Rotatable coupling
First Claim
1. A continuously rotatable coupling, comprisingan input housing rotatably coupled to an output housing by a hollow tube fixed to the output housing and on which tube the input housing rotates, the hollow tube defining a central passage;
- two cooperating magnetic flux concentrators disposed about the tube and defining therebetween an annular cavity, the flux concentrators comprising a first flux concentrator fixed to the input housing and a second flux concentrator fixed to the output housing, such that relative rotation of the input and output housings causes relative rotation of the flux concentrators on either side of the annular cavity;
concentric coils disposed within the annular cavity and positioned to permit electrical contact-free power transfer across the coupling, a first of the concentric coils fixed to the input housing and a second of the concentric coils fixed to the output housing;
an optical data emitter fixed to the input housing and positioned to transmit optical signals through the central passage; and
an optical data receiver fixed to the output housing and positioned to receive the optical signals from the input optical data emitter during the relative rotation of the input and output housings.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A rotatable coupling includes an input housing rotatably coupled to an output housing by a tube fixed to the output housing and on which tube the input housing rotates. The coupling includes two magnetic flux concentrators disposed about the tube and defining therebetween an annular cavity, a first concentrator fixed to the input housing and a second concentrator fixed to the output housing, such that relative rotation of the housings causes relative rotation of the concentrators on either side of the annular cavity. The coupling includes concentric coils disposed within the annular cavity that permit power transfer across the coupling, a first coil fixed to the input housing and a second coil fixed to the output housing; an emitter fixed to the input housing; and a receiver fixed to the output housing and positioned to receive the signals from the emitter during the relative rotation of the housings.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A continuously rotatable coupling, comprising
an input housing rotatably coupled to an output housing by a hollow tube fixed to the output housing and on which tube the input housing rotates, the hollow tube defining a central passage; -
two cooperating magnetic flux concentrators disposed about the tube and defining therebetween an annular cavity, the flux concentrators comprising a first flux concentrator fixed to the input housing and a second flux concentrator fixed to the output housing, such that relative rotation of the input and output housings causes relative rotation of the flux concentrators on either side of the annular cavity; concentric coils disposed within the annular cavity and positioned to permit electrical contact-free power transfer across the coupling, a first of the concentric coils fixed to the input housing and a second of the concentric coils fixed to the output housing; an optical data emitter fixed to the input housing and positioned to transmit optical signals through the central passage; and an optical data receiver fixed to the output housing and positioned to receive the optical signals from the input optical data emitter during the relative rotation of the input and output housings. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An autonomous robot, comprising:
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a chassis; a continuously rotatable sensor turret disposed on the chassis, comprising; a continuously rotatable coupling, comprising; an input housing rotatably coupled to an output housing by a hollow tube fixed to the output housing and on which tube the input housing rotates, the hollow tube defining a central passage, two cooperating magnetic flux concentrators disposed about the tube and defining therebetween an annular cavity, the flux concentrators comprising a first flux concentrator fixed to the input housing and a second flux concentrator fixed to the output housing, such that relative rotation of the input and output housings causes relative rotation of the flux concentrators on either side of the annular cavity, concentric coils disposed within the annular cavity and positioned to permit electrical contact-free power transfer across the coupling, a first of the concentric coils fixed to the input housing and a second of the concentric coils fixed to the output housing, an optical data emitter fixed to the input housing and positioned to transmit optical signals through the central passage, and an optical data receiver fixed to the output housing and positioned to receive the optical signals from the input optical data emitter during the relative rotation of the input and output housings; a directional sensor carried by the input housing and having an active sense window that sweeps about an environment as the coupling is rotated; and a controller configured to control movement of the autonomous robot based on signals received from the directional sensor, wherein the concentric coils are configured to provide electrical power to the sensor during rotation of the coupling, and wherein the optical data transmitter and receiver are configured to transmit a signal from the sensor across the central passage during rotation of the coupling.
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Specification