High-speed optical switch assembly

By designing the support components and rotating ring, and combining them with the movement and fine-tuning mechanism, the problems of optical path offset and wear during the switching process of mechanical optical switches are solved, achieving efficient and stable optical signal transmission and extending the life of optical fibers.

CN121806201APending Publication Date: 2026-04-07惠州市金砖通讯有限公司
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2026-01-16
Publication Date
2026-04-07

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing mechanical high-speed optical switches suffer from optical path deviation due to collimator jitter during channel switching, affecting switching speed and stability. Furthermore, long-term use leads to increased wear and tear, resulting in decreased channel isolation and increased crosstalk.

Method used

The first optical fiber and collimator are supported by a support component. The axial movement and rotation of the collimator are realized by combining a rotating ring and a moving mechanism. The alignment accuracy of the collimator is ensured by a fine-tuning mechanism and a locking component. The wear of the adjustment component is evenly distributed to avoid the influence of off-center load.

Benefits of technology

It improves the efficiency and accuracy of optical path alignment, reduces optical signal crosstalk, extends the service life of optical fibers and optical switch components, and ensures stable optical signal transmission.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of switches, in particular to a high-speed optical switch assembly which comprises a mounting base, a rotating ring, a first optical fiber, a second optical fiber, a moving mechanism and a rotating mechanism. According to the optical switch, the first optical fiber and the first collimator are supported through the supporting assembly, the rotating ring is matched to drive the second optical fibers to rotate for alignment, the moving mechanism drives the first collimator to axially move to control connection and disconnection of the switch, the problem of optical path deviation caused by shaking in the optical path switching process of a mechanical optical switch is solved, and the optical path switching efficiency is improved. And the alignment efficiency and the alignment precision are improved. When parts are worn, the alignment precision of the first collimator and the second collimator is ensured through the fine adjustment mechanism, the bending degree of the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber is reduced, and the service life is prolonged. Besides, when the high-speed optical switch assembly is in a connection state, the sleeve and the swivel, even if the equipment vibrates, the first collimating mirror and the second collimating mirror are continuously kept in an alignment state, and signal transmission is not affected.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of switch technology, and more specifically to a high-speed optical switch assembly. Background Technology

[0002] An optical switch is a device used to control the on / off state of an optical path or change the transmission path of an optical signal. In fields such as fiber optic communication, optical sensing, and quantum communication, optical switches are core components, primarily used to achieve rapid switching, gating, or reconfiguration of optical paths. Their switching speed, alignment accuracy, and stability directly affect the transmission efficiency and reliability of optical communication systems. Existing optical switches mainly include mechanical, electro-optic, and magneto-optic types. Among these, mechanical optical switches have become the mainstream choice for multi-path switching scenarios due to their advantages such as low insertion loss, polarization independence, and controllable cost.

[0003] Existing mechanical high-speed optical switches include M input terminals and N output terminals. In types with multiple input terminals and multiple output terminals, a mirror is typically rotated or moved to create a path between the corresponding input and output terminals, as illustrated by the M×N mechanical optical switch disclosed in CN109375367B. In types with only one input terminal and multiple output terminals, the input terminal is typically driven to rotate or move, adjusting its collimator to be coaxial with the collimator connected to the corresponding output terminal. At this point, optical coupling is formed, the switch is in a connected state, and directional signal transmission is achieved. However, the input terminal in this type is usually cantilevered. Cantilevered input terminals are prone to bounce jitter during position adjustments, which not only affects the lifespan of the optical fiber but also the parameters of the optical switch assembly. Bounce jitter can easily lead to optical path misalignment, affecting the switching speed of the optical switch, the stability of the optical signal, and even leaking a small amount of optical signal into adjacent channels, resulting in decreased channel isolation and increased crosstalk. Furthermore, the input terminal is prone to wear during high-frequency rotation and adjustment, further exacerbating the jitter and misalignment problems and shortening its lifespan. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention proposes a high-speed optical switch assembly. This device solves the problems of unnecessary jitter in the collimator during channel switching, which causes optical path offset, and the problems of wear and tear after long-term use exacerbating jitter and offset.

[0005] The high-speed optical switch assembly of the present invention adopts the following technical solution, including a housing and a switching unit; the switching unit includes: The mounting base is fixedly connected to the housing, and the mounting base is fixedly connected to the support components; The rotating ring is mounted on the mounting base and rotates around a horizontal first direction. A first optical fiber extends along a first direction and passes through a support assembly, with a first collimator connected to one end of the first optical fiber facing the swivel; the first collimator is axially movable and mounted on the support assembly. Multiple second optical fibers are provided, and the multiple second optical fibers are distributed at intervals along the circumference of the swivel ring; the second optical fibers extend along the first direction, and the end of the second optical fiber close to the first optical fiber extends into the swivel ring and is connected to a second collimator. The moving mechanism is used to drive the first collimator to move axially closer to or away from the rotating ring; A rotating mechanism is used to drive a rotor to rotate around its own axis.

