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.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 01, 2007
Filed:
Jul. 29, 2004
Joseph D. Tobiason, Woodinville, WA (US);
Avron Zwilling, Redmond, WA (US);
Casey Emtman, Sammamish, WA (US);
Scott Harsila, Seattle, WA (US);
Mike Goldsworthy, Seattle, WA (US);
Kim W. Atherton, Kirkland, WA (US);
Joseph D. Tobiason, Woodinville, WA (US);
Avron Zwilling, Redmond, WA (US);
Casey Emtman, Sammamish, WA (US);
Scott Harsila, Seattle, WA (US);
Mike Goldsworthy, Seattle, WA (US);
Kim W. Atherton, Kirkland, WA (US);
Mitutoyo Corporation, Kawasaki-shi, JP;
Abstract
All-optical output precision measuring gauges that sense the displacement of an internal scale grating are disclosed. Each type of gauge includes a compact, miniature, or ultra-miniature optical readhead that includes a light source for transmitting light to the scale grating, and optical-fiber detector channels for receiving light from the scale grating and outputting optical measuring signals from the gauge. In various embodiments, the optical-fiber detector channels have respective phase grating masks for receiving a periodic light pattern that moves in correspondence to the scale grating, and the channels are arranged in balanced pairs. In various embodiments, the optical readhead is an interferometric-type optical readhead that provides a measuring resolution as fine as 10–50 nanometers or less. In various embodiments, the gauge is provided in an unprecedented miniature size. In various embodiments, the gauge is motorized to provide a precision actuator.