Optical-electrical rotary joint and methods of use

• US 9,360,630 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volcano Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Volcano Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Jenner, Robert K., De Jong, Duane, Yin, Jiyuan (John)
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Uyen Chau N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Chad
• Application Number:
  US13/695,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20130223798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6852 Catheters
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/32 having lens focusing means positioned between opposed fibre ends with lens being an integral part of the single fibre end G02B6/262
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3604 Rotary joints allowing relative rotational movement between opposing fibre or fibre bundle ends

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to rotatable optical couplings, and more particularly to a manually separable and re-connectable optical-electrical rotary joint. The invention provides a manually separable optical-electrical rotary joint in which an optical signal and electrical signal are transmitted while a downstream component rotates relative to an upstream component, for example, as driven by a motor at the upstream component. Further, the downstream component can be easily manually unplugged from the upstream component.

Claims

1. A method for carrying current and light across a rotating joint, the method comprising:

transmitting light between an upstream instrument comprising a hollow drive shaft and a downstream component comprising a coupling and a rigid shaft in optical communication with the hollow drive shaft;

conducting electricity from the instrument to the component; and

rotating the component relative to the instrument while transmitting the light and conducting the electricity; and

driving the rotation with a motor that remains stationary relative to the instrument;

wherein the component comprises an optical line disposed coaxially with a drive shaft of the motor.