JPH02127607A - Changeover switch for optical fiber - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten switching time and to reduce a connection loss by moving the tip part of one optical fiber which is arranged in a V groove to one side of a couple of mutually opposite V grooves by a moving means and connecting it to the tip end surface of one of a couple of optical fibers closely. CONSTITUTION:The tip parts of the couple of optical fibers 3 and 4 are fixed in the couple of mutually opposite grooves 9a and 10a, and the tip part 5a of one optical fiber 5 to be connected closely to the tip end surfaces 3a and 4a of the couple of optical fibers is inserted into the V grooves 9a and 10a; and one optical fiber 5 is moved by the moving means 8a to between the couple of V grooves 9a and 10a and energized into one V groove, so that the fiber is connected closely to one of the couple of optical fibers 3 and 4. Consequently, the device is simplified and miniaturized, the switching time can be shortened, and the reliability is improved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to optical fibers used for switching optical fiber lines, switching connections between optical fiber lines and measuring instruments for monitoring optical lines, etc. Regarding the changeover switch.

[Prior Art] This type of conventional optical fiber changeover switch includes a multi-core connector A having a mating pin attached to one end of one optical fiber line network, and one end of the other optical fiber line network. A multi-core connector B having a mating hole attached to the
and a multi-core connector A by fitting the fitting pins of the multi-core connector A into the fitting holes of the multi-core connector B.

It is known that a plurality of fiber surfaces exposed on the surfaces of the multi-core connectors A and B are butt-connected by aligning the connectors A and B with each other.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, the conventional optical fiber changeover switch has the following problems.

(i) - The shape of each multi-core connector becomes large, and if a plurality of multi-core connectors are required, the device becomes larger.

(11) A changeover switch in which a plurality of multi-core connectors are arranged in parallel requires a complicated switching mechanism, which complicates the switching operation and increases the switching time.

(iii) When filling the connector end face with a matching agent, as connection operations are repeated, the matching agent cannot be stably interposed at the end faces of the plurality of fibers at all times.

(iv) As the connectors are connected and disconnected many times, the sliding part between the mating pin and the mating hole will wear out and the connection characteristics will change, and abrasion particles will get mixed into the matching agent and cause this. This can cause contamination, increase connection loss, and eventually make connection impossible.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and by simplifying the structure, the switching operation can be simplified, thereby shortening the switching time, and improving the reliability of the device. It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical fiber changeover switch that can reduce connection loss.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention fixes the distal ends of a pair of optical fibers in a pair of VWIIs provided opposite each other, and A distal end portion of one optical fiber that is closely connected to the distal end surface or the distal end surfaces of the pair of optical fibers is arranged within the V-groove, and the distal end portion of the optical fiber is placed between the pair of opposing V-grooves. The configuration includes a moving means for moving it.

[Function] Since the present invention is configured as described above, (1) When the tip of one optical fiber disposed in the groove is moved to one side of a pair of V-grooves facing each other by the moving means, , due to the rigidity of the optical fiber itself, the optical fiber is forced directly along the inside of the V-groove, and the tip end surface of the optical fiber is fixed to the V-groove. connected in close proximity to the surface.

[Example] Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained based on the drawings.

1 to 3 show an embodiment of the optical fiber changeover switch of the present invention, and the reference numerals in the figures! is an optical fiber changeover switch.

An optical fiber changeover switch 1 includes a container-shaped housing 2, and is provided inside the housing 2 to fix the tips of a pair of optical fibers 3.4, and also to fix the tip ends of a pair of optical fibers 3.4.
4 and another optical fiber 5, a fixing part 7 for fixing the Moeki optical fiber 5, and a part for moving the tip of the optical fiber 5 within the connecting member 6. It is composed of a moving means 8.

A through hole 2a for introducing the tip of the optical fiber 3.4 is formed on the negative side of the housing 2, and the through hole 2a
A through hole 2 for introducing an optical fiber 5 is provided on the other side facing the
b is formed.

The connecting member 6 consists of two upper and lower V-groove chips 9.10, and the Vlfl chips 9.10. Two (a pair) of V-grooves 9a and 10a are formed at opposing positions on the contact surface of the lO, respectively. And V groove 9a.

On one side of the optical fibers 10a (inner cloth side in FIG. 2(a)), the tips of a pair of optical fibers 3.4 are arranged and fixed so that the tip surfaces are located approximately at the center of the groove. has been done. The coating material is removed from the tips of the optical fibers 3 and 4, exposing the claddings 3a and 4a. Two optical fibers are inserted between the claddings 3a and 4a through the upper and lower grooves 9a, A pressing plate 11 is provided for pressing and fixing into the inside 10a.

In addition, ■Groove chip 9. An optical fiber 5 is inserted into the other side (left side in FIG. 2) of the V-grooves 9a and 10a of the IO, and its tip end is closely connected to the tip surfaces of the pair of source fibers 3.4. In this embodiment, the cladding 5ah (Vi9a, !Oa) exposed at the tip of the optical fiber 5 is pressed and disposed along either of the V grooves 9a, ! As shown in Fig. 2(b), IOa has two lines 4 sunken in the horizontal direction, and each pair of Vi%1
A pair of optical fibers 3 and 4 are fixed to each of 9a and IOa, and one optical fiber 5 is inserted therein.

Note that the V-groove 9a and IOa may be filled with a matching agent so that the connection surface of the optical fiber is always filled with the matching agent.

Then, the optical fiber 5 is inserted into the fixed portion 7 within the housing 1.
The cladding 5a is fixed by a pair of upper and lower V
It is designed to move between i9a and IOa. The moving means 8 includes a movable member 8a that is provided on the distal end side of the fiber 5 beyond the fixed part 7 and supports the optical fiber 5, a drive arm gbh that supports the movable member 8a, and the drive arm 8.
Solenoid 8 that can move b up and down at high speed
It is composed of c.

Next, the operation of the optical fiber changeover switch of this embodiment configured as described above will be explained using FIG. 3.

When the moving means 8 in the housing 1 is driven to lift the optical fiber 5 upward, the tip of the optical fiber 5 is bent between the fixing part 7 and the V-groove contact surface, and the rigidity of the optical fiber itself causes the cladding to bend. 5a is V groove depth 9■
It is urged along the inside of the groove a, and its distal end surface is closely connected to the distal end surface of the optical fiber 3 fixed to one end side within the V-groove a. Further, by driving the moving means 8,
When the optical fiber 5 is pushed down, the tip of the optical fiber 5 bends into a V-groove tip due to its own rigidity.
The optical fiber 3 .
Switching between the optical fiber 5 and the optical fiber 5 is performed.

In this way, the optical fiber changeover switch of this embodiment has two
The tip of the optical fiber 5 is moved within a pair of opposing Vi9a and IOa to which the tip of the optical fiber 3.4 is fixed, and the Vi is
The device has a simple structure in which switching is performed by alternately connecting the tip end surface of the optical fiber 5 with the tip end surface of the optical fiber 3.4 by energizing the %t9a and IOa. It is possible to reduce the size and simplify the switching operation, thereby shortening the switching time and improving the reliability of the switching operation.

In addition, the optical fiber can be directly fixed in the V-groove,
This allows the tip surfaces of the optical fibers to be connected accurately.

Furthermore, even when the V-grooves 9a and 10a are filled with a matching agent, the matching agent can be stably interposed on the tip surface of the optical fiber, and the optical switch of this embodiment has no sliding effect. There are no moving parts, so there is no possibility of abrasion powder getting mixed into the matching agent, and the matching agent can always be held in a clean state, increasing connection loss or making connections impossible. There is no.

In the optical switch of the above embodiment, two pairs of V-grooves were provided, but the number of V-grooves is not limited to this.
By providing a plurality of wires as described above, it is possible to manufacture switches with different core wires in a housing of the same size.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the optical fiber changeover switch 1 of the present invention, the tip ends of a pair of end fibers are respectively fixed in a pair of opposing V grooves, and the The distal end of one optical fiber that is closely connected to the distal end surfaces of the pair of optical fibers is inserted, and the one optical fiber is moved between the pair of V-grooves by a moving means, and one of the V-grooves is moved. By energizing the optical fibers, the optical fibers are connected in close proximity to one of the pair of optical fibers, so the device can be simplified and downsized, and the switching time can be shortened. Reliability can be improved. Furthermore, by increasing the number of grooves, switches with different numbers of cores can be manufactured with the same device shape. Furthermore, even when filling the matching agent into the groove, since there are no sliding parts in the device, there is no chance of abrasion powder getting into the matching agent and contaminating it, so it is always kept in a clean state. A switching operation can be performed.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 3 show an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a side sectional view schematically showing an optical fiber changeover switch, and FIG. 2(a) is a schematic diagram showing a connecting member. A side sectional view, FIG. 2(b) is a sectional view taken along the line -■ in FIG. 2(a), and FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the switching drive principle. 1... Optical fiber changeover switch, 3.4 Pair of optical fibers, 5... One optical fiber...
... Connection part, 8 ... Transportation means, 9alOa.
····groove. ■

Claims (1)

[Claims] The distal ends of at least one pair of optical fibers are respectively fixed in at least one pair of V grooves provided opposite each other, and the distal end surfaces are closely connected to the distal end surfaces of the pair of optical fibers within the pair of V grooves. the distal end of at least one optical fiber, and a moving means for moving the distal end of the optical fiber between the pair of opposing V-grooves. Changeover switch.