Optical fiber switch

Claim 2

An optical fiber switch comprising: a block having a first and a second groove, each groove having a bottom therein; an inclined ramp disposed a predetermined distance from the block; an optical fiber having an end face, a first portion of the fiber adjacent to the end face being disposed within a groove in the block, a second portion of the fiber being disposed on the inclined ramp such that the fiber undergoes a bending intermediate the block and the ramp, the bending of the fiber imparting a biasing force thereto, the biasing force acting on the optical fiber in a direction such that the first portion of the fiber is urged toward the bottom of the groove in which it is disposed; a switching member; and means for displacing the switching member in a direction generally transverse to the biasing direction thereby to move the first portion of the fiber out of the one groove in which it is disposed and into the other groove, the biasing force acting upon the first portion of the fiber to urge that portion of the fiber toward the bottom of the other groove.

Claim 3

The optical fiber switch of claim 1 wherein the inclined ramp is disposed a predetermined distance L from the grooved member, the ramp is inclined at a predetermined angle B, and the point whereat the fiber last contacts the inclined ramp lies a predetermined distance H above the bottom of the groove, the first portion of the fiber thereby defining a predetermined positive angle A with respect to the bottom of the groove.

Claim 4

The optical fiber switch of claim 2 wherein the magnitude of the angle A is related to the angle B, the distance H and the distance L in accordance with the relationship: A=B-1.5(B-H/L).

Claim 5

The optical fiber switch of claim 1 wherein each groove has an axis therethrough, the grooves being disposed in side-by-side relationship with the axes thereof being substantially parallel.

Claim 6

The optical fiber switch of claim 4 wherein the fiber has a predetermined diameter, and wherein the axes of the grooves are spaced by a distance at least equal to the diameter of the fiber.

Claim 7

The optical fiber switch of claim 1 wherein the fiber has a predetermined diameter, and wherein the grooves have a depth dimension equal to at least one-half the diameter of the fiber.

Claim 8

The optical fiber switch of claim 1 further comprising a fixed optical fiber disposed in one of the grooves.

Claim 9

The optical fiber switch of claim 1 further comprising a second fixed optical fiber disposed in the other of the grooves.

Claim 10

An optical fiber switch comprising: a block having a first, a second groove and a third groove, each groove having a bottom therein; a first and a second output optical fiber, each output fiber having a face thereon and an axis therethrough, each output optical fiber being disposed in one of the grooves; an inclined ramp disposed a predetermined distance from the block; a first and a second input optical fiber, each input optical fiber having an end face, a first portion adjacent to the end face being disposed within a groove in the block and a second portion of the fiber being disposed on the inclined ramp such that each fiber undergoes a bending intermediate the block and the ramp, the bending of each fiber imparting a biasing force thereto, the biasing force acting on each input optical fiber in a direction such that the first portion of each input optical fiber is urged toward the bottom of the groove in which it is disposed; a switching member; and means for displacing the switching member in a direction generally transverse to the biasing direction thereby to move the first portion of the first input optical fiber out of the one groove in which it is disposed and into abutting contact with the second input optical fiber, thereby to move the first portion of the second input optical fiber out of the groove in which it is disposed, the biasing force acting upon the first portion of each input optical fiber to urge that portion of each input optical fiber toward the bottom of another groove.

Claim 11

An optical fiber switch comprising: a block having a first, a second groove and a third groove, each groove having a bottom therein; a first and a second output optical fiber, each output fiber having a face thereon and an axis therethrough, each output optical fiber being disposed in one of the grooves; an inclined ramp disposed a predetermined distance from the block; a first and a second input optical fiber, each input optical fiber having an end face, a first portion adjacent to the end face being disposed within a groove in the block and a second portion of the fiber being disposed on the inclined ramp such that each fiber undergoes a bending intermediate the block and the ramp, the bending of each fiber imparting a biasing force thereto, the biasing force acting on each input optical fiber in a direction such that the first portion of each input optical fiber is urged toward the bottom of the groove in which it is disposed; a switching member; and means for displacing the switching member in a direction generally transverse to the biasing direction thereby to move the first portion of the first input optical fiber out of the one groove in which it is disposed and into abutting contact with the second input optical fiber, thereby to move the first portion of the second input optical fiber out of the groove in which it is disposed, the biasing force acting upon the first portion of each input optical fiber to urge that portion of each input optical fiber toward the bottom of another groove.

Claim 12

The optical fiber switch of claim 9 wherein the inclined ramp is disposed a predetermined distance L from the grooved member, the ramp is inclined at a predetermined angle B, and the point whereat each fiber last contacts the inclined ramp lies a predetermined distance H above the bottom of the grooves, the first portion of each fiber thereby defining a predetermined positive angle A with respect to the bottom of the groove.

Claim 13

The optical fiber switch of claim 10 wherein the magnitude of the angle A is related to the angle B, the distance H and the distance L in accordance with the relationship: A=B-1.5(B-H/L).

Claim 14

The optical fiber switch of claim 9 wherein each groove has an axis therethrough, the grooves being disposed in side-by-side relationship with the axes thereof being substantially parallel.

