Abstract: An optical displacement sensing device is provided for determining the relative displacement of a diffraction scale grating that may have a grating pitch less than the wavelength of the light of the sensing device. The sensing device includes a split light beam input portion for inputting two split light beams along respective light paths, and light beam directing elements for directing the two split beams along converging light paths toward a first zone on the scale grating to give rise to two diffracted beams along light paths which diverge. The sensing device further includes retroreflector elements for receiving the two diverging diffracted beams and retroreflecting them along light paths which converge toward a second zone on the scale grating to give rise to two later-diffracted light beams that are then directed to a shared zone. The retroreflectors may be positioned to eliminate cross-over beams and the need for polarizers.

Abstract: A measuring instrument (1) has an arm (4) having a detector at a distal end thereof, and an arm guide (53) supporting the arm (4) in a manner movable in the axial direction thereof, the measuring instrument measuring a dimension of a workpiece based on the position of the detector. The arm (4) includes a main arm (41) and a sub-arm (42) that are sequentially arranged in the arm guide (53) and are supported in a manner movable relative to a former component thereof. The measuring instrument (1) has a synchronous driver (54) for moving the main arm (41) on the base side and the sub-arm (42) located next to the main arm (41) in the axial direction of the main arm (41).

Abstract: A multi-point frame-fixing unit type linear displacement measuring apparatus adapted to lessen the thermal stress while the strength of the apparatus with respect to an external force, such as vibration and an impact is maintained. Some portions of a frame of the apparatus in the length measuring direction are completely fixed to an object machine, and some other portions in the length measuring direction of the frame are elastically fixed to the object machine by using a bush provided with an elastic layer between the bush and the frame.

Abstract: An image-reading apparatus has a digital camera (2) for sequentially taking image of each part of a lateral dentition surface as partial images, a distance sensor (21) for measuring a distance from the digital camera (2) to the lateral dentition surface as an imaging distance, a memory that stores the partial images and the imaging distance when the partial images are taken, an image magnification converter that converts the imaging magnification of the partial images so that the imaging magnification of all of the partial images becomes equal based on the imaging distance, and an image combiner for generating a combined image by combining more than one of the partial images.

Abstract: A probe driving mechanism for displacement measuring apparatuses, capable of carrying out a stable, constant speed probe feeding operation without additionally providing a motor rotation detecting rotary encoder and a tachometer generator. When an output from a scale varies in accordance with the power applied to a motor, the power applied to the motor is controlled in accordance with an output from the scale. When the variation of an output from the scale becomes small even though the same level of power continues to be applied to the motor, a judement that a probe contacts the workpiece is given, and the power applied to the motor is set smaller. When an output from the workpiece sensor varies, the power applied to the motor is controlled in accordance with one of an output from the scale and that from the workpiece sensor the speed variation of which is larger than that of the other.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide a photoreceptor array with an excellent device property and no short fault between adjacent photoreceptors and to provide a method of manufacturing such the photoreceptor array with a high yield. On a transparent substrate (31), a transparent electrode (32) and a p-type amorphous silicon layer (33) are formed. An insulating layer (41) is deposited thereon to form a trench (42). In the trench (42), an i-type amorphous silicon layer (34), an n-type amorphous silicon layer (35) and an n-side electrode (36) are buried in turn to form the photoreceptor array.

Abstract: An illuminating apparatus for image processing type measuring machines that is capable of coping with a wide diversity of objects to be measured to enable accurate imaging the object and rarely unable to meet any space restrictions is provided. This illuminating apparatus the light to the object to be measured so as to enable determination of the size and shape of the object on the basis of an image of the same thereby obtained, and includes light sources; a plurality of optical fibers receiving the light sent out from the light sources at one of their ends, outputting the light from their output ends toward the object and divided at their incident ends into at least three groups; and, red, green and blue color filters inserted between the incident ends of the optical fiber groups and the light sources.

Abstract: A rotary movement converting mechanism for converting a rotary movement of a rotary body (43) into a linear movement of a movable body (2) has a support body (42) fixed to a body frame (3) and provided with a slit (42A) along an axial direction of the rotary body (43), a spiral groove (43A) formed on the inner circumference of the rotary body (43), and a top member (41) provided on the movable body (2). The top member (41) has an engaging member (41 A) inserted through the slit (42A) and having a tip end engaged with the spiral groove (43A), and a stop member (41C) for stopping the linear movement of the movable body (2) when a load is applied on the linear movement of the movable body (2). Accordingly, when a load is applied on the linear movement of the movable body (2), the linear movement is stopped and the minute displacement of the movable body (2) is restrained, thereby enhancing the stability of a measuring instrument in measuring a workpiece.

Abstract: An offset signal for failure detection, that cannot be removed if an input signal line is broken is applied from an offset application circuit with output impedance higher than impedance of a differential transformer to an output signal of the differential transformer. A drive signal applied to a differential transformer is generated in digital form and an offset correction and a gain correction to output of the differential transformer are made in digital form for making controls necessary.

Abstract: A reference device having a sphere positioned within a measurement space by an object three-dimensional measuring machine having a spherical probe contacting the spherical probe with six or more measurement points uniformly distributed on the spherical surface of the sphere to measure central coordinates of the sphere of the reference device by the object three-dimensional measuring machine and calibrating the object three-dimensional measuring machine based on the central coordinates obtained.

