Arrangement for the detection of relative movements or relative positions of two objects

• US 20030102422A1
• Filed: 03/12/2002
• Published: 06/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3DCONNEXION GmbH (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: 3DCONNEXION GmbH (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Gombert, Bernd
• Application Number:
  US10/094,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20030102422A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/206.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/32 with attenuation or whole or partial obturation of beams of light G01D5/40 takes precedence ; mechanical adjustment G01D5/264
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks

Abstract

An optoelectronic arrangement for the detection of relative movements or relative positions of two objects, which comprises at least two position sensitive detectors, with each position sensitive detector being illuminated by a light emitting means in order to form a measuring cell, and a light emitting means illuminates two detectors each in order to form two measuring cells with a common light emitting means. Further, a force and/or moment sensor provided with this arrangement with a first board and a second board, with the first board and the second board being elastically connected with each other and movable relative to one another. Finally, a personal computer keyboard which is provided with such a force and/or moment sensor.

Claims

1. An optoelectronic arrangement for the detection of relative movements or relative positions of two objects, which comprises at least two position sensitive detectors (42, 62), with each position sensitive detector being illuminated by a light emitting means in order to form a measuring cell, characterised in that a light emitting means illuminates at least two detectors (42, 62) each in order to form two measuring cells with a common light emitting means.

2. The optoelectronic arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that all position sensitive detectors (42, 62) and light emitting means (40) are arranged in a common plane.

3. The optoelectronic arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that the arrangement comprises at least four optoelectronic elements, each of which being either a light emitting means or a position sensitive detector, and the optoelectronic elements are arranged at least on a first plane and a second plane in such a manner that at least three optoelectronic elements are arranged on the first plane and at least one optoelectronic element is arranged only on the second one of the two planes, and preferably the first and the second plane are arranged essentially parallel to each other.

4. The optoelectronic arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the light emitting means (40) are arranged on a closed imaginary first surface which is plane or convex at each site, in such a manner that their respective emission means face towards a first inner space which is defined by the first surface.

5. The optoelectronic arrangement according to one of the previous claims, characterised in that the position sensitive detectors (42, 62) are arranged on a closed imaginary first surface which is plane or convex at each site, in such a manner that their respective photosensitive sides face towards a second inner space which is defined by the second surface.

6. The optoelectronic arrangement according to one of the previous claims, characterised in that the optoelectronic arrangement comprises at least six position sensitive detectors (42, 62) for measuring six degrees of freedom.

7. The optoelectronic arrangement according to one of the previous claims, characterised in that the position sensitive detectors (42, 62) are arranged in pairs of neighbouring position sensitive detectors (42, 62), with the pairs comprising one position sensitive detector (42, 62) each for detecting a movement essentially perpendicular to the first plane and a position sensitive detector (42, 62) for detecting a movement in essentially the first plane.

8. The optoelectronic arrangement according to claim 7, characterised in that the pairs of position sensitive detectors (42, 62) are oriented at an essentially identical angular distance relative to each other so as to be rotated about an axis which extends essentially perpendicular to the first plane.

9. The optoelectronic arrangement according to one of claims 7 or 8, characterised in that the light emitting means (40) each are arranged between pairs of position sensitive infrared detectors (42, 62) and the pairs of light emitting means (40) are oriented at an essentially equal angular distance so as to be rotated relative to each other about an axis which extends essentially vertically to the first plane.

10. The arrangement according to one of claims 2 to 9, characterised in that the measuring cells also comprise one slit diaphragm (44, 64) each arranged in the beam path of the light emitting means (40) between the light emitting means (40) and the position sensitive detector (42, 62), with a detector axis of the position sensitive detector (42, 62) being aligned essentially perpendicular to the slit direction of the slit diaphragm (44, 64) and with an element of the system consisting of light emitting means (40), slit diaphragm (44, 64), and detector (42, 62) being movable relative to the two other elements.

11. The arrangement according to claim 10, characterised in that in each measuring cell the slit diaphragm (44, 64) is movable relative to the position sensitive detector (42, 62) and the light emitting means (40).

12. The arrangement according to claim 10 or 11, characterised in that the position sensitive detectors (42, 62) and/or the light emitting means (40) are mounted on a cylindrical printed board (80).

13. A force and/or moment sensor with a first board (120) and a second board, with the first board (120) and the second board being elastically connected with each other and movable relative to one another, characterised by an optoelectronic arrangement for the detection of relative movements or relative positions of two objects according to one of claims 1 to 12.

14. The force and/or moment sensor according to claim 13, characterised in that the first (120) and the second board are connected with each other via at least one spring and/or damping means (122).

15. The force and/or moment sensor according to one of claims 13 or 14, characterised in that the at least one spring and/or damping means (122) comprises one of the following components or combinations thereof:

helical spring, spring assembly, elastomer, cast resin.

16. The force and/or moment sensor according to one of claims 14 or 15, characterised in that the spring and/or damping means (122) are arranged essentially rotation symmetrically.

17. The force and/or moment sensor according to one of claims 14 to 16, characterised in that at least one of the spring and/or damping means (122) comprises at least one elastomer or spring element which is firmly connected with the first (120) and second board.

18. The force and/or moment sensor according to one of claims 14 to 17, characterised by at least one stop means which limits the movement of the first board (120) relative to the second board.

19. A personal computer keyboard, characterised in that it comprises a force and/or moment sensor according to one of claims 14 to 18.