Contactless electrical coupling for a rotatable LIDAR device

摘要

A rotatable LIDAR device including contactless electrical couplings is disclosed. An example rotatable LIDAR device includes a vehicle electrical coupling including (i) a first conductive ring, (ii) a second conductive ring, and (iii) a first coil. The example rotatable LIDAR device further includes a LIDAR electrical coupling including (i) a third conductive ring, (ii) a fourth conductive ring, and (iii) a second coil. The example rotatable LIDAR device still further includes a rotatable LIDAR electrically coupled to the LIDAR electrical coupling. The first conductive ring and the third conductive ring form a first capacitor configured to transmit communications to the rotatable LIDAR, the second conductive ring and the fourth conductive ring form a second capacitor configured to transmit communications from the rotatable LIDAR, and the first coil and the second coil form a transformer configured to provide power to the rotatable LIDAR.

主权项

1. A vehicle comprising:
a first Ethernet transmitter; a first Ethernet receiver; a vehicle electrical coupling mounted on the vehicle and electrically coupled to each of the first Ethernet transmitter and the first Ethernet receiver, the vehicle electrical coupling comprising: (i) a first conductive ring, (ii) a second conductive ring and (iii) a first coil; a rotatable LIDAR comprising a second Ethernet transmitter and a second Ethernet receiver; and a LIDAR electrical coupling electrically coupled to the rotatable LIDAR, the LIDAR electrical coupling comprising: (i) a third conductive ring, (ii) a fourth conductive ring, and (iii) a second coil, wherein:
the first conductive ring and the third conductive ring form a first capacitor configured to transmit communications from the first Ethernet transmitter to the second Ethernet receiver,the second conductive ring and the fourth conductive ring form a second capacitor configured to transmit communications from the second Ethernet transmitter to the second Ethernet receiver, andthe first coil and the second coil form a transformer configured to provide power to the rotatable LIDAR.