Encoder apparatus
AssigneeRenishaw PLC
InventorsFinlay Jonathan Evans, James Reynolds Henshaw, Stephen Lindsey Tocknell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An encoder apparatus comprising a scale and a readhead assembly comprising a scale signal receiver. The scale and the scale signal receiver are located within a protective housing which is configured to protect them from contamination located outside the protective housing and comprises a seal through which the scale signal receiver can be connected to a part outside the protective housing. The arrangement of the scale signal receiver inside the protective housing is independent of the scale and protective housing.
Claims22
An encoder apparatus comprising a scale and a readhead assembly comprising a scale signal receiver, the scale and the scale signal receiver being located within a protective housing which is configured to protect them from contamination located outside the protective housing, the scale signal receiver and the protective housing being relatively moveable with respect to each other, the protective housing comprising a seal through which the scale signal receiver can be connected to a part outside the protective housing, and in which the arrangement of the scale signal receiver inside the protective housing is independent of the scale and protective housing, and in which the scale signal receiver comprises at least one vibration control device comprising at least one member configured to vibrate independently of the rest of the scale signal receiver and configured to reduce the susceptibility of the scale signal receiver of the readhead assembly to vibrations.
A sealed encoder module for mounting onto a machine so as to measure relative displacement of first and second parts of the machine, the sealed encoder module comprising, a scale, a readhead comprising a scale signal receiver, and an integral protective housing which encapsulates at least the scale and said scale signal receiver, the scale signal receiver and the integral protective housing being relatively moveable with respect to each other, and the integral protective housing comprising a seal through which the scale signal receiver is rigidly fixed to a rigid readhead mount, in which the scale signal receiver comprises at least one vibration control device comprising at least one member configured to vibrate independently of the rest of the scale signal receiver and configured to reduce the susceptibility of the scale signal receiver of the readhead to vibrations.
A sealed optical encoder module for mounting onto a machine so as to measure relative displacement of first and second parts of the machine, the sealed optical encoder module comprising, an optical scale, a readhead comprising a scale signal receiver, and an integral protective housing which encapsulates at least the optical scale and said scale signal receiver, the scale signal receiver and the integral protective housing being relatively moveable with respect to each other, the integral protective housing comprising a seal through which the scale signal receiver can be connected to a part outside the integral protective housing, wherein the sealed encoder module does not comprise integral bearings for constraining the scale signal receiver relative to the optical scale and does not comprise integral hearings for constraining the scale signal receiver relative to the integral protective housing, and in which the scale signal receiver comprises at least one vibration control device comprising at least one member configured to vibrate independently of the rest of the scale signal receiver and configured to reduce the susceptibility of the scale signal receiver of the readhead assembly to vibrations.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.