Coaxial ring rotary joint

Claim 2

A rotary joint for supplying RF energy through a system having a stationary member and a rotating member comprising: a. an RF energy input feed line means coupled to a source of RF energy; b. a rotary joint means, said rotary joint means including a split coaxial, ring-shaped cable means having a stator half electrically coupled to the stationary membEr through the input feed line means, and a rotor half electrically coupled to the rotating member; and c. an RF energy output collecting means operatively coupled to the rotor half for collecting the RF energy passing through the split coaxial, ring-shaped cable means.

Claim 3

A rotary joint for an RF transmission line comprising: a. an RF energy coaxial feed line means coupled to an RF energy source, said coaxial feed line means having an outer conductor and an inner conductor; b. a rotary joint means including an RF energy coaxial, ring-shaped line having its outer and inner conductors split to provide a stator portion and rotor portion, said outer and inner conductors of the stator portion connected, respectively, to the outer and inner conductors of the RF energy input coaxial feed line; and c. an RF energy coaxial, collector line means, said coaxial, collector line means having outer and inner conductors coupled, respectively, to the outer and inner conductors of the rotor portion of the split coaxial, ring- shaped line to collect the RF energy, said collector means including an output terminal for coupling the RF energy to a rotating member.

Claim 4

A rotary joint for an RF transmission line comprising: a. an RF energy coaxial feed line means coupled to an RF energy source, said coaxial feed line means having an outer conductor and an inner conductor; b. a rotary joint means including an RF energy coaxial, ring-shaped line having its outer and inner conductors split to provide a stator portion and rotor portion, said outer and inner conductors of the stator portion connected, respectively, to the outer and inner conductors of the RF energy input coaxial feed line; and c. an RF energy coaxial, collector line means, said coaxial, collector line means having outer and inner conductors coupled, respectively, to the outer and inner conductors of the rotor portion of the split coaxial, ring- shaped line to collect the RF energy, said collector means including an output terminal for coupling the RF energy to a rotating member.

Claim 5

A rotary joint for an RF transmission line according to claim 2, wherein said RF energy coaxial feed line means includes a power divider for selectively feeding RF energy to the stator half of the split coaxial ring.

Claim 6

A rotary joint for an RF transmission line according to claim 2, wherein said split RF energy coaxial, ring shaped line includes an outer conductor means formed in a stator and an outer conductor means formed in a rotor, said outer conductor means supporting, respectively, first and second inner conductor means of the split coaxial ring means.

Claim 7

A rotary joint for an RF transmission line according to claim 2, wherein said RF energy coaxial collector line means includes a summing network for collecting the RF energy output of the split RF energy coaxial, ring shaped line rotor half into a single RF energy output.

Claim 8

A rotary joint for an RF transmission line according to claim 2 wherein said RF energy coaxial, ring shaped collector line means comprises a first dielectric, a conductor pattern supported by said first dielectric, a second dielectric covering the conductor pattern, and a ground plane member covering the second dielectric, said ground plane, first and second dielectrics, and conductor pattern attached to a rotor member of the split coaxial ring, said rotor member acting as a second ground plane for the collector means, a plurality of coaxial feed lines coupled to the rotor half of the split coaxial ring for collecting RF energy for the conductor pattern of the collector means, and an RF energy output line coupled to the output terminal of the conductor pattern for providing a combined RF energy output.

Claim 9

A rotary joint for an RF transmission line according to claim 3 wherein said power divider is a strip line having a conductive pattern for dividing an input of RF energy into a plurality of RF energy outputs to a corresponding plurality of feed lines, said plurality of feed lines coupled to the split coaxial ring for feeding RF energy at selected electrical degree intervals to the split coaxial ring.

Claim 10

A rotary joint for an RF transmission line according to claim 3 wherein said power divider comprises a first dielectric, a conductor pattern supported by said first dielectric, a second dielectric covering the conductor pattern, and a ground plane member covering the second dielectric, said ground plane member, first and second dielectrics, and conductor pattern attached to a stator member of the split coaxial ring, said stator member acting as a second ground plane for the power divider, an RF energy feed line operatively coupled to the conductor pattern for supplying the RF energy to the power divider, and a plurality of coaxial feed lines coupled to a corresponding plurality of output Terminals of the conductor pattern for coupling RF energy to the stator half of the split coaxial ring.

Claim 11

A rotary joint for an RF transmission line according to claim 4 wherein said split RF energy coaxial, ring shaped line comprises an outer conductor ring, a tuner means and an inner conductor ring, said outer and inner conductor rings having a common axis and split in half along the plane of the ring to form a stator half for receiving RF energy from a stationary member, and a rotor half for transferring RF energy from the split coaxial ring for a rotating member, and said tuner means operatively coupled to the split coaxial ring for tuning the RF energy to a desired frequency band.

