| MITUTOYO CORPORATION Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
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| 20120101743 | HARDNESS TEST METHOD AND PROGRAM - A hardness test method performed by a controller of a hardness tester includes a first measurement process measuring an indentation curve (indentation history curve) for a plurality of times under a same condition with respect to a test specimen for verification in a predetermined environment; a setting process setting an acceptable range of variation in a load loading curve based on load loading curves (load loading history curves) of the plurality of the indentation curves obtained by the first measurement process; a second measurement process measuring an indentation curve under a same condition as the first measurement process with respect to the test specimen in an actual usage environment; and a judging process judging whether a load loading curve of the indentation curve measured by the second measurement process is within the acceptable range of variation in a load loading curve set by the setting process. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120099115 | INTERFERENCE OBJECTIVE LENS UNIT AND LIGHT-INTERFERENCE MEASURING APPARATUS USING THEREOF - Disclosed is an interference objective lens unit, comprising: an objective lens; a beam splitter that splits the light transmitted through the objective lens into a reference optical path in which a reference mirror is provided and a measuring optical path in which the measuring object is placed, and that superposes the split lights to output interference light; a first holder that holds the objective lens and that is formed by material having a first linear expansion coefficient; and a second holder that holds the reference mirror and that is formed by material having a second linear expansion coefficient different from the first linear expansion coefficient, wherein when a usage environment temperature changes, a difference in the linear expansion coefficients between the first holder and the second holder corrects an optical path difference between the reference optical path and the measuring optical path. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120098963 | IMAGE MEASURING APPARATUS - An image measuring apparatus includes: a light source; an imaging device; and a controller configured to adjust a light emission amount of the light source based on a light reception amount of the imaging device, wherein: when a light reception amount of the light receiving element is more than a maximum value, the controller reduces a light amount of the light source in next light reception; when the light reception amount of the light receiving element is less than the maximum value, the controller increases the light amount of the light source in the next light reception; and when the light amount of the light source reaches the maximum light amount and the light reception amount is smaller than a minimum value, the controller makes the light amount of the light source in the next light reception a minimum light amount. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120097843 | PHOTOELECTRIC ENCODER AND PHOTOELECTRIC ENCODER SYSTEM - A photoelectric encoder includes a scale in which diffraction gratings are formed at predetermined pitches in a measurement axis direction, a detection head which is relatively movable with respect to the scale, and which includes an illuminating portion configured to illuminate the scale, and a light receiving portion configured to receive light reflected by or transmitted through the diffraction gratings of the scale, a signal processing device configured to process a light reception signal output from the light receiving portion of the detection head, and a signal transmitting unit configured to transmit a signal between the detection head and the signal processing device. The signal processing device includes a display unit configured to display information indicating an attachment posture of the detection head with respect to the scale. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120092488 | PRECISION SOLDER RESIST REGISTRATION INSPECTION METHOD - A method is disclosed for operating a machine vision inspection system to determine a fluorescent imaging height for acquiring a fluorescent image for repeatably determining the location of a feature within the fluorescent material. The height of an exposed workpiece portion exposed outside of the fluorescent material is determined (e.g., using a height sensor or autofocus operations). The determined height is repeatable. The exposed portion has a characteristic height relative to the fluorescent material and/or features located therein. The fluorescent imaging height, which may be inside the fluorescent material, is determined relative to the determined height of the exposed portion. The fluorescent imaging height is determined such that it enhances the detection of the desired feature located within the fluorescent material in the resulting fluorescent image. For a variety of workpieces, the method provides automatic acquisition of appropriately focused fluorescent image more reliably than previously known methods. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120087567 | HARDNESS TESTER - A hardness tester includes a monitor capable of displaying a main screen and assistant screen. A first test location setter sets a coordinate point of an indentation formation location, and stores a setting condition of the set coordinate point and the surface image of a first test specimen. A second test location setter displays the surface image of the first test specimen in the assistant screen when a surface image of a second test specimen is displayed on the main screen, and, when a reference coordinate is set on the surface image of the second test specimen, determines a coordinate point of an indentation formation location based on the set reference coordinate and the setting condition of the coordinate point stored by the first test location setter. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120085897 | ENCODER - A detection head includes a plurality of detection array portions that are arranged in a direction along which the head is relatively displaceable. Position signals indicating a position of the detection head are calculated from output signals output from the detection array portions. In order to combine the position signals with one another and determine the position of the detection head with respect to the scale, weighting according to a level of the output signal is performed on the position signal of each of the detection array portions, and the weighted position signals are averaged. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120085896 | ORIGIN LOCATION DETECTION CIRCUIT - An origin location detection circuit in an encoder. The encoder includes a scale on which an origin pattern indicating an origin is provided and a detection head relatively displaceable with respect to the scale. The origin location detection circuit includes a comparator for generating an origin signal indicating a location of the origin from an output voltage signal, which is output from a detector of the detection head and has been affected by involvement of the origin pattern; a DC voltage detection circuit smoothing the output voltage signal; and a differential amplifier circuit performing differential amplification of the output voltage signal and a DC voltage signal output from the DC voltage detection circuit. A differential amplifier signal of the differential amplifier circuit is input to the comparator. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120085154 | HARDNESS TESTER - A hardness tester includes a monitor capable of displaying a main screen and an assistant screen; a first test location setter setting an indentation formation location on a test specimen for an initial test; and a second test location setter setting an indentation formation location on the test specimen for a retest. The second test location setter judges whether a new indentation formation location is suitable for a test based on a surface image of the test specimen and a setting condition obtained during the initial test, and, in a case where it is judged that the new indentation formation location is unsuitable for a test, sets again a coordinate point different from the coordinate point of the new indentation formation location as another new indentation formation location. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120081543 | IMAGE CORRELATION DISPLACEMENT SENSOR - 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 ( | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120073154 | COORDINATES MEASURING HEAD UNIT AND COORDINATES MEASURING MACHINE - A coordinates measuring head unit is provided, which is compact, inexpensive, and capable of performing high-precision measurements at high speeds, and facilitates, for example, measurements conducted on machine tools or in-situ measurements on transport lines. The head unit includes: drive means (an X-axis drive section, a Y-axis drive section, and a Z-axis drive section), an integrated housing for accommodating the drive means, and fixture means (fixture surface). The drive means allows a probe to be moved by computer numerical control along a plurality of drive axis, which are orthogonal to each other, and abut against a measuring target to measure the dimensions of the measuring target. The fixture means is provided on one of side surfaces of the housing to attach one of the drive means to a support (a support on a stand secured to a base). | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120072156 | METHOD OF CORRECTING MEASUREMENT DATA OF A COORDINATE MEASURING MACHINE AND A COORDINATE MEASURING MACHINE - A method according to the invention includes measuring respective geometric errors that occur in a three-dimensional movement mechanism when different weights are applied to a ram, storing in a storage section respective correction parameters for correcting the respective geometric errors measured for the different weights, inputting weight information of a probe attached to the ram, reading from the storage section one of the correction parameters that corresponds to the inputted weight information, and correcting measurement data with the read correction parameter. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120067039 | INDUSTRIAL MACHINE - A three-dimensional measuring machine (industrial machine) includes an air supplier supplying air; a drive mechanism driven by the air supplied from the air supplier; an electromagnetic valve provided inside an air regulator set to open and close an air supply passage inside the air regulator set, the air regulator set introducing the air from the air supplier to the drive mechanism; and a motion controller controlling the electromagnetic valve to block the air supply passage when a time since the drive mechanism stopped operation reaches a preset time. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120056999 | IMAGE MEASURING DEVICE AND IMAGE MEASURING METHOD - An image measuring device comprises an imaging unit; and an processing unit operative to treat image information obtained at the imaging unit by imaging a measurement object and compute coordinate information on the measurement object from the image information. The processing unit includes an error correcting unit operative to apply the error information inherent in the imaging unit to correct the image information obtained at the imaging unit by imaging the measurement object, thereby obtaining corrected image information, and a coordinate computing unit operative to compute coordinate information on the measurement object from the corrected image information. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120055037 | MEASUREMENT DEVICE - A three-dimensional measuring machine (measurement device) which supplies a probe having a measurement head able to make contact with a measured object and a contact detection sensor which detects the contact of a measurement head with a measured object and outputs a touch signal; a displacement structure which displaces a probe along three axial directions orthogonal to one another; scale sensors which detect the position coordinates of a probe and output a coordinate detection signal; a control circuit board having an integrated circuit on which are installed a touch counter which counts touch signals and a scale counter which counts coordinate detection signals; and a latch controller which latches a touch counter value and a scale counter value at the same time. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120044503 | SHAPE MEASURING METHOD AND SHAPE MEASURING APPARATUS - A shape measuring method includes guiding light emitted from a light source to an object to be measured and a reference surface, combining light reflected from the object to be measured with light reflected from the reference surface, and taking a distribution image of an interference light intensity corresponding to each measurement position of the object to be measured, while changing an optical path length difference between a first optical path length and a second optical path length over a whole scanning zone, sequentially storing distribution images of the interference light intensity in the whole scanning zone, and obtaining an interference light intensity string at each measurement position based on the stored distribution images of the interference light intensity, and obtaining a position in an optical axis direction at each measurement position of the object to be measured from a peak position of the interference light intensity string. | 02-23-2012 |
| 20120044343 | IMAGE MEASURING APPARATUS AND IMAGE MEASURING METHOD - Disclosed in an image measuring apparatus including an image capture unit which captured an image of a measurement subject, an import unit which imports the image of the measurement subject which is captured by the image capture unit, a binarization unit which binarizes the image which is imported by the import unit, an contour detection unit which recognizes graphic information in the image which is binarized by the binarization unit and detects an contour of the graphic information, A corner detection unit which detects corners of the graphic information based on the contour which is detected by the contour detection unit, a setting unit which respectively sets edge detection tools on lines of the contour including the corners detected by the corner detection unit and a measurement unit which measures the graphic information by the edge detection tools which are set by the setting unit. | 02-23-2012 |
| 20120038930 | FIXED WAVELENGTH ABSOLUTE DISTANCE INTERFEROMETER - A fixed wavelength absolute distance interferometer including a first interferometer comprising a first light source transmitting a first light beam having a wavelength W toward a measurement target, a wavefront radius detector configured to provide a first measurement responsive to the wavefront radius at the wavefront radius detector, and a first path length calculating portion calculating a coarse resolution absolute path length measurement R; and a second interferometer comprising a beam transmitting device transmitting a second-interferometer light beam having a wavelength Λ, a beam splitting/combining device separating the second-interferometer light beam into reference and measurement beams and combining the returning reference and measurement beams into a combined beam, a second-interferometer detector configured to receive the combined beam and provide signals of a phase φ of the combined beam, and a second path length calculating portion configured to determine a medium resolution absolute path length measurement Z | 02-16-2012 |
| 20120033229 | SHAPE MEASURING APPARATUS - A shape measuring apparatus includes: an optical system configured to guide a light from a light source having a wideband spectrum to an object to be measured and a reference face; an imaging unit configured to image the interfering light intensity distribution image output from the optical system; an optical path length difference changing unit configured to change the optical path length difference; and an arithmetic processing unit configured to obtain the peak value of an interfering light intensity sequence indicating the change in the interfering light intensity due to the change in the optical path length difference at each measurement position of the interfering light intensity distribution images stored in the image storing unit, and configured to obtain the peak value as the position in the direction of the optical axis at each measurement position of the object to be measured. | 02-09-2012 |
| 20120029857 | INDUSTRIAL MACHINE - A coordinate measuring machine (industrial machine) includes: a column and a support that extend along the Z-axis; a beam being provided between the column and the support; a slider being movable on the beam; a ram being held on the slider movably along the Z-axis direction; a temperature detecting sensor and a temperature detector that detect the respective temperatures of the column, the support and the ram; and a shift amount calculator that calculates a Z-axis shift amount based on the respective temperatures of the column, the support and the ram, reference position data indicating a positional relationship between the column, the support and the ram at a reference temperature, and respective thermal expansion coefficients for the column, the support and the ram. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120023765 | THREE-DIMENSIONAL MEASURING INSTRUMENT - According to the present invention, a three-dimensional measuring instrument includes a spindle that moves an object to be controlled in a predetermined axis direction; and a controlling device that controls a position of the object to be controlled by controlling a position of the spindle. The three-dimensional measuring instrument further includes an absolute-type linear encoder that outputs an absolute position of the spindle. With this, it is possible to start measurement by the three-dimensional measuring instrument in a short period of time. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120017940 | METHOD FOR CLEANING SKID OF SURFACE ROUGHNESS TESTER - A method for cleaning a skid of a surface roughness tester including the skid provided with a skid aperture in a vertical direction, and a stylus disposed in the skid aperture of the skid and capable of moving in the vertical direction, wherein the surface roughness tester measures surface roughness of an object by moving the skid along a surface of the object. The method includes removing a foreign substance existing in a gap between the skid aperture and the stylus after measuring the surface roughness of the object. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120017453 | PROFILE MEASURING INSTRUMENT - A coordinate measuring machine includes a probe having a measurement unit, a movement mechanism for moving the probe and a host computer for controlling the movement mechanism. The host computer includes: a compensation-amount calculating unit for calculating a compensation amount for compensating an error in the position of the measurement unit caused by the movement of the probe; and a compensator for compensating the error in the position of the measurement unit based on the compensation amount calculated by the compensation-amount calculating unit. The compensation-amount calculating unit calculates a translation-compensation amount for compensating a translation error of the probe and a rotation-compensation amount for compensating a rotation error of the probe based on a rotation frequency of the movement of the probe. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120010826 | STYLUS ABRASION DETECTION METHOD AND SURFACE PROPERTY MEASUREMENT DEVICE - A stylus abrasion detection method includes obtaining a measurement curve of a standard specimen in which an unevenness that changes periodically is formed on a surface, by causing a stylus to trace along the surface of the standard specimen, detecting a displacement of the stylus in a direction perpendicular to the tracing direction, and using the displacement for obtaining the measurement curve; performing a frequency analysis on the measurement curve; calculating an abrasion amount of the stylus from a result of the frequency analysis; and displaying the abrasion amount calculated by the abrasion amount calculation. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120005910 | FORM MEASURING INSTRUMENT - A form measuring instrument includes an instrument body and a controller that controls the instrument body. The instrument body includes a probe. The probe includes: a rod-like stylus having a distal end attached with a stylus tip for contacting with an object; and a support mechanism that supports the base end of the stylus. The support mechanism includes a probe sensor that detects the position of the stylus and supports the stylus in a manner movable within a predetermined range. The controller calculates a measurement value based on a transfer function whose input is the position of the stylus detected by the probe sensor and output is the contact position of the stylus tip against the object. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20110317396 | PHOSPHOR WHEEL CONFIGURATION FOR HIGH INTENSITY POINT SOURCE - A phosphor point source element comprises a substrate and light emitting phosphor particles arranged on the substrate to provide a circular operational track having a tightly packed particle arrangement adjacent to a flat operational surface of an operational track region. The operational track region is rotated while illuminated at a point to provide a high intensity point source. The tightly packed particle arrangement may be achieved by spinning the phosphor particles in a cavity to compress the phosphor on the substrate at the periphery of the cavity, or by other mechanical compression. The tightly packed phosphor arrangement may either be compressed against a forming element that bounds the cavity, or machined, to provide a flat operational surface. An adhesive binding agent that permeates the phosphor particles may be cured to fix the tightly packed arrangement. A window element may support and/or protect the operational surface, in some embodiments. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110317171 | PHOSPHOR WHEEL CONFIGURATION FOR HIGH INTENSITY POINT SOURCE - A phosphor point source element comprises a disk substrate and light emitting phosphor particles arranged on the substrate to provide a circular operational track having a desirable tightly packed particle arrangement adjacent to a flat operational surface of an operational track region. The operational track region is rotated while illuminated to provide a high intensity point source of radiation. The tightly packed particle arrangement may be achieved by spinning the phosphor particles in a cavity between a fabrication plate and the substrate, to compress the phosphor against the fabrication plate at the periphery of the cavity, or by mechanically compressing the phosphor. An adhesive binding agent may permeate the phosphor particles and be cured to maintain the tightly packed arrangement. A window element may support and/or protect the operational surface, in some embodiments. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110314686 | PROFILE MEASUREMENT APPARATUS - A profile measurement apparatus includes: a probe which includes a gauge head for measuring a profile of an object to be measured and which moves the gauge head within a given range; a movement mechanism which moves the probe; and a controller which measures the profile by controlling the movement mechanism to contact the gauge head against the object. The controller comprises: a movement amount acquisition section which acquires a movement amount of the gauge head from a reference position; a deviation acquisition section which acquires as a deviation the movement amount when the gauge head is in a non-contact state; a determination section which determines whether the deviation is greater than a first threshold value; and a resetting section which, when the deviation is greater than the first threshold value, resets the reference position to a position arrived at by combining the reference position and the deviation. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110313706 | INDUSTRIAL MACHINE - According to an exemplary embodiment, an industrial machine includes: a movement mechanism configured to move along a specific axis direction; a controller configured to control the movement mechanism; and an angle detector configured to detect an angle of the movement mechanism about an axis perpendicular to the specific axis direction. The controller comprises: an angular error acquisition section configured to acquire angular errors of the movement mechanism for respective positions of the movement mechanism based on the angle detected when the movement mechanism is moved; a parameter generator configured to generate respective straightness correction parameters for correcting straightness errors of the movement mechanism in the specific axis direction by integrating the angular errors at the respective positions of the movement mechanism; and a correction section configured to correct movement errors of the movement mechanism based on the straightness correction parameters. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310270 | Systems and methods for controlling strobe illumination - The repeatability of strobe illumination for image exposure is improved over a wide dynamic range in a machine vision system wherein a relationship between a camera integration period and a pulse duration of a strobe light generator control the effective exposure of a camera image during a timing overlap between a beginning of the camera integration period and an end of the pulse duration. To avoid noise in the illumination, the illumination pulse duration may start, the camera integration period may begin after a delay relative to that start and not later than the end of the pulse duration, the pulse duration may end, and the camera integration period may end not earlier than the end of the pulse duration. The timing overlap may also be synchronized with a periodic ripple component in the strobe illumination, to provide improved repeatability. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310256 | CALIBRATION PATTERN FOR IMAGING DEVICE - A calibration pattern is provided with a central portion and a frame pattern provided outside thereof, the central portion being provided with a rectangular light area in the central portion of the calibration pattern. The frame pattern has a horizontal pattern and a vertical pattern, the horizontal pattern extending to two horizontal sides centering the central portion and alternately provided with a light area and a dark area at a predetermined interval different from an equal interval, the vertical pattern extending to two vertical sides centering the central portion and alternately provided with a light area and a dark area at a predetermined interval different from an equal interval. The horizontal pattern and the vertical pattern include edges, each being positioned equally distant from a predetermined position in the central portion to the two sides, and the edges have an identical change direction of a gray value. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110304482 | ABSOLUTE OPTICAL ENCODER WITH LONG RANGE INTENSITY MODULATION ON SCALE - An encoder configuration comprises a dual-modulation scale track pattern that provides a first intensity modulation component for producing periodic signals, and a second intensity modulation component for producing a long-range absolute signal. The dual-modulation scale track pattern increases the range-to-resolution ratio of the encoder without the use of additional scale tracks that would increase the width of the encoder components. The long-range signal may be encoded in the dual-modulation scale track pattern either by varying certain dimensions of pattern elements included in the scale track or by superimposing a layer including an optical density variation along on the track on pattern elements of similar areas. In either case, the net offset and/or amplitude levels of the associated signals are modified along the scale track. These modified offset and/or amplitude levels provide the basis for the long-range absolute signal. | 12-15-2011 |
| 20110286006 | CHROMATIC CONFOCAL POINT SENSOR APERTURE CONFIGURATION - A central ray blocking aperture element is utilized in a chromatic confocal point sensor optical pen for chromatic range sensing. The central ray blocking aperture element blocks light which would otherwise pass through the chromatic confocal point sensor optical pen proximate to its optical axis. The average numerical aperture of the operative light rays of the optical pen is thereby increased, which decreases the width of a corresponding spectral peak that the optical pen provides in the spectrometer of a chromatic confocal point sensor system and thereby improves the overall measurement resolution. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110280496 | IMAGE MEASURING APPARATUS, PROGRAM, AND TEACHING METHOD OF IMAGE MEASURING APPARATUS - A data memory storing Gerber data containing closed area information of a work; a display displaying a pattern image based on the closed area information of the Gerber data; a detection specification information display program displaying on the display a detection tool specifying a location of edge to be detected, a detection direction and detection length, by superimposing on the pattern image; an image capturing program and an image capturer capturing an image of an area corresponding to the detection tool of the work; an edge detection program performing an edge detection of the location of the edge to be detected with respect to data of a captured image; and a condition determination program determining a light-dark change condition indicating whether an image is changing from a light section to a dark section or from a dark section to a light section along a detection direction. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110273725 | OPTICAL ENCODER HAVING CONTAMINATION AND DEFECT RESISTANT SIGNAL PROCESSING - An encoder configuration comprises an illumination portion, a scale comprising a scale track, and a signal processing electronics. The signal processing electronics may include a detector comprising a first set of three detector sub-portions that provide a first set of signals comprising three respective sub-portion signal subsets that have nominally the same signal characteristics when the scale track is not contaminated or defective. The processing electronics analyze the first set of signals and identify a least-similar sub-portion signal subset that has a corresponding signal characteristic value that is least similar to comparable signal characteristic values associated with more-similar sub-portion signal subsets of the first set of signals. Position measurements are based on valid signals including a plurality of the more-similar sub-portion signal subsets and not including the least-similar sub-portion signal subset if it is significantly different. Accurate measurement may be provided despite significant scale contamination or defects. | 11-10-2011 |
| 20110272564 | PHOTOELECTRIC ENCODER - A photoelectric encoder has a scale in which a main track for detecting an amount of movement is formed in a measuring direction. The photoelectric encoder includes an origin signal generating portion provided at a part of the main track in a direction orthogonal to the measuring direction. Thereby, change in a light receiving signal due to passage of the origin signal generating portion is detected to generate an origin signal. Thus, the origin signal which is in agreement with a main signal in phase is obtained and improve the reproducibility of an origin position. | 11-10-2011 |
| 20110271538 | TEST INDICATOR - A plurality of types of body cases, a movement unit housed inside each of the body cases, and a dial unit are provided. The movement unit is configured to include a gauge head swingably supported by a movement frame; a crown gear rotatably supported by the movement frame; and a magnifying transmission mechanism magnifying and transmitting a swing amount of the gauge head to a rotation amount of the crown gear. The dial unit is configured to include an indicating needle rotatably provided in a dial frame; a scale plate provided along a rotation area of the indicating needle; and a pinion transmitting rotation of the crown gear to the indicating needle. | 11-10-2011 |
| 20110266424 | OPTICAL ENCODER - An optical encoder includes a scale; a light source; a plurality of light receiving element arrays (three light receiving element arrays) receiving via the scale light emitted from the light source; and a measurer. The first and the third light receiving element arrays are each divided into two areas. The measurer includes an abnormality determiner determining whether an abnormality has occurred in the areas based on signals output from the areas, and a location measurer measuring a location of the scale based on signals output from the areas (for which the abnormality determiner has determined that an abnormality has not occurred) and the second light receiving element array. | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110254541 | ELECTROMAGNETIC ENCODER - According to the present invention, an electromagnetic encoder includes a number of scale coils arranged on a scale along a measuring direction; and transmitting coils and receiving coils arranged on a grid to be movable relative to the scale in the measuring direction, in which a relative movement amount between the scale and the grid is detected based on variation in magnetic flux detected by the receiving coils via the scale coils at the time of exciting the transmitting coils, and the receiving coils are provided in the measuring direction to be a plurality of sets, one of the sets of the receiving coils being displaced by a ½ phase of a scale pitch relative to the other set of the receiving coils. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110252659 | DISPLACEMENT MEASURING INSTRUMENT - A displacement measuring instrument includes a spindle screwed to a stationary sleeve, a thimble, an operation sleeve, and a constant pressure mechanism. The constant pressure mechanism includes: a rotary driving element rotatable together with the operation sleeve; a rotary driven element coupled to the rotary driving element in such a manner as to be rotatable together with the rotary driving element but not to be rotatable when a predetermined or more load is applied to the spindle; and a rotation transmitting mechanism transmitting a rotation of the rotary driven element to the spindle. A male thread portion with the same pitch as that of a male thread portion of the spindle is formed on the outer circumference of the stationary sleeve. A female thread portion is formed on the inner circumference of the thimble and screwed to the male thread portion of the stationary sleeve. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110247231 | MICROMETER - A micrometer includes: a body; a fixed sleeve that is fixed to the body; a spindle that is screwed to the fixed sleeve; a thimble that is rotatably fitted to an outer circumference of the fixed sleeve and has an outer end connected to the spindle; an operation sleeve fitted over a range from an outer circumference of the thimble to an outer end of the spindle and being rotatable relative to the thimble; and a constant pressure mechanism that is disposed between the operation sleeve and the spindle, the constant pressure mechanism transmitting a rotation of the operation sleeve to the spindle and allowing a free rotation of the operation sleeve against the spindle when a predetermined or more amount of load is applied on the spindle. Ball bearings are disposed between the thimble and the operation sleeve. | 10-13-2011 |
| 20110233391 | OPTICAL ENCODER - A miniaturized optical encoder capable of obtaining a sufficient amount of light in the light receiving element is provided. An optical encoder | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110233390 | OPTICAL ENCODER - A miniaturized optical encoder capable of obtaining a sufficient amount of light in the light receiving element is provided. An optical encoder | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110233389 | OPTICAL ENCODER - An linear encoder includes: a scale; a light-emitting element that emits light onto the scale; a detecting head that has a light-receiving element that receives the light emitted by the light-emitting element to be reflected or transmitted by the scale; and a connector connected to the detecting head via a cable. The connector comprises a display that displays a status of the light received by the light-receiving element and a connector controller that controls the display. The connector controller includes a display controller that controls the display in accordance with the intensity of the light received by the light-receiving element. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110231787 | GUI FOR PROGRAMMING STEP AND REPEAT OPERATIONS IN A MACHINE VISION INSPECTION SYSTEM - A method is provided for programming step and repeat operations of a machine vision inspection system. The machine vision inspection system includes an imaging portion, a stage for holding one or more workpieces in a field of view (FOV) of the imaging portion, a control portion, and a graphical user interface (GUI). According to the method, a user operates the machine vision inspection system to define a set of inspection operations to be performed on a first configuration of workpiece features. The user also operates the GUI to display a step and repeat dialog box, in which he defines a first plurality of parameters defining a set of default step and repeat locations for performing the defined set of inspection operations. The user further operates the GUI to define a set of inspection step and repeat locations, which is a subset of the defined set of default step and repeat locations, where the inspection operations are to be actually performed. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110229151 | PHOTOELECTRIC ENCODER - A photoelectric encoder includes a scale; a detector; alight application section; a pair of origin signal reception sections; and a signal processing section adapted to provide the maximum value of the signal level output from the origin signal reception sections by side lobe light occurring as reflected on the origin mark as a stipulated value, provide an effective area of origin detection between the first position at which output of one of the origin signal reception sections for outputting a larger signal level than the stipulated value earlier than the relative displacement becomes a larger signal level than the stipulated value and the first position at which output of the other origin signal reception section exceeds the stipulated value and then becomes a smaller signal level than the stipulated value, and configured to generate the origin detection signal in the effective area. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110228250 | LENS CONFIGURATION FOR A THERMALLY COMPENSATED CHROMATIC CONFOCAL POINT SENSOR - A chromatically dispersive lens configuration including thermal compensation may be utilized in chromatic confocal point sensor optical pens for chromatic range sensing. The lens configuration may include a negative power doublet lens and a positive power lens portion. The positive power lens portion comprises at least two lens elements which compensate for the overall thermal sensitivity of a chromatic confocal point sensor optical pen. The lens elements of the positive power lens portion which compensate for thermal sensitivity have an average coefficient of thermal defocus which is in a range that is at lowest 10 ppm per 10° C. The lens configuration can be implemented with dimensions which fit a standard commercial chromatic confocal point sensor optical pen, while maintaining a level of optical performance sufficient for chromatic range sensing. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110227562 | ROTARY ENCODER - A guide detection type rotary encoder has first through fourth transmission windings, first through fourth reception windings, and first through fourth flux coupling bodies. The first and second transmission windings, the first and second reception windings, and first and second flux coupling bodies each form first and second angle detection tracks which generate an N | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110222170 | LASER REFLECTOR - A laser reflector for converging a laser beam emitted from an irradiation unit at a point by a lens and a spherical body and for reflecting the laser beam by a coating on a surface of the spherical body to be returned, parallel to an optical axis of the laser beam, to the irradiation unit. The center and the two focuses of the lens and the center of the spherical body are disposed on the optical axis. The laser beam converged by the lens toward the focus is refracted by the spherical body, passes through the inside of the spherical body, and is converged at the intersection covered by the coating. When the orientation of the laser reflector is changed, an incident laser beam is converged by the lens and the spherical body at a point on the surface of the spherical body shifted from the intersection. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110222069 | LIGHT-INTERFERENCE MEASURING APPARATUS - A light-interference measuring apparatus including: a light source of a broad band light; an objective lens section to branch an optical path of the broad band light into a reference optical path including a reference mirror and a measuring optical path including a measuring object and to output a superposed wave of two branched lights; and an optical path length changing section to change an optical path length of either the reference optical path or the measuring optical path; wherein the objective lens section includes a phase difference control member to control a phase difference between the reference light and the object light to generate destructive interference fringes, and a minimum luminance position detecting section to detect minimum luminance position of the destructive interference fringes. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110221894 | IMAGE MEASURING APPARATUS - An image measuring apparatus includes an image capturing controller, a location obtainer, a combined-image generator, an error calculator, an image measurer, and a corrector. The image capturing controller causes relative movements between a measured object and an image capturer. The location obtainer acquires a location at which the image capturer captures an image of the measured object. The combined-image generator forms a combined image by superposing the images captured by the image capturing controller. The error calculator calculates, for each of combining sections, an error that occurs at a combining section when the combined image is formed, based on the location acquired by the location obtainer. The image measurer measures the measured object, based on the number of pixels in the combined image. The corrector corrects measurement results of the image measurer, based on the error for each of the combining sections calculated by the error calculator. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110218763 | TOLERANCE DETECTION METHOD AND TOLERANCE DETECTION DEVICE FOR SHAPE MEASURING APPARATUS - When detecting a tolerance of a shape of a measured object having a complicated shape that makes it difficult to perform a continued measurement, a plurality of partial measurement data that are set are retrieved. Next, a reference position is set from first partial measurement data. Then, each of the partial measurement data is combined into one data using the reference position. Further, the tolerance is calculated using the combined data. | 09-08-2011 |
| 20110199240 | PHOTOELECTRIC ENCODER - A photoelectric encoder includes: a scale having a grating formed with a predetermined period Ps; and a detector head being movable relative to the scale and including a light source and a light receiving unit. In a configuration where light receiving elements in the light receiving unit output N-points light and dark signals (N is an integer of 3 or more), and where phases of the N-points light and dark signals are detected by a least-squares method to fit a sinusoidal function with fixed period to N-points digital signals digitized from the N-points light and dark signals, an N-points light and dark signal period P is set at an integral multiple of a data-point interval w of the N-points digital signals, and an overall length M of the light receiving elements is set at an integral multiple of the N-points light and dark signal period P. Thereby, position detecting errors occurring due to a stain of the scale and/or a defect in the grating can be reduced by simple computing. | 08-18-2011 |
| 20110197665 | SURFACE TEXTURE MEASURING DEVICE - A surface texture measuring device includes a threshold value storage module configured to store a threshold input through an operation key, a stylus move distance detector configured to detect a move distance in the trace direction of the stylus, a cumulative move distance storage module configured to cumulatively store the move distance of the stylus detected by the stylus move distance detector; and. a notification module (controller) configured to make a comparison between the threshold value stored in the threshold value storage module and the cumulative move distance stored in the cumulative move distance storage module and notifying a user of replacement of the stylus when the cumulative move distance has exceeded the threshold value. | 08-18-2011 |
| 20110192044 | COORDINATE MEASURING MACHINE - A coordinate measuring machine includes: a probe for measuring an object; a movement mechanism for moving the probe; and a motion controller for controlling the movement mechanism. The motion controller includes: a current value detecting unit that detects a current value for moving the probe by the movement mechanism; and a load judging unit that judges a status of a load applied on the movement mechanism based on the current value detected by the current value detecting unit and a threshold that is set in accordance with a target speed for moving the probe by the movement mechanism. The target speed is in proportion to the threshold. | 08-11-2011 |
| 20110178728 | HARDNESS TEST METHOD, HARDNESS TESTER, AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM STORING PROGRAM - A hardness test method includes a measurement step of forming an indent by indenting a surface of a sample with an indenter loaded with a predetermined load and detecting a displacement quantity of the indenter and a test force loaded on the indenter at a time of forming the indent to measure an indentation curve, a work load calculation step of calculating a work load by plastic deformation (Wp) from an area of an indentation curve obtained by the measurement step, and an estimation calculation step of calculating an estimation (HVe) of Vickers hardness by using the work load (Wp), calculated at the work load calculation step, and a previously determined coefficient K in conformity with HVe=(K/Wp) | 07-21-2011 |
| 20110173830 | SPHERICAL-FORM MEASURING APPARATUS - A spherical-form measuring apparatus | 07-21-2011 |
| 20110169487 | OPTICAL FIBER TYPE MAGNETIC FIELD SENSOR - An optical fiber type magnetic field sensor having a light source, an incident side optical fiber guiding light from the light source, a polarizer linearly polarizing the light outgoing from the incident side optical fiber, a first Faraday rotator rotating polarization of the linearly polarized light by an intensity of an external magnetic field; an optical receiver, based on the polarization-rotated light, performing a photoelectric conversion to output the light as an electrical signal; a processor processing the electrical signal to output the intensity of the external magnetic field as an output voltage value; a second Faraday rotator and a permanent magnet further providing a certain non-90n degree (where n is an integer) polarization rotation angle, to a polarization rotation angle of light outgoing from the first Faraday rotator, with respect to a polarization axis of the polarizer; and a mirror. | 07-14-2011 |
| 20110167916 | OPTICAL FIBER TYPE VIBRATION METER - An optical fiber type vibration meter including a light source, an incident side optical fiber guiding light from the light source, a vibration probe to which a guided light is made incident, an optical receiver photoelectric-converting light modulated by a vibration of a weight and a movable coil arranged in the vibration probe to output the light as an electrical signal, a processor processing the electrical signal to output a state of the vibration as an output voltage value, a velocity pickup converting a velocity of the weight and the movable coil arising from the vibration of the weight and the movable coil into an electrical current, a solenoidal coil generating a magnetic field by the electrical current, and a magnetic field sensor attenuating an amount of light guided to the vibration probe according to an intensity of the magnetic field. | 07-14-2011 |
| 20110162444 | LEVER-TYPE DETECTOR, STYLUS, AND AUTOMATIC STYLUS EXCHANGER - A lever-type detector, a stylus, and an automatic stylus exchanger allow styluses of different types to be exchanged automatically and reduce the burden of exchanging the styluses of different types for the lever-type detector. An approximately U-shaped notch is formed in a seating plate provided for a stylus body. In order to attach a stylus to a stylus holder, the longitudinal direction of the stylus body is set in a direction orthogonal to the central axis of a shaft body of the stylus holder, and the seating plate is moved in the direction orthogonal to the central axis of the shaft body. Then, the notch guides the shaft body to the center of gravity of the whole stylus on the seating plate. With the shaft body guided to the center of gravity by the notch, a flat swinging member holds the seating plate detachably. | 07-07-2011 |
| 20110138895 | SURFACE TEXTURE MEASURING DEVICE - A surface texture measuring device includes a rotation driving device configured to rotate a measured substance, a roughness detector including a stylus provided displaceably at a tip of a detector main body and at least one skid provided at the tip of the detector main body and in the proximity of the stylus and outputting displacement of the stylus based on the skid as an electric signal, and a detector driving device configured to drive a detector holder. The detector holder includes a guide member driven by the detector driving device, a slide member configured to hold the roughness detector and provided slidably in a displacement direction of the stylus to the guide member, and an urging member configured to urge the slide member so that the skid always comes in contact with the measurement face of the measured substance. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110137967 | DISPLAY CONFIGURATION FOR MULTIMODE ELECTRONIC CALIPERS HAVING A RATIOMETRIC MEASUREMENT MODE - A multimode electronic measuring instrument is provided that includes a ratiometric mode of operation. During the ratiometric mode, a desired dimension is established as a stored reference dimension X | 06-09-2011 |
| 20110134437 | FIZEAU INTERFEROMETER AND MEASUREMENT METHOD USING FIZEAU INTERFEROMETER - A Fizeau interferometer includes: a reference spherical surface; and a measuring apparatus including an intensity obtaining section and a form calculating section, wherein: a focal point of the reference spherical surface is aligned with a center of curvature of the spherical surface in order to set the center of curvature as a center position, and two positions equidistant from the center position are set as a start position and an end position, the intensity obtaining section obtains the intensity maps of the interferograms at n positions at equal intervals; and the form calculating section measures the form of the spherical surface using a phase analysis method in which a coefficient of the intensity maps of the interferograms at an i-th position and a coefficient of the intensity maps of the interferograms at an (n−i+1)th position have a same value. | 06-09-2011 |
| 20110133054 | WEIGHTING SURFACE FIT POINTS BASED ON FOCUS PEAK UNCERTAINTY - A machine vision inspection system acquires a plurality of images of a workpiece region of interest at various focus heights, and determines a Z-height (e.g., the best focus height) for the region of interest based on a focus peak determining data set for the region of interest. The focus peak determining data set is derived from the plurality of images. The machine vision inspection system also determines Z-height quality meta-data based on data derived from the plurality of images (e.g., based on the focus peak determining data set), and associates the Z-height quality meta-data with the corresponding Z-heights. The Z-height quality meta-data are usable to establish weighting factors that are used in association with the corresponding best focus Z-heights in subsequent operations that fit a workpiece surface representation to a plurality of the best focus Z-heights. | 06-09-2011 |
| 20110122420 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING A HEIGHT OF A NUMBER OF SPATIAL POSITIONS ON A SAMPLE - The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for determining a height of a number of spatial positions on a sample, defining a height map of a surface of said sample. The method can involve irradiating the surface of the sample with light including a spatial periodic pattern in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis and moving parallel to the pattern, scanning the surface in the direction of the optical axis for each position of the surface and detecting the light reflected by the sample by a detector during the scanning. In any scanning position, only a single image is taken, and the scanning speed has a predetermined relation to the phase of the periodic pattern. Analyzing an output signal of the detector can involve, for each spatial position of the detector, determining of an amplitude of the signal detected during the scanning and determining a scanning location where the amplitude is maximal. | 05-26-2011 |
| 20110122418 | APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING A HEIGHT MAP OF A SURFACE THROUGH BOTH INTERFEROMETRIC AND NON-INTERFEROMETRIC MEASUREMENTS - The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for determining a height map of a surface of an object. The apparatus can include positioning means for the object, a light source, an optical detector for converting the received light into electrical signals, first optics for directing light from the light source to the surface and for directing the light from the surface to the optical detector, a beam splitter located between the first optics and the surface, a reference mirror, second optics located between the beam splitter an the mirror for directing the light from the beam splitter to the mirror and from the mirror to the beam splitter, scanning means, processing means that converts the signal from the optical detector into a height map. The beam splitter can be a polarizing beam splitter. A controllable polarization controller can be located between the light source and the first optics. | 05-26-2011 |
| 20110114828 | NON-CONTACT PROBE AND MEASURING MACHINE - A measuring machine includes a non-contact probe that detects a step gauge without contact. The non-contact probe includes an emitting element that radiates light, a light receiving element that receives the light radiated from the emitting element, and an optical filter that covers an optical path to the light receiving element. The optical filter includes a transmission band in which the light radiated from the emitting element is transmitted and a blocking band in which light to which the light receiving element is sensitive is blocked. | 05-19-2011 |
| 20110103679 | AUTOFOCUS VIDEO TOOL AND METHOD FOR PRECISE DIMENSIONAL INSPECTION - A refined autofocus method provides optimized lighting between iterative autofocus operations, to reliably provide the best possible autofocus Z-height precision. The method includes a quantitative initial focus Z-height determination based on initial focus curve data from initial autofocus images acquired using initial light control parameters. Then, the camera is set at that initial focus Z-height such that well focused images are provided. Refined (optimized) light control parameters are then determined based on at least one respective image acquired using respective light control parameters at that Z-height, such that an image acquired using the refined light control parameters provides a near-optimum value for a contrast-related metric (e.g., a focus metric) at that Z-height. Then, refined autofocus images are acquired using the refined light control parameters and a refined precise Z-height is quantitatively determined base on the resulting focus curve. | 05-05-2011 |
| 20110098971 | FORM MEASURING DEVICE AND METHOD OF ALIGNING FORM DATA - A form measuring device includes: a measuring unit configured to detect a height at each position in a reference axis direction of a measured object and measure a cross-sectional form of the measured object; and an arithmetic unit configured to synthesize a plurality of form measurement data, obtained by repeated measurements of the form of the same measured object by the measuring unit, and calculate synthesized form measurement data. In the synthesis of the form measurement data, the arithmetic unit is configured to calculate shift amounts in the reference axis direction and a height direction of the form measurement data with respect to the synthesized form measurement data and align the form measurement data in the reference axis direction and the height direction based on the calculated shift amount. | 04-28-2011 |
| 20110095171 | PHOTOELECTRIC ENCODER - A photoelectric encoder in which light emitted from a light source is modulated by an optical grating and the modulated light is detected by a light receiving element, includes a one-side telecentric optical system which forms an image of the light modulated by the optical grating. The imaging optical system has an aperture through which part of the light modulated by the optical grating is allowed to transmit, the aperture having a size which is required when a cutoff spatial frequency that is a spatial frequency indicating a resolution limit of the imaging optical system due to the light emitted from the light source has a value between a fundamental spatial frequency of the optical grating obtained by a Fourier transformation and a second harmonic of the fundamental spatial frequency. | 04-28-2011 |
| 20110090511 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING THE HEIGHT OF A NUMBER OF SPATIAL POSITIONS ON A SAMPLE DEFINING A PROFILE OF A SURFACE THROUGH WHITE LIGHT INTERFEROMETRY - The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for determining the height of a number of spatial positions on the sample, defining a height map of a surface through interferometry with a broadband light source. The method can involve for each spatial position: obtaining a correlogram during scanning of the surface plane of the objective and estimating the point of the correlogram where an amplitude of the correlogram is at its maximum, thus determining an approximation of the height of the spatial position on the sample. The estimation of the value where the correlogram has its maximum can involve subjecting the correlogram to a Fourier transform, subjecting the Fourier transformed signal to a filter, subjecting the filtered signal to an inverse Fourier transform, and calculating the location of the centre of mass of the inversed filtered Fourier transformed signal. | 04-21-2011 |
| 20110088273 | MEASURING FORCE CONTROL APPARATUS - A position controller provided in a controlling module obtains a difference between a detected rotation angle of a stylus and a target rotation angle, and determines an energization amount to a voice coil motor so that the difference becomes zero. A variable limiter circuit limits a driving current, which is supplied from the position controller, to a limitation value so that a rotation force applied to the stylus from the voice coil motor is constant. A target rotation angle issuing portion switches over the target rotation angle based on a relative position of a contact portion of the stylus. | 04-21-2011 |
| 20110085178 | OFFSET AMOUNT CALIBRATING METHOD AND SURFACE TEXTURE MEASURING MACHINE - An offset amount calibrating method that obtains the offset amount between a contact-type detector and an image probe is provided. The method includes: setting on a stage a calibration chart that includes not less than two non-parallel linewidth patterns being disposed relative to a reference position of the calibration chart and each having a known width and a level difference; capturing an image of the linewidth patterns of the calibration chart by an image probe to obtain the reference position of the calibration chart; measuring at least two of the linewidth patterns of the calibration chart by a contact-type detector to obtain the reference position of the calibration chart; and calculating a difference between the reference position obtained by using the image probe and the reference position obtained by using the contact-type detector to obtain the offset amount. | 04-14-2011 |
| 20110085177 | OFFSET AMOUNT CALIBRATING METHOD AND SURFACE PROFILE MEASURING MACHINE - An offset amount calibrating method that obtains the offset amount between a contact-type detector and an image probe for a surface profile measuring machine is provided. The method includes: setting on a stage a calibration jig that has a surface being provided with a lattice pattern with a level difference; measuring the lattice pattern of the calibration jig by the contact-type detector to obtain a first reference position of the lattice pattern; capturing the image of the lattice pattern of the calibration jig by the image probe to obtain a second reference position of the lattice pattern; and obtaining the offset amount from a difference between the first and second reference positions. | 04-14-2011 |
