JP2003036772A - Optical sensor fitting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow easy optical alignment of an optical sensor. SOLUTION: An optical sensor fitting device 1 comprises a base 2 fitted to a floor surface, and a support 3 for fitting the optical sensor which is vertically installed on the floor surface while the lower end part is supported by the base 2. The base 2 is provided with support parts 15 and 16 which support the lower end part of the support 3 by upper and lower point. The support part 15 at the upper position supports the support 3 so that the upper and lower ends of the support 3 can swing. The support part 16 at the lower position supports the outer perimeter of the support 13 by the tip of a support shaft 26 reciprocable from all directions to the center.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical sensor mounting device used for mounting an optical sensor such as a multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor, and more particularly, the present invention has a function of adjusting the optical axis of the optical sensor. The present invention relates to an optical sensor mounting device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A typical multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor, as shown in FIG. 7, includes a projector 31 in which a plurality of light projecting elements 33 are arranged in a row, and a number of light receiving elements 34 as many as the light projecting elements 33. And the light receivers 32 arranged in a line. The light projector 31 and the light receiver 32 are installed with an appropriate distance so that the light projecting elements 33 and the light receiving elements 34 face each other one by one. An optical axis 35 connecting the light emitting element 33 and the light receiving element 34 forming a pair is parallel to each other and forms a two-dimensional object detection area S for detecting the presence or absence of an object.

This type of multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor can widely detect the presence or absence of an object in the object detection area S, and is therefore used in, for example, a safety device of a press machine. When a human body enters the dangerous area of the press machine, one of the optical axes 3
5 is shielded by the human body and is in a light-shielded state. When there are one or more optical axes 35 in the light-shielded state, an object detection signal is output to the control device of the press machine, and the operation of the press machine is stopped urgently.

The projector 31 and the receiver 3 of the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor
Conventionally, an optical sensor mounting device 30 having a configuration as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 is used to install 2 on the floor surface. The optical sensor mounting device 30 includes a base plate 35 fixed to a floor surface 40 by anchor bolts 38, and a support column 36 having a mounting plate 37 fixed to the lower end surface by welding. A mounting plate 37 is supported on the base plate 35, and the mounting plate 37 and the base plate 35 are fastened and fixed with bolts 39 at a plurality of positions, so that the columns 36 are vertically installed on the floor surface.

The outer periphery of the mounting plate 37 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (1), screw holes 41 are formed so as to penetrate in the vertical direction at each of the 90-degree equiangular positions. An optical axis adjusting screw shaft 42 is screwed into each screw hole 41 from above. After each screw shaft 42 has a tip protruding toward the back surface of the mounting plate 37 and abutting against the upper surface of the base plate 35, the mounting plate 37 is pushed up by the protruding length. By individually adjusting the protruding length d of each screw shaft 42 from the back surface of the mounting plate 37, the tilt direction and tilt angle of the support column 36 with respect to the floor surface 40 are changed, so that the optical axis adjustment of the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor is performed. You can do it freely. In the drawing, 43 is a nut for holding the protruding state of the screw shaft 42 and fixing the protruding length d.

[0006]

In the case of the optical sensor mounting device having the above-mentioned structure, the optical axis is adjusted by inclining the support column 36 with the four optical axis adjusting screw shafts 42, and then, as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, the four bolts 39 are tightened to fix the mounting plate 37 to the base plate 35. Therefore, due to the variation in the tightening force of each bolt 39, the support column 36 is displaced from the state at the time of adjustment, There is a problem that the axis shifts. Therefore, it is difficult to adjust the optical axis, and it is difficult to finely adjust the optical axis.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and the optical axis of the optical sensor can be adjusted by adjusting the inclination of the support column for mounting the optical sensor and supporting it from the four sides with the same supporting shaft. It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical sensor mounting device that is easy and that can also finely adjust the optical axis.

[0008]

An optical sensor mounting device according to the present invention comprises a base that can be fixed on a floor surface,
The optical sensor mounting column is vertically installed on the floor with the lower end supported by the base. The base includes a support portion for supporting the lower end portion of the column at least at two upper and lower positions. The support portion at the upper position supports the support in a state where the upper and lower ends of the support can be displaced in the radial direction over the entire circumference. The support portion at the lower position supports the outer peripheral surface of the support column by at least the tip of a support shaft that can be adjusted forward and backward toward the center from four directions.

