The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 10, 1995
Filed:
Apr. 07, 1993
Keisaku Nonomura, Nara, JP;
Mitsuhiro Shigeta, Kyoto, JP;
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
An optical switch element for selectively transmitting or shielding light from a first optical wave guide to a second optical wave guide is disclosed. The optical switch element includes a first optical switch portion and a second optical switch portion. The first optical switch portion includes: a part of said first optical wave guide; a first liquid crystal layer optically connected to said part of said first optical wave guide; a first part of said second optical wave guide optically connected to said first liquid crystal layer; and first voltage applying means for applying voltage to said first liquid crystal layer to change a refractive index of said first liquid crystal layer. The second optical switch portion includes: a second part of said second optical wave guide; a second liquid crystal layer optically connected to said second part of said second optical wave guide; and second voltage applying means for applying voltage to said second liquid crystal layer to change a refractive index of said second liquid crystal layer. In a case where light is transmitted from said first optical wave guide to said second optical wave guide, said first optical switch portion is in a transmitting state, and said second optical switch portion is in a shielding state, and in another case where light is shielded from said first optical wave guide to said second optical wave guide, said first optical switch portion is in a shielding state, and said second optical switch portion is in a transmitting state.