JPS628014Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to an optical switch that switches an optical path.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a conventional optical switch having one input port 1A and two output ports 1B and 1C. This optical switch has a triangular prism 2 fixedly installed in correspondence with an input port 1A and one output port 1B, and an input port 1A.
A triangular prism 3 is fixedly installed in correspondence with the other output port 1C, and a parallelogram movable prism 4 is installed between the input port 1A and the triangular prisms 2 and 3.
It was a structure with . Note that 5 is an optical fiber that provides optical input to the input port 1A, and 6 and 7 are optical fibers from which the output ports 1B and 1C take out optical output.

Such an optical switch can be configured by placing the movable prism 4 as shown in the figure so as to block the optical path from the input port 1A to the triangular prism 2.
The light input given to is taken out from the output port 1C through the movable prism 4 and the triangular prism 3, and then the movable prism 4 is moved to the right from the illustrated state, and the movable prism 4 is transferred from the input port 1A to the triangular prism 2. When the light is removed from the optical path leading to the input port 1A, the light input to the input port 1A passes through the triangular prism 2 and is taken out from the output port 1B.

However, such a structure cannot prevent crosstalk, and therefore input port 1A and output port 1
There is a drawback that it is not possible to reduce the size by narrowing the distance between B and 1C. In addition, since crosstalk cannot be prevented, there is a drawback that the sensitivity of the device must be lowered.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an optical switch that can prevent crosstalk.

In the optical switch according to the present invention, a plurality of light guide holes are arranged in a base and a slider is provided on the base so as to be slidable along the row of light guide holes. A reflector is provided to change the optical path of the optical signal input from the light hole so as to send it to another light guide hole, and the slider is provided with a reflector that performs a moderation operation using the light guide hole as a moderation hole, and also controls the light guide. The structure is supported by a moderating sphere that blocks light from the hole.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. As shown in the figure, the optical switch of this embodiment has a casing 1, and a block-shaped base 2 is disposed and fixed at the bottom of the casing 1. The base body 2 has a plurality of light guide holes 3,
4 and 5 are aligned in a row. Optical fibers 6, 7, 8 are inserted from the bottom of the casing 1 corresponding to the light guiding holes 3, 4, 5. Each light guide hole 3, 4, 5 has a rod lens 9, 10, 1.
1 is fitted so that the light passing through these light guide holes 3, 4, and 5 becomes parallel rays. A slider 12 that slides in the direction of the rows of light guide holes 3, 4, and 5 is disposed on the base body 2 within the casing 1. A long hole 13 is formed in the upper surface of the casing 1 along the sliding direction of the slider 12.
A switch operator 14 is derived from 3. A triangular prism 15 as a reflector for changing the optical path is fitted and supported in the slider 12 facing the light guide holes 3, 4, and 5 side. Ball accommodation holes 16 and 17 are formed in the slider 12 on both sides of the prism 15, and moderation balls 18 and 19 are fitted into each hole 16 and 17 so as to be freely retractable. Each moderation ball 18, 19 is biased by a spring 20, 21 in a direction to protrude toward the base body 2 side. These moderation balls 18, 19
The light guide holes 3 and 5 are used as moderation holes to perform a moderation operation, and the light guide holes are designed to block light.

In such an optical switch, in the state shown in FIG. 2, the prism 15 faces the light guide hole 3 on the right side and the light guide hole 4 in the center, and when an optical signal is input through the light guide hole 4 in the center, the prism 15 15 and is output from the light guiding hole 3. At this time, since the other light guide hole 5 is blocked by the moderation bulb 19 and is shielded from light, crosstalk can be prevented. In this state, when the slider 12 is pushed to the right in FIG. When the prism 15 reaches a predetermined position, facing the light hole 4 and the light guide hole 5 on the right side, the left moderation sphere 18 fits into the left light guide hole 3, providing a sense of moderation. The light guiding hole 3 is shielded from light by this moderating sphere 18. In this state, the optical signal input from the center light guide hole 4 is reflected by the prism 15 and output from the right light guide hole 5.

In the above embodiments, a prism is used as the optical path changing reflector, but a right-angled reflector or the like may also be used.

As explained above, in this invention, the light guide hole is used as a moderation hole, and the moderation sphere is fitted into this light guide hole to block light, thereby reliably preventing crosstalk to the light guide hole that does not output optical signals. can do. Further, according to the present invention, since there is no crosstalk, the interval between the light guiding holes can be narrowed, and the optical switch can be made smaller. Furthermore, the absence of crosstalk allows the equipment to be used with increased sensitivity.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional optical switch, Figure 2
3 and 3 are a longitudinal sectional view and a transverse sectional view showing an embodiment of the optical switch according to the present invention. 2... Base body, 3, 4, 5... Light guide hole, 6, 7,
8...Optical fiber, 12...Slider, 15...
Prism as a reflector for changing optical path, 18, 19
...Moderation ball.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A plurality of light guide holes are formed in a line in a base body, a slider is provided on the base body so as to be slidable along the row of light guide holes, and the slider has a plurality of light guide holes arranged in a row. A reflector is provided to change the optical path so as to send a signal to another light guide hole, and the slider supports a moderation ball that performs a moderation operation using the light guide hole as a moderation hole and blocks light from the moderation hole. A light switch characterized by: