TRANSMISSION PATH SWITCHING DEVICE THEREFOR AND METHOD

摘要

PURPOSE:To provide the switching device and method capable of easily and rapidly switching the connection of first optical fibers and second optical fibers. CONSTITUTION:This transmission path switching device has an optical fiber connecting board 22 constituted in such a manner that the plural first fibers 12 are held and an optical fiber arranging board 24 constituted in such a manner that the plural second optical fibers 16 are held apart a prescribed spacing in a horizontal direction from this connecting board 22. The second optical fibers 16 extend through the arranging board to the connecting board 22 and are attachably and detachably attached to the connecting board in such a manner that their front ends are selectively connected to any of the first optical fibers 12. The second optical fibers 16 are horizontally hung in a loose state between both boards when the front ends of the second optical fibers 16 are attached to the connecting board. The crossing states of the second optical fibers 16 in the positions near the respective boards in this state are coarser than in the intermediate positions of the boards. Then, easy handling of the second optical fibers 16 by a robot 30 is possible.