Optical switch
First Claim
1. An optical fiber switch for alternatively redirecting an input beam along a first redirected axis and along a second redirected axis, the input beam being launched along an input axis and directed along a directed axis, the optical switch comprising:
- a redirector that is positioned in the path of the input beam along the directed axis, the redirector redirecting the input beam so that a redirected beam alternatively launches from the redirector (i) along the first redirected axis that is spaced apart from the directed axis when the redirector is positioned at a first position, and (ii) along the second redirected axis that is spaced apart from the directed axis when the redirector is positioned at a second position that is different from the first position; and
a redirector mover that moves the redirector about a movement axis between the first position and the second position, the redirector mover including a stator component and a rotor component that moves relative to the stator component, the input beam being directed along the directed axis substantially between the stator component and the redirector prior to the input beam being redirected by the redirector, wherein at least one of the stator component and the rotor component includes a component aperture, and wherein the input beam is directed through the component aperture.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An optical fiber switch (16) for alternatively redirecting an input beam (14) comprises a redirector (18) and a redirector mover (20). The redirector (18) redirects the input beam (14) so that a redirected beam (46) alternatively launches from the redirector (18) (i) along a first redirected axis (354) that is spaced apart from a directed axis (344A) when the redirector (18) is positioned at a first position (348), and (ii) along a second redirected axis (356) that is spaced apart from the directed axis (344A) when the redirector (18) is positioned at a second position (350) that is different from the first position (348). The redirector mover (20) moves the redirector (18) about a movement axis (366) between the first position (348) and the second position (350).
-
Citations
24 Claims
-
1. An optical fiber switch for alternatively redirecting an input beam along a first redirected axis and along a second redirected axis, the input beam being launched along an input axis and directed along a directed axis, the optical switch comprising:
-
a redirector that is positioned in the path of the input beam along the directed axis, the redirector redirecting the input beam so that a redirected beam alternatively launches from the redirector (i) along the first redirected axis that is spaced apart from the directed axis when the redirector is positioned at a first position, and (ii) along the second redirected axis that is spaced apart from the directed axis when the redirector is positioned at a second position that is different from the first position; and a redirector mover that moves the redirector about a movement axis between the first position and the second position, the redirector mover including a stator component and a rotor component that moves relative to the stator component, the input beam being directed along the directed axis substantially between the stator component and the redirector prior to the input beam being redirected by the redirector, wherein at least one of the stator component and the rotor component includes a component aperture, and wherein the input beam is directed through the component aperture. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method for alternatively redirecting an input beam, the input beam being launched along an input axis, the method comprising the steps of:
-
directing the input beam along a directed axis; positioning a redirector along the directed axis in the path of the input beam; redirecting the input beam with the redirector so that a redirected beam alternatively launches from the redirector (i) along a first redirected axis that is spaced apart from the directed axis when the redirector is positioned at a first position, and (ii) along a second redirected axis that is spaced apart from the directed axis when the redirector is positioned at a second position that is different from the first position; and moving the redirector about a movement axis between the first position and the second position with a redirector mover, the redirector mover including a stator component and a rotor component that moves relative to the stator component, the input beam being directed along the directed axis substantially between the stator component and the redirector prior to the input beam being redirected by the redirector, wherein at least one of the stator component and the rotor component has a component aperture, and wherein the input beam is directed through the component aperture. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. An optical fiber switch for alternatively redirecting an input beam along a first redirected axis and along a second redirected axis, the input beam being launched along an input axis and directed along a directed axis, the optical switch comprising:
-
a redirector that is positioned in the path of the input beam along the directed axis, the redirector redirecting the input beam so that a redirected beam alternatively launches from the redirector (i) along the first redirected axis that is spaced apart from the directed axis when the redirector is positioned at a first position, and (ii) along the second redirected axis that is spaced apart from the directed axis when the redirector is positioned at a second position that is different from the first position; a redirector mover that moves the redirector about a movement axis between the first position and the second position, the redirector mover including a stator component and a rotor component that moves relative to the stator component, wherein at least one of the stator component and the rotor component includes a component aperture;
wherein the input beam is directed through the component aperture; and
wherein the component aperture is coaxial with the movement axis; anda locking assembly that selectively locks the redirector at the first position and at the second position.
-
-
17. An optical fiber switch for alternatively redirecting an input beam along a first redirected axis and along a second redirected axis, the input beam being launched along an input axis and directed along a directed axis, the optical switch comprising:
-
a director having a director reflective surface that directs the input beam from the input axis to the directed axis; a window, wherein the input beam passes through the window prior to contacting the director reflective surface; a redirector that is positioned in the path of the input beam along the directed axis, the redirector redirecting the input beam so that a redirected beam alternatively launches from the redirector (i) along the first redirected axis that is spaced apart from the directed axis when the redirector is positioned at a first position, and (ii) along the second redirected axis that is spaced apart from the directed axis when the redirector is positioned at a second position that is different from the first position; and a redirector mover that moves the redirector about a movement axis between the first position and the second position, the redirector mover including a stator component and a rotor component that moves relative to the stator component, the director reflective surface being positioned substantially between the stator component and the redirector, and the input beam being directed along the directed axis substantially between the stator component and the redirector prior to the input beam being redirected by the redirector. - View Dependent Claims (18)
-
-
19. An optical fiber switch for alternatively redirecting an input beam along a first redirected axis and along a second redirected axis, the input beam being launched along an input axis and directed along a directed axis, the optical switch comprising:
-
a director having a director reflective surface that directs the input beam from the input axis to the directed axis; a redirector that is positioned in the path of the input beam along the directed axis, the redirector redirecting the input beam so that a redirected beam alternatively launches from the redirector (i) along the first redirected axis that is spaced apart from the directed axis when the redirector is positioned at a first position, and (ii) along the second redirected axis that is spaced apart from the directed axis when the redirector is positioned at a second position that is different from the first position; and a redirector mover that moves the redirector about a movement axis between the first position and the second position, the redirector mover including a stator component and a rotor component that moves relative to the stator component, at least one of the stator component and the rotor component including a component aperture, wherein the director includes a director shaft that extends through the component aperture, the director shaft retaining the director reflective surface such that the director reflective surface is positioned substantially between the stator component and the redirector, and the input beam being directed along the directed axis substantially between the stator component and the redirector prior to the input beam being redirected by the redirector.
