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US 5,479,541 AGranted
1.times.N electromechanical optical switch
AssigneeE-Tek Dynamics, Inc.
InventorJing-Jong Pan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved optical switch having a first optical fiber and a plurality of N optical fibers. The first optical fiber forms an optical path with any one of the N optical fibers by an alignment of a longitudinal axis of an end of the first optical fiber with a longitudinal axis of an end of the one of N optical fibers. A switch in optical path is performed by a relative movement of the first optical fiber with respect to the N optical fibers for a realignment of the longitudinal axis of the end of the first optical fiber with a longitudinal axis of an end of another one of the N optical fibers.
Claims22
An optical switch comprising:
- a first optical fiber having a longitudinal axis and an end surface;
- a first collimating GRIN lens having a longitudinal axis coincident with said longitudinal axis of said first optical fiber and having a surface adjacent to said end of said first optical fiber;
- a plurality of N optical fibers, each having a longitudinal axis and an end surface;
- a plurality of N collimating GRIN lenses, each having a longitudinal axis coincident with said longitudinal axis of one of said optical fibers and having a surface adjacent to said end of said one of said N optical fibers;
- a plurality of ferrules, each ferrule holding an end of said first optical fiber and said N optical fibers respectively, each ferrule and an associated optical fiber having parallel longitudinal axes and coplanar end surfaces, said end surfaces at a slant with respect to a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axes, said surface of each GRIN lens at a reciprocal slant with respect to said GRIN lens longitudinal axis so that said surface is parallel with said end surfaces of said associated optical fiber and ferrule;
- and
- a means to effect a relative movement of said first GRIN lens with respect to said N GRIN lenses, said first optical fiber forming an optical path with one of said plurality of N optical fibers by an alignment of said longitudinal axis of said first GRIN lens with said longitudinal axis of one of said plurality of N GRIN lenses, said relative movement means effecting a switch in optical path by a realignment of said longitudinal axis of said first GRIN lens with said longitudinal axis of another one of said plurality of N GRIN lenses.
4 more elements
An optical switch comprising:
- a first optical fiber having a longitudinal axis and an end surface;
- a first collimating GRIN lens having a longitudinal axis coincident with said longitudinal axis of said first optical fiber, having a surface adjacent to said end of said first optical fiber, and having a length of 0.23 pitch;
- a plurality of N optical fibers, each having a longitudinal axis and an end surface;
- a plurality of collimating GRIN lenses, each GRIN lens having a longitudinal axis coincident with said longitudinal axis of one of said plurality of N optical fibers, having a surface adjacent to said end of said one of said plurality of N optical fibers, and having a length of 0.23 pitch;
- a plurality of ferrules, each ferrule holding an end of said first optical fiber and said N optical fibers, each ferrule and an associated optical fiber having parallel longitudinal axes and coplanar end surfaces, said end surfaces at a slant with respect to a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axes, said surface of each GRIN lens at a reciprocal slant with respect to said GRIN lens longitudinal axis so that said surface is parallel with said end surfaces of said associated optical fiber and ferrule;
- a means to effect a relative movement of said first GRIN lens with respect to said N GRIN lenses, said first optical fiber forming an optical path with one of said plurality of N optical fibers by an alignment of said longitudinal axis of said first GRIN lens with said longitudinal axis of one of said plurality of N GRIN lenses, said relative movement means effecting a switch in optical path by a realignment of said longitudinal axis of said first GRIN lens with said longitudinal axis of another one of said plurality of N GRIN lenses.
3 more elements
An optical switch comprising:
- a first optical fiber having a longitudinal axis and an end surface;
- a first collimating GRIN lens having a longitudinal axis coincident with said longitudinal axis of said first optical fiber and having a surface adjacent to said end of said first optical fiber;
- a plurality of N optical fibers, each having a longitudinal axis and an end surface;
- a plurality of N collimating GRIN lenses, each having a longitudinal axis coincident with a longitudinal axis of one of said N optical fibers and having a surface adjacent to said end of said one of said N optical fibers;
- said surface of each GRIN lens slanted with respect to a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said corresponding optical fiber, said slant at an angle in the range of 8.degree. to 12.degree.;
- a means to effect a relative movement of said first GRIN lens with respect to said N GRIN lenses, said first optical fiber forming an optical path with one of said plurality of N optical fibers by an alignment of said longitudinal axis of said first GRIN lens with said longitudinal axis of one of said plurality of N GRIN lenses, said relative movement means effecting a switch in optical path by a realignment of said longitudinal axis of said first GRIN lens with said longitudinal axis of another one of said plurality of N GRIN lenses.