The lower end of the column need only be supported at two locations above and below the base, but it may be supported at three or more locations. For example, in the case of supporting at three points, the supporting portion at the uppermost position supports the supporting pillar in a state where the upper and lower ends of the supporting pillar can be displaced in the radial direction over the entire circumference, and the supporting portion at another position. Supports the outer peripheral surface of the support column by at least the tip of a support shaft that can be adjusted forward and backward toward the center from four directions, and the remaining support portion at one place supports the support column by an arbitrary method. The support shaft can be supported from four directions by the support shaft, but it may be supported from more directions.

In the above-described optical sensor mounting device, first, the base is fixed on the floor surface, and then the upper and lower ends of the support column can be displaced in the radial direction over the entire circumference by the support portion above the base. Support the column with. After that, the support shafts are individually moved in four directions to support the outer surface of the support column while adjusting the inclination of the support column for mounting the optical sensor.
According to this invention, since the support pillar for mounting the optical sensor is supported from four sides by the support shaft and the inclination of the support pillar is adjusted by the same support shaft, the optical axis of the optical sensor can be easily adjusted and the optical axis of the optical axis can be adjusted. Fine adjustment is also possible.

There are various modes for fixing the base on the floor surface, one of which is to equip the base with a mounting board for the floor and to fix the mounting board to the floor by anchor bolts. To

Various optical sensors can be attached to the column, but in a preferred embodiment, a light projector of a multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor in which a plurality of light projecting elements are arranged in an array, and the light projecting device are provided. A light receiver of a multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor in which the same number of light receiving elements as the elements are arranged is attached.
A light emitting diode is used for the light emitting element of the light projector, and a photodiode is used for the light receiving element of the light receiver.

Although there are various forms of the base, a preferred embodiment is a tubular body having an open upper surface, and a support portion at an upper position is provided in the opening portion of the upper surface of the tubular body.
The cylindrical body is preferably cylindrical, but may be rectangular.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the support portion at the upper position has a holder having a through hole for passing a support column and an elastically deformable holder supporting plate having a through hole corresponding to the through hole of the holder. It consists of and. The holder supporting plate has an outer peripheral edge fixed to the base and an inner peripheral edge fixed to the holder. The support column inserted into the through hole of the holder is fixed to the holder. With such a configuration, the support column is supported in a state where the upper and lower ends of the support column can be displaced in the radial direction over the entire circumference.

There are various embodiments of the holder supporting plate, but it is preferable to use a plate spring having a plurality of grooves formed on the plate surface. In this case, the entire holder supporting plate may be formed of a leaf spring or may be partially formed of a leaf spring.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the support portion at the upper position is composed of an elastically deformable cylindrical holder having a through hole for passing a support column. The upper end of the holder is fixed to the base, and the lower end of the holder is fixed directly or indirectly to the support column inserted in the through hole. Also with such a configuration, the support pillar is supported in a state where the upper and lower ends of the support pillar can be displaced in the radial direction over the entire circumference.

The above-mentioned "cylindrical holder" may be entirely made of an elastic material such as rubber, and can be elastically deformed by surrounding a plurality of grooves in a cylindrical body of metal or synthetic resin. It may be a structure. Further, indirectly fixing the lower end of the holder to the support column means fixing the lower end of the holder to the support column with another member interposed.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the supporting portion at the lower position is screwed into each of the screw holes formed toward the center of the base at 90 ° equiangular positions of the base. As a result, the support shaft is composed of four support shafts whose tips project into the base, and stoppers for holding each support shaft in a projecting state into the base. As the stopper, for example, a nut can be used.

[0019]

1 and 2 show the structure of an optical sensor mounting device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The optical sensor mounting device 1 of the illustrated example is a base 2 that can be fixed on the floor surface 10, and an optical sensor mounting device that is vertically installed on the floor surface 10 with its lower end supported by the base 2. It consists of columns 3. A light projector 5 of a multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor is attached to the column 3 by two attachment fittings 4a and 4b.
The light projector 5 comprises a plurality of light projecting elements arranged side by side.

Although not shown, a photodetector of a multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor is attached to a column of another optical sensor attachment device having the same structure. The light receiver has the same number of light receiving elements as the light projecting elements of the light projector 5 and is arranged. The light to which the light projector 5 is attached so that the light projecting element and the light receiving element forming a pair face each other. The sensor mounting device 1 and the optical sensor mounting device to which the light receiver is mounted are installed on the floor surface 10.

As shown in FIG. 3, the base 2 has a disc-shaped mounting substrate 12 integrally fixed by welding to a lower end surface of a cylindrical tubular portion 11 having an open upper surface. The outer peripheral portion of the mounting substrate 12 projects from the outer surface of the tubular portion 11, and screw holes 13 are formed at 90 ° equiangular positions on the projecting portion. Anchor bolts 14 are screwed into the screw holes 13, and the shaft portions of the anchor bolts 14 projecting downward from the mounting substrate 12 are embedded in the floor surface 10.

The base 2 is provided with support portions 15 and 16 for supporting the lower end portion of the support column 3 at two upper and lower positions. The support portion 15 at the upper position is formed in the opening on the upper surface of the tubular portion 11. The support portion 16 at the lower position is formed near the mounting substrate 12 at the lower end of the tubular portion 11.

The support portion 15 at the upper position supports the support column 3 in a state in which the upper and lower ends of the support column 3 can swing around the support portion of the support column 3, that is, in a state in which they can be displaced in the radial direction over the entire circumference. Through hole 17 through which the pillar 3 is inserted
It is composed of a ring-shaped holder 17 having a and a holder support plate 19 having a through hole 17a of the holder 17 and a through hole 19a having the same diameter as the holder 17 which is elastically deformable.

Screw holes 23 are formed in the holder 17 at positions equiangular with each other at 90 degrees so as to penetrate in the radial direction. A screw 24 is screwed into each screw hole 23, and the tip of the screw 24 projects into the through hole 17 a of the holder 17. The column 3 is inserted into the through hole 17a of the holder 17, and the tips of the screws 24 abut on the outer peripheral surface of the column 3 from four directions to fix the column 3.

The holder support plate 19 is entirely formed of a leaf spring, and moreover, it is easily elastically deformed.
A plurality of arc-shaped grooves 25 are formed along the concentric circles on the plate surface. The outer peripheral edge of the holder support plate 19 is integrally fixed to the upper end surface of the cylindrical portion 11 of the base 2 by a plurality of screws 21. The holder 17 is integrally fixed on the inner peripheral edge of the holder support plate 19 by a plurality of screws 22.
The pillar 3 is inserted into the through hole 17a of the holder 17, and when the pillar 3 is fixed to the holder 17 with the screw 24, the pillar 3 is in a state in which the upper and lower ends of the pillar 3 are swingable, that is, the radial direction over the entire circumference. Is supported so that it can be displaced.

In the above embodiment, the ring-shaped holder 17 and the elastically deformable holder supporting plate 19 constitute the supporting portion 15 at the upper position, but the present invention is not limited to this, and FIG.
Also, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the supporting portion 15 may be configured by using a cylindrical holder 51 that is elastically deformable. The inner hole of the holder 51 in each embodiment is formed with a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the support column 3. The holder 51 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 has a structure in which a plurality of grooves 53 are provided around a cylindrical body made of metal or synthetic resin so as to be elastically deformable. Further, the holder 51 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 is configured to be elastically deformable by using an elastic material such as rubber.

In each of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the base 2 is used.
An end plate portion 11a having a hole 54 through which the support column 3 can be inserted is formed at the upper end of the cylindrical portion 11 of the cylindrical holder 51. The end plate portion 11a has a plurality of upper end surfaces of the cylindrical holder 51. It is fixed by a screw 55. A ring-shaped support plate 57 is fixed to the lower end surface of the holder 51 by a plurality of screws 56, and the support plate 57 is fixed to the column 3 by a plurality of screws 58.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the holder 51 and the support plate 57 are fixed by the screws 56.
It is also possible to integrally form the support plate 57 on the unit 1. Further, in the embodiment of FIG. 5, a bearing surface 59 having a concave curved surface is formed on the upper surface of the mounting substrate 12 of the base 2, while a sliding surface 60 made of synthetic resin having a convex curved surface is formed on the lower end surface of the column 3. And the sliding member 60 is attached to the bearing hole 59 so that the column 3 can be easily tilted.
The bearing structure is not limited to the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, but can be adopted in each embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 6.

