| 摘要 |
PURPOSE:To obtain a small-sized switch of simple constitution which is manufactured at low cost by providing an optical path converting element onto a permanent magnet and sliding the element. CONSTITUTION:While permanent magnet 17 is held on a ferromagnetic body 21 by attraction, light from an optical fiber 11 is guided to an optical fiber 12 through a prism 18. Then when a magnet 19 is excited by a power source 20, the magnet 17 is attracted by the magnet 19. The prism 18 moves as the magnet 17 moves, so the light from the optical fiber 11 is switched to an optical fiber 13. Even if the magnet 19 is unexcited in said state by turning the power source 20 off, the magnet 17 attracts the iron core 19a of the magnet 19 to hold itself. When the light is switched to the former optical path again, the polarities of the power source 20 are made opposite and the magnet 19 is only excited and then magnetized to repulse the magnet 17. |
