JPH07225346A - Optical switch - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a pin type optical switch having a short changeover time. CONSTITUTION:An optical switch 1 for changing over a light beam path is provided with an arranging member 3 oppositely arranging optical connectors 7, 8 mounted on the end parts of a single or plural numbers of optical fibers and formed with plural pin holes, a supporting member 4 mounting the plural positioning pins 4d, 4e successively inserted into mutually opposed pin holes of the oppositely arranged optical connectors and a driving means 5 moving the supporting member in the direction in which the plural pin holes are penetrated, by driving the supporting member by means of the driving means and successively inserting the respective positioning pins into opposed pin holes, the oppositely arranged optical connectors are mutually moved in the direction orthogonal to the opposing direction by the integral multiple of the arranging pitch of the optical fibers. An auxiliary driving means 6 assisting the moving function of the supporting member by means of the driving means is provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical switch used for switching optical lines.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An optical switch is used when switching an optical line composed of a large number of optical fibers. As such an optical switch, for example, one in which an optical connector having a ferrule attached to the end portion of a single or a plurality of optical fibers is disposed so as to face each other is known.

In this optical switch, a plurality of pin holes are formed in the ferrule, the plurality of pin holes are located adjacent to the opposing pin holes, and the distance between the opposing pin holes is the optical fiber. Are formed at positions deviated in the width direction by the arrangement pitch of. Then, in this optical switch, the optical connector is relatively moved by the arrangement pitch of the optical fibers by inserting a positioning pin arranged at a position corresponding to one of the facing pin holes,
Optical lines are switched (hereinafter, this type of optical switch is called "pin type").

Also, without using positioning pins,
An optical switch that switches the optical line by pressing the side surface of one optical connector with a solenoid and moving the optical connector directly in the direction orthogonal to the abutting direction is also known (hereinafter, this type of optical switch is referred to as "press type"). "
That).

[0005]

In the pin type optical switch, the positioning pins are fixed to the supporting member by the number of the pin holes facing each other. And
These positioning pins are fixed to the support member with different lengths in the insertion direction so that the pins are sequentially inserted into the corresponding pin holes to switch the optical lines. Further, the support member is configured to be integrally driven by a solenoid capable of operating instantaneously (several msec.).

Therefore, in the above-mentioned optical switch, each positioning pin is inserted through the corresponding pin holes of the abutted optical connectors, and in order to obtain a stable insertion loss, it is driven by a solenoid. The moving stroke of the positioning pin is required to be 4 mm or more, which is about twice as long as the fitting length which is the length inserted into one of the pin holes.

On the other hand, in the pressing type optical switch, even if the arrangement of the buffer member for buffering the switching stress acting from the solenoid is taken into consideration, the movement stroke of the optical connector by the solenoid is about 1 to 2 mm. Is. Therefore, the pin type optical switch has a problem that the switching stroke required for switching is longer because the solenoid operation stroke is longer than that of the pressing type optical switch.

Especially, a pin type optical switch has one input
In order to realize a 1 × 3 optical switch having a three-output function, a driving means capable of maintaining a stable state at three switching positions is required, but existing solenoids can achieve such a function. There was a problem that it was difficult. The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a pin type optical switch having a short switching time.

[0009]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, an optical connector attached to an end of a single optical fiber or a plurality of optical fibers and having a plurality of pin holes is arranged to face each other. A member, a supporting member having a plurality of positioning pins inserted sequentially into both pin holes facing each other of the optical connectors arranged to face each other, and a driving means for moving the supporting member in the inserting direction of the plurality of pin holes. An array of the optical fibers in a direction orthogonal to the facing direction by mutually driving the supporting members by driving the supporting member and sequentially inserting the positioning pins into the facing pin holes. In an optical switch that switches an optical line by moving an integral multiple of a pitch, an auxiliary device that assists the moving function of the supporting member by the driving means. It is obtained by a structure provided with motion means.

[0010]

The auxiliary driving means increases the moving speed of the supporting member and assists the moving function of the driving means when the optical connectors arranged opposite to each other are moved by the driving means to switch the optical lines. As the auxiliary driving means, a coil spring, a leaf spring, or the like is provided between the disposing member that opposes the optical connector and the supporting member to which the positioning pin is attached, and applies a biasing force to the supporting member in the switching direction and the original direction. Can be used.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As a first embodiment of the present invention, a 1 × 2 optical switch having a function of 1 input and 2 outputs will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 1, the optical switch 1 includes a disposing member 3, a supporting member 4, a solenoid 5 and a plurality of coil springs 6 on a base 2.

The arranging member 3 is a member for arranging the optical connectors 7 and 8 so as to be opposed to each other so as to be movable in the width direction.
Optical connectors 7 and 8 are arranged between 3a. Holding wall 3a
As shown in FIG. 3, guide holes 3b, 3 for slidably guiding shafts 4c, 4c of the support member 4 which will be described later.
b is formed in the thickness direction, and a locking recess 3c is formed at a position adjacent to each guide hole 3b.

Here, as shown in FIG. 2, the optical connector 7 has a ferrule 7b attached to the end of one optical fiber 7a. The ferrule 7b has pin holes 7c, 7 located inside in the width direction with a predetermined space in the width direction.
c and pin holes 7d, 7d located on the outside are formed. Further, the optical connector 8 has the same configuration as the optical connector 7 except that it has two optical fibers 8a, and therefore the corresponding parts are designated by the corresponding reference numerals and detailed description thereof is omitted. To do. The optical connectors 7 and 8 form an optical line by optically connecting the optical fiber 7a to one of the optical fibers 8a and 8a.

The optical connectors 7 and 8 are shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 7, the pin holes 7c, 7c and the pin holes 8c, 8c and the pin holes 7d, 7d and the pin holes 8d, 8d are formed at the same intervals.
And when facing each other, the pin holes 7d, 7d and the pin hole 8
d and 8d are formed at positions offset in the width direction by the arrangement pitch of the optical fibers 8a and 8a. Here, in FIGS. 2 and 5, since the optical connectors 7 and 8 are shown in an enlarged manner, it seems that a gap is formed between the optical connectors 7 and 8. However, in reality, the gap is formed. Is almost negligible.

The support member 4 is arranged so as to be movable in the left-right direction on the base 2 shown in FIG. 1, and has fixed plates 4a and 4b arranged opposite to each other and a shaft 4c for connecting the fixed plates 4a and 4b. , 4c. Then, in the support member 4, the base plate of the two positioning pins 4d inserted into the pin holes 7d and 8d of the optical connectors 7 and 8 in the fixed plate 4a has the fixed plate 4b.
The base ends of the two positioning pins 4e, which are inserted into the pin holes 7c and 8c, are fixed to each of them.

The solenoid 5 is connected to a power source (not shown), the support member 4 is pivotally attached to the tip end side of the drive shaft 5b extending from the main body 5a, and the support member 4 is moved in the left-right direction in FIG. The coil spring 6 accelerates the moving speed of the supporting member 4 by the solenoid 5 to assist the moving function of the supporting member 4 by the solenoid 5, and is loosely fitted to each shaft 4c of the supporting member 4 to dispose the placing member 3. Holding wall 3
It is provided between a and the fixed plate 4a or the fixed plate 4b of the support member 4. At this time, as is apparent from FIG. 3, when the voltage is not applied from the power source and the solenoid 5 is in the non-operating state, the supporting member 4 is in the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, and the coil spring 6 on the side of the fixed plate 4a is located. Extends to a free length state, and the coil spring 6 on the fixed plate 4b side is in a contracted state.

The optical switch 1 of this embodiment is configured as described above. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the optical fiber 7a of the optical connector 7 is optically connected to the optical fiber 8a on the right side of the optical connector 8. Optical fiber 8 on the left side when
It is used as follows when optically connecting to a and switching the optical line. First, the solenoid 5 is actuated to extend the drive shaft 5b from the main body 5a.

Then, each shaft 4c slides smoothly while being guided by the guide hole 3b formed in the holding wall 3a of the disposing member 3 without rattling, and the supporting member 4 advances. As a result of the support member 4 moving forward, the fixing plate 4b retracts with respect to the disposing member 3, and each positioning pin 4e whose base end is fixed to the fixing plate 4b corresponds to the optical connector 7, as shown in FIG. It retreats from the pin hole 7c to the pin hole 8c of the optical connector 8.

On the other hand, since the fixed plate 4a moves forward with respect to the arrangement member 3, each positioning pin 4d whose base end is fixed to the fixed plate 4a has a pin hole 7d in the optical connector 7 and a pin facing the optical connector 8. It is inserted into the hole 8d. This allows
As shown in FIG. 4, the coil spring 6 arranged on the fixed plate 4b side extends in a free length state, and the coil spring 6 arranged on the fixed plate 4a side contracts.

By inserting the positioning pin 4d into the pin hole 8d, the optical connectors 7 and 8 arranged to face each other relatively move in the width direction by the arrangement pitch of the optical fibers 8a, and the optical fiber 7a of the optical connector 7 becomes The optical line is switched by connecting the right optical fiber 8a of the optical connector 8 to the left optical fiber 8a. When switching this optical line,
The support member 4 has a coil spring 6 arranged on the fixed plate 4b side.
Since the elastic force is applied, the moving speed of the support member 4 due to the exciting force of the solenoid 5 is increased, and the coil spring 6 assists the moving function of the solenoid 5.

Here, when the optical switch 1 having the above-mentioned structure using three types of coil springs 6 having different compression loads was manufactured and the switching time of the optical line was measured, the results shown in Table 1 were obtained.

[0022]

[Table 1]

For reference, the switching time of the optical switch having the conventional structure in which the side face of the ferrule is pressed by the drive shaft of the solenoid to directly move the optical connector will be described. The switching time is about 5 msec. Therefore, it can be understood that the optical switch of the present invention can realize the switching time equivalent to that of the conventional optical switch even though it is a pin type optical switch by providing the coil spring.

Next, as a second embodiment of the present invention, a 1 × 3 optical switch having a function of 1 input and 3 outputs will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 6 to 11. The optical switch 10
As shown in FIG. 6, an arrangement member 12, a support member 13, a bistable solenoid (hereinafter, simply referred to as “solenoid”) on a base 11.
14) and a plurality of coil springs 15.

The arranging member 12 is a member that opposes the optical connectors 16 and 17 so as to be movable in the width direction, and the optical connectors 16 and 17 are arranged between the holding walls 12a and 12a. The holding wall 12a is similar to the holding wall 3a of the support member 4 of the above-described embodiment in that the support member 13 has a shaft 13 described later.
Guide holes for slidably guiding c and 13c are formed in the thickness direction, and locking recesses (neither shown) are formed at positions adjacent to the guide holes.

Here, as shown in FIG. 7, the optical connector 16 has a ferrule 16 at the end of one optical fiber 16a.
b is attached. The ferrule 16b has pin holes 16c, 16c located at the innermost side in the width direction and pin holes 16d, 16 located in the middle, with a predetermined space in the width direction.
d and pin holes 16e, 16e located on the outermost side are formed. Further, the optical connector 17 has the same structure as the optical connector 16 except that it has three optical fibers 17a, and therefore, corresponding parts are denoted by corresponding reference numerals and detailed description thereof is omitted. To do. The optical connector 16,
Reference numeral 17 constitutes an optical line by optically connecting the optical fiber 16a to any one of the three optical fibers 17a.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the optical connectors 16 and 17 have intermediate pin holes 16 at positions corresponding to each other when the innermost pin holes 16c and 17c are aligned with each other.
The pin holes are formed at positions offset in the width direction such that the distances to d, 17d and the outermost pin holes 16e, 17e differ by 1 pitch and 2 pitches from the arrangement pitch of the three optical fibers 17a, respectively. ing.

The support member 13 is arranged on the base 11 shown in FIG. 6 so as to be movable in the left-right direction, and has fixed shafts 13a and 13b arranged opposite to each other and a shaft 13c connecting the fixed plates 13a and 13b. , 13c. And
The support member 13 includes the fixed plate 13a and the optical connectors 16 and 17 on the fixed plate 13a.
Outermost pin holes 16e, 17e and intermediate pin hole 16
The base end sides of the two positioning pins 13d for the outside and the positioning pin 13e for the intermediate, which are respectively inserted into the d and 17d, are inserted into the innermost pin holes 16c and 17c in the fixed plate 13b. The proximal ends of the positioning pins 13f for use are fixed. Here, positioning pin 1
3d to 13f have an enlarged diameter portion formed at the tip, the tip of the positioning pin 13f is at the same position as the tip of the positioning pin 13e, and the tip of the positioning pin 13d is the base end of the diameter enlarged portion of the positioning pin 13e. It is located at the same position as.

In the solenoid 14, a support member 13 is attached to the tip end side of a drive shaft 14b extending from the main body 14a, and the support member 13 is moved in the left-right direction in FIG. The solenoid 14 is a bistable solenoid that can be switched to the states shown in FIGS. 6 and 10, and the state shown in FIG. 8 is a neutral state that is neither of the switching states. The coil spring 15 accelerates the moving speed of the supporting member 13 by the solenoid 14 to assist the moving function of the supporting member 13 by the solenoid 14, and is loosely fitted to each shaft 13c of the supporting member 13 to dispose the placing member 12. Holding wall 12a and fixing plate 13 of support member 13
It is provided between a and. The four coil springs 15 are
In the state of FIG. 8 in which the solenoid 14 is in the neutral state,
The spring loads are balanced in the compressed state.
This neutral state can be achieved by previously measuring and optimizing the voltage applied to the solenoid 14 and the application time.

The optical switch 10 of this embodiment is configured as described above. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the optical fiber 16a of the optical connector 16 and the optical fiber 17a below the optical connector 17 are combined with the optical fiber 17a. When connected, it is used as follows when optically connecting to another optical fiber 17a to switch the optical line. First, the solenoid 14 is actuated, the drive shaft 14b is extended from the main body 14a, and
Switch to the neutral state shown in.

Then, each shaft 13c is attached to the placement member 12
Of the support member 13 while sliding smoothly without rattling while being guided by the guide hole 12b formed in the holding wall 12a of
Moves forward. As the support member 13 advances, the fixed plate 13a
Moves forward with respect to the arrangement member 12, and the fixed plate 13b moves backward. As a result, the base end is fixed to the fixing plate 13b, and the innermost pin holes 16c of the optical connectors 16 and 17 in FIG.
Each positioning pin 13f inserted across 17c
Is a pin hole 16c of the optical connector 16 as shown in FIG.
To the pin hole 17c of the optical connector 17.

On the other hand, the intermediate positioning pin 13e, the base end of which is fixed to the fixing plate 13a and the tip of which is inserted into the intermediate pin hole 16d of the optical connector 16, has the opposite optical connector as shown in FIG. The pin 17 is inserted into the pin hole 17d, and the enlarged diameter portion of the tip is inserted between the pin holes 16d and 17d. At this time, as for the outer positioning pin 13d whose base end is fixed to the fixed plate 13a, the enlarged diameter portion of the tip is inserted into the pin hole 16e as shown in FIG.

At this time, each shaft 13 of the support member 13
As shown in FIG. 8, each coil spring 15 provided between the holding wall 12a of the disposing member 12 and the fixing plate 13a of the supporting member 13 by being loosely fitted to the c has a spring load in a compressed state. They are in balance. By inserting the positioning pin 13e into the pin hole 17d, the optical connectors 16 and 17 arranged to face each other relatively move in the width direction by one pitch of the arrangement pitch of the optical fibers 17a, and the optical fiber 16a of the optical connector 16 is As shown in FIG. 9, the optical line is switched by connecting the lower optical fiber 17a of the optical connector 17 to the intermediate optical fiber 17a.

When switching the optical line, the supporting member 13 is used.
Since an elastic force from the coil spring 15 arranged on the fixed plate 13b side acts on the coil spring 1, the moving speed of the support member 13 due to the exciting attraction force of the solenoid 14 is increased and the coil spring 1
Reference numeral 5 assists the movement function of the solenoid 14 to move the support member 13 at high speed. Further, the optical fiber 16a is replaced with the intermediate optical fiber 17 of the optical connector 17 shown in FIGS.
When switching from a to the optical fiber 17a on the upper side, the solenoid 14 is operated again to move the drive shaft 14b to the main body 1
Further pay out from 4a.

