Moog Gmbh

Litton Systems, Inc.

Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Barry Kent Witherspoon

Norris E Lewis

Larry Dean Vaught

Jerry Thomas Perdue

Hettie H Webb

Michael J Day

Michael P Duncan

Kanwai P Lo

A device {i.e., a slip-ring or a homopolar motor/generator) () is adapted to provide electrical contact between a stator and a rotor (), and includes: a current-carrying brush-spring () mounted on the stator, and having two opposite surfaces; a fibrous brush assembly () mounted on the conductor, the brush assembly having a bundle of fibers () arranged such that the tips of the fibers will engage the rotor for transferring electrical current between the stator and rotor; a ribbon () of superconducting material mounted on each opposite surface of the current-carrying brush-spring and communicating with the stator and the brush assembly; and another ribbon () of superconducting material mounted on the rotor. The device is submerged in a cryogenic fluid at a temperature below the transition temperatures of the superconducting materials such that the electrical resistivity of the device will be reduced and the current-transfer capability of the device will be increased.

Superconducting devices, such as slip-rings and homopolar motors/generators

A device (i.e., a slip-ring or a homopolar motor/generator) () is adapted to provide electrical contact between a stator and a rotor (), and includes: a current-carrying brush-spring () mounted on the stator, and having two opposite surfaces; a fibrous brush assembly () mounted on the conductor, the brush assembly having a bundle of fibers () arranged such that the tips of the fibers will engage the rotor for transferring electrical current between the stator and rotor; a ribbon () of superconducting material mounted on each opposite surface of the current-carrying brush-spring and communicating with the stator and the brush assembly; and another ribbon () of superconducting material mounted on the rotor. The device is submerged in a cryogenic fluid at a temperature below the transition temperatures of the superconducting materials such that the electrical resistivity of the device will be reduced and the current-transfer capability of the device will be increased.

The invention provides an improvement in a slip ring () adapted to provide electrical contact between a stator () and a rotor (). The improvement includes: a current-carrying conductor () mounted on the stator; a brush tube () mounted on the conductor; a fiber bundle composed of a number of individual fibers(), the upper marginal end portions of the fibers being received in said brush tube, a portion of the brush tube being crimped or swaged to hold the upper marginal end portions of said fibers therein, the lower ends of the fibers in the bundle extending beyond said brush tube and being adapted to engage said rotor; a collimator tube() integral with or surrounding a portion of the brush tube and extending therebeyond, the lower end of the collimator tube being adapted to limit lateral movement of the lower marginal end portions of said fibers in said bundle when the rotor rotates relative to said stator; and a fluid reservoir () mounted on the collimator tube. The fluid may be an lubricant, a corrosion inhibitor, a fluid having a high dielectric strength additive to prevent arcing, or some other fluid.

Fluid-dispensing reservoir for large-diameter slip rings

A compact slip ring (), which is particularly adapted for use in small spaces, is adapted to provide electrical contact between a rotor () and a stator (). The improved slip ring broadly includes an electrically-conductive monofilament () having one end () mounted on the stator and having a distal end (); a sleeve () mounted on and secured to the marginal end portion of the monofilament, adjacent the distal end; and a fiber bundle () having a longitudinal axis (), one marginal end portion of the fiber bundle being recessed in and secured to the sleeve, the other end of the fiber bundle engaging the rotor such that the longitudinal axis of the fiber bundle will be substantially perpendicular to an imaginary line tangent to the rotor surface at the point of contact with the longitudinal axis.

Compact slip ring incorporating fiber-on-tips contact technology

The invention provides an improvement in a slip ring () adapted to provide electrical contact between a stator () and a rotor (). The improvement includes: a current-carrying conductor () mounted on the stator; a brush tube () mounted on the conductor; a fiber bundle composed of a number of individual fibers (), the upper marginal end portions of the fibers being received in said brush tube, a portion of the brush tube being crimped or swaged to hold the upper marginal end portions of said fibers therein, the lower ends of the fibers in the bundle extending beyond said brush tube and being adapted to engage said rotor; a collimator tube () surrounding a portion of the brush tube and extending therebeyond, the lower end of the collimator tube being adapted to limit lateral movement of the lower marginal end portions of said fibers in said bundle when the rotor rotates relative to said stator; and a fluid reservoir mounted on the collimator tube (). The fluid may be an lubricant, a corrosion inhibitor, a fluid having a high dielectric strength additive to prevent arcing, or some other fluid.

The present invention provides several improvements in a slip ring () that is adapted to provide electrical contact between a rotor () and stator (). In one aspect, a brush tube () is crimped around the upper marginal end portions of a plurality of individual fibers () inserted therein. In another aspect, a collimator tube () extends downwardly beyond the end of the brush tube to limit lateral movement of the fibers in the bundle when the rotor rotates. In yet another arrangement, a spring () is arranged to bear against a current-carrying conductor to adjustably vary the force by which the lower ends of the fibers are urged to move toward the rotor.

Electrical contact technology and methodology for the manufacture of large-diameter electrical slip rings

A fiber optic transceiver () is adapted for use in transmitting and receiving optical signals in a fiber-optic network (). The improved transceiver comprising: a multi-mode optical fiber () having a longitudinal axis (x&#x2014;x) and having a proximal end (). The fiber is adapted to convey optical signals in either direction therealong. A photodetector () is arranged in longitudinally-spaced relation to the fiber proximal end. The photodetector has a sensitive surface () operatively arranged to receive light energy exiting the fiber through the proximal end. A light source () is arranged between the fiber proximal end and the photodetector surface. The light source is arranged to selective emit light energy into the fiber through the proximal end.

Fiber-optic transceiver

Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a slip ring printed circuit board which includes forming a plurality of concentric spaced electrical contacts on one side of a non-conductive base and forming interconnecting electrical paths on an opposite side of the non-conductive base. The method of manufacturing a slip ring printed circuit board also includes electrically connecting the electrical contacts and the interconnecting electrical paths, depositing copper on the electrical contacts to form electrical rings and etching a groove into each of the electrical rings.

Method of electroforming a slip ring

An optical interface between circuit cards, more particularly between optical paths on a circuit card and a mainboard, is manufactured using bulk silicon micromachining technology. Silicon components of the interface are chemically etched and mass produced at a reduced cost for a higher degree of accuracy and precision than is available for mechanically produced interfaces. By use of micromachining technology to manufacture mating components of an interface, dimensional tolerances are possible which cannot be produced with conventional machining techniques. The resulting interface includes a pair of micromachined silicon substrates for mounting on a pair of circuit cards, each of the substrates having fiducial features, detents or cavities for aligning with the other substrate and thereby for aligning the two circuit cards. The optical path on a first circuit card may include an optical fiber mounted thereon. The silicon substrate mounted on a second circuit card includes a chemically etched cavity for a spherical lens, the cavity being aligned with the other fiducial features, detents or cavities etched therein, and thus being aligned with the optical path on the first circuit card. The interface further provides alignment pivots, which may be spherical lenses, within cavities micromachined in the substrates to implement self alignment of the substrates and hence of the circuit cards.

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Blacksburg, VA, United States of America

Barry Kent Witherspoon