[0006] Optionally, the moving mechanism includes an electromagnetic coil, a magnet, and a moving spring; the electromagnetic coil is fixedly connected to the mounting base; a connecting sleeve is provided on the outer sheath of the first optical fiber; the magnet is fixedly connected to the connecting sleeve and located on one side of the electromagnetic coil; a sleeve is coaxially connected to the outer side of the first collimator; the moving spring extends along a first direction and is sleeved on the outside of the connecting sleeve, with its two ends connected to the support assembly and the sleeve, respectively; when the electromagnetic coil is energized, it causes the magnet to move along the first direction, and the moving spring is in a stored state.

[0007] Optionally, the rotating mechanism includes a rotating shaft and a rotating drive; the rotating shaft is rotatably mounted on the mounting base; the rotating shaft is coaxially disposed within the rotating ring; the rotating drive is used to drive the rotating ring to rotate within a preset angle range via the rotating shaft.

[0008] Optionally, the switching unit further includes a fine-tuning mechanism; the fine-tuning mechanism is used to adjust the coaxiality of the first collimator and the second collimator when the moving mechanism drives the first collimator to approach the rotating ring.

[0009] Optionally, the support assembly includes a support block and a support ring, both of which are fixedly connected to the mounting base. The support block is located between the electromagnetic coil and the rotating ring, and the support ring is located between the support block and the rotating ring. The fine-tuning mechanism includes a centering hole and a ball joint block; multiple centering holes are provided, with the centering holes located at the end of the rotating ring facing the first optical fiber, extending along a first direction, and the multiple centering holes respectively facing multiple second collimators; the centering holes are tapered, with the larger end facing the first optical fiber; the end of the sleeve facing the rotating ring is tapered, with the smaller end pointing towards the rotating ring; the taper of the sleeve's tapered surface is the same as the taper of the centering hole; the ball joint block is ball-jointed to the support block; the first optical fiber passes through the electromagnetic coil, the ball joint block, and the support ring in sequence.

[0010] Optionally, the rotating shaft is rotatably connected to the rotating ring; the fine-tuning mechanism also includes a locking component; the locking component has a locked state and an unlocked state. When the locking component is in the locked state, the rotating drive unit drives the rotating ring to rotate synchronously through the rotating shaft. When the locking component is in the unlocked state, the rotating ring can rotate relative to the rotating shaft.

[0011] Optionally, the rotating ring is axially movable and connected to the rotating shaft; the locking assembly includes a locking spring, a first friction plate, and a second friction plate; both the first and second friction plates are vertically arranged, the first friction plate is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft, and the second friction plate is fixedly connected to the rotating ring; the locking spring extends along a first direction, with its two ends abutting against the rotating ring and the rotating shaft respectively, and the locking spring causes the second friction plate to tend to abut against the first friction plate; in the initial state, the first friction plate and the second friction plate are in frictional transmission, and the locking assembly is in the locked state at this time. When the rotating ring moves a preset distance axially relative to the rotating shaft, the first friction plate and the second friction plate disengage from the abutting state, and the locking assembly is in the unlocked state at this time; when the sleeve abuts against the rotating ring, the sleeve disengages from the support ring, and the elastic force of the moving spring is greater than the elastic force of the locking spring.

[0012] Optionally, an adjustment component is provided between the support ring and the sleeve, which is used to rotate the sleeve relative to the support ring by a preset angle.

[0013] Optionally, the adjustment component includes guide grooves and snap fasteners; multiple guide grooves are provided, which are evenly opened on the outer wall of the sleeve along the circumference of the sleeve and connected end to end to form a continuous guide path; the guide grooves include a first straight groove, a second straight groove, a first inclined groove, and a second inclined groove; the first straight groove and the second straight groove both extend along the axial direction of the sleeve and are respectively opened at both ends of the sleeve along the axial direction, and are staggered along the circumference of the sleeve; the first straight groove is opened at the end of the sleeve away from the rotating ring; the second straight groove is opened at the end of the sleeve close to the rotating ring; the first inclined groove and the second inclined groove are both inclined, and the two ends of the first inclined groove are respectively connected to the middle of the first straight groove and the end of the second straight groove away from the rotating ring; the two ends of the second inclined groove are respectively connected to the end of the first straight groove close to the rotating ring and the end of the second straight groove close to the rotating ring; the snap fastener is detachably connected to the support ring and extends radially along the support ring, and the inner end of the snap fastener is engaged in the guide groove.

