JP7395415B2 - Photoelectric switch - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a photoelectric switch, and more particularly to a photoelectric switch equipped with an operation indicator light.

Photoelectric switches equipped with operation indicator lights have been proposed so that users can easily visually confirm the operation of the photoelectric switches. Patent Document 1 discloses a photoelectric switch in which an operation indicator light is arranged adjacent to a light emitting/receiving surface. This photoelectric switch has a somewhat flat rectangular elongated outer shape, and one relatively narrow side surface constitutes a light emitting/receiving surface. The operation indicator light has an L-shape extending across one longitudinal end of the photoelectric switch and the light emitting/receiving surface, and is positioned so as to protrude outward.

The photoelectric switch disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a 7-segment display section arranged on the back surface opposite to the light emitting/receiving surface, and the amount of received light, a threshold value, etc. can be displayed on this display section. The photoelectric switch outputs the output through a cable. The photoelectric switch of Patent Document 1 has a shape in which a corner of one end and a back surface is cut out with a 45° inclined surface, and an output cable that constitutes a part of the photoelectric switch is connected to this corner. ing.

JP2013-127943A

As can be seen from the photoelectric switch disclosed in Patent Document 1, in the conventional photoelectric switch, the arrangement of the operation indicator light is designed based on the idea of making the operation indicator light stand out. In the photoelectric switch of Patent Document 1, an operation indicator light is disposed near the light emitting/receiving surface that is always in an open state during operation, making it easy for the user to confirm the operation of the photoelectric switch. However, since the operation indicator light protrudes from one end, the photoelectric switch cannot be installed using this end as an installation surface.

The inventor of the present application departed from the conventional idea of making the operation indicator light stand out, and developed the present invention based on the viewpoint of increasing the degree of freedom in mounting the photoelectric switch and making the lighting or blinking of the operation indicator light more noticeable to the user. This led to the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a photoelectric switch that allows the user to easily check the operation indicator light while increasing the degree of freedom in selecting the installation location of the photoelectric switch.

According to the present invention, the above technical problem is solved.
a light projector that projects detection light toward the detection area;
a light receiving unit that receives the detection light from the detection area and generates a light reception signal according to the amount of received light;
The light projecting portion has a window portion through which the detection light passes, a back surface facing the window portion, a pair of mounting surfaces facing each other in which mounting holes are formed, and a corner portion adjacent to the back surface. , or a first casing housing at least one of the light receiving sections;
Calculating means for calculating measurement information indicating the state of the detection target in the detection area based on the light reception signal;
determination means for generating a determination signal based on the measurement information and the determination threshold;
an output section that is provided at the corner to penetrate the first casing and outputs at least one of the measurement information or the determination signal;
This is achieved by providing a photoelectric switch characterized by comprising: an output section operation indicator light that is arranged around the output section and near the corner section and lights up or blinks in relation to the determination signal. be done.

The advantages and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an optical triangulation sensor according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining that a main body portion forming a part of the optical triangulation sensor of the embodiment can be fixed at a desired position. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining the components included in the main body shown in FIG. 2. FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining that a relay cable connecting the head and main body of the optical triangulation sensor according to the embodiment and an output cable of the main body are soldered to a substrate of the main body. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating components included in a head portion that constitutes a part of the optical triangulation sensor of the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining the circuit configuration of the head section. FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining the circuit configuration of the main body. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view for explaining the configuration of a light emitting and receiving surface of the head section. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the configuration of an output section operation indicator light of the head section. FIG. 3 is a circuit configuration diagram of an operation indicator light on the front surface of the head section and the output section. 7 is a flowchart for explaining an example of controlling the operation indicator lights on the front surface of the head section and the output section, and the operation indicator lights on the main body section. It is a perspective view of a 1st modification. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a first modification, corresponding to FIG. 9; It is a side view of a 2nd modification.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example photoelectric switch, and specifically shows an optical triangulation sensor 200. FIG. Referring to FIG. 1, the triangular distance measurement sensor 200 is divided into a first and second housing 2 and 4, and the first and second housings 2 and 4 are connected by a relay cable 6. There is.

