Optical switch

• US 4,878,729 A
• Filed: 10/28/1985
• Issued: 11/07/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Square D Company (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Square D Company (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Stewart, David G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sikes, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ullah, Akm E.
• Application Number:
  US06/791,802
• Time in Patent Office: 1,471 Days
• Field of Search: 350/96.15, 350/96.18, 350/96.19, 350/96.20, 250/227, 250/221, 250/231 R, 250/231 P, 250/551
• US Class Current: 385/18
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3514 the reflective optical element moving along a line so as to translate into and out of the beam path, i.e. across the beam path
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/352 the reflective optical element having a shaped reflective surface, e.g. a reflective element comprising several reflective surfaces or facets that function together
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3546 NxM switch, i.e. a regular array of switches elements of matrix type constellation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3552 1x1 switch, e.g. on/off switch
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3574 Mechanical force, e.g. pressure variations
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3582 Housing means or package or arranging details of the switching elements, e.g. for thermal isolation

Abstract

The invention provides a simple optical switch capable of integration with common machine tool control devices such as push buttons, limit switches, and pressure responsive switches. The invention is an optical switch comprising a housing for mounting the optical switch, a drive rod capable of motion, and at least one mirror surface movable with the drive rod for reflecting light in a desired direction.

Claims

1. an optical switch comprising:

a housing;

at least one mirror mounted within said housing;

a drive rod, said at least one mirror mounted upon said drive rod, said drive rod capable of linear motion so that in at least one position of said drive rod said at least one mirror is capable of reflecting light in a desired direction; and

means for attaching both a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber to said housing so that at least some of the light entering said housing from said first optical fiber may be reflected from said mirror and travel in said second optical fiber in at one position of said mirror, and said mirror may be moved to reduce the intensity of said light reflected into said second optical fiber.

2. An optical switch comprising:

a housing;

at least one mirror mounted within said housing;

a drive rod capable of motion in a first direction;

a carrier mounted within said housing, said at least one mirror attached to said carrier, said carrier capable of motion in a second direction and responsive to motion of said drive rod, and motion of said drive rod in said first direction results in motion of said carrier in said second direction, so that said at least one mirror may reflect light in a desired direction in at least one position of said carrier; and

means for attaching both a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber to said housing so that least some of the light entering said housing from said first optical fiber may be reflected from said mirror and travel in said second optical fiber in at least one position of said mirror, and said mirror may be moved to reduce the intensity of said light reflected into said second optical fiber.

3. An optical switch comprising:

a housing for mounting said optical switch;

a drive rod capable of motion in a first direction;

a pin mounted in said drive rod, said pin having a predetermined diameter;

a carrier capable of motion in a second direction and responsive to motion of said drive rod so that motion of said drive rod in said first direction results in motion of said carrier in said second direction;

said carrier having

a groove cut into said carrier and having a direction component in said first direction and having a direction component in said second direction and having a width greater than said diameter of said pin so that motion of said drive rod in said first direction does not produce motion of said carrier in said second direction during the range of motion of said drive rod in which said pin is out of contact with a side of said groove, thereby providing a dead band in the optical characteristics of said switch as said drive rod moves in said first direction, and,

at least one mirror surface movable with said carrier for reflecting light in a desired direction in at least one position of said carrier.

4. An optical switch comprising:

a housing for mounting said optical switch;

a tab attached to said housing,

a drive rod capable of motion in a first direction;

a pin attached to said drive rod, and,

a carrier capable of motion in a second direction and responsive to motion of said drive rod so that motion of said drive rod in said first direction results in motion of said carrier in said second direction;

wherein said carrier is a molded plastic part having two mirror surfaces movable with said carrier for reflecting light in a desired direction, at least one of said mirrors reflecting light in a desired direction in at least one position of said carrier, said carrier having a first groove for mating with said pin, a second groove for restraining motion of said carrier in said second direction in interaction with said tab so that motion of said drive rod in said first direction results in motion of said carrier in said second direction.

5. An optical switch comprising:

a housing for mounting said optical switch;

a drive rod capable of motion in a first direction;

a carrier capable of motion in a second direction and responsive to motion of said drive rod so that motion of said drive rod in said first direction results in motion of said carrier in said second direction;

at least one mirror surface movable with said carrier for reflecting light in a desired direction in at least one position of said carrier, wherein said at least one mirror surface is a first mirror surface and a second mirror surface; and

,

a first optical cable and a second optical cable;

each having an input optical fiber and an output optical fiber, and wherein said first and second optical cables are attached to the housing so that when said carrier is in a first position light is reflected by said first mirror surface from its associated input optical fiber into its associated output optical fiber in said first optical cable and only light below a predetermined level is reflected by parts of said switch into said output fiber in said second optical cable;

and when said carrier is in a second position light is reflected by said second mirror surface from its associated input optical fiber into its associated output optical fiber in said second optical cable and only light below a predetermined level is reflected by parts of said switch into said output fiber in said first optical cable;

whereby at said first position said first optical cable is turned ON and said second optical cable is turned OFF, and at said second position said first optical cable is turned OFF and said second optical cable is turned ON.