[0014] Optionally, the housing is provided with multiple switching units, which are spaced apart along a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction and both are horizontal.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention supports the first optical fiber and the first collimator through a support assembly. A rotating ring drives multiple second optical fibers to rotate for alignment. A moving mechanism drives the axial movement of the first collimator to control the connection and disconnection of the switch. During the axial movement of the first collimator, unnecessary jitter is avoided, solving the problem of optical path misalignment caused by jitter during optical path switching in existing mechanical optical switches, thereby improving alignment efficiency and accuracy. When switching paths, the rotating ring is first adjusted. During this adjustment, there is a distance between the first and second collimators, and no optical coupling is formed, resulting in an open optical path. After the rotating ring is properly adjusted, the first collimator moves closer to the second collimator under the movement mechanism, preventing optical signal leakage to adjacent channels and solving the crosstalk problem present in existing technologies.

[0016] Furthermore, by providing a tapered surface at the end of the sleeve, and matching the centering hole with the same taper, the alignment accuracy of the first and second collimators is guaranteed even after high-frequency use and wear of the components of the high-speed optical switch assembly. When the first and second collimators are docked, the angle of the swivel and ball joint can be adjusted using the restoring force of the first optical fiber, reducing the bending degree of the first and second optical fibers and extending their service life. Moreover, when the high-speed optical switch assembly is in the connected state, the sleeve and swivel abut against each other under the action of the moving spring and locking spring. When the equipment vibrates, the sleeve and swivel only move in the first direction, keeping the first and second collimating lenses aligned and not affecting the transmission of optical signals.

[0017] Furthermore, by setting an adjustment component, the sleeve rotates relative to the support ring by a preset angle during each switching on and off process, thereby changing the contact relationship between the sleeve, the support ring, and the centering hole. This makes the circumferential wear of the sleeve more uniform and avoids excessive wear concentration due to long-term off-center loading, which would affect the alignment accuracy. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a high-speed optical switch assembly according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the switching unit in a high-speed optical switching assembly of the present invention; Figure 3This is a front view of a switching unit in a high-speed optical switching assembly according to the present invention; Figure 4 In the initial state Figure 3 Sectional view of section AA; Figure 5 During the process of closing the optical path Figure 3 Sectional view of section AA; Figure 6 In the optical path closed state Figure 3 Sectional view of section AA; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the sleeve and the first optical fiber in a high-speed optical switch assembly of the present invention; Figure 8 for Figure 4 Enlarged view of a section at point X; Figure 9 for Figure 6 Enlarged view of a portion of point Y in the middle.

[0020] In the picture: 100. Shell; 200. Switching unit; 300. Mounting base; 310. Support block; 320. Support ring; 321. Clip; 400, Rotary ring; 500, First optical fiber; 510, First collimator; 520, Connecting sleeve; 530, Sleeve; 531, Guide groove; 532, First straight groove; 533, Second straight groove; 534, First inclined groove; 535, Second inclined groove; 600. Second optical fiber; 610. Second collimator; 700. Moving mechanism; 710. Electromagnetic coil; 720. Magnet; 730. Moving spring; 800. Rotating mechanism; 810. Rotating shaft; 900, Fine-tuning mechanism; 910, Centering hole; 920, Ball joint block; 930, Locking spring; 940, First friction plate; 950, Second friction plate. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0022] like Figures 1 to 9As shown, the high-speed optical switch assembly provided by the present invention includes a housing 100 and a switch unit 200; the switch unit 200 includes a mounting base 300, a rotating ring 400, a first optical fiber 500, a second optical fiber 600, a moving mechanism 700 and a rotating mechanism 800. The mounting base 300 is fixedly connected to the housing 100, and a support component is fixedly connected to the mounting base 300; The rotating ring 400 is mounted on the mounting base 300 and rotates around a horizontal first direction. The first optical fiber 500 extends along the first direction and passes through the support assembly. The end of the first optical fiber 500 facing the swivel 400 is connected to the first collimator 510. The first collimator 510 is axially movable and mounted on the support assembly. Multiple second optical fibers 600 are provided, and the multiple second optical fibers 600 are distributed at intervals along the circumference of the swivel ring 400; the second optical fibers 600 extend along the first direction, and the end of the second optical fiber 600 close to the first optical fiber 500 extends into the swivel ring 400 and is connected to the second collimator 610. The moving mechanism 700 is used to drive the first collimator 510 to move axially closer to or away from the rotating ring 400; The rotating mechanism 800 is used to drive the rotating ring 400 to rotate around its own axis.

