IP Library Granted Patent US 9,103,698
Granted Patent B2
US 9,103,698 · App. 13/893,574 · Granted Aug 11, 2015

Transmission and reception unit and rotary encoder comprising same

Inventors: David Hopp (Donaueschingen, DE); Reinhold Mutschler (Donaueschingen, DE); Stefan Basler (Donaueschingen, DE)
Assignee: Sick Stegmann GmbH
G01D5/34G01D5/345
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,103,698
App. No.
13/893,574
Granted
Aug 11, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to a transmission and reception unit for the detection of an angle of rotation comprising a light transmitter ( 20 ), a light receiver ( 22 ) and a transparent support ( 24 ) which is arranged therebetween and which lies areally on the light receiver ( 22 ) and covers it, wherein the light transmitter ( 20 ) is attached to the support ( 24 ) and irradiates in a direction ( 28 ) away from the light receiver ( 20 ), wherein the light transmitter ( 2 ) is arranged centrally above the light receiver ( 22 ) such that received light ( 32 ) can be incident past the light transmitter ( 22 ) on the light receiver ( 32 ) and to a rotary encoder comprising such a unit.

Claims (16)

1. A rotary encoder for measuring an angle of rotation of two objects rotating relative to one another comprising:

a transmission and reception unit for the detection of the angle of rotation, wherein the transmission and reception unit comprises a light transmitter ( 20 ), a light receiver ( 22 ) and a transparent support ( 24 ), which is arranged between said light transmitter and said light receiver ( 22 ), with said transparent support ( 24 ) lying areally on the light receiver ( 22 ) and covering it,

wherein the light transmitter ( 20 ) is attached to the support ( 24 ) and irradiates in a direction ( 28 ) away from the light receiver ( 22 ),

wherein the light transmitter ( 20 ) is arranged centrally above the light receiver ( 22 ) such that received light ( 32 ) can be incident past the light transmitter ( 20 ) on the light receiver ( 22 ),

wherein the rotary encoder is configured as a polarization encoder ( 10 ) comprising a polarizer ( 42 ) which rotates relative to the light source ( 20 ) and at which the transmitted light ( 28 ) is reflected; and

wherein the receiver ( 22 ) has at least two receiver elements, with a polarizing analyzer being arranged upstream thereof, and wherein the two reception elements have an angle of rotation spacing from one another.

2. A rotary encoder in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the polarizer is configured as a disk with a normal and the normal forms an angle differing from zero with the axis of rotation.

3. A rotary encoder in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the light transmitter ( 20 ), the light receiver ( 22 ) and the transparent support ( 24 ) are fixedly connected together and form an integrated unit and form an optical module wherein the light transmitter ( 20 ) is adhesively bonded to the support ( 24 ) and wherein the light receiver has an optical reception surface ( 30 ) and the light transmitter ( 20 ) has geometrical dimensions, with the optical reception surface being larger than said geometrical dimensions.

4. A rotary encoder in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the transparent support is composed of glass.

5. A rotary encoder in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the light transmitter comprises one of an LED, an LED chip, a laser diode, and a laser chip.

6. A rotary encoder in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising further light transmitters, said further light transmitters being arranged on the support.

7. A rotary encoder in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the support has specifically shaped surfaces and thus satisfies a lens function.

8. A rotary encoder in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the support comprises an optical filter with wavelength selection.

9. A rotary encoder in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the support has diffractive structures for diffraction, deflection, or dispersion of the light.

10. A rotary encoder in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the support effects a polarization of the light.

11. A rotary encoder in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the light receiver is configured as a receiver array, as a CCD, or in a CMOS construction.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 23, 2022
From: SICK STEGMANN GMBH
To: SICK AG
Reel/Frame 059073/0934 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 15, 2013
From: HOPP, DAVID, DR.; MUTSCHLER, REINHOLD; BASLER, STEFAN
To: SICK STEGMANN GMBH
Reel/Frame 030422/0631 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 12168056 · May 15, 2012 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20130306845A1 · Nov 21, 2013