3 more elements
An optical switch comprising:
- a first optical fiber having a longitudinal axis and an end surface;
- a first collimating GRIN lens having a longitudinal axis coincident with said longitudinal axis of said first optical fiber and having a surface adjacent to said end of said first optical fiber;
- a plurality of N optical fibers, each having a longitudinal axis and an end surface;
- a plurality of N collimating GRIN lenses, each having a longitudinal axis coincident with a longitudinal axis of one of said N optical fibers and having a surface adjacent to said end of said N optical fibers;
- and
- at least one of said GRIN lenses having a length of 0.23 pitch and said surface of each GRIN lens slanted with respect to a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said corresponding optical fiber, said slant at an angle in the range of 8.degree. to 12.degree.;
- a means to effect a relative movement of said first GRIN lens with respect to said N GRIN lenses, said first optical fiber forming an optical path with one of said plurality of N optical fibers by an alignment of said longitudinal axis of said first GRIN lens with said longitudinal axis of one of said plurality of N GRIN lenses, said relative movement means effecting a switch in optical path by a realignment of said longitudinal axis of said first GRIN lens with said longitudinal axis of another one of said plurality of N GRIN lenses.
4 more elements
An optical switch comprising:
- a first optical fiber having a longitudinal axis and an end surface;
- a first collimating aspheric lens having an optical axis coincident with said longitudinal axis of said first optical fiber and having a surface adjacent to said end of said first optical fiber, an end of said first optical fiber located at the focal point of said first collimating aspheric lens;
- a plurality of N optical fibers, each having a longitudinal axis and an end surface;
- a plurality of N collimating aspheric lenses, each having an optical axis coincident with said longitudinal axis of one of said N optical fibers and having a surface adjacent to said end of said N optical fibers, an end of each optical fiber located at the focal point of its associated aspheric lens;
- a ferrule for each optical fiber for holding said optical fiber, each ferrule and an associated optical fiber having parallel longitudinal axes and coplanar end surfaces, said end surfaces at a slant with respect to a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axes;
- a window mounted to said end surface of each of said optical fibers and ferrule, said window covering said end surface of said optical fiber and coated with antireflection material;
- and
- a holder maintaining each ferrule and aspheric lens associated with said optical fiber in fixed relationship, each aspheric lens having two facets, each facet coated with antireflection material;
- a means to effect a relative movement of said first aspheric lens with respect to said N aspheric lenses, said first optical fiber forming an optical path with one of said plurality of N optical fibers by an alignment of said longitudinal axis of said first aspheric lens with said longitudinal axis of one of said plurality of N aspheric lenses, said relative movement means effecting a switch in optical path by a realignment of said longitudinal axis of said first aspheric lens with said longitudinal axis of another one of said plurality of N aspheric lenses.
6 more elements
An optical switch comprising:
- a first optical fiber having a longitudinal axis and an end surface;
- a first collimating GRIN lens having a longitudinal axis coincident with said longitudinal axis of said first optical fiber and having a surface adjacent to said end of said first optical fiber;
- a plurality of N optical fibers, each having a longitudinal axis and an end surface;
- a plurality of N collimating GRIN lenses, each having a longitudinal axis coincident with said longitudinal axis of one of said optical fibers and having a surface adjacent to said end of said one of said N optical fibers;
- a plurality of ferrules, each ferrule holding an end of said first optical fiber and said N optical fibers respectively, each ferrule and an associated optical fiber having parallel longitudinal axes and coplanar end surfaces, said end surfaces at a slant with respect to a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axes, said surface of each GRIN lens at a reciprocal slant with respect to said GRIN lens longitudinal axis so that said surface is parallel with said end surfaces of said associated optical fiber and ferrule;
- and
- a motor to effect a relative movement of said first GRIN lens with respect to said N GRIN lenses, said first optical fiber forming an optical path with one of said plurality of N optical fibers by an alignment of said longitudinal axis of said first GRIN lens with said longitudinal axis of one of said plurality of N GRIN lenses, said motor effecting a switch in optical path by a realignment of said longitudinal axis of said first GRIN lens with said longitudinal axis of another one of said plurality of N GRIN lenses.
