Patent · US Expired

Optical position sensing device

US7238932B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
5References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 17, 2006
Grant dateJul 3, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 17, 2026

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01D5/347
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An optical position sensing device for sensing a two-dimensional displacement, comprising a first photosensor arranged parallel to a first axis; a second photosensor arranged parallel to a second axis; wherein the first and the second axis are at an angle with respect to each other; and an encoding means which interferes with a path of light incident on the photosensors such that a pattern consisting of light and shadow is cast onto the photosensors, wherein the encoding means and the photosensors are able to move with respect to each other, resulting in modulation of light received by the photosensors, and are arranged in an arrangement such that when the encoding means moves relatively in a direction parallel to the first axis, the modulation of light received by the second photosensor is larger than the modulation of light received by the first photosensor; and when the encoding means moves relatively in a direction parallel to the second axis, the modulation of light received by the first photosensor is larger than the modulation of light received by the second photosensor.

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