JP2001330432A - Distance sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a distance sensor which can further shorten the time required until a distance is sensed after an object to be detected is positioned in a sensing area. SOLUTION: By a CPU, the gain of a variable-gain amplifier is stored in a RAM when the sum C of light receiving signals is within a prescribed range (L<C<H) ((4)). When the sum C of the light receiving signals is less than a lower-limit value L (=C') even when the gain is set to be maximum, the gain of the variable-gain amplifier is set to a value stored in the RAM until the sum C is changed ((5), (6)).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a reflection type distance sensor for measuring a distance to an object by optical means.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 6 shows an example of a configuration centering on an optical system of a general reflection type distance sensor. That is, the light emitting element such as the LED 2 is driven by the drive circuit 1 to emit light, and the light is emitted to the object 4 via the light emitting lens 3. Then, the light reflected on the surface of the detection target 4 passes through the light receiving lens 5 to the one-dimensional position detection element P
The light is irradiated on a light receiving surface of an SD (Positon Sensitive Device) 6.

The PSD 6 outputs two light receiving signals A (NEAR) and B (FAR) whose intensity changes according to the light receiving position on the light receiving surface. That is, when the distance from the distance sensor to the detection target 4 changes, the light receiving position of the reflected light on the light receiving surface of the PSD 6 changes one-dimensionally, so that the detection is performed based on the magnitudes of the two light receiving signals A and B. The distance to the object 4 can be detected.

[0004] Such a distance sensor mounts components on products that are sequentially conveyed on a transport line in a factory, performs dimensional checking after press-fitting, detects the height (tolerance) of components, and performs screw tightening satisfactorily. It is used for checking that things are being done.

FIG. 7 shows the electrical configuration of the distance sensor in detail. On the light projecting side, the drive circuit 1 includes a drive amplifier 7 and an NPN transistor 8, and the LED 2 is connected between the power supply and the collector of the transistor 8. The emitter of the transistor 8 is connected to the ground.

The input terminal of the driving amplifier 7 has a CPU
(Microcomputer) 9 is provided with a light emission pulse signal output at a predetermined cycle. The output terminal of the driving amplifier 7 is connected to the base of the transistor 8. The CPU 9 changes the base current of the transistor 8 by controlling the gain of the driving amplifier 7 so that the amount of light emitted from the LED 2 can be controlled.

On the other hand, one of the PSDs 6 (N
An output terminal 6A on the EAR side is connected in series with an IV converter 10A, a variable gain amplifier 11A, a sample and hold circuit 12A, and an A / D converter 13A.
The output data of the / D converter 13A is given to the CPU 9. The output terminal 6B on the other side (FAR side) of the PSD 6
The side is also configured in the same manner. In FIG. 6, "B" is added to the reference numeral. In the following, unless it is particularly necessary to distinguish between A and B, reference numerals are used without adding them.

The output terminals of the sample and hold circuits 12A and 12B are connected to two input terminals of an adder 14, respectively. The output terminal of the adder 14 is connected to the input terminal of an A / D converter 15. I have. The output data of the A / D converter 15 is output to the A / D converters 13A and 13A.
Like B, it is given to the CPU 9. The sample and hold circuit 12 includes an analog switch 12a, a capacitor 12b, and a voltage follower (operational amplifier) 12
c.

Then, the CPU 9 controls the variable gain amplifier 1
1 is supplied with a gain control signal to control the gain thereof, and the analog switch 12a of the sample hold circuit 12 is supplied with an S / H signal to hold the level of the output signal from the variable gain amplifier 11.

When the S / H signal is applied and the analog switch 12a is turned on, the sample-and-hold circuit 12 charges the capacitor 12b at the level of the output signal of the variable gain amplifier 11 while the analog switch 12a is turned off. , The charge level of the capacitor 12b is held. And Voltage Follower 12c
Is the same as the charge level of the capacitor 12b.

FIGS. 8 and 9 are flowcharts showing the contents of control by the CPU 9, and FIG. 10 is a timing chart showing changes in each signal accompanying the execution of the flowchart. Note that the gain of the variable gain amplifier 11 is set to a minimum (MIN) in an initial state. First, the CPU 9
When a light emission pulse is output to the drive circuit 1 to cause the LED 2 to emit light (step S1), the sample hold circuit 12
/ H signal is output, and the level of the two light receiving signals output by the PSD 6 (output level of the variable gain amplifier 11)
Is held (step S2).

