09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
Goods & Services
Cables for electrical and optical signal transmission systems; Cables for electrical or optical signal transmission; Cables for optical signal transmission; Fibre optic couplings
A rotatable capsule for a fiber optic rotary joint and a method of using thereof is disclosed. The rotatable capsule may have a housing with one or more sections, where inside the housing there may exist multiple chambers. The rotatable capsule may be designed to be submerged under water and withstand high pressure loads during operation. A first chamber may be designed to support one or more shaft seals between a rotatable shaft and the housing of the capsule by equalizing the pressure of the outside environment with the usage of a high viscosity liquid fluid that is non-conductive and non-compressible. At least one other chamber may be designed to hold different portions of the fiber optic rotary joint and be sealed from the first chamber to provide a second level of sealing.
A fluid rotary joint assembly capable of high rotational speed exceeding a maximum rotational speed of a single rotary joint is disclosed herein. For example, the fluid rotary joint may be capable of exceeding rotational speeds greater than 1500 RPM. The fluid rotary joint assembly may have several single-stage fluid rotary joints and multiple gear devices wherein a relative speed between the first and second rotary parts of each single stage fluid rotary joint does not exceed a maximum rotary speed (e.g., 500 rpm). The fluid rotary joint assembly incorporates speed reduction within each stage through the gear device. By controlling the relative speed between the first and second parts of each of the fluid rotary joints to be less than or equal to a maximum allowable rotational speed (e.g., less than or equal to 500 RPM), the fluid rotary joint assembly provides for reliable operation at high rotational speeds between the first stage and the last stage.
The current disclosure shows a fiber optic slip ring with through bore, or an off-axis fiber optic rotary joint to provide transmission of optic data between mechanically rotational interface with a through bore. Said fiber optic slip ring with through bore may include a ring assembly and a brush block assembly within a rotor and a stator. Said ring assembly may include a ring, a ring holder and a fiber. Said brush block assembly may include a fiber brush, a brush block, an optic index matching fluid, and shaft seals. Said ring may be a donut-shaped waveguide with flat surface on one side. Said fiber brush may have an angled-surface, which is fully contacted with said flat surface on said ring at any time so that during the rotation of said rotor, the optic signal can be transmitted between said fiber and said fiber brush in either direction.
The current invention is regarding an electrical slip ring system for high speed applications, which require slip rings to operate at speeds more than 60,000 RPM. It consists of multiple single stage slip rings and multiple gear devices, where all the stators, except the last one, are rotational. The speed limit on the slip ring market, by using the advanced fiber brush bundles, is about 10,000 RPM without cooling, or lubricating. The basic idea is that by designing gears, we can always can make sure the relative speed between the rotor and the stator in each stage is <=10000 rpm.
H02K 13/00 - Structural associations of current collectors with motors or generators, e.g. brush mounting plates or connections to windingsDisposition of current collectors in motors or generatorsArrangements for improving commutation
The current disclosure is regarding an electrical slip ring assembly that transmit signals, data, and power across rotary platforms, especially for high frequency applications. The high frequency slip ring assembly with through bore may include a first stage slip ring, a second stage slip ring, a gear assembly, and an internal cable assembly. Rings may have an angled notch on a circumference to break said rings and have the same diameter. The first stage slip ring and second stage slip ring may be connected in series sequence, i.e., the stator in first stage slip ring is mechanically connected with the rotor in second stage slip ring. The internal cable assembly electrically connects the brush assembly in first stage slip ring with the ring assembly in said second stage slip ring in each channel respectively.
A system of soft contacting rotational interfaces with long service life, maintenance free, and high reliability, comprises a RF rotary joint and a single channel fiber optic rotary coupler and more particularly, a system having a plurality of conductive fiber brush bundles, a fiber optical wire and a coaxial conductor for transferring RF and optical signal(s) concurrently between relatively rotatable objects.
The current invention is to disclose a de-rotating mechanism for off-axis fiber optic rotary joints. Dove prism is a de-rotating mechanism and is widely used for on-axis fiber optic rotary joints. But optic de-rotating mechanism is not available when there is a through bore along the rotational axis and optical light paths would not be allowed to path through the central area along the rotational axis. The hollow de-rotating mechanism in the current invention mainly includes a plural of fiber optic collimator patch cords, which are elaborately arranged on the circumference of said de-rotating mechanism following a special rule. The current invention eliminates the photodiodes in most prior published patents and make it possible to build a true passive, bi-directional fiber optic rotary joint without the limitation to the through bore diameters.
The current invention, by using a plurality of conductive fiber brush bundles and a coaxial line to transfer RF signal(s) between relatively rotatable objects, creates easy-maintenance, long duration a RF rotary joint with soft contacting rotational interfaces. It consists of a stationary shield conductor assembly, a stationary core conductor assembly, a rotational shield conductor assembly with a tapered round head, a rotational core conductor assembly with a tapered round head, and rotational and stationary insulating assemblies with a central bore. Both stationary and rotational shield conductor assemblies having a conductive fiber brush bundle, which further containing a plurality of hair-thin conductive filaments to form a symmetrical flexible tube. The interfaces of the core soft contacting rotational and the shield soft contacting rotational are formed between the free end portions of the conductive fiber brush bundles and the tapered round head of the rotational cone conductor and rotational shield conductor respectively.
The current invention is regarding a slip ring for transmitting high speed electrical signal across a rotating interface, especially for transmitting Ethernet data. It consists of sandwich assembly with multiple conducting plates individually sandwiched by multiple insulating spacers and a brush block assembly with multiple conducting brushes. The input Ethernet cable is attached on said sandwich assembly and the wires from input cable can be individually soldered into the central hole of each conducting plate (The wires are always off-centered in prior art). The output Ethernet cable is soldered on said brush block. Said brush block assembly and said sandwich assembly are rotatable relative to each other through bearings to form a rotational interface. As a result, high speed electrical signal can be transmitted across the rotating interface without suffering from phase shift and data distortion as in prior arts due to unequal path lengths.
H02K 13/00 - Structural associations of current collectors with motors or generators, e.g. brush mounting plates or connections to windingsDisposition of current collectors in motors or generatorsArrangements for improving commutation
11.
Using an optical expander/condenser to achieve a compact beam structure for a multi-channel optical rotary joint
The multiple channel fiber optic rotary joint of this invention can transmit an increased number of optical signals simultaneously through the de-rotating mechanism without increasing the size of the de-rotating mechanism. It also allows for the recapturing of the signals with relative ease. This is accomplished through the use of an optical condenser and/or an optical expander that reduces or expands the overall all beam structure without significantly altering the relative structure. The expanders and condensers are inverse structures in that if an optical signal is condensed when passing from right to light through the condenser it is expanded when passing left to right through the same condenser.
G02B 6/28 - Optical coupling means having data bus means, i.e. plural waveguides interconnected and providing an inherently bidirectional system by mixing and splitting signals
G02B 6/32 - Optical coupling means having lens focusing means
G02B 6/293 - Optical coupling means having data bus means, i.e. plural waveguides interconnected and providing an inherently bidirectional system by mixing and splitting signals with wavelength selective means
12.
Low insertion loss, low back reflection fiber optic rotary joint with increased data throughput
A low insertion loss, low back reflection fiber optic rotary joint with increased data throughput capabilities has been invented. This is accomplished by using a dispersion free prism with optical coatings to minimize the amount of back reflection caused by the optical beam passing through the prism-air interface.
A multi-pin connector with a small envelop and low insertion loss capable of operating while submerged is described within. This configuration avoids the tolerance stack up troubles that has plagued other similar designs thereby allowing it to achieve a low insertion loss without the typical cost drivers of tighter tolerances. In addition this invention incorporates as relatively simple method of tuning each pair of connectors thereby further reducing the insertion loss for each matched pair.
The invention aims to transfer a substantial volume of high-quality, high-volume real-time data, which currently cannot be achieved by wireless techniques, between a mobile airborne observation platform and the ground station via a tethered fiber connection between said platform and said ground station.
The present invention is a limited rotation Fiber Optic Rotary Joint (FORJ) of one or more optical channels. This will enable one or more optical signals to pass across a rotational interface for a fixed number of rotations. For many applications, such as a winch or certain robotic joints, an unlimited number of rotations in either direction is unnecessary. For these types of applications a limited rotation FORJ is an attractive option because they typically have lower loss, are less complex, and have higher reliability.
