The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Aug. 10, 2004

Filed:

Oct. 12, 2001
Applicant:
Inventor:

Michael Homer, Dursley, GB;

Assignee:

Renishaw PLC, Gloucestershire, GB;

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01B 1/102 ; G01B 9/02 ; G01J 3/50 ; G01D 5/34 ; H01J 3/14 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G01B 1/102 ; G01B 9/02 ; G01J 3/50 ; G01D 5/34 ; H01J 3/14 ;
Abstract

A scale ( ) is illuminated by a light source ( ). After interaction with an index grating ( ), fringes (F) are formed in a Talbot plane and analyzed by an analyzer grating ( ). To decrease the sensitivity to changes in the ride height of the index grating above the scale, the light source is restricted to a small but finite size, and positioned so that it subtends a small angle Ø at the analyzer grating (or, if a collimating lens ( ) is used, positioned so that it subtends a small angle Ø at the lens). The size of the light source should preferably be smaller than a predetermined value such that the extent of a geometric fringe visibility envelope exceeds the extent of a Talbot fringe visibility envelope.


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