[0023] In the initial state, the switching unit 200 in the high-speed optical switch assembly is in Figure 4 As shown in the diagram, the switch is off. When signal transmission is required, the rotating mechanism 800 drives the rotating ring 400 to rotate around its own axis, causing the second optical fiber 600 to be connected to rotate until it is coaxial with the first optical fiber 500. Then, the moving mechanism 700 is activated, which drives the first collimator 510 to move axially closer to the rotating ring 400. The state during the movement is as follows: Figure 5 As shown; when the first collimator 510 moves a preset distance, the optical path is connected, and the state at this time is as follows. Figure 6 As shown, the first collimator 510 and the second collimator 610 form an optical coupling, and the switch is in the connected state, enabling signal transmission. When it is necessary to disconnect the switch, the moving mechanism 700 drives the first collimator 510 to move axially away from the rotating ring 400, restoring it to its initial position.

[0024] This invention supports the first optical fiber 500 and the first collimator 510 through a support assembly. A rotating ring 400 drives multiple second optical fibers 600 to rotate for alignment. A moving mechanism 700 drives the axial movement of the first collimator 510 to control the connection and disconnection of the switch. During axial movement, the first collimator 510 does not generate unnecessary jitter, solving the problem of optical path misalignment caused by jitter during switching in existing mechanical optical switches, thereby improving alignment efficiency and accuracy. When switching paths, the rotating ring 400 is first adjusted. During this adjustment, there is a distance between the first collimator 510 and the second collimators 610, and the optical path is disconnected. After the rotating ring 400 is properly positioned, the first collimator 510 moves closer to the second collimator 610 under the movement mechanism 700. The optical signal does not leak into adjacent channels, solving the crosstalk problem present in existing technologies.

[0025] In a further embodiment, the moving mechanism 700 includes an electromagnetic coil 710, a magnet 720, and a moving spring 730; the electromagnetic coil 710 is fixedly connected to the mounting base 300; a connecting sleeve 520 is provided over the first optical fiber 500; the magnet 720 is fixedly connected to the connecting sleeve 520 and is located on one side of the electromagnetic coil 710; a sleeve 530 is coaxially connected to the outside of the first collimator 510; the moving spring 730 extends along a first direction and is sleeved on the outside of the connecting sleeve 520, with both ends of the moving spring 730 connected to the support assembly and the sleeve 530 respectively; when the electromagnetic coil 710 is energized, it causes the magnet 720 to move along the first direction, and the moving spring 730 is in a stored state.

[0026] In one embodiment, reference Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 When the electromagnetic coil 710 is energized, the magnetic pole of the end facing the magnet 720 is opposite to the magnetic pole of the end facing the electromagnetic coil 710, and the electromagnetic coil 710 attracts the magnet 720. In this embodiment, the movable spring 730 is a compression spring, and when the magnet 720 approaches the electromagnetic coil 710, the movable spring 730 is compressed and stores force. Initial state as Figure 4 As shown, when the electromagnetic coil 710 is energized, it attracts the magnet 720. As the magnet 720 approaches the electromagnetic coil 710, the moving spring 730 is compressed and stores energy. When the rotating mechanism 800 adjusts the position of the rotating ring 400, the electromagnetic coil 710 is de-energized, the magnetic field around the electromagnetic coil 710 disappears, and it no longer exerts an attractive force on the magnet 720. The moving spring 730 releases its elastic force, pushing the sleeve 530 away from the electromagnetic coil 710 and towards the rotating ring 400. Figure 5As shown, after moving a preset distance, the sleeve 530 abuts against the rotating ring 400. At this time, the first collimator 510 is directly opposite the second collimator 610, and the optical signal begins to be transmitted.

[0027] When the switch needs to be turned off, the electromagnetic coil 710 is energized, generating a magnetic field around it. This magnetic field attracts the magnet 720 to the electromagnetic coil 710. The magnet 720, through the connecting sleeve 520, moves the first collimator 510 and the sleeve 530 away from the rotating ring 400 until the circuit returns to normal. Figure 4 As shown, during the above process, the moving spring 730 compresses and stores energy.

[0028] In another embodiment, when the electromagnetic coil 710 is energized, the magnetic pole of the end facing the magnet 720 is the same as the magnetic pole of the end facing the electromagnetic coil 710, and the repulsive force causes the magnet 720 to move away from the electromagnetic coil 710; in this embodiment, the movable spring 730 is a tension spring, and the movable spring 730 stretches and stores force as the electromagnetic coil 710 causes the magnet 720 to approach the rotating ring 400. Initially, the electromagnetic coil 710 is de-energized. After the rotating mechanism 800 adjusts the position of the rotating ring 400, the electromagnetic coil 710 is energized, generating a magnetic field around it. This magnetic field exerts a repulsive force on the magnet 720, pushing the sleeve 530 away from the electromagnetic coil 710 and closer to the rotating ring 400. The moving spring 730 is stretched and stored. After moving a preset distance, the sleeve 530 comes into contact with the rotating ring 400. At this time, the first collimator 510 is aligned with the second collimator 610, and the optical signal begins to be transmitted.

[0029] When the switch needs to be turned off, the electromagnetic coil 710 is de-energized, the magnetic field disappears, the moving spring 730 releases its elastic force, causing the magnet 720 to approach the electromagnetic coil 710. The magnet 720, through the connecting sleeve 520, drives the first collimator 510 and the sleeve 530 away from the rotating ring 400 until the initial state is restored.

[0030] In a further embodiment, the rotating mechanism 800 includes a rotating shaft 810 and a rotating drive; the rotating shaft 810 is rotatably mounted on the mounting base 300; the rotating shaft 810 is coaxially disposed within the rotating ring 400; the rotating drive is used to drive the rotating ring 400 to rotate within a preset angle range via the rotating shaft 810, and the rotating drive can be a motor.

[0031] In a further embodiment, the switching unit 200 further includes a fine-tuning mechanism 900; the fine-tuning mechanism 900 is used to adjust the coaxiality of the first collimator 510 and the second collimator 610 when the moving mechanism 700 drives the first collimator 510 closer to the rotating ring 400. The support assembly includes a support block 310 and a support ring 320, both of which are fixedly connected to the mounting base 300. The support block 310 is located between the electromagnetic coil 710 and the rotating ring 400, and the support ring 320 is located between the support block 310 and the rotating ring 400. The fine-tuning mechanism 900 includes a centering hole 910 and a ball joint block 920. Multiple centering holes 910 are provided, located at the end of the rotating ring 400 facing the first optical fiber 500, extending along a first direction. Each of the multiple centering holes 910 is directly opposite a multiple second collimators 610. The centering hole 910 is tapered, with its larger end facing the first optical fiber 500. The sleeve 530 is tapered at the end facing the rotating ring 400, with its smaller end pointing towards the rotating ring 400. The taper of the sleeve 530's tapered surface is the same as the taper of the centering hole 910. The ball joint block 920 is ball-jointed to the support block 310. The first optical fiber 500 sequentially passes through the electromagnetic coil 710, the ball joint block 920, and the support ring 320.

[0032] When there is a slight deviation between the axes of the first optical fiber 500 and the second optical fiber 600, when the sleeve 530 contacts the swivel ring 400, the conical surface of the sleeve 530 is inserted into the centering hole 910. By setting the sleeve 530 and the centering hole 910 with the same taper, the alignment accuracy of the first collimator 510 and the second collimator 610 is ensured, so that the two are in a coaxial state. At the same time, the ball joint block 920 rotates relative to the support block 310, and the optical fiber between the support block 310 and the sleeve 530 is in a straight state, so as to avoid the optical fiber from bending and affecting the transmission efficiency and reliability.

[0033] In a further embodiment, the rotating shaft 810 is rotatably connected to the rotating ring 400; the fine-tuning mechanism 900 also includes a locking component; the locking component has a locked state and an unlocked state. When the locking component is in the locked state, the rotation drive member drives the rotating ring 400 to rotate synchronously through the rotating shaft 810. When the locking component is in the unlocked state, the rotating ring 400 can rotate relative to the rotating shaft 810.

[0034] The rotating ring 400 is axially movable and connected to the rotating shaft 810; the locking assembly includes a locking spring 930, a first friction plate 940, and a second friction plate 950; both the first friction plate 940 and the second friction plate 950 are vertically arranged, the first friction plate 940 is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft 810, and the second friction plate 950 is fixedly connected to the rotating ring 400; the locking spring 930 extends along a first direction, with its two ends abutting against the rotating ring 400 and the rotating shaft 810 respectively, and the locking spring 930 causes the second friction plate 950 to tend to abut against the first friction plate 940; in the initial state, such as Figure 4 As shown, the first friction plate 940 and the second friction plate 950 are in frictional transmission. At this time, the locking component is in the locked state. When the rotating ring 400 moves axially a preset distance relative to the rotating shaft 810, the first friction plate 940 and the second friction plate 950 disengage from the contact state. At this time, the locking component is in the unlocked state. When the sleeve 530 abuts against the rotating ring 400, the sleeve 530 disengages from the support ring 320, and the elastic force of the moving spring 730 is greater than the elastic force of the locking spring 930.

[0035] When the second optical fiber 600 connected to the first optical fiber 500 is changed, the rotating shaft 810 is driven to rotate by the rotating drive component. Since the first friction plate 940 and the second friction plate 950 are in contact at this time, the friction between the two drives the rotating ring 400 to rotate. After the rotating ring 400 stops rotating, there may be a slight deviation between the axis of the first optical fiber 500 and the axis of the second collimator 610 between the support block 310 and the electromagnetic coil 710. After the sleeve 530 is inserted into the centering hole 910, the first optical fiber 500 will bend and tend to return to a straight state.

[0036] After the sleeve 530 contacts the rotating ring 400, the elastic force of the moving spring 730 is greater than that of the locking spring 930. Therefore, the sleeve 530 will push the rotating ring 400 to move synchronously a preset distance. The pushing force of the sleeve 530 on the rotating ring 400 is equal to the elastic force of the locking spring 930. At this time, the first friction plate 940 and the second friction plate 950 move away from each other, and the rotating ring 400 can rotate relative to the rotating shaft 810. Furthermore, the sleeve 530 disengages from the support ring 320. The force released when the first optical fiber 500 returns to a straight state is applied to the rotating ring 400 through the sleeve 530, causing the rotating ring 400 to rotate relative to the rotating shaft 810 until the first optical fiber 500 returns to a straight state. At this time, the bending degree of the first optical fiber 500 and the second optical fiber 600 is minimized, and the damage to the first optical fiber 500 and the second optical fiber 600 is reduced to a minimum.

[0037] In a further embodiment, an adjustment component is provided between the support ring 320 and the sleeve 530, the adjustment component being used to rotate the sleeve 530 relative to the support ring 320 by a preset angle.

[0038] The adjustment assembly includes guide grooves 531 and latches 321; multiple guide grooves 531 are provided, and the multiple guide grooves 531 are evenly opened along the circumference of the sleeve 530 on the outer wall of the sleeve 530, connected end to end to form a continuous guide path; refer to Figure 7The guide groove 531 includes a first straight groove 532, a second straight groove 533, a first inclined groove 534, and a second inclined groove 535. The first straight groove 532 and the second straight groove 533 both extend along the axial direction of the sleeve 530 and are respectively opened at both ends of the sleeve 530 along its axial direction, and are staggered along the circumference of the sleeve 530. The first straight groove 532 is opened at the end of the sleeve 530 away from the rotating ring 400; the second straight groove 533 is opened at the end of the sleeve 530 close to the rotating ring 400; the first inclined groove 534 and the second inclined groove 535 are both inclined. The first inclined groove 534 is configured such that its two ends are connected to the middle of the first straight groove 532 and the end of the second straight groove 533 away from the rotating ring 400, respectively; the two ends of the second inclined groove 535 are connected to the end of the first straight groove 532 near the rotating ring 400 and the end of the second straight groove 533 near the rotating ring 400, respectively; the end of the first straight groove 532 away from the rotating ring 400 is provided with an inclined opening, and the buckle 321 is threadedly connected to the support ring 320 and extends radially along the support ring 320, with the inner end of the buckle 321 engaging in the guide groove 531.

[0039] When the switch is connected, the electromagnetic coil 710 is de-energized, and the sleeve 530 approaches the rotating ring 400 under the elastic force of the moving spring 730; the latch 321 slides in the second straight groove 533, and then enters the first straight groove 532 through the first inclined groove 534. After that, the sleeve 530 abuts against the rotating ring 400, and the optical path is connected. The sleeve 530 rotates at a preset angle relative to the support ring 320. When it is necessary to switch signals or turn off the switch, the electromagnetic coil 710 is energized, attracting the magnet 720. Under the action of magnetic force, the sleeve 530 moves away from the rotating ring 400, and the optical path is disconnected. As the sleeve 530 moves, the buckle 321 enters the first straight groove 532 through the inclined opening and slides in the first straight groove 532. It then enters the second straight groove 533 through the second inclined groove 535. The sleeve 530 rotates relative to the support ring 320 at a preset angle again.

[0040] During the process of connecting and closing the switch, the present invention rotates the sleeve 530 relative to the support ring 320 by a preset angle, thereby changing the contact position between the sleeve 530 and the support ring 320, as well as the contact relationship between the sleeve 530 and the centering hole 910. This makes the circumferential wear of the sleeve 530 more uniform and avoids the phenomenon that excessive wear due to long-term off-center loading affects the alignment accuracy.

[0041] In a further embodiment, a plurality of switch units 200 are provided inside the housing 100. The plurality of switch units 200 are distributed at intervals along a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction and both are horizontal.

[0042] Work process: In the initial state, such as Figure 4As shown, the switch unit 200 is in the off state. At this time, the electromagnetic coil 710 of the moving mechanism 700 is energized. The magnetic pole of the end facing the magnet 720 is opposite to the magnetic pole of the corresponding end of the magnet 720. The electromagnetic coil 710 generates an attractive force to attract the magnet 720, which drives the first collimator 510 and the sleeve 530 away from the rotating ring 400. The moving spring 730 is in a compressed and stored state. At the same time, the locking component is in the locked state. The first friction plate 940 and the second friction plate 950 are in close contact. The rotating ring 400 and the rotating shaft 810 maintain synchronous rotation capability.

