JPH02275407A - Optical changeover switch - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the efficiency and to reduce the cost and to eliminate the complexity of a cable by selecting connection optical terminals for incidence which are connected to many object equipments optionally, and connecting them to connection optical terminals for projection, and facilitate switching to other terminals. CONSTITUTION:A driving source 12 packaged on a base 11 and an arranging means consists of terminal wall surfaces provided successively in series with the driving source 12 are provided. Further, this switch is provided with a polarizing optical element 15 connected to the rotary shaft 13 of the driving source provided so that the luminous flux from the terminal arraying means is made incident and projected, the connection optical terminals 20 for incidence which are arranged on the wall surfaces of the terminal arranging means centering on the polarizing optical element 15, and the connection optical terminals 21 for projection which are arranged on the wall surfaces where the luminous flux from the polarizing optical element 15 is made incident. Consequently, many connection optical terminals for incidence can be arranged with the simple constitution and the efficient optical changeover switch which is reduced in cost can be obtained.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to an optically switching switch.

In detail, the luminous flux from - output connection terminals is
The present invention relates to an optical changeover switch that selectively connects to an input end provided in a device.

(Prior Art) The structure and operation of an optical changeover switch connected to a cable using an optical fiber mechanism, which is conventionally used for quality inspection of audio equipment, etc., will be explained with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.

Figure 5 shows v from the side of a conventional optical changeover switch.
1 is a cross-sectional view showing the main points. FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the operating state in FIG. 5.

As shown in the figure, in one side wall surface 8 of the rectangular parallelepiped-shaped box 1 in the longitudinal direction, holes bored in a row at a predetermined interval are filled with light guides such as optical fibers. Umbrella-shaped incident connection optical terminals 2 and 3 are provided.

Although not shown, a cable made of optical fiber can be connected to the outer periphery of the box 1 in which the incident connection optical terminals 2 and 3 are disposed.

Further, on the other (facing) side wall surface 9 of the box 1, an output connection optical terminal 5 having the same shape as the input connection optical terminals 2 and 3 is provided. That is, a hole is bored in the side wall surface 9 of the side wall surface 8 of the box l corresponding to the above-mentioned incident connection optical terminal 3,
An output connecting optical terminal 4 filled with optical fibers is inserted and attached.

A polarizing (reflecting) prism 6 is disposed at approximately the center of the box 1, and its end (not shown) is attached to a solenoid and is configured to be slidable in the direction of the arrow when operated by the solenoid. That is, this reflective prism 6 is configured as a sliding mark by grooves and dovetails extending in the longitudinal direction of the side wall of the box l, and the side wall surface of the reflective prism 6 is attached to the dovetail surface, and the sliding direction of the dovetail is A solenoid is provided at each end of the left and right sides, and the reflection prism 6 is connected to the connection optical terminals 2 and 3 for incidence.
It is configured to slide between.

With the above configuration, the light beam incident from the input connecting optical terminal 2 shown in FIG. The polarized light is again reflected by 90° on a reflective surface 7, which is an inclined surface provided in correspondence with the reflective surface 6, and is emitted from the side surface of the reflective prism 5, and is configured to travel straight and enter the connecting optical terminal 4 for emitting. ing.

When the polarizing prism 5 described above is moved to the left by the operation of the solenoid, the incident light beam from the input connecting optical terminal 3 travels straight and directly enters the output connecting optical terminal 4, as shown in FIG. That is, by moving (evacuating) the polarizing prism 6 to the left by the operation of the solenoid, the input connecting optical terminal 3 and the output connecting optical terminal 4 are connected in series.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) According to the conventional optical changeover switch with the above configuration, 87 m
This configuration has a small number of input connection optical terminals connected to the device at two locations, and if this is to be connected to a large number of devices and efficiency is to be increased, a large number of the same switching devices must be provided and connected to each of them.

Therefore, providing many connection devices with only two terminals causes problems such as complicated connections and the need for time and effort.

