Patent ID: 7534992
Filing Date: 2009-05-19
Classification: G02B,H04B

Abstract:
1. A contactless connector comprising: a rotation-side light element that is provided on a rotating body for rotating about an axis of rotation; and a fixed-side light element that is provided on a fixed body, wherein data transmission and reception is contactlessly performed between the rotation-side light element and the fixed-side light element because the rotation-side light element consists of one of a light-emitting element or a light receiving element and the fixed-side light element consists of the other of a light-emitting element or a light-receiving element, wherein the rotation-side light element and the fixed-side light element are provided on a disk face of the rotating body and a disk face of the fixed body respectively, which are substantially orthogonal to the axis of rotation, and provided oblique with respect to the respective disk faces to form a light path that is oblique with respect to the axis of rotation, the contactless connector further including an aperture that allows light emitted from the rotation-side light element or the fixed-side light element to pass, between the rotating body and the fixed body, wherein the aperture comprises a plurality of holes, extending obliquely with respect to the disk faces, that allow the emitted light to be transmitted and the width of each of the holes is a size such that, when a light-receiving element is located at one end of the hole, a light-receiving element is also located at the other end of the hole when one of the light elements is the light-emitting element and the other is the light-receiving element.