An encoder includes scale and detection head. The detection head includes light source (transmitting unit) and light-receiving unit (receiving unit). The light-receiving unit includes light-receiving surface (receiving surface) and converts light received at the light-receiving surface 50 into differential detection signals with two phases and outputs the same. The light-receiving surface includes element array group including four element arrays provided in a parallel manner along an orthogonal direction, with each element array including a plurality of light-receiving elements (receiving elements). The plurality of element arrays in the element array group are disposed at positions where the sum of: (i) a distance in the orthogonal direction from a reference position to a positive phase signal element array; and (ii) a distance in the orthogonal direction from the reference position to the negative phase signal element array, is the same for all the phases of the at least two phases.

A sensor element for storing rotation or position information includes a substrate and a domain wall conductor arranged on the substrate. A course of the domain wall conductor is of a closed circumferential, continuous configuration without crossings. The domain wall conductor comprises a first region having a positive curvature and a second region having a negative curvature.

Methods and systems for measuring an axial position of a rotating component of an engine are described herein. The method comprises obtaining a signal from a sensor coupled to the rotating component, the rotating component having a plurality of position markers distributed about a surface thereof, the position markers having an axially varying characteristic configured to cause a change in a varying parameter of the signal as a function of the axial position of the rotating component. Based on the signal, the method comprises determining a rotational speed of the rotating component from the signal, determining the varying parameter of the signal, and finding the axial position of the rotating component based on a known relationship between the axial position, the rotational speed, and the varying parameter of the signal.

A steering column for a motor vehicle including a first component, a second component, wherein the first component and the second component are adjustable relative to one another in two non-parallel adjustment directions. A position detection device having a sensor connected to the first component including at least one sensor unit and a sensor target connected to the second component comprising at least one target unit, wherein the sensor is configured to detect relative position of the sensor target, wherein the target unit includes a measurement portion extending in the two adjustment directions which has a local measuring quantity varying in each of the two adjustment directions that can be detected locally by the sensor unit.

Methods and systems for measuring an axial position of a rotating component of an engine are described herein. The method comprises obtaining a signal from a sensor coupled to the rotating component, the rotating component having a plurality of position markers distributed about a surface thereof, the position markers having an axially varying characteristic configured to cause a change in a varying parameter of the signal as a function of the axial position of the rotating component. Based on the signal, the method comprises determining a rotational speed of the rotating component from the signal, determining the varying parameter of the signal, and finding the axial position of the rotating component based on a known relationship between the axial position, the rotational speed, and the varying parameter of the signal.

A position-measuring device includes a carrier body having a first and second measuring graduations and a reference mark. The first and second measuring graduations include graduation structures periodically arranged along first and second measurement directions, respectively, that are perpendicular to each other. The graduation structures of the first measuring graduation each extend parallel to a first direction and the reference mark extends in a second direction that forms an angle different from 0° with the first direction. First and second scanners are configured to scan the first and second measuring graduations and generate first and second scanning signals, respectively. A third scanner is configured to scan the reference mark and generate a reference pulse. The position-measuring device is configured such that a phase angle of the reference pulse is determined as a function of the first scanning signals and the reference pulse.

A measuring device for a spindle or for a rotary table includes at least two first and second position sensing elements and a scale element, having a first and second graduations and being rotatable about an axis of rotation relative to the position sensing elements. The first graduation includes regular structures arranged in parallel next to one another along a first direction, having a directional component in the circumferential direction. The second graduation includes regular structures arranged in parallel next to one another along a second direction, having a directional component in the axial direction. The first position sensing elements are offset from one another in the circumferential direction, and are able to scan the first graduation so that the position of the scale element in a plane having an orthogonal orientation to the axis of rotation is determinable. In addition, at least one of the first position sensing elements is able to determine an angular position of the scale element in relation to the first position sensing elements in absolute terms within and across a rotation. The second position sensing elements are offset from one another in the circumferential direction, and are able to scan the second graduation, and the axial position of the scale element is able to be determined.

A position-measuring device includes a scale having first and second measuring graduations, which each include graduation structures that respectively extend parallel to first and second directions. A first scanning unit is associated with the first measuring graduation, and second and third scanning units are associated with the second measuring graduation. A fourth scanning unit is associated with the first or second measuring graduation. In the former case, a first straight connecting line running through scanning locations of the first and fourth scanning units and a second straight connecting line running through scanning locations of the second and third scanning units are parallel or form a predetermined angle therebetween that is not equal to a sum of the angles of the first and second directions. In the latter case, the scanning locations of the second, third and fourth scanning units do not lie on a common straight connecting line.

The embodiments described herein are directed to systems and devices for electronically measuring the absolute position of one or more moving targets e.g., along the length of a metal beam using mutual capacitive sensing. The beam may be made of metal and may have a limited inset area to fit a position detection sensor device along its length. The moving targets may have no active elements and the position of multiple targets may be detected simultaneously along the beam. The systems and devices described herein do not utilize electronic position feedback and instead rely on an integrated ruler and minimize the total number of sensors required to support recalibration, thereby minimizing scan time (more sensors results in a linear increase in scan time).

A position-measuring device for determining an absolute position includes a measuring scale and a scanning unit that is movable relative to the measuring scale along at least one measuring direction. To generate a scannable signal pattern, the measuring scale has a measuring graduation which includes a raster of stripe elements arranged along the measuring direction at a measuring-scale longitudinal period. For the encoding of an absolute position, the stripe elements have a periodic structure having a measuring-scale transverse period along a transverse direction that is oriented perpendicular to the measuring direction. For scanning the signal pattern, the scanning unit has a two-dimensional detector system having a plurality of detector elements, which includes multiple detector columns having a plurality of detector elements in each case. The detector columns are periodically arranged along the measuring direction and the detector elements are periodically arranged along the transverse direction, so that by scanning the signal pattern, at least three periodic partial incremental signals are able to be generated with regard to relative movements along the measuring direction, as well as at least one absolute-position signal per detector column.