| 20110083497 | SURFACE TEXTURE MEASURING MACHINE AND A SURFACE TEXTURE MEASURING METHOD - A surface texture measuring machine includes: a stage, a contact-type detector having a stylus, an image probe, a relative movement mechanism and a controller. The controller includes: a center position calculating unit that, when the image probe enters position data of at least three points on a circular contour of a circular concave portion or a circular convex portion of an object, approximates the entered position data to a circle to obtain a center position of the circle; and a stylus setting unit that, after calculating the center position, operates the relative movement mechanism to position the stylus of the contact-type detector at the center position. | 04-14-2011 |
| 20110083335 | DETECTOR AND MEASURING DEVICE - A detector includes a stylus, a holding portion that holds a proximal end portion of the stylus, a body portion that supports the holding portion rotatably about a rotational axis, and a sensor that detects a rotational displacement of the holding portion. The holding portion includes an abutting member, on which the proximal end portion of the stylus abuts, and a plate spring that biases the proximal end portion of the stylus against the abutting member. The abutting member includes a groove portion on which the proximal end portion of the stylus abuts, and a semispherical portion that extends toward the plate spring, compared with a bottom of the groove portion. The stylus includes a proximal end inclined portion at the proximal end portion of the stylus. The proximal end inclined portion is inclined toward the plate spring, with a decreasing distance from the rotational axis. | 04-14-2011 |
| 20110069319 | TRACKING TYPE LASER GAUGE INTERFEROMETER - A tracking type laser gauge interferometer includes: a first recursive reflector configured to reflect light parallel to incident light; a second recursive reflector attached to a measurement object; a main body part configured to guide light emitted from a laser light source to the first recursive reflector; a rotating mechanism configured to rotate the main body part; and a control unit configured to control the rotating mechanism based on the light emergent from the main body part and reflected at the second recursive reflector, wherein: the main body part includes a light receiving element configured to receive the light reflected at the first recursive reflector and detect a position of the received light; and the control device includes: an angle acquisition unit configured to acquire a rotational angle of the rotating mechanism; and an correction unit configured to correct a motion error of the rotating mechanism. | 03-24-2011 |
| 20110066400 | SHAPE MEASURING APPARATUS - A 3D measuring apparatus includes a probe that has a spherical gauge head for measuring a measured object; a motion mechanism that holds and moves the probe; and a motion controller that controls the motion mechanism. The controller includes a contact point obtainer that obtains a contact point location of a surface of the measured object and the gauge head based on a central location of the gauge head; a radius of the gauge head; and a swing amount of the gauge head. The controller also includes a motion commander that calculates a location command value causing the motion mechanism to move the probe, based on the contact point location obtained by the contact point obtainer. | 03-17-2011 |
| 20110061256 | HEAT INSULATING COVER AND MICROMETER - Disclosed is a micrometer with an improved a heat-insulating property. A micrometer | 03-17-2011 |
| 20110058031 | IMAGE PROCESSING MEASURING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING MEASUREMENT METHOD - An image processing measuring apparatus includes an illuminator that has a red LED, a green LED, and a blue LED; a controller that can independently control illumination intensity of each light source; a color image separator that separates the reflected lights from the measured object into a red light, a green light, and a blue light, respectively converts the lights into a red light image signal, a green light image signal, and a blue light image signal based on each light, and outputs the signals; and an image processor that performs a grayscale image process with respect to one image signal having the same color as that of the radiated light among image signals obtained from the color image separator, when one of the lights from the red LED, the green LED, or the blue LED is radiated onto the measured object. | 03-10-2011 |
| 20110054835 | METHOD OF EVALUATING PRECISION OF OUTPUT DATA USING ERROR PROPAGATION - Method of evaluating precision of output data using error propagation includes performing numerical differentiation using input data in data processing, and thereby obtaining a Jacobian matrix J of the data processing; estimating variance-covariance of errors of the input data, and thereby obtaining an error matrix D of the input data; and calculating an error matrix from the Jacobian matrix J and the error matrix D of the input data, the error matrix R representing variance-covariance of errors of output data. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110050107 | ILLUMINATING DEVICE AND METHOD OF CALIBRATING ILLUMINATING DEVICE - An illuminating device includes: a calibrating output unit for reading an output current command value corresponding to a specific brightness command value and for outputting the output current command value to a light source; a ratio calculating unit for calculating a ratio between an illuminance of illuminating light emitted from the light source and a prescribed illuminance value prescribed for the specific brightness command value; an illuminance calculating unit for calculating each illuminance when each output current command value matched with each brightness command value is outputted; and a calibrating unit for calibrating a relationship between each brightness command value and each output current command value in a conversion table such that each illuminance at the time when each output current command value matched with each brightness command value is outputted is set to each prescribed illuminance value prescribed for each of the brightness command values. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110032536 | GRAZING INCIDENCE INTERFEROMETER - A grazing incidence interferometer includes: a beam splitting section configured to split a beam from a beam source section into a measuring beam emergent to a measurement surface and a reference beam serving as a measurement reference, and configured to cause the measuring beam to emerge obliquely to the measurement surface; a beam combining part configured to combine the reference beam and the measuring beam reflected at the measurement surface, to obtain a combined beam; a detecting section configured to detect a profile of the measurement surface based on an interference fringe formed by the combined beam; and an image inverting part configured to invert an orientation of a wave front of the measuring beam or the reference beam, the image inverting part being provided in an optical path of the measuring beam or the reference beam leading from the beam splitting section to the beam combining section. | 02-10-2011 |
| 20110032351 | IMAGE MEASURING APPARATUS - An image measuring apparatus includes a strobe illumination unit, a camera, a movement mechanism, and a controller. The controller includes a focus position detector that detects the focus position of the camera by controlling the movement mechanism to move the camera along the optical axis of the camera at a predetermined velocity and by controlling the camera to pick up an image of a measurement target object at plural positions. The focus position detector includes an illumination control unit that controls the lighting time of the strobe illumination unit, thereby controlling the brightness of illumination, a relative position acquisition unit that acquires the position of the camera at the center of the lighting time, and a contrast detection unit that detects the contrast of the image picked up by the camera. | 02-10-2011 |
| 20110031383 | LENS ABERRATION CORRECTION IN A DOUBLY TELECENTRIC DISPLACEMENT SENSOR - A method and apparatus for suppressing loss of scale image contrast due to interference effects from optical path length differences, including lens profile aberrations, are provided in a displacement sensing optical encoder that uses a telecentric imaging configuration. According to the invention, the encoder is configured such that the image light that reaches the detector comprises symmetric ray bundles concentrated symmetrically on opposite sides of the optical axis center at the limiting aperture of the telecentric imaging configuration. Central ray bundles, and/or other ray bundles that have an optical path lengths significantly different than the operational symmetric ray bundles are prevented or blocked. As a result destructive interference is prevented and image contrast is improved. | 02-10-2011 |
| 20110031382 | PHOTOELECTRIC ENCODER - A photoelectric encoder includes: a scale; a detection head; fibers through which light that is to be irradiated on the scale and light reflected by the scale propagates; first and second cables each having a space in which the fibers are partially disposed; and a case that encloses a light source that supplies light to one of the fibers and a light-sensitive element that receives the reflected light propagating through the others of the fibers and converts the received light into an electric signal. The first cable, the second cable, and the case are disposed in this order in the direction of propagation of the reflected light. The positions of the fibers are fixed relative to one another inside the first cable in the direction orthogonal to the direction of length of the fibers and variable relative to one another inside the second cable in the orthogonal direction. | 02-10-2011 |
| 20110016956 | Surface texture measuring instrument - A surface texture measuring instrument includes a force sensor ( | 01-27-2011 |
| 20110013186 | OPTICAL DISPLACEMENT METER - An optical displacement meter includes: a broadband light source; a spatial filter configured to extract light under measurement of a wavelength focused on a measurement target and specify the wavelength of the light under measurement; a polarizer configured to divide the light collimated and caused to propagate in one direction into linearly polarized beams of two directions orthogonal to a propagating direction; a wavelength plate that allows passage of the linearly polarized beams to produce elliptically polarized light having a phase difference commensurate with a light wavelength; a polarized light separation element configured to divide the elliptically polarized light into polarized light components with respect to the two directions; a light receiving element configured to detect quantities of the respective polarized light components; and a computing circuit configured to perform computation of (A−B)/(A+B) by use of light quantity signals A and B detected by the light receiving element. | 01-20-2011 |
| 20110010127 | ERROR CALCULATION METHOD FOR ANGLE DETECTION DEVICE - An angle detection device formed in the shape of a disk includes: a graduation plate having a plurality of graduation lines being provided radially from the center toward the circumference thereof: and two detectors being disposed along the circumference of the graduation plate in a manner to be opposite to each other in a radial direction, the detectors detecting the graduation lines. The angle detection device is configured to calculate a center error based on angles detected by the detectors. | 01-13-2011 |
| 20110007324 | PROBE MICROSCOPE - A probe microscope includes a cantilever having a probe for contact with an object, first and second displacement detection optical systems, and an object lens. The first displacement detection optical system includes a first light source and a first displacement detecting section that detects displacement of the cantilever. The second displacement detection optical system includes a second light source and a second displacement detecting section that detects displacement of the object. The object lens is provided between the cantilever and the first light source and between the cantilever and the second light source. The object lens has a focal position for the light that is emitted from the first light source and has a first wavelength at the position of the cantilever and has a focal position for the light that is emitted from the second light source and has a second wavelength at the position of the object. | 01-13-2011 |
| 20110005307 | Surface texture measuring instrument - A surface texture measuring instrument includes a force sensor ( | 01-13-2011 |
| 20110005095 | SURFACE TEXTURE MEASUREMENT APPARATUS AND ROUNDNESS MEASURING APPARATUS - A roundness measuring apparatus includes: a stylus having a contact part; a holding member that holds the stylus while allowing displacement of the contact part; an elastic member that presses the contact part against a measurement target object; a detector holder that supports the holding member rotatably; a motor; an elastic force adjustment member that is rotatable and concentric with the holding member; a joining section that joins the elastic force adjustment member with the holding member to maintain relative rotational positions; and a restricting section that restricts rotation of the elastic force adjustment member at a predetermined rotational position. The displacement direction of the contact part is adjusted in a first rotation range. The rotational position of the holding member relative to the rotational position of the elastic force adjustment member changes with the rotation of the elastic force adjustment member being restricted in a second rotation range. | 01-13-2011 |
| 20110004326 | Method of actuating a system, apparatus for modifying a control signal for actuation of a system and method of tuning such an apparatus - A method of actuating a system comprising a movable component and an actuator configured to move the movable component comprises providing a control signal representative of a desired motion of the movable component. The control signal is supplied to one or more resonators. Each of the one or more resonators has a mode of oscillation representative of at least one elastic mode of oscillation of the system. The control signal is modified by subtracting from the control signal a signal representative of a response of the one or more resonators to the control signal. The actuator is operated in accordance with the modified control signal. Thus, undesirable elastic oscillations of the system which might occur if the system were operated with the original control system can be reduced. | 01-06-2011 |
| 20100328681 | DISPLACEMENT ENCODER INCLUDING PHOSPHOR ILLUMINATION SOURCE - A position sensing optical encoder includes an illumination source that operates by providing primary radiation having a first level of intensity uniformity to saturate at least a portion of a relatively broad phosphor area including uniformly distributed phosphor. The phosphor area absorbs the primary radiation and emits phosphor radiation to illuminate the encoder scale pattern. The scale pattern spatially modulates the phosphor light, and the spatially modulated pattern of phosphor light is sensed by a photodetector arrangement. Due at least partially to saturation of the phosphor, the phosphor light has a second level of phosphor light intensity uniformity that is more uniform than the first level of primary light intensity uniformity, which enhances the encoder accuracy. The uniform phosphor illumination intensity is economically provided over a broad area with few components and minimized optical path length, particularly for path length perpendicular to the scale. | 12-30-2010 |
| 20100326197 | SERVO-TYPE VIBRATION DETECTOR - A movable plate is provided to a pendulum displaceable by external vibration. A fixed plate is provided to a position opposite to the movable plate. A displacement detector detects an electrostatic capacitance between the plates. A servo amplifier supplies to a force coil, a current in an amount associated with the detection result. A current circuit and a load resistor of the force coil convert the current into a detection signal and output the signal. When the movable plate and the fixed plates, which are conducted to each other, are contacted, the electrostatic capacitance between the plates is removed. A processor detects a change in the detection signal due to the removal of the electrostatic capacitance, and then determines that the plates are contacted. | 12-30-2010 |
| 20100315731 | OPTICAL APPARATUS - An optical apparatus includes a lens barrel, an optical apparatus body, a body-side mounting unit, a lens-side mounting unit arid a position determination mechanism. A plurality of projection pins protrude from an outer circumferential surface of a cylindrical part of the body-side mounting unit. A groove is formed in an inner circumferential surface of the lens-side mounting unit. Cutout regions that are in communication with the groove are formed in a surface of the lens-side mounting unit that faces toward a flange part of the body-side mounting unit at positions that respectively correspond to positions of the projection pins. The position determination mechanism determines a position of the lens-side mounting unit around the optical axis of the optical apparatus body. | 12-16-2010 |
| 20100313436 | CIRCULARITY MEASURING APPARATUS - A circularity measuring apparatus includes: a rotary table on which a measured object is loaded; a contact-type stylus configured to contact a substantially circular measured surface of the measured object with an inclination; a holder configured to hold the stylus within a predetermined stroke range so that an inclination angle of the stylus is changeable; a displacement detector configured to detect a displacement of the inclination angle of the stylus, which is caused due to a contact between the stylus and the measured surface; and a controller configured to: estimate a position of a top end of the stylus based on an output of the displacement detector; and instruct the holder in an optimal stroke range in the position. | 12-16-2010 |
| 20100312930 | Signal converter, signal processor and signal conversion transmission system - An input tool has: an I/O unit having a digimatic interface; a first signal conversion unit that converts a measurement signal in a signal format according to an HID keyboard protocol capable of being processed by an HID driver; a second signal conversion unit that converts the measurement signal into a signal format according to a virtual serial port protocol capable of being processed by a VCP driver; a conversion controller that makes one of the first signal conversion unit and the second signal conversion unit to convert a signal format of the measurement signal; and a USB communicator having a USB interface that is connectable with a PC, the USB communicator outputting the measurement signal. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20100309747 | SYNCHRONOUS RECORDING SYSTEM AND SYNCHRONOUS RECORDING METHOD - A synchronous recording system is configured with a first seismograph and a second seismograph. The first seismograph includes a sensor, a GPS receiver, a data buffer, and a synchronous information transmission program that transmits synchronous information to the second seismograph, the information designating recording start time. The second seismograph includes a sensor, a GPS receiver, a data buffer, a recorder, a synchronous information reception program that receives the synchronous information, and a recording control program that starts, based on the synchronous information, recording in the recorder of oscillation data, which is recorded in the data buffer, from the designated recording start time. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20100299946 | ALIGNMENT ADJUSTING MECHANISM AND MEASURING INSTRUMENT - An alignment mechanism includes: an adjusting plate having first and second adjustment ends parallel to an X axis direction; a probe fixing portion provided to the adjusting plate; a probe fixed to the probe fixing portion; a reinforcing plate having first and second base ends parallel to the X axis direction, displacement of the reinforcing portion in a Y axis direction being restricted; Y-direction adjusting screws for pressing the adjusting plate in the Y axis direction; and adjustment connectors for respectively connecting the first adjustment end with the first base end and the second adjustment end with the second base end. A stylus of the probe is disposed on a line of intersection of a first inclined surface including the first adjustment end and the first base end and a second inclined surface including the second adjustment end and the second base end. | 12-02-2010 |
