JPH04294312A - Optical switch - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To offer the optical switch which extracts a light output of one fiber in a 1st optical fiber group and outputs it to one optical fiber in a 2nd optical fiber group. CONSTITUTION:The optical switch is equipped with lens groups 2a-2f which converge and input light from optical fiber groups la-1f into parallel light, lens groups 5a-5f which converge the parallel light to optical fiber groups 5a-5f, a parallelogram prism 3 which extracts and inputs parallel light from one of the lens groups 2a-2f and outputs one parallel light beam onto an axis 10, and a parallelogram prism 4 which inputs one parallel light beam on the axis 10 and outputs it to one of the lens groups 5a-5f.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical switch that outputs arbitrary light from a plurality of optical fibers and inputs it to an arbitrary optical fiber among the plurality of optical fibers.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Next, the structure of an optical switch according to the prior art will be explained with reference to FIG. In FIG. 2, 7 is an optical fiber, 8 is a lens, 9 is a mirror, 5a to 5f are lens groups, 6a to 6f
is a group of optical fibers. The light from the optical fiber 7 is converted into parallel light by a lens 8, and its optical path is bent by a mirror 9. The mirror 9 is structured to move along parallel light, and the parallel light is focused by a lens 5c in FIG. 2, for example, depending on the stopping position of the mirror 9, and is output to an optical fiber 6c.

0003

In FIG. 2, the light from the optical fiber 1 can be outputted to one of the optical fiber groups 6a to 6f, but it is possible to extract any light from a plurality of optical fibers, It is not possible to output to any optical fiber among multiple optical fibers. This invention takes out the optical output of one optical fiber from a first group of optical fibers, converts it into axial light with a first parallelogram prism, and converts it into axial light with a second parallelogram prism. An object of the present invention is to provide an optical switch that outputs light to one optical fiber in a second group of optical fibers.

0004

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve this object, in the present invention, optical fiber groups 1a to 1f are arranged on a first plane at positions equidistant from the axis 10, and Optical fiber groups 6a to 6f arranged on a second plane parallel to the first plane at distance positions, and optical fiber group 1a
Lens groups 2a to 2f that convert the light from ~1f into parallel light
, lens groups 5a to 5f that collect the parallel light and input it to optical fiber groups 6a to 6f, and a lens group that rotates and is arranged next to lens groups 2a to 2f, and one lens group from among lens groups 2a to 2f. a parallelogram prism 3 that takes out parallel light as input and outputs the one parallel light on the axis 10; and a parallelogram prism 3 that is arranged next to the parallelogram prism 3 and rotates independently of the parallelogram prism 3; The parallelogram prism 4 receives the one parallel light on the axis 10 and outputs the one parallel light to one of the lens groups 5a to 5f.

Next, the configuration of the optical switch according to the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, 1a to 1f are optical fiber groups, 2a to 2f are lens groups, 3 and 4 are parallelogram prisms, 10 is an axis, and the other parts are the same as in FIG. In FIG. 1, six optical fiber groups and six lens groups are each illustrated, but the number may be increased or decreased.

The optical fiber groups 1a to 1f are arranged on the first plane at positions equidistant from the axis 10, and the optical fiber group 6a is arranged on the first plane.
~6f are arranged on a second plane parallel to the first plane at positions equidistant from axis 10. The lens groups 2a to 2f convert the light from the optical fiber groups 1a to 1f into parallel light, and the lens groups 5a to 5f condense the parallel light and convert the light from the optical fiber groups 6a to 6.
Input to f. The parallelogram prism 3 is a lens group 2a.
It is placed next to lens group 2a to 2f and rotates, inputs one parallel light from lens groups 2a to 2f, and directs the input parallel light to axis 1.
Output on 0. A parallelogram prism 4 is arranged next to the parallelogram prism 3, rotates independently of the parallelogram prism 3, receives parallel light on an axis 10, and is connected to a lens group 5.
Parallel light is output to one of a to 5f.

[0007]

[Operation] The light from the optical fibers 1a to 1f is transmitted through the lens 2a.
~2f, each converted into parallel light. When the parallelogram prism 3 rotates and stops, for example, at the position of the lens 2c, the parallel light from the lens 2c moves onto the axis 10. This parallel light is input to the parallelogram prism 4, but
When the parallelogram prism 4 rotates and stops, for example, at the position of the lens 5e, this parallel light is focused by the lens 5e and input into the optical fiber 6e.

In this way, depending on the position at which the parallelogram prisms 3 and 4 are rotated and stopped, any optical fiber 1a can be
~1f can be connected to any optical fibers 6a~6f.

[0009]

According to the present invention, a plurality of optical fibers are arranged on the input side and an output side, and the rotation of the two parallelogram prisms is controlled independently, so that an optical signal can be transmitted to any one of the plurality of optical fibers. It is possible to freely output from the fiber to any one of the plurality of optical fibers.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an optical switch according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an optical switch according to the prior art;

[Explanation of symbols]

1a-1f Optical fiber group 2a-2f lens group 3 Parallelogram prism 4 Parallelogram prism 5a-5f Lens group 6a-6f Optical fiber group 10 axis

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A first group of optical fibers arranged on a first plane at positions equidistant from the axis (10);
a second optical fiber group arranged on a second plane parallel to the first plane at positions equidistant from the first optical fiber group; and a first lens group that converts light from the first optical fiber group into parallel light. a second lens group that collects the parallel light and inputs it to a second optical fiber group; and a second lens group that is arranged next to the first lens group and rotates, and that a first parallelogram prism that takes out parallel light as input and outputs the one parallel light on the axis (10); and a first parallelogram prism arranged next to the first parallelogram prism. It rotates independently of the prism, receives the one parallel light on the axis (10), and receives the second parallel light.
An optical switch comprising: a second parallelogram prism that outputs the one parallel light to one of the lens groups.