Among the components included in a general triangulation sensor, the minimum necessary components related to light emission and reception, such as optical parts and related elements required for triangulation, and power supply boards, are the first. A group of components housed in one housing 2 and including other components, that is, an operation unit operated by the user and a display unit constituted by a dot matrix display, for example, an organic EL display (OELD), are housed in a second housing 4. It is accommodated. To make the explanation easier to understand, the first housing 2 will be referred to as the "head section" and the second housing 4 will be referred to as the "main body section." The head section 2 and the main body section 4 are connected via a relay cable 6 that leads to an output section of the head section 2.

It is preferable that the housing of the head portion 2 is made of metal, which generally has better strength and rigidity than synthetic resin. On the other hand, the main body portion 4 does not necessarily need to be made of metal, and the housing may be made of rigid resin.

The head section 2 has a mounting hole Th passing through one end and the other end of a portion adjacent to the light emitting/receiving surface, and the mounting hole Th is arranged in a direction crossing the head section 2, that is, perpendicular to the optical axis of the light projection. It extends in the direction of

The head portion 2 is fixed to the installation location using bolts inserted into the two mounting holes Th. FIG. 2 shows the main body portion 4. As shown in FIG. 3 and 4 are diagrams for explaining elements included in the main body portion 4. FIG. The main body portion 4 has an elongated outer shape with a somewhat flattened and generally rectangular cross section. An output cable 8 is connected to the output section of the main body section 4, and a determination ON/OFF signal is outputted from the main body section 4 through the output cable 8 toward a control device 10 (FIG. 1) such as a PLC. Both the relay cable 6 and the output cable 8 have bendable flexibility, and by folding and bundling the relay cable 6 as shown in FIG. 1, the distance between the head section 2 and the main body section 4 can be arbitrarily adjusted. I can do it. Referring to FIG. 2, the main body 4 has a groove-shaped neck N at both ends in the longitudinal direction, and the circumferential surface of the neck N is preferably circular. The neck part N receives the binding band B, and by passing the binding band B around the neck part N, it can be fixed at an arbitrary installation location IL close to the head part 2, for example, about 30 cm away.

The main body 4 has an OELD 12, and a main body operation indicator light 14 adjacent to the OELD 12 on the surface where the OELD 12 is installed. The main body operation indicator light 14 is composed of red and green LEDs. Furthermore, the main body 4 has a SET button 16, an UP button 18, a DOWN button 20, and a mode button 22, which are operated by the user. The user can perform various settings including threshold adjustment by viewing the display on the OELD 12 and operating the SET button 16, UP button 18, DOWN button 20, and mode button 22.

Referring to FIG. 3, the main body section 4 includes a microcomputer 24, an input circuit 26, an output circuit 28, a first power supply circuit 30, a memory 32, and a communication section 34.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining that the relay cable 6 and the output cable 8 are connected to the main body board 36 built in the main body 4 by soldering without a connector. Note that reference numeral C indicates a contact point on the main body board 36. Specifically, the relay cable 6 is connected to a flexible board 38, and the flexible board 38 is soldered to the main body board 36. The relay cable 6 is soldered to the head portion 2 as will be explained later. That is, the head portion 2 and the main body portion 4 are connected by soldering both ends of the relay cable 6. Thereby, the main body portion 4 and the head portion 2 can be substantially integrated in the circuit configuration.

The output cable 8 leading to the main body part 4 is connected to a vertical relay member 40, and this vertical relay member 40 is soldered to the main body part board 36. By employing such a configuration, the longitudinal dimension of the main body portion 4 can be reduced. As a modification, the output cable 8 may be connected to the main body 4 via a connector.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining elements arranged inside the head section 2. As shown in FIG. The head section 2 includes a light projecting section 52, a light projecting lens 54, a light receiving lens 56, a mirror 58, an image sensor 60, and a light receiving circuit 62, and these elements form an optical path for triangular distance measurement. The image sensor 60 is composed of, for example, a CMOS, and the image sensor 60 and the light receiving circuit 62 constitute a light receiving section 64.

The light projection unit 52 is preferably configured with a semiconductor laser light source (gallium nitride based on InGaN/GaN) that emits green laser light. The head unit 2 projects green laser light, which is detection light, toward a detection area of a detection target. The state of the spotlight irradiated onto the workpiece affects detection accuracy. The more focused the spot light is, the better the detection accuracy is. Green laser light has a better spot light condition than red laser light.

