of apertures, one column carrying a plurality of transmitter elements and the other column carrying a plurality of receiver elements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system as claimed in Claim 2 or 3 wherein each transmitter element comprises a visible laser diode source.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
36 words
A system as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 4 wherein each transmitter element abuts against a shoulder in the respective aperture, and a collimating lens is positioned against a furthershoul- der in the aperture.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
30 words
A system as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 5 wherein the transmitter and receiver elements are connected via short electrical leads to MUX/DEMUX circuits on the circuit board.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system as claimed in Claim 1, including means for aligning the circuit cards in predetermined positions relative to the optical structure upon insertion into the stack for correct routing of said light beams.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
A system as claimed in Claim 7 wherein the means for aligning includes a reference surface against which said block abuts when the circuit board is inserted in order to define a predetermined spacing between the block and the hologram elements.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
A system as claimed in Claim 7 or 8 wherein each circuit card and said first surface include co-operating tapering locating members and apertures which interengage upon insertion of the circuit card into the stack in order to locate the transmitters and receivers in predetermined positions relative to the hologram elements.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system as claimed in Claim 9 wherein each block carries one or more tapering spike members for engaging in registering apertures in said first surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
A system as claimed in Claim 9 or 10 wherein each circuit card includes one or more manually engageable pusher members for pushing the circuit card into the stack and for interengaging the co-operating members and apertures.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
33 words
A system as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 11 wherein the first surface comprises a photographic plate bonded to a polymeric block housing said reflective surface formed on its rear surface.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
32 words
A system as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 12 including a flexible cover member surrounding the free air space between the rear of the circuit cards and the optical structure.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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