Encoder apparatus, drive apparatus, stage apparatus, and robot apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11243096-B2
Application number	US-201816036380-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2018
Priority date	Jan 18, 2016
Publication date	Feb 8, 2022
Grant date	Feb 8, 2022

Abstract

Provided is an encoder apparatus capable of reducing frequency of maintenance of a battery. An encoder apparatus includes: a position detection system including a detector that detects position information on a mover; an electric signal generator that generates an electric signal in response to movement of the mover; and a battery that supplies at least a part of power consumed by the position detection system in accordance with the electric signal generated by the electric signal generator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An encoder apparatus, comprising:
a position detection system including a detector that detects position information on a mover;
an electric signal generator having a Wiegand wire that generates an electric signal in response to movement of the mover; and
a battery that supplies at least a part of power consumed by the position detection system in accordance with the electric signal generated by the Wiegand wire of the electric signal generator, wherein
the battery includes a primary cell and a secondary cell,
the secondary cell is charged, at least in part, by power from the electric signal generated by the Wiegand wire of the electric signal generator, and
the encoder apparatus includes a selector that selects which of the primary cell and the secondary cell is used to supply power to the position detection system.

2. The encoder apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a switcher that switches between supply and no supply of power from the battery to the position detection system in accordance with the electric signal generated by the Wiegand wire of the electric signal generator.

3. The encoder apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the switcher initiates supply of power from the battery to the position detection system when a level of the electric signal generated by the Wiegand wire of the electric signal generator becomes equal to or higher than a threshold, and stops causing the supply of power from the battery to the position detection system when the level of the electric signal generated by the Wiegand wire of the electric signal generator becomes lower than the threshold.

4. The encoder apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the Wiegand wire of the electric signal generator generates pulsed power in response to movement of the mover.

5. The encoder apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the switcher includes a switch provided in a power supply path between the battery and the position detection system, and
operation of the switch is controlled based on the electric signal generated by the Wiegand wire of the electric signal generator.

6. The encoder apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
the switcher includes a regulator that adjusts power supplied from the battery to the position detection system,
the regulator includes the switch, and
the electric signal generated by the Wiegand wire of the electric signal generator is used as a control signal for the regulator.

7. The encoder apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the selector selects which of the primary cell and the secondary cell is used to supply the power to the position detection system based on a remaining amount of charge of the secondary cell.

8. The encoder apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a holder that holds at least a part of the position detection system and the battery.

9. The encoder apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the detector detects the position information by using power supplied from the battery.

10. The encoder apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein
the detector includes a magnet and a magnetic detector that change relative positions in response to movement of the mover,
the detector detects the position information based on a magnetic field formed by the magnet, and
the magnetic detector detects the magnetic field formed by the magnet by using power supplied from the battery.

11. The encoder apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the detector includes:
a scale that moves in conjunction with the mover;
an irradiator that irradiates the scale with light by using power supplied from the battery; and
an optical detector that detects light from the scale by using power supplied from the battery.

12. The encoder apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the mover includes a rotation shaft, and
the detector includes:
an angle detector that detects angular position information within one rotation of the rotation shaft; and
a multi-rotation information detector that detects multi-rotation information on the rotation shaft as the position information.

13. The encoder apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the multi-rotation information detector includes a counter that counts the multi-rotation information on the rotation shaft by using power supplied from the battery.

14. The encoder apparatus according to claim 12 , further comprising a combiner that combines the angular position information from the angle detector and the multi-rotation information from the multi-rotation information detector to calculate rotation position information.

15. The encoder apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the position detection system includes a storage that stores therein the position information detected by the detector by using power supplied from the battery.

16. The encoder apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the electric signal generator includes:
a magnet that moves in conjunction with the mover; and
the Wiegand wire causes large Barkhausen jump by a change in a magnetic field caused by movement of the magnet.

17. The encoder apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein
the detector includes a magnetic detector that detects a magnetic field formed by the magnet by using power supplied from the battery, and
the detector detects position information on the mover by the magnetic detector.

18. The encoder apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein
the mover includes a rotation shaft,
the magnetosensor includes a first magnetosensor and a second magnetosensor that sense the magnetic field formed by the magnet,
the magnetic detector includes a first magnetic sensor and a second magnetic sensor disposed in a rotation direction of the rotation shaft,
the second magnetosensor is disposed at an angular position of more than 0° and less than 180° with respect to the first magnetosensor in the rotation direction of the rotation shaft,
the first magnetic sensor is disposed at an angular position of more than 0° and less than 90° with respect to the first magnetosensor in the rotation direction of the rotation shaft, and
the second magnetic sensor is disposed at an angular position of more than 90° and less than 180° with respect to the first magnetosensor in the rotation direction of the rotation shaft.

19. A drive apparatus, comprising:
the encoder apparatus according to claim 1 ; and
a power supplier that supplies power to the mover.

20. A stage apparatus, comprising:
a moving object; and
the drive apparatus according to claim 19 that moves the moving object.

21. A robot apparatus, comprising:
the drive apparatus according to claim 19 ; and
a first arm and a second arm that are relatively moved by the drive apparatus.

Assignees

• Nikon Corp

Inventors

• Goto Masahiko

Classifications

• G01D5/3473 Primary

  Circular or rotary encoders · CPC title

• G01D5/2291 Primary

  Linear or rotary variable differential transformers (LVDTs/RVDTs) having a single primary coil and two secondary coils · CPC title

• B25J19/02

  Sensing devices · CPC title

• G01D5/24447

  by energy backup · CPC title

• G01D5/145

  influenced by the relative movement between the Hall device and magnetic fields (see G01R33/06) · CPC title