JP3073651B2 - Light switch - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical switch, and more particularly to an optical switch in which a connection loss of an optical coupling section of a 1.times.n optical switch is reduced.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The end faces of one optical fiber (master-side optical fiber) and n optical fibers (n-side optical fiber) are opposed to each other, and the master-side optical fiber is moved so that n to be optically coupled is changed. There is a 1 × n optical switch for switching the side optical fiber.

[0003] As this type of optical switch, the conventional one has a two-dimensional array of a plurality of connectors supporting the n-side optical fiber, so that it is difficult to arrange the n-side optical fiber with an accuracy of 1 μm or less. High-precision switching operation was difficult. Further, in the conventional optical switch, it was difficult to align the optical switch with the master-side optical fiber.

The present applicant has previously proposed an optical switch in which the above disadvantages have been improved (Japanese Patent Application Nos. 5-155,342, 15).
5,346, 155,358. All are unpublished).
In these optical switches, the end faces of the master-side optical fiber and the plurality of n-side optical fibers are optically connected to each other by non-contact facing arrangement via V-shaped guide grooves, and a plurality of drive mechanisms are used. The optical connection is switched by moving the master-side optical fiber in the direction in which the n-side optical fibers are arranged and in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the n-side optical fibers are arranged.

The optical switch disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 5-155,342 or the like has the advantages that the optical fiber can be switched with higher precision than the conventional optical switch, and that the configuration is simple and the size can be reduced. doing. Further, since the master-side optical fiber and the n-side optical fiber are not in contact with each other, there is an advantage that the fiber tip surface is not worn and the switching operation for moving the master-side optical fiber is smooth.

As a means for further improving the connection performance of the optical switch, an anti-reflection agent (for example, anti-reflection silicone oil) is interposed in the optical coupling portion between the master side and the n-side optical fiber. The loss can be further reduced. However, there has been a problem that the antireflection silicone oil evaporates in an open atmosphere and must be replenished many times.

[0007]

The simplest way to solve this problem is to use a master optical fiber and an n-side optical fiber, a drive mechanism for the master optical fiber, a sensor and the like as a whole by using silicone oil. Immersed in
And sealing the silicone oil.

However, in the above method, when a movable contact portion such as a drive mechanism is immersed in silicone oil, abrasion powder generated due to friction between materials at the movable contact portion is generated.
Floating in the silicone oil or entering the optical connection, this has caused an increase in coupling loss.

If the electric contacts and sensors of the motor, which is the driving source of the driving mechanism, are immersed in the silicone oil, the above-mentioned abrasion powder adheres to them and causes malfunction due to poor contact.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems,
An object of the present invention is to provide an optical switch in which components such as a drive mechanism and a sensor are taken out of a sealing portion of silicone oil so that friction powder does not float in silicone oil and coupling loss is reduced.

[0011]

According to the present invention, a master side optical fiber (hereinafter, referred to as a first optical fiber) and a plurality of n-side optical fibers (hereinafter, referred to as a second optical fiber) whose fiber end faces face each other are driven by a driving mechanism. An optical switch for switching an optical connection by moving the optical switch, the optical switch including a sealed case, a light antireflection agent is housed in the sealed case, and a first optical fiber and a first optical fiber in the sealed case. The second optical fiber is housed therein, and the driving mechanism and its movable contact portion are disposed outside the sealed case.

Further, in the present invention, the sealed case has a bottom wall, a surrounding wall, a lid for closing an upper surface of the surrounding wall, and both side walls such that the insides communicate with first openings formed on both side walls of the surrounding wall. A movable arm supporting the first optical fiber is inserted into the first opening to enter the left and right bellows containers, and both ends are supported by side walls erected on the base. The second optical fiber is held by a fiber array member integrally disposed in the sealed case, the sealed case is moved by the first drive mechanism, and the bottom wall is Through a movable block that is supported through a flexible wall that closes the second opening in a liquid-tight manner,
It is preferable that the movable arm supporting the first optical fiber be moved up and down by the second drive mechanism.

In the above optical switch, it is preferable that a sensor for detecting the operation of the first and second driving mechanisms is provided outside the sealed case.

