The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 03, 2007
Filed:
Mar. 29, 2006
Martin J. Oosterhuis, Blacksburg, VA (US);
Jerry T. Perdue, Christiansburg, VA (US);
Carlton W. Sutphin, Christiansburg, VA (US);
Martin J. Oosterhuis, Blacksburg, VA (US);
Jerry T. Perdue, Christiansburg, VA (US);
Carlton W. Sutphin, Christiansburg, VA (US);
Moog Inc., East Aurora, NY (US);
Abstract
A fiber optic rotary joint is provided that is unaffected by variations in the optical properties of a fluid that fills its internal cavity. The rotary joint includes a housing defining the internal cavity, first and second optical collimation arrays on opposite sides of the internal cavity, and a reversion prism between the optical collimation arrays. Further, the rotary joint includes an interface optical element proximate at least one of the first and second optical collimation arrays and the reversion prism. Each interface optical element includes an optically-flat surface adapted to contact the fluid such that optical signals that are oriented normal to the optically-flat surface can be transmitted without refraction, thereby rendering the optical signals immune to variations in the fluid's optical properties. A reversion prism assembly, an optical collimation assembly and a method of aligning an optical collimation array utilizing alignment pins are also provided.