Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080282566 | POSITION-MEASURING DEVICE - A position-measuring device is used for measuring the position of an object relative to a tool, the tool having a tool center point. The position-measuring device includes at least two intersected scales displaceable relative to each other in at least one plane of movement, and an assigned optical scanning unit which generates position signals for at least one measuring direction parallel to the plane of movement. Each scale has a neutral pivot, about which a tilt of the respective scale causes no change of the detected position. The scanning optics ensure that the position of the neutral pivots of the two scales correspond. The positioning of the scales relative to the tool center point ensures that the neutral pivots of the two scales and the tool center point lie in a plane which is parallel to the plane of movement. | 11-20-2008 |
20080285058 | OPTICAL POSITION-MEASURING DEVICE - An optical position-measuring device is arranged for recording the relative position of a scanning unit and a scale movable to it in at least one measuring direction. The scale is configured as a combined unit which includes at least one reflector element as well as a measuring graduation. A light source and one or more detector elements are assigned to the scanning unit. The scanning unit includes splitting device(s) which split the beam of rays, emitted by the light source, into at least two partial beams of rays in the measuring direction, which after being split, propagate in the direction of the scale. | 11-20-2008 |
20080297809 | Optical position measuring arrangement - An optical position measuring arrangement including a source of illumination that generates one or several bundles of illuminating beams, a measuring graduation that is illuminated by the source of illumination so as to generate a periodic fringe pattern of a defined fringe pattern period and a fiber-optical scanning head, wherein the fiber-optical scanning head scans the periodic fringe pattern. A scanning plate is arranged in the fiber-optical scanning head, wherein the scanning plate is matched to the fringe pattern period and scans the periodic fringe pattern. Fringe patterns, which are phase-shifted in relation to each other, are generated within a fringe pattern period in bundles of partial signal beams in the one or several bundles of illuminating beams via a wavelength-dependent local separation, and the bundles of partial signal beams are employed for conversion into position-dependent phase-shifted scanning signals. | 12-04-2008 |
20100268499 | INTERFEROMETER SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ITS OPERATION - In an interferometer system and a method for its operation, the interferometer system includes an interferometer having an interferometer light source whose emitted radiation is able to be split into a measuring arm and a reference arm, an object to be measured being disposed in the measuring arm, and the interferometer delivering interferometer signals as a function of the position of the object to be measured. In addition, a detecting device is provided for detecting fluctuations in the refractive index of the air in the measuring arm and/or reference arm. The detecting device includes a spectrometer unit; the spectrometer unit has at least one spectrometer light source, as well as at least one spectrometer detector unit. The bundles of rays emitted by the spectrometer light source are superimposed on the bundles of rays from the interferometer light source, the spectrometer light source emitting radiation having a wavelength which lies in the range of an absorption line of at least one specific air component. The spectrometer detector unit is used to generate spectrometer signals which characterize the absorption of the air component in terms of the spectrometer light-source wavelength in the measuring arm and/or reference arm. | 10-21-2010 |
20110261422 | POSITION MEASURING DEVICE - A position measuring device including a code having a sequence of code elements of equal width B that is disposed in a measurement direction and includes a first property and a second property. The sequence of codes elements includes a first set of code elements having the first property and a second set of code elements having the second property, wherein the first and second sets of code elements are each being disposed aperiodically. The position measuring device further including a scanning unit having a plurality of detectors for scanning the code and obtaining scanning signals, wherein a code word defining an absolute position is defined from the scanning signals. The position measuring device including an arrangement for forming an incremental signal from the scanning signals, wherein the arrangement includes a converter device and a collection device arranged downstream of the converter device and wherein the collection device forms respective intermittently periodic partial signals from the scanning signals derived from scanning positions in a spacing matrix. | 10-27-2011 |
