Patent · US Expired

Optical switch with piezoelectric bimorph

US5268974A · kind A · utility

11Cited by
2References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 9, 1992
Grant dateDec 7, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 9, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B6/3598
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An optical switch for use as a shutter for intercepting or passing light signals, such as beam lights, including a piezoelectric actuator attached at one end thereof to a base plate and at its other end to an optical shielding object for intercepting or passing over light beams, a mirror installed on a location close to the place where the piezoelectric actuator is attached to the base plate to reflect passed light beams, and the piezoelectric actuator being coupled to a source of energy. The light signals are intercepted or passed by the movement of the object due to modifications of the piezoelectric actuator, and the passed light signals are reflected by the mirror and detected by an optical detector.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.