Optical encoder and control apparatus

{
  "publication_number": "US11946780B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Optical encoder and control apparatus",
  "abstract": "A scale includes a diffraction grating configured to condense diffracted light in a periodic direction of the diffraction grating in order to detect a reference position. A light receiving element array is configured to receive light from the diffraction grating. The light receiving element array includes first to fourth light receiving elements configured to output signals having phases different from each other. The first light receiving element and the second light receiving element are adjacent to each other and are arranged between the third light receiving element and the fourth light receiving element. The processing unit generates a signal representing the reference position based on a differential signal between a signal from the first light receiving element and a signal from the third light receiving element and a differential signal between a signal from the second light receiving element and a signal from the fourth light receiving element.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An optical encoder comprising: a light source; a scale; a light receiving unit configured to receive light from the scale; and a processing unit configured to process a signal from the light receiving unit, wherein the scale includes a diffraction grating configured to condense diffracted light in a periodic direction of the diffraction grating in order to detect a reference position, wherein the light receiving unit includes a light receiving element array configured to receive light from the diffraction grating, wherein the light receiving element array includes a first light receiving element, a second light receiving element, a third light receiving element, and a fourth light receiving element configured to output signals having phases different from each other, wherein the first light receiving element and the second light receiving element are adjacent to each other and are arranged between the third light receiving element and the fourth light receiving element, wherein the processing unit obtains a first differential signal between a signal from the first light receiving element and a signal from the third light receiving element and obtains a second differential signal between a signal from the second light receiving element and a signal from the fourth light receiving element, and wherein the processing unit adds the first differential signal and the second differential signal and subtracts the first differential signal and the second differential signal to output a reference voltage as a reference.",
    "2. The optical encoder according to claim 1, wherein the diffraction grating includes a first diffraction grating of which a grating period is reduced as a distance from a center increases.",
    "3. The optical encoder according to claim 2, wherein the diffraction grating includes a reflection portion formed in a vicinity of the first diffraction grating.",
    "4. The optical encoder according to claim 3, wherein no diffraction grating is formed in the reflection portion.",
    "5. The optical encoder according to claim 2, wherein the diffraction grating includes a second diffraction grating that is different from the first diffraction grating and is formed in a vicinity of the first diffraction grating.",
    "6. The optical encoder according to claim 5, wherein the light receiving element array includes a fifth light receiving element of which an output is added to an output of the first light receiving element, and the fifth light receiving element is arranged at a position at which a distance from a portion where the first light receiving element adjacent to the second light receiving element is greater than that from the third light receiving element.",
    "7. The optical encoder according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of the second diffraction gratings is formed at predetermined intervals in the vicinity of the first diffraction grating in the diffraction grating.",
    "8. The optical encoder according to claim 1, wherein the third light receiving element and the fourth light receiving element are arranged at positions at which a distance X from a center of the light receiving element array satisfies the following conditional expression: X <(Z 1+ Z 2)/ Z 1×(w/ 2), where Z 1 is a distance from the light source to the scale, Z 2 is a distance from the scale to a surface of the light receiving element array, and w is a width of the first diffraction grating.",
    "9. The optical encoder according to claim 5, wherein the third light receiving element and the fourth light receiving element are arranged at positions where a distance X from a center of the light receiving element array satisfies the following conditional expression: X <(Z 1+ Z 2)/ Z 1×(w/ 2+ Z 2×tan(arcsin(λ/ d))), where Z 1 is a distance from the light source to the scale, Z 2 is a distance from the scale to a surface of the light receiving element array, λ is a wavelength of the light source, d is a period of the second diffraction grating, and w is a width of the diffraction grating.",
    "10. The optical encoder according to claim 1, further comprising a diffraction grating arranged between the light source and the scale, wherein a divergent luminous flux from the light source converges to a side farther than a surface of the light receiving element array.",
    "11. The optical encoder according to claim 1, further comprising a diffraction grating arranged between the scale and the light receiving element array.",
    "12. The optical encoder according to claim 1, wherein phases of the signal from the first light receiving element and the signal from the third light receiving element are different by 180 degrees, and wherein phases of the signal from the second light receiving element and the signal from the fourth light receiving element are different by 180 degrees.",
    "13. The optical encoder according to claim 1, wherein the light receiving element array includes a plurality of first light receiving elements adjacent to each other, a plurality of second light receiving elements adjacent to each other, a plurality of third light receiving elements adjacent to each other, and a plurality of fourth light receiving elements adjacent to each other.",
    "14. A control apparatus comprising: the optical encoder according to claim 1; and a control unit configured to control displacement of an object based on a result of a detection made by the optical encoder.",
    "15. The optical encoder according to claim 2, wherein the diffraction grating includes a plurality of second diffraction gratings formed at predetermined intervals and adjacent to the first diffraction grating, and wherein a region between the plurality of second diffraction gratings does not include a diffraction grating."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to optical encoders and control apparatuses.\n\nEncoders are conventionally used as position detection apparatuses in machining apparatuses, factory automation (FA) apparatuses, and the like. An increment type encoder detects a reference position, such as an origin, using a reference mark provided at a specific position on a scale and detects a position in a stroke based on a relative movement amount from the reference position.\n\nJapanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-304574 discusses an encoder which detects a reference position on a scale. The encoder obtains a differential signal by a split photodiode using a diffractive lens structure and thus can perform edge detection which is resistant to noise and highly reproducible.\n\nIn the encoder discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-304574, a light amount is concentrated at a spot position at which the light is condensed by the diffractive lens structure, and the light amount is conversely reduced in the vicinity thereof. In a case where the reference position is detected from a light intensity distribution near the spot position, there is an issue that a detection accuracy drops due to reduction of the light amount in the vicinity.\n\nAccording to an aspect of the present invention, an optical encoder includes a light source, a scale, a light receiving unit configured to receive light from the scale, and a processing unit configured to process a signal from the light receiving unit.",
  "cpc": [
    "G01D 5/30",
    "G01B 11/26",
    "G01D 5/285",
    "G01D 5/34707",
    "G01D 5/34746",
    "G01D 5/34792",
    "G01D 5/38"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G01B 11/26",
    "G01D 5/28",
    "G01D 5/30"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Canon Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Chihiro Nagura",
    "Takanori Uemura"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2021-06-03",
  "publication_date": "2024-04-02",
  "grant_date": "2024-04-02",
  "priority_date": "2020-06-08",
  "application_number": "US-202117337918-A",
  "family_id": "76838741",
  "cited_by_count": 1,
  "citations": [
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  ]
}