| 20100299104 | Form measuring instrument, form measuring method, and program - Form measuring instrument includes: first measuring means which moves contact piece from first position in parallel with second axis to trace surface of workpiece, measure amount of displacement of contact piece, to obtain first profile; second placing means which rotates workpiece about first axis by 90 degrees to place workpiece at second position from first position; second measuring means which moves contact piece from second position in parallel with second axis to trace surface of workpiece, measure amount of displacement of contact piece, to obtain second profile; extremum position calculating means which fits circles to first and second profiles and calculate positions, in direction parallel with second axis, of first and second extremums indicating circles' extremums; and moving means which moves workpiece in direction parallel with second axis and direction parallel with third axis such that positions, in direction parallel with second axis, of first and second extremums become 0. | 11-25-2010 |
| 20100293800 | ROUNDNESS MEASURING APPARATUS - A roundness measuring apparatus includes a stylus stocker and a controller. The stylus stocker stores plural types of styli prepared corresponding to shapes of measurement sites of a measurement target object. The stylus stocker can store styli in such a manner that each stylus can be held thereon and taken out thereof. The stylus stocker is provided outside a measurement region, which is determined on the basis of the operation range of a turntable and a detector driving mechanism. The detector driving mechanism can move the detector to the outside of the measurement region. When a measurement command is given, the controller carries out roundness measurement of the object while controlling the turntable and the detector driving mechanism. When a stylus replacement command is given, the controller carries out stylus replacement operation between a detector main unit and the stylus stocker while controlling the detector driving mechanism. | 11-25-2010 |
| 20100292946 | Form measuring instrument, and calibration method and calibration program therefor - Provided is method of calibrating Y-axis direction position of contact tip of form measuring instrument including: table rotatable about Z-axis; contact tip capable of contacting workpiece; and contact tip driving means to drive contact tip in at least X- and Z-axis directions among X-, Y- and Z-axis directions perpendicular to one another. Method performs tracing measurement of inclined surface or inclined cylinder side surface which is part of workpiece obtained by inclining workpiece placed on table about Y-axis, or side surface of off-centered cylinder having center axis off-centered in X-axis direction by rotating surface to obtain measurement value at each angular position of rotation of table, obtains angular position of rotation at which smallest value among measurement values of tracing measurement is detected as angular position of rotation with smallest detected value, and adjusts Y-axis direction position of contact tip based on angular position of rotation with smallest detected value. | 11-18-2010 |
| 20100286961 | Surface texture measuring device, surface texture measuring method, and program - Surface texture measuring device includes: first pseudo measurement point sequence obtaining means which drives contact piece to trace a surface of reference workpiece having reference shape and obtains locus of certain position of the contact piece as first pseudo measurement point sequence; contact piece model calculating means which calculates, based on first pseudo measurement point sequence and design surface specifying the reference workpiece surface, a contact piece model representing surface shape of the contact piece and placed in pseudo space; second pseudo measurement point sequence obtaining means which places contact piece model such that its surface contacts a reference surface specifying a workpiece surface and it takes the same posture as contact piece in measurement, and calculates reference position of the contact piece model as second pseudo measurement point sequence; and replacement determination means which determines whether to replace contact piece based on second pseudo measurement point sequence. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20100284025 | INTENSITY COMPENSATION FOR INTERCHANGEABLE CHROMATIC POINT SENSOR COMPONENTS - Methods for providing compensation for non-uniform response of a light source and wavelength detector subsystem of a chromatic point sensor (CPS) are provided. Light from the light source is input into an optical path that bypasses the measurement path through a CPS optical pen and provides the bypass light to the wavelength detector to provide a raw intensity profile distributed over the pixels of detector. The resulting set of raw intensity profile signals are analyzed to determine a set of error compensation factors for wavelength-dependent intensity variations that occur in the raw intensity profile signals. Later, the error compensation factors may be applied to reduce distortions and asymmetries that may otherwise occur in the shape of the signals in the peak region of CPS distance measurement profile signal data. The disclosed methods may provide enhanced accuracy, robustness, field-testing, and interchangeability for CPS components, in various embodiments. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20100283989 | DYNAMIC COMPENSATION OF CHROMATIC POINT SENSOR INTENSITY PROFILE DATA SELECTION - In a chromatic point sensor, distance measurements are based on a distance-indicating subset of intensity profile data, which is selected in a manner that varies with a determined peak position index coordinate (PPIC) of the profile data. The PPIC indexes the position a profile data peak. For profile data having a particular PPIC, the distance-indicating subset of the profile data is selected based on particular index-specific data-limiting parameters that are indexed with that same particular PPIC. In various embodiments, each set of index-specific data-limiting parameters indexed with a particular PPIC characterizes a distance-indicating subset of data that was used during distance calibration operations corresponding to profile data having that PPIC. Distance-indicating subsets of data may be compensated to be similar to a corresponding distance-indicating subset of data that was used during calibration operations, regardless of overall intensity variations and detector bias signal level variations. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20100270461 | PHOTOELECTRIC ENCODER AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING OPERATION OF THE SAME - A photoelectric encoder includes: a scale provided with a first optical grating; a detector unit opposed to the scale; and a light source integrated with the scale, the light source emitting light to be modulated by the first optical grating and received by the detector unit. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20100269361 | COORDINATE MEASURING MACHINE - A coordinate measuring machine has a coordinate measuring machine body and a controller. The coordinate measuring machine body has a probe having a measurement piece and a drive mechanism for driving the probe. The probe has a drive unit for driving the measurement piece. The controller includes a first measuring unit and a second measuring unit. The first measuring unit measures a displacement of the measurement piece driven by the drive unit. The second measuring unit measures a displacement of the probe. The measurement accuracy of the second measuring unit is lower than the measurement accuracy of the first measuring unit. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20100259769 | OPTICAL MEASURING APPARATUS, OPTICAL MEASURING METHOD, AND OPTICAL MEASUREMENT PROCESSING PROGRAM - An optical measuring apparatus includes a light transmission unit, a light reception unit, a measurement value calculation unit, and a correction unit. The light transmission unit forms a beam of light that focuses in a measurement area where a measurement target object is placed and scans the measurement area with the beam of light. The light reception unit receives the beam of light that has passed through the measurement area and outputs a received-light signal on the basis of the received beam of light. The measurement value calculation unit calculates a measurement value that represents the dimension of the measurement target object on the basis of the received-light signal. The correction unit corrects the measurement value on the basis of the amount of change in the strength of the received-light signal per unit of time of scanning the beam of light. | 10-14-2010 |
| 20100258770 | SYNCHRONOUS MOVING DEVICE AND IMAGE MEASURING APPARATUS - A synchronous moving device includes: a device body; a movable portion which is provided in the device body; a feed screw shaft which is supported on the device body; a nut member which is thread-engaged with the feed screw shaft; a coupler which couples the movable portion and the nut member; and a cable binder which supports and guides a cable wired into the movable portion, wherein: the coupler includes a first member fixed to the movable portion, a second member fixed to the nut member, and an intermediate member interposed between the first and second members for absorbing deflecting motion of the feed screw shaft; and an end portion of the cable binder on a side of wiring of the cable into the movable portion is connected to the second member through a connection member and moved in synchronization with the movable portion. | 10-14-2010 |
| 20100250178 | CORRECTED BALL DIAMETER CALCULATING METHOD AND FORM MEASURING INSTRUMENT - A corrected ball diameter calculating method includes: preparing a reference gauge that has at least one reference peripheral surface of an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface; valuing of diameter values of the reference peripheral surface at a plurality of different height positions from a bottom surface of the reference gauge; calculating calibrated diameter values per each of the height positions; placing the reference gauge on the rotary table and causing the stylus tip to touch a plurality of measurement sites on the reference peripheral surface at each of the height positions to calculate measured diameter values that are diameter values of a circle passing through the neighborhood of center points of the stylus tip; and calculating the corrected ball diameters per each of the height positions from the calibrated diameter values and the measured diameter values that are calculated per each of the height positions. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100242295 | LINEAR SCALE - A linear scale that is used for displacement measurement is provided. The linear scale includes a scale board, a graduation unit, and an attachment unit. The scale board is made of low expansion ceramics. The graduation unit is fixed to an upper surface of the scale board. The graduation unit is read at the time of measurement. The attachment unit is a unit for attaching the scale board to a base member. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100241383 | ABSOLUTE TYPE LINEAR ENCODER AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTING POSITION THEREOF - An absolute type linear encoder includes: a scale including a plurality of tracks including a high-order and low-order tracks; and a detection head configured to detect a relative position to the scale; and a processing circuit configured to obtain the number of cycles of the low-order track by using a correction value obtained per correction pitch, the width of which is wider than the detection pitch, based on an error between tracks produced by a difference between the position of the high-order track to the detection head and the position of the low-order track thereto, output values of the high-order track and the low-order track, and a cyclic ratio of the low-order track to the high-order track, and obtain the position of the detection head to the scale based on the number of the cycles and the output value of the low-order track. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100231206 | INDUCTION DETECTING TYPE ROTARY ENCODER - An induction detecting type rotary encoder includes: a stator; a rotor configured to be rotated with respect to a rotary shaft; a first transmitting coil; a second transmitting coil; a first receiving coil; a second receiving coil; a first magnetic flux coupling body; and a second magnetic flux coupling body. The first transmitting coil is disposed between the first and second receiving coils. A distance between the second transmitting coil and the rotary shaft is larger than that of the second receiving coil and the rotary shaft. The first magnetic flux coupling body forms a first track for causing a periodic change for each rotation. The second magnetic flux coupling body forms a second track for causing a periodic change for each rotation. The second magnetic flux coupling body has a pattern of which an inner peripheral side is substantially continuous in a circumferential direction. | 09-16-2010 |
| 20100211206 | MEASUREMENT SYSTEM AND INTERFEROMETER - A measurement system that includes an industrial machine and an interferometer can detect when abnormality has occurred in measurement targeted at a reflector attached to a movable body, for example, in a case where the movable body has moved too close to the interferometer. A judging section of the interferometer judges that there is abnormality in measurement targeted at the reflector on the basis of a received-light signal. Upon such an abnormality judgment, a stop command outputting section of the interferometer outputs a stop command to the industrial machine. A stopping section of the industrial machine stops the driving operation of a moving mechanism upon receiving an input of the stop command, thereby stopping the movement of the movable body. The measurement system makes it possible to prevent the industrial machine, which includes the movable body and the moving mechanism, from colliding with the interferometer. | 08-19-2010 |
| 20100208486 | HIGH INTENSITY PULSED LIGHT SOURCE CONFIGURATIONS - A high-intensity light source configuration has a long lifetime and can be modulated at a high rate. The configuration includes a movable member mounted to an actuator; a light-emitting phosphor region associated with the movable member; an input light source that illuminates the light-emitting phosphor region at a spot that is fixed relative to an emitted light output region; and a light source controller controlling the movable member actuator and the input light source. The input light source (e.g., laser) provides high-intensity input light to the illuminated spot, causing the light-emitting phosphor region to emit high-intensity output light. The light-emitting phosphor region is moved relative to the illuminated spot so as to reduce optical quenching and photobleaching, to thereby extend the life of the light source configuration. The phosphor region may emit broadband light and/or may include respective sub-regions having phosphors that emit respective peak wavelengths. | 08-19-2010 |
| 20100199393 | PROBE MICROSCOPE - A probe microscope includes a cantilever having a probe, a displacement detecting optical system, an observation optical system, an objective lens, and a parallel glass. The displacement detecting optical system includes a first light source and a light detecting element. The observation optical system includes a second light source, an image forming lens, and a camera. The objective lens is disposed between the cantilever and the first and second light sources, and is commonly used by the displacement detecting optical system and the observation optical system. The parallel glass is capable of being inserted and retracted freely between the cantilever and the objective lens to adjust a focal point of the objective lens. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100194283 | OPTICAL MEASURING APPARATUS - An optical measuring apparatus including: a measuring apparatus body, a lighting unit, a lighting controller. The lighting unit is demountably mounted on the measuring apparatus and has an LED as a light source. The lighting controller is configured to control the lighting unit according to a light intensity command value. The lighting unit includes a storage unit in which a calibration value is stored. The calibration value generates a light intensity corresponding to the light intensity command value. The lighting controller is configured to read calibration values corresponding to the light intensity command value out from the storage unit of the lighting unit upon receipt of the light intensity command value, and controls the LED on the basis of the calibration value. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100180458 | LINEAR GUIDING MECHANISM AND MEASURING DEVICE - A linear guiding mechanism includes a fixed member, a moving member, a first double parallel leaf spring mechanism and a second double parallel leaf spring mechanism arranged between the fixed member and the moving member and configured to movably support the moving member. The first double parallel leaf spring mechanism and the second double parallel leaf spring mechanism are arranged at an angle other than 180° (for example, 90°) about an axis of movement of the moving member. | 07-22-2010 |
| 20100177318 | Laser interferometer - A laser interferometer includes: a laser source for emitting a laser beam while stabilizing a center wavelength of the laser beam by modulating the laser beam using a modulation signal of a predetermined frequency; and a reference mirror and a measurement mirror for reflecting the laser beam. The laser interferometer further includes: a sampling unit for acquiring a sampling value by sampling interference light reflected by the reference mirror and the measurement mirror with a sampling frequency that is a multiple by an integer of two or more of a frequency of the modulation signal; and an average calculator for calculating an average value by averaging a time-series sampling value acquired by the sampling unit in accordance with the sampling frequency. The laser interferometer calculates a displacement of the measurement mirror based on the average value calculated by the average calculator. | 07-15-2010 |
| 20100174504 | COORDINATE MEASURING MACHINE - A coordinate measuring machine includes: a probe that has a contact point capable of movement within a predetermined range; a movement mechanism for moving the probe; and a controller for controlling the movement mechanism. The controller has a measurement value calculating unit for calculating a position of the contact point based on a displacement of the movement mechanism and a displacement of the probe. The measurement value calculating unit includes: a correction parameter calculator for calculating a correction parameter for correcting the displacement of the probe based on a measurement condition in measuring an object; a corrector for correcting the displacement of the probe based on the correction parameter; and a displacement synthesizing unit that synthesizes the displacement of the movement mechanism and the displacement of the probe corrected by the corrector to calculate the position of the contact point. | 07-08-2010 |
| 20100158343 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FAST APPROXIMATE FOCUS - Fast approximate focus operations providing an approximately focused image that is sufficiently focused to support certain subsequent inspection operations. The operations are particularly advantageous when used to provide images for successive inspection operations that predominate when inspecting planar workpieces. Improved inspection throughput is provided because, in contrast to conventional autofocus operations, the fast approximate focus operations do not acquire an image stack during a run mode as a basis for determining a best focused image. Rather, during learn mode, a representative feature-specific focus curve and a focus threshold value are determined and used during run mode to provide an approximately focused image that reliably supports certain inspection operations. In one embodiment, an acceptable approximately focused inspection image is provided within a limit of two focus adjustment moves that provide two corresponding images. The adjustment moves are based on the representative feature-specific focus curve provided in learn mode. | 06-24-2010 |
