JPH03152508A - Optical switch - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect the state of a terminal side through one cable by transmitting a progressive wave and a reflected wave by one optical fiber cable and selecting whether a reflected wave is generated or not through the operation of the terminal side. CONSTITUTION:This optical switch is provided with light sources 12a - 12c which generate light beams with certain wavelengths, the one optical fiber cable 14a which transmit the light to terminal side, a means 31 which emits transmitted light, reflectors 33a - 33c provided at the positions where the light reflected by the means reaches an emitting means, shutters 34a and 34b which are provided in the optical path of the emitted light so that they can be detached, and light extractors 18a - 18c which detect reflected waves returning through the optical fiber cable 14a. The kind of reflected light changes according to the operation of the shutters 34a and 34b, so the kind of the reflected light is monitored to decide the operation position of a terminal switch 3. Consequently, the state of the terminal side can be detected through one cable.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an optical switch used as a control switch for raising and lowering stairs in an airplane, raising and lowering a power window in an automobile, and the like.

[Prior Art] In recent years, large aircraft have been designed to fly in and out directly from satellites, but smaller aircraft that use local airports have stairs inside the aircraft that can be lowered to allow passengers to access the aircraft. It is used for getting on and off the train. In this case, a function is required to lower the stairs to the ground or store them inside the aircraft, but this relies on hydraulic power, etc. To do this, hydraulic pipes must be installed, but this Since vibrators are difficult to handle, an alternative would be to control them using electrical signals.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, there is a problem in that when wiring is routed, malfunctions occur in environments where there is a lot of induced interference.

For this purpose, it is possible to use fiber optic cables, but even in that case a light source is required at the operating location.
For this purpose, a power source must be prepared, and wiring for power supply is also required, so there is a problem that there is no point in using an optical fiber cable.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve these problems, the first invention uses a light source that generates light of a certain wavelength, an optical fiber cable that transmits the light to a terminal side, and an optical fiber cable. A radiation means for radiating the light transmitted by the couple, a reflector placed in the optical path of the emitted light so that the reflected light reaches the radiation means, and a reflector inserted in the optical path of the emitted light. The device includes a removably provided shutter and a light extractor that detects reflected waves that return through the optical fiber cable.

The second invention is the first invention with a plurality of wavelengths.

A third invention is the second invention, in which one wavelength is constantly reflected to detect a failure in the circuit or optical fiber cable.

``Function'' The type of light reflected changes depending on the operation of the shutter, so by monitoring the type of reflected light, the operating position of the switch can be determined, and one type of light is always reflected. Therefore, if this is detected, it can be determined that there is an abnormality in the circuit.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 6, 1 is an optical converter that transmits and detects light, and 3
4 is a terminal switch that is attached to the outer skin of the aircraft and is operated by a ground worker to perform M114 to ascend or descend the stairs, and 4 is a terminal switch that is attached to the cabin and is operated by a flight attendant to ascend or descend the stairs. This is the terminal switch to do.

In the optical converter 1, the driver 11 drives the light emitting diodes 12a to 12e, each with a different wavelength λ1.
~λ5 light is generated. Of these, the lights with wavelengths λ1 to λ3 are supplied to the optical coupler 13a, and the lights with wavelengths λ4. The light of λ5 is supplied to the optical coupler 13b. Each light is transmitted via optical fiber cables 14a and 14b, and a directional coupler 15a is installed in the middle of these optical fiber cables.
.

15b are inserted respectively, so that the traveling light and the reflected light are extracted separately. Extracted light from the traveling light is detected by a monitor circuit 16, and its detection output is supplied to a gain adjustment circuit 22, which controls the light emitting intensities of the light emitting diodes 12a to 12e to be constant.

The light transmitted through the optical fiber cable 14a is supplied to a lens 31, which is a light focusing means of the terminal switch 3. This lens focuses and emits light transmitted through the optical fiber cable 14a, and also focuses reflected light, which will be described later, and supplies it to the optical fiber cable 14a.

The light emitted from the lens 31 of the terminal switch 3 is supplied to the filter 32a, which reflects only the light of wavelength λ1 and passes light of other wavelengths. Therefore, the light with the wavelength λ1 is directed toward the reflector 33a, and the light with other wavelengths is directed toward the filter 32b.The filter 32b reflects only the light with the wavelength λ2 and passes the light with the wavelength λ3. Therefore, the light with wavelength λ2 is reflected by the reflector 33b.
The light with the wavelength λ3 heads toward the reflector 33c.

Note that the filters 32a and 32b constitute a refracting section that separates light into wavelengths and refracts each separated light in different directions.A reflector 33a is provided on each optical path of the 8 separated lights. ~ 33c are provided, and the respective lights are reflected by those reflectors and filters 32a, 32
b and returns to the lens 31.

Here, between the reflector 33a and the filter 32a, the reflector 3
Shutters 34a and 34b are provided between the filter 3c and the filter 32b.
is installed so that it can be inserted and removed. Therefore, when each shutter is inserted to the point where it can block the light on its optical path, the light blocked by the shutter cannot reach the reflector, so the light does not return to the lens 31.