[0014] Silicone oil is preferably used as the light antireflection agent.

[0015]

According to the present invention, a drive mechanism having a movable contact portion, which is a cause of generation of wear powder, and a component, such as a sensor, whose function deteriorates due to floating of the wear powder, are provided in a sealed case in which an antireflection agent is contained. Since it exists outside, the abrasion powder does not float in the antireflection agent, and the original function of the antireflection agent, that is, the improvement of the connection performance of the optical switch, can be sufficiently exhibited.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of an optical switch according to an embodiment, FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional plan view of FIG.

In FIG. 1, a sealed case 12 is supported on a base 11 so as to be horizontally movable. Note that FIG. 1 shows the sealed case 12 with the lid removed.
The first optical fiber (master side optical fiber) 2 having two cores and the first optical fiber 2
A second optical fiber (n-side optical fiber) 4 to which optical connection is made is accommodated.

As shown in the figures, the sealed case 12 is mounted in a liquid-tight manner on a bottom wall 13, a surrounding wall 14 rising from an edge of the bottom wall 13, and an upper end surface of the surrounding wall 14. It is composed of a lid 15 and two bellows containers 17 arranged so as to be sealed outside a first opening 16 formed on both side walls 14 a of the surrounding wall 14.

More specifically, in the sealed case 12, the first optical fiber 2 is attached to the movable head 5, and the movable head 5 is attached to the tip of the movable arm 18. The movable arm 18 is composed of two parallel upper and lower leaf springs 18 a and 18 b, and the base end thereof is attached to the support plate 20.

The movable arm 18 can be flexed in the vertical direction via two pairs of leaf springs 18a and 18b, and when the optical connection is switched, the movable arm 18 is lifted by a second drive mechanism 36 described later. When the first optical fiber 2
Is lifted.

The support plate 20 is accommodated in the sealed case 12 and is inserted into the right and left bellows containers 17 through the first openings 16 on both sides of the surrounding wall 14.
a is integrated with the end wall 17a of the bellows container 17,
4 is fixed to an upright plate 22 rising from FIG.
reference).

A recess 23 is formed in the upper end surface of the rear wall 14b of the surrounding wall 14, and the first recess is formed in the recess 23.
The optical fiber 2 is drawn backward. The recess 23 is the lid 1
5, the first optical fiber 2 is led out of the closed case 12 in a liquid-tight manner (see FIG. 1).

A notch 2 is formed in the front wall end 14c of the surrounding wall 14.
4 are formed. The multi-core optical fiber tape 1 is guided to the fiber array member 3 disposed in the closed case 12 via the cutout portion 24. The cutout portion 24 is filled with a filling 25 made of an elastic body in which only the passage portion of the multi-core optical fiber tape 1 is recessed, so that the cutout portion 24 is sealed.

The sealed case 12 can be moved horizontally on the base 11 in the optical fiber arrangement direction by the first drive mechanism 21 using the motor 26 as a drive source. The motor 26 is installed on the base 11, and a screw shaft 27 connected to the motor shaft is horizontally arranged on the base 11 by a bearing plate 28. A nut member 30 is screwed onto the screw shaft 27, and an arm 31 integrated with the nut member 30 is coupled to a rear upper surface of the sealed case 12.

A guide block 32 is provided on the lower surface of the front end and the rear end of the surrounding wall 14 (the lower part of both ends in the longitudinal direction of the sealed case 12 in FIG. 1). The guide block 32 is slidably fitted in a guide groove of a U-shaped linear guide member 33 fixed on the upper surface of the base 11 with the opening facing upward. The right linear guide member 3 in FIG.
3 is mounted on the base 11 via a support base 34.

Therefore, the nut member 30 reciprocates along the screw shaft 27 by the forward and reverse rotation of the screw shaft 27 driven by the motor 26, and the sealed case 12 moves horizontally via the arm 31. . This movement is stably performed while the guide block 32 moves in the guide groove of the linear guide member 33 to maintain a predetermined posture.