This invention was created in view of the above problems. That is, it is an object of the present invention to provide an optical changeover switch that allows a large number of incident connection optical terminals to be provided with a simple configuration, and that is efficient and reduces costs.

(Means for Solving the Problems) This invention provides a drive source mounted on a base, an arrangement means consisting of a terminal wall surface connected in series with the drive source, and a terminal arrangement means. a polarizing optical element connected to the rotation axis of the drive source provided to input and output a luminous flux; and a plurality of input connecting optics arranged on the wall surface of the terminal arrangement means with this polarizing optical element as the center. The optical switch includes a terminal and an output connection optical terminal disposed on the wall surface at a position where the light beam from the polarizing optical element is incident.

(Example) Embodiments of the invention will be described based on the drawings.

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a side view showing an outline of an optical changeover switch embodying the present invention, and a plan view showing a part of the switch in cross section.
FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing the arrangement from the left side of FIG. 1, with a portion thereof partially removed.

A drive source (motor) 12 is mounted on the base 11. A rotary shaft 13 is configured to protrude from the center of the drive 112. A mounting member 19 for mounting the polarizing optical element 15 is attached to the tip of the rotating shaft 13. At the tip of this mounting member 19, the polarizing optical element section, ie, a total reflection prism (triangular prism) 15, is mounted.

A circular bottomed cylinder 14 having an opening on the drive source 12 side with the optical element (total reflection prism) +5 as the center is fixed to the base 11 at the outer circumferential end on the opening side.

As shown in FIG. 2, holes are bored on the outer periphery of the cylinder 14 at equal intervals and on the axis of the polarization optical element 15, and the inner diameter of the cylinder is filled with optical fibers 22. A connecting optical terminal 20 is inserted and mounted. The input connection optical terminals 20 each have a base end connected to a light guide cable 24 made of optical fiber, and are configured to connect the base end to a predetermined device to transmit information. A hole is formed in the center of the end surface 18 of the cylinder 14, and a cylindrical output connecting optical terminal 21 is inserted therein.

The inner diameter of the connection optical terminal for output 21 is filled with optical fibers 23 in the same way as the connection optical terminal for input 20, and a light guide cable 25 made of optical fiber is connected to the tip thereof, and the connection optical terminal for input is connected to the optical fiber 23 at the tip thereof. The light flux (signal) incident from the terminal 20 is incident through the reflecting prism 15, and the light flux (signal) is
is configured to send.

Next, the operation of the optical changeover switch of the first embodiment having the above configuration will be explained.

First, when the drive source 12 is rotated to the position (arrow) of the input connection optical terminal 20 connected to the selected device in order to obtain the signal of the desired device, the information (signal) of the device is transmitted from the light guide cable 24. The light beam enters the total reflection prism 15 through the input connection optical terminal 20, and the luminous flux is 90' at the reflection surface I6.
The light is polarized in the distal direction, travels straight, and enters the output connecting optical terminal 21 disposed at the center of the end surface 18 . The incident light flux (signal) is transmitted through the light guide cable 25 and displayed or processed by a predetermined device.

(Effects) According to the embodiment of the present invention having the above configuration, the - number of connecting optical terminals for outputting 2I are arranged in the center and surrounding the connecting optical terminals for inputting 20 connected to a large number of devices, so that axis 1
By rotating the polarizing optical element 15 provided in 3 to correspond to the above-mentioned necessary output connecting optical terminal 21, a large number of signals can be arbitrarily and quickly selected, resulting in low cost and elimination of complexity. play.

(Second Embodiment) A second embodiment of the optical changeover switch of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing an outline of a second embodiment of the present invention, and a partially cutaway plan view, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a plan view schematically showing a view from the left side of FIG. 3, with a portion thereof partially removed.

In the drawings, the same members having the same configuration as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and their explanations will be omitted.

A cylindrical attachment member 19 is attached to the tip of the rotating shaft 13 of the drive source 12 disposed at the end of the base 11 .