Note that a shutter is not provided between the filter 32b and the reflector 33b, and the configuration is such that the light of wavelength λ2 is always reflected by the reflector 33b and returns to the lens 31.

In the device configured as described above, when both the shutters 34a and 34b are in the open position as shown in FIG.
The light of λ3 is filtered 32a.

32b, the light with the wavelength λ1 is separated by the reflector 33a, and the light with the wavelength λ2 is separated by the reflector 33b.
, are reflected by the reflector 33c, reach the lens 31 via the filters 32a and 32b, are focused, and are supplied to the optical fiber cable 14a.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, when the shutter 34b is inserted, the light with the wavelength λ3 is blocked and does not reach the reflector 33c. Therefore, the reflected wave supplied to the optical fiber cable 14a has a wavelength of λ□, Only the light of λ2 becomes available. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 4, when the shutter 34a is inserted, the wavelength λ2
, λ are supplied to the optical fiber cable 14a as reflected waves, and as shown in FIG.
When both the wavelength λ2 and the wavelength λ2 are inserted together, only the light having the wavelength λ2 is supplied to the optical fiber cable 14a.

The reflected wave supplied to the optical fiber cable 14a is extracted by a directional coupler 15a, separated into wavelengths by a demultiplexer 17a, and supplied to the light receiving diodes 18a to L8c for detection. The detection output is then supplied to the decoder 19, so that the decoder 19 determines and outputs the state of the terminal switch as shown in Table 2 according to the signal corresponding to the supplied wavelength.

The above results are summarized as shown in Table 1, and this operation is based on the specifications of the aircraft.

Table 1 Next, the terminal switch 4 will be explained.

Wavelength λ4 transmitted from light emitting diodes 12d and 12e
．． The light of λ5 is radiated from the lens 41 toward the reflector 42 as described above.The reflector 42 is a fan-shaped reflecting element 42a.
~42c are coupled with their ends in contact with each other, and the light emitted from the lens 41 is reflected and sent out 42a~42c.
2c, and the light reflected there returns to the lens 41. The reflective element 42a reflects the light with the wavelength λ4 and transmits the light with the wavelength λ5, and the reflective element 42b reflects the light with the wavelength λ4. λ
The reflecting element 42C reflects both the lights of wavelength λ5 and transmits the light of wavelength λ4.

Therefore, depending on the rotational position of the reflector 42, the
As shown in the figure, light of each wavelength is reflected, and the reflected waves are extracted by a directional coupler 15b, separated by wavelength by a demultiplexer 17b, and detected by light receiving diodes 18d and 18e. By supplying this signal to one decoder, the position of the terminal switch 42 is detected as shown in FIG. 2 below.

Table 2 For this reason, for example, the state in Fig. 6 corresponds to the state in which the switch is operated to ascend the stairs, the state in Fig. 7 corresponds to the state in which the switch is off, and the state in Fig. 8 corresponds to the state in which the stairs are descended. It can be used to control the ascent and descent of stairs.

Furthermore, as can be seen from Tables 1 and 2, the configuration is such that one wavelength is always detected regardless of the operating status of each switch, so a failure due to a break in the optical fiber cable will occur at the detected wavelength. It can be judged by the absence of One decoder is configured to perform decoding as shown in Tables 1 and 2 according to its input signal,
A failure signal is output from the terminal 19a, a signal for ascending the stairs is output from the terminal 19b, and a signal for descending the stairs is output from the terminal 19c, and these are supplied to the control device 7 via the transistors 21a to 21d and the relays 5a and 5b. , the control device 7 controls the ascent and descent of the stairs. Further, the decoder 19 is supplied with a signal from a monitor circuit, and is configured not to send out an output signal when there is an abnormality in the traveling optical signal.

In the above embodiments, the amplitude of the optical signal is constant, but if it is modulated at a low frequency and the detection signal is output through a filter, it is possible to limit the band, increasing the S/N and further improving the guidance. It can be used even in places with a lot of interference. Furthermore, since the embodiment is applied to going up and down stairs, there are three types of wavelengths, but if the number of types to be identified increases, it is sufficient to increase the types of wavelengths of light.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of FIG. 1, in which the shutters 34a and 34b of the terminal switch 3 are
Corresponds to the button marked J and is the reflector 4 of the terminal switch 4.
2 corresponds to the switch described as rRETRACT, , [EXTEND].

The shaft of the control device 7 moves forward and backward in accordance with the operation of the switch, and ascends and descends the stairs as shown in FIG.

FIG. 11 shows a bending section 3 used inside the terminal switch 3.
2, the light incident from the left end of the figure passes through the hole 32d formed in the ingot 32c and enters the ingot 3.
2c reaches the filter 32a attached to the trailing edge side inclined portion. The light having the wavelength λl is reflected by the filter 32a, passes through a hole 32e formed in the ingot 32c, and reaches the prism 32f. The optical path of the light having the wavelength λl that reaches the reflector 33a is bent and reaches the reflector 33a attached to the inner wall of the housing.