4 more elements
An optical switch comprising:
- a first optical fiber having a longitudinal axis and an end surface;
- a first collimating GRIN lens having a longitudinal axis coincident with said longitudinal axis of said first optical fiber, having a surface adjacent to said end of said first optical fiber, and having a length of 0.23 pitch;
- a plurality of N optical fibers, each having a longitudinal axis and an end surface;
- a plurality of collimating GRIN lenses, each GRIN lens having a longitudinal axis coincident with said longitudinal axis of one of said plurality of N optical fibers, having a surface adjacent to said end of said one of said plurality of N optical fibers, and having a length of 0.23 pitch;
- a plurality of ferrules, each ferrule having an end of said first optical fiber and said N optical fibers, each ferrule and an associated optical fiber having parallel longitudinal axes and coplanar end surfaces, said end surfaces at a slant with respect to a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axes, said surface of each GRIN lens at a reciprocal slant with respect to said GRIN lens longitudinal axis so that said surface is parallel with said end surfaces of said associated optical fiber and ferrule;
- a motor to effect a relative movement of said first GRIN lens with respect to said N GRIN lenses, said first optical fiber forming an optical path with one of said plurality of N optical fibers by an alignment of said longitudinal axis of said first GRIN lens with said longitudinal axis of one of said plurality of N GRIN lenses, said motor effecting a switch in optical path by a realignment of said longitudinal axis of said first GRIN lens with said longitudinal axis of another one of said plurality of N GRIN lenses.
3 more elements
An optical switch comprising:
- a first optical fiber having a longitudinal axis and an end surface;
- a first collimating GRIN lens having a longitudinal axis coincident with said longitudinal axis of said first optical fiber and having a surface adjacent to said end of said first optical fiber;
- a plurality of N optical fibers, each having a longitudinal axis and an end surface;
- a plurality of N collimating GRIN lenses, each having a longitudinal axis coincident with a longitudinal axis of one of said N optical fibers and having a surface adjacent to said end of said one of said N optical fibers;
- said surface of each GRIN lens slanted with respect to a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said corresponding optical fiber, said slant at an angle in the range of 8.degree. to 12.degree.;
- a motor to effect a relative movement of said first GRIN lens with respect to said N GRIN lenses, said first optical fiber forming an optical path with one of said plurality of N optical fibers by an alignment of said longitudinal axis of said first GRIN lens with said longitudinal axis of one of said plurality of N GRIN lenses, said motor effecting a switch in optical path by a realignment of said longitudinal axis of said first GRIN lens with said longitudinal axis of another one of said plurality of N GRIN lenses.
3 more elements
An optical switch comprising:
- a first optical fiber having a longitudinal axis and an end surface;
- a first collimating GRIN lens having a longitudinal axis coincident with said longitudinal axis of said first optical fiber and having a surface adjacent to said end of said first optical fiber;
- a plurality of N optical fibers, each having a longitudinal axis and an end surface;
- a plurality of N collimating GRIN lenses, each having a longitudinal axis coincident with a longitudinal axis of one of said N optical fibers and having a surface adjacent to said end of said N optical fibers;
- and
- at least one of said GRIN lenses having a length of 0.23 pitch and said surface of each GRIN lens slanted with respect to a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said corresponding optical fiber, said slant at an angle in the range of 8.degree. to 12.degree.;
- a motor to effect a relative movement of said first GRIN lens with respect to said N GRIN lenses, said first optical fiber forming an optical path with one of said plurality of N optical fibers by an alignment of said longitudinal axis of said first GRIN lens with said longitudinal axis of one of said plurality of N GRIN lenses, said motor effecting a switch in optical path by a realignment of said longitudinal axis of said first GRIN lens with said longitudinal axis of another one of said plurality of N GRIN lenses.
4 more elements
An optical switch comprising:
- a first optical fiber having a longitudinal axis and an end surface;
- a first collimating aspheric lens having an optical axis coincident with said longitudinal axis of said first optical fiber and having a surface adjacent to said end of said first optical fiber, an end of said first optical fiber located at the focal point of said first collimating aspheric lens;
- a plurality of N optical fibers, each having a longitudinal axis and an end surface;
- a plurality of N collimating aspheric lenses, each having an optical axis coincident with said longitudinal axis of one of said N optical fibers and having a surface adjacent to said end of said N optical fibers, an end of each optical fiber located at the focal point of its associated aspheric lens;
- a ferrule for each optical fiber for holding said optical fiber, each ferrule and an associated optical fiber having parallel longitudinal axes and coplanar end surfaces, said end surfaces at a slant with respect to a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axes;
- a window mounted to said end surface of each of said optical fibers and ferrule, said window covering said end surface of said optical fiber and coated with antireflection material;
- and
- a holder maintaining each ferrule and aspheric lens associated with said optical fiber in fixed relationship, each aspheric lens having two facets, each facet coated with antireflection material;
- a motor to effect a relative movement of said first aspheric lens with respect to said N aspheric lenses, said first optical fiber forming an optical path with one of said plurality of N optical fibers by an alignment of said longitudinal axis of said first aspheric lens with said longitudinal axis of one of said plurality of N aspheric lenses, said motor effecting a switch in optical path by a realignment of said longitudinal axis of said first aspheric lens with said longitudinal axis of another one of said plurality of N aspheric lenses.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.