Patent EP0320251A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0320251A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fibre optic switching system
Assignee: Oxley Developments Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1988-12-08
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2008-12-08
Abstract
Abstract A fibre optic switching system comprising a plurality of crossing optical fibres (10,12) which cross at angles less than 90° in oblique arrays. Mechanisms (14) are disposed in the crossing region of the fibres such that the crossing fibres can be brought temporarily into mutual effective engagement by said mechanisms (14) so that light leakage therebetween occurs, this light leakage occuring only for as long as the mechanism (14) holds said effective engagement of the fibres.
Inventors
- 👤 Geoffrey Stephen Edwards
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 18:29
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/26; G02B6/35; G02B6/3502; G02B6/28; G02B6/2804; G02B6/2821; G02B6/3536; G02B6/354; G02B6/3554; G02B6/3556; G02B6/3564; G02B6/3568; G02B6/3574
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
60 words
A fibre optic switching system characterised by at least two crossing optical fibres (10,12) and a means (14) for selectively bringing said optical fibres (10,12) into mutual effective engagement at the location where the fibres cross, such that light leakage between these optical fibres (10,12) occurs for as long as they are held in said effective engagement with one another.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
60 words
A fibre optic switching system characterised by at least two crossing optical fibres (10,12) and a means (14) for selectively bringing said optical fibres (10,12) into mutual effective engagement at the location where the fibres cross, such that light leakage between these optical fibres (10,12) occurs for as long as they are held in said effective engagement with one another.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
A fibre optic switching system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a portion of the outer, lesser refractive index glass of each fibre optic is removed so that such effective mutual engagement is achieved between the inner, higher refractive index glass of each fibre optic when the two are selectively brought together.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A fibre optic switching system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said effective mutual engagement between the fibre optics comprises direct touching abutment therebetween.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
78 words
A fibre optic switching system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said effective mutual engagement between the crossing fibre optics is achieved by arranging for the crossing parts to be brought into close juxtaposition and for those parts to be enclosed in a liquid at least during the time that the engagement is to be effective, wherein some or all of the coupling of the light signal between the crossing fibres takes place via the liquid.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
67 words
A fibre optic switching system as claimed in claim 4, wherein a respective body of thixotropic liquid is applied to each optical fibre such that when the fibres are brought into said mutual engagement, the bodies of thixotropic liquid join to form a larger body of liquid enclosing the touching or juxtaposed areas of the fibres to achieve more efficient transfer of light signals between the fibres.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
A fibre optic switching system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said means (10) for bringing said crossing fibres selectively into mutual effective engagement comprises a push-button adapted to displace one or both of the crossing fibres laterally at the region where they cross.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
A fibre optic switching system as claimed in claim 6, wherein interconnection of the fibres is only achieved for as long as the push-buttom is being depressed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
A fibre optic switching system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the means (10) includes a mechanism for the or each push-button for maintaining a selected interconnection until it is desired to be released.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
A fibre optic switching system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the or each said mechanism comprises a spring-loaded detent mechanism which when first actuated serves to maintain a selected interconnection of two crossing fibres but which releases this interconnection upon being actuated a second time.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
A fibre optic switching system as claimed in any of claims 6 to 9, wherein there is a matrix of crossing optical fibres and a plurality of push-buttons corresponding to respective crossing points of the fibres, whereby operation of a selected push-button or buttons can achieve a desired routing of light signals between the fibres.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
71 words
A fibre optic switching system characterised by a plurality of crossing optical fibres which cross at angles less than 90°, and a plurality of releasable mechanisms (14) which enable the crossing fibres (10,12) to be brought selectively into mutual effective engagement at the locations where the fibres cross so that light leakage between the fibre optics occurs for as long as they are held in said effective engagement with one another.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
71 words
A fibre optic switching system characterised by a plurality of crossing optical fibres which cross at angles less than 90°, and a plurality of releasable mechanisms (14) which enable the crossing fibres (10,12) to be brought selectively into mutual effective engagement at the locations where the fibres cross so that light leakage between the fibre optics occurs for as long as they are held in said effective engagement with one another.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.