Abstract: A robot including one or more joints is configured to, when a particular joint among the joints has not been driven for a predetermined time, move the particular joint such that the robot refrains from coming into contact with a surrounding object or such that the robot comes into contact with the surrounding object while preventing a force applied to the robot from reaching a predetermined level or higher.

Abstract: An encoder apparatus includes a detection unit, a scale disposed to oppose the detection unit and relatively rotatable with respect to the detection unit, and a processor configured to process an output signal output from the detection unit to obtain a relative position of the scale with respect to a standard position and thus detect an absolute position of the scale. The processor is configured to execute a setting process in which a position where a deviation amount of the scale in a predetermined direction with respect to a rotation axis is equal to or smaller than a threshold value is set as the standard position, the deviation amount changing in accordance with relative rotation of the scale with respect to the detection unit.

Abstract: A sensor includes a structure and a detector. The detector is arranged to detect a deformation of the structure. The structure has at least four elastic sections. The at least four elastic sections are discretely disposed in an imaginary plane.

Abstract: A robot system includes a robot including a reduction gear and an encoder, and a processing portion configured to obtain a torque value by using phase information based on a detection signal of the encoder. The encoder includes a scale including a pattern portion, and a head configured to read the pattern portion of the scale and output the detection signal. The processing portion is configured to obtain a first displacement amount of the scale in a first direction that is a relative direction with respect to the head. The processing portion is configured to obtain a second displacement amount of the scale in a second direction that is a relative direction with respect to the head and intersecting with the first direction. The processing portion is configured to obtain the torque value on a basis of the first displacement amount and the second displacement amount.

Abstract: An encoder apparatus includes an encoder and a processor. The encoder includes a scale portion, a light emitting portion, and a light receiving portion. The scale portion includes a first track and a second track. The processor obtains a plurality of candidate values of a gap between the light emitting portion and the scale portion on a basis of an amplitude of a first signal obtained by receiving light reflected on or transmitted through the first track by the light receiving portion. The processor determines a measured value from among the plurality of candidate values on a basis of an amplitude of a second signal obtained by receiving light reflected on or transmitted through the second track by the light receiving portion.

Abstract: An encoder apparatus includes a detection unit, a scale disposed to oppose the detection unit and relatively rotatable with respect to the detection unit, and a processor configured to process an output signal output from the detection unit to obtain a relative position of the scale with respect to a standard position and thus detect an absolute position of the scale. The processor is configured to execute a setting process in which a position where a deviation amount of the scale in a predetermined direction with respect to a rotation axis is equal to or smaller than a threshold value is set as the standard position, the deviation amount changing in accordance with relative rotation of the scale with respect to the detection unit.

Abstract: A position detection method includes obtaining a first phase value of a first signal that repetitively changes by a first cycle number, a second phase value of a second signal that repetitively changes by a second cycle number larger than the first cycle number, and a third phase value of a third signal that repetitively changes by a third cycle number larger than the second cycle number, selecting one cycle corresponding to the first phase value from cycles of the second cycle number, selecting one cycle corresponding to the second phase value and the cycle selected from the cycles of the second cycle number, obtaining a fourth phase value of the third signal corresponding to the second phase value of the cycle selected from the cycles of the second cycle number, and obtaining a position of the scale by using the third phase value and the fourth phase value.

Abstract: The present invention provides: a rotary encoder checking an eccentricity state of a scale by sensor units; and related matters. The scale moves, relatively to the sensor units, around a rotational axis line. The pair of sensor units are arranged opposite to each other sandwiching the rotational axis line C0 therebetween. A processing system acquires output signals from each of the sensor units, at a plurality of rotation angles at which the scale has moved relatively to the sensor units. The processing system determines first phase information based on the output signal obtained from the sensor unit, and second phase information based on the output signal obtained from the sensor unit. The processing system determines eccentricity information based on a differential value between any one of the first phase information and the second phase information and an average value of the first phase information and the second phase information.

Abstract: An encoder apparatus includes an encoder and a processor. The encoder includes a scale portion, a light emitting portion, and a light receiving portion. The scale portion includes a first track and a second track. The processor obtains a plurality of candidate values of a gap between the light emitting portion and the scale portion on a basis of an amplitude of a first signal obtained by receiving light reflected on or transmitted through the first track by the light receiving portion. The processor determines a measured value from among the plurality of candidate values on a basis of an amplitude of a second signal obtained by receiving light reflected on or transmitted through the second track by the light receiving portion.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a rotary scale to be fixed to a rotating shaft of a rotating member includes a first step of forming, on a scale substrate, a scale pattern and a mark indicating an outer shape of the rotating shaft positioned such that a center axis of the rotating shaft coincides with a center axis of the scale pattern, a second step of cutting a first area of the scale substrate including the mark and having a first width, and a third step of cutting a second area including the mark that remains after the cutting of the first area, having a length in a circumferential direction of the scale substrate shorter than that in the first area and having a second width narrower than the first width.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a rotary scale to be fixed to a rotating shaft of a rotating member includes a first step of forming, on a scale substrate, a scale pattern and a mark indicating an outer shape of the rotating shaft positioned such that a center axis of the rotating shaft coincides with a center axis of the scale pattern, a second step of cutting a first area of the scale substrate including the mark and having a first width, and a third step of cutting a second area including the mark that remains after the cutting of the first area, having a length in a circumferential direction of the scale substrate shorter than that in the first area and having a second width narrower than the first width.