Claim 15

The optical fiber switch of claim 12 wherein the fiber has a predetermined diameter, and wherein the axes of the grooves are spaced by a distance at least equal to the diameter of the fiber.

Claim 16

The optical fiber switch of claim 9 wherein the fiber has a predetermined diameter, and wherein the grooves have a depth dimension equal to at least one-half the diameter of the fiber.

Claim 17

An optical fiber switch comprising: a block having a first, a second groove, a third groove and a fourth groove, each groove having a bottom therein; a crossover fiber having a first end and a second end thereon, the first end of the crossover fiber being disposed in the one of the grooves, a first and a second output optical fiber, each output fiber having a face thereon and an axis therethrough, each output optical fiber being disposed in adjacent ones of the grooves; an inclined ramp disposed a predetermined distance from the block; a first and a second input optical fiber, each input optical fiber having an end face, a first portion adjacent to the end face being disposed within a groove in the block and a second portion of the fiber being disposed on the inclined ramp such that each fiber undergoes a bending intermediate the block and the ramp, the bending of each fiber imparting a biasing force thereto, the second end of the crossover fiber being disposed in a groove in the block different from the groove in which the first end of the crossover fiber is disposed, a portion of the crossover fiber also being disposed on the inclined ramp such that each fiber undergoes a bending intermediate the block and the ramp, the bending of each fiber imparting a biasing force thereto, the biasing force acting on each input optical fiber and on the second end of the crossover fiber in a direction such that the first portion of each input optical fiber and the second end of the crossover fiber is urged toward the bottom of the groove in which it is disposed; a switching member; and means for displacing the switching member in a direction generally transverse to the biasing direction thereby moving the second end of the crossover fiber out of the one groove in which it is disposed and into abutting contact with the first input optical fiber and moving the first portion of the first input optical fiber out of the one groove in which it is disposed and into abutting contact with the second input optical fiber thereby to move the first portion of the second input optical fiber out of the groove in which it is disposed, the biasing force acting upon the second end of the crossover fiber and on the first portion of each input optical fiber to urge that portion of each input optical fiber and the second end of the crossover fiber toward the bottom of another groove.

Claim 18

An optical fiber switch comprising: a block having a first, a second groove, a third groove and a fourth groove, each groove having a bottom therein; a crossover fiber having a first end and a second end thereon, the first end of the crossover fiber being disposed in the one of the grooves, a first and a second output optical fiber, each output fiber having a face thereon and an axis therethrough, each output optical fiber being disposed in adjacent ones of the grooves; an inclined ramp disposed a predetermined distance from the block; a first and a second input optical fiber, each input optical fiber having an end face, a first portion adjacent to the end face being disposed within a groove in the block and a second portion of the fiber being disposed on the inclined ramp such that each fiber undergoes a bending intermediate the block and the ramp, the bending of each fiber imparting a biasing force thereto, the second end of the crossover fiber being disposed in a groove in the block different from the groove in which the first end of the crossover fiber is disposed, a portion of the crossover fiber also being disposed on the inclined ramp such that each fiber undergoes a bending intermediate the block and the ramp, the bending of each fiber imparting a biasing force thereto, the biasing force acting on each input optical fiber and on the second end of the crossover fiber in a direction such that the first portion of each input optical fiber and the second end of the crossover fiber is urged toward the bottom of the groove in which it is disposed; a switching member; and means for displacing the switching member in a direction generally transverse to the biasing direction thereby moving the second end of the crossover fiber out of the one groove in which it is disposed and into abutting contact with the first input optical fiber and moving the first portion of the first input optical fiber out of the one groove in which it is disposed and into abutting contact with the second input optical fiber thereby to move the first portion of the second input optical fiber out of the groove in which it is disposed, the biasing force acting upon the second end of the crossover fiber and on the first portion of each input optical fiber to urge that portion of each input optical fiber and the second end of the crossover fiber toward the bottom of another groove.

Claim 19

The optical fiber switch of claim 15 wherein the inclined ramp is disposed a predetermined distance L from the grooved member, the ramp is inclined at a predetermined angle B, and the point whereat each fiber last contacts the inclined ramp lies a predetermined distance H above the bottom of the grooves, the first portion of each fiber thereby defining a predetermined positive angle A with respect to the bottom of the groove.

Claim 20

The optical fiber switch of claim 16 wherein the magnitude of the angle A is related to the angle B, the distance H and the distance L in accordance with the relationship: A=B-1.5(B-H/L).

Claim 21

The optical fiber switch of claim 15 wherein each groove has an axis therethrough, the grooves being disposed in side-by-side relationship with the axes thereof being substantially parallel.

Claim 22

The optical fiber switch of claim 18 wherein the fiber has a predetermined diameter, and wherein the axes of the grooves are spaced by a distance at least equal to the diameter of the fiber.

Claim 23

The optical fiber switch of claim 15 wherein the fiber has a predetermined diameter, and wherein the grooves have a depth dimension equal to at least one-half the diameter of the fiber.