The wavelength λ2. which passed through the filter 32a. The light of λ passes through the filter 32h formed in the ingot 32g.
The wavelength λ2 reflected there reaches the ingot 32
It reaches the prism 32j through the hole 32i drilled in the hole f. The optical path of the light having the wavelength λ2 that reaches there is bent and reaches the reflector 33b attached to the inner wall of the housing. Further, the light having wavelength λ3 that has passed through the filter 32b is reflected by the reflector 3.
Reach WQ at 3C. The light reflected by each reflector then returns to the original optical path through the same optical path.

Since FIG. 11 is a diagram with the case on the front side of the drawing removed, the shutters 34a and 34b are not shown, but the shutters are located between XII-X in FIG. 11 [as shown in FIG. There is. FIG. 12 shows a portion of the shutter 34a, in which a button 32n is housed integrally with the shutter 34a via a connecting portion 32m, 1, and a connecting portion 3.
A spring 32g is inserted into 2n, and the button 32n urged by this spring protrudes from the face plate. At this time, the optical path 32 of the light of wavelength ^1 is not blocked by the shutter 34a. When the button 320 is pressed, the shutter 34a descends and blocks the optical path 32k, thereby blocking the light of wavelength λ1. Although FIG. 12 only shows the portion related to the shutter 34a, a similar shutter 34b is provided between the filter 32b and the reflector 33c.

In addition, in the above embodiment, a shutter was not provided in the optical path for one wavelength since circuit failures are also detected, but if failure detection is not required, the structure,
In other words, there is no need for a configuration that constantly generates reflected waves. Further, when the device is used to move up and down stairs, light having multiple wavelengths is required, but if only a certain state is to be detected, a single wavelength may be sufficient.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, in the first invention, a traveling wave and a reflected wave are transmitted through one optical fiber cable, and whether or not to generate a reflected wave is selected by operation on the terminal side.
It becomes possible to detect the status of the terminal side using this cable.

The second invention uses a plurality of wavelengths in the first invention, so that a plurality of types of states on the terminal side can be detected. The third aspect of the invention has the effect that a failure of the device or a break in the optical fiber cable can be detected because one light is always reflected. In addition, since the reflected light is detected on the terminal side, there is no need for a light source on the terminal side, so there is no need to supply power to the terminal side, which reduces the number of wiring, which reduces the number of assembly steps. This also has the effect that mistakes are less likely to occur during assembly.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 to 8 are diagrams showing operating states of a terminal switch. Figure 9 is a diagram showing the overall configuration, Figure 10 is a diagram showing the state in which the stairs are stored in the aircraft and the state in which they are lowered to the ground.
This figure and FIG. 12 are diagrams showing the inside of the terminal device 3. ■... Optical converter, 3.4... Terminal switch, 12a to 12e... Light emitting diode, 15a, 1
5b... Directional coupler, 16... Monitor circuit, 1
7a, 17b... duplexer, 18a-18d...
Light receiving diode, 19...decoder, 22...-
Gain adjustment circuit, 31.41-lens, 33a, 33b,
33C...Reflector. Figure 2 Figure 9 Figure 10 (0) (b) Figure 11 Figure 12 Procedural amendment (method) % formula %) Name Optical Switch 3, Person to be amended 1'1 Related Patent 11 Name of Person (Name) (113) Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd. 5゜Supplementary J1'' Order 4+-1→Date: 27/1990 Target of correction

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A light source that generates light of a certain wavelength, an optical fiber cable that transmits the light to the terminal side, a radiation means that emits the light transmitted by the optical fiber cable, and an optical path of the emitted light. a reflector provided at a position where the reflected light reaches the emitting means, a shutter provided in a state that it can be inserted into and removed from the optical path of the emitted light, and the reflected light returned through the optical fiber cable. An optical switch characterized by comprising: a light extractor that detects waves. (2) A light source that generates light of different wavelengths, an optical fiber cable that transmits the light to the terminal side, and radiation that separates the light transmitted by the optical fiber cable into wavelengths and radiates them in different directions. means; a reflector placed in the optical path of each of the separated lights so that the reflected light reaches the radiation means; and a reflector that can be inserted into and removed from the optical path of each of the separated lights. a shutter provided with a shutter, a light extractor that detects the reflected wave returned through the optical fiber cable, a demultiplexer that separates the light extracted by the light extractor into wavelengths and outputs the light, and a demultiplexer. An optical switch that includes a decoder that decodes the light separated by a decoder and determines whether there is a failure in the reflector and the operating status of the reflector. (3) A light source that generates light of different wavelengths, an optical fiber cable that transmits the light to the terminal side, and radiation that separates the light transmitted by the optical fiber cable into wavelengths and radiates them in different directions. a reflector disposed in the optical path of each of the separated lights so that the reflected light reaches the emitting means; A shutter installed in a removable manner, a light extractor that detects the reflected wave that returns through the optical fiber cable, and a demultiplexer that separates the light extracted by the light extractor into wavelengths and outputs them. and a decoder that decodes the light separated by the demultiplexer to determine whether there is a failure in the reflector and the operating status of the reflector.