US 2014/0193159 A1Published application

Systems And Methods For Providing Optical Signals Through A RF Channel Of A Rotary Coupler

AssigneeL-3 Communications Corporation

InventorsThomas Webster Jones, James Edward Baloun

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Abstract

Optical and RF energy may be provided simultaneously or otherwise across a rotary coupler using separate communication paths. The rotary coupler may be provided with an optical transmission line that passes inside or through the center of an inner conductor of a coaxial RF transmission line that itself extends across the rotational interface/s of the rotary coupler. Both the optical transmission line and the RF transmission line may be positioned at, or close to, the axis of rotation of the rotary coupler. The rotary coupler may be configured to transfer optical and RF energy across rotational interface/s of the rotary coupler using an optical rotary joint positioned inside the inner conductor of a RF channel transmission line that itself is substantially centered at, and in line with, the rotational axis of the rotary coupler.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A rotary coupler, comprising:

a stator portion including a stationary RF conductor portion of a center RF transmission line;
and
a rotor portion including a rotatable RF conductor portion of the center RF transmission line, the rotor portion being configured to rotate about a rotational axis relative to the stator portion;
where the stationary RF conductor portion and the rotatable RF conductor portion of the center RF transmission line are disposed in adjacent rotatable relationship to form a first part of a center RF signal channel that extends across a rotational RF signal interface defined between the stationary RF conductor portion and the rotatable RF conductor portion of the center RF transmission line;
where the stator portion further comprises a stationary optical conductor portion of an optical transmission line, and where the rotor portion further comprises a rotatable optical conductor portion of the optical transmission line;
where the stationary optical conductor portion and the rotatable optical conductor portion are disposed in adjacent rotatable relationship to form an on-axis optical signal channel coincident with the rotational axis of the rotor portion and extending across a rotational optical signal interface defined between the stationary optical conductor portion and the rotatable optical conductor portion;
and
where the rotational optical signal interface is disposed within the center RF transmission line.

5 more elements

A method for communicating optical signals through a rotary coupler, comprising:

providing a rotary coupler comprising:
a stator portion including a stationary RF conductor portion of a center RF transmission line, and
a rotor portion including a rotatable RF conductor portion of the center RF transmission line, the rotor portion being configured to rotate about a rotational axis relative to the stator portion;
where the stationary RF conductor portion and the rotatable RF conductor portion of the center RF transmission line are disposed in adjacent rotatable relationship to form a first part of a center RF signal channel that extends across a rotational RF signal interface defined between the stationary RF conductor portion and the rotatable RF conductor portion of the center RF transmission line,
where the stator portion further comprises a stationary optical conductor portion of an optical transmission line, and where the rotor portion further comprises a rotatable optical conductor portion of the optical transmission line,
where the stationary optical conductor portion and the rotatable optical conductor portion are disposed in adjacent rotatable relationship to form an on-axis optical signal channel coincident with the rotational axis of the rotor portion and extending across a rotational optical signal interface defined between the stationary optical conductor portion and the rotatable optical conductor portion, and
where the rotational optical signal interface is disposed within the center RF transmission line;
and
communicating optical signals between the stator portion and rotor portion through the on-axis optical signal interface.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/736,420Filed 8 Jan 2013
Published: 10 Jul 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G02B 6/3604
Mechanical coupling means: rotary joints allowing relative rotational movement between opposing fibre or fibre bundle ends
H01P 1/062
Movable joints, e.g. rotating joints: the relative movement being a rotation
H04B 10/80
Transmission systems employing electromagnetic waves other than radio-waves, e.g. infrared, visible or ultraviolet light, or employing…
G02B
Optical elements, systems or apparatus

Family

US 9,213,144 B2Related patent
US 2014/0193159 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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