Wireless data transmission

Grumps · 2010-01-14T13:18:25+00:00

HiI'm trying to find a way of transferring power and data between two rotating devices (1500 rpm). The two devices rotate along a common spindle and are separated by 5mm.Connecting power between these two is easy by the use of some form of commutator arrangement (you know, a couple of brushes and concentric copper rings), but I don't know if this is a good approach to send the data as well. I can envisage noise appearing on the data due to dirty brushes or copper rings, or should I just try this and add more brushes for the data ring?The data rate is less than 1Mbps.Ideally an inexpensive solution.Thanks for any ideas.

Jan 14, 2010 27 Replies

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dennis 16 years ago

I would make a generator with the coils on the moving bit and the magnets on the fixed bit. The data could use a Bluetooth chip or an optical system.

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amdx 16 years ago

Nice picture.

formatting link

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Tim Wescott 16 years ago

Web search for "slip ring". It can be made reliable. Your version of inexpensive may not expand to match most slip ring suppliers' version of inexpensive, though.

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Grumps 16 years ago

Ah, slip rings. That term escaped me, thanks.

Yes, 3 rings would be enough.

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Man at B&Q 16 years ago

The power is frequency modulated with 116us period for 1 and 200us for

0 so it's between about 5 and 10kbaud.

MBQ

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Andrew Gabriel 16 years ago

Every spinning VCR head assembly works this way, at 20-40MHz IIRC.

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Theo Markettos 16 years ago

4Mbps Fast IrDA should do the data rate, and the chips and transceivers are off-the-shelf.

Theo

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Grumps 16 years ago

Thanks, that looks exactly like what I need.

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