Split type photoelectric angle encoder and matched tool

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of split type encoders, in particular to a split type photoelectric angle encoder and a matched tool, the reading head of the encoder and the end face of a grating disc are respectively provided with at least two positioning pin holes, and a photoelectric module in the reading head is mechanically limited through a groove. The cable is combined and fixed through the positioning ball and the wire harness binding belt, so that the use of a structural adhesive in the production process is reduced, the production cost is reduced, and the production efficiency and the maintainability and interchangeability of the product are improved. In the debugging process before leaving the field, the positions of the reading head and the grating disc are relatively fixed by using a matched tool, so that the problem that the positions of the reading head and the grating disc need to be subjected to secondary adjustment during use by a customer is avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of split encoder technology, and particularly relates to a split photoelectric angle encoder and its matching tooling. Background Technology

[0002] Photoelectric encoders, as sensors that convert mechanical geometric displacement into pulses or digital quantities, are mainly divided into two types based on their structure: integral and split. Integral photoelectric encoders have independent shaft systems and bearings, allowing them to be used independently without relying on the product's shaft system. This makes the system complete and reduces repetitive assembly and adjustment work. However, the disadvantage of integral photoelectric encoders is their larger size, making them unsuitable for space-constrained applications. Split photoelectric encoders have no internal bearings, resulting in a simpler structure and smaller size. However, their functionality depends on the product's shaft system, leading to more repetitive and difficult assembly and adjustment work.

[0003] Traditional split-type encoders have a complex installation process. During installation, specialized positioning fixtures are required to accurately position the encoder readhead and the grating code disk. Furthermore, the internal structure of the readhead relies on structural adhesives for bonding, resulting in high production costs, poor maintainability and interchangeability. The bonding process also relies on manual adjustment, leading to inconsistent assembly standards and a low pass rate. The external cable connection to the readhead, in particular, relies on adhesive bonding for fixation, which is unreliable. These problems significantly limit the reliability of split-type encoders and their performance in high-precision applications.

[0004] Furthermore, split-type encoders require extremely precise positioning of the reading head and grating disk during use. Traditionally, after factory calibration, the reading head and grating disk are two completely independent components, meaning they are typically shipped separately to the customer's factory. Customers then need to install the reading head and grating disk at their workstations and re-adjust their positions. Sometimes, this even requires the encoder manufacturer to send technicians to the customer's factory for installation and adjustment. This process is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and the customer's adjustment accuracy is often difficult to match the factory calibration accuracy. Consequently, this results in poor output signal quality for the split-type encoder. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of this, the present invention aims to provide a split-type photoelectric angle encoder and its matching tooling. The cable is fixed by pressing with positioning balls, and the photoelectric module is mechanically limited by grooves, which avoids the problem of difficult disassembly of internal components of the reading head caused by traditional gluing process. The present invention also proposes a matching tooling, which achieves accurate positioning before leaving the factory through positioning module and positioning pin, and maintains the positional relationship between the reading head and the grating disk through positioning module and positioning pin, thus solving the problem of needing to perform secondary debugging of the reading head and grating disk when installing to the work station.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution created by this utility model is implemented as follows:

[0007] This invention provides a split-type photoelectric angle encoder, including a reading head and a grating disk, wherein at least two positioning pin holes are provided on the end faces of both the reading head and the grating disk.

[0008] The reading head includes a housing, a photoelectric module, a cable, a positioning ball, and a concave set screw. The housing has a groove that matches the photoelectric module, and the photoelectric module is installed in the groove for mechanical positioning. The housing has a through hole for the cable to pass through, and the side wall of the through hole has at least one radial screw hole. A positioning ball is installed in each radial screw hole, and a concave set screw is threaded into it. The front end of the concave set screw abuts against the positioning ball. The positioning ball is positioned or disassembled by rotating the concave set screw.

[0009] Preferably, the reading head further includes a cover plate that is screwed to the opening surface of the housing.

[0010] Preferably, the optoelectronic module and the cable are connected by a socket and plug.

[0011] Preferably, the reading head also includes a wire harness cable tie, which is fixed inside the housing and is used to connect the cable and pre-fix the cable.

[0012] Preferably, the cover plate has a viewing window, the position of which corresponds to the photoelectric module, and the indicator light of the photoelectric module can be observed through the viewing window.

[0013] Preferably, the positioning pin holes on the grating disk are evenly distributed on the annular end face of the grating disk.

[0014] In another aspect, this utility model provides a matching tooling for a split-type photoelectric angle encoder, including: a positioning module and a positioning pin. The positioning module is provided with: a positioning hole that matches the positioning pin hole of the reading head, and a positioning hole that matches the positioning pin hole of the grating disk.

[0015] The positioning pin passes through the positioning pin hole and the positioning hole to form a detachable positioning connection between the reading head and the positioning module, as well as a detachable positioning connection between the grating disk and the positioning module.

[0016] When installing the encoder at the workstation, the positioning pin is used to pass through the positioning pin hole and the positioning hole to form a detachable positioning connection between the reading head and the positioning module, as well as a detachable positioning connection between the grating disk and the positioning module, so as to realize the positioning installation of the reading head and the grating disk.

[0017] Preferably, the positioning module includes a ring plate, a positioning cylinder, and an ear plate. The ear plate is connected to the edge of the ring plate and is coplanar with the ring plate. Positioning holes that match the positioning pin holes of the reading head are distributed on the ear plate.

[0018] The bottom surface of the positioning cylinder is concentrically connected to the ring plate. The outer diameter of the positioning cylinder is equal to the inner diameter of the grating disk. The positioning cylinder passes through the inner diameter of the grating disk to achieve the pre-positioning of the positioning module and the grating disk. The positioning holes that match the positioning pin holes of the grating disk are distributed on the ring plate.

[0019] Preferably, the positioning module has an "I" shaped structure, with positioning holes that match the positioning pin holes of the reading head distributed at both ends of the upper horizontal bar of the "I" shaped structure, and positioning holes that match the positioning pin holes of the grating disk distributed at both ends of the lower horizontal bar of the "I" shaped structure.

[0020] Compared with the prior art, the present invention can achieve the following beneficial effects:

[0021] The photoelectric module of the encoder proposed in this utility model uses grooves for mechanical positioning, which avoids the problem of difficult disassembly, replacement and maintenance of internal components of the reading head caused by traditional adhesive bonding process. It also reduces the use of structural adhesives in the production process, greatly shortens the process time caused by adhesive curing, reduces production costs and improves production efficiency. At the same time, the mechanical positioning installation method improves the maintainability and interchangeability of the product.

[0022] The encoder cable proposed in this utility model adopts a combination of cable harness binding and positioning ball compression to fix the cable, realizing the combined axial and radial fixation of the cable. The positioning ball compression pattern can effectively avoid large local stress on the outer insulation protective sheath of the cable, thus avoiding damage to the insulation protective sheath. Furthermore, without damaging the outer protective sheath of the cable surface, the fixed cable can withstand a tensile force of 100 Newtons, which greatly improves the stability of the cable.

[0023] The encoder proposed in this invention features positioning pin holes on both the reading head and the grating disk, and is equipped with matching fixtures. During pre-shipment debugging, the positioning module and positioning pins are used to relatively fix the positions of the reading head and the grating disk, achieving precise positioning of the encoder reading head and the grating disk. During customer installation, the positioning module and positioning pins maintain the positional relationship between the reading head and the grating disk, avoiding secondary adjustments by the customer. This reduces the difficulty of equipment debugging for production personnel, improves installation efficiency, and prevents low installation accuracy due to improper human operation, which could affect the quality of the reading signal. Furthermore, after the reading head and grating disk are installed, the matching fixtures can be removed and reused. Attached Figure Description

[0024] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of this invention. The illustrative embodiments and descriptions of this invention are used to explain this invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of this invention. In the drawings:

[0025] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of a split-type photoelectric angle encoder provided according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0026] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the reading head provided according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the reading head housing according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the first type of matching tooling provided according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0029] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the second type of supporting tooling provided according to an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0030] The reference numerals in the figures include:

[0031] 1. Reading head; 2. Grating disk; 3. Positioning module; 4. Positioning pin hole; 5. Positioning hole;

[0032] 11. Housing 12. Cover plate 13. Optoelectronic module 14. Cable 15. Positioning ball 16. Concave end set screw 17. Cable tie 18;

[0033] Ring plate 31, positioning cylinder 32, ear plate 33;

[0034] Upper crossbar 34, lower crossbar 35;

[0035] Positioning block 111, positioning surface 112, positioning protrusion 113. Detailed Implementation

[0036] To make the purpose, technical solution, and advantages of this utility model clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of this utility model and do not constitute a limitation thereof. Similar elements in different embodiments are referred to by associated similar element reference numerals. In the following embodiments, many details are described to facilitate a better understanding of this utility model. However, those skilled in the art will readily recognize that some features may be omitted in different situations, or may be replaced by other elements, materials, or methods. In some cases, some operations related to this utility model are not shown or described in the specification. This is to avoid obscuring the core parts of this utility model with excessive description. For those skilled in the art, detailed description of these related operations is not necessary; they can fully understand the related operations based on the description in the specification and general technical knowledge in the art.

[0037] It should be noted that, without conflict, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of this utility model can be combined with each other to form various implementation methods. Furthermore, the steps or actions in the method description can be rearranged or adjusted in a manner readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the various orders in the specification and drawings are merely for the clear description of a particular embodiment and do not imply a mandatory order, unless otherwise stated that a particular order must be followed.

[0038] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this utility model and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0039] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0040] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0041] Please see Figure 1 In one embodiment of this utility model, a split-type photoelectric angle encoder is provided, mainly comprising a reading head 1 and a grating disk 2. The reading head 1 and the grating disk 2 are two separate core components. The reading head 1 integrates photoelectric sensing functions and signal processing circuitry to acquire the rotation angle information of the grating disk 2. The grating disk 2 carries a ring-shaped code disk with a specific encoding structure. This grating disk 2 is a metal reflective code disk with reading lines engraved on it. During use, the grating disk 2 is usually mounted on the output shaft of the motor and rotates with the motor. The reading head 1 is mounted on a non-rotating component to record the photoelectric signal generated by the rotation of the grating disk 2, thereby achieving encoded counting.

[0042] Please see Figure 2 The reading head 1 mainly includes a housing 11, a cover plate 12, a photoelectric module 13, and a cable 14. Traditional reading heads use adhesive bonding for their internal components, requiring a large amount of structural adhesive during production, and the curing time of this adhesive affects the production efficiency of the reading head 1. Therefore, this embodiment employs mechanical limiting installation, using a groove within the housing 11 to mechanically limit the photoelectric module 13. Furthermore, to ensure the reliability of the cable 14 installation, a positioning ball 15, a concave end set screw 16, and a cable tie 17 are added to achieve a combination of axial and radial fixation of the cable 14. For details, please refer to... Figure 3The interior of the housing 11 is machined according to the size, shape, and opening position of the photoelectric module 13, forming a groove. Within this groove, a positioning block 111, a positioning surface 112, and a positioning protrusion 113 are machined. The positioning block 111 is designed according to the shape of the photoelectric module 13, ensuring that the photoelectric module 13 can be accurately installed into the housing 11. The positioning surface 112 supports the photoelectric module 13. The positioning protrusion 113 prevents the photoelectric module 13 from being installed backwards, providing a foolproof assembly effect and reducing human error. The cover plate 12 is installed on the opening surface of the housing 11 using screws. Furthermore, it should be noted that the cover plate 12 has a viewing window, which can be a transparent plate or a through hole directly in the cover plate 12. The viewing window is positioned to correspond to the indicator lights on the photoelectric module 13. By observing the indicator lights, encoder malfunctions can be identified, improving equipment efficiency and ensuring the accuracy of the angle encoder system.

[0043] Please see Figure 2 A through hole for inserting a cable 14 is provided on the housing 11. The diameter of the through hole is slightly larger than the diameter of the cable 14, and the through hole communicates with the groove for mounting the optoelectronic module 13. The optoelectronic module 13 and the cable 14 are connected via this through hole using a plug-and-socket connection. To ensure the installation stability of the cable 14, a cable harness 17 is fixed inside the housing 11. The cable harness 17 can bind and pre-fix the cable 14 to prevent it from moving axially along the through hole. Furthermore, at least one radial screw hole is vertically formed on the side wall of the through hole, and each radial screw hole communicates with the through hole. After the optoelectronic module 13 and the cable 14 are connected, a positioning ball 15, which is a stainless steel ball, is installed in each radial screw hole. A threaded concave set screw 16 is screwed into the radial screw hole, with its front end abutting against the positioning ball 15. Rotating the concave set screw 16 achieves the abutment and positioning of the positioning ball 15 and the cable 14, preventing radial rotation of the cable 14. For disassembly and maintenance, the concave set screw 16 is unscrewed for disassembly. In this embodiment, the reading head 1 is mechanically positioned, avoiding traditional gluing processes. This allows for component repair and replacement without damaging core components, greatly improving product maintainability and parts interchangeability. Furthermore, the positioning ball 15 abutment design in this embodiment improves the installation reliability of the cable 14. Testing shows that the cable 14 can withstand a tensile force of 100 Newtons (N) without damaging the outer insulating sheath.

