Patent ID: 6421477
Filing Date: 2002-07-16
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
An optical switch comprising:a pair of fixed optical fibers, a pair of movable optical fibers, a support member for supporting the end portions of the fixed optical fibers and said movable optical fibers, and a drive mechanism mounted on said support member and producing a mechanical displacement of the end portions of the pair of movable optical fibers; said drive mechanism including means for producing displacement between a first position in which optical axes of the end portions of the pair of movable optical fibers are respectively aligned with optical axes of end portions of the fixed optical fibers, and a second position in which the optical axes of the end portions of the pair of movable optical fibers are respectively aligned, in the reverse order to that of the first position, with the optical axes of the end portions of the fixed optical fibers; wherein said support member comprises a single frame formed by two thin sheets stuck together; each sheet comprises two parallel beams provided on the inside and a linking portion provided in approximately the middle of the beams and serving to interlink the beams; each of said movable optical fibers is supported at one end of the frame and at the respective linking portion, and arranged parallel to the beams and so that its end portion reaches the other end of the frame; a pair of V-grooves are formed at this other end of the frame at a position contiguous with the end portions of the movable optical fibers, in such manner that their opening portions are opposed, the grooves run parallel to the beams and said fixed optical fibers are arranged with their end portions in contact with the respective V-grooves; and the drive mechanism includes electromagnetic means for causing the end portions of the pair of movable optical fibers to come into contact with respective walls of the pair of V-grooves so that, depending on the displacements of said movable optical fibers, each end of said fixed optical fibers faces one or other of the ends of said movable optical fibers.