Further, when the sealed case 12 moves horizontally, the bellows container 17 on the front side which moves is contracted, and the bellows container 17 on the opposite side is extended. Therefore, when the sealed case 12 reciprocates, the right and left bellows containers 17, 17 expand and contract alternately.

Since the fiber arrangement member 3 supporting the second optical fiber 4 is integrally provided in the sealed case 12 as described above, the fiber arrangement member 3 is moved horizontally as the sealed case 12 moves horizontally. The member 3 moves integrally with the sealed case 12. On the other hand, the first optical fiber 2 is fixed to the support plate 20 via the movable head 5 and the movable arm 18 and does not move integrally with the sealed case 12, so that the sealed case 12 moves horizontally when viewed relatively. By doing so, the first optical fiber 2 moves in the direction in which the second optical fibers 4 are arranged, so that the optical connection can be switched.

Here, the configuration of the fiber array member 3 will be described with reference to FIGS.

The fiber array member 3 includes a slit 7 formed on the upper surface of the substrate 6, a fiber fixing groove 8 extending across the slit 7 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the slit 7, and a fiber introduction groove. It is composed of a groove 9, a second optical fiber 4 fitted in the fiber fixing groove 8, and a cover plate 10 for pressing and fixing the second optical fiber 4 in the fiber fixing groove 8.

The substrate 6 is rectangular when viewed from above in FIG. 9, and the slit 7 extends from one side surface 6a of the substrate 6 to the other side surface 6b. The cross-sectional shape of the slit 7 is substantially concave. On the other hand, a large number (for example, 80) of fiber fixing grooves 8 and fiber introduction grooves 9 are provided at a constant pitch interval (for example, 0.25 mm) from one side surface (reference end surface) 6a of the upper surface, but some are omitted in the figure. Are) juxtaposed.

The fiber fixing groove 8 and the fiber introducing groove 9 are V-shaped grooves in the embodiment, and are provided so that the longitudinal extensions of the respective V-shaped grooves coincide with each other. The second optical fiber 4 led out of the optical fiber tape 1 is inserted into the fiber fixing groove 8 from behind the groove, and the fiber tip surface 4a is disposed so as to be flush with one vertical wall of the slit 7. Have been.

The second optical fiber 4 is inscribed in the bottom side wall of the V-shaped groove, and is held in this state by an adhesive. A cover plate 10 made of silicon is bonded to the upper surface of the substrate 6, and the second cover plate 10 is fixed to the fiber fixing groove 8.
The optical fiber 4 is protected. The cover plate 10 is mounted on the substrate 6 with the distal end face 4a of the second optical fiber 4 exposed.
Therefore, there is no problem in connecting the second optical fiber 4 and the first optical fiber 2. Since the second optical fiber 4 is fixed to the bottom of the V-groove in which the optical fiber can be sufficiently embedded, the cover plate 10 is bonded to the upper surface of the substrate 6 in a state close to surface contact.

In the above configuration, the movable head 5 shown in FIG.
And the fiber arrangement member 3 moves in the fiber arrangement direction (X direction) integrally with the sealed case 12 horizontally moved by the first driving mechanism 21 by the first drive mechanism 21. The fiber 2 can be moved out of the fiber introduction groove 9 and moved to another fiber introduction groove 9 over the groove crest, whereby the optical connection between the first optical fiber 2 and the second optical fiber 4 can be switched.

In this embodiment, the lifting operation of the first optical fiber 2 is performed by the second driving mechanism 36 using the motor 35 as a driving source. This will be described with reference to FIGS. The motor 35 is installed on the base 11, and a screw shaft 37 connected to the motor shaft is horizontally arranged on the base 11 by a bearing plate 38. A nut member 40 is screwed onto the screw shaft 37, and a pin 43 rising from the nut member 40 is engaged with an elongated hole 42 formed at an end of the swing lever 41. The swing lever 41 is bent in a hook shape as shown in FIGS.
The corner is pivotally supported by a vertical shaft 45 erected on the base 11. A long hole 48 is formed at the end of the swing lever 41, and the swing lever 41 and the slide plate 47 are connected via a connecting pin 46 that fits loosely into the long hole 48.

