Patent ID: 8786385

Claim:
An axially configured rotary joint containing two sections that can be mechanically rotated independently with respect to each other on a common axis of rotation during propagation of radio frequency electromagnetic waves and light waves across a single common rotary interface plane, each section comprising: a) a radio frequency electromagnetic wave rotary transmission line including: i) a pair of coaxial transmission lines, each coaxial transmission line comprised of a concentric inner and outer coaxial conductor, each said coaxial transmission line including a rotary interface attachment end and an input/output port end; ii) said rotary interface attachment ends of said pair of coaxial transmission lines affixed on opposite sides of said common rotary interface plane such that said rotary attachment ends of said coaxial transmission lines are facing each other across said common rotary interface plane and aligned on said common axis of rotation; iii) a means for coupling electromagnetic wave energy across the common rotary interface plane; iv) a means for permitting rotational movement about the axis of rotation; and v) a means for maintaining precision alignment including a dielectric sleeve bearing between said rotary attachment ends of said inner coaxial conductors of said pair of coaxial transmission lines; and b) a light wave rotary transmission line including: i) a pair of optical fiber transmission lines, each optical fiber transmission line running through an interior pathway in said inner coaxial conductor of a corresponding one of said coaxial transmission lines, ii) a pair of optical coupling devices, each optical coupling device including a rotary interface attachment end and a transmission line attachment end, iii) said pair of optical fiber transmission lines being transmissively and fixedly attached to said transmission line attachment ends of a corresponding one of said pair of optical coupling devices, iv) each said optical coupling device being positioned and affixed within said interior pathway of said inner coaxial conductor of a corresponding one of said coaxial transmission lines so that said rotary interface attachment ends of each of said optical coupling devices are facing each other across said common rotary interface plane and aligned with said common axis of rotation.