Surveying instrument incorporating a magnetic incremental rotary encoder

• US 6,550,150 B1
• Filed: 10/20/2000
• Issued: 04/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pentax Corporation (Hoya Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pentax Corporation (Hoya Corporation), Pentax Precision Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Shirai, Masami, Kenjo, Katsuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Fulton, Christopher W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gonzalez, Madeline
• Application Number:
  US09/692,616
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 33/1.PT, 33/1.N, 332/90, 332/91, 332/92, 337/06, 337/07, 337/08, 324/207.21, 341/15
• US Class Current: 33/290
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 1/02 Theodolites
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/145 influenced by the relative movement between the Hall device and magnetic fields see G01R33/06
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/249 using pulse code

Abstract

A surveying instrument which incorporates a magnetic incremental rotary encoder includes a rotary magnetic drum provided on an outer peripheral surface thereof with a multi-pole magnetized layer having a plurality of equally-divided magnetized divisions; and at least two magnetic sensors, each of which detects a magnetic field generated by the multi-pole magnetized layer therefrom. Each of the at least two magnetic sensors detects a variation in the magnetic field due to a rotation of the rotary magnetic drum to measure an angle of rotation of the rotary magnetic drum, and the at least two magnetic sensors are arranged so that two of the at least two magnetic sensors are offset from each other to have a phase angle of an odd-numbered pitch angle therebetween.

Claims

1. A surveying instrument which incorporates a magnetic incremental rotary encoder, comprising:

a magnetic drum provided on an outer peripheral surface with a multi-pole magnetized layer having, a plurality of equally-divided magnetized divisions; and

two magnetic sensors, each of which detects a magnetic field generated by said multi-pole magnetized layer said magnetic drum and said two magnetic sensors configured for relative rotation therebetween;

wherein each of said two magnetic sensors detects a variation in said magnetic field due to the relative rotation between said magnetic drum and said magnetic sensors to measure an angle of said relative rotation; and

wherein said two magnetic sensors are arranged so that said magnetic sensors are offset from each other to have a phase angle of an odd-numbered pitch angle therebetween and such that said two magnetic sensors are located on opposing sectors of said magnetic drum offset from each other by approximately 180 degrees about an axis of said magnetic drum.

2. The surveying instrument according to claim 1, wherein said surveying instrument is a total station.

3. A surveying instrument which incorporates a magnetic incremental rotary encoder, comprising:

a magnetic drum provided on an outer peripheral surface thereof with a multi-pole magnetized layer having a plurality of equally-divided magnetized divisions;

a first magnetic sensor, which detects a magnetic field generated by said multi-pole magnetized layer, said first magnetic sensor comprising a plurality of pairs of magnetoresistor elements, and

a second magnetic sensor which detects a magnetic field generated by said multi-pole magnetized layer, said second magnetic sensor comprising a plurality of pairs of magnetoresistor elements, said magnetic drum and said first and second magnetic sensors configured for relative rotation therebetween;

wherein said first and second magnetic sensors detect a variation in said magnetic field, due to the relative rotation between said magnetic drum and said first and second magnetic sensors, to measure an angle of said relative rotation;

wherein each pair of said plurality of pairs of magnetoresistor elements of said first and second magnetic sensors are offset from each other so as to have a phase angle of an odd-numbered pitch angle therebetween, and

wherein said first and second magnetic sensors are located on opposing sectors of said magnetic drum so as to be offset from each other by approximately 180 degrees about the axis of said magnetic drum.

4. The surveying instrument according to claim 3, wherein each of said first and second magnetic sensors comprise four pairs of magnetoresistor elements which are arranged so that any adjacent two pairs thereof are offset from each other so as to have a phase angle of 1/2 pitch angle therebetween.

5. The surveying instrument according to claim 3, wherein each if said first and second magnetic sensors comprise:

a first group of four pairs of magnetoresistor elements which are arranged so that any adjacent two pairs thereof are offset from each other so as to have a phase angle of 1/2 pitch angle therebetween; and

a second group of four pairs of magnetoresistor elements which are arranged so that any adjacent two pairs thereof are offset from each other so as to have a phase angle of 1/2 pitch angle therebetween,

wherein said first group and second group are arranged so as to have a phase angle of 3/4 pitch angle therebetween.

6. The surveying instrument according to claim 3, wherein said surveying instrument is a total station.

7. A surveying instrument comprising:

a leveling board;

a pedestal coupled to said leveling board to be rotatable about a vertical axis relative to said leveling board;

a collimating telescope coupled to said pedestal to be rotatable about a horizontal axis relative to said pedestal;

a horizontal-angle measuring device that measures an angle of rotation of said pedestal relative to said leveling board; and

a vertical-angle measuring device that measures an angle of rotation of said collimating telescope relative to said pedestal;

wherein at least one of said horizontal-angle measuring device and said vertical-angle measuring device comprises a magnetic incremental rotary encoder, said magnetic incremental rotary encoder comprising;

a magnetic drum provided on an outer peripheral surface with a multi-pole magnetized layer having a plurality of equally-divided magnetized divisions;

a first magnetic sensor; and

a second magnetic sensor, said magnetic drum and said first and second magnetic sensors configured for relative rotation therebetween;

wherein said first and second magnetic sensors each comprise a plurality of pairs of magnetoresistor elements, each of said first and second magnetic sensors being located on opposing sectors of said magnetic drum so that each of said first and second magnetic sensors faces said multi-pole magnetized layer;

wherein each of said first and second magnetic sensors detects a magnetic field generated by said multi-pole magnetized layer;

wherein each of said first and second magnetic sensors detects a variation in said magnetic field, due to the relative rotation between said magnetic drum and said first and second magnetic sensors to measure an angle of rotation, and

wherein each pair of said plurality of pairs of magnetoresistor elements are offset from each other so as to have a phase angle of an odd-numbered pitch angle therebetween.