Patent · US Expired

Mechanical optical switching device

US6215919A · kind A · utility

17Cited by
8References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 15, 1999
Grant dateApr 10, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 15, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B6/3572
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A mechanical optical switch with a first port for holding a first optical fiber and a second port for holding a second optical fiber and a lensing element positioned in front of the first and second ports. The switch has a signal port holding a signal or input fiber which emits a light beam to be switched between the first and second fibers. The light beam propagates along a free beam path to the first lensing element and is in-coupled into the first optical fiber. The switch is equipped with a beam guiding element, such as a wedge, which can be moved in and out of the free beam path for directing the light beam to the second fiber. The wedge is designed to shift the light beam by an offset and rotate it by an angle.

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