Green has excellent relative luminosity. Utilizing this characteristic, visibility of the spot light can be ensured even if the intensity and power of the green laser light are limited. Needless to say, it is desirable for the user to be able to visually confirm that a desired position on the workpiece is irradiated with the projection beam in order to perform detection properly.

The head section 2 has a built-in head-side communication section 78 that communicates with the second power supply circuit 76 and the communication section 34 of the main body section 4 (FIG. 3). The second power supply circuit 76 generates a voltage suitable for driving the image sensor 60 that receives green laser light. Referring to FIG. 3, the first power supply circuit 30 of the main body section 4 described above adjusts the voltage received from the outside and supplies it to the head section 2. In the head section 2, the light emitting element of the light projecting section 52 is driven by the potential received from the main body section 4. The second power supply circuit 76 (FIG. 5) of the head section 2 adjusts the voltage received from the main body section 4 to drive the image sensor 60.

The green laser light emitted from the light projecting section 52 reaches the workpiece through the light projecting lens 54 and the light projecting window 66. The light reflected from the surface of the workpiece passes through the light receiving window 68 and the light receiving lens 56, is refracted by the mirror 58, and is received by the light receiving section 64. The light receiving section 64 receives green laser light reflected from the detection area of the workpiece, photoelectrically converts the green laser light, and generates a light reception signal. The light projecting section 52 and the light receiving section 64 are controlled by a microcomputer 70 built into the head section 2 .

FIG. 6 is a block diagram for explaining the control system of the head section 2. As shown in FIG. The laser light emitted by the green laser diode (LD) 520 that constitutes the light projecting unit 52 is monitored by a photodiode (monitor PD) 522, and the output current of this monitor PD 522 is transmitted to an I/V converter 524 and an A/D converter 526. The light is input to the light projection control section 680 through the. The green LD 520 is controlled by an LD drive circuit 530, and this LD drive circuit 530 is controlled by a light projection control section 680. The LD drive circuit 530 includes a current control circuit 532 and a light projection switch circuit 534. A control signal is input from the light projection control section 680 to the current control circuit 532 via the D/A conversion circuit 536, and a control signal is input from the light projection control section 680 to the light projection switch circuit 534. Thereby, the green LD 520 emits laser light at a predetermined period and with a predetermined power. When an overcurrent flows through the LD drive circuit 530, it is detected by the overcurrent detection circuit 538, and detection information from the overcurrent detection circuit 538 is supplied to the light projection control section 680. As a result, the light projection control section 680 executes control to suppress overcurrent.

A light reception signal from the light receiving circuit 62 constituting the light receiving section 64 is input to the microcomputer 68 via the A/D conversion circuit 640. It includes a microcomputer 68, a peak received light amount detection section 682, a peak position detection section 684, a distance calculation section 686, a distance determination section 688, and an output section 690. The peak received light amount detection section 682 detects the peak value of the received light amount, and this peak value is input to the light projection control section 680 and reflected in light projection control. A peak position detecting section 684 detects the peak position of the amount of received light from information on the amount of received light detected by the light receiving section 64, and a distance calculating section 686 measures the detected distance to the workpiece based on this peak position. For this distance measurement, a table 692 showing the correspondence between peak positions and distances is referred to. The calculated detection distance is determined by a distance determination unit 688 that reads a determination threshold value 694 stored in the memory and compares it with this determination threshold value. The determination ON/OFF information is supplied to the main body section 4 through the output section 690 and the communication section 78. The main body 4 may preferably be supplied with not only determination ON/OFF information but also measurement information such as peak received light amount, peak position, detection distance, etc., and displaying this information on the OELD 12 of the main body 4 is possible. is good. Alternatively, the determination ON/OFF information may not be generated in the head section 2, and only measurement information may be supplied to the main body section 4.

The head section 2 has a motion sensor 50, and the motion sensor 50 is integrated with the head section 2. A detection signal from a gyro sensor constituting the motion sensor 50 is input to an optical axis displacement detection section 696. The optical axis displacement detection unit 696 reads the threshold value from the memory reference unit 698, and outputs optical axis displacement occurrence information to the output unit 690 when the detection signal indicating that displacement has occurred in the optical axis is equal to or higher than the threshold value. supply This optical axis displacement occurrence information is supplied to the main body section 4 through the communication section 78.

