JPS6412363B2 - - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention Technical Field The present invention relates to an optical branching system that branches part of the optical energy propagated within an optical waveguide and takes it out of the optical waveguide, and enables optical communication between each branch. and an optical communication device.

Prior Art The present applicant has previously proposed that sunlight or artificial light is focused by a lens or the like, introduced into a light guide, and transmitted through the light guide to any desired location for illumination or other uses. Various proposals were made. In this case, if the light energy propagating within the light guide can be branched and extracted from the light guide during its propagation, the utilization efficiency of light energy can be further improved, and
At this time, it would be very convenient if each branch could communicate with each other because they would be able to know each other's status, but conventionally such optical branches and optical communication means did not exist, which was very inconvenient.

Purpose The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and is particularly capable of branching and extracting a part of the light energy propagated within a cylindrical light guide, and The purpose of this invention is to provide an optical branch and an optical communication device that can perform optical communication between branches.

Configuration Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram for explaining the operating principle of the optical branching device used in the implementation of the present invention. 2 is a cylindrical third light guide; 3 is a cylindrical third light guide;
The light emitting end surface A of the light guide 1 is formed as an inclined surface, and the light receiving end surface B of the second light guide 2 is formed as an inclined surface.
It has an inclined surface that engages with the inclined surface of the light emitting end surface, and has a circular slot _2a in the center. Also, the third
As shown in the figure, the light guide 3 is arranged such that its light receiving end is located at a position facing the hole 2 _a on the outer circumferential surface of the first light guide 1 . Therefore, light guide 1
Part of the light energy L _p that has been propagated through
L ₁ is reflected by the inclined surface corresponding to the hole 2 _a part of the light guide 1 and branched to the third light guide 3, and the remaining light energy L _p −L ₁ propagates through the second light guide 2. It will be done. Since the amount of branched light is related to the area of the hole 2 _a , the area of the hole 2 _a can be changed depending on the required amount of branched light. For example, the light energy L propagated through the first light guide 1 1/4 of _p
If you want to branch out and extract the energy, use hole 2.
The area of _a may be set to 1/4 of the area of the first light guide. Note that the inclined surfaces of the first light guide 1 and the second light guide 2 are connected using optical glue, optical gel, optical matching oil, etc. In this case, the inclined surfaces of both light guides are By forming concave and convex portions that engage in a complementary manner as shown by P in FIG. 1, alignment during connection work becomes very easy.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an optical branching device used in carrying out the present invention. In the optical branching device, the bottom 2b of the hole 2a is parallel to the inclined surface as shown in the figure. Using this, optical communication can be performed between each branch as described later.

Fig _. 3 is a configuration diagram when _a plurality of optical branching devices as shown in Fig _. 2 are connected _in cascade. The branching device, 11 is a light guide on the light source side, and 12 is a light guide on the light output side. Although the figure shows an example in which four light branching devices are connected, the number may be any desired number. When arranged in this way, if the light energy is split on the upstream side, the light energy density on the downstream side will decrease, and the amount of branched light on the downstream side will decrease. In order to avoid this, the area of the groove 2 _a (or 4 _a or 5 _a ) may be gradually increased toward the downstream side.
If four optical branches are required as in the illustrated example,
If the area of the groove on the most upstream side is made 1/4 of that of light guide 1, the area of the second 1/3 is made 1/3, and the area of the third 1/2 is made, in other words, in general, the area of the groove on the most upstream side When the area is set to 1/n of the light guide 1, the area of the second groove is increased to 1/n-1, the area of the third groove is increased to 1/n-2, and so on, and the area is gradually increased until the last n-th groove. If the area is set to 1/n-(n-1)=1, when all the optical branching devices are used, a substantially equal amount of light of 1/n will be branched from all the optical branching devices. .

Furthermore, in FIG. 3, L ₁ to _{L 4} are communication lights, such as laser beams, and for example, in FIG.
The end (not shown) of the light guide 11 is connected to a sunlight collecting device installed on the roof of a building, etc., and the branch light guide ₃₁ is connected to the fourth floor lighting, the branched light guide ₃₂ is connected to the third floor lighting, and the branched light guide ₃₃ is connected to the lighting on the third floor. If 3 4 is used for lighting on the second floor and 3 ₄ is used for lighting on the 1st floor, communication between the rooftop and each floor is possible as shown by rays L ₁ to _{L 4} , and furthermore, for example, rays L 1 to L 4 As shown at L ₂₃ , optical communication will be possible between the 2nd and 3rd floors.

Effects As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, optical branching and optical branching that can effectively branch optical energy with an easy-to-produce configuration and enable optical communication between each branch. An optical communication device can be provided.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the operating principle of an optical branching device used in carrying out the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts for explaining an example of the optical branching device used in carrying out the present invention. The configuration diagram and FIG. 3 are diagrams for explaining one embodiment of the optical branching and optical communication device according to the present invention. 1...first light guide, 2...second light guide,
3,3 ₁ to 3 ₄ ... third light guide, 10 ₁ to 10 ₄ ...
...Light branching device, 11, 12...Light guide.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of light branching parts are cascade-connected between the cylindrical light guides on the light source side and the light output side of the transparent body, and for branching and extracting a part of the light energy propagated through the light guide, Each optical branching portion includes a light guide connected in cascade via an inclined surface, a gap formed in a part of the inclined surface and having a bottom parallel to the inclined surface, and a gap formed in the outer circumference of the light guide. In the optical splitting device, the optical branching device includes light guides for branching light disposed to face each other, and the area of the gap gradually increases along the transmission direction of optical energy. An optical branching and optical communication device characterized in that optical communication is performed between the light source side and each branching side and/or between each branching side.