Patent GB-1231431-A (GB)
IPC: G01D5/34
Filed: 1968-06-19
Abstract: 1,231,431. Photo-electric edge position measurement. ERNST LEITZ G.m.b.H. June 19, 1968 [June 24, 1967; June 28, 1967 (2)], No.29174/68. Heading G1A. The position of an edge of an object or of an edge of a mark on an object is determined photoelectrically. In one arrangement, Fig. 1, light from a source 1 is focussed on to an oscillating diaphragm slit 5. The light passing through beam splitter 17 is focussed on to a reflective surface 7C. The amplitude of oscillation of the image across edge 7a does not include the other edge 7b of a black mark 7d on the surface 7c. Light reflected from the surface is reflected by beam splitter 17 to photo-cell 9. The photo-cell output is evaluated by circuitry 32, which receives a reference signal from the diaphragm drive 4 for demodulation of the measurement signal and may be as described in Specification 995, 076, via a differentiating circuit 30 and a full wave rectifier 31 which passes only a positive signal components. The measured value is the position of edge 7a relative to the optical axis of the instrument. When differentiator 30 and rectifier 31 are switched out of circuit by switches 33, 34 the position of scale marks may be measured. The differentiator and rectifier circuit are detailed in Fig.2 (not shown). In a modification of the Fig. system, light transmitted by a transparent surface 7C is measured, the splitter 17 being dispensed with. The diaphragm 3 may be inserted between object and photo-cell. In a second arrangement, using a light transmissive object, Fig.3 (not shown), the photo-cell output feeds a differentiator (30) followed by an amplifier (11) tuned to an even multiple of the frequency of oscillation of the diaphragm oscillatory drive (4). The drive reference signal is also passed through such an amplifier (13), a phase sensitive rectifier (12) receiving both amplifier outputs. The magnitude and polarity of the rectifier output is proportional to the displacement of the edge 7a from the optical axis. It can be indicated on a meter (14) or compared with a desired value, any difference being used to control either the object to a desired position or the centre point of the diaphragm oscillation. The latter operation is described in Specification 997, 915. In a third arrangement, again using a light transmissive object, Fig.4 (not shown), the photocell output circuit comprises a circuit (20) shaping the photo-cell signal into squarewave form, the cut-off level corresponding to a particular blackness level being preset and thus defining the edge of the mark; a pulse shaper (21), shifting the waveform to lie symmetrically about zero; and a low-pass filter, the output being a D.C. voltage representing the arithmetic mean of the squarewave voltage, this being governed only by the mark space ratio of the signal which depends on the edge position. When the edge is aligned with the optical axis, this ratio is unity. In the embodiments of Figs.3 and 4, reflected instead of transmitted light may be used with a reflecting object and the diaphragm positioned in front of the cell. In all embodiments, a self luminous slit shaped oscillating source may substitute for the illuminated oscillating diaphragm.