Optical waveguides – With optical coupler – Switch
Patent
1995-08-21
1999-07-20
Ngo, John
Optical waveguides
With optical coupler
Switch
385 20, G02B 626
Patent
active
059265884
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an optical switch, and particularly to an optical switch for optical coupling between a plurality of first optical fibers juxtaposed on an optical fiber arranging member and a second optical fiber movable along the optical fiber arranging member.
BACKGROUND ART
There are known optical scan switches provided with a connector table in which a lot of connectors are arranged in a matrix and are to be connected to a master connector which is two-dimensionally movable ("C-449, 10-path-batch 1.times.1000 optical scan switch," Spring Meeting (1998), Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers of Japan, P4-238).
The conventional connector table, however, achieved the two-dimensional arrangement of optical fibers by physically arranging a plurality of connectors in a matrix. Thus, the arrangement was not accurate between optical fibers held by different connectors, thereby exhibiting a defect that they were not able to be connected with accuracy with an optical fiber held in the master connector.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The optical switch of the present invention has been accomplished to solve the above problem, and specifically, an object of the invention is to stabilize optical characteristics in optically coupling a movable-side optical fiber with a stationary-side optical fiber, to improve reliability of optical coupling, and to improve positioning accuracy upon optical coupling.
An optical switch according to the present invention comprises an optical fiber arranging member in which tip ends of a plurality of first optical fibers are juxtaposed, a movable arm facing the optical fiber arranging member and fixing a tip end of a second optical fiber, and a drive mechanism for driving at least one of said optical fiber arranging member and said movable arm, for switching of optical coupling, in a direction of arrangement of said first optical fibers and in a direction perpendicular to the direction of arrangement of said first optical fibers to optically couple said second optical fiber with said first optical fiber, wherein said optical fiber arranging member and said movable arm are encased in a sealing case and an antireflection agent is filled in the sealing case.
In the optical switch according to the present invention, where an arbitrary fiber is selected out of the plurality of first optical fibers juxtaposed on the optical fiber arranging member, the drive device moves the second optical fiber in the direction to release optical coupling, i.e., in the direction to get away from the arrangement plane of the first optical fibers in the direction perpendicular thereto and thereafter, the second optical fiber is moved by a predetermined distance along the arrangement direction of the first optical fibers. After that, while moving the second optical fiber in the direction to approach the arrangement plane, the second optical fiber is stopped at a predetermined position, thus effecting optical coupling or switching of light. On this occasion, because the optical fiber arranging member and moving arm are encased in the sealing case filled with the antireflection agent, dust or the like can be prevented from intruding into the sealing case from the outside. Driving either the optical fiber arranging member or the movable arm, sure optical coupling can be achieved through the antireflection agent.
An optical switch according to the present invention comprises a first base plate on a top surface of which a plurality of fiber fixing grooves for fixing a plurality of first optical fibers are formed; a second base plate on a top surface of which a plurality of fiber introducing grooves for introducing a second optical fiber are formed as located on extension lines of said fiber fixing grooves; an optical fiber arranging member having said first base plate and said second base plate; a movable head facing said optical fiber arranging member and fixing a tip end of said second optical fiber; a positioning member provided in said movable head
REFERENCES:
patent: 5035482 (1991-07-01), ten Berge et al.
patent: 5239599 (1993-08-01), Harman
patent: 5446810 (1995-08-01), Watanabe et al.
Microfilm of the specification and drawings annexed to the written application of Japanese Utility Model Application No. 115694/1978 (Laid-Open No. 32863/2980) (Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp.), Mar. 3, 1980.
Microfilm of the specification and drawings annexed to the written application of Japanese Utility Model Application No. 164706/1979 (Laid-Open No. 80502/1981) (Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.), Jun. 30,1981, lines 1 to 3, p. 6.
Maki Hisao
Murakami Takashi
Ozawa Kazumasa
Saito Kazuhito
Tomita Nobuo
Ngo John
Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corporation
Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd
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