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. 08, 2011
Filed:
Oct. 11, 2006
Kurt Pelsue, Wayland, MA (US);
Stuart A. Dodson, Ii, Waltham, MA (US);
Bradley L. Hunter, Lexington, MA (US);
Donald V. Smart, Boston, MA (US);
Pierre-yves Mabboux, Billerica, MA (US);
Jonathan S. Ehrmann, Sudbury, MA (US);
Kurt Pelsue, Wayland, MA (US);
Stuart A. Dodson, II, Waltham, MA (US);
Bradley L. Hunter, Lexington, MA (US);
Donald V. Smart, Boston, MA (US);
Pierre-Yves Mabboux, Billerica, MA (US);
Jonathan S. Ehrmann, Sudbury, MA (US);
GSI Group Corporation, Bedford, MA (US);
Abstract
A reflective metrological scale has a metal tape substrate and a scale pattern of elongated side-by-side marks surrounded by reflective surface areas of the substrate. Each mark has a furrowed cross section and may have a depth in the range of 0.5 to 2 microns. The central region of each mark may be rippled and darkened to provide an enhanced optical reflection ratio with respect to surrounding surface areas. A manufacturing method includes the repeated steps of (1) creating a scale mark by irradiating the substrate surface at a mark location with overlapped pulses from a laser, each pulse having an energy density of less than about 1 joule per cm2, and (2) changing the relative position of the laser and the substrate by a displacement amount defining a next mark location on the substrate at which a next mark of the scale is to be created.