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Optical fiber rotary switch

  • US 4,589,726 A
  • Filed: 05/07/1984
  • Issued: 05/20/1986
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1984
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for switching light beams from a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber, alternately, onto a third optical fiber and a fourth optical fiber, respectively, and onto said fourth optical fiber and said third optical fiber, respectively, comprisingfirst means coupled to said first optical fiber for causing light emerging therefrom to be focused into a first expanded parallel beam along a first central axis;

  • second means coupled to said second optical fiber for causing light emerging therefrom to be focused into a second expanded parallel beam along a second central axis;

    third means coupled to said third optical fiber for causing a third expanded parallel beam of light, along a third central axis, to be focused onto said third opticalfourth means coupled to said fourth optical fiber for causing a fourth expanded parallel beam of light, along a fourth central axis, to be focused onto said fourth optical fiber,said first means, said second means, said third means, and said fourth means being so oriented that said first beam, said second beam, said third beam, and said fourth beam are oriented parallel to each other, that said axes are parallel to each other, and that a plane oriented perpendicular to said axes intersects said axes at a first point, a second point, a third point, and a fourth point, respectively, and that said points form corners of a square with said first point and said second point forming opposite diagonal corners of said square, and said third point and said fourth point forming the other opposite diagonal corners of said square;

    a right isosceles triangular optical prism having a pair of lateral plane face surfaces of equal size which join together at right angles along a common apical edge, said surfaces being coupled together with a hypotenuse face which is parallel to said edge, said hypotenuse face having an area in excess of the area of said square;

    means for orienting said prism so that said hypotenuse face is parallel to said plane, so that a rotational axis drawn through said apical edge and the center of said square is perpendicular to said plane, and so that a line drawn from said first point to said third point is parallel to said apical edge; and

    means for rotating said prism 90°

    about said rotational axis so said hypotenuse face is parallel to said plane, so that said rotational axis drawn through said apical edge and said center of said square is perpendicular to said plane, and so that a line drawn from said first point to said fourth point is parallel to said apical edge.

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