Longitudinal electromagnetic latching optical relay
First Claim
1. An electromagnetic optical relay comprising:
- a relay housing containing a switching channel;
a first optical path passing through the switching channel;
a solid slug adapted to move within the switching channel;
a first electromagnetic actuator operable to move the solid slug to a first position within the switching channel to block the first optical path; and
a second electromagnetic actuator operable to move the solid slug to a second position within the switching channel to unblock the first optical path.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electromagnetic optical relay is disclosed in which a solid slug moves within a switching channel formed in relay housing. An optical path passing through the switching channel is blocked or unblocked by motion of the solid slug. Motion of the solid slug is controlled by at least two electromagnetic actuators, such as electrical coils surround the switching channel. Motion of the solid slug is resisted by a liquid, such as a liquid metal, that wets between the solid slug and at least one fixed contact pad in the switching channel. The surface tension of the liquid provides a latching mechanism for the relay. An optical signal may be reflected from the wetted surface of the solid slug and switched to an alternative optical path.
80 Citations
32 Claims
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1. An electromagnetic optical relay comprising:
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a relay housing containing a switching channel;
a first optical path passing through the switching channel;
a solid slug adapted to move within the switching channel;
a first electromagnetic actuator operable to move the solid slug to a first position within the switching channel to block the first optical path; and
a second electromagnetic actuator operable to move the solid slug to a second position within the switching channel to unblock the first optical path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An electromagnetic optical relay comprising:
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a relay housing containing a switching channel;
a first optical path passing through the switching channel;
a solid slug and adapted to move within the switching channel, the solid slug having a surface wettable by a liquid;
a first electromagnetic actuator operable to move the solid slug to a first position within the switching channel to block the first optical path;
a second electromagnetic actuator operable to move the solid slug to a second position within the switching channel to unblock the first optical path;
a first contact pad located in the switching channel and having a surface wettable by a liquid;
a second contact pad located in the switching channel and having a surface wettable by a liquid; and
a liquid volume in wetted contact with the solid slug;
wherein the liquid volume is adapted to wet between the solid slug and the first contact pad when the solid slug is in the first position and to wet between the solid slug and the second contact pad when the solid slug is in the second position. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
wherein the switching channel passes through the transparent mirror housing.
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14. An electromagnetic optical relay in accordance with claim 13, wherein the solid slug has a planar surface wettable by liquid metal.
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15. An electromagnetic optical relay in accordance with claim 7, wherein the first optical path comprises an input optical waveguide optically aligned with an output optical waveguide.
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16. A method for operating the electromagnetic optical relay of claim 15, comprising:
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coupling an input optical signal to the input optical waveguide;
if the optical path is to be completed;
energizing a first electromagnetic actuator to move the solid slug out of the optical path, whereby the input optical waveguide is optically coupled to the output optical waveguide; and
if the optical path is to be broken;
energizing a second electromagnetic actuator to move the solid slug into the optical path, whereby the input optical waveguide is optically decoupled from the output optical waveguide.
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17. A method in accordance with claim 16, wherein motion of the solid slug is resisted by a liquid that wets between the solid slug and at least one contact pad of a plurality of fixed contact pads in the switching channel, the method further comprising:
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if the optical path is to be completed;
de-energizing the first electromagnetic actuator after the solid slug has been moved out of the optical path; and
if the optical path is to be broken;
de-energizing the second electromagnetic actuator after the solid slug has been moved into the optical path.
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18. An electromagnetic optical relay comprising:
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a relay housing containing a switching channel;
a first optical path passing through the switching channel;
a solid slug adapted to move within the switching channel;
a first electromagnetic actuator operable to move the solid slug to a first position within the switching channel to block the first optical path; and
a second electromagnetic actuator operable to move the solid slug to a second position within the switching channel to unblock the first optical path;
wherein the relay housing comprises; a circuit substrate layer;
a cap layer; and
a switching layer, positioned between the circuit layer and the cap layer, in which the switching channel is formed. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
a second optical waveguide positioned in a second alignment notch in the switching layer;
wherein the first and second optical waveguides are axially aligned to form a portion of the first optical path.
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21. An electromagnetic optical relay in accordance with claim 20, wherein the first and second optical waveguides are held in the first and second alignment notches respectively by adhesive.
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22. An electromagnetic optical relay comprising:
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a relay housing;
a first input optical path;
a first output optical path, optically aligned with the first input optical path to form a direct optical path;
a second output optical path intersecting the first input optical path;
a transparent mirror housing, located in the relay housing at the intersection of the first input optical path and the second output optical path;
a solid slug adapted to move within a channel passing through the transparent mirror housing, the solid slug having a planar surface wettable by liquid metal;
a liquid metal volume covering the planar face of the solid slug to form a reflective surface;
a first electromagnetic actuator operable to move the solid slug within the channel so that it blocks the direct optical path and completes a reflected optical path from the first input optical path to the second output optical path; and
a second electromagnetic actuator operable to move the solid slug within the channel to remove it from the direct optical path. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for switching an optical path in a electromagnetic optical relay having solid slug moveable within a switching channel, the method comprising:
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coupling an input optical signal to an input optical waveguide of the electromagnetic optical relay, the input optical waveguide being optically aligned with an output optical waveguide to form the optical path;
if the optical path is to be completed;
energizing a first electromagnetic actuator to move the solid slug out of the optical path, whereby the input optical waveguide is optically coupled to the output optical waveguide; and
if the optical path is to be broken;
energizing a second electromagnetic actuator to move the solid slug into the optical path, whereby the input optical waveguide is optically decoupled from the output optical waveguide. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A method for switching between a first optical path and a second optical path through a switching channel in a electromagnetic optical relay, the relay having a solid slug moveable within the switching channel and the method comprising:
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coupling a first input optical signal to a first input optical waveguide of the electromagnetic optical relay, the first input optical waveguide being optically aligned with a first output optical waveguide to form the first optical path;
coupling a second input optical signal to a second input optical waveguide of the electromagnetic optical relay, the second input optical waveguide being optically aligned with a second output optical waveguide to form the second optical path;
if the first optical path is to be selected;
energizing a first electromagnetic actuator to move the solid slug out of the first optical path and into the second optical path, whereby the first input optical waveguide is optically coupled to first output optical waveguide and the second input optical waveguide is optically decoupled from the second output optical waveguide; and
if the second optical path is to be selected;
energizing the second electromagnetic actuator to move the solid slug out of the second optical path and into the first optical path, whereby the first input optical waveguide is optically decoupled from first output optical waveguide and the second input optical waveguide is optically coupled to the second output optical waveguide. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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Specification