Patent ID: 8314711

Claim:
A method of using an optical switch, were the optical switch comprises a housing, a first and second light guide, each having proximal and distal ends, said first light guide connected to a light source at said first light guide proximal end, said second light guide connected to a light detector at said second light guide proximal end, said optical switch having a separator assembly, said distal ends of said first and second light guides positioned on said separator assembly, said separator assembly coupled to said optical switch whereby said separator assembly moves in response to movement of said housing, and said distal ends of said first and second light guides being separated by a gap, said optical switch further having a moveable member movable with respect to at least one of said distal ends between at least a first position A and a second position B, said distal ends being optically aligned in at least one of said first position A or said second position B, said housing being movable and said moveable member moving between said first position A and said second position B in response to movement of said housing, and said first and said second light guides bending between said distal and said proximal ends with movement of said housing; said method comprising the steps of transmitting light from said light source to said first light guide, and either detecting or not detecting a modified or unmodified characteristic of said transmitted light at said optical detector.