Optical Rotary Joint Transmission With Symmetric Duplex Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical signal transmission systems in rotary joints suffer from large optical loss in one direction during duplex optical information transmission, inflexibility in wavelength fixation, asymmetric uplink and downlink, and alignment issues due to gear wear, leading to reduced reliability and short service life.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a hollow cylindrical rotor and stator with photodetectors, beam-condensing light paths using hollow cones and condenser lenses, and symmetrical beam splitters to achieve symmetric uplink and downlink, low optical loss, and eliminate alignment problems through synchronized rotation of beam-focusing optical paths and photodetectors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If optical fiber slip-rings are used with mechanical pull-plug connection, then optical signal transmission without electromagnetic interference is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical pull-plug connection system with a magnetic coupling system. The transmitter and receiver use magnetic fields for wireless power and data transmission, eliminating the need for physical contact components. This substitution resolves the contradiction by maintaining electromagnetic isolation benefits while dramatically simplifying manufacturing and eliminating the complexity of mechanical alignment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the mechanical connection components (pull-plug mechanisms, alignment shafts, gear systems) from the optical fiber slip-ring system. By taking out these mechanical elements, the system achieves wireless transmission, eliminating the harmful effects of mechanical wear and alignment issues while reducing manufacturing complexity compared to precision mechanical systems.
2Reliability
If precise alignment of shafts is implemented in multi-channel optical fiber slip-rings, then optical signal transmission reliability is improved, but long-term gear wear causes alignment problems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical gear-driven alignment system with a magnetic coupling system that maintains fixed relative positions between transmitter and receiver components. The magnetic coupling provides stable, wear-free positioning that preserves alignment reliability indefinitely, eliminating the gear wear problem that limits service life in traditional mechanical systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses magnetic coupling strength that exceeds the minimum required for connection, providing excessive holding force that ensures stable alignment without any mechanical movement or wear. This excessive magnetic action guarantees maintained alignment over the entire service life, resolving the contradiction between initial alignment precision and long-term stability.
3Ease of operation
If conductive slip rings are used for power supply and signal transmission, then electrical connection between rotating and fixed ends is achieved, but friction leads to decreased signal conduction and poor electromagnetic interference resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conductive slip-ring electrical connection system with wireless magnetic coupling for both power and data transmission. This substitution eliminates friction-based contact entirely, resolving the contradiction by maintaining ease of operation (wireless power transfer) while dramatically improving reliability through contactless transmission that is immune to friction-induced signal degradation and electromagnetic interference.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system ensures symmetric uplink and downlink with low optical loss, extends service life by avoiding gear wear, and facilitates easy expansion into a multi-channel system with fixed beam paths and synchronized components.
Implementation Method 1
the beam is condensed by the condenser lens arranged in an interior of a hollow cone of the beam-condensing light path on the tray to obtain a hollow beam which is received and converted into an electrical signal by the corresponding photodetector and the corresponding conditioning circuit after being reflected from an outer surface of the cone on the other tray
Implementation Method 2
the beam is condensed by the condenser lens arranged in an interior of a hollow cone of the beam-condensing light path on the tray to obtain a hollow beam
Implementation Method 3
received and converted into an electrical signal by the corresponding photodetector
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an optical signal transmission system and method for rotary joints. The system comprises a hollow cylindrical rotor, a hollow cylindrical stator, a plurality of sets of photodetectors arranged on the inner cylindrical wall of the rotor and the stator respectively, a plurality of optical signal sources and optical signal transmit-receive channels. Light beams emitted from the optical signal sources reach the corresponding photodetectors through the optical signal transmit-receive channels. The corresponding photodetectors convert optical signals into electrical signals. Optical signals are transmitted in the optical signal transmission system for symmetric duplex communication, where there is no distinction between uplink and downlink. The technical proposal provided by the present invention can be easily expanded into an optical signal transmission system for multi-channel duplex communication, which shows reliable communication and long service life without shaft wear of rotary joints and coupling problems in optical fibers.