A main object of the present disclosure is to provide a reflection-type optical encoder scale capable of sufficiently reducing the reflectance on a low reflection region. The present disclosure achieves the object by providing a reflection-type optical encoder scale comprising a high reflection region and a low reflection region alternately placed on a substrate, wherein the low reflection region includes a low reflection portion including a metallic chromium film formed on the substrate, and a chromium oxide film and a chromium nitride film randomly formed on the metallic chromium film; and the high reflection region has higher reflectance of incident light from opposite side to the substrate of the reflection-type optical encoder scale, than the low reflection region.

This invention provides a linear encoder having an arbitrary size while maintaining high producibility. An absolute linear encoder includes a long scale formed by continuously connecting a first short scale and a second short scale in which a first cyclic bit string and a second cyclic bit siring generated using the same initial value for different generator polynomials are arranged, and at least two sensors arranged at positions facing the long scale side by side in a longitudinal direction of the long scale.

There is provided an optical encoder with alignable relative positions between elements including an encoding medium, a sensor package and a memory. The sensor package includes a photodiode array and two alignment photodiodes opposite to the encoding medium. The memory records an alignment pattern associated with output signals of the two alignment photodiodes when the encoding medium and the sensor package are at nominal operating positions. When the encoding medium and the sensor package are not at the nominal operating positions, the relative position alignment is performed by adjusting current relative positions between the encoding medium and the sensor package to cause a current pattern associated with output signals of the two alignment photodiodes to be identical to the alignment pattern.

An optical position-measuring device for determining a relative position of scales includes a light source, the scales and a detector. The scales are movable relative to each other along measurement directions and disposed in different planes in crossed relation to each other, and each have a graduation having grating regions which are arranged periodically and have different optical properties. At the first scale, the illumination beam is split into sub-beams, the sub-beams subsequently impinge on the second scale and are reflected back toward the first scale, and the reflected-back sub-beams strike the first scale again, where they are recombined, so that a resulting signal beam subsequently propagates toward the detector. The measuring graduation of one or more of the scales is configured as a two-dimensional cross grating which has a filtering effect that suppresses disturbing higher diffraction orders.

A recorder for documenting that a shaft in a rotating machine has been rotated while the rotating machine is stored or otherwise out of service. The recorder includes an elongated strip that is wound on a reel disposed adjacent the shaft. The reel is rotatable about an axle that is spaced away from the shaft. A free end of the strip is secured to an outer surface of the shaft and spools onto the shaft as the shaft is rotated, and which unwinds the strip from the reel. Markings are on the strip representing distance from the free end, which visually indicate occurrence and amount of shaft rotation. Types of markings include different colors or patterns, and which change at distances corresponding to shaft circumference. Alternatively, the markings are metered increments illustrating linear distance.

An encoder includes rotatable plate including first and second patterns, light emission unit, and light receiving unit. The first pattern includes first and second unit regions. The first unit regions guide the light from light emission unit to the light receiving unit. The second unit regions are configured not to guide light from the light emission unit to the light receiving unit. The second pattern includes first and second unit regions. The first unit regions of the second pattern guide light from light emission unit to the light receiving unit. The second unit regions of the second pattern are configured not to guide light from the light emission unit to the light receiving unit. The first and second unit regions of the first pattern are reverse to the first and second unit regions of the second pattern in a direction perpendicular to a rotation direction of the rotatable plate.

A capacitive motor vehicle operating system is described, comprising a capacitive screen with an operator interface as well as a pressure- and rotational-actuation device which is formed separately from the capacitive screen, and which is electrically conductive in areas and is at least partially affixed to the operator interface of the capacitive screen. The pressure- and rotational-actuation device comprises at least one electrically conductive interaction element which interacts with the capacitive screen.

A method of operating a position encoder apparatus, including a scale having features defining position information and a readhead for reading the scale. The method includes: calculating extrapolated position information from at least one previous reading of the scale; comparing an extrapolated position with a position calculated from a reading of the scale to determine any discrepancy between them; using the extrapolated position information whether or not there is a discrepancy; and maintaining a record of any discrepancies.

An optical position measuring device for recording a relative position of two scales includes the scales. The longitudinal extents of the scales are oriented parallel to a first and second measuring direction. A horizontal plane of movement is spanned by these measuring directions. A light source is configured to emit an illumination beam that is split into at least two sub-beam bundles at the first scale. The sub-beam bundles subsequently impinge on the second scale, which is tilted about the direction of the longitudinal extent thereof relative to the horizontal plane of movement, and are back-reflected to impinge again on the first scale and are recombined there such that a resulting signal beam is subsequently propagated toward a detection unit, via which phase-shifted scanning signals are generatable with respect to a relative movement of the scales along a third perpendicular measuring direction and the first or second measuring direction.

A rotation angle encoder apparatus is disclosed. The rotation angle encoder apparatus may comprise a plurality of light sources, a plurality of light detectors, and a plurality of pinions rotatable about a shaft. Each of the pinions may comprises a plurality of teeth and a plurality of gaps. The rotation angle encoder apparatus may comprise a plurality of stacked configurations such that, when the shaft is rotated, transmissivity may be measured to determine or calculate at least one measurement, such as an angle of rotation, position, movement, distance, or other discernable measurement. The rotation angle encoder apparatus with a plurality pinions and associated measurable transmissivities may enable an optical spectrum analyzer to increase wavelength accuracy and improve resolution in optical measurements.