An integrated electro-optical fluid rotary joint has been invented in which optical signals, electrical power, and/or signal(s), as well as fluids can be simultaneously transmitted across a common rotary-stationary interface between two relatively rotatable members for such applications, as a tethered aerostats, and tethered ROV. It consists of a main stator, a main rotor rotatable relative to said main stator. An electrical rotary joint, or slip ring, a fiber optical rotary joint, and a fluid rotary joint are integrated together on the main stator and main rotor. As a result, when the main rotor rotates relative to the main stator, optical signals, electrical power, and/or signal(s), as well as fluids from the main rotor can be transmitted to the main stator, and vise versa.
The present invention discloses a lighter-than-air vehicle and a method to replenish hydrogen into the vehicle while the vehicle is in the sky. The lighter-than-air vehicle can use helium or other gases that doesn't react with hydrogen as lifting gas. Hydrogen will be replenished into the lighter-than-air vehicle while it is still in mid-air. The lighter-than-air vehicles can comprise an aerostat, a hydrogen generator; a water tank and a duct. The present invention can also comprise an aerostat, a compartment, hydrogen generator, a water tank; and a duct. The present invention can also comprise an aerostat, a compartment, and a hydrogen storage alloy device. The present invention can also comprise an aerostat and a hydrogen storage alloy device.
A multi-channel electro-magnetic rotary joint has been invented in which one or more electro-magnetic signals can be transmitted simultaneously from a rotating collimator array and a stationary collimator array in air and in other fluids. A metamaterial de-rotating mechanism is positioned in the path between said rotating collimator array and said stationary collimator array, and arranged tier rotation relative to each collimator arrays at a rotary speed equal to one-hall the relative rotational rate between said rotating and stationary collimator arrays.
A multi-channel fiber optic rotary joint mechanism has been invented in which optic signals can be transmitted simultaneously from a rotating fiber optic collimator bundle and a stationary fiber optic collimator bundle through an opto-mechanical de-rotating mechanism, which includes an optic de-rotating element, an internal gear and an flexure anti-backlash mechanism. The optic de-rotating element, is positioned in the path between said rotating fiber optic collimator bundle and said stationary fiber optic collimator bundle. The internal gear mechanism provides 2:1 speed ratio for the rotating fiber optic collimator bundle and the optic de-rotating element.
The present invention is a limited rotation through-bore optical slip ring. This will enable one or more optical signals to pass across a rotational interface while leaving a center bore free. The present invention is passive, unlike many off axis or through bore optical slip rings and is low loss by nature.
A multi-channel off-axis optic slip ring system is disclosed. The invention eliminates the huge number of fiber bundles and photodiodes in most published patents. A couple of conventional optical components such as mirrors and prisms are used to transmit optical signals with high quality and low optic losses. The optical signal pick-up is realized through a pair of prisms mounted on gear transmission systems. It is a true passive, bi-directional rotational optical transmission device which could be used for both multi-mode and single mode fibers without the limitation to the through bore diameters.
The present invention connects two independent plastic optical fiber channels simultaneously, in which optic signals can be transmitted along two optic passes through a single mechanical rotational interface. The first channel of light path consists of a pair of plastic optic fibers with larger-core, co-axially fixed in 2 holders respectively. The light signal from one of the fiber can be directly coupled into another fiber. A number of smaller-core plastic optic fibers for second channel of light path are circumferentially arranged in the peripheral space of the first channel fibers. They are blind-spot free during rotation and are ideal for machine control applications such as SERCOS Interfaces. The rugged design permits underwater usage. Damaged fibers can be easily replaced without costly repairs of the device itself.
09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
Goods & Services
Cables for electrical and optical signal transmission systems; Cables for electrical or optical signal transmission; Cables for optical signal transmission; Calibration devices for calibrating optical emission spectrometers; Calibration devices for calibrating optical emission spectrometers, atomic absorption spectrometers and X-ray apparatus, other than for medical use; Electronic and optical communications instruments and components, namely, optical transceivers; Electronic and optical communications instruments and components, namely, optical transmitters; Fibre optic couplings
