Position measuring instrument
First Claim
1. A position measuring instrument for measuring the relative position of a first object and a second object movable relative to one another, comprising:
- a periodic measurement scale division having a period t and secured to said first object;
a scanner unit secured to said second object, wherein said scanner unit and said periodic measurement scale division move relative to one another in a measuring direction;
said scanner unit comprising four groups (A-D) each comprising at least four magnetoresistive elements (An -Dn) (n=1, 2, 3, 4, . . .), wherein said at least four magnetoresistive elements (An -Dn) (n=1, 2, 3, 4, . . .) of each of said four groups (A-D) are interconnected in the form of series-parallel circuits to form two half bridge circuits having an upper branch and a lower branch;
wherein said upper branch comprises a magnetoresistive element from each group (A-D) and said lower branch comprises a corresponding magnetoresistive element from each group (A-D);
said magnetoresistive elements of said upper branch are offset from the corresponding magnetoresistive elements of said lower branch by t/2; and
an evaluation device to form position measurement values from position-dependent output signals generated by said magnetoresistive elements in response to relative movement between said periodic measurement scale division and said scanner unit.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A position measuring instrument for measuring the relative position of two objects movable relative to one another. The position measuring instrument comprises a periodic measurement scale division having a period t and a scanner unit, wherein the scanner unit and the periodic measurement scale division move relative to one another in a measuring direction. In addition, the scanner unit comprises four groups (A-D) each comprising at least four magnetoresistive elements (An -Dn) (n=1, 2, 3, 4, . . .), which are interconnected in the form of a series-parallel circuit to form a half bridge circuit having an upper branch and a lower branch. The upper branch comprises a magnetoresistive element from each group (A-D) and the lower branch comprises a corresponding magnetoresistive element from each group (A-D). Furthermore, the magnetoresistive elements of the upper branch are offset from the corresponding magnetoresistive elements of the lower branch by t/2. The position measurement instrument further comprises an evaluation device to form position measurement values from position-dependent output signals generated by the magnetoresistive elements in response to relative movement between the periodic measurement scale division and the scanner unit.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A position measuring instrument for measuring the relative position of a first object and a second object movable relative to one another, comprising:
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a periodic measurement scale division having a period t and secured to said first object; a scanner unit secured to said second object, wherein said scanner unit and said periodic measurement scale division move relative to one another in a measuring direction; said scanner unit comprising four groups (A-D) each comprising at least four magnetoresistive elements (An -Dn) (n=1, 2, 3, 4, . . .), wherein said at least four magnetoresistive elements (An -Dn) (n=1, 2, 3, 4, . . .) of each of said four groups (A-D) are interconnected in the form of series-parallel circuits to form two half bridge circuits having an upper branch and a lower branch; wherein said upper branch comprises a magnetoresistive element from each group (A-D) and said lower branch comprises a corresponding magnetoresistive element from each group (A-D); said magnetoresistive elements of said upper branch are offset from the corresponding magnetoresistive elements of said lower branch by t/2; and an evaluation device to form position measurement values from position-dependent output signals generated by said magnetoresistive elements in response to relative movement between said periodic measurement scale division and said scanner unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A position measuring instrument for measuring the relative position of a first object and a second object movable relative to one another, comprising:
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a periodic measurement scale division having a period t and secured to said first object; a scanner unit, wherein said scanner unit and said periodic measurement scale division move relative to one another in a measuring direction; said scanner unit comprising eight groups (A-H) each comprising at least four magnetoresistive elements (An-Hn) (n=1, 2, 3, 4, . . .), wherein said at least four magnetoresistive elements (An -Hn) (n=1, 2, 3, 4, . . .) of each of said eight groups (A-H) are interconnected in the form of a series-parallel circuit to form a full bridge circuit having a left-hand branch and a right-hand branch; wherein said left-hand branch comprises a magneto-resistive element from each group (A-H) and said right-hand branch comprises a corresponding magnetoresistive element from each group (A-H); said magnetoresistive elements of said left-hand branch are offset from the corresponding magnetoresistive elements of said right-hand branch by t/2; and an evaluation device to form position measurement values from position-dependent output signals generated by said magnetoresistive elements in response to relative movement between said periodic measurement scale division and said scanner unit. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A position measuring instrument for measuring the relative position of a first object and a second object movable relative to one another, comprising:
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a periodic measurement scale division having a period t and secured to said first object; a scanner unit secured to said second object, wherein said scanner unit and said periodic measurement scale division move relative to one another in a measuring direction; said scanner unit comprising eight groups (A-H) each comprising at least four magnetoresistive elements (An -Hn) (n=1, 2, 3, 4, . . .), wherein said at least four magnetoresistive elements (An -Hn) (n=1, 2, 3, 4, . . .) of each of said four groups (A-H) are interconnected in the form of a series-parallel circuit to form a full bridge circuit having an upper branch and a lower branch; wherein said upper branch comprises a magnetoresistive element from each group (A-H) and said lower branch comprises a corresponding magnetoresistive element from each group (A-H); said magnetoresistive elements of said upper branch are offset from the corresponding magnetoresistive elements of said lower branch by t/2; and an evaluation device to form position measurement values from position-dependent output signals generated by said magnetoresistive elements in response to relative movement between said periodic measurement scale division and said scanner unit. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification