Robust impedance controlled slip rings
AssigneeSeescan, Inc.
InventorsAlexander L. Warren, Mark S. Olsson, Nicholas A. Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A slip ring for transferring electrical signals between rotating and static elements of a device includes a rotating element, a static element, an electrical contact assembly, including a plurality of subassemblies, contacting the rotating element and static element, one subassembly including a deformable PCB, and a spring element positioned to supply an axially aligned force to a face of the PCB to facilitate electrical contact between the PCB and other electrical contacts elements on another subassembly.
Claims20
A video pipe inspection system including a drum reel, a push cable, and a slip ring, the slip ring comprising:
- a rotating element;
- a static element;
- and
- an electrical contact assembly coupling the rotating element and static element, the electrical contact assembly comprising two or more axially aligned electrical contact subassemblies, wherein one electrical contact subassembly is disposed in the rotating element and another electrical contact subassembly is disposed in the static element;
- wherein a first of the electrical subassemblies includes an elastically deformable printed circuit board (PCB);
- and
- a spring element;
- and wherein the slip ring is disposed in a drum reel to communicate power and/or data signals between a rotating portion of the drum reel to pay in and out a push cable, and a stationary portion that couples to a camera control unit or other static element.
A slip ring for transferring electrical signals between rotating and static elements of a device, comprising:
- a rotating element;
- a static element;
- and
- an electrical contact assembly coupling the rotating element and static element, the electrical contact assembly comprising two or more axially aligned electrical contact subassemblies, wherein one electrical contact subassembly is disposed in the rotating element and another electrical contact subassembly is disposed in the static element;
- wherein a first of the electrical subassemblies includes an elastically deformable printed circuit board (PCB);
- and
- a spring element;
- wherein the electrical contact subassemblies include electrical contact features and the electrical contact features include three conductive pins in a tripodal arrangement.
A video pipe inspection system, comprising:
- a drum reel and a slip ring, the slip ring comprising:
- a rotating element;
- a static element;
- and
- an electrical contact assembly coupling the rotating element and static element, the electrical contact assembly comprising two or more axially aligned electrical contact subassemblies,
- wherein one electrical contact subassembly is disposed in the rotating element and another electrical contact subassembly is disposed in the static element;
- and wherein a first of the electrical subassemblies includes a printed circuit board (PCB);
- and wherein the slip ring is disposed in a drum reel to communicate power and/or data signals between a rotating portion of the drum reel to pay in and out a push cable, and a stationary portion that couples to a camera control unit or other static element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.