Fiberglass collar for data transfer from rotatable shaft

摘要

Telemetry apparatus for a rotating machine shaft includes a fixed collar of lightweight composite material wrapped on the shaft and having embedded in it telemetry apparatus. Measured data such as torque from a strain gauge sensor is transmitted to a stationary sensor by pulses of infrared signals. An array of photovoltaic cells receives energy from a stationary source to power the rotating telemetry apparatus. All rotating electronics is embedded in the composite material which may be, for example, E-type fiberglass. Such composite material provides a resistance to centrifugal forces due to rotation of the shaft but has sufficient transparency to allow both the transmission of data and power to and from the rotating telemetry.