Linear encoder and linear guide assembly with the linear encoder

• US 6,769,195 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2003
• Issued: 08/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
• Original Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
• Inventors: Huber, Helmut, Schenk, Oliver, Gschossmann, Horst, Holstein, Siegbert, Tondorf, Sebastian
• Primary Examiner(s): Gutierrez, Diego
• Assistant Examiner(s): Guadalupe, Yaritza
• Application Number:
  US10/397,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20030182816A1
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 337/06--10, 33/1.M
• US Class Current: 33/706
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 29/00 Bearings for parts moving only linearly F16C32/06 takes precedence; incorporated in flexible shafts F16C1/28 ; parts of bearings in general and special methods for making bearings or parts thereof in general F16C33/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 29/0633 with a bearing body defining a U-shaped carriage, i.e. surrounding a guide rail or track on three sides
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 41/007 Encoders, e.g. parts with a plurality of alternating magnetic poles
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/02 Bearings or suspensions for moving parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/30 Supports specially adapted for an instrument; Supports specially adapted for a set of instruments

Abstract

A linear encoder for use with a guide assembly includes a scale (21), a head (22) for scanning the scale (21), and mounting elements (30) for releasably attaching the scale (21) to the guide rail (11) of the guide assembly, with the mounting elements (30) being arrangeable outside of the mounting surface (14) of the guide rail (11) and having stop surfaces (31, 32) extending perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (X) of the guide rail (11) for a parallel alignment of the scale (21) along the guide rail (11) and encompassing and engaging reference surface (15, 16) of the guide rail (11).

Claims

1. A linear encoder for use with a linear guide assembly formed as a separate unit (10) and including a guide rail (11) extending in a longitudinal direction (X) having a mounting surface (14) for mounting the guide assembly on a mounting surface (100) of a machine, the linear encoder comprising a scale (21);

a scanning head (22) for scanning the scale (21); and

mounting means (30) for releasably attaching the scale (21) to the guide rail (11) of the guide assembly, the mounting means (30) being arrangeable outside of the mounting surface (14) of the guide rail (11) and having stop surfaces (31, 32) extending perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (X) of the guide rail (11) for a parallel alignment of the scale (21) along the guide rail (11), with the stop surfaces (31, 32) encompassing and engaging reference surfaces (15, 16) of the guide rail (11).

2. A linear encoder according claim 1, wherein the mounting means comprises at least one, U-shaped mounting element (30) having a side leg (35) an inner surface of which forms one of the stop surfaces (31), and a connection leg (36) an inner surface of which forms another of the stop surfaces (32).

3. A linear encoder according to claim 2, further comprising a locking element (37) provided on another side leg (38) of the mounting element (30) for fixedly securing the mounting element (30) to the guide rail (11) of the guide assembly.

4. A linear encoder according to claim 3, wherein the locking element (37) pulls the stop surfaces (31, 32) of the mounting element (30) to the references surfaces (15, 16) of the guide rail (11).

5. A linear encoder according to claim 3, wherein the locking element (37) is a screw.

6. A linear encoder according to claim 5, further comprising an intermediate member (371, 372) which can be positioned with the screw (37), wherein the intermediate member (371, 371) is supported against the guide rail (11) and is formed as one of insert (371) and deflectable part (372) formed on the mounting element (30).

7. A linear encoder according to claim 1, wherein the stop surfaces (31, 32) of the mounting means (30) extend transverse to each other and parallel to the longitudinal direction (X) of the guide rail (11).

8. A linear encoder according to claim 1, wherein the mounting means (30) further comprises further stop surfaces (33, 34) extending transverse to the longitudinal direction (X) of the guide rail (11) for aligning the scale (21) parallel to the guide rail (11) along the guide rail (11), the further stop surfaces (33, 34) cooperating with corresponding stop surfaces (231, 232) of one of the scale (21) and a scale carrier (23).

