Rotary joint

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11407124-B2
Application number	US-202017093760-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2020
Priority date	Nov 22, 2019
Publication date	Aug 9, 2022
Grant date	Aug 9, 2022

Abstract

A rotary joint according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a first microstrip line, a second microstrip line, a transmitting circuit connected to one end of the first microstrip line and configured to output a communication signal, a transmitting-side terminator connected to the other end of the first microstrip line, a receiving-side terminator connected to one end of the second microstrip line, and a receiving circuit connected to the other end of the second microstrip line and configured to receive the communication signal, in which the first and second microstrip lines and are set along at least a part of a circular ring having a circumferential length equal to an integral multiple of a wavelength of a traveling wave with which the communication signal propagates through the microstrip lines.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotary joint comprising:
a stationary body having a recess formed in a first end of the stationary body, the recess extending in a longitudinal direction of the stationary body, the first end of the stationary body having a first flat surface that surrounds an opening of the recess;
a rotating body having a projection that extends from a second end of the rotating body, the projection extending in a longitudinal direction of the rotating body and being fitted into the recess of the stationary body so that the rotating body is engaged into the stationary body in an endlessly rotatable manner, the second end of the rotating body having a second flat surface that surrounds a base of the projection and that faces the first flat surface of the stationary body;
a first microstrip line disposed along a circular arc set on the first flat surface of the stationary body, the first microstrip line having first and second opposite ends;
a second microstrip line disposed along a circular arc set on the second flat surface of the rotating body so as to be opposed to the first microstrip line, the second microstrip line having first and second opposite ends;
a transmitting circuit connected to the first end of the first microstrip line and configured to output a communication signal;
a transmitting-side terminator connected to the second end of the first microstrip line;
a receiving-side terminator connected to the first end of the second microstrip line;
a receiving circuit connected to the second end of the second microstrip line and configured to receive the communication signal output by the transmitting circuit; and
a transformer by which electric power is transmitted and received between the stationary body and the rotating body, the transformer including a primary coil disposed around a portion of the recess of the stationary body and a secondary coil disposed around a portion of the projection of the rotating body, the primary and secondary coils being concentrically aligned with each other when the projection is inserted into the recess, wherein
the first microstrip line is disposed along at least a part of a first circular ring, the second microstrip line is disposed along at least a part of a second circular ring, both the first and second microstrip lines have a circumferential length equal to an integral multiple of a wavelength of a traveling wave with which the communication signal propagates through the first and second microstrip lines, and the first and second microstrip lines are arranged close to each other so that traveling waves propagating through the first and second microstrip lines are loosely-coupled to each other by an electromagnetic field,
the first and second microstrip lines are symmetrical to each other and have equal lengths, and
when a direction from the transmitting circuit toward the transmitting-side terminator is defined as a first direction, the receiving circuit is disposed on a tip side of the second microstrip line in the first direction and the receiving-side terminator is disposed on a root side of the second microstrip line in the first direction.

2. The rotary joint according to claim 1 , further comprising a shielding member surrounding the first and second microstrip lines and configured to electromagnetically block the communication signal.

3. The rotary joint according to claim 1 , wherein the stationary body and the rotating body are detachably connected to each other.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Takai Tomohisa
• Takeuchi Yoshihiko

Classifications

• H01P1/066 Primary

  with an unlimited angle of rotation · CPC title

• H01P1/068 Primary

  the energy being transmitted in at least one ring-shaped transmission line located around the axis of rotation, e.g. "around the mast" rotary joint (H01P1/069 takes precedence; coaxial line with solid inner conductor H01P1/067) · CPC title

• B25J17/0241

  One-dimensional joints · CPC title

• H01P5/085

  Coaxial-line/strip-line transitions · CPC title

• H01Q1/50

  Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors · CPC title