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Systems and methods for fabricating displacement scales

  • US 9,513,412 B2
  • Filed: 06/18/2008
  • Issued: 12/06/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system comprising:

  • one or more rollers having a plurality of total internal reflection (TIR) prism features in negative relief;

    a substrate having a major surface, the one or more rollers being rotatable when in contact or in close proximity to the substrate;

    a displacement scale comprising a plurality of TIR prisms formed on the major surface of the substrate, the TIR prisms corresponding to the TIR prism features in negative relief of the one or more rollers, each of the TIR prisms being discrete and disconnected with each other along a longitudinal direction of the substrate;

    a light source to direct light toward the displacement scale on the substrate;

    one or more photosensors positioned to receive light from the substrate; and

    a reticle positioned adjacent to the displacement scale on the substrate, the reticle including at least one reticle window and at least one light blocking region adjacent to the at least one reticle window,wherein the plurality of TIR prisms are configured to reflect a portion of the light directed from the light source, andwherein the substrate is movable relative to the light source and the reticle such that the displacement scale on the substrate and the reticle are capable of modulating the light received by the one or more photosensors to generate an output signal, and a position processor is configured to receive the output signal and determine the position of the substrate.

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