The slide plate 47 has two guide elongated holes 51, and guide pins 50 rising from the base 11 are loosely fitted in the respective guide elongated holes 51.
Is defined in the direction of the arrow in FIGS.

On the other hand, the cross section of the upper surface of the base 11 is trapezoidal.
When the rod-shaped slope guide 52 is fixed and the slide plate 47 moves forward as shown in FIG.
The top end 47a of the seventh slide rides on the slope guide 52 and is lifted. Conversely, when the slide plate 47 retreats as shown in FIG. 7, the tip 47a goes down. The tip 47a is provided with a spring property by a U-shaped groove 53 formed in the slide plate 47.

Further, the tip 47a of the slide plate 47 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. A second opening 56 is formed in the bottom wall 13 of the sealed case 12, and the bellows 5 is closed so as to seal the second opening 56.
5 are attached. The movable block 54 penetrates the bellows 55 in a liquid-tight manner and is supported by the bellows 55.
Thus, the inside and outside of the sealed case 12 are partitioned by the bellows 55 and the movable block 54, and the movable block 54 can be moved up and down by expansion and contraction of the bellows 55. The upper surface of the movable block 54 is attached to an intermediate portion of the movable arm 18 that supports the first optical fiber 2, and is in contact with the lower surface of the receiver 57 that hangs downward.

With the above configuration, as the screw shaft 37 rotates forward and backward by driving the motor 35, the nut member 40 reciprocates along the screw shaft 37, and the slide plate 47 moves back and forth through the swing lever 41. Moving. When the slide plate 47 moves forward and rides on the slope guide 52, the tip 47 a lifts the movable block 54, and the movable block 54 applies the spring force of the leaf spring to the distal end of the movable arm 18 via the receiving member 57. Lift against.

That is, when the first optical fiber 2 is optically connected to the second optical fiber 4, the first optical fiber 2
Is V V due to the downward spring force of the movable arm 18.
By being pressed into the fiber introduction groove 9 which is a groove, a stable optical connection with the second optical fiber 4 is maintained. In contrast,
When the optical connection is switched, the movable arm 18 is lifted by the movable block 54 and the receiving member 57, and the first optical fiber 2 is held slightly higher than the V-groove of the fiber introduction groove 9.

In this state, the first drive mechanism 21 moves the fiber array member 3 in the fiber array direction integrally with the sealed case 12 and then lowers the lowering block 54 so that the first optical fiber 2 is connected to the other optical fiber. The light is guided to the fiber introduction groove 9 and the switching of the optical connection is completed.

On the base 11, a plurality of sensors 6
0 and 61 are provided, one of the sensors 60 detects the operation of the first drive mechanism 21, the other sensor 61 detects the operation of the second drive mechanism 36, and the signal thereof is transmitted to a control unit (not shown). And automatic control of the optical switch is performed.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the sealing case 12 contains the silicone oil which is the antireflection agent, and contains only the first optical fiber 2, the second optical fiber 4, and the supporting mechanism thereof. Drive mechanism 21 including a motor 26 for moving the sealed case 12
And a motor 35 for moving the first optical fiber 2 up and down.
, And sensors 60 and 61 for detecting these movements are disposed outside the sealed case 12.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the abrasion powder generated at the movable contact portion of the drive mechanism is not generated in the sealed case 12, and the effect of preventing the reflection of the silicone oil is not diminished. In addition, since the sensors 60 and 61 are outside the sealed case 12, the sensor function does not deteriorate due to abrasion powder in the silicone oil. In FIG. 1,
58 is a support for the second optical fiber 4.

In the above-described embodiment, an example is shown in which the first optical fiber 2 moves up and down, and the second optical fiber 4 moves in the fiber arrangement direction to switch the optical connection.
The present invention is not limited to this. For example, the first optical fiber 2 moves up and down and moves in the fiber arrangement direction, while the second optical fiber 4 is fixed, and the first optical fiber 2 and the second optical fiber 4 are housed in the sealed case 12. The drive mechanism for driving the first optical fiber 2 may be provided outside the sealed case 12 (however, not shown).