| 20100145650 | ON-SITE CALIBRATION METHOD AND OBJECT FOR CHROMATIC POINT SENSORS - A chromatic point sensor (CPS) calibration object and characterizing data are provided. The calibration object comprises a flat base plane with steps extending from it. Step measurement points provided by the steps and base plane measurement points provided by portions of the base plane are intermingled along a measurement track. The characterizing data characterizes known heights of the measurement points. A calibration method acquires measurement data such that some base plane measurement points should be at nearly the same measurement distance and therefore have the same common mode errors relative to known base plane measurement point heights. If such base plane measurement points exhibit minimal error variations, then measurements for those and proximate measurement points may provide reliable calibration data. In contrast, error variations outside an expected range indicate unreliable measurements that should be screened or replaced by new calibration measurements. | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100133417 | AUTOFOCUS DEVICE - An autofocus device includes an objective lens, an observation optical system, a driving mechanism that displaces the objective lens in an optical axis direction thereof, an illumination-optical-system optical path used to illuminate a measurement surface of a measurement object through the objective lens with light, and a pattern-projection-optical-system optical path. An electronic control shutter, a pattern projection plate having a predetermined pattern formed thereon, and a projection lens are provided in the pattern-projection-optical-system optical path. | 06-03-2010 |
| 20100113212 | TRANSMISSION AND MEASURING INSTRUMENT - A transmission | 05-06-2010 |
| 20100102803 | INDUCTION DETECTING ROTARY ENCODER - An induction detecting rotary encoder has first to third transmitting windings, first to third receiving windings, and first to third flux coupling winding. The first transmitting winding, the first receiving winding, and the first flux coupling body constitute a first angle detection track generating a cyclic change for N | 04-29-2010 |
| 20100100353 | Measuring instrument - A measuring instrument includes a main body, a stylus configured to be movable in relation to the main body, an encoder for detecting the amount of displacement of the stylus relative to the main body, a calculating section for calculating a measurement value from the amount of displacement detected by the encoder, a display section for displaying the measurement value calculated by the calculating section, an operation section for issuing a command to the calculating section, and a storage section that stores an effective measurement range larger than a lower limit and smaller than an upper limit of the movement stroke of the stylus. The calculating section makes a determination as to whether or not the amount of displacement detected by the encoder falls within the effective measurement range stored in the storage section and displays the result of such a determination on the display section. | 04-22-2010 |
| 20100097779 | HIGH INTENSITY PULSED LIGHT SOURCE CONFIGURATIONS - A high-intensity light source configuration has a long lifetime and can be modulated at a high rate. The configuration includes a movable member mounted to an actuator; a light-emitting phosphor region associated with the movable member; an input light source that illuminates the light-emitting phosphor region at a spot that is fixed relative to an emitted light output region; and a light source controller controlling the movable member actuator and the input light source. The input light source (e.g., laser) provides high-intensity input light to the illuminated spot, causing the light-emitting phosphor region to emit high-intensity output light. The light-emitting phosphor region is moved relative to the illuminated spot so as to reduce optical quenching and photobleaching, to thereby extend the life of the light source configuration. The phosphor region may emit broadband light and/or may include respective sub-regions having phosphors that emit respective peak wavelengths. | 04-22-2010 |
| 20100097617 | REFERENCE SIGNAL GENERATING CONFIGURATION FOR AN INTERFEROMETRIC MINIATURE GRATING ENCODER READHEAD USING FIBER OPTIC RECEIVER CHANNELS - A reference mark configuration for an interferometric miniature grating encoder readhead using fiber optic receiver channels is provided. The readhead may include “primary” fibers that provide reference mark primary signals processed to generate a reference signal with accuracy of approximately 0.2 microns. In some embodiments, a zone grating type reference mark may be embedded in a periodic scale grating, and configured such that it provides strong reference mark primary signals without disrupting periodic incremental measurement signals associated with the periodic scale grating. In one embodiment, the readhead may include “secondary” fibers used to generate reference mark secondary signals processed to generate a reference signal with accuracy of approximately 20 nanometers. | 04-22-2010 |
| 20100072348 | Optical encoder - In an optical encoder for measuring relative displacement, a scale | 03-25-2010 |
| 20100067021 | Method of detecting a movement of a measuring probe and measuring instrument - A method of detecting a movement of a measuring probe provided between an objective lens adapted to image an object plane on a predetermined image plane and the object plane is disclosed. Additionally, a measuring instrument comprising an objective lens and a measuring probe is disclosed. An input beam of light is split into a measurement beam and a reference beam. The measurement beam is focused on a reverse focal plane of the objective lens such that the measurement beam is collimated by the objective lens. The collimated measurement beam is reflected at the measuring probe. The reflected measurement beam is directed towards the objective lens such that the objective lens focuses the reflected measurement beam on the reverse focal plane. The reflected measurement beam is collimated. The collimated reference beam and the reference beam are superimposed to form a superimposed beam and an interference between the reflected measurement beam and the reference beam is detected. | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100053633 | Interferometer using polarization modulation - The invention relates to an interferometer, comprising a light source, adapted to generate a coherent light beam, a detector adapted to analyze the phase difference of optical light beams, location means for locating an object to be measured, a first optical path from the light source to the object and a second optical path from the object to the detector, wherein the first and the second optical path have a common section adjacent to the object, wherein an optical polarization modulator has been arranged in the first path. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100044551 | Photoelectric encoder - The present invention relates to a photoelectric encoder including a scale having a grating (incremental pattern) of a predetermined pitch formed thereon and a light source (light-emitting element) and a light-receiving unit, which are relatively displaceable with respect to the scale, wherein light-receiving elements of the light-receiving unit output bright and dark signals of “N” phases, and the phases are detectedby fitting a sinusoidal wave function having a fixed period to the bright and dark signals of “N” phases, thereby reducing a position detection error resulting from stains on the scale and/or defects of the grating. | 02-25-2010 |
| 20100027028 | Oblique incidence interferometer - An oblique incidence interferometer has favorable measurement accuracy while achieving miniaturization. The oblique incidence interferometer includes a light source that emits coherent light; a beam dividing unit that divides the coherent light from the light source into a measurement beam and a reference beam, polarizing directions of both beams being perpendicular to each other; a first beam folding unit that folds the measurement beam divided by the beam dividing unit to cause the folded measurement beam to be incident on the measurement object surface at a predetermined angle relative to the measurement object surface; a second beam folding unit that folds the measurement beam reflected by the measurement object surface; and a beam combining unit that combines the measurement beam folded by the second beam folding unit with the reference beam. | 02-04-2010 |
| 20100027026 | Displacement measuring instrument and displacement measuring method - A laser interferometric measuring instrument includes: a light source that emits a laser beam of 1064 nm and another laser beam of 532 nm; a polarizing beam splitter; a dichroic mirror that splits a long-wavelength laser beam provided in a measurement optical path; a long-wavelength corner cube that reflects the split laser beam; a measurement corner cube that is displaceable along the measurement optical path; a reference corner cube that is displaceable along a reference optical path; a optical path changing unit that changes an optical path length of the long-wavelength laser beam; a phase detector that outputs interference signals; a sum signal computer that calculates a sum signal; a displacement controller that displaces the reference corner cube so as not to change a phase of the sum signal; a reference displacement detector that detects a displacement of the reference corner cube; and a measurement displacement computer that calculates a displacement of the measurement corner cube. | 02-04-2010 |
| 20100026983 | LIGHTWAVE INTERFEROMETRIC DISTANCE MEASURING METHOD AND APPARATUS - When the geometric distance L from the body of an interferometer to a target 110 is accurately measured from distance measurement values D | 02-04-2010 |
| 20100024237 | DIGITAL DISPLACEMENT MEASURING INSTRUMENT - A digital displacement measuring instrument includes a spindle screwed into a body to be axially advanced and retracted relative to the body; and an encoder that detects a displacement of the spindle. The encoder includes a rotor and a stator. The rotor is supported by a rotor bushing. The rotor bushing includes an engaging key engageable with a key groove axially provided on the outer circumference of the spindle, and is displaceable in the axial direction of the spindle via a position adjusting screw. The stator is fixed to the body via a stator bushing in the vicinity of the spindle so as not to be displaceable in the axial direction of the spindle. | 02-04-2010 |
| 20100018298 | SURFACE TEXTURE MEASURING INSTRUMENT AND MEASURING METHOD - A surface texture measuring instrument includes: a measuring device that includes a detector for detecting surface texture of a workpiece and an X-axis movement mechanism for moving the detector in a measurement direction; an elevation inclination adjuster capable of adjusting an elevation position and an inclination angle of a table on which the measuring device is mounted; a stage on which the workpiece is mounted; and a controller that controls the measuring device and the elevation inclination adjuster. The controller includes: a measurement controller that controls the X-axis movement mechanism to conduct a preliminary measurement and main measurement of the workpiece; a computing unit that acquires a result of the preliminary measurement from the detector and obtains an inclination angle of the workpiece at which the workpiece is inclined to the measurement direction; and a positioning controller for adjusting the inclination angle of the table based on the obtained inclination angle. | 01-28-2010 |
| 20100014098 | Oblique incidence interferometer - An oblique incidence interferometer enlarges a measurement range without increasing a size of the apparatus. The oblique incidence interferometer includes a light source for emitting coherent light in an oblique direction to a measurement object; a light collimating unit for collimating the coherent light from the light source; a beam dividing unit for dividing the collimated beam from the light collimating unit into a measurement beam and a reference beam; a beam combining unit for combining the measurement beam reflected by the measurement object with the reference beam; and an image pickup device for picking up images of interference fringes representing a surface shape of the measurement object. The oblique incidence interferometer also includes a measurement range expanding device for enlarging a light measurement range on the measurement object in a lateral direction of the measurement range. | 01-21-2010 |
| 20100007895 | Calibrating jig, profile measuring device, and method of offset calculation - A calibrating jig comprises a reference sphere, and a reflecting plate configured to support the reference sphere from a lower side thereof and mirror-reflect light in a case that the reference sphere is illuminated from an upper side thereof. | 01-14-2010 |
| 20100005676 | INSIDE DIAMETER MEASURING TOOL - An inside diameter measuring tool includes: a main body; an axially moving spindle having a male screw to be screwed to the main body; a plurality of contact pieces provided on the main body, the measuring pieces moving in a direction substantially orthogonal to the axial direction of the spindle; and a conical member interposed between the contact pieces and the spindle, the conical member advancing and retracting the contact pieces in the direction substantially orthogonal to the axial direction of the spindle. The lead of the male screw of the spindle is 1.0 mm or more and the cone angle of the conical member is less than 53 degrees. Preferably, the lead of the male screw is 2.0 mm and the cone angle of the conical member is approximately 28 degrees. | 01-14-2010 |
| 20100000307 | MEASURING INSTRUMENT - A surface texture measuring instrument includes a contact piece to be in contact with an object, a sensor driving mechanism that moves the contact piece along the surface of the object, a controller that controls the sensor mechanism, and a force sensor that detects a measuring force exerted on the contact piece when the contact piece is brought into contact with the object. The controller includes a target value output that outputs a target value of the measuring force, a feedback controller that performs feedback control of the sensor driving mechanism based on a deviation between the measuring force and the target value, and a feedback compensator provided on the feedback controller. The feedback compensator performs feedback compensation in accordance with the measuring force. | 01-07-2010 |
| 20090323081 | Jig for measuring an object shape and method for measuring a three-dimensional shape - A jig for measuring an object shape includes a plate having a first surface and a second surface opposed to the first plate and two reference balls fixed to the plate, each ball surface being exposed on both the first and second surfaces. A reference plane is fixed to the plate, the reference plane having a first plane and a second plane that are parallel to each other, the first and second planes being exposed on the first and second surfaces of the plate, respectively. An object-holding portion is fixed to the plate, the object-holding portion having a hole passing through the plate, the object-holding portion being able to hold an object in the hole with the front and back surfaces of the object being exposed on the first and second surfaces of the plate, respectively. | 12-31-2009 |
| 20090316155 | Reflection Type Encoder, Scale Thereof and Method for Producing Scale - A reflection type encoder, which receives a plurality of light-receiving signals from a single scale, includes a light source, a scale having a plurality of patterns formed thereon to which light is irradiated from the light source, and a light-receiving element for receiving light reflected from each of the plurality of patterns, wherein a plurality of patterns each having different thicknesses are formed on a single track of the scale by using a dielectric substance, light of a plurality of wavelengths each having different brightnesses in accordance with differences in the thickness of the dielectric substance is irradiated from the light source, and a light-receiving signal is obtained for the respective thicknesses of the dielectric substance. Therefore, the scale can be downsized by overlapping a plurality of patterns on the same track. | 12-24-2009 |
| 20090314749 | Slit width adjusting device and microscope laser processing apparatus - Disclosed is a slit width adjusting device comprising: a pair of slit members parallel to each other, which is moved to approach each other or to be separated from each other to adjust a slit width; a driving section to move the pair of slit members; an absolute position original point detection section to detect an arbitrary absolute position of the slit members as an original point; and an adjustment section to adjust the slit width, wherein the adjustment section comprises: a storage unit to store a slit width table in which a displacement amount of the slit width from the original point, and a drive instruction value corresponding to the displacement amount, are corresponding to each other; and a drive control unit to extract the drive instruction value corresponding to a specified slit width, to drive the driving section according to the extracted drive instruction value. | 12-24-2009 |
| 20090310147 | OPTICAL DISPLACEMENT MEASURING INSTRUMENT - A first light detector and a second light detector, in each of which a plurality of light-receiving elements are arranged in an adjoining manner, are respectively provided anterior to an image-forming point of first reflected light and posterior to an image-forming point of second reflected light. A focal-point detecting circuit includes: maximum value selectors for selecting the maximum values from sums of light-receiving signals from adjoining light-receiving elements of the first light detector and the second light detector respectively; a total value operator for obtaining the total value of light-receiving signals from all the light-receiving elements of each of the first light detector and the second light detector; a light-detecting-signal operator for obtaining light-detecting signals by subtracting the maximum values from the total values; and an error-signal operational circuit for outputting a difference between the light-detecting signals to a servo circuit as a signal based on an amount of displacement between a focal point and a measuring face. | 12-17-2009 |
| 20090310141 | TWO-WAVELENGTH LASER INTERFEROMETER AND METHOD OF ADJUSTING OPTICAL AXIS IN THE SAME - A two-wavelength laser interferometer includes: a two-wavelength laser light source that emits two laser beams having different wavelengths; a two-wavelength polarizing beam splitter that includes a beam splitter and a beam superposer, the beam splitter splitting each of the two laser beams having the different wavelengths into a reference beam and a measurement beam, the beam superposer superposing the reference beam and the measurement beam reflected by a reference surface and a target measurement surface together; and a calculator that obtains a displacement amount of the target measurement surface per wavelength from the beams superposed together and obtains a displacement amount of the target measurement surface applied with atmospheric refractive index correction through a calculation in which the displacement amount obtained per wavelength is used. In the two-wavelength laser interferometer, an optical-axis superposer is provided between the two-wavelength laser light source and the beam splitter. The optical-axis superposer initially separates the two laser beams having the different wavelengths emitted from the two-wavelength laser light source and subsequently superposes optical axes of the two laser beams together. | 12-17-2009 |
| 20090308699 | BRAKING DEVICE OF MEASURING INSTRUMENT AND MEASURING INSTRUMENT - A braking device of a measuring instrument includes a body case and a spindle that penetrates the body case to be axially and reciprocably displaceable. The braking device includes a cylinder of which a first end is attached to the body case for accommodating a second end of the spindle, a piston provided on the second end of the spindle and accommodated to be reciprocably displaceable within the cylinder, a closing member provided on a second end of the cylinder to form a damper chamber between the closing member and the piston; a shaft connected to a side of the piston opposite to the spindle and penetrates the closing member; and a knob provided on a distal end of the shaft. A clearance is provided between the closing member and the shaft to circulate air. | 12-17-2009 |
| 20090303068 | Optical measuring instrument - An optical measuring instrument captures an image of an object to be measured mounted on a table by moving an objective lens relative to the table and measures a dimension of the object based on the captured image of the object. The optical measuring instrument includes a reflective photoelectric sensor provided around the objective lens for detecting the approach of the object to the objective lens, and a collision avoidance unit for avoiding collision of the objective lens with the object when the reflective photoelectric sensor detects the approach of the objective lens to the object. | 12-10-2009 |
