IP Library Granted Patent US 7,679,533
Granted Patent B2
US 7,679,533 · App. 11/866,285 · Granted Mar 16, 2010

Photodiode array for an optical encoder, photodiode detection system, and optical encoder

Assignee: Renco Encoders Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,679,533
App. No.
11/866,285
Granted
Mar 16, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A photodiode detector array for an optical encoder includes a sequence of photodiodes having a pitch between adjacent photodiodes that alternates between a first pitch and a second pitch, the second pitch being different than the first pitch.

Claims (50)

1. A photodiode detector array for an optical encoder, comprising:

a sequence of photodiodes having a pitch distance between adjacent photodiodes that alternates between a first pitch distance and a second pitch distance, the second pitch distance being different than the first pitch distance.

2. The photodiode detector array according to claim 1 , wherein the following equation is satisfied:

second pitch distance=first pitch distance*((3+4 i )/(2+4 i )),

representing an integer greater than or equal to 0.

3. The photodiode detector array according to claim 1 , wherein the second pitch distance is 1.5 times the first pitch distance.

4. The photodiode detector array according to claim 1 , wherein the following equation is satisfied:

second pitch distance=first pitch distance*((2+4 i )/(1+4 i )),

representing an integer greater than or equal to 0.

5. The photodiode detector array according to claim 1 , wherein the second pitch distance is 1.2 times the first pitch distance.

6. The photodiode detector array according to claim 1 , wherein the photodiode array has a plurality of channels, each channel including a first complementary photodiode and a second complementary photodiode.

7. The photodiode detector array according to claim 6 , wherein each of the first complementary photodiode and the second complementary diode repeats with a third pitch distance, the third pitch distance one of (a) alternating between 4 times the first pitch distance and 6 times the first pitch distance and (b) alternating between 5⅓ times the first pitch distance and 3⅓ times the first pitch distance.

8. The photodiode detector array according to claim 6 , wherein each of the first complementary photodiode and the second complementary photodiode repeats with a third pitch distance, the third pitch distance alternating between 5.6 times the first pitch distance and 3.2 times the first pitch distance.

9. The photodiode detector array according to claim 1 , wherein the pitch distance between adjacent photodiodes repeatedly alternates between the first pitch distance and the second pitch distance.

10. An optical encoder, comprising:

a light source;

a photodiode detector array including a sequence of photodiodes having a pitch distance between adjacent photodiodes that alternates between a first pitch distance and a second pitch distance, the second pitch distance being greater than the first pitch distance; and

a scale index member configured to direct light from the light source to the photodiodes.

11. The optical encoder according to claim 10 , wherein the scale index member is a code disk.

12. The optical encoder according to claim 10 , wherein the scale index member includes slots having a slot pitch distance, the slot pitch being twice the first pitch distance.

13. The optical encoder according to claim 10 , wherein the scale index member includes slots having a slot pitch distance, the slot pitch distance being ⅘ the first pitch distance.

14. The optical encoder according to claim 10 , wherein the photodiode array has a plurality of channels, each channel including a first complementary photodiode and a second complementary photodiode.

15. The optical encoder according to claim 10 , wherein the pitch distance between adjacent photodiodes repeatedly alternates between the first pitch distance and the second pitch distance.

16. An optical encoder, comprising:

a light source;

a photodiode detector array including a sequence of photodiodes having a pitch between adjacent photodiodes that alternates between a first pitch and a second pitch, the second pitch being greater than the first pitch; and

a scale index member configured to direct light from the light source to the photodiodes;

wherein at least one of the following equations is satisfied:

second pitch=first pitch*((3+4 i )/(2+4 i )); and  (a)

second pitch=first pitch*((2+4 i )/(1+4 i ));  (b)

i representing an integer greater than or equal to 0.

17. The optical encoder according to claim 10 , wherein the second pitch distance is one of (a) 1.5 times the first pitch distance, (b) alternating between 5⅓ times the first pitch distance and 3⅓ times the first pitch distance, and (c) 1.2 times the first pitch distance.

18. The optical encoder according to claim 16 , wherein the scale index member is a code disk.

19. The optical encoder according to claim 16 , wherein the scale index member includes slots having a slot pitch, the slot pitch being twice the first pitch.

20. The optical encoder according to claim 16 , wherein the scale index member includes slots having a slot pitch, the slot pitch being ⅘ the first pitch.

21. The optical encoder according to claim 16 , wherein the second pitch is one of (a) 1.5 times the first pitch, (b) alternating between 5⅓ times the first pitch and 3⅓ times the first pitch, and (c) 1.2 times the first pitch.

22. The optical encoder according to claim 16 , wherein the photodiode array has a plurality of channels, each channel including a first complementary photodiode and a second complementary photodiode.

23. The optical encoder according to claim 16 , wherein each of the first complementary photodiode and the second complementary diode repeats with a third pitch, the third pitch one of (a) alternating between 4 times the first pitch and 6 times the first pitch and (b) alternating between 5.4 times the first pitch and 3.4 times the first pitch.

24. The optical encoder according to claim 16 , wherein the pitch between adjacent photodiodes repeatedly alternates between the first pitch and the second pitch.

25. An optical encoder, comprising:

a light source;

a photodiode detector array including a sequence of photodiodes having a pitch between adjacent photodiodes that alternates between a first pitch and a second pitch, the second pitch being greater than the first pitch; and

a scale index member configured to direct light from the light source to the photodiodes;

wherein each of the first complementary photodiode and the second complementary diode repeats with a third pitch, the third pitch one of (a) alternating between 4 times the first pitch and 6 times the first pitch and (b) alternating between 5.4 times the first pitch and 3.4 times the first pitch.

26. The optical encoder according to claim 25 , wherein the scale index member is a code disk.

27. The optical encoder according to claim 25 , wherein the scale index member includes slots having a slot pitch, the slot pitch being twice the first pitch.

28. The optical encoder according to claim 25 , wherein the scale index member includes slots having a slot pitch, the slot pitch being ⅘ the first pitch.

29. The optical encoder according to claim 25 , wherein the second pitch is one of (a) 1.5 times the first pitch, (b) alternating between 5⅓ times the first pitch and 3⅓ times the first pitch, and (c) 1.2 times the first pitch.

30. The optical encoder according to claim 25 , wherein the photodiode array has a plurality of channels, each channel including a first complementary photodiode and a second complementary photodiode.

31. The optical encoder according to claim 25 , wherein the pitch between adjacent photodiodes repeatedly alternates between the first pitch and the second pitch.

Assignments (2)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Mar 26, 2010
From: RENCO ENCODERS, INC.
To: HEIDENHAIN CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 024140/0793 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 2, 2007
From: FRANKLIN, RUTH E.
To: RENCO ENCODERS INC.
Reel/Frame 019909/0854 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20090084945A1 · Apr 2, 2009