The head section 2 has a failure detection section 702, which supplies a failure occurrence signal to the main body section 4 when detecting an abnormality in the drive system of the green LD 520 or an abnormality in the output system. An abnormality is detected when the amount of light received from the monitor PD exceeds a threshold, or when an overcurrent is detected, and a motion sensor causes a displacement in the optical axis of the laser beam emitted from the light projector. However, there may be cases where the spot position on the workpiece may have changed, or there may be a communication error with the relay section. This information is collected by the failure detection unit 702, and when it is detected that some kind of failure or abnormality has occurred, a signal indicating that a failure (abnormality) has occurred is supplied to the main body unit 4.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram for explaining the control system of the main body section 4. As shown in FIG. The main body section 4 includes a processor 24, an input circuit 26, an output circuit 28, a power supply circuit 30, a memory 32, and a communication section 34. The illustrated operation unit 402 means a SET button 16, an UP button 18, a DOWN button 20, and a mode button 22. By operating the operation unit 402, the user can perform tuning settings, mask settings, threshold settings for the gyro sensor (motion sensor 50), output logic settings for the main unit 4, clear input, and the like. When the user operates the operation unit 402, this operation is accepted by the operation reception unit 240, and when the user performs an operation to change, for example, the optical axis displacement threshold or the distance determination threshold, the optical axis stored in the memory 32 is changed. The displacement threshold and distance determination threshold are updated.

Measurement information including received light information and an optical axis displacement detection signal received from the head unit 2 through the transmitting/receiving unit 340 are supplied to the output generating unit 246. The output generation unit 246 generates logical ON/OFF determination information based on the determination information included in the light reception information received from the head unit 2 and according to the output logic 248 that can be set by the user. This logic ON/OFF determination information is supplied to external equipment via the output circuit 28 and the output cable 8. Further, when the output circuit 28 receives the optical axis displacement detection signal, it supplies an alarm signal to the outside.

Further, the optical axis displacement detection signal received from the head section 2 is supplied to the optical axis displacement control section 242. When the optical axis displacement control section 242 receives the optical axis displacement detection signal, it supplies the optical axis displacement detection signal to the display screen generation section 244 . Upon receiving the optical axis displacement detection signal, the display screen generation unit 244 immediately generates a display screen to be displayed on the OELD 12. The display screen generated by the display screen generation section 244 is supplied to the display control section 250, and the display control section 250 controls drawing of the alarm display of the OELD 12 based on the display screen generated by the display screen generation section 244.

The measurement information including the light reception information (including the determination threshold value) received from the head unit 2 is received by the display screen generation unit 244. The display screen generation unit 244 generates a display screen to be displayed on the OELD 12 based on the light reception information. The display screen generated by the display screen generation section 244 is supplied to the display control section 250, and the display control section 250 controls drawing such as displaying the current value of the OELD 12 based on the display screen generated by the display screen generation section 244.

Regarding the green laser light emitted by the head unit 2, the intensity and power of the green laser light emitted by the light projecting unit 52 (green laser diode (LD) 520) are determined by the user visually confirming the position of the spot light of the green laser light. be limited to a level that does not affect users. This restriction is performed by the microcomputer 68 based on the amount of light received by the monitor PD 522. The limits on the intensity and power of the green laser light are set with the safety standards "Class 1" or "Class 2" in mind. Green has a wavelength of 500 nm to 555 nm, and its relative luminous efficiency (photopic luminous efficiency and scotopic luminous efficiency) is superior to other colors. Therefore, visibility of the spot light can be ensured even if the intensity and power of the green laser light are limited to the above levels.

Regarding the limitations on the intensity and power of the green laser beam, two operating modes of the green LD520 are prepared, and the first mode, which operates in class 1, and the second mode, which operates in class 2, can be used depending on the user's settings. Good too. It is preferable that the first mode be selected, for example, during optical axis adjustment and/or inspection, and the second mode selected during teaching or operation. Further, the light emitting pulse width may be set by the user under certain restrictions.

As can be seen from FIG. 5, the head portion 2 has a relatively thin substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the above-described light emitting window 66 and light receiving window 68 are arranged on the narrow first side surface, that is, the light emitting and receiving surface 2a. There is. A light diffusing member 82 of the first, ie, front operation indicator light 72 is provided in the dead space between the light projecting window 66 and the light receiving window 68. By arranging the front operation indicator light 72 between the light projecting section 52 and the light receiving section 64, dead space can be effectively utilized. This allows the head section 2 to be made smaller.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the structure of the light emitting/receiving surface 2a of the head section 2. As shown in FIG. One relatively narrow side surface of the head section 2 constitutes a light emitting/receiving surface 2a, and this light emitting/receiving surface includes a light guiding member holder 80 forming windows 66, 68 for emitting and receiving light, and a front operation indicator light. It has a light diffusing member 82 that guides and diffuses the light of 72 to the outside. The light diffusing member 82 is mounted between the light projecting window 66 and the light receiving window 68 of the light guiding member holder 80. In the figure, reference numerals 72a and 72b indicate the light sources of the first or front operation indicator light 72, 72a is a red LED, and 72b is a green LED.

A waterproof packing 84 is disposed on the outside of the light guide member holder 80, and a light-transmitting cover member 86 is disposed on the outside thereof. This light-transmitting cover member 86 is fixed by a cover holding member 88 made of metal. By snap-fitting the metal cover holding member 88 to the first housing 2, the waterproof packing 84 is compressed, thereby making the light emitting/receiving surface 2a waterproof.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the head portion 2. As shown in FIG. With reference to FIGS. 5 and 9, among the first and second ends 2b and 2c in the longitudinal direction of the head section 2, the second end 2c remote from the light projecting section 52 and the light projecting/receiving surface 2a are opposed to each other. The corner 2e between the front and rear surfaces 2d has a cutout shape, and the corner 2e is formed of a 45° inclined surface. Referring to FIG. 9, the output portion of the head portion 2 is arranged at this corner portion 2e. Specifically, a hole through which the relay cable 6 passes is formed in the corner 2e, and the relay cable 6 is soldered to the vertical board 90. An LED board 92 is disposed outside and adjacent to the vertical board 90, and a red LED 94a and a green LED 94b are mounted on the LED board 92. The red LED 94a and the green LED 94b constitute a part of the output section operation indicator light 94.

A waterproof packing 96 is disposed in the hole through which the relay cable 6 passes, and this waterproof packing 96 seals off water around the relay cable 6. The waterproof packing 96 is made of a light guide material. The light guide material is preferably milky white fluororubber, vinyl acetate rubber, or silicone rubber. The ends of this light guide waterproof packing 96 are located very close to the red LED 94a and the green LED 94b. The light emitted by the red LED 94a and the green LED 94b is diffused by the light guiding waterproof packing 96 and illuminates the light guiding waterproof packing 96.

The light guiding waterproof packing 96 is located continuously around the relay cable 6 that substantially constitutes a part of the output section of the head section 2 . For this reason, the output section operation indicator light 94 has a configuration that illuminates the light guide waterproof packing 96 that is continuous in the circumferential direction at the output section of the head section 2 .

Water around the relay cable 6 is prevented by the light guiding waterproof packing 96. Further, the light emitting/receiving surface 2a is water-tight with a waterproof packing 84 (FIG. 8). The head portion 2 has a large opening on one side, and built-in components are installed through this opening. This side opening is closed by a lid member, and the lid member is fixed by welding around the entire circumference. This water-stopping structure provides the head portion 2 with excellent dustproof and waterproof functions.

As can be seen from FIG. 9, the light projecting section 52 is located on the side closer to the first end 2b of the head section 2. On the other hand, the light receiving section 64 is located at the second end 2c of the head section 2, that is, on the side closer to the bottom surface, and the corner section 2e is located at the intersection of this bottom surface and the back surface 2d. Therefore, the corner portion 2e is located at a position away from the light projecting portion 52. In other words, if the first end 2b away from the relay cable 6 is called the "top surface" and the second end 2c close to the relay cable 6 is called the "bottom surface", then the back surface 2d facing the light emitting/receiving surface 2a and the bottom surface 2c The light receiving section 64 is located on the side near the corner 2e located at the intersection of the two, and the light projecting section 52 is located on the side away from the corner 2e. The head section 2 is designed with the aim of ultimate miniaturization, and is densely packed with built-in components. Therefore, since the stray light of the laser light from the light projecting section 52 is blocked by the built-in components, there is a low possibility that the stray light will reach the mirror 58, the image sensor 60, or the light guide waterproof packing 96. In order to eliminate this possibility, it is recommended to provide a cylindrical light shielding member 98, such as a cylindrical black sponge 98 (Fig. 9), in the gap between the light emitting part 52 and the light emitting window 66 (Figs. 5 and 8). preferable. The light shielding sponge 98 can prevent stray light from reaching the image sensor 60 and the light guide waterproof packing 96.

FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram of the front operation indicator light 72 and the output section operation indicator light 94. The front operation indicator light 72 of the head section 2 and the output section operation indicator light 94 are substantially controlled by the microcomputer 24 (FIG. 3) of the main body section 4, and are synchronized with red, green, or yellow, which is a mixture of red and green. lights up or flashes. In addition, in synchronization with this, the operation indicator light 14 (FIG. 2) of the main body section 4 lights up or blinks in the same color as the front operation indicator light 72 and the output section operation indicator light 94. The front indicator light 72 and output section operation indicator light 94 of the head section 2 and the operation indicator light 14 of the main body section 4 display ON/OFF determination information in different colors.

The first and second operation indicator lights 72 and 94 of the head section 2 and the operation indicator light 14 of the main body section 4, which light up or blink in the same color in conjunction with each other, are used to indicate, for example, pairing of the head section 2 and main section 4, In other words, it may be used to confirm that the head section 2 and the main body section 4 are properly linked.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining an example of controlling the front operation indicator light 72 and the output section operation indicator light 94. The main body section 4 calculates the detection distance based on the signal received from the head section 2 (S1), and then compares the detection distance with a set value, that is, a threshold value, and determines the output. Next, output information is generated reflecting the output logic that can be set by the user (S3).

In the next step S4, it is determined whether or not an error has occurred. If YES, that is, an error has occurred, the process proceeds to step S5, and the operation of the front operation indicator light 72, the output section operation indicator light 94, and the main body section 4 is performed. The indicator light 14 is made to flash in red. On the other hand, if the determination in step S4 is NO, that is, no error has occurred, the process proceeds to step S6, where it is determined whether or not the output logic is ON. If YES, that is, it is ON, the front operation indicator light 72, the output section The operation indicator light 94 and the main unit operation indicator light 14 are turned on in yellow, which is the display color of the ON determination information (S7). In step S6, if NO, that is, OFF, the front operation indicator light 72, the output section operation indicator light 94, and the main body section operation indicator light 14 are interlocked with each other and turned on in green, which is the display color of the OFF determination information (S8). .

When installing the head section 2, the light emitting/receiving surface 2a and the corner section 2e where the relay cable 6 is located are usually left exposed. In other words, the head portion 2 is installed with the light emitting/receiving surface 2a and the corner portion 2e always having their surroundings open. Therefore, by installing the front operation indicator 72 and the output section operation indicator 94 on the light emitting/receiving surface 2a and the corner 2e, in operation of the triangulation sensor 200, not only the front operation indicator 72 but also the output The head section 2 is not installed in a place where the lighting and blinking of the section operation indicator light 94 is blocked.

In addition, since the output part of the head part 2 is provided at the corner part 2e formed of an inclined surface, the head part 2 has two wide flat sides excluding the light emitting/receiving surface 2a, a flat back surface 2d, and a flat first part. It can be installed using either the edge 2 (top surface) 2b or the flat second edge (bottom surface) 2c. That is, the five surfaces of the substantially rectangular parallelepiped head section 2, excluding the light emitting/receiving surface 2a, can be used as flat installation surfaces. This means that there is a high degree of freedom in the installation location of the head section 2 and the posture of the head section 2 during installation.

As can be seen from the above description, the user interface surface of the head section 2 is limited to the light projection surface 2a and the corner. By limiting the user interface surface to the light emitting surface 2a and the corners, the head section 2 forms a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape to achieve a smaller outline, and the five surfaces excluding the light emitting and receiving surface 2a are made flat. It is composed of surfaces, and none of the five surfaces except the front surface, which is approximately rectangular parallelepiped, has any operation function or display function. As a result, any of the five surfaces except the substantially rectangular parallelepiped front surface (light emitting/receiving surface 2a) can be used as an installation surface.

As mentioned above, the head section 2 has mounting holes Th formed in a region adjacent to the light projection surface 2a, a region adjacent to the top surface 2b, and a region adjacent to the bottom surface 2c, respectively. It penetrates both flat sides of part 2. The design is such that it is fixed to the installation location with a bolt inserted through the mounting hole Th. Therefore, a pair of side surfaces extending parallel to each other and facing each other constitute mounting surfaces, respectively. The mounting hole Th extends in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the projected beam. In other words, since both side surfaces are used as mounting surfaces, it is convenient for adjusting the direction of the optical axis when adjusting the optical axis regarding installation of the head section 2. As mentioned above, the back surface 2d, top surface 2b, and bottom surface 2c of the head section 2 are also composed of flat surfaces that are not provided with user interface functions such as operation functions and display functions. Surface 2b and bottom surface 2c can also be used as installation surfaces. From this, it is possible to increase the degree of freedom in selecting the installation location and installation posture of the head section 2.

As described above, the relay cable 6 is connected to the corner 2e formed of a 45° inclined surface. Further, the light guide waterproof packing 96 constitutes a part of the output section operation indicator light 94. Therefore, the second operation indicator light 94 disposed at the corner 2e is located inside the extension lines L1 and L2 of the second end 2c and the back surface 2d that define the outer contour of the head section 2 (FIG. 5). . In other words, the output section operation indicator light 94 does not protrude to the outside from the extension lines L1 and L2. As a result, the external dimensions of the head section 2, which has been reduced in size due to the presence of the output section operation indicator light 94, do not increase. From this, the approximately box-shaped head section 2 has all flat surfaces except the light emitting/receiving surface 2a, that is, any flat surface on both sides, the upper end surface (top surface) 2b, the lower end surface (bottom surface) 2c, and the rear surface 2d. It can be installed using a surface.

By folding and bundling the relay cables 6, the distance between the head section 2 and the main body section 4 can be arbitrarily adjusted (Fig. 1), and the location where the main body section 4 can be installed and fixed can also be arbitrarily selected. Figure 2). In the main body 4, a main body operation indicator light 14 is arranged on the same surface as the OELD 12, which is positioned in an attitude that is easy for the user to check. As a result, the operation is displayed at three locations in total: the first or second front operation indicator light 72 of the head section 2, the second or corner section, the output section operation indicator light 94, and the main body section operation indicator light 14. Since these are located in easily visible locations near the user, it is convenient for the user to check the operation of the triangulation sensor 200.

< First modification: Fig. 12, Fig. 13 >
12 and 13 show an optical triangulation sensor 300 of a first modification. FIG. 12 is a perspective view, and FIG. 13 is a sectional view. In the triangular distance measurement sensor 200 of the embodiment described above, the waterproof packing 96 that constitutes a part of the output section operation indicator light 94 is made of a light guide material (FIG. 9). The triangular distance measuring sensor 300 of the first modification differs from the triangular distance measuring sensor 200 of the embodiment in that it is configured with a light guiding member 302 that is a separate member from the packing. That is, the relay cable 6 and the first housing 2 are water-tightened by a waterproof packing 304, and a light guide member 302 that extends continuously in the circumferential direction is arranged adjacent to this waterproof packing 304 and on the outer circumferential side thereof. There is. As shown in FIG. 12, it is preferable to provide a press member 306, preferably made of metal, around the light guide member 302, and protect the light guide member 302 with this press member 306.

< Second modification: Figure 14 >
FIG. 14 is a side view showing an optical triangulation sensor 400 of a second modification. In the triangular distance measurement sensor 200 of the embodiment described above, the relay cable 6 is connected to the head portion 2 by soldering. In the triangular distance measurement sensor 400 of the second modification, a connector 500 is arranged at the corner 2e, and a light guide member 302 that is adjacent to the connector 500 and extends continuously in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral side of the connector 500 is located. It is preferable that the connector 500 has a substantially L-shaped shape, for example, and that the substantially L-shaped connector 500 is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the corner 2e. According to this, the relay cable 6 can be extended to the rear of the sensor 400 or can be extended downward depending on the installation location of the head section 2. In this case, the user interface surface of the head section 2 is limited to the light projection surface 2a and the variable cable extension surface. By limiting the user interface surface to the light emitting surface 2a and the variable cable extension surface, the head section 2 forms a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape to achieve a smaller profile. The four surfaces except the exit surface are flat surfaces, and none of the four surfaces except the approximately rectangular parallelepiped-shaped front surface and the variable cable extension surface have any operation function or display function. The optical triangulation sensor 400 of the second modification is capable of displaying the operation by making the cable extension surface variable; It can also be used as a mounting surface.

Although the head section 2 of the optical triangulation sensor 200 has been specifically explained above, the present invention can be applied to a triangulation sensor in which the head section 2 and the main body section 4 are housed in one housing. Of course, the present invention is also applicable to a light amount type, TOF (Time Of Flight) displacement sensor. Further, the present invention is also applicable to a transmission type photoelectric switch constituted by a light projecting unit and a light receiving unit.

200 Optical triangulation sensor 2 first housing (head part)
2a Light emitting/receiving surface of the head (user interface surface)
2b One flat longitudinal end of the head (top surface)
2c The other flat longitudinal end of the head (bottom surface)
2d Flat back of head 2e Corner of head (cable extends)
Th Mounting hole 4 provided in the head 2nd housing (main body)
N Groove for receiving the cable tie on the main body (neck)
6 Relay cable 12 OELD (organic EL display) on main unit
14 Main body operation indicator light 52 Light emitter 64 Light receiver 66 Light emitter window 68 Light receiver window 72 Front operation indicator light 94 Output operation indicator light 96 Light-guiding waterproof packing (relay cable)
402 Operation unit 500 connector provided in the main body

Claims (14)

a light projector that projects detection light toward the detection area;
a light receiving unit that receives the detection light from the detection area and generates a light reception signal according to the amount of received light;
The light projecting portion has a window portion through which the detection light passes, a back surface facing the window portion, a pair of mounting surfaces facing each other in which mounting holes are formed, and a corner portion adjacent to the back surface. , or a first casing housing at least one of the light receiving sections;
Calculating means for calculating measurement information indicating the state of the detection target in the detection area based on the light reception signal;
determination means for generating a determination signal based on the measurement information and the determination threshold;
an output section that is provided at the corner to penetrate the first casing and outputs at least one of the measurement information or the determination signal;
A photoelectric switch comprising: an output section operation indicator light that is disposed around the output section and near the corner, and lights up or blinks in relation to the determination signal. The window section has a light emitting window and a light receiving window on one surface,
The light projecting unit is disposed inside the first casing, and projects the detection light toward the detection area through the light projecting window,
The photoelectric switch according to claim 1, wherein the light receiving section is disposed inside the first housing and receives the reflected light reflected at the detection area through the light receiving window. The pair of mounting surfaces are arranged parallel to the optical axis of the detection light emitted from the light projecting section,
The photoelectric switch according to claim 2, wherein the mounting hole is formed perpendicular to the mounting surface. The output unit operation indicator light includes a light source disposed inside the first casing, and a light guide member provided through the first casing to guide light from the light source to the outside. The photoelectric switch according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising: The photoelectric switch according to claim 4, wherein the light guiding member is arranged adjacent to the output section. The photoelectric switch according to claim 4, wherein the light guide member extends continuously in a circumferential direction of the output section. 7. The photoelectric switch according to claim 6, wherein the light guide member is made of a waterproof member that shuts off water around the output section. A connector to which an output cable is connected is provided in the output section,
The photoelectric switch according to claim 4, wherein the light guide member is arranged adjacent to the connector. The photoelectric switch according to claim 8, wherein the light guide member extends continuously in a circumferential direction of the connector. further comprising a front operation indicator disposed between a light emitting window of the light emitting part and a light receiving window of the light receiving part;
3. The photoelectric switch according to claim 2, wherein the front operation indicator light lights up or flashes in synchronization with the output section operation indicator light. an operation unit for setting the determination threshold;
a display section for displaying the measurement information;
further comprising a second housing;
11. The photoelectric switch according to claim 1, wherein a back surface and a top surface of the first casing are flat surfaces having no user interface function. the second housing is connected to the first housing by a cable,
The photoelectric switch according to claim 11, wherein the second housing is provided with the operation section and the display section. 13. The photoelectric switch according to claim 12, wherein the second housing further includes a main body operation indicator light that lights up or flashes in conjunction with the output operation indicator light of the first housing. The photoelectric switch according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the second housing has a groove for receiving a cable tie.

Images