Underwater Electrically Insulated Connection

• US 20090102590A1
• Filed: 02/27/2007
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Wireless Fibre Systems
• Original Assignee: Wireless Fibre Systems
• Inventors: Hyland, Brendan, Rhodes, Mark
• Application Number:
  US12/278,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20090102590A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 336/107
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2038/143 for signals
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/18 Rotary transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/28 using the near field of leaky cables, e.g. of leaky coaxial cables
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

An underwater connector (10) comprising a magnetic coupler for passing communications signals and/or power from one part (12) to another part (13) using magnetic coupling and without requiring direct electrically conductive contact between the parts (12, 13).

Claims

1. An underwater connector comprising a magnetic coupler for passing communications/data signals and/or power from one part to another part using magnetic coupling without requiring direct electrically conductive contact between the parts.

2. An underwater connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the magnetic coupler comprises a magnetically coupled loop antenna.

3. An underwater connector as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 that is configured to use one or more carrier frequencies to carry one or more independent signals.

4. An underwater connector as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the connector parts are movable relative to one another.

5. An underwater connector as claimed in claim 4 wherein the connector parts are rotatable relative to one another.

6. An underwater connector as claimed in claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the magnetic coupler includes a high magnetic permeability material, such as ferrite.

7. An underwater connector as claimed in claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein at least one part of the connector has a transmitter for causing signals to be transmitted via the magnetic coupler.

8. An underwater connector as claimed in claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein at least one part of the connector has a receiver for receiving signals via the magnetic coupler.

9. An underwater connector as claimed in any of the preceding claims further comprising restraining means for restraining movement of the connector parts.

10. An underwater connector as claimed in claim 9 wherein the restraining means are releasable or removable.

11. An underwater connector as claimed in any of the preceding claims comprising a filter.

12. An underwater connector as claimed in claim 11 wherein the filter is a bandpass filter.

13. An underwater connector as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the parts are rotationally symmetric.

14. An underwater connector as claimed in any of the preceding claims adapted to transmit power and communication/data signals, preferably in the form of power carrying and communication/data carrying waveforms.

15. An underwater connector as claimed in claim 14 wherein the power carrying and signal carrying waveforms are separated.

16. An underwater connector as claimed in claim 15 wherein the power carrying and signal carrying waveforms are separated in frequency.

17. An underwater connector as claimed in claim 16 wherein one or more frequency dependent filters are provided to prevent the power carrying waveform from impinging on transmit/receiver circuitry for the signal carrying waveform.

18. An underwater connector as claimed in claim 14 or claim 15 wherein the data/communications signal is modulated on the power.

19. An underwater connector as claimed in any of claims 14 to 18 wherein the data/communication signal and power are transmitted in opposite directions.

20. An underwater connector as claimed in any of the preceding claims adapted to transmit data/communication signals in two directions.

21. An underwater connector as claimed in any of the preceding claims including a transmitter that includes a modulator and a receiver that includes a demodulator.

22. An underwater connector as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein one part is a conductive cable.

23. An underwater connector as claimed in claim 22 wherein the other part is adapted to substantially encircle the cable.

24. An underwater connector as claimed in claim 22 wherein the other part is substantially U-shaped.

26. Use of magnetic coupling as claimed in claim 24 wherein one part is an electrical cable and the other part is an electrically insulated clamp.

25. Use of magnetic coupling in an underwater environment for passing signals and/or power one part and another part without requiring direct electrical contact between the parts.