20110286004 | Optical position measuring instrument - A method an optical position measuring instrument for detecting a relative position of a scanning unit and a scale. The optical position measuring instrument includes a scale and a scanning unit, wherein the scanning unit and the scale are movable with respect to one another along a curved measurement direction. The scanning unit includes a detector unit, and a reflector unit that has a first wave front corrector, a beam direction inverter and a second wave front corrector. the reflector unit is disposed and/or embodied in the scanning unit so that beams first pass through a first combination of the scale and the first wave front corrector, then via the beam direction inverter, a back-reflection of partial beams is effected in a direction of the scale, and the partial beams then pass through a second combination of the scale and the second wave front corrector before the partial beams then arrive at the detector unit, wherein, via the reflector unit, it is ensured that wave front deformations of the partial beams, which result via a first diffraction at the scale, are converted into wave front deformations that compensate for resultant wave front deformations of the partial beams upon a second diffraction at the scale. | 11-24-2011 |
20120002188 | Optical Distance-Measuring Device - An optical distance-measuring device includes a light source and an interferometer unit having a measuring retroreflector, a stationary reference retroreflector, a beam-splitter element, a beam-recombiner unit and a detection unit. The beam of rays emitted by the light source is able to swivel about the center of the reference retroreflector. The beam of rays arriving from the light source is split via the beam-splitter element into at least one measuring beam of rays and one reference beam of rays. The at least one measuring beam of rays propagates in the direction of the measuring retroreflector, and the reference beam of rays propagates collinearly with respect to the measuring beam of rays in the direction of the reference retroreflector. The measuring beam of rays is reflected back by the measuring retroreflector and the reference beam of rays is reflected back by the reference retroreflector in the direction of the beam-recombiner unit, the measuring beam of rays traveling symmetrically relative to the reference retroreflector prior to and after reflection at the measuring retroreflector. The beam-recombiner unit brings the measuring beam of rays and the reference beam of rays to interference. Distance-dependent interference signals are ascertainable via the detection unit. | 01-05-2012 |
20120023769 | Assembly Comprising a Measuring Scale Attached to a Substrate and Method for Holding a Measuring Scale Against a Substrate - An assembly including a substrate and a scale held on the substrate, wherein the scale has a measuring graduation, and the scale is held on the substrate by pneumatic suction. The scale is braced on the substrate via two-dimensionally distributed, spaced-apart supports, which are disposed facing a measurement area defined by the measuring graduation and wherein adjacent ones of the supports are spaced apart from one another at a mutual period that is less than a thickness of the scale. In addition, the supports have a structure such that a connection by optical contact bonding between the supports and the scale and/or between the supports and the substrate is prevented at least in the measurement area. A space between the scale and the substrate is sealed off from surroundings by a sealing structure. | 02-02-2012 |
20120099118 | Optical Position-Measuring Device - An optical position-measuring device includes a light source, a measuring reflector movable in space, a detection unit and a light-beam deflection unit that can align at least one beam of rays, emitted by the light source, in the direction of the measuring reflector. The light-beam deflection unit includes a cardan system having two cardan frames. A first cardan frame is adjustable by motor about a first axis of rotation, and a second cardan frame within the first cardan frame is adjustable by motor about a second axis of rotation oriented in a direction perpendicular to the first axis of rotation. The two axes of rotation intersect in a fixed reference point, at which a reference reflector is disposed. A plurality of mirrors are disposed rigidly on the cardan frames, so that the beam of rays can be pivoted about the fixed reference point via the mirrors during alignment. | 04-26-2012 |
20120105862 | Optical Angle-Measuring Device - In an optical angle-measuring device for ascertaining the relative movement between at least one scanning grating and a graduated disk having at least one measuring graduation, the scanning grating is in the form of a linear scanning grating, and the graduated disk includes a first and a second combined radial-circular grating as measuring graduation, and has a mirror. An incident beam of rays is initially split at the scanning grating into two partial beams of rays that then propagate in the direction of the first combined radial-circular grating and are diffracted there, then propagate in the direction of the mirror and are reflected there in the direction of the second combined radial-circular grating, subsequently propagate in the direction of the second combined radial-circular grating and are diffracted there, and then propagate in the direction of the scanning grating, where a superposition of the partial beams of rays results. | 05-03-2012 |
20120112050 | Optical Position-Measuring Device - An optical position-measuring device includes a scanning bar extending in a first or second direction, and a scale extending in the other direction. The scale is offset by a scanning distance from the scanning bar in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions. The device has a light source whose light penetrates the scanning bar at an intersection point of the scanning bar and scale to fall on the scale and arrive back at the scanning bar. At a detector, the light is split by diffraction into different partial beams at optically effective structures of the scanning bar and scale and combined again. A periodic signal is obtained in the detector in response to: a shift between the scanning bar and scale in the first direction due to interference of combined partial beams, and a change in the scanning distance between the scanning bar and scale. | 05-10-2012 |
20120154805 | OPTICAL POSITION MEASURING INSTRUMENT - An optical position measuring instrument including a scanning plate and a scale, wherein the scale and the scanning plate are movable relative to one another. The optical position measuring instrument including a grating and a light source that emits a beam toward the grating, wherein the grating receives the beam and splits the beam into two partial beams with orthogonal polarization states. The optical position measuring instrument including a polarizer being arranged in beam paths of the two partial beams, wherein the polarizer has a structure to generate polarization effects on the two partial beam striking the polarizer that are periodically variable, wherein a polarization period of the periodically variable polarization effects is greater than a graduation period of the grating. The two partial beams being reunified into a resultant beam. A detection unit that receives the resultant beam and generates a plurality of displacement-dependent scanning signals. | 06-21-2012 |
20120162646 | Optical Position-Measuring Device - In an optical position-measuring device for recording the relative position of a scanning unit and a measuring standard, the scanning unit includes a light source, first annular scanning graduation, reflector element, beamsplitter element, and detection unit. A beam emitted by the light source impinges on the measuring graduation and is split into at least two partial beams of rays. The partial beams propagate toward the scanning unit, impinge the first scanning graduation on the reflector element, are reflected through the first scanning graduation toward the measuring graduation, impinge the measuring graduation, propagate toward the scanning unit and undergo superposition, and are deflected by the beamsplitter element toward the detection unit. There, a plurality of positionally dependent, phase-shifted scanning signals can be recorded. The first scanning graduation focuses the partial beams from the measuring graduation at the reflector element, thereby recollimating the partial beams to be reflected toward the measuring graduation. | 06-28-2012 |
20120293809 | POSITION MEASURING DEVICE - A position measuring device including a reflective scale and a scanning unit. The scanning unit includes a retroreflector and a signal unit wherein the signal unit includes a light source and a detector arrangement. The scanning unit and the signal unit are structurally separate from one another and are disposed in planes parallel to one another, and wherein the scanning unit is movable relative to the reflective scale in a measuring direction. The light source emits a beam that propagates freely in a direction to the scanning unit, wherein from the scanning unit along the direction to the signal unit a pair of interfering partial beams propagate freely and wherein between the signal unit and the scanning unit the partial beams propagate freely in a propagation direction that is oriented perpendicular to the planes. | 11-22-2012 |
20130057872 | Device for Determining Distance Interferometrically - A device for interferometrically determining the distance between two plates disposed substantially in parallel, includes a light source, beam-splitter element(s), reflector element(s), deflection elements, retroreflectors, and a detection unit. A beam of rays emitted by the light source falls on the first plate and splits into a reflected reference beam of rays and a transmitted measuring beam of rays. The measuring beam strikes a reflector on the second plate and undergoes a first reflection back toward the first plate. The reference beam traverses a first deflection element, and the measuring beam traverses a second deflection element. Both beams pass through a retroreflector. The reference beam is reflected at the first plate, and the measuring beam undergoes a second reflection at a reflector of the second plate, so that both beams propagate collinearly interferingly toward the detection unit, where a plurality of phase-shifted distance signals are generated. | 03-07-2013 |
20130194584 | Position-Measuring Device and System Having a Plurality of Position-Measuring Devices - In position-measuring devices and a systems having a plurality of position-measuring devices for determining the position of an object in several spatial degrees of freedom, the plurality of optical position-measuring devices scan the object from a single probing direction, and the probing direction coincides with one of the two main axes of motion. | 08-01-2013 |
20130208287 | System Having a Plurality of Scanning Units of a Position Measuring Device - In a system for detecting the position of an object in relation to a reference system, the object is arranged so as to be movable in relation to the reference system along at least two orthogonal first and second main movement axes. To record the position of the object in relation to the reference system, a position measuring device includes at least two two-dimensional measuring standards situated along the first main movement axis, and four scanning units for an optical scanning of these measuring standards. In addition, at least four additional supplementary scanning units are provided, which are situated between the four scanning units along the first main movement axis. | 08-15-2013 |
