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:
Feb. 03, 2004
Filed:
Jun. 12, 2001
Yueh Liang Chung, Tu-Chen, TW;
Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd., Taipei Hsien, TW;
Abstract
An optical switch ( ) includes a shell ( ) forming an input port ( ) and first and second output ports ( ) with an optical switching subassembly enclosed therein between the input port and the output ports. The optical switch subassembly includes two light transmitting blocks ( ) having surfaces spaced from and opposing each other. Two light transmitting liquid sections having a refractive index substantially identical to that of the blocks are movably retained between the surfaces. The liquid sections are spaced from each other forming an air section therebetween. A piezoelectric element ( ) is in physical engagement with the liquid sections. The piezoelectric element can be electrically biased to move the air section and the liquid sections between a first position wherein the air section is located on an optical path from the input port to the second output port, light from the input port being fully reflected by the surfaces of the blocks and being redirected to the first output port and a second position where one of the liquid sections is located on the optical path, allowing light to completely travel along the optical path and thus switching the light from the input port to different output ports.