[0047]

As described above, according to the optical switch of the present invention, the antireflection agent is interposed in the optical coupling portion between the first optical fiber on the master side and the first optical fiber on the n side. Even when the fiber end faces of the opposing optical fibers are not in contact with each other, the diffusion of light can be suppressed, the connection loss can be reduced, and the antireflection agent is sealed in a sealed case, so that evaporation occurs. Never do.

In particular, in the present invention, only the first optical fiber, the second optical fiber, and the support mechanism for these optical fibers are accommodated in the sealed case together with the antireflection agent. Since the drive mechanism for moving the drive mechanism and the sensors are disposed outside the sealed case, the abrasion powder generated at the movable contact portion of the drive mechanism does not float in the antireflection agent, and the connection loss is reduced. The anti-reflection agent inherent performance can be sufficiently exhibited.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a part of an optical switch according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial perspective view showing a configuration of an optical connection portion between a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the optical switch.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional plan view showing a lid removed from the sealed case of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory plan view of a second drive mechanism that moves the first optical fiber.

6 is a longitudinal sectional view of an optical switch showing a related mechanism of the second drive mechanism of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a second drive mechanism.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a second drive mechanism.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a fiber array member.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of FIG. 9;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Multi-core optical fiber, 2 ... 1st optical fiber, 3 ... Fiber arrangement member, 4 ... Second optical fiber, 5 ... Movable head, 6
... board, 12 ... sealed case, 14 ... surrounding wall, 17 ... bellows container, 18 ... movable arm, 21 ... first drive mechanism, 36 ...
Second drive mechanism.

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Nobuo Tomita 1-6-6 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (56) References JP-A-3-64720 (JP, A) JP-A-Hei 5-181074 (JP, A) JP-A-7-43624 (JP, A) JP-A-7-64001 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G02B 26/08

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A second optical fiber fixed to a plurality of fiber fixing portions of a fiber array member, a first optical fiber connected to the second optical fiber, the first optical fiber for switching optical connection, and the first optical fiber An optical switch including a drive mechanism for moving a second optical fiber, further comprising a sealed case containing a light reflection preventing agent together with the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber, wherein the drive mechanism is the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber. A first drive mechanism for moving a fiber array member for fixing the two optical fibers, and a second drive mechanism for moving the first optical fiber in a direction orthogonal to the array plane of the second optical fibers, An optical switch, which is disposed outside a case. 2. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the arrangement member is integrally fixed to the sealed case, and the first drive mechanism moves the second optical fiber in the arrangement direction by moving the sealed case. An optical switch as described. 3. A pair of both side walls in which the sealing case is located in the arrangement direction and a first opening on each of the both side walls.
An opening, and a support plate fixedly mounted on an upright plate erected on a base on which the sealing case is mounted, the support plate being disposed through the first opening, A bellows container for liquid-tightly storing both end portions of the support plate protruding outside the sealed case; and a movable arm for supporting the first optical fiber in the sealed case, wherein the movable arm supports the first optical fiber. The optical switch according to claim 2, wherein the optical switch is mounted on a plate. 4. The sealing case has a second opening at a bottom thereof, a moving member disposed through the second opening and moved by the second driving mechanism in a direction orthogonal to the arrangement surface. The optical switch according to claim 2, further comprising: a gap between the moving member and the second opening is liquid-tight by a bellows. 5. The sealing case includes a bottom wall, a surrounding wall, a lid for closing an upper surface of the surrounding wall, and the first and second openings formed on both side walls of the surrounding wall. A movable arm that supports the first optical fiber in the sealed case, enters the left and right bellows containers through the first opening, and has both ends. The second optical fiber is attached to a supporting plate supported on a side wall erected on a base, and the second optical fiber is held by a fiber array member integrally disposed in the sealed case. An output part of a drive mechanism for moving one optical fiber in a direction orthogonal to the arrangement surface is provided through a movable block which is supported through a flexible wall closing a second opening of the bottom wall in a liquid-tight manner, Characterized in that it is interlocked with the movable arm The optical switch according to claim 1, wherein