Hybrid electrical/optical connector

Abstract

A single hybrid electrical/optical connector simultaneously forms both electrical and optical input/output connections by a single step engagement between elements on a connector and corresponding elements of the opposite gender on a mating connector. The connector can be surface-mounted on a circuit board, and a mating connector can be vertically pluggable onto the connector. The optical elements on the connector and/or the mating connector can be detachable, which can simplify assembly of a system that includes the circuit board. The hybrid electrical/optical connector has applications for optical transceivers. The hybrid electrical/optical connector includes a housing that extends laterally along a housing plane. The housing includes electrical and optical sockets thereon. In some examples, the electrical sockets and the optical sockets are laterally arranged on opposite sides of a division plane perpendicular to the housing plane.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A connector comprising:
 a housing extending laterally along a housing plane,   the housing configured to be installed on a circuit board and be generally parallel to a plane of the circuit board when the housing is installed on the circuit board,   the housing including a plurality of electrical sockets and a plurality of optical sockets thereon,   the electrical sockets and the optical sockets being connectable in an insertion direction perpendicular to the housing plane,   the electrical sockets and the optical sockets being laterally arranged on opposite sides of a division plane perpendicular to the housing plane.