Next, the CPU 9 includes an A / D converter 15
Is read (step S3), and it is determined whether or not the sum C is smaller than a lower limit L of a predetermined range (substantially a target value) (step S3). Step S4). When the object 4 is not in the detection area of the distance sensor (FIG. 10), the reflected light does not enter the light receiving side and the light receiving signal level is "0".
The PU 9 determines “NO” and increases the gain of the variable gain amplifier 11 to the maximum (MAX) (Step S
5). Thereafter, this state is maintained until the object to be detected 4 is located in the detection area.
5 is repeatedly executed.

When the object 4 is located in the detection area (FIG. 10), the light emitted from the LED 2 is emitted from the object 4.
The reflected light is received by the PSD 6. At this time, since the gain of the variable gain amplifier 11 is at the maximum, the sum C of the light receiving signal levels read by the CPU 9 in step S3 is saturated. Then, the CPU 9
Determines "NO" in step S4, and determines whether the sum C is greater than the upper limit H of the predetermined range (step S6).

In this case, since the sum C is saturated, the CPU
9 determines “YES”, and decreases the gain of the variable gain amplifier 11 by one step until the sum C becomes equal to or less than the upper limit value H (step S7). Then, at the time of FIG. 10, the sum C becomes equal to or less than the upper limit H (step S7, “N
O ") When the value falls within the range of L <C <H, the CPU 9 proceeds to FIG.
(Step S8), the distance to the object 4 is detected.

Thus, the sum C of the light receiving signals is L <C <
The reason for detecting the distance when the value falls within the range of H, is that the reflectivity may vary depending on the state of the surface of the detection target 4. If the level of the sum C is saturated, the distance is calculated in the calculation routine. This is because detection becomes impossible.

In the calculation routine, when the CPU 9 obtains the difference value D between the light receiving signals A and B (step T1), the CPU 9 obtains the detection distance signal X by dividing the difference value D by the sum C (step T2). . When the calculation routine of step S8 ends, the process returns to step S1.

When the object 4 goes out of the detection area of the distance sensor (FIG. 10), the reflected light does not enter the light receiving side as in the case of the time point, and the CPU 9 returns "YES" in step S4 again. Judge, the variable gain amplifier 11
Increase the gain of the maximum.

[0018]

That is, as described above, the CPU 9 sets the gain of the variable gain amplifier 11 to the maximum every time the object 4 goes out of the detection area of the distance sensor. When the detection object 4 arrives in the detection area,
The gain of the variable gain amplifier 11 is reduced stepwise, and the distance is detected until the sum C of the light receiving signals falls within the range of L <C <H. Therefore, the time from when the detection target 4 enters the detection area to when the distance is detected must be long, and the transport speed on the transport line must be limited according to the detection time of the distance sensor. was there.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a distance sensor capable of shortening the time required for detecting a distance after an object is located in a detection area. Is to provide.

[0020]

To achieve the above object, a distance sensor according to the present invention comprises: a light projecting means for projecting light onto an object; It is provided to receive light at the light receiving point according to the distance to the object,
Light receiving means for outputting first and second light receiving signals corresponding to the position of the light receiving point, a pair of amplifying means for amplifying the first and second light receiving signals, and a first amplifying means amplified by the amplifying means Control means for receiving the second light receiving signal and controlling the light emitting amount of the light projecting means or the amplification factor of the amplifying means so that the sum of these light receiving signals becomes substantially a target value;
And calculating means for calculating the distance to the object based on the first and second light receiving signals when the sum of the second light receiving signal and the second light receiving signal is substantially equal to the target value. The means stores the light emission amount of the light emitting means or the amplification rate of the amplifying means in the storage means when the sum of the light receiving signals is substantially a target value, and sets the light emission amount or the amplification rate to a maximum. Also, when the sum of the light receiving signals is lower than the target value, the light emitting amount or the amplification factor is set to a value stored in the storage unit until the sum changes. It is characterized by having.

That is, when the object to be detected is not located in the detection area, the light receiving means does not receive the reflected light, so that the light amount of the light projecting means and the amplification factor of the amplifying means are set to the maximum. Even so, the sum of the light receiving signals falls below the target value.
In this case, the control unit sets the projected light amount or the amplification factor to the value stored in the storage unit, so that the projected light intensity or the amplification factor is the same as when the object is located in the detection area. Level.

