Mitutoyo Corporation

Norman Laman

Joseph Daniel Tobiason

Akihide Kimura

Shu Hirata

Michael Nahum

Ted Staton Cook

Nick Hartmann

Tatsuhiko Mukuta

A chromatic range sensor (CRS) system is configured to provide an in-focus image of a workpiece surface including a measurement spot usable as a guide light. The system includes an optical pen having a chromatically dispersive lens configuration providing axial chromatic dispersion, and a reflected light dividing configuration (e.g., a beamsplitter) arranged to receive and divide reflected light from the workpiece surface into a measurement portion and an imaging portion. The optical pen includes a narrowband spectral filter and a camera. The CRS system includes a processing portion configured to measure a distance from the optical pen to the workpiece surface, and to make an adjustment so that the distance corresponds to a focus distance at which the workpiece surface is in focus when imaged by the light that passes through the narrowband spectral filter.

Chromatic range sensor system including camera

A metrology system is provided for use with a movement system that moves an end tool. The metrology system includes a sensor configuration, a light beam source configuration and a processing portion. The light beam source configuration directs light beams to light beam sensors to indicate a position and orientation of the light beam source configuration. In a high speed operating mode (e.g., an alternative to a standard speed operating mode), the metrology system determines a region of interest ('ROI') for each light beam sensor of a set of light beam sensors, wherein each ROI includes a measurement spot produced by a light beam. Measurement signals are processed resulting from the ROIs, and a position and orientation of the light beam source configuration is determined. In various implementations, the ROIs are determined (e.g., including position and/or size, etc.) based at least in part on position information from the movement system.

Metrology system with high speed position and orientation tracking mode

A metrology system is provided for use with a movement system that moves an end tool (e.g., a probe). The metrology system includes a sensor configuration, a light beam source configuration and a processing portion. The sensor configuration comprises a plurality of light beam sensors. The light beam source configuration directs light beams to the light beam sensors of the sensor configuration. One of the light beam source configuration or the sensor configuration is coupled to the end tool and/or an end tool mounting configuration of the movement system which moves the end tool. The light beams that are directed to the light beam sensors cause the light beam sensors to produce corresponding measurement signals. A processing portion processes the measurement signals from the light beam sensors which indicate the position and orientation of the end tool.

Metrology system with position and orientation tracking utilizing light beams

An encoder includes scale and detection head. The detection head includes light source (transmitting unit) and light-receiving unit (receiving unit). The light-receiving unit includes light-receiving surface (receiving surface) and converts light received at the light-receiving surfaceinto differential detection signals with two phases and outputs the same. The light-receiving surface includes element array group including four element arrays provided in a parallel manner along an orthogonal direction, with each element array including a plurality of light-receiving elements (receiving elements). The plurality of element arrays in the element array group are disposed at positions where the sum of: (i) a distance in the orthogonal direction from a reference position to a positive phase signal element array; and (ii) a distance in the orthogonal direction from the reference position to the negative phase signal element array, is the same for all the phases of the at least two phases.

Encoder

A chromatic range sensor (CRS) system is provided that determines a workpiece thickness and includes an optical pen, an illumination source, a wavelength detector and a processing portion. The optical pen includes an optics portion providing axial chromatic dispersion, the illumination source is configured to generate multi-wavelength light and the wavelength detector includes a plurality of pixels distributed along a measurement axis. In operation, the optical pen inputs a spectral profile from the illumination source and outputs corresponding radiation to first and second workpiece surfaces of a workpiece (e.g., which may be transparent) and outputs reflected radiation to the wavelength detector which provides output spectral profile data. The processing portion processes the output spectral profile data to determine a thickness of the workpiece. In various implementations, the processing to determine the thickness may not rely on determining a distance to the workpiece and/or may utilize transform processing, etc.

Chromatic range sensor system for measuring workpiece thickness

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

Contamination and defect resistant optical encoder configuration including first and second illumination source diffraction gratings arranged in first and second parallel planes for providing displacement signals

Contamination and defect resistant optical encoder configuration including a normal of readhead plane at a non-zero pitch angle relative to measuring axis for providing displacement signals

Contamination and defect resistant optical encoder configuration outputting structured illumination to a scale plane for providing displacement signals

A device for measuring the relative displacement between two members comprises a scale grating, an illumination source, a detector portion, and an imaging portion. The illumination source outputs diffracted light components (DLC) to the scale grating. The DLC comprises desired interfering light components comprising +1 and &#x2212;1 order DLC and undesired interfering light components comprising diffraction orders that are not the +1 and &#x2212;1 order DLC. The detector portion comprises at least a first array of periodically arranged optical detector sensing areas. The illumination source light diffraction grating is positioned proximate to the scale grating and oriented relative to the scale grating such that respective sets of interference fringes formed by different respective sets of interfering light components are differently rotated about the optical axis. The detector portion is oriented such that the optical detector sensing areas are aligned with interference fringes formed by the desired interfering light components.

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Kirkland, WA, United States of America

Norman Laman