[0044] In addition, please see Figure 1To facilitate precise positioning of the reading head 1 and the grating disk 2 during debugging, testing, and use, at least two positioning pin holes 4 are provided on the end faces of both the reading head 1 and the grating disk 2. The positioning pin holes 4 on the reading head 1 are located on the end face of the positioning block 111. The positioning pin holes 4 on the grating disk 2 are evenly distributed on the annular end face of the grating disk 2, that is, the positioning pin holes 4 on the grating disk 2 are distributed on each vertex of the inscribed regular polygon of the grating disk 2.

[0045] Based on the aforementioned split-type photoelectric angle encoder, this utility model embodiment also provides its supporting tooling, please refer to... Figure 4 The first type of split-type photoelectric angle encoder's supporting tooling includes: a positioning module 3 and positioning pins. The positioning module 3 includes a ring plate 31, a positioning cylinder 32, and an ear plate 33. The ear plate 33 is connected to the edge of the ring plate 31, and the ear plate 33 and the ring plate 31 are connected to the same plane. The ear plate 33 and the ring plate 31 are usually integrally made. A positioning hole 5 is provided at each of the left and right ends of the ear plate 33. These two positioning holes 5 are respectively matched with two positioning pin holes 4 on the housing 11 of the reading head 1. By passing the positioning pin through the positioning pin hole 4 and the positioning hole 5 in sequence, the detachable positioning connection between the reading head 1 and the positioning module 3 can be realized, fixing the relative position of the reading head 1 and the positioning module 3. The positioning cylinder 32 is set perpendicular to the ring plate 31. The bottom surface of the positioning cylinder 32 is concentrically connected to the ring plate 31, and the diameter of the bottom surface of the positioning cylinder 32 is equal to the inner ring diameter of the ring plate 31. The outer diameter of the positioning cylinder 32 is equal to or slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the grating disk 2. Two positioning holes 5 are provided on the end face of the ring plate 31. These two positioning holes 5 are respectively matched with two positioning pin holes 4 on the grating disk 2. During the debugging process before leaving the factory, the positioning cylinder 32 is inserted into the inner diameter of the grating disk 2 to achieve the pre-positioning of the positioning module 3 and the grating disk 2. The grating disk 2 is rotated so that the positioning pin hole 4 on the grating disk 2 is aligned with the positioning hole 5 on the ring plate 31. By passing the positioning pin through the positioning pin hole 4 and the positioning hole 5 in sequence, the detachable positioning connection between the grating disk 2 and the positioning module 3 can be achieved, fixing the relative position of the grating disk 2 and the positioning module 3, thereby achieving the accurate positioning of the reading head 1 and the grating disk 2.

[0046] Before leaving the factory, the reading head 1 and grating disk 2 of the split-type photoelectric angle encoder are precisely positioned using matching tooling and transported to the customer's factory. The customer can directly fix the grating disk 2 to the motor output shaft and fix the reading head 1. After the reading head 1 and grating disk 2 are installed, the positioning pin and positioning module 3 can be removed, and the encoder can be started. Before the split-type photoelectric angle encoder is installed in the customer's factory, the position is constrained by the positioning pin and positioning module 3, which can effectively avoid secondary assembly and adjustment during the customer's installation process, saving time and effort, and providing high installation accuracy. This solves the problem that traditional split-type encoders require repositioning and debugging of the reading head 1 and grating disk 2 during customer use.

[0047] As one possible embodiment, please refer to Figure 5 It also provides a second type of tooling for a split-type photoelectric angle encoder, which also includes a positioning module 3 and a positioning pin, and... Figure 4 The difference in the supporting tooling shown lies in the slightly different structure and shape of the positioning module 3. The positioning module 3 adopts an "I"-shaped structure, with a positioning hole 5 at each end of the upper horizontal bar 34 of the "I"-shaped structure. These two positioning holes 5 correspond to the positioning pin holes 4 on the housing 11 of the reading head 1. By passing the positioning pins through the positioning pin holes 4 and the positioning holes 5 in sequence, a detachable positioning connection can be achieved between the reading head 1 and the positioning module 3, fixing their relative positions. Similarly, a positioning hole 5 is provided at each end of the lower horizontal bar 35 of the "I"-shaped structure. These two positioning holes 5 correspond to the two positioning pin holes 4 on the grating disk 2. By passing the positioning pins through the positioning pin holes 4 and the positioning holes 5 in sequence, a detachable positioning connection can be achieved between the grating disk 2 and the positioning module 3, fixing their relative positions and thus achieving precise positioning of the reading head 1 and the grating disk 2. This tooling does not have the pre-positioning design of positioning module 3 and grating disk 2. Before factory testing, the debugging process is not as convenient as the first tooling, but the structure is simpler. In the process of using the two toolings in the customer's factory, the effect is exactly the same.