| 20090302797 | Controller - The controller includes a position commander and an error corrector. The position commander outputs a position command value for moving a moving mechanism. The error corrector includes a feedforward controller and a compensator calculator. The feedforward controller performs a feedforward control of the moving mechanism based on the position command value outputted from the position commander and includes a compensator. The compensator calculator calculates a value to be set as the compensator of the feedforward controller based on the position command value outputted from the position commander. | 12-10-2009 |
| 20090294637 | Absolute position detection type photoelectric encoder - In an absolute position detection type photoelectric encoder devised so as to detect a pseudorandom pattern disposed on a main scale by means of a plurality of imaging optical systems, assembling of the absolute position detection type photoelectric encoder is facilitated and production cost thereof is reduced by providing: a single light-receiving array element disposed on the imaging surfaces of the imaging optical systems, which incorporates a greater light-receiving array portion in the length measurement direction than the light-receiving range of the respective imaging optical systems; a window signal storing portion for storing a window signal showing a light-receiving range of the respective imaging optical systems; and a window signal comparison portion for obtaining signals corresponding to individual imaging ranges by comparing scanning signals of the light-receiving array element with window signals. | 12-03-2009 |
| 20090288306 | DIGITAL RULER WITH LOW-FRICTION SLIDING CONTACT - A low cost digital ruler with desirable ergonomic characteristics and accuracy. A low friction sliding position indicator includes a compliant element that forces its connection pads against the ruler's electronic scale contacts, to determining measurement positions. The position indicator includes an instrument receiving feature that engages a writing instrument and moves in conjunction with it, thereby measuring a line as it is drawn. A position indicator preload arrangement includes the compliant element, which is deflected to exert a preload that forces the sliding position indicator against a housing of the digital ruler. Alignment features of the position indicator and housing have cross sections that provide a self-aligning angled interference fit, which accurately aligns the sliding position indicator, under the action of the preload force. Misalignment constraint surfaces constrain the sliding position indicator in approximate alignment by, even if an external force overcomes the preload force. | 11-26-2009 |
| 20090287444 | Coordinate measuring machine - A coordinate measuring machine includes: a probe provided with a measurement piece; a moving mechanism that effects a scanning movement of the probe; and a host computer for controlling the moving mechanism. The host computer includes a displacement acquiring unit for acquiring a displacement of the moving mechanism and a measurement value calculating unit for calculating a measurement value. The measurement value calculating unit includes a correction-amount calculating unit for calculating a correction amount for correcting a position error of the measurement piece and a correcting unit for correcting the position error of the measurement piece based on the displacement of the moving mechanism and the correction amount. The correction-amount calculating unit calculates a translation-correction amount for correcting a translation error of the probe at a reference point on the probe and a rotation-correction amount for correcting a rotation error of the probe according to a rotation angle of the probe around the reference point and a length of the probe from the reference point to the measurement piece. | 11-19-2009 |
| 20090284759 | Image measuring system and methods of generating and executing non-stop image measuring program - The position of an imaging means relative to a measurement stage is moved based on a stage movement instruction input. The amount of light illuminating a work is adjusted by flashing strobe illumination at a certain cycle repeatedly and adjusting the pulse width of the strobe illumination based on an illumination adjustment instruction input. A part program is generated for image measurement including fetching positional information about the imaging means relative to the measurement stage and information about the pulse width of the strobe illumination based on a certain instruction input, irradiating the measuring object with strobe illumination of the pulse width passing through the position indicated by the fetched positional information and fetched at that position, and capturing instantaneous image information about the work. | 11-19-2009 |
| 20090283667 | ABSOLUTE POSITION LENGTH MEASUREMENT TYPE ENCODER - An absolute position length measurement type encoder includes: a scale in which an ABS pattern based on a pseudorandom code is provided; a light-receiving element for receiving bright and dark patterns formed by the scale; and a signal processing circuit for processing signals subjected to output of the light-receiving element and measuring an absolute position of the scale to the light-receiving element, wherein the signal processing circuit includes a space-dividing number conversion circuit that obtains finer intervals D than the array interval P | 11-19-2009 |
| 20090283506 | Laser processing apparatus - A laser processing apparatus is provided with a first laser oscillator for laser CVD and a second laser oscillator for laser repair in a laser oscillation section. Either one of the first or second laser beam is irradiated by switching the first and second laser oscillators by a laser oscillator switch portion of a main body section. An optical path forming member is disposed such that the first or second laser beam, whichever is irradiated, will take the same optical path and reach a sample, after passing a common slit, to perform laser processing on the sample. Further, an objective lens is configured to be switched to an objective lens having a magnification corresponding to a wavelength of the laser beam irradiated from the laser oscillation section by an objective lens switch section of an objective lens section. | 11-19-2009 |
| 20090282689 | Digital displacement measuring instrument - A digital displacement measuring instrument detects a displacement of a spindle by an encoder and then displays the displacement on a digital display unit. With an imaginary base line centered along an axial direction of an outer circumference of a sleeve, a millimeter graduation for displaying the displacement of the spindle in millimeters is provided on one side, and the inch graduation for displaying the displacement of the spindle is provided on the other side. | 11-19-2009 |
| 20090272886 | ABSOLUTE POSITION LENGTH MEASUREMENT TYPE ENCODER - The absolute position length measurement type encoder is provided with a scale for forming bright and dark patterns by the ABS pattern based on a pseudorandom code; an edge position detection circuit for obtaining a position, at which an after-differentiated absolute value of a binarized value is locally maximized, for each of the minimum line width zones of the ABS pattern by binarizing a signal from the light-receiving element that receives the bright and dark pattern; a peak position detection circuit for obtaining the peak position from a histogram with respect to the position; a decoding circuit for decoding the pseudorandom code based on the binarized value; an absolute position detection circuit for calculating an absolute position by referencing the pseudorandom code to the design value; and a position data synthesizing circuit for correcting the absolute position by the peak position, whereby the absolute position can be calculated with a small arithmetic operation amount even if the pseudorandom code is used for the ABS pattern, and accuracy of the absolute position can be secured even where the ABS pattern is subjected to thickening, etc. | 11-05-2009 |
| 20090267803 | Scale for photoelectric encoder - A scale for a photoelectric encoder effectively protects the base of the scale from corrosion, rust, and flaws. The scale includes a base, a light-absorbing layer including a DLC layer formed on at least one surface of the base, and light-reflecting layers with a higher reflectance than that of the light-absorbing layer with respect to light falling within a wavelength range and formed into a grating on the light-absorbing layer. | 10-29-2009 |
| 20090256065 | ABSOLUTE POSITION LENGTH MEASUREMENT TYPE ENCODER - An absolute position length measurement type encoder includes: a scale which has an ABS pattern based on a pseudorandom code and forms bright and dark patterns by the ABS pattern; a light-receiving element for receiving the bright and dark patterns; a binarization circuit for dividing a digital signal in accordance with a signal output from the light-receiving element into a mode having high brightness and a mode having lower brightness, carrying out a binarization process by a threshold value where dispersion with regard to the two modes, is maximized, and decoding the pseudorandom code by the unit of minimum line width of the ABS pattern from the binarized values; and a position detection circuit for calculating the absolute position of the scale with respect to the light-receiving element by acquiring the correlation between the decoded pseudorandom code and the design value of the pseudorandom code. Thereby, binarization errors of signals produced by the ABS pattern can be reduced, and highly accurate and stabilized measurement of an absolute position is carried out. | 10-15-2009 |
| 20090237674 | Method for estimating distance between tracking type laser interferometer and target, and tracking type laser interferometer - In the tracking type laser interferometer including: a laser interferometer; an optical axis deviation detection sensor for detecting a deviation of an optical axis of the laser interferometer; a two-axis turning mechanism for turning the laser interferometer to any optional direction; an angle sensor for detecting a turning angle of the two-axis turning mechanism; a retroreflector for reflecting its reflected light to a direction parallel to the incident light; and a controller for driving the two-axis turning mechanism so as to track the retroreflector based on signals of the optical axis deviation detection sensor and the angle sensor, stop of the retroreflector is detected, and a target distance is calculated from the turning center of the laser interferometer to the center of the retroreflector based on the total sum of deviation of an optical axis during movement, which is obtained by the optical axis deviation detection sensor, and a turning angle during movement, which is obtained by the angle sensor. | 09-24-2009 |
| 20090237650 | Optical unit and measuring instrument - An optical unit includes: an objective lens; an imaging lens that is arranged in the optical axis of the objective lens and images a light beam output from the objective lens; a plurality of afocal optical systems that are arranged between the objective lens and the imaging lens and have different afocal magnifications; and a switch that shifts either one of the afocal optical systems to be aligned with the optical axis of the objective lens. | 09-24-2009 |
| 20090232454 | VACUUM OPTICAL FIBER CONNECTOR AND OPTICAL FIBER TERMINAL STRUCTURE - A vacuum optical fiber connector includes a port flange attached to a vacuum flange for housing a first waveguide connector to which an optical fiber bundle is attached, an optical transparent body placed on the outside of the port flange, and an attachment member formed with a fit shape relative to the port flange for housing a second waveguide connector to which an optical fiber bundle is attached. The first and second waveguide connectors are positioned at least in two directions orthogonal to an optical axis with optical coupling of the first and second waveguide connectors. | 09-17-2009 |
| 20090232172 | LASER FREQUENCY STABILIZING DEVICE, METHOD AND PROGRAM - A laser frequency stabilizing device comprises a laser light producer operative to produce and emit a laser light containing a first and a second longitudinal mode light having different wavelengths; a spectrometer operative to spectrally decompose the laser light into the first longitudinal mode light and the second longitudinal mode light; a first detector operative to detect the light output signal from a absorption cell; a second and third detector operative to detect the signal intensity of the first and second longitudinal mode light; an actuator operative to change the resonant cavity length; a first drive controller operative to detect the saturated absorption signal from the light output signal detected at the first detector and control driving the actuator based on the saturated absorption signal; a second drive controller operative to control driving the actuator such that the signal intensity of the first longitudinal mode light detected at the second detector and the signal intensity of the second longitudinal mode light detected at the third detector have a ratio of a certain value; and a switcher operative to switch the control of the detector between the control by the first drive controller and the control by the second drive controller. | 09-17-2009 |
| 20090217426 | SCANNING MEASUREMENT INSTRUMENT - A scanning measurement instrument is capable of simultaneously achieving both higher accuracy and higher speed in autonomous scanning measurement. The instrument includes a path information holding unit for holding information about the path of the center position of a tip of a scanning probe at past tip center positions with respect to the current tip center position curing autonomous scanning measurement performed with the scanning probe; a path reference direction setting unit for setting an approximate straight line direction of the path as a pith reference direction; a traveling direction setting unit for setting the path reference direction as a traveling direction; a movement control unit for controlling a moving unit such that the scanning probe is moved in the traveling direction; and a normal direction setting unit for setting the normal direction of a measurement surface according to the traveling directior. | 08-27-2009 |
| 20090213328 | Telecentric lens system and vision measuring instrument - A telecentric lens optical system includes: a front lens group; a rear lens group having a front focal point coinciding with a rear focal point of the front lens unit; and diaphragm mechanisms, each of which is disposed at a position where the rear focal point of the front lens unit and the front focal point of the rear lens unit coincide with each other. One of the front lens group and the rear lens group is provided by a plurality of variable magnification lens groups. The diaphragm mechanisms are provided corresponding to the variable magnification lens groups, respectively. A magnification switching mechanism is provided to selectively move a pair of one of the variable lens groups and one of the corresponding diaphragm mechanisms to be disposed on an optical axis of the other of the front lens group and the rear lens group. | 08-27-2009 |
| 20090207403 | Method of measuring front and back surfaces of target object - A method of measuring a front surface profile and a back surface profile of a target object includes: mounting the target object in such a posture that a first measuring surface (front surface) is measurable by a probe; first measuring a contour of the target object; measuring the first measuring surface of the target object; reversing the target object; second measuring the contour of the target object with the reversed posture of the target object being maintained; obtaining a measurement position of a second measuring surface by comparison of contour data obtained through the first and second measuring of the contour, the measurement position of the second measuring surface corresponding to a measurement position of the first measuring surface at which the measuring of the first measuring surface is conducted; and measuring a profile of the second measuring surface along the obtained measurement position of the second measuring surface. | 08-20-2009 |
| 20090198472 | PROBE STRAIGHTNESS MEASURING METHOD - A probe straightness measuring method includes: placing a measurement jig having a measurement reference surface with a known profile error on a stage surface of an XY stage so that the measurement reference surface is slanted in a moving direction of the XY stage; measuring a displaced position of the measurement piece by a displacement detector of the probe each time the XY stage is moved for a predetermined distance while controlling a driving actuator so that the measurement piece of a probe touches the measurement reference surface at a constant pressure; and calculating a straightness error of a measurement-piece moving mechanism on a basis of a measured position of the measurement piece obtained in the measuring, a nominal position of the measurement piece obtained by a calculation and a slant angle of the measurement reference surface. | 08-06-2009 |
| 20090188122 | MEASURING APPARATUS - A scale base is fixed to a base in a plurality of locations which are aligned in a measuring direction (a Y direction) in which measurement by a scale is carried out, slits are provided in the scale base in positions lying between the locations where the scale base is fixed to the base, the scale is supported by the scale base in two or more of the locations where the scale base is fixed to the base, and the scale base has gaps between the base and the scale base in positions other than the locations where the scale base is fixed to the base and between the scale and the scale base in the positions other than the locations where the scale base is fixed to the base. | 07-30-2009 |
| 20090180708 | Illumination light quantity setting method in image measuring instrument - An image measuring instrument includes a camera that images a plurality of measured points based on a preset measuring procedure, and an illumination unit that irradiates the measured points. The image measuring instrument measures a dimension and a shape of a to-be-measured object while the illumination unit irradiates light having illumination light quantity corresponding to an illumination preset value with reference to the illumination preset value that is preliminarily set for every measured point. An illumination light quantity setting method includes a command signal output step that outputs a command signal for irradiating light having the illumination light quantity corresponding to the illumination preset value for every measured point, an offset value assigning step that assigns an offset value to the command signal to be sent to the illumination unit, and a setting step that sets the offset value to be variable. | 07-16-2009 |
| 20090165538 | Indentation testing instrument and indentation testing method - Disclosed an indentation testing instrument including: a loading lever supported pivotally; an indenter provided on the loading lever; an indenter linkage section; a loading lever driving section; a reference lever supported pivotally having a same shaft center as the loading lever; an indenter reference section provided on the reference lever as a positional reference of a tip portion of the indenter; an indenter position detection section; a reference lever driving section; a stopper to stop the reference lever; a specimen surface reference measurement member to turn the loading lever from the state that the indenter reference section touches the specimen surface, and to measure a first indentation depth amount; and a machine frame reference measurement member to turn the loading lever from the state that the reference lever touches the stopper and the indenter reference section is spaced apart from the specimen surface, and to measure a second indentation depth amount. | 07-02-2009 |
| 20090152440 | EXTENDED RANGE FOCUS DETECTION APPARATUS - An extended range focus sensor is provided. In various embodiments, the focus sensor may include a relay lens assembly to image a plane between an objective lens and the relay lens arrangement to a plane near an entrance pupil of a focus detector arrangement of the focus sensor. In some embodiments, the objective lens pupil is imaged onto the focus detector entrance pupil. In some embodiments, an illumination beam passes through the relay lens arrangement and is magnified on its way to be output by the objective lens, and the reflected focus detection beam passes back through the objective lens and the relay lens arrangement and is reduced prior to being input to the focus detector arrangement. In some embodiments, the focus detector arrangement may comprising a broad range focus detector combined with a high resolution Shack-Hartmann focus detector, and in others a single extended range Shack-Hartmann focus detector is used. | 06-18-2009 |
