Positioning device using photoelectric scanning

Claim 2

A positioning device for setting an article in a predetermined position comprising a combination of: an article to be positioned having a referential pattern of predetermined shape formed on a surface thereof; reference pattern carrier means having a reference pattern whose base portion is substantially similar in shape to said referential pattern; means for moving said article in a plane and to a position where said referential pattern on said article and at least the base portion of said reference pattern are optically superposed one upon the other; optical means for optically superposing said referential pattern and said reference pattern one upon the other and forming the images thereof; photoelectric converter means for scanning the superposed images formed by said optical means and converting such images into electrical signals; and detector means associated with said photoelectric converter means to detect the extent of deviation between said referential pattern and said reference pattern in accordance with the output components of said photoelectric converter means.

Claim 3

A positioning device according to claim 1, wherein said referential pattern and said reference pattern are similar in shape and substantially circular.

Claim 4

A positioning device according to claim 1, wherein said referential pattern comprises a base portion of substantially circular pattern and a plurality of radial lines extending radially outwardly from said base portion.

Claim 5

A positioning device according to claim 1, wherein said referential pattern comprises a base portion of substantiAlly circular pattern and a plurality of radial lines extending radially outwardly from said base portion, and said reference pattern comprises a base portion of substantially circular pattern and a plurality of radial lines extending radially outwardly from said base portion, the number of said latter radial lines being different from that of said former radial lines.

Claim 6

A positioning device according to claim 2, wherein said photoelectric converter means includes a photoelectric converter member and scanning means for rotatively scanning at least a circumferential portion of the superposed images of said referential pattern and said reference pattern, the scanning light from said scanning means being directed to said photoelectric converter member.

Claim 7

A positioning device according to claim 5, wherein said scanning means comprises a slitted plate rotatable at a constant speed.

Claim 8

A positioning device according to claim 5, wherein said scanning means comprises a fibrous bundle rotatable at a constant speed, one end of said bundle being opposed to said photoelectric converter member while the other end being opposed to at least a circumferential edge portion of the superposed images of said referential and reference patterns, said bundle being rotated about said one end thereof opposed to said photoelectric converter member.

Claim 9

A positioning device according to claim 5, wherein said scanning means comprises a rotatable prism.

Claim 10

A positioning device according to claim 2, wherein said photoelectric converter means comprises a photoelectric converter member and scanning means for rotatively scanning at least a circumferential edge portion of the superposed images of said referential and reference patterns, the scanning light from said scanning means being directed to said photoelectric converter member, and wherein said detector means comprises means for detecting the scanning phases of said scanning means, and a detector circuit receiving the output of said photoelectric converter member to produce X- and Y-directional deviation components in accordance with said phase detector means.

Claim 11

A positioning device according to claim 9, wherein said means for moving said article to be positioned comprises a support member for supporting said article thereon and mounted for movement in a plane, and two drive motors operatively associated with said support member to drive the latter in X- and Y-directions, each of said drive motors being operatively controlled by the output from said detector circuit.

Claim 12

A positioning device according to claim 3, wherein said photoelectric converter means comprises a photoelectric converter member and scanning means for rotatively scanning the superposed images of said referential and reference patterns and the radial lines of said referential pattern, the scanning light from said scanning means being directed to said photoelectric converter member, and wherein said detector means comprises a frequency discriminator circuit electrically connected with said photoelectric converter member to discriminate between the outputs therefrom, means for detecting the scanning phases of said scanning means, and a phase discriminator circuit connected with the output of said frequency discriminator circuit to form the output therefrom into output signals of different phases corresponding to the phases of said scanning means in accordance with the output from said detector means.

Claim 13

A positioning device according to claim 11, wherein said means for moving said article to be positioned comprises a support member for supporting said article thereon and movable in a plane, and two drive motors operatively connected with said support member to drive the latter in X- and Y-directions, said motors being operatively controlled by the output from said phase discriminator circuit.

Claim 14

A positioning device according to claim 4, wherein said photoelectric converter means comprises a photoelectric converter member and scanning means for rotatIvely scanning the superposed images of said referential and reference patterns and the superposed portion of said radial line patterns, the images scanned by said scanning means being directed to said photoelectric converter member to form electrical signals of different modulated frequency components in accordance with said radial line portions, and wherein said detector means comprises two frequency discriminator circuits electrically connected with said photoelectric converter member to discriminate between two different frequency-modulated signals therefrom, detector means for detecting the scanning phases of said scanning means, a pair of phase discriminator circuits connected with the outputs of said discriminator circuits to form output signals for at least two different directions corresponding to the scanning phases of said scanning means in accordance with the output from said scanning means, and a pair of subtracting means for subtracting the outputs from said pair of discriminator circuits.

Claim 15

A positioning device according to claim 13, wherein said two different directions are such that one of them is perpendicular to the other.

Claim 16

A positioning device according to claim 13, wherein said means for moving said article to be positioned comprises a support member for supporting said article thereon and movable in a plane, and two drive motors operatively connected with said support member to move said support member in said two different direction corresponding to said phases, said drive motors being reversible by said subtracting circuits in accordance with the outputs therefrom to thereby move said support member.

Claim 17

A positioning device according to claim 13, wherein said means for moving said article to be positioned is mounted for movement in two different directions in a plane, and comprises a support member for supporting said article thereon and operating means for moving said member, and wherein said detector means further comprises indicator means associated with the outputs of said discriminator circuits to effect indications corresponding to the outputs therefrom.

Claim 18

An automatic positioning device for setting an article in a predetermined position comprising a combination of: an article to be positioned having a referential pattern of predetermined shape formed on a surface thereof; reference pattern carrier means having a reference pattern whose base portion is substantially similar in shape to said referential pattern; means for moving said article in a plane and in at least two directions, said means being capable of moving said article to a position where said referential pattern on said article and at least the base portion of said reference pattern are optically superposed one upon the other; optical means for optically superposing said referential pattern and said reference pattern one upon the other and forming the images thereof; photoelectric converter means for scanning the superposed images formed by said optical means and converting such images into electrical signals; means connected with said photoelectric converter means to detect and memorize the polarity of the contrast of said referential pattern; detector means connected with said photoelectric converter means and with said memorizing means to regulate and detect the extent of deviation between said referential pattern and said reference pattern in two different directions in synchronism with the scanning phases of said photoelectric converter means; and drive means connected with said detector means to drive said means for moving said article.

Claim 19

An automatic positioning device for setting an article in a predetermined position comprising a combination of: an article to be positioned having a referential pattern of predetermined shape formed on a surface thereof; reference pattern carrier means having a reference pattern whose base portion is substantially similar in shape to said referential pattern; means for moving said article in a plane and in at least two directions, said means being capable of moving said article to a position where said referential pattern on said article and at least the base portion of said reference pattern are optically superposed one upon the other; optical means for optically superposing said referential pattern and said reference pattern one upon the other and forming the images thereof; photoelectric converter means for scanning the superposed images formed by said optical means and converting such images into electrical signals; means connected with said photoelectric converter means to detect and memorize the polarity of the contrast of said referential pattern; detector means connected with said photoelectric converter means and with said memorizing means to regulate and detect the extent of deviation between said referential pattern and said reference pattern in two different directions in synchronism with the scanning phases of said photoelectric converter means; and drive means connected with said detector means to drive said means for moving said article.

Claim 20

An automatic positioning device according to claim 17, wherein said memorizing means comprises a flip-flop.

Claim 21

An automatic positioning device for setting an article in a predetermined position comprising a combination of: an article to be positioned having a referential pattern of predetermined shape formed on a surface thereof; reference pattern carrier means haviNg a reference pattern whose base portion is substantially similar in shape to said referential pattern, at least one of said referential pattern and said reference pattern being formed with a plurality of radial lines; means for moving said article in a plane and in at least two directions, said means being capable of moving said article to a position where said referential pattern on said article and at least the base portion of said reference pattern are optically superposed one upon the other; optical means for optically superposing said referential pattern and said reference pattern one upon the other and forming the images thereof; photoelectric converter means for scanning the superposed images formed by said optical means and converting such images into electrical signals; detector means including an amplitude detector circuit and a frequency detector circuit both connected with said photoelectric converter means, and switching means for selectively changing over said two circuits; and drive means connected with said detector means to drive said means for moving said article.

Claim 22

An automatic positioning device for setting an article in a predetermined position comprising a combination of: an article to be positioned having a referential pattern of predetermined shape formed on a surface thereof; reference pattern carrier means haviNg a reference pattern whose base portion is substantially similar in shape to said referential pattern, at least one of said referential pattern and said reference pattern being formed with a plurality of radial lines; means for moving said article in a plane and in at least two directions, said means being capable of moving said article to a position where said referential pattern on said article and at least the base portion of said reference pattern are optically superposed one upon the other; optical means for optically superposing said referential pattern and said reference pattern one upon the other and forming the images thereof; photoelectric converter means for scanning the superposed images formed by said optical means and converting such images into electrical signals; detector means including an amplitude detector circuit and a frequency detector circuit both connected with said photoelectric converter means, and switching means for selectively changing over said two circuits; and drive means connected with said detector means to drive said means for moving said article.

Claim 23

An automatic positioning device according to claim 19, wherein said detector means includes a second amplitude detector circuit connected with said amplitude detector circuit to detect any amplitude value thereof below a predetermined value, and a control circuit for operating said switching means in accordance with the output from said second amplitude detector circuit to disconnect said amplitude detector circuit from said photoelectric converter means and connect said frequency detector circuit with the latter means.

Claim 24

An automatic positioning device according to claim 19, wherein said detector means comprises a flip-flop.