US Patent 10164716 Contactless communication between rotating and stationary components

In one embodiment, a dissolution-testing apparatus uses a contactless communication system in place of a conventional slip ring. The communication system has a rotating infra-red (IR) communicator and a stationary IR communicator. The dissolution-testing apparatus includes a stationary base having a processor and a rotating shaft having a sensor array including at least a first sensor. The rotating communicator is part of a rotating communication module including a battery and a housing and adapted to be fixed to the shaft for rotation with the shaft. The stationary communicator is adapted to be fixed to the stationary base. The rotating communicator is adapted to (i) receive data from the first sensor while the rotating communicator rotates and (ii) transmit data corresponding to the sensor data to the stationary communicator in a contactless manner while the rotating communicator rotates with respect to the stationary communicator.