Patent · US Expired

Optical configuration for imaging-type optical encoders

US7186969B2 · kind B2 · utility

27Cited by
9References
34Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 19, 2004
Grant dateMar 6, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 7, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01D5/36
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A displacement measuring device including a scale, and an optical readhead including an index pattern and a light receiving element is provided. A bright/dark pattern arising from a scale grating is detected by the readhead to measure displacement. In various embodiments, a magnification of the pattern is adjusted by the spacing between at least a lens element, aperture element, and detection plane of the readhead. An aperture can be designed to provide a diffraction-limited telecentric imaging configuration that filters an image of the scale grating to provide a sinusoidal intensity pattern that supports highly interpolated measurements. An aperture dimension, selected in relation to the grating pitch and other parameters, can provide a desirable combination of readhead operating characteristics including one or more of a desired depth of field; degree of spatial filtering; and optical signal power.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.