Patent ID: 7650054

Claim:
A multipathway optical rotary joint, having a stationary reference plane and a moving reference plane rotatable about a reference axis of rotation, comprising: a Dove prism, positioned between the stationary reference plane and the moving reference plane, the Dove prism comprising: a first front face facing the stationary reference plane; a second front face facing the moving reference plane; the Dove prism having a prism axis of rotation substantially coaxial with the reference axis of rotation, so that when the moving reference plane rotates at a speed ω, the prism rotates at a speed ω/2; and a central optical channel positioned such that an axis of the central optical channel is substantially coaxial with the reference axis of rotation, wherein the central optical channel is configured to form an optical pathway from a point substantially corresponding to the intersection of the reference axis of rotation with the stationary reference plane, through the central optical channel, to a point substantially corresponding to the intersection of the reference axis of rotation with the moving reference plane, such that an optical wave passes through the Dove prism without undergoing deviation.