| 20090145196 | Hardness testing instrument and calibration method thereof - Disclosed is a hardness testing instrument which measures a hardness of a specimen, the hardness testing instrument including: a load applying section with the indenter or a flat indenter mounted thereon; a driving section to move the load applying section; a specimen table on which an object to be pressed is placed; a specimen table height adjustment section to adjust a height position; an indentation depth amount storage section to measure the indentation depth amount when the indenter is pressed to a reference block and to store the amount; a deformation amount storage section to measure the deformation amount of a load measuring instrument when the flat indenter is pressed to the load measuring instrument and to store the amount; a height position obtaining section to obtain a height position of the specimen table; and a calibration section to calibrate the load. | 06-11-2009 |
| 20090141131 | Calibrating method of image measuring instrument - An image measuring instrument includes: a CCD camera having an objective lens; an orientation changer that changes an imaging direction; a movement mechanism that relatively moves the CCD camera and a workpiece for auto-focusing the objective lens; and a position detector for detecting a position of the CCD camera. A calibration method includes: a preparation step for preparing a reference gauge having a sphere of which radius is sized not more than a focus depth of the objective lens, a surface of the sphere defining a reference surface; an orientation-changing step for changing the imaging direction; a focus-adjusting step for focusing the objective lens on the reference surface using the auto-focusing of the movement mechanism; and a position-detecting step for detecting the position information of the imaging unit by the position detector, thereby calibrating the position of the CCD camera. | 06-04-2009 |
| 20090135435 | REFERENCE SIGNAL GENERATING CONFIGURATION FOR AN INTERFEROMETRIC MINIATURE GRATING ENCODER READHEAD USING FIBER OPTIC RECEIVER CHANNELS - A reference mark configuration for an interferometric miniature grating encoder readhead using fiber optic receiver channels is provided. The readhead includes “primary” fibers that provide reference mark primary signals processed to generate a reference signal with accuracy of approximately 0.2 microns. The readhead may include “secondary” fibers used to generate reference mark secondary signals processed to generate a reference signal with accuracy of approximately 20 nanometers. Spatial filter masks configured for the secondary fiber optic receiver channels provide two spatially periodic secondary signals arising from interference fringes outside of the receiving area of the primary fiber optic receiver channels. The secondary signals are out of phase with one another and their spatial frequency is higher than that of the primary signals. A signal crossing of the reference mark secondary signals is identified that is spatially adjacent to a signal crossing of the reference mark primary reference signals. | 05-28-2009 |
| 20090119940 | MAGNETIC CALIPER WITH REFERENCE SCALE ON EDGE - An electronic hand tool type caliper includes a scale track located along a scale member reference edge that forms a sliding bearing with a mating surface of the caliper slide, thereby maintaining proper alignment of the slide jaw. Placing the scale track along the reference edge is advantageous in that the reference edge surface is inherently precisely machined and particles are excluded by the inherently close fit and the wiping action of the sliding bearing. A readhead sensor is mounted within the slide surface that mates to the reference edge to provide the sliding bearing. Thus, a very small readhead sensor may be reliably positioned at an extremely small gap relative to the scale in a protected operating environment, without detrimentally affecting cost, slider friction, or signal strength. High resolution digital signals may be provided. | 05-14-2009 |
| 20090116520 | FREQUENCY-STABILIZED LASER DEVICE, LASER FREQUENCY STABILIZING METHOD, AND LASER FREQUENCY STABILIZING PROGRAM - A frequency-stabilized laser device comprises an actuator arranged to vary the cavity length; an actuator driver arranged to apply a voltage to the actuator for changing displacement; a temperature detector arranged to detect the temperature on the cavity; a temperature adjuster arranged to heat or cool the cavity; a cavity temperature controller arranged to control the temperature adjuster based on a previously given instruction temperature and the temperature on the cavity detected at the temperature detector; and an instruction temperature corrector arranged to correct the instruction temperature given to the cavity temperature controller such that the voltage applied to the actuator remains almost constant. | 05-07-2009 |
| 20090116034 | INTERFEROMETER - An interferometer includes a laser beam source, a light wave dividing and synthesizing portion for 2-demultiplexing and irradiating a laser beam irradiated from the laser beam source on a measuring target and synthesizing a light having each displacement information, a multiphase interference light generating portion for generating, from a synthesized laser beam, a first interference light having a first phase, a second interference light having a second phase which is different from the first phase by 180 degrees, a third interference light having a third phase which is different from the first phase by 90 degrees, and a fourth interference light having a fourth phase which is different from the first phase by 270 degrees, a 3-phase signal generating portion for generating a 3-phase signal having a phase difference of 90 degrees on the basis of first to fourth interference signals based on the first to fourth interference lights, and a 2-phase signal generating portion for carrying out a vector synthesis over the 3-phase signal having a phase difference of 90 degrees, thereby generating a 2-phase signal having a phase difference of 90 degrees. | 05-07-2009 |
| 20090113734 | Measuring instrument - A measuring instrument includes a detector that outputs a measured value, a digital display unit, an analog display unit having a plurality of display segments, and a display controller. The display controller includes: a tolerance range display unit that lights or blinks display segments corresponding to a preset tolerance range relative to a preset value; a first determiner that obtains a difference between the present value and a present measured value and determines whether the difference is within an analog display range wider than the tolerance range; a difference display unit that lights a display segment corresponding to the last one or the last two digits of the present measured value when the first determiner determines that the difference is within the analog display range; a second determiner that determines whether the difference is within the tolerance range; and an acceptance or rejection display unit that displays a result determined by the second determiner. | 05-07-2009 |
| 20090109285 | CONTROLLABLE MICRO LIGHT ASSEMBLY - A micro light interface assembly for a microscopic machine vision inspection system includes a micro light assembly. The micro light assembly provides addressable light emitting elements arranged around the periphery of an aperture having an aperture dimension DAPMIN that is smaller than a barrel dimension DBAR of the inspection system objective lens. The aperture may be located along the optical axis and within the working distance of the objective lens such that the light emitting elements are closely arranged around a field of view. The micro light interface assembly may be held and operated through a connection element that may be used for the interchanging the micro light interface assembly with a touch probe, in some embodiments. | 04-30-2009 |
| 20090088999 | OPTICAL ABERRATION CORRECTION FOR MACHINE VISION INSPECTION SYSTEMS - A system and method for correcting surface height measurements for optical aberration is provided. Heights determined by an autofocus tool, which may depend on surface feature angles in a focus region of interest (ROI) and on the ROI location in the field of view, are corrected based on a novel error calibration. Error calibration data includes height corrections for different feature angles in images, and for multiple locations in a field of view. Height corrections are determined by weighting and combining the angle dependent error calibration data, e.g., based on a gradient (edge) angle distribution determined in the ROIs. When Z-heights are determined for multiple ROIs in a field of view, storage of image data from particular images of a global image stack may be efficiently controlled based on determining early in processing whether a particular image is a sufficiently focused “near-peak” focused image or not. | 04-02-2009 |
| 20090059362 | Microscope and three-dimensional information acquisition method - An optical system is provided to include an optical unit with an optical axis extending through a light transmissive sample embedded in a transparent substrate, to focus on the sample embedded in the substrate and to scan the sample according to the main plane of the transparent substrate. The optical axis extends under an angle unequal to zero relative to the normal of the main plane of the transparent substrate, in order to perform a volumetric observation of a sample by obtaining information items focused in all thickness directions within the sample, at a high speed, without requiring any movement along the thickness direction of the sample. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090057406 | REFLECTION TYPE ENCODER - A reflection type encoder includes a reflection scale | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090056157 | SHAPE MEASURING MACHINE AND PROBE THEREOF - A shape measuring machine | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090049893 | Surface texture measuring device, surface texture measuring method and surface texture measuring program - A surface texture measuring device comprises a display control unit operative to display a drawing symbol entry screen having entry areas of drawing symbols. An entry acceptance unit is provided to accept the input of the drawing symbol into the entry area provided in the drawing symbol entry screen. An arithmetic unit is provided to calculate surface texture information that indicates a surface texture of an object to be measured, from the measurement result of surface displacements of the object, based on the drawing symbol accepted at the entry acceptance unit. | 02-26-2009 |
| 20090048799 | Roundness measuring device, method and program for measuring roundness - A roundness measuring device obtains an eccentric position of a measured object with respect to a rotation axis in measuring roundness of the measured object by rotating and driving the measured object. The roundness measuring device includes: a measurement acquisition unit obtaining, as measurements, rotation angles of the measured object and distances from the rotation axis to a surface of the measured object, the distance corresponding to the rotating angle; and an eccentricity calculation unit setting a circular correction circle with its center position provided as variable parameters, calculating the center position of the correction circle that minimizes sum of squares of distances between each of the measurements and the correction circle, in a direction from each of the measurements toward the center position of the correction circle, and determining the center position of the correction circle as the eccentric position. | 02-19-2009 |
| 20090044609 | Test management method for indentation tester and indentation tester - Disclosed a test management method for an indentation tester which includes a control section and forms an indentation on a surface of a heated or cooled sample by pressing an indenter to which a load is applied onto the surface of the sample, the test management method including the steps of: measuring a predetermined reference block as the sample under a plurality of temperature environments to obtain a test result; calculating a test error caused by temperature environment based on the test result by the control section; and judging whether or not the test error is within a predetermined range by the control section. | 02-19-2009 |
| 20090040603 | Objective lens - In order to provide an objective lens which can reduce the generation of flare light, an objective lens including a front-group lens, a rear-group lens arranged on an optic axis of the front-group lens with the front-group lens interposed between an object plane and the rear-group lens, and a semitransparent mirror arranged between the front-group lens and the rear-group lens for reflecting illumination into the front-group lens, transmitting reflected light from the object plane and entering the transmitted light into the rear-group lens is provided. The front-group lens is a single lens or a cemented lens formed by sticking two lenses together. | 02-12-2009 |
| 20090037128 | SURFACE TEXTURE MEASURING INSTRUMENT - A surface texture measuring instrument includes: a movement-estimating unit for estimating a movement condition of a drive mechanism based on a scanning vector command issued by a scanning vector commander to calculate an estimated operation state quantity; and a correction-calculating unit for correcting a detection value of a drive sensor in accordance with the estimated operation state quantity calculated by the movement-estimating unit. The movement-estimating unit includes: a nominal-model setting unit in which a nominal model representing signal transfer function of the scanning vector command from the issuance of the scanning vector command to a reflection on a movement position of the scanning probe is stored. The correction-calculating unit includes a correction-amount calculating unit that calculates a correction amount for correcting a measurement error generated on account of deformation during the drive of the drive mechanism based on the estimated operation state quantity; and a measurement data synthesizing unit that synthesizes the detection value of the drive sensor and a detection sensor and the correction amount calculated by the correction-amount calculating unit to acquire a measurement data. | 02-05-2009 |
| 20090034641 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DYNAMIC CALIBRATION OF A QUADRATURE ENCODER - A system and method for real time calibration of a quadrature encoder. Errors from sources such as signal offsets, amplitude mismatches and phase errors are addressed. In one embodiment, the errors are addressed by determining and applying a dynamic operational set of calibration parameters. The process for determining the operational calibration parameters involves minimizing a variation metric that indicates the variations of the magnitudes of a set of corrected vectors Ci″. The corrected vectors Ci″ are defined by using the calibration parameters to provide corrected vector components (Ati″, Bti″) that correspond to a current operational set of quadrature signal samples comprising at least four respective quadrature signal samples (Ati, Bti) having spatial phase angles θti that are distributed over a significant portion of 360 degrees. For well chosen calibration parameters, the resulting corrected vectors define a well-centered circle and the variation metric is minimized. | 02-05-2009 |
| 20090031578 | Absolute position measuring apparatus - An absolute position measuring apparatus includes a first rotary encoder that detects a rotation of a spindle as a phase signal which varies in a first cycle and a second rotary encoder that detects the rotation of the spindle as another phase signal which varies in a second cycle. A rotation of a first rotor of the first rotary encoder is transmitted to a second rotor via a relay gear that is meshed with a first gear provided on an outer circumference of a first rotary cylinder and a second gear provided on an outer circumference of a second rotary cylinder. Thus, an absolute position of the spindle is calculated on the basis of two phase signals that are different in cycle. Further, it is not necessary to provide a conventionally-known spiral key groove so that the apparatus can be easily downsized. Manufacturing costs can be also reduced. | 02-05-2009 |
| 20090027692 | REFERENCE SIGNAL GENERATING CONFIGURATION FOR AN INTERFEROMETRIC MINIATURE GRATING ENCODER READHEAD USING FIBER OPTIC RECEIVER CHANNELS - A fiber optic readhead and scale arrangement for measuring displacement provides a reference position indication. The scale includes a scale track comprising a first type of track portion providing first level of zero order reflectance, such as a grating, and a reference mark providing a second level of zero order reflectance, such as a mirror. The reference mark is configured with certain length or boundary spacing dimensions determined based on certain fiber optic receiver channel aperture dimensions in the readhead. | 01-29-2009 |
| 20090021747 | Shape measuring apparatus - A shape measuring apparatus includes a probe for scanning across a surface to be measured, while vibrating up and down; a minute-vibration generation section for vibrating the probe up and down; a vertical movement control section for moving the probe up and down to keep a constant contact force or a constant distance between the surface to be measured and the probe; a scanning section for scanning the surface to be measured with the probe; a displacement sensor for measuring the vertical displacement of the probe and outputting a probe displacement signal; and a signal processing section for obtaining information about the contact force or the distance between the surface to be measured and the probe from a high-frequency component of the probe displacement signal, and for obtaining information about profile of the surface to be measured from a low-frequency component of the signal obtained when the surface to be measured is scanned such that the distance or the contact force is kept constant. | 01-22-2009 |
| 20090002723 | Stage apparatus and vision measuring apparatus - A stage apparatus ( | 01-01-2009 |
| 20080316497 | TRACKING TYPE LASER INTERFEROMETER AND METHOD FOR RESETTING THE SAME - A tracking type laser interferometer that detects displacement of a retroreflector | 12-25-2008 |
| 20080316493 | SURFACE REFLECTION ENCODER SCALE AND SURFACE REFLECTION ENCODER USING THE SAME - A surface reflection encoder scale is used with a surface reflection encoder for detecting a relative movement amount of a member for making a relative move. The surface reflection encoder scale includes a substrate of the member or a substrate provided on the member and a reflection phase grating provided on the substrate and having asperities for changing a phase of reflected diffracted light on its surface. The asperities of the phase grating are formed of a deposition film of metal silicide and chromium. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20080315076 | ABSOLUTE POSITION ENCODER - A scale has a first incremental track with first incremental patterns including first light and dark patterns formed at equal intervals in first periods, an absolute track with absolute patterns representing absolute positions, and a second incremental track with second incremental patterns including second light and dark patterns formed at equal intervals in second periods longer than the first periods. A light source emits a measurement light to the scale. A photodetector receives the measurement light reflected at or transmitted through the scale. A signal processing circuit processes the received light signal of the photodetector to detect an absolute position of the scale. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20080302953 | PHOTOELECTRIC ENCODER - In a photoelectric encoder including a scale ( | 12-11-2008 |
| 20080295571 | ABNORMALITY DETECTING METHOD FOR FORM MEASURING MECHANISM AND FORM MEASURING MECHANISM - A form measuring mechanism | 12-04-2008 |
| 20080294369 | Roundness measuring device, method and program for measuring roundness - A roundness measuring device includes: an eccentric position calculation unit calculating, based on a measured distance and a measured angle, a distance between a axis of the measured object and a rotation axis as an eccentric distance, and calculating an angle formed between the detection line and a line segment connecting the rotation axis and the axis of the measured object as an eccentric angle; and a measurement correction unit correcting the measured distance based on the eccentric distance, the eccentric angle, the measured angle, a radius of the measured object, and a length from the center to the surface of the detector unit, and correcting the measured angle by adding a correction angle to the measured angle, the correction angle being formed between the detection line and a line segment connecting the rotation axis and a contact point where the measured object and the detector unit come in contact with one another. | 11-27-2008 |
