Abstract: An optical encoder configuration comprises a scale, an illumination source, and a photodetector configuration. The illumination source is configured to output structured illumination to the scale. The scale extends along a measuring axis direction and is configured to output scale light that forms a detector fringe pattern comprising periodic high and low intensity bands that extend over a relatively longer dimension along the measuring axis direction and are relatively narrow and periodic along a detected fringe motion direction transverse to the measuring axis direction. The high and low intensity bands move along the detected fringe motion direction transverse to the measuring axis direction as the scale grating displaces along the measuring axis direction.

Abstract: An optical encoder configuration comprises a scale, an illumination source, and a photodetector configuration. The illumination source is configured to output structured illumination to the scale. The scale extends along a measuring axis direction and is configured to output scale light that forms a detector fringe pattern comprising periodic high and low intensity bands that extend over a relatively longer dimension along the measuring axis direction and are relatively narrow and periodic along a detected fringe motion direction transverse to the measuring axis direction. The high and low intensity bands move along the detected fringe motion direction transverse to the measuring axis direction as the scale grating displaces along the measuring axis direction.

Abstract: A detection head movable relative to a scale detects diffracted light and outputs a detection result. The diffracted light is diffracted by an incremental pattern. A signal processing unit calculates a relative displacement between the scale and the detection head. The detection head includes: a light source emitting the light to the scale; and a detection unit including a light-receiving unit receiving the diffracted light through an optical element, in which the light-receiving elements outputting detection signals are periodically arranged with a predetermined period. The number of the plurality of light-receiving elements is an even number. The predetermined period is a value obtained by multiplying a fundamental period by an odd-number. The fundamental period is a period of interference fringes formed on the light-receiving unit by +1st and ?1st order diffracted lights. A width of the light-receiving element is not equal to an integral multiple of the fundamental period.

Abstract: An optical encoder configuration comprises a rotary scale, an illumination source, and a photodetector configuration. The illumination source is configured to output collimated light to the scale at a first illumination region, which is then output to the scale at a second illumination region from which the scale outputs scale light that forms a detector fringe pattern comprising periodic high and low intensity bands that extend over a relatively longer dimension along the rotary measuring direction and are relatively narrow and periodic along a detected fringe motion direction transverse to the rotary measuring direction. The high and low intensity bands move along the detected fringe motion direction as the scale grating displaces along the rotary measuring direction. The photodetector configuration is configured to detect a displacement of the high and low intensity bands and provide respective spatial phase displacement signals that are indicative of the rotary scale displacement.

Abstract: An optical encoder configuration comprises a scale, an illumination source, and a photodetector configuration. The illumination source is configured to output structured illumination to the scale. The scale extends along a measuring axis direction and is configured to output scale light that forms a detector fringe pattern comprising periodic high and low intensity bands that extend over a relatively longer dimension along the measuring axis direction and are relatively narrow and periodic along a detected fringe motion direction transverse to the measuring axis direction. The high and low intensity bands move along the detected fringe motion direction transverse to the measuring axis direction as the scale grating displaces along the measuring axis direction.

Abstract: An optical encoder configuration comprises a scale, an illumination source, and a photodetector configuration. The illumination source is configured to output structured illumination to the scale. The scale extends along a measuring axis direction and is configured to output scale light that forms a detector fringe pattern comprising periodic high and low intensity bands that extend over a relatively longer dimension along the measuring axis direction and are relatively narrow and periodic along a detected fringe motion direction transverse to the measuring axis direction. The high and low intensity bands move along the detected fringe motion direction transverse to the measuring axis direction as the scale grating displaces along the measuring axis direction.

Abstract: An optical encoder configuration comprises a scale, an illumination source, and a photodetector configuration. The illumination source is configured to output structured illumination to the scale. The scale extends along a measuring axis direction and is configured to output scale light that forms a detector fringe pattern comprising periodic high and low intensity bands that extend over a relatively longer dimension along the measuring axis direction and are relatively narrow and periodic along a detected fringe motion direction transverse to the measuring axis direction. The high and low intensity bands move along the detected fringe motion direction transverse to the measuring axis direction as the scale grating displaces along the measuring axis direction.

Abstract: An optical encoder configuration comprises an illumination portion, a scale, and a photodetector configuration. The illumination portion transmits source light to a scale which outputs a periodic scale light pattern to the photodetector configuration. The photodetector configuration comprises a set of N spatial phase detectors arranged in a spatial phase sequence along a direction transverse to the measuring axis comprising two outer spatial phase detectors at a start and end of the sequence along the direction transverse to the measuring axis. At least a majority of the respective spatial phase detectors are relatively elongated along the measuring axis direction and relatively narrow along the direction perpendicular to the measuring axis direction, and comprise periodic scale light receptor areas positioned corresponding to a respective spatial phase of that spatial phase detector relative to the periodic scale light pattern, and are configured to provide a respective spatial phase detector signal.

Abstract: An optical encoder configuration comprises an illumination portion, a scale, and a photodetector configuration. The illumination portion transmits source light to a scale which outputs a periodic scale light pattern to the photodetector configuration. The photodetector configuration comprises a set of N spatial phase detectors arranged in a spatial phase sequence along a direction transverse to the measuring axis comprising two outer spatial phase detectors at a start and end of the sequence along the direction transverse to the measuring axis. At least a majority of the respective spatial phase detectors are relatively elongated along the measuring axis direction and relatively narrow along the direction perpendicular to the measuring axis direction, and comprise periodic scale light receptor areas positioned corresponding to a respective spatial phase of that spatial phase detector relative to the periodic scale light pattern, and are configured to provide a respective spatial phase detector signal.

Abstract: A detection head movable relative to a scale detects diffracted light and outputs a detection result. The diffracted light is diffracted by an incremental pattern. A signal processing unit calculates a relative displacement between the scale and the detection head. The detection head includes: a light source emitting the light to the scale; and a detection unit including a light-receiving unit receiving the diffracted light through an optical element, in which the light-receiving elements outputting detection signals are periodically arranged with a predetermined period. The number of the plurality of light-receiving elements is an even number. The predetermined period is a value obtained by multiplying a fundamental period by an odd-number. The fundamental period is a period of interference fringes formed on the light-receiving unit by +1st and ?1st order diffracted lights. A width of the light-receiving element is not equal to an integral multiple of the fundamental period.

Abstract: A detection head movable relative to a scale detects diffracted light and outputs a detection result. The diffracted light is diffracted by an incremental pattern. A signal processing unit calculates a relative displacement between the scale and the detection head. The detection head includes: a light source emitting the light to the scale; and a detection unit including a light-receiving unit in which a plurality of light-receiving elements that output a detection signal are arranged. The number of the plurality of light-receiving elements is an even number. A period of the arrangement of the plurality of light-receiving elements is an odd-number multiple of a fundamental period. The fundamental period is a period of interference fringes formed on the light-receiving unit by +1st and ?1st order diffracted lights. A width of the light-receiving element is not equal to an integral multiple of the fundamental period.

Abstract: A compact portable coordinate measuring machine (CMM) with a large working volume for measuring workpieces is provided. The CMM includes a vertical support, a workpiece stage and a movement configuration that provides relative motion between a measurement probe and a workpiece. The movement configuration includes a vertical translation mechanism with a vertical translation element that couples to a vertical guide and moves over a vertical translation range. The workpiece stage is located above a top end of the vertical support and at least a majority of the vertical guide and the vertical translation range is located below a top end of the workpiece stage. In various implementations, the movement configuration may also include a rotary motion configuration and a horizontal translation mechanism. A controller controls the movement configuration to provide relative motion between the measurement probe and a workpiece that is located in the working volume on the workpiece stage.

Abstract: A surface profiling system is provided including an imaging detector array and an optical imaging array comprising at least one set of optical channels. Each optical channel includes a lens arrangement (e.g., including a GRIN lens) configured to provide an erect image at a detector. The optical channels have overlapping fields of view (FOV) and overlapping imaged fields of view (IFOV). A workpiece surface point may be simultaneously imaged in at least two overlapping IFOVs of two optical channels. A surface point that is not at an object reference distance (e.g., a front focal length) may be imaged at different respective positions along the imaging detector array, and the difference between the respective positions may define a respective image offset for that surface point. A surface height measurement coordinate for the surface point may be determined based on the corresponding image offset.

Abstract: A detection head movable relative to a scale detects diffracted light and outputs a detection result. The diffracted light is diffracted by an incremental pattern. A signal processing unit calculates a relative displacement between the scale and the detection head. The detection head includes: a light source emitting the light to the scale; and a detection unit including a light-receiving unit in which a plurality of light-receiving elements that output a detection signal are arranged. The number of the plurality of light-receiving elements is an even number. A period of the arrangement of the plurality of light-receiving elements is an odd-number multiple of a fundamental period. The fundamental period is a period of interference fringes formed on the light-receiving unit by +1st and ?1st order diffracted lights. A width of the light-receiving element is not equal to an integral multiple of the fundamental period.

Abstract: A flexible optical displacement encoder configuration uses a source grating to illuminate a scale with structured light such that light from the scale is modulated with a beat frequency envelope, which may have a relatively coarse pitch that matches a desired detector pitch. An imaging configuration provides spatial filtering to remove the high spatial frequencies from the modulation envelope to provide a clean signal in the detected fringe pattern. This combination of elements allows an incremental scale track pattern with a relatively finer pitch (e.g., 4, 5, 8 microns) to provide fringes with a coarser pitch (e.g., 20 microns) at a detector. Various scale resolutions can use a corresponding source grating such that all combinations can produce detector fringes that match the same economical detector component.

Abstract: An illumination portion of an optical encoder comprising a scale track extending along a measuring axis direction, an imaging portion, and a detector configuration. The illumination portion comprises: a light source configured to output source light; a collimation portion; and a structured illumination generating portion comprising a beam-separating portion and an illumination grating and configured to input the source light and output structured illumination to the scale track. The beam-separating portion is arranged to input the source light and output a first source light portion and a second source light portion to the illumination grating, such that they form beams that are spaced apart from one another along the measuring axis direction. The illumination grating is configured to diffract the first and second source light portions to the scale track such that only two orders of diffracted light overlap within an imaged region.

Abstract: A flexible optical displacement encoder configuration uses a source grating to illuminate a scale with structured light such that light from the scale is modulated with a beat frequency envelope which may have a relatively coarse pitch that matches a desired detector pitch. An imaging configuration provides spatial filtering to remove the high spatial frequencies from the modulation envelope to provide a clean signal in the detected fringe pattern. This combination of elements allows an incremental scale track pattern with a relatively finer pitch (e.g., 4, 5, 8 microns) to provide fringes with a coarser pitch (e.g., 20 microns) at a detector. Various scale resolutions can use a corresponding source grating such that all combinations can produce detector fringes that match the same economical detector component.

Abstract: An illumination portion is used in an optical encoder which comprises a scale grating, an imaging portion, and a detector portion. A light source outputs light having a wavelength ?. A structured illumination generating portion inputs the light and outputs structured illumination. The structured illumination comprises an illumination fringe pattern oriented transversely to the measuring axis direction. A first filtering lens focuses the structured illumination proximate to a plane of the spatial filter aperture configuration. A spatial filtering aperture configuration includes a central portion that blocks zero-order portions of the structured illumination and an open aperture portion that outputs +1 order and ?1 order portions of the structured illumination to a second filtering lens. The second filtering lens outputs the structured illumination to a plane of the scale grating with an illumination fringe pitch PMI along the measuring axis direction at a plane coinciding with the scale grating.

Abstract: A flexible optical displacement encoder configuration uses a source grating to illuminate a scale with structured light such that light from the scale is modulated with a beat frequency envelope, which may have a relatively coarse pitch that matches a desired detector pitch. An imaging configuration provides spatial filtering to remove the high spatial frequencies from the modulation envelope to provide a clean signal in the detected fringe pattern. This combination of elements allows an incremental scale track pattern with a relatively finer pitch (e.g., 4, 5, 8 microns) to provide fringes with a coarser pitch (e.g., 20 microns) at a detector. Various scale resolutions can use a corresponding source grating such that all combinations can produce detector fringes that match the same economical detector component.

Abstract: An image correlation displacement sensor for measuring a displacement component along a direction perpendicular to a target surface, with a simple configuration. The sensor may include: an illumination portion (130?) which emits illumination light; an imaging portion including at least two optical paths (A and B?) which are used to capture multiple images of a speckle field produced by the target surface (300), one of which (A) is inclined with respect to a normal to the target surface in proximity to the target surface, and an element (110?) which deflects an at least one of the optical paths (A and B?); and a processing portion (200) which measures a displacement relative to the target surface along a direction which includes a component normal to the target surface (300) in accordance with the correlation of multiple images captured in the optical paths (A) and (B?).