Cylindrical encoder for use with fiber optics

Claim 2

In a fiber optic encoding device of the type having a transmitting head including a plurality of light ways and a receiving head including a plurality of light ways corresponding to the light ways of the transmitting head and of the type having a code plate disposed between the transmitting and receiving heads for encoding a position signal, the improvement which comprises: a code plate formed to a cylindrical geometry and which effects encoding by being translated between the transmitting head and the receiving head; and transmitting and receiving heads oriented for transmission of an encoding signal radially across the cylindrical code plate.

Claim 3

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said code plate is slideable over said transmitting head and wherein each of said light ways of the transmitting head is oriented so as to be capable of directing a column of light radially outwardly from the transmitting head toward the code plate.

Claim 4

The invention according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said code plate is slideable within said receiving head and wherein each of said light ways of the receiving head is oriented so as to be capable of receiving the radially directed column of light from one of said light ways of the transmitting head.

Claim 5

A position encoding device of the fiber optic type, comprising: a cylindrical transmitting head including a bundle of optic fibers extending into the interior of the head and splaying radially outwardly from the interior of the head to form a plurality of discrete light ways which are circumferentially spaced from one another and are oriented so as to be capable of directing columns of light radially outwardly from the transmitting head; a cylindrical receiving head spaced radially from said transmitting head leaving an annular gap therebetween, the receiving head having a plurality of light ways spaced circumferentially in correspondence to said transmitting ways and oriented so as to be capable of receiving said radially directed columns of light from the transmitting head; and a cylindrical code plate which is slideable in a translating motion in the gap between said transmitting and receiving heads wherein the code plate has a plurality of aperture rows in correspondence to the light ways for enabling selected transmission of the light columns across the gap in response to the longitudinal position of the code plate within the gap.

Claim 6

A position encoding device of the fiber optic type, comprising: a cylindrical transmitting head including a bundle of optic fibers extending into the interior of the head and splaying radially outwardly from the interior of the head to form a plurality of discrete light ways which are circumferentially spaced from one another and are oriented so as to be capable of directing columns of light radially outwardly from the transmitting head; a cylindrical receiving head spaced radially from said transmitting head leaving an annular gap therebetween, the receiving head having a plurality of light ways spaced circumferentially in correspondence to said transmitting ways and oriented so as to be capable of receiving said radially directed columns of light from the transmitting head; and a cylindrical code plate which is slideable in a translating motion in the gap between said transmitting and receiving heads wherein the code plate has a plurality of aperture rows in correspondence to the light ways for enabling selected transmission of the light columns across the gap in response to the longitudinal position of the code plate within the gap.