Displacement Detecting Device With Polynomial Scale Marks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional displacement detecting devices have limited measurement ranges due to reliance on origin marks and signals, and their accuracy decreases when the scale tilts or expands due to temperature changes, restricting their application in machine tools and industrial machines.

Innovation Solution

A displacement detecting device with a scale featuring marks whose pitch interval can be approximated by a quadratic or higher-order polynomial, using multiple displacement detecting units to calculate absolute position without relying on origin marks, allowing for extended measurement ranges and improved accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of stationary object

If the measurement range is extended by increasing the intervals in the first and second regions, then the measurement range is extended, but detection accuracy reduces considerably when the scale tilts or when the scale expands or shrinks due to temperature changes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement rangeVSAvoiddetection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of stationary objectVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The scale is divided into multiple regions with different mark interval characteristics. The first region has marks at predetermined intervals suitable for high-accuracy detection, while the second region has marks at larger intervals to extend the measurement range. The detection head can switch between or combine information from both regions to achieve both extended range and maintained accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Measurement precision

If the displacement detecting device relies on origin marks and origin signals, then the absolute position can be detected, but the measurement range is limited to lengths of the first region and the second region in the measurement direction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveabsolute position detectionVSAvoidmeasurement range
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the dependency on origin marks and origin signals from the displacement detection system. By using multiple regions with different mark intervals and processing the phase differences between these regions, the system can determine absolute position without requiring traditional origin marks, thereby extending the measurement range beyond the limitations imposed by origin signal requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Length of stationary object

If the second region is arranged in a direction parallel to the measurement surface of the scale and orthogonal to the measurement direction, then the measurement range may be extended, but the measurement range when the first reading unit or the second reading unit moves in the orthogonal direction is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement rangeVSAvoidmovement freedom
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of stationary objectVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The invention arranges the second region in a direction parallel to the measurement surface and orthogonal to the measurement direction, creating a two-dimensional mark distribution pattern. This dimensional arrangement allows the system to extend measurement range in the primary measurement direction while maintaining adaptability for movements in orthogonal directions through the spatial distribution of marks across multiple regions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP2741058B1Displacement detecting device and scale
Publication Date: 2019.04.10 DMG MORI CO LTD
  • EP2741058B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2741058B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2741058B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A scale 2 has marks S1 whose pitch interval changes along a measurement direction X1 in a manner that can be approximated to a quadratic or higher-order polynomial. A comparing unit 6 calculates a difference between first relative position information and second relative position information per unit displacement in a position where a first displacement detecting unit 9 is arranged. Then, an absolute position computing unit 7 computes an absolute position in the measurement direction X1 with respect to the scale 2 based on absolute position information and the relative position information of at least one of the first relative position information and the second relative position information, and outputs the absolute position.