Abstract: A scale includes a diffraction grating configured to condense diffracted light in a periodic direction of the diffraction grating in order to detect a reference position. A light receiving element array is configured to receive light from the diffraction grating. The light receiving element array includes first to fourth light receiving elements configured to output signals having phases different from each other. The first light receiving element and the second light receiving element are adjacent to each other and are arranged between the third light receiving element and the fourth light receiving element. The processing unit generates a signal representing the reference position based on a differential signal between a signal from the first light receiving element and a signal from the third light receiving element and a differential signal between a signal from the second light receiving element and a signal from the fourth light receiving element.

Abstract: A force sensor that quantitatively detects an external force. The force sensor comprises a base unit, a displacement unit displacing by an external force, a first displacement sensor pair including two sets of sensors detecting a relative displacement between the base unit and the displacement unit in a first direction, and a second displacement sensor pair including two sets of sensors detecting a relative displacement between the base unit and the displacement unit in a second direction. Among four quadrants divided by two straight lines along each of the first direction and the second direction wherein, the straight lines passing through a midpoint of the two sets of sensors composing the first displacement sensor pair, the two sets of sensors composing the second displacement sensor pair are respectively disposed in two quadrants in which the two sets of sensors composing the first displacement sensor pair are respectively disposed.

Abstract: A tactile sensor includes a light guide unit extending in a predetermined direction, provided to guide light, incident from a light-emitting element, in the predetermined direction and including a pair of surfaces opposite to each other extending in the predetermined direction, an optical translucent elastic member, disposed on one side of the light guide unit, including a marker configured to diffuse light incident via one surface of the light guide unit toward the light guide unit, a light-receiving unit provided on the other side of the light guide unit and including a plurality of light-receiving elements on a light-receiving surface, and a plurality of opening portions provided between the light guide unit and the light-receiving unit and optically opened such that the light from the marker is projected to different positions, spaced apart from one another, on the light-receiving surface of the light-receiving unit.

Abstract: A force sensor that quantitatively detects an external force. The force sensor comprises a base unit, a displacement unit displacing by an external force, a first displacement sensor pair including two sets of sensors detecting a relative displacement between the base unit and the displacement unit in a first direction, and a second displacement sensor pair including two sets of sensors detecting a relative displacement between the base unit and the displacement unit in a second direction. Among four quadrants divided by two straight lines along each of the first direction and the second direction wherein, the straight lines passing through a midpoint of the two sets of sensors composing the first displacement sensor pair, the two sets of sensors composing the second displacement sensor pair are respectively disposed in two quadrants in which the two sets of sensors composing the first displacement sensor pair are respectively disposed.

Abstract: In order to provide an optical encoder with high resolution, the optical encoder includes: a rotary scale provided with a grating pattern having a first radial pattern and a plurality of concentric circular patterns disposed at predetermined intervals; and a light receiving element which detects a first interference fringe formed by the first pattern having a first period in the circumferential direction, a second interference fringe which is diffracted in a direction of the first interference fringe by a grating pattern having a second period in the circumferential direction disposed at a different radial position so that the second interference fringe has a period closer to the first period than the second period.

Abstract: A scale includes a diffraction grating configured to condense diffracted light in a periodic direction of the diffraction grating in order to detect a reference position. A light receiving element array is configured to receive light from the diffraction grating. The light receiving element array includes first to fourth light receiving elements configured to output signals having phases different from each other. The first light receiving element and the second light receiving element are adjacent to each other and are arranged between the third light receiving element and the fourth light receiving element. The processing unit generates a signal representing the reference position based on a differential signal between a signal from the first light receiving element and a signal from the third light receiving element and a differential signal between a signal from the second light receiving element and a signal from the fourth light receiving element.

Abstract: An optical encoder includes a first grating pattern having a first pitch, a second grating pattern having a second pitch, a third grating pattern having a third pitch different from the second pitch, and a light receiving element configured to receive light from the third grating pattern in an order from a side of a light source, wherein first moire fringes including a shadow of the third grating pattern are formed on an exit plane of the third grating pattern due to a difference between the second pitch and the third pitch, and wherein the light receiving element receives light that forms second moire fringes in which the shadow of the third grating pattern is smoothed more than in the first moire fringes by placing the third grating pattern and the light receiving element away from each other.

Abstract: The present invention provides a position detection apparatus that is provided with a scale and a detector and includes a processing unit configured to perform processing for setting a number of light receiving elements that are consecutive in a direction of relative movement and whose outputs are to be added for the light receiving elements so that, in a first resolution mode, a phase of a component of a fourth spatial frequency lower than a spatial frequency corresponding to a frequency offset amount is detected and, in a second resolution mode for which a resolution is lower than the first resolution mode, a phase of a component of a spatial frequency of an interference image of a second grating pattern is detected.

Abstract: There is provided an optical sensor that includes a base portion, an action portion, a reflecting member disposed at one of the base portion and the action portion, and a detection unit including a light source and a light receiving element disposed at the other one of the base portion and the action portion. In the optical sensor, a space between the detection unit and the reflecting member is filled with a light transmissive material, and a force and/or acceleration is detected due to the light receiving element detecting light emitted from the light source and reflected by the reflecting member.