Claim 12

A rotary joint for an RF transmission line according to claim 9, wherein said inner conductor halves of the split, ring shaped coaxial line are supported concentrically within the outer conductors by a plurality of nonconductive pins.

Claim 13

A rotary joint for an RF transmission line according to claim 9, wherein said inner conductive halves of the split, ring shaped coaxial line are supported by the feed lines.

Claim 14

A rotary joint for an RF transmission line according to claim 9, wherein said inner conductor of the stator half is supporte in spaced relationship to the outer conductor of the split coaxial ring, said outer conductor formed in a cylindrically cup shaped stator member, and said inner conductor of the rotor half of the split coaxial ring supported in spaced relationship to the outer conductor of a cup shaped cylindrical rotor member, said rotor member rotatably supported by the stator member with the stator and rotor halves of the split coaxial ring aligned to form the split, ring shaped coaxial line.

Claim 15

A rotary joint according to claim 12 wherein said multichannel rotary joint means comprising a plurality of split, ring shaped coaxial line rotary joints further comprises a plurality of coaxial waveguide rotary joints having spaced input and output terminals, said plurality of coaxial waveguide rotary joints having concentric inner conductors, the inner conductor of each successive coaxial cable forming the outer conductor of each preceding coaxial cable, and said inner and outer conductors coupled together to form a rotating drive member for the rotors of the plurality of split, ring shaped coaxial line rotary joints, said plurality of split, ring shaped coaxial line rotary joints mounted concentrically about the coaxial waveguide rotary joints intermediate their input and output terminals, and having their rotors attached to the rotating drive member for rotation therewith.

Claim 16

A rotary joint for an RF transmission line comprising: a. an RF energy feed line means coupled to an RF energy source; b. a rotary joint means including a split coaxial cable means having a ring shape and including a stator portion, a rotor portion, and a tuning system, said stator portion operatively connected to the RF energy feed line means for receiving RF energy into the split coaxial cable means having a ring shape, said tuning system having a post for tuning the RF energy in the split coaxial cable means having a ring shape to a desired frequency band, and said rotor portion coupled in rotatable association with said stator portion for coupling the RF energy to a collector means; and c. a collector means having output feed line means coupled to the rotor portion of the split coaxial cable means having a ring shape to collect the RF energy, said collector means including an output terminal for coupling the RF energy to a rotating member.

Claim 17

A rotary joint for an RF transmission line comprising: a. an RF energy feed line means coupled to an RF energy source; b. a rotary joint means including a split coaxial cable means having a ring shape and including a stator portion, a rotor portion, and a tuning system, said stator portion operatively connected to the RF energy feed line means for receiving RF energy into the split coaxial cable means having a ring shape, said tuning system having a post for tuning the RF energy in the split coaxial cable means having a ring shape to a desired frequency band, and said rotor portion coupled in rotatable association with said stator portion for coupling the RF energy to a collector means; and c. a collector means having output feed line means coupled to the rotor portion of the split coaxial cable means having a ring shape to collect the RF energy, said collector means including an output terminal for coupling the RF energy to a rotating member.

Claim 18

A rotary joint for a multichannel transmission line comprising: a. an RF energy feed line means coupled to RF energy sources: b. a multichannel rotary joint means, said multichannel rotary joint comprising a plurality of tuned split, ring shaped coaxial lines forming a plurality of stator halves and a corresponding plurality of rotor halves, said plurality of rotor haLves mechanically connected one to another and each of said plurality of rotors electrically coupled to a collector means, and said plurality of stator halves mechanically connected one to another and each of said plurality of stators electrically coupled to the RF energy feed line means and rotatably supporting the rotor halves with the split, ring shaped coaxial line halves of the rotors and stators forming a plurality of split, ring shaped coaxial lines for a corresponding plurality of RF energy channels; and c. collector means for collecting RF energy from the rotor halves of the split, ring shaped coaxial lines of the multichannels.

Claim 19

A rotary joint for a multichannel transmission line comprising: a. an RF energy feed line means coupled to RF energy sources: b. a multichannel rotary joint means, said multichannel rotary joint comprising a plurality of tuned split, ring shaped coaxial lines forming a plurality of stator halves and a corresponding plurality of rotor halves, said plurality of rotor haLves mechanically connected one to another and each of said plurality of rotors electrically coupled to a collector means, and said plurality of stator halves mechanically connected one to another and each of said plurality of stators electrically coupled to the RF energy feed line means and rotatably supporting the rotor halves with the split, ring shaped coaxial line halves of the rotors and stators forming a plurality of split, ring shaped coaxial lines for a corresponding plurality of RF energy channels; and c. collector means for collecting RF energy from the rotor halves of the split, ring shaped coaxial lines of the multichannels.

Claim 20

A rotary joint for a multichannel transmission line according to claim 15 wherein said multichannel rotary joint comprising a plurality of tuned split, ring shaped coaxial line rotary joints is mounted adjacent to a second rotary joint having one or more coaxial waveguide transfer means, said coaxial waveguide transfer means having a tubular inner conductor operatively connected to the rotors of the split, ring shaped coaxial lines for rotating the rotors and providing a passage for the rotor''s output feed lines of the plurality of split coaxial ring rotary joints.

Claim 21

A rotary joint for an RF transmission line comprising: a. an RF energy feed line means coupled to an RF energy source; b. a rotary joint means including a split coaxial ring having a stator half, and a rotor half, said stator half operatively connected to the RF energy feed line means for receiving RF energy into the split coaxial ring means, and said rotor half coupled in rotatable association with said stator half for coupling the RF energy to a collector means; and c. a collector means having output feed line means coupled to the rotor half of the split coaxial ring to collect the RF energy, said collector means including an output terminal for coupling the RF energy to a rotating member, wherein said RF energy collector means comprises: a first dielectric, a conductor pattern supported by said first dielectric, a second dielectric covering the conductor pattern, and a ground plane member covering the second dielectric, said ground plane, first and second dielectrics, and conductor pattern attached to a rotor member of the split coaxial ring, said rotor member acting as a second ground plane for the collector means, a plurality of coaxial feed lines coupled to the rotor half of the split coaxial ring for collecting RF energy for the conductor pattern of the collector means, and an RF energy output line coupled to the output terminal of the conductor pattern for providing a combined RF energy output.

Claim 22

A rotary joint for an RF transmission line comprising: a. an RF energy feed line means coupled to an RF energy source; b. a rotary joint means including a split coaxial ring having a stator half, and a rotor half, said stator half operatively connected to the RF energy feed line means for receiving RF energy into the split coaxial ring means, and said rotor half coupled in rotatable association with said stator half for coupling the RF energy to a collector means; and c. a collector means having output feed line means coupled to the rotor half of the split coaxial ring to collect the RF energy, said collector means including an output terminal for coupling the RF energy to a rotating member, wherein said RF energy collector means comprises: a first dielectric, a conductor pattern supported by said first dielectric, a second dielectric covering the conductor pattern, and a ground plane member covering the second dielectric, said ground plane, first and second dielectrics, and conductor pattern attached to a rotor member of the split coaxial ring, said rotor member acting as a second ground plane for the collector means, a plurality of coaxial feed lines coupled to the rotor half of the split coaxial ring for collecting RF energy for the conductor pattern of the collector means, and an RF energy output line coupled to the output terminal of the conductor pattern for providing a combined RF energy output.

Claim 23

A rotary joint for an RF transmission line comprising: a. an RF energy feed line means coupled to an RF energy source, wherein said RF energy feed line means includes a power divider for selectively feeding RF energy to the stator half of the split coaxial ring, wherein said power divider is a strip line having a conductive pattern for dividing an input of RF energy into a plurality of RF energy outputs to a corresponding plurality of feed lines, said plurality of feed lines coupled to the split coaxial ring for feeding RF energy at selected electrical degree intervals to the split coaxial ring; b. a rotary joint means including a split coaxial ring having a stator half; and a rotor half, said stator half operatively connected to the RF energy feed line means for receiving RF energy into the split coaxial ring means, and said rotor half coupled in rotatable association with said stator half for coupling the RF energy to a collector means; and c. a collector means having output feed line means coupled to the rotor half of the split coaxial ring to collect the RF energy, said collector means including an output terminal for coupling the RF energy to a rotating member.

Claim 24

A rotary joint for an RF transmission line comprising: a. an RF energy feed line means coupled to an RF energy source, wherein said RF energy feed line means includes a power divider for selectively feeding RF energy to the stator half of the split coaxial ring, wherein said power divider is a strip line having a conductive pattern for dividing an input of RF energy into a plurality of RF energy outputs to a corresponding plurality of feed lines, said plurality of feed lines coupled to the split coaxial ring for feeding RF energy at selected electrical degree intervals to the split coaxial ring; b. a rotary joint means including a split coaxial ring having a stator half; and a rotor half, said stator half operatively connected to the RF energy feed line means for receiving RF energy into the split coaxial ring means, and said rotor half coupled in rotatable association with said stator half for coupling the RF energy to a collector means; and c. a collector means having output feed line means coupled to the rotor half of the split coaxial ring to collect the RF energy, said collector means including an output terminal for coupling the RF energy to a rotating member.

Claim 25

A rotary joint for an RF transmission line comprising: a. an RF energy feed line meAns coupled to an RF energy source wherein said RF energy feed line means includes a power divider for selectively feeding RF energy to the stator half of the split coaxial ring, wherein said power divider comprises a first dielectric, a conductor pattern supported by said first dielectric, a second dielectric covering the conductor pattern, and a ground plane member covering the second dielectric, said ground plane member, first and second dielectrics, and conductor pattern attached to a stator member of the split coaxial ring, said stator member acting as a second ground plane for the power divider, an RF energy feed line operatively coupled to the conductor pattern for supplying the RF energy to the power divider, and a plurality of coaxial feed lines coupled to a corresponding plurality of output terminals of the conductor pattern for coupling RF energy to the stator half of the split coaxial ring; b. a rotary joint means including a split coaxial ring having a stator half, and a rotor half, said stator half operatively connected to the RF energy feed line means for receiving RF energy into the split coaxial ring means, and said rotor half coupled in rotatable association with said stator half for coupling the RF energy to a collector means; and c. a collector means having output feed line means coupled to the rotor half of the split coaxial ring to collect the RF energy, said collector means including an output terminal for coupling the RF energy to a rotating member.

Claim 26

A rotary joint for an RF transmission line comprising: a. an RF energy feed line meAns coupled to an RF energy source wherein said RF energy feed line means includes a power divider for selectively feeding RF energy to the stator half of the split coaxial ring, wherein said power divider comprises a first dielectric, a conductor pattern supported by said first dielectric, a second dielectric covering the conductor pattern, and a ground plane member covering the second dielectric, said ground plane member, first and second dielectrics, and conductor pattern attached to a stator member of the split coaxial ring, said stator member acting as a second ground plane for the power divider, an RF energy feed line operatively coupled to the conductor pattern for supplying the RF energy to the power divider, and a plurality of coaxial feed lines coupled to a corresponding plurality of output terminals of the conductor pattern for coupling RF energy to the stator half of the split coaxial ring; b. a rotary joint means including a split coaxial ring having a stator half, and a rotor half, said stator half operatively connected to the RF energy feed line means for receiving RF energy into the split coaxial ring means, and said rotor half coupled in rotatable association with said stator half for coupling the RF energy to a collector means; and c. a collector means having output feed line means coupled to the rotor half of the split coaxial ring to collect the RF energy, said collector means including an output terminal for coupling the RF energy to a rotating member.

Claim 27

A rotary joint for an RF transmission line comprising: a. an RF energy feed line means coupled to an RF energy source, b. a rotary joint means including a split coaxial ring wherein said split coaxial ring includes an outer conductor means formed in a stator and an outer conductor means formed in a rotor, said outer conductor means supporting, respectively, first and second inner conductor means of the split coaxial ring means, wherein said split coaxial ring comprises an outer conductor ring, and an inner conductor ring, said outer and inner conductor rings having a common axis and split in half along the plane of the ring to form a stator half for receiving RF energy from a stationary member, and a rotor half for transferring RF energy from the split coaxial ring for a rotating member, and said tuner means operatively coupled to the split coaxial ring for tuning the RF energy to a desired frequency band, wherein said inner conductor of the stator half is supported in spaced relationship to the outer conductor of the split coaxial ring, said outer conductor formed in a cylindrically cup shaped stator member, and said inner conductor of the rotor half of the split coaxial ring supported in spaced relationship to the outer conductor of a cup shaped cylindrical rotor member, said rotor member rotatably supported by the stator member with the stator and rotor halves of the split coaxial ring aligned to form the split coaxial ring; and c. a collector means having output feed line means coupled to the rotor half of the split coaxial ring to collect the RF energy, said collector means including an output terminal for coupling the RF energy to a rotating member.

Claim 28

A rotary joint for an RF transmission line comprising: a. an RF energy feed line means coupled to an RF energy source, b. a rotary joint means including a split coaxial ring wherein said split coaxial ring includes an outer conductor means formed in a stator and an outer conductor means formed in a rotor, said outer conductor means supporting, respectively, first and second inner conductor means of the split coaxial ring means, wherein said split coaxial ring comprises an outer conductor ring, and an inner conductor ring, said outer and inner conductor rings having a common axis and split in half along the plane of the ring to form a stator half for receiving RF energy from a stationary member, and a rotor half for transferring RF energy from the split coaxial ring for a rotating member, and said tuner means operatively coupled to the split coaxial ring for tuning the RF energy to a desired frequency band, wherein said inner conductor of the stator half is supported in spaced relationship to the outer conductor of the split coaxial ring, said outer conductor formed in a cylindrically cup shaped stator member, and said inner conductor of the rotor half of the split coaxial ring supported in spaced relationship to the outer conductor of a cup shaped cylindrical rotor member, said rotor member rotatably supported by the stator member with the stator and rotor halves of the split coaxial ring aligned to form the split coaxial ring; and c. a collector means having output feed line means coupled to the rotor half of the split coaxial ring to collect the RF energy, said collector means including an output terminal for coupling the RF energy to a rotating member.