Mechanical optical fiber switching device
US4223978A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 9, 1979 |
| Grant date | Sep 23, 1980 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 9, 1999 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/3556
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A device (70) for switching optical signal paths of the type utilizing a plurality of light-transmitting optical fibers (40, 50) comprises a flexible elongated sleeve (20) having a longitudinally continuous interior cross section (24) with a plurality of corners (30) forming fiber-aligning grooves. The sleeve loosely receives a first fiber (40) from a first sleeve end (26) and a plurality of second fibers (50) from a second sleeve end (28). Each second fiber has its coupling end biased against an assigned corner. Also, the ends of all the second fibers are contained in one transverse plane (23). The coupling end (46) of the first fiber adjacent the transverse plane and a portion (42) of the first fiber, remote from its end, is fixedly secured to the sleeve. Coupling of the first fiber with any of the second fibers is achieved by flexing the sleeve to move the first fiber end to the corner containing the selected second fiber.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.