Patent ID: 9366550
Filing Date: 2016-06-14
CPC Classification: G01D

Claim Text:
1. An optical encoder comprising: a light projecting portion; a light receiving portion; and a scale arranged between the light projecting portion and the light receiving portion, wherein the scale comprises a light guiding portion which allows light to transmit therethrough and has a light guiding function of guiding at least a part of the light projected by the light projecting portion in a direction perpendicular to a thickness of the light guiding portion through the light guiding portion, wherein the light guiding portion comprises reflection surfaces that are opposite each other across the thickness of the light guiding portion and the light is transmitted through a first surface of the light guiding portion and through the light guiding portion by reflecting a plurality of times off of the reflection surfaces, wherein the light reflected by the reflection surfaces the plurality of times travels along one of a plurality of undefined light paths, and the light receiving portion receives the light guided by the scale and relatively moves with respect to the scale, and the light receiving portion receives the light through the first surface of the light guiding portion.