-
-
20. An optical fiber switch for alternatively redirecting an input beam along a first redirected axis and along a second redirected axis, the input beam being launched along an input axis and directed along a directed axis, the optical switch comprising:
-
a director having a director reflective surface that directs the input beam from the input axis to the directed axis; a redirector that is positioned in the path of the input beam along the directed axis, the redirector redirecting the input beam so that a redirected beam alternatively launches from the redirector (i) along the first redirected axis that is spaced apart from the directed axis when the redirector is positioned at a first position, and (ii) along the second redirected axis that is spaced apart from the directed axis when the redirector is positioned at a second position that is different from the first position; and a redirector mover that moves the redirector about a movement axis between the first position and the second position, the redirector mover including a stator component and a rotor component that moves relative to the stator component, the director reflective surface being secured to the stator component, and the input beam being directed along the directed axis substantially between the stator component and the redirector prior to the input beam being redirected by the redirector.
-
-
21. A light source assembly comprising:
-
a light source that generates an input beam; an optical fiber switch that alternatively redirects the input beam along the first redirected axis and the second redirected axis, the optical fiber switch comprising a redirector that is positioned in the path of the input beam along the directed axis, the redirector redirecting the input beam so that a redirected beam alternatively launches from the redirector (i) along the first redirected axis that is spaced apart from the directed axis when the redirector is positioned at a first position, and (ii) along the second redirected axis that is spaced apart from the directed axis when the redirector is positioned at a second position that is different from the first position; and
a redirector mover that moves the redirector about a movement axis between the first position and the second position, the redirector mover including a stator component and a rotor component that moves relative to the stator component, the input beam being directed along the directed axis substantially between the stator component and the redirector prior to the input beam being redirected by the redirector; anda control system that controls the optical fiber switch to perform individual switching operations within a substantially constant movement time rate regardless of the temperature of the optical fiber switch.
-
-
22. A method for alternatively redirecting an input beam, the input beam being launched along an input axis, the method comprising the steps of:
-
directing the input beam from the input axis to a directed axis with a director reflective surface, the director reflective surface being retained with a director shaft; positioning a redirector along the directed axis in the path of the input beam; redirecting the input beam with the redirector so that a redirected beam alternatively launches from the redirector (i) along a first redirected axis that is spaced apart from the directed axis when the redirector is positioned at a first position, and (ii) along a second redirected axis that is spaced apart from the directed axis when the redirector is positioned at a second position that is different from the first position; moving the redirector about a movement axis between the first position and the second position with a redirector mover, the redirector mover including a stator component and a rotor component that moves relative to the stator component, at least one of the stator component and the rotor component having a component aperture, the director shaft extending through the component aperture such that the director reflective surface is positioned substantially between the stator component and the redirector, and the input beam being directed along the directed axis substantially between the stator component and the redirector prior to the input beam being redirected by the redirector.
-
-
23. A method for alternatively redirecting an input beam, the input beam being launched along an input axis, the method comprising the steps of:
-
directing the input beam from the input axis to a directed axis with a director reflective surface, the input beam passing through a window prior to the input beam contacting the director reflective surface; positioning a redirector along the directed axis in the path of the input beam; redirecting the input beam with the redirector so that a redirected beam alternatively launches from the redirector (i) along a first redirected axis that is spaced apart from the directed axis when the redirector is positioned at a first position, and (ii) along a second redirected axis that is spaced apart from the directed axis when the redirector is positioned at a second position that is different from the first position; moving the redirector about a movement axis between the first position and the second position with a redirector mover, the redirector mover including a stator component and a rotor component that moves relative to the stator component, the director reflective surface being positioned substantially between the stator component and the redirector, and the input beam being directed along the directed axis substantially between the stator component and the redirector prior to the input beam being redirected by the redirector.
-
-
24. A method for alternatively redirecting an input beam, the input beam being launched along an input axis, the method comprising the steps of:
-
directing the input beam from the input axis to a directed axis with a director reflective surface; positioning a redirector along the directed axis in the path of the input beam; redirecting the input beam with the redirector so that a redirected beam alternatively launches from the redirector (i) along a first redirected axis that is spaced apart from the directed axis when the redirector is positioned at a first position, and (ii) along a second redirected axis that is spaced apart from the directed axis when the redirector is positioned at a second position that is different from the first position; moving the redirector about a movement axis between the first position and the second position with a redirector mover, the redirector mover including a stator component and a rotor component that moves relative to the stator component, the director reflective surface being secured to the stator component, and the input beam being directed along the directed axis substantially between the stator component and the redirector prior to the input beam being redirected by the redirector.
-
Specification