Optical encoder with a shutter clutched for directional movement
First Claim
1. The improvement in an optical disc encoder of the type having a disc, with apertures therein, which interrupts a light source in a pulsed manner as the disc turns in order to provide for pulsed light reception by light sensors to indicate the radial movement of the disc, wherein the improvement comprises:
- at least two light sensors on one side of the disc having an optical path in relationship to the light source that is interrupted by said disc; and
,shutter means clutched for directional movement with respect to said disc that close off one light sensor when the disc moves in one direction and closes off a second light sensor when the disc moves in the other direction in order to accommodate the output on either light sensor corresponding to the direction of rotational movement of said disc.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The following specification discloses a Directional Optical Encoder including a track ball. The track ball is supported within a case and moves against two respective shafts for providing positive and negative X and Y movement. The shafts turn circular optical disc encoders wherein a beam of light passes through a slotted disc to be received against a sensing device, such as an optical sensor. The disc is a round disc having slots in order to provide rotationally pulsed outputs to a light sensor on the opposite side of the disc from a light source, such as a light emitting diode (LED). On each shaft, a pendulous shutter is journalled with a fractional or clutched helical spring engagement for providing movement of the shutter in either the plus direction or the minus direction respectively for the X and Y shafts. The shutters provide for shuttering of the light source to one of two light sensors to indicate minus or plus movement, depending upon which particular sensor is being covered. The attendant output from either the minus or plus sensor for each respective X and Y shaft allows for a pulsed output directly to a circuit without further conditioning, modification, or decoding to determine direction.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. The improvement in an optical disc encoder of the type having a disc, with apertures therein, which interrupts a light source in a pulsed manner as the disc turns in order to provide for pulsed light reception by light sensors to indicate the radial movement of the disc, wherein the improvement comprises:
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at least two light sensors on one side of the disc having an optical path in relationship to the light source that is interrupted by said disc; and
,shutter means clutched for directional movement with respect to said disc that close off one light sensor when the disc moves in one direction and closes off a second light sensor when the disc moves in the other direction in order to accommodate the output on either light sensor corresponding to the direction of rotational movement of said disc. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An optical encoder wherein pulses of light are sensed by a light sensor to emit electrical signals corresponding to the number of pulses comprising:
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a base; means for supporting a shaft on said base; a disc supported on said shaft having a plurality of openings for allowing light to pass therethrough; a source of light for causing light to pass through the openings of said disc as it rotates, thereby interrupting said light as the disc rotates; at least two light sensors on the opposite side of said disc from where said light source is, connected to a circuit for providing an output of light pulses corresponding to the interruption of said light by the disc; and
,shutter means connected to clutch means for directional movement in correspondence with said disc attached to said shaft for movement by said shaft to cover one or the other of said light sensors to provide a pulsed output of said light that corresponds to the direction of movement depending upon said shutter means orientation over one of the two light sensors. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An optical encoder for providing a user with the ability to provide optically encoded signals with regard to the radial movement of a knob to create electrical signals corresponding to said radial movement comprising:
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a disc having a plurality of openings or apertures surrounding a circumferential portion thereof; means for rotationally supporting said disc; means connected to said disc for turning said disc by an operator to a respective location for providing a given pulsed output of signals; at least two light sensors on one side of said disc; light means on the opposite side of said disc from said light sensors for passing light through said disc to provide pulsed interruptions by said disc apertures corresponding to radial changes of said disc; and
,shutter means supported in connected relationship to said disc having clutch means for engaging said disc for covering one of the two light sensors with respect to movement of said disc. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A track ball for providing a user with machine interface movement between said ball and another device whereby the output from said track ball corresponds to X and Y movement pulses from said track ball wherein the improvement comprises:
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a pair of optical encoding discs having radially spaced apertures around a portion of the circumference thereof; means for supporting said optical encoding discs; at least two light sensors on one side of each of said optical encoding discs; a light source on the other side of each of said optical encoding discs from said light sensors; means for engaging said track ball with said optical encoding discs for rotating them in corresponding rotational relationship to the movement of said track ball; and
,a pendulously oriented shutter clutched for directional movement and supported on the means for supporting said optical encoding discs for pivotal movement on said support means so that as said discs move causing the clutching of said shutter, said shutter will move to a particular stop point for shuttering one of said two light sensors with respect to opposite movement of said optical encoding discs so that an output can be provided that corresponds to the direction of movement of said optical encoding disc which corresponds to the movement of said track ball. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification