Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
292 words
In an optical measuring device for determining and digitally indicating the extent of movement of an object relative to a reference structure, a plurality of integrated sensing units, each sensing unit comprising first and second optically aligned graduation carriers, said first graduation carrier being secured to the reference structure, each said graduation carrier being provided with parallel linear graduations in the form of light permeable and light impermeable markings, the number of light impermeable markings per unit length on one carrier being unequal inter se to the number of light impermeable markings per unit length on the other carrier, the arrangement of the linear graduations permitting the light permeable markings on the first graduation carrier to be optically aligned with the light permeable markings on the second graduation carrier only when the first graduation carrier has been displaced relative to the second graduation carrier by a predetermined number of division units or a full numbered multiple of that number of division units, continuous illumination means adjacent said first graduation carrier optically aligned with said first and second graduation carriers for directing light through the light permeable marking of the second graduation carrier when they are optically aligned with the light permeable markings of the first graduation carrier, photoelectric means optically aligned with the illumination means and the first and second graduation carriers to sense the presence of a continuous transmission of light through both said graduation carriers and generating an electrical signal in response to the presence of light, and electronic evaluating means connected to said photoelectric means for processing the presence or absence of an electric signal generated thereby to provide a digital output signal usable for digitally indicating the extent of movement of the object relative to the reference structure.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
292 words
In an optical measuring device for determining and digitally indicating the extent of movement of an object relative to a reference structure, a plurality of integrated sensing units, each sensing unit comprising first and second optically aligned graduation carriers, said first graduation carrier being secured to the reference structure, each said graduation carrier being provided with parallel linear graduations in the form of light permeable and light impermeable markings, the number of light impermeable markings per unit length on one carrier being unequal inter se to the number of light impermeable markings per unit length on the other carrier, the arrangement of the linear graduations permitting the light permeable markings on the first graduation carrier to be optically aligned with the light permeable markings on the second graduation carrier only when the first graduation carrier has been displaced relative to the second graduation carrier by a predetermined number of division units or a full numbered multiple of that number of division units, continuous illumination means adjacent said first graduation carrier optically aligned with said first and second graduation carriers for directing light through the light permeable marking of the second graduation carrier when they are optically aligned with the light permeable markings of the first graduation carrier, photoelectric means optically aligned with the illumination means and the first and second graduation carriers to sense the presence of a continuous transmission of light through both said graduation carriers and generating an electrical signal in response to the presence of light, and electronic evaluating means connected to said photoelectric means for processing the presence or absence of an electric signal generated thereby to provide a digital output signal usable for digitally indicating the extent of movement of the object relative to the reference structure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
In an optical measuring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the arrangement of linear graduations on the second graduation carriers of successive sensing units is larger in graduation by one measuring unit than on the first graduation carriers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
In an optical measuring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said linear graduations have their longitudinal axes at right angles to the direction of movement to be measured.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
In an optical measuring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said photoelectric means comprises a photoelectric receiver positioned to consecutively sense the presence of light from a plurality of sensing units.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
In an optical measuring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein an optical projection system is provided between the first and second graduation carriers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
In an optical measuring device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the optical projection system is a mirror optical system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
In an optical measuring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the arrangement of the linear graduations is such that the image pattern resulting after relative movement of the graduation carriers is in the form of a single step code which is cyclic with the number of interval divisions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
In an optical measuring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein light conducting means are positioned adjacent the second graduation carrier to conduct the transmitted light to the photoelectric means.