[0043] When signal transmission is required, the rotation mechanism 800 is first activated: the rotation drive unit drives the rotating ring 400 to rotate around the first direction via the rotating shaft 810. Because the locking component is in the locked state, the rotating ring 400 rotates synchronously with the rotating shaft 810 until the target second optical fiber 600 drives the corresponding second collimator 610 to rotate to a position approximately coaxial with the first optical fiber 500, at which point the rotation mechanism 800 stops working. Then, the moving mechanism 700 is activated: the power supply to the electromagnetic coil 710 is cut off, the magnetic field around the electromagnetic coil 710 disappears, the attraction to the magnet 720 is released, the moving spring 730 releases its stored force, and pushes the sleeve 530 and the first collimator 510 axially towards the rotating ring 400 along the first direction. The moving process is as follows: Figure 5 As shown, during this process, the adjustment components between the support ring 320 and the sleeve 530 move synchronously. After the buckle 321 slides along the second straight groove 533 of the guide groove 531, it enters the first straight groove 532 through the first inclined groove 534, which drives the sleeve 530 to rotate relative to the support ring 320 by a preset angle, so that the circumferential wear of the sleeve 530 is more uniform.

[0044] After the sleeve 530 moves a preset distance, it is inserted into the tapered centering hole 910 of the swivel ring 400, such as Figure 6 As shown, since the tapered surface of sleeve 530 has the same taper as the centering hole 910, the first collimator 510 and the second collimator 610 are precisely coaxially aligned through the tapered guide. If there is a slight deviation between the axes of the first optical fiber 500 and the second optical fiber 600, the ball joint block 920 will rotate relative to the support block 310, cooperating with the centering hole 910 to keep the first optical fiber 500 between the support block 310 and sleeve 530 straight, avoiding bending of the optical fiber and affecting transmission. At the same time, the elastic force of the moving spring 730 is greater than that of the first optical fiber 500. The spring force of the locking spring 930 causes the sleeve 530 to push the rotating ring 400 to move axially relative to the rotating shaft 810. The first friction plate 940 and the second friction plate 950 disengage, the locking assembly switches to the unlocked state, and the rotating ring 400 can rotate relative to the rotating shaft 810. The force released when the first optical fiber 500 returns to its straight state is applied to the rotating ring 400 through the sleeve 530, causing the rotating ring 400 to rotate slightly until the first optical fiber 500 is completely straight. At this time, the optical path is stably connected and normal signal transmission can be performed.

[0045] When it is necessary to disconnect the switch or switch the connection of the second optical fiber 600: the electromagnetic coil 710 is energized, and the electromagnetic coil 710 generates an attractive force to attract the magnet 720, which drives the first collimator 510 and the sleeve 530 to move away from the rotating ring 400 along the first direction axially, and the moving spring 730 is compressed and stored again; during this process, the buckle 321 slides along the first straight groove 532 of the guide groove 531 and then enters the second straight groove 533 through the second inclined groove 535, and the sleeve 530 rotates relative to the support ring 320 again at a preset angle; at the same time, the rotating ring 400 moves axially relative to the rotating shaft 810 under the elastic force of the locking spring 930, the first friction plate 940 and the second friction plate 950 abut again, the locking assembly returns to the locked state, and after the sleeve 530 is completely retracted, the switch unit 200 returns to the initial disconnected state.

[0046] If the second optical fiber 600 needs to be switched, after the sleeve 530 retracts and the locking component is locked again, the rotation drive is restarted. The rotating shaft 810 drives the rotating ring 400 to rotate until the target second optical fiber 600 drives the corresponding second collimator 610 to rotate to a position approximately coaxial with the first optical fiber 500. The rotation mechanism 800 stops working and the electromagnetic coil 710 is de-energized, causing the sleeve 530 to move towards the rotating ring 400 to complete the docking.

[0047] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A high-speed optical switch assembly, characterized in that, Includes a housing and a switching unit; the switching unit includes: The mounting base is fixedly connected to the housing, and the mounting base is fixedly connected to the support components; The rotating ring is mounted on the mounting base and rotates around a horizontal first direction. A first optical fiber extends along a first direction and passes through a support assembly, with a first collimator connected to one end of the first optical fiber facing the swivel; the first collimator is axially movable and mounted on the support assembly. Multiple second optical fibers are provided, and the multiple second optical fibers are distributed at intervals along the circumference of the swivel ring; the second optical fibers extend along the first direction, and the end of the second optical fiber close to the first optical fiber extends into the swivel ring and is connected to a second collimator. The moving mechanism is used to drive the first collimator to move axially closer to or away from the rotating ring; A rotating mechanism is used to drive a rotor to rotate around its own axis.