9. A linear encoder for use with a linear guide assembly formed as a separate unit (10) mountable on one of a base and a slide of a machine and including a guide rail (11) and a carriage (12) displaceable thereon and sidewise encompassing and engaging the guide rail (11), the linear encoder comprising a scale (21);

a scanning head (22) for scanning the scale (21); and

mounting means (30) for releasably mounting the scale (21) on the guide rail (11), wherein the mounting means (30) is formed as a lever-shaped, salient element for retaining the scale (21) sidewise adjacent to the carriage (12) of the guide assembly.

10. A linear encoder according to claim 9, wherein the mounting means (30) comprises stop surfaces (31, 32) extending perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (X) of the guide rail (11) for a parallel alignment of the scale (21) along the guide rail (11), with the stop surface (31, 32) encompassing and engaging reference surface (15, 16) of the guide rail (11).

11. A linear encoder according to claim 10, wherein the stop surfaces (31, 32) of the mounting means (30) extend transverse to each other and parallel to the longitudinal direction (X) of the guide rail (11).

12. A linear encoder according claim 9, wherein the mounting means comprises at least one, U-shaped mounting element (30) having a side leg (35) an inner surface of which forms one of the stop surfaces (31), and a connection leg (36) an inner surface of which forms another of the stop surfaces (32).

13. A linear encoder according to claim 12, further comprising a locking element (37) provided on another side leg (38) of the mounting element (30) for fixedly securing the mounting element (30) to the guide rail (11) of the guide assembly.

14. A linear encoder according to claim 13, wherein the locking element (37) pulls the stop surfaces (31, 32) of the mounting element (30) to the reference surfaces (15, 16) of the guide rail (11).

15. A linear encoder according to claim 13, wherein the locking element (37) is a screw.

16. A linear encoder according to claim 15, further comprising an intermediate member (371, 372) which can be positioned with the screw (37), wherein the intermediate member (371, 372) is supported against the guide rail 11 and is formed as one of insert (371) and deflectable part (372) formed on the mounting element (30).

17. A linear encoder according to claim 9, wherein the mounting means (30) further comprises further stop surfaces (33, 34) extending transverse to the longitudinal direction (X) of the guide rail (11) for aligning the scale (21) parallel to the guide rail (11) along the guide rail (11), the further stop surfaces (33, 34) cooperating with corresponding stop surfaces (231, 232) of one of the scale (21) and a scale carrier (23).

18. A guide assembly formed as a separate unit (10) and comprising a guide rail (11) having a mounting surface (14) for mounting the guide rail (11) on a mounting surface (100) of a machine;

a carriage (12) displaceable on the guide rail (11) and securable to a part of the machine displaceable relative to the mounting surface (100) of the machine; and

a linear encoder (20) having a scale (21);

a scanning head (22) for scanning the scale (21); and

mounting means (30) for releasably attaching the scale (21) to the guide rail (11) of the guide assembly, the mounting means (30) being arrangeable outside of the mounting surface (14) of the guide rail (11) and having stop surfaces (31, 32) extending perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (X) of the guide rail (11) for a parallel alignment of the scale (21) along the guide rail (11), with the stop surfaces (31, 32) encompassing and engaging reference surfaces (15, 16) of the guide rail (11).

19. A linear guide assembly according to claim 18, wherein the mounting means (30) is formed as a lever-shaped, salient element for retaining the scale (21) sidewise adjacent to the carriage (12).

20. A linear guide assembly according to claim 19, wherein the linear encoder (20) further has a housing (23) in which the scale (21) and the scanning head (22) are arranged and which has a slot facing downwardly toward the mounting surface (100) of the machine;

and sealing elements (26) for sealing the slot.

21. A linear guide assembly according to claim 20, wherein the linear encoder (20) has a carrier (25) with which the scanning head (22) is secured to the carriage (12), wherein the carriage (12) has a support (40) facing the mounting surface (100) of the machine, and wherein the support (40) has a surface (41) providing for mounting the carrier (25) between the encoder housing (23) and the mounting surface (100) of the machine.