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:
Mar. 18, 2008
Filed:
Nov. 09, 2006
Donald K. Mitchell, Wayland, MA (US);
Donald L. Grimes, Milford, MA (US);
William G. Thorburn, Whitinsville, MA (US);
Stuart A. Dodson, Ii, Waltham, MA (US);
Keith M. Hinrichs, Natick, MA (US);
Andrew Goldman, Stow, MA (US);
Joel M. Petersen, Valley Village, CA (US);
Christopher C. Rich, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA (US);
Donald K. Mitchell, Wayland, MA (US);
Donald L. Grimes, Milford, MA (US);
William G. Thorburn, Whitinsville, MA (US);
Stuart A. Dodson, II, Waltham, MA (US);
Keith M. Hinrichs, Natick, MA (US);
Andrew Goldman, Stow, MA (US);
Joel M. Petersen, Valley Village, CA (US);
Christopher C. Rich, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA (US);
GSI Group Corporation, Billerica, MA (US);
Abstract
A flexible optical marker is applied to an optical scale substrate to make an optical scale assembly for an optical position encoder. The marker may be a limit marker, index marker, or other type of marker. The marker substrate may be a plastic film such as polyester, singulated from a 'recombine' roll created by a web process. The marker has a microstructured pattern on one surface that is covered with a reflective metal coating. The marker also has an adhesive layer and is affixed to the optical scale substrate by a process of aligning the marker to an edge of the scale and then applying pressure to the upper surface of the marker. The marker may be applied with a handle portion that is separated from the marker after the marker is affixed. The marker may be especially useful with a flexible scale substrate such as a metal tape substrate. By affixing the marker to the scale substrate as a separate step of making an encoder scale, various benefits such as reduced inventory, cost, and lead time may be achieved.