20130212854 | System and Method for Positioning a Processing Tool in Relation to a Workpiece - In a system and a method for positioning a processing tool in relation to a workpiece, an object alignment mark and the workpiece are situated on a first object. In addition, a workpiece alignment mark is situated on the workpiece. The processing tool via which the object alignment mark is detectable is situated on a second object, which is disposed so as to be displaceable along at least one movement direction in relation to the first object. Furthermore, an alignment sensor is disposed thereon, with whose aid the object alignment mark and the workpiece alignment mark are detectable. In addition, a scannable measuring standard, which extends along the at least one movement direction, is disposed on the second object. At least two scanning units for scanning the measuring standard are situated on the first object in order to thereby determine the relative position between the first and the second object along the movement direction, the two scanning units having a defined offset. | 08-22-2013 |
20130235390 | Position-Measuring Device and System Having Such a Position-Measuring Device - A position-measuring device, as well as a system having such a position-measuring device, is used for determining the position of a first object relative to a second object, the first and the second object being movable relative to one another along at least two measuring directions. The position-measuring device has an optical unit that is linked to one of the two objects and includes at least one light source, a detector system, as well as further optical elements in a defined configuration. In addition, the position-measuring device includes a measuring standard-reflector unit, which is provided on the other object, and has at least two differently formed regions in one track that are optically scannable by the optical unit for position sensing. The different formation of the regions makes switching among the various measuring directions possible during position sensing, and positional signals can be generated by the optical unit relative to the relative movement of the two objects for each measuring direction. | 09-12-2013 |
20130335746 | DEVICE FOR DISTANCE MEASUREMENT - A device for interferential distance measurement that includes a measurement reflector having a surface and a light source emitting a beam parallel to the surface. The device includes a splitter element including a splitter grating that is disposed perpendicular to the surface, wherein the splitter grating receives the beam and splits the beam into a measurement beam and a reference beam, wherein the measurement beam acts at least twice upon the measurement reflector along a path of the measurement beam. The device including a combining element, at which the measurement beam and the reference beam enter into interferential superposition to form interfering measurement and reference beams. The device further includes a detector arrangement, by way of which a scanning signal pertaining to a distance between the measurement reflector and a component of said device in a measuring direction can be generated from the interfering measurement and reference beams. | 12-19-2013 |
20130335750 | Position-Measuring Device - A position-measuring device is used to detect the relative position of two machine components that are disposed in a manner allowing movement relative to each other at least along a first and a second main direction of motion in a displacement plane. The device includes at least one measuring standard, which is mounted on a first machine component. At least six scanning units are mounted on a second machine component, and are used for the optical scanning of the measuring standard in at least two measuring directions in the displacement plane. At least two scanning units are assigned to each measuring direction. The scanning units of each respective measuring direction in the displacement plane are disposed non-centrosymmetrically in relation to a center of the second machine component. | 12-19-2013 |
20140132964 | OPTICAL POSITION MEASURING INSTRUMENT - An optical position measuring instrument including a first scale having a first graduation, wherein the first scale is disposed movable in a first measuring direction, and at a first defined position in the first measuring direction, the first scale includes a spatially limited first marking that differs from the first graduation. The optical position measuring instrument further including a second scale having a second graduation, wherein the second scale is disposed movable in a second measuring direction, and at a second defined position, the second scale includes a second reference marking that is usable for generating at least one reference signal at a reference position of the second scale only if the first scale is located in the first defined position. | 05-15-2014 |
