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:
May. 13, 1997
Filed:
Aug. 29, 1995
John O Smiley, Ottawa, CA;
JDS Fitel Inc., Ottawa, CA;
Abstract
An optical switch has a stepping motor with a fiber faceplate on which are mounted end portions of output optical fibers terminating in GRIN lenses. The end portions are arranged along a pitch circle. The faceplate is spaced from the stepping motor and the diameter of the pitch circle is smaller than the diameter of the stepping motor, the output fibers diverging from the faceplate towards the motor and beyond in a space-saving arrangement. The stepping motor drives a movable arm with attached end portion of an input optical fiber, also with a GRIN lens, into one of a plurality switching positions. The connection between the fibers and the lenses and also the relative axial arrangement of the paired lenses in the switching positions is offset to reduce or minimize the reflection of light transmitted from the input fiber to the output fiber, back to the input fiber.