Fiber optic rotary connector
US9927578B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 14, 2011 |
| Grant date | Mar 27, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 14, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/3664
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A fiber optic rotary connector providing communication between a first fiber optical bundle and a second fiber optical bundle rotating relative to said first bundle. The fiber optic rotary connector includes a K-mirror comprised of at least three mirror components and a set of gears adapted to rotate said K-mirror at a rotation rate equal to one half of the second bundle rotation rate. In a preferred embodiment the set of gears is a set of magnetic gears. And in another preferred embodiment the set of gears is a set of mechanical gears. Normally the first fiber optic bundle is stationary, but it may be rotating at a slower rate than the second bundle. In preferred embodiments the K mirror is comprised of three flat mirrors and two of the flat mirrors are positioned at about 30 degrees relative to the third flat mirror.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.