Robot drive with isolated optical encoder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11469649-B2
Application number	US-202117232245-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 16, 2021
Priority date	Sep 16, 2011
Publication date	Oct 11, 2022
Grant date	Oct 11, 2022

Abstract

An apparatus including a frame, an optical sensor connected to the frame, and an environment separation barrier. The frame is configured to be attached to a housing of a motor assembly proximate an aperture which extends through the housing. The optical sensor comprises a camera. The environment separation barrier is configured to be connected to the housing at the aperture, where the environment separation barrier is at least partially transparent and located relative to the camera to allow the camera to view an image inside the housing through the environment separation barrier and the aperture.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
illuminating a reference member located inside a housing of a motor assembly by at least one light emitter of a read-head, where the read-head is located at least partially outside of the housing;
viewing at least one image of the reference member by an array of optical sensors of the read-head, where the array of optical sensors is located at least partially outside of the housing, where the at least one image is viewed by the array of optical sensors though an aperture in the housing and through a transparent environment separation barrier located at the aperture, where the transparent environment separation barrier seals a first environment inside the housing from a second environment in which the array of optical sensors is located, and where the array of optical sensors is located outside of the first environment and the transparent environment separation barrier allows the array of optical sensors to view the at least one image coming from inside the housing through the environment separation barrier and the aperture.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 where the method comprises a barrier holder pressing the environment separation barrier against a seal, where the barrier holder is pressed by a frame towards the aperture, and where the frame is attached to a housing proximate an aperture.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 where the method comprises the barrier holder biasing the environment separation barrier against the seal.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2 where the method comprises allowing the barrier holder to move relative to the frame with use of a connection between the barrier holder and the frame which is resilient.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 where the array of optical sensors comprises at least one camera.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 where the array of optical sensors comprises an array of cameras.

7. A method comprising:
provide electromagnetic radiation to a reference member located inside a housing of a motor assembly by at least one emitter of a read-head, where the read-head is located at least partially outside of the housing;
observing at least one reflection of the electromagnetic radiation from the reference member by at least one sensor of the read-head, where the sensor is located at least partially outside of the housing, where the at least one refection is observed by the at least one sensor though an aperture in the housing and through an at least partially transparent environment separation barrier located at the aperture, where the at least partially transparent environment separation barrier at least partially seals a first environment inside the housing from a second environment in which the at least partially sensor is located, and where the at least partially sensor is located outside of the first environment and the at least partially transparent environment separation barrier allows the at least partially sensor to observe the at least one reflection coming from inside the housing through the environment separation barrier and the aperture.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 where the electromagnetic radiation comprises visible light.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7 where the at least one emitter comprises a light emitter.

10. The method as claimed in claim 7 where the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors.

11. The method as claimed in claim 7 where the at least one sensor comprises at least one camera.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 where the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of cameras.

13. The method as claimed in claim 7 where the at least one sensor comprises an array of sensors.

14. The method as claimed in claim 7 where the method comprises a barrier holder pressing the environment separation barrier against a seal, where the barrier holder is pressed by a frame towards the aperture, and where the frame is attached to a housing proximate an aperture.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14 where the method comprises the barrier holder biasing the environment separation barrier against the seal.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14 where the method comprises allowing the barrier holder to move relative to the frame with use of a connection between the barrier holder and the frame which is resilient.

17. A method comprising:
illuminating a reference member located inside a housing of a motor assembly by at least one light emitter of a read-head, where the read-head is located at least partially outside of the housing;
viewing at least one image of the reference member by at least one optical sensor of the read-head, where the at least one optical sensor is located at least partially outside of the housing, where the at least one image is viewed by the at least one optical sensor though an aperture in the housing and through an at least partially transparent environment separation barrier located at the aperture, where the at least partially transparent environment separation barrier at least partially seals a first environment inside the housing from a second environment in which the at least one optical sensor is located, and where the at least one optical sensor is located outside of the first environment, where the at least partially transparent environment separation barrier allows the at least one optical sensor to view the at least one image coming from inside the housing through the environment separation barrier and the aperture, and where the at least one optical sensor comprises at least one camera.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17 where the at least one camera comprises a plurality of cameras.

19. The method as claimed in claim 17 where the at least one camera comprises an array of cameras.

20. The method as claimed in claim 17 where the method comprises a barrier holder pressing the at least partially environment separation barrier against a seal, where the barrier holder is pressed by a frame towards the aperture, where the frame is attached to a housing proximate an aperture, where the method further comprises the barrier holder biasing the environment separation barrier against the seal, and allowing the barrier holder to move relative to the frame with use of a connection between the barrier holder and the frame which is resilient.

Assignees

• Persimmon Tech Corporation

Inventors

• Poole Dennis
• Hosek Martin

Classifications

• H02K5/10

  with arrangements for protection from ingress, e.g. water or fingers · CPC title

• H02K3/44

  Protection against moisture or chemical attack; Windings specially adapted for operation in liquid or gas · CPC title

• H02K7/1004

  with pulleys · CPC title

• H02K5/00

  Casings; Enclosures; Supports · CPC title

• H02K5/225

  Terminal boxes or connection arrangements (specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132) · CPC title