Mikroe OPTO ENCODER CLICK

Opto Encoder click is a linear incremental optical sensor/encoder click that can be used for the movement or rotation encoding. Encoders of this type are widely used for many applications, which involve precise detection of the position, speed, or rotational angle of an object. Rotary encoders are often used for various types of controllers on many different devices. Whether it be a rotary encoder knob controller or an angle encoder on a motor shaft, the principle is the same – it includes an optical sensor, just like the one found on the Opto Encoder click.

This Click board™ features an optical sensor in a tall dome design, which allows more physical space, even for a vertical signal encoding. It can be used as an optical sensor in automotive applications, motion, speed, and direction sensors, for precise motor shaft positioning applications, knob encoder applications, and similar applications, where dual channel optical sensing can be utilized.

How Does It Work?

The optical sensor used on the Opto Encoder click is the TCUT1600X01, a tall dome dual channel transmissive optical sensor with phototransistor outputs from Vishay. This sensor is equipped with one infrared LED with a wavelength of 950nm and two phototransistors. These phototransistors are positioned behind two small slits on the sensor, on the opposite side of the LED. They form two separate channels. When the transistors get illuminated by the LED, they become conductive. The collectors of these transistors are connected to the same pin, while their emitters are routed to two separate output pins of the TCUT1600X01 – E1 and E2. This allows the activity on both channels to be detected by the host MCU.

Overview:

Provided Click board library offers easy-to-use functions that can be used to get the encoder position. The provided example application demonstrates the usage of these functions and can be used for further custom development.

Applications: Automotive optical sensors, an accurate position sensor for the encoder, a sensor for motion, speed, and direction, etc.

Specifications and features:

1. Type: Optical Sensor
2. Interface: GPIO
3. Compatibility: mikroBUS
4. Click board:  (28.6 x 25.4 mm)
5. Input Voltage: 3.3V or 5V
6. The Opto Encoder click features a precise detection of the position,
7. Measure the speed, or rotational angle of an object.
8. It is able to detect the direction of the movement since it features two photo-sensing elements.
9. On-board modules: TCUT1600X01 Tall Dome Dual Channel Transmissive Optical Sensor with Phototransistor Outputs.

Useful Links:

Package Includes: