Abstract: An angle detector includes a rotary scale having a scale pattern in which a plurality of patterns are arrayed along a circumference direction of the rotary scale, and a plurality of detection heads, each of which detects the plurality of patterns from the scale pattern. The plurality of detection heads are shifted from each other in the circumference direction of the rotary scale and are shifted from each other in a radial direction of the rotary scale.

Abstract: The photoelectric rotary encoder includes: a generally disk-shaped scale with a grating-like pattern formed with a predetermined period along a measurement direction, the measurement direction being a direction of rotation of a measurement target that rotates on a predetermined axis, the scale being plate-like and centered on an axis of rotation; and a head that detect, from the scale, the amount of displacement caused by the rotation of the measurement target. The head includes a light source, a diffraction unit with grating parts, and a light-receiving unit with light-receiving elements. The grating parts of the diffraction unit are formed as deformed grating parts that spread cut wide, from the center on the axis of rotation, along the grating-like pattern of the scale. The light-receiving elements are formed as linear grating parts.

Abstract: An electromagnetic inductive encoder that can suppress the effect of changes in magnetic flux received by the receiver section and maintain the accuracy of measurement results is provided. The electromagnetic inductive encoder 1 includes a scale 2 and a head 3 that is provided to face the scale 2 and moves relative to the scale 2. The head 3 includes a transmitter section 4 and a receiver section 5 with a plurality of receiving coils 500. The receiver section 5 has a first receiver section 51 with at least one receiving coil 500, a second receiver section 52 that is provided apart from the first receiver section 51 and has at least one receiving coil 500 different from the first receiver section 51, and connection wiring 53 that connects the first receiver section 51 and second receiver section 52.

Abstract: The photoelectric rotary encoder includes: a generally disk-shaped scale with a grating-like pattern formed with a predetermined period along a measurement direction, the measurement direction being a direction of rotation of a measurement target that rotates on a predetermined axis, the scale being plate-like and centered on an axis of rotation; and a head that detect, from the scale, the amount of displacement caused by the rotation of the measurement target. The head includes a light source, a diffraction unit with grating parts, and a light-receiving unit with light-receiving elements. The grating parts of the diffraction unit are formed as deformed grating parts that spread cut wide, from the center on the axis of rotation, along the grating-like pattern of the scale. The light-receiving elements are formed as linear grating parts.

Abstract: A life detection device of an encoder is used for the encoder including a scale and a head. The scale is housed in a scale frame. The head relatively moves along the scale to detect an amount of relative movement with the scale. The life detection device includes environmental condition detection means, life determination means, and informing means. The environmental condition detection means is configured to detect an environmental condition related to life detection in the encoder. The life determination means is configured to determine a life of a component constituting the encoder based on a detection result by the environmental condition detection means. The informing means is configured to inform the life based on a determination result by the life determination means.

Abstract: An electromagnetic inductive encoder that can suppress the effect of changes in magnetic flux received by the receiver section and maintain the accuracy of measurement results is provided. The electromagnetic inductive encoder 1 includes a scale 2 and a head 3 that is provided to face the scale 2 and moves relative to the scale 2. The head 3 includes a transmitter section 4 and a receiver section 5 with a plurality of receiving coils 500. The receiver section 5 has a first receiver section 51 with at least one receiving coil 500, a second receiver section 52 that is provided apart from the first receiver section 51 and has at least one receiving coil 500 different from the first receiver section 51, and connection wiring 53 that connects the first receiver section 51 and second receiver section 52.

Abstract: A life detection device of an encoder is used for the encoder including a scale and a head. The scale is housed in a scale frame. The head relatively moves along the scale to detect an amount of relative movement with the scale. The life detection device includes environmental condition detection means, life determination means, and informing means. The environmental condition detection means is configured to detect an environmental condition related to life detection in the encoder. The life determination means is configured to determine a life of a component constituting the encoder based on a detection result by the environmental condition detection means. The informing means is configured to inform the life based on a determination result by the life determination means.

Abstract: Provided is a photoelectric encoder that can achieve higher accuracy while maintaining reliability by reducing stray light. An encoder 1 is a photoelectric encoder including a light source device 2 that emits parallel light, a scale 3 having calibrations C provided along a measurement direction, and a light receiving unit 4 that receives light being emitted from the light source device 2, and transmitted through the scale 3. The encoder 1 includes an antireflection member 30 that prevents stray light generated by being reflected on the scale 3, from entering the light receiving unit 4. Because the encoder 1 includes the antireflection member 30, the encoder 1 can achieve higher accuracy while maintaining reliability by reducing stray light entering the light receiving unit 4.

Abstract: Provided are a light source device that can achieve higher accuracy while maintaining reliability by reducing stray light, and a photoelectric encoder including the same. A light source device 2 includes a translucent member 10 configured to accommodate a light emitting unit 5 thereinside, and to make light emitted from the light emitting unit 5, into parallel light. The translucent member 10 includes an optical axis plane 11, an orthogonal plane 12, a reflection portion configured to make light from the light emitting unit 5, into parallel light, and a connection portion 14 formed by the optical axis plane 11 and the orthogonal plane 12 connecting to each other, and having a curved surface. A central axis AX of the curved surface is in an outside region of the translucent member 10, and a region between the optical axis plane 11 and the orthogonal plane 12.

Abstract: Provided is a photoelectric encoder that can achieve higher accuracy while maintaining reliability by reducing stray light. An encoder 1 is a photoelectric encoder including a light source device 2 that emits parallel light, a scale 3 having calibrations C provided along a measurement direction, and a light receiving unit 4 that receives light being emitted from the light source device 2, and transmitted through the scale 3. The encoder 1 includes an antireflection member 30 that prevents stray light generated by being reflected on the scale 3, from entering the light receiving unit 4. Because the encoder 1 includes the antireflection member 30, the encoder 1 can achieve higher accuracy while maintaining reliability by reducing stray light entering the light receiving unit 4.

Abstract: Provided are a light source device that can achieve higher accuracy while maintaining reliability by reducing stray light, and a photoelectric encoder including the same. A light source device 2 includes a translucent member 10 configured to accommodate a light emitting unit 5 thereinside, and to make light emitted from the light emitting unit 5, into parallel light. The translucent member 10 includes an optical axis plane 11, an orthogonal plane 12, a reflection portion configured to make light from the light emitting unit 5, into parallel light, and a connection portion 14 formed by the optical axis plane 11 and the orthogonal plane 12 connecting to each other, and having a curved surface. A central axis AX of the curved surface is in an outside region of the translucent member 10, and a region between the optical axis plane 11 and the orthogonal plane 12.

Abstract: A miniaturized optical encoder capable of obtaining a sufficient amount of light in the light receiving element is provided. An optical encoder 1 includes a scale 2 having a scale track 2? and a readhead 3 having a light source 31 that emits light to the scale track 2?, a scale-side lens 32 that transmits the light emitted from the light source 31 to the scale track 2?, and a light receiving element 33 that receives the light reflected by the scale track 2? through the scale-side lens 32. The light source 31 is arranged between the scale-side lens 32 and the light receiving element 33. An optical axis Lsrc of the light source 31 is matched with an optical axis Ls of the scale-side lens 32 in a reading direction of the scale 2 and is separated from an optical axis Ls of the scale-side lens 32 by a predetermined distance D in a direction perpendicular to the reading direction of the scale 2.

Abstract: A miniaturized optical encoder capable of obtaining a sufficient amount of light in the light receiving element is provided. An optical encoder 1 includes a scale 2 having scale markings 21 and a readhead 3 having a light source 31 that emits light to the scale 2, a scale-side lens 32 that transmits the light emitted from the light source 31 to the scale 2, and a light receiving element 33 that receives the light that has been reflected by the scale 2 and that has passed through the scale-side lens 32. The light source 31 is arranged between the scale-side lens 32 and the light receiving element 33, and a distance between the light source 31 and the scale-side lens 32 is set to be a focal distance fs of the scale-side lens 32.

Abstract: A miniaturized optical encoder capable of obtaining a sufficient amount of light in the light receiving element is provided. An optical encoder 1 includes a scale 2 having a scale track 2? and a readhead 3 having a light source 31 that emits light to the scale track 2?, a scale-side lens 32 that transmits the light emitted from the light source 31 to the scale track 2?, and a light receiving element 33 that receives the light reflected by the scale track 2? through the scale-side lens 32. The light source 31 is arranged between the scale-side lens 32 and the light receiving element 33. An optical axis Lsrc of the light source 31 is matched with an optical axis Ls of the scale-side lens 32 in a reading direction of the scale 2 and is separated from an optical axis Ls of the scale-side lens 32 by a predetermined distance D in a direction perpendicular to the reading direction of the scale 2.

Abstract: A miniaturized optical encoder capable of obtaining a sufficient amount of light in the light receiving element is provided. An optical encoder 1 includes a scale 2 having scale markings 21 and a readhead 3 having a light source 31 that emits light to the scale 2, a scale-side lens 32 that transmits the light emitted from the light source 31 to the scale 2, and a light receiving element 33 that receives the light that has been reflected by the scale 2 and that has passed through the scale-side lens 32. The light source 31 is arranged between the scale-side lens 32 and the light receiving element 33, and a distance between the light source 31 and the scale-side lens 32 is set to be a focal distance fs of the scale-side lens 32.

Abstract: In a photoelectric encoder including a scale (14, 16, 18) for making a relative move and an image forming optical system (22, 24), adapted to detect relative displacement of the scale, a transparent protective material (40, 42) having a thickness t equal to or greater than the depth of focus (DOF) of the image forming optical system is disposed on the lattice (15, 17, 19) side surface of the scale. The transparent protective material can be transparent tape 40 bonded to the lattice side surface of the scale or a transparent protective material 42 applied to the lattice side surface of the scale. The surface of the transparent protective material can have hydrophilicity or lipophilicity.

Abstract: A photoelectric encoder has a telecentric optical system in which a first lens and an aperture located at a focal position of the first lens are interposed between a main scale and a photoreceptor. At least a second lens is interposed between the aperture and the photoreceptor with a focus of the second lens on the aperture, thereby constituting a bilateral telecentric optical system. This makes it possible to improve the signal detection efficiency and increase the assembly tolerance.

Abstract: In a photoelectric encoder including a scale (14, 16, 18) for making a relative move and an image forming optical system (22, 24), adapted to detect relative displacement of the scale, a transparent protective material (40, 42) having a thickness t equal to or greater than the depth of focus (DOF) of the image forming optical system is disposed on the lattice (15, 17, 19) side surface of the scale. The transparent protective material can be transparent tape 40 bonded to the lattice side surface of the scale or a transparent protective material 42 applied to the lattice side surface of the scale. The surface of the transparent protective material can have hydrophilicity or lipophilicity.

Abstract: A displacement measuring device including a scale, and an optical readhead including an index pattern and a light receiving element is provided. A bright/dark pattern arising from a scale grating is detected by the readhead to measure displacement. In various embodiments, a magnification of the pattern is adjusted by the spacing between at least a lens element, aperture element, and detection plane of the readhead. An aperture can be designed to provide a diffraction-limited telecentric imaging configuration that filters an image of the scale grating to provide a sinusoidal intensity pattern that supports highly interpolated measurements. An aperture dimension, selected in relation to the grating pitch and other parameters, can provide a desirable combination of readhead operating characteristics including one or more of a desired depth of field; degree of spatial filtering; and optical signal power.

Abstract: A photoelectric encoder that has a lens optical system including a lens inserted between a main scale and a light receiving element. In the photoelectric encoder, three planes extended from a surface of the main scale, a principal plane of the lens, and an image plane of the light receiving element are disposed so as to intersect at a single point and satisfy the Scheimpflug rule. Focus can thereby be obtained over the entire image plane, so that a reduction in contrast is prevented, even if the optical axis is inclined to make an optical system smaller.