A polarizing prism (optical element) 15 that reflects and polarizes the light beam is attached to the tip of the mounting member 19. This optical element 15 is formed so as to form two total reflection surfaces that polarize the incident light beam by 90° total reflection and output the light to the outside.

Further, a circular terminal mounting plate 26 is mounted on one side of its peripheral surface at the other end of the base 11 on a surface opposite to the incident/exit surface of the optical element 15.

Holes are formed at equal intervals near the outer periphery of the terminal mounting plate 26, and cylindrical light beam output terminals 20 are inserted and mounted therein.

A light guide body 22 made of optical fiber is filled into the inner diameter of the light beam output terminal 20 and configured to rotate relative to each other so that the light guide body 22 enters the reflective surface of one of the incident end surfaces of the optical element 15 .

Further, on the outside of the terminal mounting plate 26 of the optical output terminal 20, a cable 24 coated with the light guide 22 is provided, and although not shown, its base end is connected to each device.

A hole is formed in the center of the terminal mounting plate 26, and an output connection optical terminal 21 having the same shape as the light flux input terminal 20 is inserted into the hole. That is, the optical element 15 is configured at a relative position such that the reflected light beam from the output reflection surface provided at the other end (center position of the rotating shaft 13) is incident. The inner diameter of the output connection optical terminal 21 is filled with a light guide 23 made of optical fiber, and the base end thereof is connected to equipment etc. by a cable 25 coated with synthetic resin or the like.

The effect of the above configuration will be explained next.

First, in order to obtain a signal from an arbitrarily selected device, the driving source 12 stops the incident surface of the optical element 15 at the position of the incident connection optical terminal 20 connected to the device, and the information (signal) of the device is detected. passes through the input connection optical terminal 20 from the light guide cable 24, enters the straight optical element 15, is refracted by 90 degrees at a total reflection surface, travels straight, is refracted by 90 degrees at a correspondingly formed total reflection surface, and travels straight. and enters the connection optical terminal 21 for output. The incident light flux (signal) is transmitted through the light guide cable 25 and displayed or processed by a predetermined device.

(Effects) According to the present invention having the above configuration, it is possible to arbitrarily select the input connection optical terminal connected to each of a large number of target devices, connect it to the output connection optical terminal, and easily switch it to another terminal. Therefore, it has many effects such as improving efficiency and reducing costs, as well as eliminating the complexity of cables.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating a side view of a first embodiment of the present invention, with a portion thereof partially cut away. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the left side of FIG. 1, with a portion thereof partially removed. FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating a side view of a second embodiment of the present invention, with a portion thereof partially cut away. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the left side of FIG. 3, with a portion thereof partially removed. FIG. 5 is a sectional view from the side of a conventional optical changeover switch. FIG. 6 shows the effect of FIG. 5 (a sectional view from the 111th plane. 1... Box body 2. 3... Connection optical terminal for input 4... Optical fiber 5... Connection for output Optical terminal 6... Reflection prism 7... Total reflection surface l...
Base 2... Drive source (motor) 3... Rotation axis 14... Cylindrical body 5... Optical element 0... Connecting optical terminal for input l... Connecting optical terminal for output 5...・Light guiding cable 6...Terminal mounting plate Fig. 2

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A drive source mounted on a base, a terminal arrangement means consisting of a wall surface connected in series with the drive source, and the drive source arranged to input and output a luminous flux from the terminal arrangement means. A polarizing optical element connected to the rotation axis, a plurality of incident connection optical terminals arranged around the polarizing optical element on the wall surface of the terminal arrangement means, and a light beam from the polarizing optical element on the wall surface. An optical changeover switch characterized by comprising an output connection optical terminal disposed at a position where the light is incident. (2) The polarizing optical element is disposed at the tip of the rotating shaft, and is disposed at a position where each of the incident light beams of a plurality of incident connection optical terminals can be incident thereon. The optical changeover switch described in item 1. (3) The optical changeover switch according to claim 1, wherein the input connection optical terminals are arranged evenly on the wall surface of the terminal arrangement means.