20140151540 | POSITION-MEASURING DEVICE - A position-measuring device includes a cylindrical object rotatable about a longitudinal axis and having a circumferential annular reflection measuring graduation. A stationary scanning unit is disposed opposite the cylindrical object and has a light source, a transmission grating and a detector. The scanning unit is configured to optically scan the reflection measuring graduation by beams of light emitted from the light source passing through the transmission grating and then striking the reflection measuring graduation, from where the beams of light are reflected back toward the detector, which is configured to generate rotation-dependent position signals. An optically effective perpendicular distance between the detector and the reflection measuring graduation is selected to be one of greater or less than an optically effective perpendicular distance between the transmission grating and the reflection measuring graduation depending on a radius of the cylindrical object. | 06-05-2014 |
20140176962 | Interferometer - An interferometer includes a light source and a beam splitter, via which the beam of rays emitted by the light source is split into a measurement beam and a reference beam. The measurement beam propagates in a measuring arm extending in a first direction between the beam splitter and a measuring reflector. The measuring reflector brings about an offset perpendicular to the direction of incidence between the measurement beam falling on it and the measurement beam reflected back by it. In a reference arm extending in a second direction, the reference beam propagates between the beam splitter and a reference reflector. In addition, the interferometer has a detector system, to which the superposed and recombined measurement beam and reference beam are able to be supplied, and via which a distance-dependent interference signal with respect to the position of the measuring reflector is able to be generated. The measuring reflector in each case includes at least one transmission grating as well as a reflector element. | 06-26-2014 |
20140185057 | Optical Position-Measuring Device - An optical position-measuring device is adapted to detect the position of an object in several spatial degrees of freedom. The object is disposed in a manner allowing it to move at least along a first direction of movement and along a second direction of movement. The position-measuring device includes at least one light source and at least one first and second measuring standard which are located on the object, extend along a first extension direction and a second extension direction and include graduation regions disposed periodically along the first and second extension directions. In addition, a scanning plate is provided, into which at least first and second retroreflector elements are integrated, the first retroreflector element extending parallel to the first extension direction and the second retroreflector element extending parallel to the second extension direction, and via which, sub-beams that fall on them from the first and second measuring standard, are reflected back in the direction of the respective measuring standard. From superposed sub-beams, a detector system is able to generate position signals at least with respect to the movement of the object along the first and second direction of movement. | 07-03-2014 |
20140376002 | Interferometer - An interferometer includes a light source, a beam splitter, a measuring reflector, a reference retroreflector, a detector system, and two transparent plane plates. The beam splitter splits a first beam of rays, emitted by the light source, into at least one measuring beam and at least one reference beam, via which a first splitting plane is defined. The measuring beam propagates in a measuring arm and the reference beam propagates in a reference arm until being recombined at a recombining location in a first recombining plane. The first recombining plane is oriented parallel to the first splitting plane. The measuring reflector, on which the measuring beam falls perpendicularly at least twice, is disposed in the measuring arm and is joined to an object to be measured that is movable along a measuring direction. The reference retroreflector, on which the reference beam falls at least once, is disposed in the reference arm. At least one first distance signal with regard to the position of the object to be measured is ascertainable via the detector system from the interfering measuring and reference beams superposed at the recombining location. The first transparent plane plate and the second transparent plane plate are disposed parallel to each other in the beam path between the light source and the detector system. The reference retroreflector is formed in the first plane plate and the beam splitter is disposed on the second plane plate. | 12-25-2014 |
20150022820 | Measuring Device - A measuring device for the high-precision optical determination of distance or position includes a light source, at least one optical functional element in the form of a plane mirror or a measuring standard, and a detector system. At least two sub-beams are generated, of which at least one impinges on the functional element at least three times before the sub-beams propagate, interferingly superposed, in the direction of the detector system, via which at least one phase-encoded measuring signal is able to be generated from the superposed sub-beams. Between the impingements on the optical functional element, the sub-beam passes through at least two imaging elements, the imaging elements having imaging factors such that no location and directional shear of the interfering sub-beams results in the event the optical functional element tilts out of its setpoint position. | 01-22-2015 |
