JPH041329B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an optical path switching device used for switching communication lines, etc. in an optical communication system such as an optical fiber.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in communication systems using optical fibers, various exchanges for switching communication lines have been devised. There are two types of switching equipment: one that converts the signal into an electrical signal and then switches the signal, and another that switches the optical signal as is (optical path switching device).

An example of this optical path switching device is shown in FIG. In the figure, 30a and 30b are solenoids consisting of a pair of electromagnets fixed to a case, etc., and between these solenoids 30a and 30b is a moving platform 32 supported by a pair of plate springs (parallel springs) 31a and 31b. is installed. This movable table 32 is attracted in the direction of arrow A or B by the excitation of solenoids 30a and 30b, and is movable.
Therefore, if the reflector 33 is placed on the moving table 32,
With respect to light coming from a predetermined direction, the traveling direction of the light can be changed by moving the moving table 32. That is, it can be switched in two directions for light from a given direction. Further, as an optical path switching device, there is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 55-69105. This device uses a low-power bimorph to directly move an optical fiber and switch light between multiple fixed optical fibers. This is effective when used in places where line switching is frequent because the power consumption is extremely small compared to the optical path switching device.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] However, although this optical path switching device uses parallel springs and has good reproducibility of the same position, the width l becomes large due to the arrangement of two electromagnets. . That is, since many lines are switched, if they are arranged in a matrix as shown in FIG. 7, it takes up a large space and it is not possible to increase the packaging density. However, the light propagated through the optical fiber or the like suffers more loss in this switching space. In particular, in optical communication systems, as optical fiber cables become longer distances, it is necessary to suppress the loss of propagating light, and it is important to reduce the loss of light in optical path switching devices. It was one of the.

On the other hand, in the device disclosed in JP-A No. 55-69105, it is difficult for the bimorph as a drive source to obtain enough force to sufficiently energize the optical fiber (load), and moreover, it is difficult to directly apply the load. There was an element of instability in keeping it in a fixed position. Therefore, when a bimorph is used in the above method, the optical path switching device may not be able to reliably switch the optical path.

This invention was made in view of the above problems.
The purpose is to provide an optical path switching device that can increase the mounting density of the reflector that switches the optical path, make it more compact, suppress light loss in the switching optical path, and operate accurately with low power consumption. There is something to do.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve this object _{, the} optical path switching device of the present invention has the _{following advantages :} A first optical path group formed by a plurality of emitted lights, and a matrix-shaped optical path group that enters from the third port group 4a ₁ and 4a ₂ and has a predetermined angle with respect to the first optical path group. A fourth port group 5a ₁ to form an optical path,
a second optical path group formed by a plurality of lights emitted from _5a2 ; and a second optical path group formed by a plurality of lights emitted from the first port group; In the optical path switching device, the switching device is provided with a switching device provided at each intersection position of the first optical path group and the second optical path group so as to switch the optical path so that the optical path is emitted from the A plurality of light paths are provided at each intersection of the first optical path group and the second optical path group in order to reflect the light incident from the first port at a predetermined angle and emit the light from the fourth port. a reflector 7; and side plates 1 provided below the reflector and at both ends.
1 and 12 upright and movable in equiangular directions with respect to each light of the first and second optical path groups; Parallel springs 13, 13 provided parallel to this side plate
and is provided between the other ends of the parallel spring, has a notch 15 on the side of the support, and is provided with the reflector on the upper part, so that the reflective surface of the reflector is always connected to the first and second optical path groups. On the other hand, a plate body 16 which is located between a movable table 14 that is freely movable in parallel and the parallel spring and has one end fitted into the notch and the other end fixed to the support body.
and piezoelectric elements 17a, 17b on both sides of the plate, respectively.
The bimorph 17 is bonded to
It is characterized in that it can freely move forward and backward on the optical path in a state parallel to the first and second optical path groups, and is selectively positioned and held in the moving direction.

[Operation] In the optical path switching device of the present invention, a desired optical path is switched by moving the reflector 7 forward and backward into the first and second optical paths formed in a matrix.

This reflector 7 is movable by a switch provided in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined plane, and is a plate erected in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined plane by applying a voltage to a bimorph 17 as a drive source. The body 16 is curved, and the movable table 14 on which the reflector 7 is mounted is moved to the first,
It is moved to the other side parallel to the second optical path, and by the urging force thereof is moved to the suction range of either of the holding means 19, 20, and then held by the holding means 19, 20 for positioning.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an optical path switching device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a top view schematically showing the optical path switching device.

In the figure, 1 is a case, and the upper four sides of this case have a first port group 2, a second port group 3, a third port group 4, and a fourth port group for inputting and outputting light. 5 is provided. The first port group 2 and the third port group 4 are receptacles 2a 1 , 2a ₂ , 4a 1 , 4a 1 , 2a 1 , 2a 2 , 4a 1 , 4a 1 , 2a 1 , 2a ₂ , 4a ₁ , etc. for making light propagated from, for example, an optical fiber enter a predetermined plane.
The second port group ₃ and the fourth port group 5 are receptacles 3a ₁ , 3a ₂ , 5 for outputting the incident light to, for example, an optical fiber or the like.
a ₁ and 5a ₂ are arranged. Inside each of these port groups, a lens (for example, self-occurring lens: trade name) 6 is provided, which converts the light propagated through an optical fiber, etc., into a parallel beam, or focuses the light onto an optical fiber, etc. has been done. That is, the first port group 2 and the second port group 3, and the third port group 4 and the fourth port group 5 are arranged opposite to each other, and the receptacles 2a ₁ disposed therein are arranged opposite to each other. and 3a ₁ , 2a ₂ and 3a ₂ , 4a ₁ and 5a ₁ , 4
The principal axes of a ₂ and 5a ₂ are aligned. In this case, the configuration is 4 inputs and 4 outputs, but there is no need to limit this number. At the light difference point of the light incident from the port group, there is a reflector 7 (for example, a double-sided mirror, a prism with one side mirrored, etc.) that reflects the light in a predetermined direction, for example, at right angles, as shown in FIG. They are arranged so that they can be moved in parallel.

Drive devices 8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d as switching devices for switching the optical path for moving the reflector 7 in parallel as shown by arrow C in FIG. 2 are arranged at the lower part of the case 1 and have the configuration shown in FIG. There is. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 10 denotes a support body with side plates 11 and 12 erected at both ends;
One end of a pair of leaf springs (parallel springs) 13 parallel to 12 is fixed. A movable base 14 is disposed at the other end of the parallel spring 13, and a cutout 15 is provided at approximately the center of the movable base 14 on the support body 10 side. Furthermore, a plate member 16 is fixedly provided on the support body 10 at the center of the cheek of the parallel spring 13 and whose one end is fitted into the notch portion 15 . Furthermore, piezoelectric elements 17a and 17b are bonded to both sides of the plate 16. A bimorph 17 is constituted by these piezoelectric elements 17a and 17b. In addition, the plate body 16
has an electrode structure that can be freely curved by displacement of the piezoelectric elements 17a, 17b, and can apply a voltage to the piezoelectric elements 17a, 17b. The plate body 16 and the bimorph 17 constitute a driving section 18 of the switching mechanism.

On the other hand, the holding means 19 and 20 for holding the movable table 14 on either the side plates 11 or 12 are the side plates 11 or 12.
Permanent magnets 19a, 20a embedded in the tips of 12
It is made up of Note that these permanent magnets 19a, 2
0a is a plate 16 that is held against the restoring force of the parallel spring 13 and is curved by the displacement of the piezoelectric elements 17a and 17b.
b has a magnetic force smaller than the sum of the force that urges the movable table 14 in the opposite direction to the currently held position and the return force of the parallel spring 13.

Next, the operation of the optical path switching device having the above configuration will be explained. First, light propagated from an optical fiber or the like enters from the first port group 2 and the third port group 4 via the receptacles 2a ₁ , 2a ₂ , 4a ₁ , and 4a ₂ . At this time, the driving devices 8a, 8b,
When 8c and 8d are moving on their respective movable tables 14, the incident light thereof travels straight and exits from the second port group 3 and the fourth port group 5. The drive device for moving these moving tables 14 operates as shown in FIG. 4. Opposite voltages (that is, electric fields in opposite directions) are applied to the piezoelectric elements 17a and 17b from lead wires 21, 22, and 23. In this case, the bimorph 17 has piezoelectric elements 17a and 1 whose polarization directions are the same (arrows P ₁ and P ₂ ) as shown in FIG.
7b, which will be displaced if opposite electric fields (arrows E ₁ and E ₂ ) are applied to them. That is,
As shown by the broken line, piezoelectric element 17a expands and piezoelectric element 17b contracts. Therefore, the plate 7 of the bimorph 8 is curved in the direction of the arrow E. Then, the tip of the plate 16 comes into contact with the surface 15a of the notch 15, and the movable table 14 is urged in the direction of arrow D together with the restoring force of the parallel spring 13. The movable stage 14 is moved by the displacement force of the bimorph 17 to the range of the magnetic force of the permanent magnet 20a, and is then attracted and held by the magnetic force. After that, piezoelectric elements 17a, 17
Even if the voltage applied to b is removed, the movable table 14 remains held.

Next, voltages opposite to those described above are applied to the piezoelectric elements 17a, 17b from the lead wires 21, 22, 23.
In this case, the bimorph 17 causes a displacement in which the piezoelectric element 17a contracts and the piezoelectric element 17b extends.
That is, the plate body 16 is curved in a direction opposite to the direction of arrow E in FIG. Then, the movable table 14 moves in the direction opposite to the arrow D, and is attracted and held by the permanent magnet 19a.

In this way, the drive devices 8a, 8b, 8c,
When all of the moving bases 8d are driven in the same manner (for example, the movable table 14 is held by the permanent magnet 20a), the incident light is not reflected by the reflector 7 and travels straight.

