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

• Current Assignee: GTE Laboratories Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GTE Laboratories Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Buhrer, Carl F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sikes, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ullah, Akm E.
• Application Number:
  US06/607,533
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 350/96.15, 350/96.16, 350/96.19, 350/96.20
• US Class Current: 385/21
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3524 the optical element being refractive
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3528 the optical element being a prism
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3546 NxM switch, i.e. a regular array of switches elements of matrix type constellation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3572 Magnetic force magnetic forces controlling reflecting elements in general G02B26/085; magneto-optic devices G02F1/09
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3574 Mechanical force, e.g. pressure variations
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/358 Latching of the moving element, i.e. maintaining or holding the moving element in place once operation has been performed; includes a mechanically bistable system
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3582 Housing means or package or arranging details of the switching elements, e.g. for thermal isolation

Abstract

An electro-mechanical optical fiber rotary switch provides for latched reconnection of two optical paths among four optical fiber ports of a 2×2 switching array. A right isosceles triangular optical prism is used in the switch, the prism being rotated 90° in either direction to change the switch position.

Claims

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, comprising

first 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 optical

fourth 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.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said first means, said second means, said third means, and said fourth means comprises an expanded beam connector device having a fiber alignment port, a focusing lens surface, and a reference surface;

and wherein all of said reference surfaces are aligned in a common plane.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said hypotenuse face is antireflection-coated.

4. Optical fiber rotary switching apparatus comprising

a baseplate having a raised planar surface that is circular about a rotational axis,

said surface having a first square array of four holes therethrough, centered about said rotational axis,

said surface having a second square array of four detents thereon, centered about said rotational axis,

said second square array being larger than said first square array;

a first optical fiber connector, adapted to be coupled to a first optical fiber, for causing light emerging therefrom to be focused into a first expanded parallel beam along a first central axis;

said first connector being so oriented that said first beam passes through one of said four holes;

a second optical fiber connector, adapted to be coupled to a second optical fiber, for causing light emerging therefrom to be focused into a second expanded parallel beam along a second central axis;

said second connector being so oriented that said second beam passes through a second of said four holes;

said one hole and said second hole being oriented at opposite diagonal corners of said first square array;

a third optical fiber connector, adapted to be coupled to a third optical fiber, for causing a third expanded parallel beam of light, along a third central axis, to be focused onto said third optical fiber;

said third connector being so oriented that said third beam passes through a third of said four holes;

a fourth optical fiber connector, adapted to be coupled to a 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 fourth connector being so oriented that said fourth beam passes through a fourth of said four holes;

said third hole and said fourth hole being oriented at the other opposite diagonal corners of said first square array;

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 lateral 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 first square array;

a cylindrical prism carrier, adapted to rotate about said rotational axis, having a cavity therein for receiving said prism such that said apical edge intersects said rotational axis and such that said hypotenuse face is parallel to said raised surface but not contacting said raised surface;

said prism carrier containing a pair of spring-biased balls spaced apart a distance equal to the diagonal of said second square array for alternating engagement with two of said four detents on said raised surface; and

an annular shell for fitting about said planar surface and for laterally constraining said prism carrier.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 4 further comprising a 90°

rotary solenoid and a ratchet mechanism such that each excitation of said solenoid causes said prism carrier to rotate 90° and

then align itself with said detents on said second array.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 4 wherein said detents are conical.

7. A solenoid activated optical fiber switch comprising

first means for causing light from a first optical fiber to be focused into a first expanded parallel beam along a first central axis;

second means for causing light from a second optical fiber to be focused into a second expanded parallel beam along a second central axis;

third means for causing a third expanded parallel beam of light along a third central axis to be focused onto a third optical fiber,

fourth means for causing a fourth expanded parallel beam of light along a fourth central axis to be focused onto a 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; and

a 90°

rotary solenoid, coupled to said prism, for rotating said prism to aligned states where said apical edge is parallel to alternate sides of said square.