MOLDED OPTICAL WAVEGUIDE SWITCHING APPARATUS

Molded optical waveguide switching apparatus wherein a flat, planar light transmissive plastic member of a refractive index N2 is premolded with orthognally arranged obverse and reverse grooves or channels and wherein each such channel or groove is filled-in or molded with a light transmissive plastic of a refractive index N1 (where N1> N2) effectively forming front and back light conducting channels or waveguides at right angles to one another on the flat planar member. A gently curved tap is molded into the intersecting area of each row and column waveguide with a through opening or aperture formed adjacent each intersection. The taps of the obverse side are curved downwardly to meet the upwardly curved taps of the reverse side of the planar member. Light blocking and unblocking members are operably disposed in respective apertures to interrupt light from light generating to light receiving receptors.