2. The high-speed optical switch assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The moving mechanism includes an electromagnetic coil, a magnet, and a moving spring; the electromagnetic coil is fixedly connected to the mounting base; a connecting sleeve is provided on the outer sheath of the first optical fiber; the magnet is fixedly connected to the connecting sleeve and located on one side of the electromagnetic coil; a sleeve is coaxially connected to the outer side of the first collimator; the moving spring extends along a first direction and is sleeved on the outside of the connecting sleeve, with its two ends connected to the support assembly and the sleeve, respectively; when the electromagnetic coil is energized, it causes the magnet to move along the first direction, and the moving spring is in a charged state.

3. A high-speed optical switch assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The rotating mechanism includes a rotating shaft and a rotating drive component; the rotating shaft is rotatably mounted on the mounting base; the rotating shaft is coaxially disposed within the rotating ring; the rotating drive component is used to drive the rotating ring to rotate within a preset angle range via the rotating shaft.

4. A high-speed optical switch assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The switching unit also includes a fine-tuning mechanism; the fine-tuning mechanism is used to adjust the coaxiality of the first collimator and the second collimator when the moving mechanism drives the first collimator to approach the rotating ring.

5. A high-speed optical switch assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The support assembly includes a support block and a support ring, both of which are fixedly connected to the mounting base. The support block is located between the electromagnetic coil and the rotating ring, and the support ring is located between the support block and the rotating ring. The fine-tuning mechanism includes a centering hole and a ball joint block; multiple centering holes are provided, and the centering holes are located at the end of the swivel ring facing the first optical fiber. The centering holes extend along the first direction, and the multiple centering holes are respectively aligned with multiple second collimators. The center hole is tapered, with the larger end facing the first optical fiber; the end of the sleeve facing the swivel is tapered, with the smaller end pointing towards the swivel. The taper of the sleeve conical surface is the same as the taper of the centering hole; the ball joint block is ball-jointed to the support block; the first optical fiber passes through the electromagnetic coil, the ball joint block and the support ring in sequence.

6. A high-speed optical switch assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The rotating shaft is rotatably connected to the rotating ring; the fine-tuning mechanism also includes a locking component; the locking component has a locked state and an unlocked state. When the locking component is in the locked state, the rotating drive unit drives the rotating ring to rotate synchronously through the rotating shaft. When the locking component is in the unlocked state, the rotating ring can rotate relative to the rotating shaft.

7. A high-speed optical switch assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that, The rotating ring is axially movable and connected to the rotating shaft; the locking assembly includes a locking spring, a first friction plate, and a second friction plate; both the first and second friction plates are vertically arranged, the first friction plate is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft, and the second friction plate is fixedly connected to the rotating ring; the locking spring extends along a first direction, with its two ends abutting against the rotating ring and the rotating shaft respectively, and the locking spring causes the second friction plate to tend to abut against the first friction plate; in the initial state, the first friction plate and the second friction plate are in frictional transmission, and the locking assembly is in the locked state at this time. When the rotating ring moves a preset distance axially relative to the rotating shaft, the first friction plate and the second friction plate disengage from the abutting state, and the locking assembly is in the unlocked state at this time; when the sleeve abuts against the rotating ring, the sleeve disengages from the support ring, and the elastic force of the moving spring is greater than the elastic force of the locking spring.

8. A high-speed optical switch assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, An adjustment component is provided between the support ring and the sleeve, which is used to rotate the sleeve relative to the support ring by a preset angle.

9. A high-speed optical switch assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that, The adjustment assembly includes guide grooves and snap fasteners. Multiple guide grooves are evenly distributed along the circumference of the sleeve on its outer wall, connecting end-to-end to form a continuous guide path. Each guide groove includes a first straight groove, a second straight groove, a first inclined groove, and a second inclined groove. Both the first and second straight grooves extend axially along the sleeve, located at opposite ends of the sleeve's axial direction, and are staggered along the circumference of the sleeve. The first straight groove is located at the end of the sleeve furthest from the rotating ring. The second straight groove is located at the end of the sleeve closest to the rotating ring. Both the first and second inclined grooves are inclined, with the two ends of the first inclined groove connected to the middle of the first straight groove and the end of the second straight groove furthest from the rotating ring, respectively. The two ends of the second inclined groove are connected to the end of the first straight groove closest to the rotating ring and the end of the second straight groove closest to the rotating ring, respectively. The snap fastener is detachably connected to the support ring and extends radially along the support ring, with its inner end engaging in the guide groove.

10. A high-speed optical switch assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing contains multiple switching units, which are spaced apart along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction and both are horizontal.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • An M×N mechanical optical switch

    CN109375367B