Patent ID: 7184186

Claim:
An apparatus for switching at least one optical signal, said apparatus comprising: an optical bench; a plurality of optical elements, each one of said plurality of optical elements selected from a group consisting of a plurality of first collimators, an end collimator, and a plurality of actuators, each one of said plurality of actuators having an actuator mirror selectively movable between a first position and a second position, said actuator mirror in said first position optically connecting a corresponding one of said plurality of first collimators and said end collimator, said actuator mirror in said second position not optically connecting a corresponding one of said a plurality of first collimators and said end collimator; at least one first mirror in a first optical path between a corresponding one of said plurality of first collimators and a corresponding one of said actuator mirror in said first position, said at least one mirror fixed to said optical bench; an end mirror in a first optical path between said end collimator and one of said actuator mirrors in said first position, said end mirror fixed to said optical bench; a plurality of through-openings in said optical bench, each one of said plurality of through-openings adapted to receive one of said plurality of optical elements; a plurality of pairs of adhesive through-openings in said optical bench, each one of said first pair of adhesive through-openings having a through-axis substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of a corresponding one of said plurality of through-openings, each one of said first pair of adhesive through openings being diametrically opposed to said corresponding one of said plurality of through-openings; and an adhesive disposed within each one of said plurality of pairs of adhesive through-openings, said adhesive adapted to prevent wicking between said optical bench and said corresponding one of said plurality of optical elements.