Encoder device for detecting movement

• US 7,511,260 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Issued: 03/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd. (MinebeaMitsumi Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd. (MinebeaMitsumi Inc.)
• Inventors: Waki, Naosumi, Kimura, Yuko, Tanaka, Junichiro, Sannomiya, Hideaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Sohn; Seung C
• Application Number:
  US11/393,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20070001107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 2502311-23118
• US Class Current: 250/231.13
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/34707 Scales; Discs, e.g. fixation, fabrication, compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/34715 Scale reading or illumination devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/34746 Linear encoders

Abstract

An encoder device includes first through fourth photodiodes each having a rhombus shape and a length of X1 in an X direction, the photodiodes being disposed adjacent to each other in the X direction such that a line passing through a pair of opposing vertices of the rhombus shape of each of the photodiodes is parallel to an X axis; a slit member that includes light transmitting sections and light shielding sections alternately arranged, and is movable in the X direction, each of the light transmitting and shielding sections having a length of 2×X1 in the X direction; and a logic circuit that generates first and second detection signals from output signals of the photodiodes that have received lights passing through the light transmitting sections, a phase of the second detection signal being shifted by a ¼ period of the first detection signal relative to the first detection signal.

Claims

1. An encoder device comprising:

first through fourth photodiodes each having a rhombus shape and a length of X1 in an X direction, the first through fourth photodiodes being disposed adjacent to each other in the X direction such that a line passing through a pair of opposing vertices of the rhombus shape of each of the first through fourth photodiodes is parallel to an X axis;

a slit member that includes light transmitting sections and light shielding sections alternately arranged, and is movable in the X direction, each of the light transmitting sections and the light shielding sections having a length of 2×

X1 in the X direction; and

a logic circuit that generates a first detection signal and a second detection signal from output signals of the first through fourth photodiodes that have received lights passing through the light transmitting sections, a phase of the second detection signal being shifted by a ¼

period of the first detection signal relative to the first detection signal.

2. The encoder device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a width of each of the light transmitting sections and the light shielding sections in a Y direction perpendicular to the X direction is greater than a width of each of the first through fourth photodiodes in the Y direction.

3. The encoder device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the logic circuit includes

a first comparator that generates the first detection signal by comparing the output signal of the first photodiode and the output signal of the third photodiode;

and

a second comparator that generates the second detection signal by comparing the output signal of the second photodiode and the output signal of the fourth photodiode.

4. The encoder device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein a plurality of sets of the first through fourth photodiodes are provided adjacent to each other in the X direction.