Patent ID: 7449677

Claim:
An optical encoder for determining a position of a code strip with respect to said optical encoder, the code strip having indicia provided thereon, comprising: a light source; a detector positioned in spaced-apart relation from said light source so that a space is defined between said light source and said detector, said space being adapted to receive the code strip and allow the code strip to be moved along a displacement path with respect to said optical encoder; an aperture plate positioned adjacent said detector so that said aperture plate is between said detector and the code strip when the code strip is received within the space defined between said light source and said detector, said aperture plate defining an aperture therein that is substantially aligned with said detector so that said detector detects indicia on the code strip; and a housing, said housing being adapted to receive said detector and said light source in generally parallel, spaced-apart relation, said housing defining a bearing surface, said bearing surface slidably engaging the code strip when the code strip is positioned in the space defined between said detector and said light source, said bearing surface maintaining a spacing alignment of the code strip within the space defined between said detector and said light source as the code strip moves along the displacement path.