# US 9,437,996 B2 · Rotary electrical interconnect device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,437,996 B2 - Document ID: US9437996B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/692,653 - Filed: 2015-04-21 - Published: 2015-08-13 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-01 - Assignees: Hypertronics Corporation - Applicants: Hypertronics Corporation - Inventors: Arkady Shinder-Lerner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9437996B2 ## CPC - H01R 39/64: Devices for uninterrupted current collection - A61N 1/375: Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings - H01R 39/08: Slip-rings - H01R 39/18: Contacts for co-operation with commutator or slip-ring, e.g. contact brush - H01R 43/10: Manufacture of slip-rings - H01R 2201/12: for medicine and surgery - Y10T 29/49208: by assembling plural parts - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A rotary device for providing continuous electrical connections between dynamic, rotationally engaged connector components. The rotary device includes a rotor assembly comprising a plurality of slip ring elements electrically connected to a connector or cable at the rotor end of the device. The rotary device also includes a stator assembly configured to receive the rotor assembly, with slide contacts electrically connected to a connector or cable at the stator end of the device. The rotor assembly is rotationally coupled to the stator assembly, and the slip rings and slide contacts maintain electrical contact during rotation of the rotor assembly relative to the stator assembly. A first electronic device and a second electronic device connected using the rotary device can be freely rotated without twisting of the cable between the two devices. A method for assembling a rotary device configured based on the devices to be connected. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rotary device comprising: a rotor shaft configured to rotate around a longitudinal axis; a plurality of rotor leads; a plurality of slip rings positioned on the rotor shaft, positioned axially adjacent to each other and configured to rotate around the longitudinal axis with the rotor shaft, each of the plurality of slip rings being electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of rotor leads; a stator having one or more grooves or channels and defining a cavity that is configured to receive the rotor shaft and the plurality of slip rings; a plurality of stator leads; and a plurality of slide contacts coupled to the stator, the plurality of slide contacts being electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of stator leads and at least one of the plurality of slip rings at any position relative to the rotor shaft and the plurality of slip rings, the at least one of the plurality of stator leads being routed along the one or more grooves or channels to electrically connect to at least one of the plurality of slide contacts. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The rotary device of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of insulator discs each including a slip ring portion configured to receive a respective slip ring of the plurality of slip rings and a spacer portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The rotary device of claim 2 wherein the spacer portion has a greater circumference than the slip ring portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The rotary device of claim 3 wherein each of the plurality of insulator discs includes a hub configured to receive the rotor shaft and at least two support arms connecting the hub to the slip ring portion and the spacer portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The rotary device of claim 4 wherein at least one channel is defined by each of the plurality of insulator discs between the hub, at least one of the at least two support arms, the spacer portion and the slip ring portion such that at least one of the plurality of rotor leads extends axially through the at least one channel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The rotary device of claim 1 further comprising a rotor device coupler and a housing configured to cover the rotary device and including a stator housing and a rotor device coupler overmold. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The rotary device of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of slide contacts is electrically coupled to the at least one of the plurality of stator leads by a press-fit connection. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The rotary device of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of slide contacts are coupled to the stator by a press-fit connection. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The rotary device of claim 1 wherein the one or more grooves are circumferential and each axially align with at least one of the plurality of slip rings such that each of the plurality of stator leads extends axially along the stator and circumferentially along at least one of the plurality of circumferential grooves. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The rotary device of claim 1 wherein the stator defines a plurality of slide contact penetrations each axially aligned with one of the plurality of slip rings such that each of the plurality of slide contacts is electrically connected to the at least one of the plurality of stator leads at a location radially outward from the stator, extends radially inward through one of the plurality of slide contact penetrations and contacts one of the plurality of slip rings. ### Claim 11 A rotary device comprising: a rotor device configured to rotate around a longitudinal axis and including a rotor shaft, a first outer conductive surface and a second outer conductive surface; a plurality of slip rings positioned on the rotor shaft; a first rotor lead electrically connected to the first outer conductive surface and a second rotor lead electrically connected to the second outer conductive surface; a stator device rotatably coupled to the rotor device such that the rotor device can rotate with respect to the stator device and having a first opening and a second opening; a first stator lead and a second stator lead; and a first slide contact inserted through the first opening to electrically couple to the first stator lead and mechanically couple to the stator device such that the first slide contact contacts the first outer conductive surface at any position relative to the rotor device and a second slide contact inserted through the second opening to electrically couple to the second stator lead and mechanically couple to the stator device such that the second slide contact contacts the second outer conductive surface at any position relative to the rotor device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The rotary device of claim 11 further comprising a first outer insulator surface and a second outer insulator surface, the first outer insulator surface and the second outer insulator surface being positioned in an alternating fashion with the first outer conductive surface and the second outer conductive surface in an axial direction and being positioned radially outward relative to the first outer conductive surface and the second outer conductive surface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The rotary device of claim 11 further comprising a rotor device coupler and a housing configured to cover the rotary device and having a stator housing and a rotor device coupler overmold. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The rotary device of claim 11 wherein the first slide contact and the second slide contact are electrically coupled to the first stator lead and the second stator lead, respectively, by press-fit connections. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The rotary device of claim 11 wherein the first slide contact and the second slide contact are coupled to the stator device by a press-fit connection. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The rotary device of claim 11 wherein the stator device defines a first circumferential groove axially aligned with the first outer conductive surface and a second circumferential groove axially aligned with the second outer conductive surface such that the first stator lead and the second stator lead extend axially along the stator device and circumferentially along the first circumferential groove and the second circumferential groove, respectively. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The rotary device of claim 11 wherein the first opening is axially aligned with the first outer conductive surface such that the first slide contact is electrically connected to the first stator lead at a location radially outward from the stator device, extends radially inward through the first opening and contacts the first outer conductive surface at a location radially inward from the stator device. ### Claim 18 A rotary device comprising: a rotor shaft configured to rotate around a longitudinal axis; a plurality of rotor leads; a plurality of slip ring elements each including a slip ring and an insulator disc having a slip ring portion where the slip ring is positioned and a spacer portion, each of the plurality of slip ring elements including a hub configured to receive the rotor shaft and connected to at least one of the slip ring portion or the spacer portion by at least two support arms, each of the plurality of slip ring elements being electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of rotor leads; a stator rotatably coupled to and defining a cavity that is configured to receive the rotor shaft and the plurality of slip ring elements; a plurality of stator leads; a plurality of slide contacts mechanically coupled to the stator, the plurality of slide contacts being electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of stator leads and at least one of the plurality of slip ring elements at any position relative to the rotor shaft and the plurality of slip ring elements; and a housing configured to cover the rotary device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The rotary device of claim 18 further comprising a rotor device coupler configured to allow rotation of the rotor shaft and the plurality of slip ring elements relative to the stator. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The rotary device of claim 18 wherein the stator defines a plurality of slide contact penetrations each axially aligned with one of the plurality of slip ring elements such that each of the plurality of slide contacts is electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of stator leads at a location radially outward from the stator, extends radially inward through one of the plurality of slide contact penetrations and contacts one of the plurality of slip ring elements.