Next, when the object to be detected is located in the detection area next time and the light receiving means receives the reflected light, the light emission amount or the amplification factor is set to the value stored in the storage means at that time. Therefore, the sum of the light receiving signals is substantially equal to the target value. Therefore, the control means can immediately start detecting the distance.

[0023]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7 are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted, and only different portions will be described below. The configuration of this embodiment is shown in FIG.
5, which is substantially the same as that shown in FIG. 7, and in FIG.
21 is different.

That is, in the flowchart of FIG.
When the CPU 21 determines “NO” in step S6, before executing the calculation routine in step S8,
The CPU 21 stores the gain (amplification rate) of the variable gain amplifier (amplifying means) 11 at that time in the internal RAM (storage means) 21a as the gain STR (step S).
9).

In the timing chart shown in FIG. 4, the change of each signal is the same as the timing chart shown in FIG. 10 up to the point in time, but the above-described step S9 is executed at the point in time.

After the execution of step S8, the CPU 21
Steps S10 to S13 shown in FIG. 2 are executed, and the processing contents are the same as steps S1 to S4. When the object 4 is out of the detection area of the distance sensor at the time point in FIG. 4 and the PSD (light receiving means) 6 cannot receive the light emitted from the LED (light emitting means) 2, the CP
U21 determines "YES" in step S13, and proceeds to step S14, where it determines whether the current gain of the variable gain amplifier 11 is set to the maximum. If the gain is not the maximum ("NO"), then step S
5, the gain is set to the maximum (step S1).
5). Then, the process returns to step S10.

Then, the CPU 21 determines "YES" in step S14 in the next light emitting cycle, and proceeds to step S1.
6, the gain STR stored in the RAM 21 in step S9 is read and set in the variable gain amplifier 11 (FIG. 4). At the time of step S13,
When the detected object 4 is located within the detection area of the distance sensor and the sum C of the light receiving signals is equal to or larger than the lower limit L (“N
O "), steps S17 to S20 are executed, and these processes are the same as S6 to S9.

Next, the CPU 21 proceeds to step S21 shown in FIG. 3, and stores the sum C of the light receiving signals at that time as C 'in the RAM 21a. Subsequent steps S22-
The processing content of S24 is the same as steps S1 to S3,
In step S25, it is determined whether or not the sum C of the received light signals at that time is equal to C 'stored in the RAM 21a in step S21. If both are equal ("YE
S "), the process returns to step S21, that is,
If the sum C of the received light signals does not change, steps S21 to S21
25 is repeated.

When the next object 4 is located within the detection area (FIG. 4), the sum C of the received light signals increases (step S25, "NO"), and the CPU 21 proceeds to step S26. The same determination as in step S4 is performed, and if the sum C is equal to or greater than the lower limit L ("NO"), the flow shifts to step S28 to perform the same determination as step S6.

At this time, since the gain of the variable gain amplifier 11 is set to STR, if the reflectance of the surface of the object 4 is the same as the previous time, the sum C is within the range of L <C <H. Therefore, the CPU 21 determines “NO” in both steps S26 and S28. Then, the gain of the variable gain amplifier 11 at that time is set as STR and RA
When stored and updated in M21a (step S30),
The calculation routine shown in FIG. 9 is executed to obtain the distance detection signal X (step S31). Then, the process returns to step S10.

If it is determined in step S26 that the reflectance of the surface of the object 4 is lower than the previous time and the sum C is less than the lower limit L ("YES"), the process proceeds to step S27 and the gain of the variable gain amplifier 11 is changed. And then step S
Move to 10. In this case, it is not necessary to set the gain to the maximum immediately as in step S5, but to increase the gain by a smaller value. Step S28
, The reflectance of the surface of the detection object 4 is higher than the previous time,
If the sum C exceeds the upper limit value H ("YES"), the process proceeds to step S29, in which the gain of the variable gain amplifier 11 is reduced, and then proceeds to step S10.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the CPU 2
1 indicates that the sum C of the received light signals is within a predetermined range (target value) (L <C
<H), the gain of the variable gain amplifier 11 is set to R
If the sum C of the received light signals is smaller than the lower limit L (= C ′) even when the gain C is stored in the AM 21a and the gain is set to the maximum, the variable gain amplifier 1 is used until the sum C changes.
The gain of 1 is set to the value stored in the RAM 21a.

