JP2000346940A - Apparatus of detecting object to be detected - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a detecting apparatus for an object to be detected, which can narrow the detectable range without remodeling a reflection-type optical sensor. SOLUTION: This detecting apparatus for an object to be detected is provided with a reflection-type optical sensor 22 in which a light emitting means 23 used to emit detecting light P1 and a light receiving means 24 used to receive diffused and reflected light P2 diffused and reflected by the object to be detected, existing inside a space 27 to be detected are integrated in the space 27 to be detected. Whether the object to be detected exists inside the space 27 to be detected is detected on the basis of the diffused and reflected light P2. A detectable-range change member 26 which changes the detectable range of the object to be detected is installed inside the space 27 to be detected.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an integrated light emitting means for emitting detection light to a detection space and a light receiving means for receiving diffusely reflected light diffusely reflected by an object to be detected existing in the detection space. The present invention relates to an improvement of a device for detecting a detected object which has a reflection type optical sensor and detects whether or not the detected object is present in a detected space based on diffuse reflection light.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an apparatus for detecting an object to be detected is known as shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 1 denotes a rectangular box, and a reflective optical sensor 3 is fixed to one side wall 2 of the box 1.

The reflection type optical sensor 3 has a light emitting means 4 and a light receiving means 5 integrally. The light emitting means 4 comprises a light emitting element (not shown) and a condenser lens, and the light receiving means 5 comprises a light receiving element (not shown) and a condenser lens.

The space between one side wall 2 and the other side wall 6 of the box 1 is defined as a detected space 7 for the object to be detected, the light emitting means 4 emits the detection light P1 to the detected space 7, and the light receiving means 5 receives the light. Detection space 7
And diffusely reflected light P2 that is diffusely reflected by the object to be detected existing therein.

[0005] The diffuse reflected light P received by the light receiving means 5
Whether or not the detected object is present in the detected space 7 is determined based on whether or not the intensity of the second object is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. In FIG. 4, reference numeral K1 denotes a detectable range of the detected object. In this example, the intensity of the diffuse reflection light P2 from the other side wall 7 received by the light receiving means 5 corresponds to a threshold value,
When the detected object is located on the side farther than the other side wall 7, the intensity of the diffuse reflection light P2 becomes equal to or less than the threshold value, and the detection of the detected object becomes impossible.

[0006]

By the way, in this conventional device for detecting an object to be detected, the positional relationship between the light emitting means 4 and the light receiving means 5 of the reflection type optical sensor 3 is adjusted and fixed at the component level. Therefore, the detectable range of the detected object using the reflection type optical sensor 3 is determined at the component level.

However, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6,
Box 8 having a dimension S2 smaller than the dimension S1 in the longitudinal direction of the box 1
The reflection type optical sensor 3 is attached to one side wall 9, and the detection of an object to be detected existing in the detection space 11 between the one side wall 9 and the other side wall 10 is performed using the reflection type optical sensor 3. Sometimes you want to do it.

If the reflection type optical sensor 3 having a detectable range K1 is attached to the box 8 for use, the detection light P1 emitted from the light emitting means 4 is applied to the other side wall 10 existing within the detectable range K1. The light is diffusely reflected, and the diffusely reflected light P2 is incident on the light receiving means 5, and the threshold value of the diffusely reflected light P2 received by the light receiving means 5 is equal to or more than a predetermined value.
An erroneous detection that the detected object is present in the detected space 11 occurs even though the detected object is not present in the detected space 11.

Therefore, the light emitting means 4 of the reflection type optical sensor 3,
Modifications such as changing the mounting angle of the light receiving means 5 and the distance G between the light emitting means 4 and the light receiving means 5 are performed to detect the detection range K1
However, even if the reflection type optical sensor 3 is modified, there is no guarantee that erroneous detection can be reliably prevented, and it is doubtful in terms of reliability.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for detecting an object to be detected, which can narrow a detectable range without modifying a reflection type optical sensor. It is in.

[0011]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for detecting an object to be detected, wherein the light emitting means emits a detection light to a space to be detected and the object to be detected exists in the space to be detected. The light receiving means for receiving the reflected diffuse reflected light has an integral reflection type optical sensor, and detects whether or not the detected object is present in the detected space based on the diffuse reflected light. A detectable range changing member for changing a detectable range of the detected object is provided in the detected space.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the detectable range can be narrowed without modifying the reflection type optical sensor.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the detectable range changing member is a reflecting member having a property of reflecting the detection light in a state close to regular reflection. It is characterized by the following.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the detectable range can be narrowed by using an easily available and inexpensive material such as a stainless steel plate.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the detectable range changing member is an absorbing member having a property of absorbing the detection light.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the detectable range can be changed by using, for example, a matte black cloth which easily absorbs the detection light, so that erroneous detection is performed when the detectable range is changed. This can be further prevented.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus for detecting a detected object according to the first aspect, when the detectable range changing member detects that the detected light is not present in the detected space, the detection light is changed. It is a deflecting member that deflects an emission optical axis of the detection light so as not to enter the light receiving unit.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, for example, a reflecting member that reflects the detection light downward can be used as the deflecting member that deflects the emission optical axis of the detection light. Can be reliably prevented from being incident on the light receiving means when is not present in the detection space, so that erroneous detection can be further prevented when the detectable range is changed.

[0019]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [First Embodiment of the Invention] In FIG. 1, reference numeral 20 denotes a box such as a rectangular component case. A reflective optical sensor 22 is fixed to one side wall 21 of the box 20. This reflection type optical sensor 22 has a light emitting means 23 and a light receiving means 24 integrally. A detectable range changing member 26 for changing the detectable range K1 is attached and fixed to the other side wall 25 of the box 20 at a position where the detection light P1 from the light emitting means 23 shines. The space between the one side wall 21 and the other side wall 25 is a detected space 27 for detecting a detected object such as an operator's hand (not shown).

The detectable range changing member 26 is made of a material having a reflection surface having a property close to regular reflection, for example, a thin plate made of stainless steel. When the detectable range changing member 26 is used, when the detected object is not in the detected space 27, the detection light P1 emitted from the light emitting unit 23 is specularly reflected by the detectable range changing member 26, and the reflected light P2 is Since the light returns to the light emitting means 23, the intensity of the diffuse reflected light P2 which is diffusely reflected by the other side wall 25 and enters the light receiving means 24 decreases, so that the detectable range K2 can be obtained.
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 6 denotes another side wall of the conventional box. [Embodiment 2] FIG. 2 shows a detectable range changing member 26.
Another example is shown here, in which the detectable range changing member 26 is shown.
A material having a property of absorbing the detection light P1, for example, a matte black cloth is used.

When the detectable range changing member 26 is used, when the object to be detected is not in the detected space 27, the detection light P1 emitted from the light emitting means 23 is absorbed by the detectable range changing member 26, and the other side wall 25 is used. As a result, the intensity of the diffuse reflected light P2 which is diffusely reflected and enters the light receiving means 24 decreases, so that the detectable range K2 can be obtained. [Third Embodiment of the Invention] FIG.
Another example is shown here, in which the detectable range changing member 26 is shown.
A deflecting member for deflecting the emission optical axis of the detection light P1, for example,
According to this, the detection light P1 emitted from the light emitting means 23 is reflected downward by the detectable range changing member 26, and the reflected light P3 is reflected at the corner of the box 20. Since the intensity of the diffuse reflected light P2 that is diffused and reflected by the other side wall 25 and enters the light receiving unit 24 decreases, the detectable range K2
Can be obtained.

As described above, in the embodiment of the present invention, it has been described that the reflection type optical sensor 22 is attached to one side wall 21 of the box 20 to detect an object to be detected in the box 20. It is not limited, and the shape of the detectable range changing member 26 is not limited to this.

[0023]

According to the present invention, the detection range can be narrowed without modifying the reflection type optical sensor, and erroneous detection can be reliably prevented even when the detectable range is changed.

The detectable range changing member may be made of any material that prevents the diffuse reflection light from being incident on the light receiving means when the object to be detected does not exist in the space to be detected.
Inexpensive materials that are easily available can be used, and
The detectable range can be narrowed with a simple structure without performing complicated processing.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIGS. 1A and 1B are explanatory views of a first embodiment of a detection device for a detected object according to the present invention, wherein FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view and FIG.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are explanatory diagrams of Embodiment 2 of the detection device for a detected object according to the present invention, wherein FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view and FIG.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are explanatory views of a detection target object detection apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view and FIG. 3B is a plan view.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional device for detecting an object to be detected.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view for explaining a defect of a conventional detection device for an object to be detected.

6A and 6B are explanatory diagrams for explaining a problem of a conventional detection device for an object to be detected, wherein FIG.
(B) is a plan view.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 22 reflective optical sensor 23 light emitting means 24 light receiving means 26 detectable range changing member 27 detected space P1 detection light P2 diffuse reflection light

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2G065 AB22 AB24 AB26 BA01 BB44 BB46 DA15 5J084 AA01 BA02 BA32 BB19 CA23 EA20

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A reflection-type optical sensor in which light-emitting means for emitting detection light to a detection space and light-receiving means for receiving diffusely reflected light diffusely reflected by an object to be detected existing in the detection space are provided. A detection object detection device for detecting whether or not the detection object is present in the detection space based on the diffuse reflection light, wherein a detectable range of the detection object in the detection space is provided. A detection device for an object to be detected, wherein a detection range changing member for changing the range is provided. 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detectable range changing member is a reflecting member having a property of reflecting the detection light in a state close to regular reflection. 3. The detecting device for a detected object according to claim 1, wherein the detectable range changing member is an absorbing member having a property of absorbing the detection light. 4. The detection light changing device according to claim 1, wherein the detectable range changing member outputs the detection light so that the detection light does not enter the light receiving unit when the detection target object is not present in the detection space. An object detection device, comprising a deflecting member for deflecting an emission axis.