Jf. Li et Jw. Sutherland, Multichannel data transmission system for rotating elements using a noncontacting slip ring, REV SCI INS, 71(11), 2000, pp. 4319-4322
The collection or acquisition of dynamic data from elements that are rotati
ng (e.g., gearing system, axle, engine propeller, and machine tool spindle)
is a significant challenge in many engineering applications. Both contacti
ng and remote telemetry-based methods have been employed to provide a data
bridge between the rotating and stationary reference frames, however these
methods suffer from several difficulties. A new method for the transmission
of signals from the transducers on a rotating element is presented. Infrar
ed light emitting diodes (LEDs) are placed on the circumference of the shaf
t or the end of it. Externally mounted photodiodes receive a frequency modu
lated light from the LEDs. Signal multiplexing enables multiple-channel sig
nal transmission to be realized. The properties of the instrument are as fo
llows: dynamic maximum frequency of 50 kHz, static sine distortion degree l
ess than 1%, dynamic channel isolation of -40 dB, dynamic linear error less
than 1%, and static/dynamic gains of 50-200. The proposed method has been
validated through experiments performed on a prototype optical signal trans
mission system. Experimental results show excellent agreement with theoreti
cal calculations. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0034-6748(00)03
911-3].