That is, when the object 4 is not located in the detection area, the gain of the variable gain amplifier 11 is maintained at the same level as when the object 4 is located in the detection area. Then, when the PSD 6 receives the reflected light the next time the object 4 is positioned within the detection area, the sum C of the received light signal does not saturate, unlike the related art, and the sum C is substantially within the predetermined range at that time. Becomes

Accordingly, the CPU 21 rarely needs to adjust the gain by gradually decreasing the gain until the sum C falls within the predetermined range, and can immediately start detecting the distance. Further, even if the sum C is out of the predetermined range because the reflectance of the surface of the detection object 4 is different from the previous time, the control can be performed so as to be within the predetermined range in a short time.

Therefore, the time from when the object 4 is located in the detection area to when the distance detection is completed can be shortened and the speed can be increased as compared with the conventional art, so that the object 4 can be transported by the transport line. The transport speed can be set faster. Therefore, by using the distance sensor of the present embodiment, it is possible to improve production efficiency.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above and shown in the drawings, and the following modifications or extensions are possible. In order to make the gain control of the variable gain amplifier 11 converge more quickly, the gain when the sum C of the received light signals falls within a predetermined range (L <C <H) is stored in the RAM 21.
However, when the processing speed of the CPU 21 is sufficiently high, the sum C of the light receiving signals is equal to a predetermined value (target value).
May be controlled so that Instead of a configuration in which the sum C of the received light signals is obtained outside the CPU 21 by hardware, the sum C may be calculated inside the CPU 21 from the received light signals A and B by software. The present invention is not limited to changing the gain of the variable gain amplifier 11, and the light projection amount of the LED 2 may be changed.

[0037]

According to the distance sensor of the present invention, the control means causes the storage means to store the light intensity of the light projecting means or the amplification factor of the amplifying means when the sum of the light receiving signals is substantially equal to the target value. If the sum of the received light signals is lower than the target value even when the light emission amount or the amplification factor is set to the maximum, the light emission amount or the amplification ratio is stored in the storage unit until the sum changes. Set the value to

That is, when the object is not located in the detection area, the amplification factor of the amplifying means or the light emission amount of the light projecting means is at the same level as when the object is located in the detection area. Therefore, when the light receiving means receives the reflected light the next time the object is located in the detection area, the sum of the light receiving signals becomes substantially the target value. Therefore, the control means can detect the distance to the object at a higher speed than before.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1, showing an embodiment of the present invention, is a flowchart of control by a CPU (part 1).

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of control contents by a CPU (part 2).

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of control contents by a CPU (part 3).

FIG. 4 is a timing chart showing changes in each signal according to execution of the flowchart.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the electrical configuration of the distance sensor in detail.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration example centering on an optical system of a general reflection type distance sensor.

FIG. 7 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 5 showing a conventional technique.

FIG. 8 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of an arithmetic processing routine;

FIG. 10 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

2 is an LED (light emitting means), 4 is an object to be detected, 6 is a PSD
(Light receiving means), 11 is a variable gain amplifier (amplifying means),
21 denotes a CPU (control means) and 21a denotes a RAM (storage means).

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Atsuro Toda 3-5-3 Akebonocho, Tachikawa-shi, Tokyo Sunkus Inc. F-term (reference) 2F065 AA06 BB05 CC04 DD06 FF09 GG07 GG12 HH04 HH13 JJ02 JJ16 JJ25 NN02 NN13 NN17 PP22 QQ02 QQ03 QQ23 QQ25 QQ27 RR07 UU05 2F112 AA06 BA05 CA04 EA09 FA03 FA05 FA21 FA45 5J084 AA05 BA02 BA33 BB01 CA21 CA23 DA01 EA05 FA03

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A light projecting means for projecting light on an object to be detected, and provided so as to receive reflected light of the light emitted from the object at a light receiving point corresponding to a distance from the object. Light receiving means for outputting first and second light receiving signals corresponding to the position of the light receiving point; a pair of amplifying means for amplifying the first and second light receiving signals; Control means for receiving the second light receiving signal and controlling the light emitting amount of the light projecting means or the amplification factor of the amplifying means such that the sum of these light receiving signals becomes substantially a target value; A calculating means for calculating a distance to the object based on the first and second light receiving signals when the sum of the light receiving signals is substantially equal to a target value. , The amount of light emitted by the light emitting means when the sum of the light receiving signals is substantially the target value Alternatively, the amplification factor of the amplifying unit is stored in a storage unit, and if the sum of the light reception signals is less than the target value even when the light emission amount or the amplification factor is set to the maximum, the sum changes. The distance sensor is configured to set the projected light amount or the amplification factor to a value stored in the storage unit until the time elapsed.