Abstract: In order to provide an optical encoder with high resolution, the optical encoder includes: a rotary scale provided with a grating pattern having a first radial pattern and a plurality of concentric circular patterns disposed at predetermined intervals; and a light receiving element which detects a first interference fringe formed by the first pattern having a first period in the circumferential direction, a second interference fringe which is diffracted in a direction of the first interference fringe by a grating pattern having a second period in the circumferential direction disposed at a different radial position so that the second interference fringe has a period closer to the first period than the second period.

Abstract: A force sensor that quantitatively detects an external force. The force sensor comprises a base unit, a displacement unit displacing by an external force, a first displacement sensor pair including two sets of sensors detecting a relative displacement between the base unit and the displacement unit in a first direction, and a second displacement sensor pair including two sets of sensors detecting a relative displacement between the base unit and the displacement unit in a second direction. Among four quadrants divided by two straight lines along each of the first direction and the second direction wherein, the straight lines passing through a midpoint of the two sets of sensors composing the first displacement sensor pair, the two sets of sensors composing the second displacement sensor pair are respectively disposed in two quadrants in which the two sets of sensors composing the first displacement sensor pair are respectively disposed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a position detection apparatus that is provided with a scale and a detector and includes a processing unit configured to perform processing for setting a number of light receiving elements that are consecutive in a direction of relative movement and whose outputs are to be added for the light receiving elements so that, in a first resolution mode, a phase of a component of a fourth spatial frequency lower than a spatial frequency corresponding to a frequency offset amount is detected and, in a second resolution mode for which a resolution is lower than the first resolution mode, a phase of a component of a spatial frequency of an interference image of a second grating pattern is detected.

Abstract: A position detection apparatus (100) which detects a position of an object includes a scale (2) including a periodic pattern, a detector (7) configured to be movable relative to the scale, and a signal processor (101) configured to acquire position information of the object based on a first output signal from the detector and perform abnormality determination based on a second output signal from the detector, a spatial frequency response of the first output signal is peaked at a first spatial frequency, and a spatial frequency response of the second output signal is peaked at a second spatial frequency different from the first spatial frequency.

Abstract: A toner detection unit (optical sensor) includes a first light receiving element configured to receive specular reflection light of first irradiating light, and a second light receiving element configured to receive diffused reflection light of second irradiating light, and a separation component configured to separate irradiating light emitted from an LED into the first and second irradiating light. A housing forms a first opening through which the first irradiating light and the second irradiating light pass and the diffused reflection light to be received by the second light receiving element passes, and a second opening through which the specular reflection light to be received by the first light receiving element passes.

Abstract: There is provided an optical sensor that includes a base portion, an action portion, a reflecting member disposed at one of the base portion and the action portion, and a detection unit including a light source and a light receiving element disposed at the other one of the base portion and the action portion. In the optical sensor, a space between the detection unit and the reflecting member is filled with a light transmissive material, and a force and/or acceleration is detected due to the light receiving element detecting light emitted from the light source and reflected by the reflecting member.

Abstract: A position detection apparatus that illuminates light from a light source unit onto an object and that receives reflected light from the object on a light receiver to detect position information of the object, includes a detector (10) and a signal processor (102), the detector includes a first grating (15) in an optical path between the light source unit and the object, a second grating (16) in an optical path between the object and the light receiver, and a third grating (17) in an optical path between the second grating and the light receiver, the signal processor acquires the position information of the object based on a phase variation of the second periodic image detected by the light receiver, and the position information of the object is information related to a distance from the detector to the object.

Abstract: A position detection apparatus detects a position of an object, and the position detection apparatus includes a detector, a scale having a periodic pattern, the scale and the detector being movable relatively to each other, and a signal processor configured to generate a reference signal indicating a reference position of the scale, and the signal processor is configured to generate the reference signal based on a ratio of a first phase signal and a second phase signal from the detector.

Abstract: A position detection apparatus (100) includes a scale (20) including a reference position grating (22), a detector (10), a detection grating (19), and a signal processor (10), the signal processor acquires a relative reference position between the scale and the detector by using a light intensity distribution of a divergent light beam obtained via the reference position grating and the detection grating, the detection grating has a first spatial frequency that is offset by a predetermined frequency offset amount with respect to a local spatial frequency of an interference image from the reference position grating, the detection grating is provided in an optical path between the scale and a light receiver of the detector, and the light receiver detects a component of a second spatial frequency that is lower than the first spatial frequency in the light intensity distribution transmitting through the detection grating.

Abstract: A toner detection unit (optical sensor) includes a first light receiving element configured to receive specular reflection light of first irradiating light, and a second light receiving element configured to receive diffused reflection light of second irradiating light, and a separation component configured to separate irradiating light emitted from an LED into the first and second irradiating light. A housing forms a first opening through which the first irradiating light and the second irradiating light pass and the diffused reflection light to be received by the second light receiving element passes, and a second opening through which the specular reflection light to be received by the first light receiving element passes.

Abstract: A scale (20) has a plurality of patterns so as to spatially modulate an energy distribution, and the scale includes a first pattern having a first modulation period in a moving direction, and a second pattern having a second modulation period different from the first modulation period in the moving direction, a relative phase between the first pattern and the second pattern changes in accordance with a direction perpendicular to the moving direction, each of the first pattern and the second pattern is configured by including a reflective portion (26) that reflects light and a non-reflective portion (25) that does not reflect the light, and a width of the reflective portion (26) in the moving direction at a first position is different from the width at a second position different from the first position along the direction perpendicular to the moving direction.