Here, only the drive device 8a is driven (the moving table 14
is held by a permanent magnet 19a), the light incident from the receptacle 2a ₁ of the first port group 2 is reflected in the right angle direction by one surface of the reflector 7, and is emitted from the receptacle 5a ₁ of the fourth port group 5. , the light incident from the receptacle 4a ₂ of the third port group 4 travels in the right angle direction by the reflector 7 and exits from the receptacle 3a ₁ of the second port group 3. In this way, by driving the drive devices 8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d, the receptacles 2a ₁ and 2a ₂ of the first port group 2
The light enters from the receptacles 3a ₁ , 3a ₂ , 5a ₁ ,
5a ₂ and enters the receptacles 4a ₁ and 4a ₂ of the third port group 4. The light is emitted from one of the receptacles 3a ₁ , 3a ₂ , 5a ₁ , and 5a ₂ .

That is, the optical path switching device has drive devices 8a and 8.
By driving b, 8c, and 8d, an optical signal propagated by an optical fiber or the like can be switched to a desired optical fiber or the like (line). In particular, since the drive devices 8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d are driven by the bimorph 17 with low power consumption, it is effective when used in places where lines are frequently switched.

The drive devices 8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d also include a parallel spring 13 with good position reproducibility for positioning the drive, and a permanent magnet 19a as a holding means 19.
20a, and its positioning can be performed accurately.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the optical path switching device according to the present invention, by arranging the first and second optical path groups in a matrix, a plurality of optical path groups of the first and second optical path groups are arranged. This has the effect that optical switching can be selected arbitrarily.

Further, the switching mechanism is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the first and second optical path groups, and the optical path is switched by moving the reflector in a direction parallel to the first and second optical path groups. Therefore, the optical path is shortened, multiple optical switches can be performed with minimum optical loss, and high-density packaging can be realized to improve space efficiency.

Furthermore, the switching device for switching the optical path of the incident light uses a bimorph with low power consumption as the drive source, and the reflector is supported by parallel springs with good reproducibility. The reflector is held by a magnet or the like, and the reflector is configured to be movable in equiangular directions with respect to each light of the first and second optical path groups, thereby narrowing the arrangement pitch of the port groups that make up the matrix. This allows high-density packaging and low optical loss to be achieved. Further, the positioning reproducibility of the reflector for switching the optical path is good, and power consumption can be extremely reduced when moving the reflector.

In particular, this is extremely effective for exchanges in which lines are frequently switched and optical path groups are formed in a matrix.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an optical path switching device showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the optical path switching device, and FIG. 3 is a diagram of a drive device for driving the reflector of the optical path switching device. A perspective view, FIG. 4 is a plan view of the above drive device, FIG. 5 is a partial view of the bimorph used in the above drive device, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a conventional optical path switching device, and FIG. 7 is a conventional optical path switching device. FIG. 3 is a layout diagram of the device. 2...First port group, 3...Second port group, 4...Third port group, 5...Fourth port group, 7...Reflector, 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d... …
Switch (drive device), 10...Support, 1a, 1
2... Side plate, 13... Parallel spring, 14... Moving table, 15... Notch, 16... Plate body, 17a, 1
7b...piezoelectric element, 17...bimorph, 18
...Movable part, 19, 20...Holding means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Input from the first port group 2a ₁ , 2a _{2 and} the second
a first optical path group formed by a plurality of lights emitted from port groups _{3a 1 and} 3a _{2 ;} A fourth port group 5a ₁ , in order to form a matrix-like optical path with a predetermined angle;
a second optical path group formed by a plurality of lights emitted from _5a2 ; and a second optical path group formed by a plurality of lights emitted from the first port group; In the optical path switching device, the switching device is provided with a switching device provided at each intersection position of the first optical path group and the second optical path group so as to switch the optical path so that the optical path is emitted from the A plurality of light paths are provided at each intersection of the first optical path group and the second optical path group in order to reflect the light incident from the first port at a predetermined angle and emit the light from the fourth port. a reflector 7; and side plates 1 provided below the reflector and at both ends.
1 and 12 upright and movable in equiangular directions with respect to each light of the first and second optical path groups; Parallel springs 13, 13 provided parallel to this side plate
and is provided between the other ends of the parallel spring, has a notch 15 on the side of the support, and is provided with the reflector on the upper part, so that the reflective surface of the reflector is always connected to the first and second optical path groups. On the other hand, a plate body 16 which is located between a movable table 14 that is freely movable in parallel and the parallel spring and has one end fitted into the notch and the other end fixed to the support body.
and piezoelectric elements 17a, 17b on both sides of the plate, respectively.
and holding means 19 and 20 for holding the movable base at the tip of the side plate on the movable side, and the reflector on the movable base is moved by the displacement of the bimorph.
An optical path switching device characterized in that it can freely move forward and backward on an optical path in a state parallel to the first and second optical path groups, and can selectively position and hold the device in the direction of movement.