[0048] In summary, the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this specification and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this specification. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this specification should be included within the scope of protection of this specification.

[0049] The systems, apparatuses, modules, or units described in one or more of the above embodiments may be implemented by a computer chip or entity, or by a product having a certain function. A typical implementation device is a computer. Specifically, a computer may be, for example, a personal computer, a laptop computer, a cellular phone, a camera phone, a smartphone, a personal digital assistant, a media player, a navigation device, an email device, a game console, a tablet computer, a wearable device, or any combination of these devices.

[0050] It should also be noted that the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0051] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to interchangeably. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments. In particular, the system embodiments are basically similar to the method embodiments, so the description is relatively simple; relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions in the method embodiments.

[0052] The foregoing has described specific embodiments of this specification. Other embodiments are within the scope of the appended claims. In some cases, the actions or steps recited in the claims may be performed in a different order than that shown in the embodiments and may still achieve the desired result. Furthermore, the processes depicted in the drawings do not necessarily require the specific or sequential order shown to achieve the desired result. In some embodiments, multitasking and parallel processing are possible or may be advantageous.

Claims

1. A split optical angle encoder, characterized in that include: The reading head and the grating disk are provided with at least two positioning pin holes on their end faces; The reading head includes a housing, a photoelectric module, a cable, a positioning ball, and a concave set screw. The housing has a groove adapted to the photoelectric module, which is installed in the groove for mechanical positioning. The housing has a through hole for the cable to pass through, and the side wall of the through hole has at least one radial screw hole. A positioning ball is installed in each radial screw hole and is threaded with a concave set screw. The front end of the concave set screw abuts against the positioning ball. The positioning ball is positioned or disassembled by rotating the concave set screw.

2. The split opto-electric angle encoder of claim 1, wherein, The reading head also includes a cover plate that is screwed to the opening surface of the housing.

3. The split opto-electric angle encoder of claim 1, wherein, The optoelectronic module and cable are connected via a socket and plug.

4. The split opto-electric angle encoder of claim 1, wherein, The reading head also includes a wire harness cable tie, which is fixed inside the housing and is used to connect the cable and pre-fix the cable.

5. The split opto-electric angle encoder of claim 2, wherein, A viewing window is provided on the cover plate, and the position of the viewing window corresponds to the photoelectric module. The indicator light of the photoelectric module can be observed through the viewing window.

6. The split opto-electric angle encoder of claim 1, wherein, The positioning pin holes on the grating disk are evenly distributed on the annular end face of the grating disk.

7. A kit of parts for a split optical angle encoder as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, include: The positioning module and the positioning pin are provided. The positioning module is provided with a positioning hole that matches the positioning pin hole of the reading head and a positioning hole that matches the positioning pin hole of the grating disk. The positioning pin passes through the positioning pin hole and the positioning hole to form a detachable positioning connection between the reading head and the positioning module, and a detachable positioning connection between the grating disk and the positioning module. When installing the encoder, a positioning pin is used to pass through the positioning pin hole and the positioning hole to form a detachable positioning connection between the reading head and the positioning module, and a detachable positioning connection between the grating disk and the positioning module, thereby realizing the positioning installation of the reading head and the grating disk.

8. The split opto-electric angle encoder kit of claim 7, wherein, The positioning module includes a ring plate, a positioning cylinder, and an ear plate. The ear plate is connected to the edge of the ring plate and is on the same plane as the ring plate. Positioning holes that match the positioning pin holes of the reading head are distributed on the ear plate. The bottom surface of the positioning cylinder is concentrically connected to the ring plate. The outer diameter of the positioning cylinder is equal to the inner diameter of the grating disk. The positioning cylinder passes through the inner diameter of the grating disk to achieve the pre-positioning of the positioning module and the grating disk. Positioning holes that match the positioning pin holes of the grating disk are distributed on the ring plate.

9. The split optical angle encoder kit of claim 7, wherein, The positioning module has an "I" shaped structure. The positioning holes that match the positioning pin holes of the reading head are distributed at both ends of the upper horizontal bar of the "I" shaped structure, and the positioning holes that match the positioning pin holes of the grating disk are distributed at both ends of the lower horizontal bar of the "I" shaped structure.

Images