20150070711 | Optical Position Measuring Device - In an optical position measuring device for detecting the relative position of a measuring standard and at least one scanning head, which are movable relative to each other in at least one measuring direction, the effective measuring point of the scanning is spaced apart from the measuring standard at a defined distance in the particular direction that has an orientation that faces away from the scanning head. | 03-12-2015 |
20150098090 | Optical Position-Measuring Device - A position-measuring device for detecting the position of two objects movable relative to each other, includes a measuring standard that is joined to one of the two objects, as well as a scanning system for scanning the measuring standard, the scanning system being joined to the other of the two objects. The scanning system permits a simultaneous determination of position along a first lateral shift direction and along a vertical shift direction of the objects. To that end, on the part of the scanning system, two scanning beam paths are formed, in which a group of phase-shifted signals is able to be generated in each case at the output end from interfering partial beams of rays. In addition, via the scanning system, at least a third scanning beam path is formed, by which it is possible to determine position along a second lateral shift direction of the objects. The beam from a light source is able to be supplied to the scanning system via a first light guide and coupling-in optics in common for all three scanning beam paths. The interfering partial beams of rays produced in the three scanning beam paths are able to be coupled via common coupling-out optics, into a second light guide which supplies these beams of rays to a detector system. | 04-09-2015 |
20150098091 | System for Positioning a Tool Relative to a Workpiece - A system for positioning a tool relative to a workpiece includes a movable table for accommodating a workpiece, the table executing movements in two main moving directions during the processing of the workpiece, one or more planar measuring standards provided in stationary fashion about the tool and extend in the plane of the main moving directions, and scanning heads, mounted in at least three corners of the table, for detecting the position of the table relative to the measuring standards. The position of the table is determinable by the scanning heads in six degrees of freedom. In at least one of the corners, one or more scanning heads having a total of at least three measuring axes is/are provided for 3-D position detection in three independent spatial directions. The sensitivity vectors of the measuring axes for the 3-D position detection are neither parallel to the X-Z plane nor parallel to the Y-Z plane. In this manner, all measuring axes supply periodic signals when the table is moved in a main moving direction. | 04-09-2015 |
20150098093 | Optical Position-Measuring Device - An optical position-measuring device includes a measuring standard as well as a scanning unit movable relative to it along at least one measuring direction, a scanning beam path being formed between the measuring standard and scanning unit and being used to generate displacement-dependent signals. A protective cap is disposed in a manner allowing movement along an axis perpendicular to the measuring-standard plane such that in at least one operating mode, the protective cap for the most part surrounds the scanning beam path between the scanning unit and measuring standard. | 04-09-2015 |
20150116731 | DEVICE FOR POSITION DETERMINATION - A device for position determination includes a light source and a planar measurement reflector movable along a measurement direction oriented perpendicular to the measurement reflector. A detector device is disposed such that a beam emitted by the light source strikes the detector device after impinging on the measurement reflector so that, in an event of a movement of the measurement reflector along the measurement direction, a signal results which is dependent on a position of the measurement reflector and from which a reference signal is generatable at a defined reference position. A deflection unit is disposed so as to deflect the beam such that the beam strikes the measurement reflector twice and therebetween passes through the deflection unit. The deflection unit is arranged so that a deviation in beam direction, resulting after the first reflection from a tilt of the measurement reflector, is compensated after the second reflection. | 04-30-2015 |
20150146217 | POSITION-MEASURING DEVICE - A position-measuring device includes a scale and a scanning unit movable relative thereto. The scale has a measuring graduation, a reference mark and area markings located on a first and on a second side of the reference mark which are configured to exert different deflection effects on a scanning beam incident thereon. An area signal detector is configured to detect, during optical scanning of the area markings, a fringe pattern in a detection plane of the area signal detector. A periodic screen grating is disposed between the scale and the area signal detector and is configured to produce the fringe pattern in the detection plane of the area signal detector such that at least two distinguishable scanning signals are generatable from the fringe pattern as a function of a position of the scanning unit relative to the reference mark. | 05-28-2015 |