# US 11,909,150 B1 · Robust impedance controlled slip rings > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,909,150 B1 - Document ID: US11909150B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/853,505 - Filed: 2022-06-29 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2018-11-06 - Assignees: Seescan, Inc. - Applicants: SeeScan, Inc. - Inventors: Alexander L. Warren; Mark S. Olsson; Nicholas A. Smith - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11909150B1 ## CPC - H01R 39/08: Slip-rings - H01R 39/10: other than with external cylindrical contact surface, e.g. flat slip-rings - H01R 39/64: Devices for uninterrupted current collection - H02K 13/003: {Structural associations of slip-rings} - H01R 39/34: Connections of conductor to slip-ring - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The slip ring of claim 1, wherein the spring element is elastically deformable. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The slip ring of claim 2, wherein the PCB is flat when in a resting state. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The slip ring of claim 1, wherein the PCB is flat when in a resting state. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The slip ring of claim 4, further including an impedance controlled wiring connector coupled to the PCB to communicatively couple electrical signals with a predetermined impedance (Original). ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The slip ring of claim 4, wherein the PCB includes one or more impedance controlled traces in a circuit board section of the radially symmetric arc cut out portion of the PCB surrounding the center contact area. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The slip ring of claim 1, wherein the electrical contact subassemblies include two or more conductive pins that align to contact and remain in contact in rotations with concentric contact areas on a second of the electrical contact subassemblies. ### Claim 8 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. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The slip ring of claim 8, wherein each of the tripodal conductive pins are centered equidistant from that of the other pins. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The slip ring of claim 8, wherein the tripodal conductive pins are positioned such that a centroid of the conductive pins is in alignment with a center of the spring element. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The slip ring of claim 8, wherein the electrical contact features of one electrical contact subassembly include silver graphite pins. ### Claim 12 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. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the spring element is elastically deformable. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the electrical contact subassemblies include two or more conductive pins that align to contact and remain in contact in rotations with concentric contact areas on a second of the electrical contact subassemblies. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the electrical contact subassemblies include electrical contact features and the electrical contact features include three conductive pins in a tripodal arrangement. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein each of the tripodal conductive pins are centered equidistant from that of the other pins. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the tripodal conductive pins are positioned such that a centroid of the conductive pins is in alignment with a center of the spring element. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the electrical contact features of one electrical contact subassembly include silver graphite pins. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The slip ring of claim 15, further including an impedance controlled wiring connector coupled to the PCB to communicatively couple electrical signals with a predetermined impedance (Original). ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the PCB includes one or more impedance controlled traces in a circuit board section of the radially symmetric arc cut out portion of the PCB surrounding the center contact area.