Abstract: There are provided a measuring method and a measuring system which enable creation of a measurement route with ease to thereby enable three-dimensional measurement to be quickly performed even if an object to be measured has a complicated shape or configuration. An object to be measured is shot. A plurality of images obtained by the shooting are combined together to generate a combined image of the object. A measuring region of the generated combined image is designated. A measurement path measuring program is created by inputting parameters for creating a measurement path. The designated measuring region is measured along the measurement path according to the created measurement path measuring program.

Abstract: A low voltage, low power versatile and compact delay circuit for CMOS integrated circuits. The biasing circuit and comparator of the delay circuit are implemented with a relatively few simple transistor stages. This approach makes the circuit compact and allows for operation at very low supply voltages (e.g., 1.5 volts). The time delay of the delay circuit is made to depend only on passive resistive and capacitive components. The time delay is thus insensitive to fluctuations in the supply voltage, as well as fluctuations in temperature. This configuration is particularly advantageous in circuits where several timing elements need to track with one another, as they can all be formed with resistors and capacitors of the same construction. The design also makes the circuit insensitive to process parameters, as well as later environmental effects due to operating temperature, circuit aging, and the like.

Abstract: In advance to measuring texture of the workpiece by a surface texture measuring machine (1), a workpiece orientation adjustment stage (10) is manually moved by the surface texture measuring machine (1) in accordance with calculated orientation correction amount of the workpiece, thus adjusting orientation of the workpiece. Since it is only necessary for an operator to operate respective adjustment means until reaching a displayed correction amount, operation thereof can be facilitated and orientation thereof can be highly accurately adjusted without impairing operability.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a method, a program and a device that can set accurately and easily the origin of the coordinate system of a workpiece based on the result obtained by a surface texture measuring machine scanning over a feature area on the surface of the workpiece. The device comprises a data inputter for inputting data obtained by scanning a feature area including at least a feature point area and a non-feature point area of the surface of a workpiece, a feature point selector for extracting the feature points of the data by statistically processing the data inputted into the data inputter and an origin setter for setting the origin of a workpiece coordinate system relative to an origin setting target point of the workpiece based on the coordinate values of the feature point obtained by the feature point selector.

Abstract: An end fixing block fixed to one end in a length measuring direction of a frame body has a parallel plate spring mechanism capable of absorbing a thermal expansion of the frame body. The frame body has a plate spring mechanism which is provided at the end of the frame body fixed by the end fixing block, the plate spring mechanism being capable of absorbing a deflection of the one end of the frame body in a direction perpendicular to a direction to which the thermal expansion occurs.

Abstract: A system and method for generating output signals for a position encoder is provided. The system produces an approximated position signal that is updated at a rate higher than a base rate of the measured transducer position signals. The approximated position signals may be utilized to produce quadrature outputs that are compatible with existing control systems. The measured transducer position signals are processed and/or stored by a signal processing circuit at discrete time intervals. The approximated position values are generated by a high frequency position estimation circuit. The approximated position signal is then compared by an error correction feedback loop to the measured transducer position signal and the resulting difference stored in an error register for use by the error correction feedback loop during the next discrete time interval.

Abstract: An absolute position-sensing device is usable to measure the relative position of two elements. An absolute scale includes an integrated track extending along a measuring axis of the scale. The integrated track includes a plurality of code portions interleaved with, or embedded in, a plurality of periodic portions. Each periodic portion includes a plurality of periodically-placed incremental scale elements. Each code portion includes a plurality of code elements indicative of an absolute measurement value. The code elements are arranged in code element zones along the direction perpendicular to the motion axis, and are detectable by associated variations along the direction perpendicular to the motion axis. The offset of the periodically placed elements relative to a readhead of the device is combined with the absolute measurement value to determine an absolute position.

Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying an interchangeable lens in a vision system having a controllable light source, a camera, and the lens to be identified. Light provided by the light source is transferred to the camera by the lens to be identified. The amount of light transferred to the camera for a particular reference configuration of the vision system depends distinguishably on the characteristics of the lens to be identified. A camera output is measured for a desired light source setting and the desired light source setting and associated measured camera output are compared with stored lens identification calibration data. The stored lens identification calibration data is obtained by measuring the camera output for a plurality of lenses using a plurality of light source settings. In various exemplary embodiments, the light transferred from the light source to the camera is reflected and/or backscattered light from the lens to be identified.

Abstract: An integrated imaging element for an interferometer generates at least one interference image that includes multiple interference portions with different relative phase shifts interleaved in a pattern having a high spatial frequency in the image. The interleaved pattern is at least partially determined by the pattern of a high density relative retarder array used in the integrated imaging element. In various embodiments, the multiple interference portions are interleaved in a checkerboard-like pattern across the entire surface of a detector device. As a result, various non-common mode errors present in various interferometers that generate separate non-interleaved images for each relative phase are reduced or eliminated.

Abstract: An integrated imaging element for an interferometer generates at least one image that includes multiple interference portions with different relative phase shifts interleaved in a pattern having a high spatial frequency in the image. The interleaved pattern is at least partially determined by the pattern of a high density polarizing array used in the integrated imaging element. In various embodiments, the multiple interference portions are interleaved in a checkerboard pattern across the entire surface of a detector device. As a result, various non-common mode errors present in various interferometers that generate separate non-interleaved images for each relative phase are reduced or eliminated because multiple phase-shifted interference image information for a small region of an object is provided within a small region on the detector device.