Measuring signal transmission device for transmitting optical signals between a rotating portion and a rotationally stationary portion

Claim 2

An optical signal transmission device for transmitting excitation light for exciting at least one sensor element and light emanating therefrom between a rotating member and a rotationally stationary member spaced from one another on a bearing member rotatably interconnecting said members to form a gap between respective confronting regions of said members, comprising: a light conductor having an end portion located substantially in the center of each of said confronting regions and in confronting relationship with one another across said gap; at least one light conductor within each said member and having respective end portions in a central area of a respective one of said confronting regions and spaced from the center of rotation of a respective member to be in confronting relationship with a corresponding light conductor in the other member across said gap; whereby said excitation light and said light emanating from said at least one sensor element are each transmitted between said rotating member and said rotationally stationary member with relative rotation of said members with respect to one another.

Claim 3

An optical signal transmission device according to claim 1, in which a reflective area is provided on said confronting region of one of said members and a light conductor is provided in the other said member and having an end portion in the confronting region of said other member, whereby said reflective area reflects light signals from said light conductor back into said light conductor at least once per each 360 degree rotation between said members.

Claim 4

An optical signal transmission device according to claim 1, further comprising an elastic seal attached to each of said confronting regions and enclosing said gap to protect the end portions of the light conductors from environmental pollution.

Claim 5

An optical signal transmission device according to claim 3, further comprising an optically transparent liquid retained in said gap by said seal.

Claim 6

An optical signal transmission device according to claim 1 in which said at least one sensor element is located in said rotating member, and said excitation light is transmitted from a light conductor in said rotationally stationary member to a corresponding light conductor in said rotating member, and said light emanating from said at least one sensor element is returned through the same light conductor as said excitation light.

Claim 7

An optical signal transmission device according to claim 1 in which said at least one sensor element is an electrically active measuring sensor located in said rotating member and is excited with excitation light from any two confronting end portions of said light conductors, said device further comprising an electrical slip coupling mounted between said members, and said electrically active measuring sensor transforms the incident light energy into an electrical measuring signal coupled to said electrical slip coupling.

Claim 8

An optical signal transmission device according to claim 6, further comprising means for transforming said electrical measuring signal into a light signal emitted from said rotating member, and said emitted light signal is transmitted to said rotationally stationary member through the same light conductor used for transmitting excitation light to said electrically active measuring sensor.

Claim 9

An optical signal transmission device according to claim 1 wherein said at least one sensor element emits luminescent light when excited by said excitation light.

Claim 10

An optical signal transmission device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one sensor element is located in said rotating member and light for exciting said at least one sensor element is transmitted between said members via said light conductors located substantially in the center of each of said confronting regions and the light emanating from said at least one sensor element is transmitted between said members via the light conductors having end portions in a central area of a respective one of said confronting regions.

Claim 11

An optical signal transmission device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one sensor element is located in said rotating member and light for exciting said at least one sensor element is transmitted between said members via said light conductors having end portions in a central area of a respective one of said confronting regions, and the light emanating from said at least one sensor element is transmitted between said members via said light conductors located substantially in the center of each of said confronting regions.

Claim 12

An optical signal transmission device for transmitting excitation light for exciting at least one sensor element and light emanating therefrom between a rotating member and a rotationally stationary member, comprising: bearing means rotatably interconnecting said members in spaced relationship to one another to form a gap between respective confronting regions of said members and enabling relative rotation between said confronting regions; a light conductor having an end portion located substantially in the center of each of said confronting regions and in confronting relationship with one another across said gap; at least one light conductor within each said member and having respective end portions in a central area of a respective one of said confronting regions and spaced from the center of rotation of a respective member to be in confronting relationship with a corresponding light conductor in the other member across said gap at least once for each 360 degree of relative rotation between said members; and the number of light conductors in one said member is greater than the number of light conductors in the other said member, for transmission of light signals between respective confronting light conductors in said one member in successive order.

Claim 13

An optical signal transmission device for transmitting excitation light for exciting at least one sensor element and light emanating therefrom between a rotating member and a rotationally stationary member, comprising: bearing means rotatably interconnecting said members in spaced relationship to one another to form a gap between respective confronting regions of said members and enabling relative rotation between said confronting regions; a light conductor having an end portion located substantially in the center of each of said confronting regions and in confronting relationship with one another across said gap; at least one light conductor within each said member and having respective end portions in a central area of a respective one of said confronting regions and spaced from the center of rotation of a respective member to be in confronting relationship with a corresponding light conductor in the other member across said gap at least once for each 360 degree of relative rotation between said members; and the number of light conductors in one said member is greater than the number of light conductors in the other said member, for transmission of light signals between respective confronting light conductors in said one member in successive order.

Claim 14

An optical signal transmission device according to claim 11 wherein said one member is said rotating member and the light conductors therein are each connected to a respective sensor element and one of said light conductors having an end portion in said central area of said rotationally stationary member emits excitation light for scanning a number of light conductors in said central region of said rotating member with relative rotation between said members, whereby the light signals emitted from said sensor elements are time-division multiplexed.

Claim 15

An optical signal transmission device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said sensor elements are adapted for the measurement of temperature and having photoluminescent emission varying in intensity as a function of temperature, and said photoluminescent sensor elements are excited by light emanating from said light conductor having an end portion in the center of said rotationally stationary member, and the photoluminescent light emission from said sensors is transmitted across said gap via said light conductors spaced from the center of rotation of said members.