Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] encoder

Chuck,

The mice are likely quadrature encoders, as this is necessary to get the
direction info.

They probably have one or two emitters and definitely two sensors
positioned so that the transitions are 90 degrees out of phase between
the two pickups. By careful relative positioning of the sensors, you
can get away with only one slotted wheel or tape.

Dave

ebiz_59 wrote:

> Some may remember me asking about electronics merit badge about 3
> weeks ago. We had a good evening and will have more, but night turned
> out to be more of intro to electronics rather than all the work for a
> merit badge. We did some soldering/desoldering, took apart several
> old mice and an inkjet printer, built a couple simple circuits with
> Radio Shack 300 in 1 kits and played a little with a VEX robot.
>
> Have a couple kids interested in continuing.
>
> My questions - I've been looking for quadrature encoders to learn
> about and use for DRO on school mill etc. I presumed that the black
> plastic wheel encoders we've taken out of copy machines and now mice
> have not been quadrature, and that MAYBE some of the are clear disks
> and the long plastic tape with very small lines might be quadrature,
> but after thinking about it, might the mice ones be quadrature - and
> if not, how can they tell which way my hand is moving?? And ques 2 -
> how do we tell if the printer stuff is quadrature or not?? thanks in
> advance, Chuck

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