Then, each shaft 13c is attached to the placement member 12
The guide member 12 is guided by the guide hole 12b formed in the holding wall 12a and slides smoothly, and the supporting member 13 further advances. As the support member 13 advances, the fixed plate 13a advances with respect to the arrangement member 12, and the fixed plate 13b retracts. As a result, the base end is fixed to the fixing plate 13b, and each positioning pin 13f inserted into the innermost pin hole 17c of the optical connector 17 in FIG.
Is pulled out from the pin hole 17c.

On the other hand, the intermediate positioning pin 13e whose base end is fixed to the fixing plate 13a and which is inserted so as to span the enlarged diameter portion at the tip between the intermediate pin holes 16d and 17d of the optical connectors 16 and 17 is provided. 11, as shown in FIG. 11, the expanded diameter portion at the tip moves further to move to the pin hole 17d. Further, the base end is fixed to the fixed plate 13a, and the enlarged diameter portion at the tip is pin hole 16
As shown in FIG. 11, the outer positioning pin 13d, which has been inserted through e, is inserted between the outermost pin holes 16e and 17e of the optical connectors 16 and 17 so that the expanded diameter portion at the tip extends.

By inserting the positioning pin 13d into the pin hole 17e, the optical connectors 16 arranged to face each other,
17, the optical fiber 16a of the optical connector 16 moves upward relative to the optical fiber 17a in the middle of the optical connector 17, as shown in FIG. The optical line is switched by being connected to the fiber 17a.

By this switching of the optical line, as shown in FIG. 10, the coil spring 15 arranged on the fixed plate 13a side is compressed, and the coil spring 15 arranged on the fixed plate 13b side extends to a free length. Therefore, since the elastic force from the coil spring 15 arranged on the fixed plate 13a side acts on the supporting member 13 after switching, when switching to another optical line again, the supporting member 13 by the excitation and attraction force of the solenoid 14 is changed. The moving speed of the coil spring 15 is increased and the coil spring 15
The supporting member 13 is moved at high speed by assisting the moving function of.

[0039]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, since the auxiliary driving means for assisting the moving function of the supporting member by the driving means is provided, the switching time can be shortened even though it is the pin type. Provided is an optical switch having the above effect.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an optical switch according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a cross section of an optical connector that can be switched using the optical switch of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a main part of the optical connector of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram.

5 is a plan view showing switching of an optical line using the optical switch of FIG. 4 and showing an optical connector in a section.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of an optical switch according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a cross section of an optical connector which can be switched by using the optical switch of FIG.

8 is a plan view illustrating switching of an optical connector using the optical switch of FIG.

9 is a plan view showing a switching state of the optical connector in the state of FIG. 8 with a cross section of the optical connector.

10 is a plan view showing a state in which the optical switch is further switched from the state shown in FIG.

FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a switching state of the optical connector in the state of FIG. 10 with the optical connector in cross section.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Optical Switch 2 Base 3 Placement Member 4 Supporting Member 4d, 4e Positioning Pin 5 Solenoid 6 Coil Spring 7 Optical Connector 7a Optical Fiber 7c, 7d Pin Hole 8 Optical Connector 8a Optical Fiber 8c, 8d Pin Hole 10 Optical Switch 11 Base 12 Arrangement member 13 Support member 13d-13f Positioning pin 14 Solenoid 15 Coil spring 16 Optical connector 16a Optical fiber 16c-16e Pin hole 17 Optical connector 17a Optical fiber 17c-17e Pin hole

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] June 28, 1994

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] Fig. 4

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a state in which the optical switch of FIG . 1 is switched .

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An arranging member which opposes an optical connector having a plurality of pin holes, which is attached to an end portion of a single or plural optical fibers, and both pin holes which oppose each other of the optical connectors. A support member to which a plurality of positioning pins are sequentially inserted, and a drive unit that moves the support member in the insertion direction of the plurality of pin holes, the support unit is driven by the drive unit, and each of the positioning pins is provided. An optical switch that switches optical lines by sequentially moving the optical connectors arranged opposite to each other by an integer multiple of the arrangement pitch of the optical fibers in a direction orthogonal to the facing direction. An optical switch provided with auxiliary driving means for assisting the moving function of the supporting member by the driving means.