US 12,385,764 B2
Absolute position encoder utilizing single track configuration
Ted Staton Cook, Kirkland, WA (US)
Assigned to MITUTOYO CORPORATION, Kanagawa-ken (JP)
Filed by Mitutoyo Corporation, Kanagawa-ken (JP)
Filed on Dec. 30, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/148,968.
Prior Publication US 2024/0219208 A1, Jul. 4, 2024
Int. Cl. G01D 5/22 (2006.01)
CPC G01D 5/22 (2013.01) 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electronic position encoder configured to measure an absolute relative position between a detector portion and a scale portion along a measuring axis direction, the electronic position encoder comprising:
a scale portion extending along the measuring axis direction which corresponds to an x-axis direction, the scale portion comprising:
a first scale element portion comprising first signal modulating scale elements; and
a second scale element portion comprising second signal modulating scale elements;
a detector portion configured to be mounted proximate to the scale portion and to move relative to the scale portion along the measuring axis direction in a plane that extends along the x-axis direction and a y-axis direction, with a z-axis direction being orthogonal to the plane, the detector portion comprising:
a field generating portion configured to generate changing magnetic flux in response to drive signals, the field generating portion comprising a first field generating element portion, which includes elongated portions and end portions which in combination form a first field generating element loop with an interior area, wherein the elongated portions extend along the x-axis direction, and the end portions extend along the y-axis direction which is perpendicular to the x-axis direction; and
a sensing portion comprising:
a first sensing element portion comprising a first set of first sensing elements configured to operate in conjunction with first signal modulating scale elements of the first scale element portion; and
a second sensing element portion comprising a first set of second sensing elements configured to operate in conjunction with second signal modulating scale elements of the second scale element portion;
wherein the detector portion and the scale portion are arranged in a single track configuration in which the first scale element portion is included in a first scale layer and the second scale element portion is included in a second scale layer, and the first and second scale element portions are stacked relative to one another along the z-axis direction that is approximately normal to the scale layers and the first and second sensing element portions are at least one of stacked or interleaved relative to one another.