Publisher's Synopsis
This study was conducted to develop an alternative way of transferring electricity across a continuously rotating joint, with little wear and the potential for low electrical noise. The problems with wires, slip rings, electromagnetic couplings, and recently invented roll-rings are discussed. Flex-gears, an improvement of roll-rings, are described. An entire class of flexgear devices is developed. Finally, the preferred flex-gear device is optimized for maximum electrical contact and analyzed for average mechanical power loss and maximum stress. For a device diameter of six inches, the preferred device is predicted to have a total electrical contact area of 0.066 square inches. In the preferred device, a small amount of internal sliding produces a 0.003 inch-pound torque that resists the motion of the device. Vranish, John and Peritt, Jonathan Unspecified Center COUPLERS; ELECTRIC CONNECTORS; ELECTRIC CONTACTS; ELECTRICITY; ELECTROMAGNETIC NOISE; FLEXIBLE BODIES; JOINTS (JUNCTIONS); LOW NOISE; POWER TRANSMISSION; ROBOTICS; ROTATING BODIES; BRUSHES (ELECTRICAL CONTACTS); ELECTROMAGNETIC COUPLING; ROBOT ARMS...