Abstract: The present invention provides: a rotary encoder checking an eccentricity state of a scale by sensor units; and related matters. The scale moves, relatively to the sensor units, around a rotational axis line. The pair of sensor units are arranged opposite to each other sandwiching the rotational axis line C0 therebetween. A processing system acquires output signals from each of the sensor units, at a plurality of rotation angles at which the scale has moved relatively to the sensor units. The processing system determines first phase information based on the output signal obtained from the sensor unit, and second phase information based on the output signal obtained from the sensor unit. The processing system determines eccentricity information based on a differential value between any one of the first phase information and the second phase information and an average value of the first phase information and the second phase information.

Abstract: A scale is used in a displacement detection apparatus (100) which detects a position of an object, the scale includes a pattern periodically formed in a measurement direction (an X direction), and the pattern is configured so as to change a physical property in a direction (a Y direction) perpendicular to the measurement direction without changing phase information in the measurement direction when a detector reading the pattern moves relative to the pattern in the direction perpendicular to the measurement direction.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a rotary scale to be fixed to a rotating shaft of a rotating member includes a first step of forming, on a scale substrate, a scale pattern and a mark indicating an outer shape of the rotating shaft positioned such that a center axis of the rotating shaft coincides with a center axis of the scale pattern, a second step of cutting a first area of the scale substrate including the mark and having a first width, and a third step of cutting a second area including the mark that remains after the cutting of the first area, having a length in a circumferential direction of the scale substrate shorter than that in the first area and having a second width narrower than the first width.

Abstract: The scale for a vernier encoder including a sensor relatively movable with the scale in a first direction and configured to read periodic patterns provided in the scale. The scale includes first and second scale tracks each including multiple periodic patterns having mutually different periods in the first direction and being arranged parallel in a second direction. The multiple periodic patterns form, between the first and second scale tracks, multiple pairs of periodic patterns to be used for producing multiple periodic signals, each periodic signal being produced by vernier operation. In at least one of the first and second scale tracks, a first periodic pattern, which is used for producing a shortest period periodic signal among the multiple periodic signals, is provided closest to a boundary between the first and second scale tracks among the multiple periodic patterns.

Abstract: An encoder (100) includes a cylindrical body (10), a sensor unit (7) configured to detect a displacement of the cylindrical body (10) in a circumferential direction of the cylindrical body (10), and a scale (2) that is attached to the cylindrical body (10) using a holder (12) and a holder (13) and that has a signal detection effective region (14) used to detect the displacement by the sensor unit (7), and a region (17) that has a stiffness smaller than a stiffness of the signal detection effective region (14) in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical body (10) is provided on an outside of the signal detection effective region (14) and on at least one side of the first holder (12) and the second holder (13).

Abstract: An encoder includes a scale that includes a pattern row, a detector array, and a signal processor. The pattern row has a plurality of different modulation periods in the moving direction, an amplitude of the energy distribution in the pattern having at least one modulation period being configured to change with a position of the scale in the moving direction. The signal processor acquirers an amplitude of an energy distribution of a corresponding modulation period based on an output signal from the detector array, and an amplitude signal obtained by normalizing a plurality of amplitudes obtained by the plurality of amplitude acquirers, the amplitude signal serving as a position signal representative of the position of the scale.

Abstract: An optical encoder includes a light source, a scale which is irradiated by the light source and has a fine pitch pattern and a coarse pitch pattern in one track, a photo detector array which detects transmitting light or reflected light from the scale which are emitted from the light source, a signal processing unit including a first initial-stage amplifier unit that generates a position detection signal from the photo detector array, and a control unit that uses an output signal from the first initial-stage amplifier unit to control a light amount variation of the light source. The optical encoder can operate in a high resolution detection mode that forms the photo detector array at a first pitch to detect the fine pitch pattern and a low resolution detection mode that forms the photo detector array at a second pitch to detect the coarse pitch pattern.

Abstract: A scale is used in a displacement detection apparatus (100) which detects a position of an object, the scale includes a pattern periodically formed in a measurement direction (an X direction), and the pattern is configured so as to change a physical property in a direction (a Y direction) perpendicular to the measurement direction without changing phase information in the measurement direction when a detector reading the pattern moves relative to the pattern in the direction perpendicular to the measurement direction.

Abstract: An absolute encoder (100) includes a scale portion (41) movable along with the object and including first and second track (42, 43) having first and second slits (44, 45), a light source (1) that illuminates a light onto the first and second slits, a first detector (9) that detects a first signal obtained from a light from the first slit, a second detector (10) that detects a second signal obtained from a light from the second slit, and a calculator (25, 27) that calculates an absolute position of an object based on the first and second signals. The second slit is formed so that a reflected light intensity or a transmitted light intensity is different in accordance with a position in a moving direction of the scale portion. The calculator obtains an upper-level signal, a middle-level signal, and a lower-level signal to calculate the absolute position.