| 摘要 |
A sensor may simultaneously sense the angular position of a first rotatable member relative to a frame of reference and the angular position of a second rotatable member relative to the first rotatable member up to a maximum displacement angle. The sensor may include a first and second disk, each having an annular pattern which alternates between two different levels of optical transparency. The first disk may be coupled to the first rotatable member; and the second disk may be coupled to the second rotatable member. A signal processing system may determine both angular positions based on sampling a consolidation of the first and the second annular patterns at locations that are not at a transition in the consolidated pattern. The first and the second disks may each have an integral annular race configured to support ball bearings. A lighting system may direct light toward the first and the second disks with an orientation that causes an annular illumination pattern to be cast upon an optical sensing array which corresponds to a composite of a portion of the first and the second annular patterns and which spans an angle that is less than or equal to the maximum displacement angle. An optical sensing array may provide signals indicative of the annular illumination pattern. The optical sensing array may have a length which is not substantially greater than the width of the annular illumination pattern cast upon the optical sensing array. The first and the second annular patterns may be configured such that the angular displacement of the second rotatable member relative to the first rotatable member angle is accurately indicated by the sensor up to the maximum displacement angle, regardless of how the first annular pattern is aligned with respect to the second annular pattern at the time the couplings are coupled to their respective rotatable members. |