In the embodiment of FIG. 6, in order to screw the rubber holder 51 and the cylindrical portion 11 of the base 2 and the holder 51 and the support plate 57 with screws, A metal screw tube 62 having a screw hole 61 into which the screws 55 and 56 are screwed is insert-molded on the upper end surface and the lower end surface.

Next, the support portion 16 at the lower position is configured to support the outer peripheral surface of the support column 3 by the tip of a support shaft 27 which can be adjusted forward and backward from four directions toward the center. That is, in the tubular portion 11 of the base 2, screw holes 26 are formed so as to penetrate toward the center of the tubular portion 11 at positions of 90 degrees equiangular, and the supporting shaft 27 is formed in each screw hole 26.
Is screwed in from the outside.

When the tips of the four support shafts 27 project into the inner hole 20 of the tubular portion 11 and abut against the outer peripheral surface of the column 3, the lower end of the column 3 is supported and fixed. Also,
If the protruding length of each supporting shaft 27 into the inner hole 20 of the tubular portion 11 is adjusted, the tilt direction and tilt angle of the support column 3 are changed,
The optical axis of the projector 5 can be displaced. Each support shaft 2
The protruding state of the tubular portion 11 of the cylindrical portion 7 into the inner hole 20 is held by a nut 28 as a stopper. When the nut 28 is screwed into the support shaft 27 until it hits the outer peripheral surface of the tubular portion 11, the protruding length of the support shaft 27 into the inner hole 20 is fixed.

In order to install the projector 5 of the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor vertically with respect to the floor surface 10 by the above-mentioned optical sensor mounting device 1, first, the mounting substrate 12 of the base 2 is placed on the floor surface 10 by the anchor bolts 14. And the cylindrical portion 11 of the base 2 is held in a posture perpendicular to the floor surface 10.

Next, after the support column 3 is inserted into the cylindrical portion 11 of the base 2 through the through hole 17a of the holder 17 of the support portion 15, as shown in FIG.
The hexagon wrench 29 is used to screw in the screw 24 to fix the column 3 to the holder 17. At this time, since the holder support plate 19 can be elastically deformed and bent, the column 3 can be bent.
The upper and lower ends of the column 3 are supported in a state in which they can be displaced in the radial direction over the entire circumference. 5 and 6, the support plate 57 is fixed to the support column 3 by the screw 58 in the same manner.

Next, as shown in FIG.
After installing the level 6 on the upper end surface of the support shaft 27, the support shafts 27 are respectively screwed into the screw holes 26 of the tubular portion 11 using the hexagonal wrench 29, and the tips of the support shafts 27 are abutted against the outer peripheral surface of the support column 3. . By individually advancing and retracting the support shafts 27 so that the bubbles of the level 6 move to the center, the support columns 3 can be set in a vertical state, and the outer surfaces of the support columns 3 can be supported from four directions.

When the column 3 is in the vertical state, FIG.
As shown in (3), the nut 28 is tightened using the spanner 30 to fix the support shafts 27. Prop 3 in this state
The projector 5 of the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor is attached to the two mounting brackets 4a,
When it is attached in parallel with the support column 3 using 4b, the projector 5 is in a vertical state, and the optical axis of the projector 5 is horizontal.

[0036]

According to the present invention, since the support shaft can be tilted and supported by adjusting the support shaft forward and backward, the optical axis of the optical sensor can be easily adjusted and the optical axis can be finely adjusted.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of an optical sensor mounting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the optical sensor mounting device of FIG.

3 is an exploded perspective view of the optical sensor mounting device of FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an installation procedure of the optical sensor attachment device.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of an optical sensor mounting device according to another embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of an optical sensor mounting device according to another embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor.

FIG. 8 is a front view showing a configuration of a conventional optical sensor mounting device.

9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing a procedure of adjusting an optical axis in a conventional optical sensor mounting device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Optical sensor mounting device 2 base 3 props 4 Light receiving element 5 Floodlight 12 Mounting board 15,16 Support 17 Holder 17a through hole 19 Holder support plate 19a through hole 25 grooves 26 screw holes 27 Support shaft 28 nuts

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Takao Nakazaki             Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto-shi Shioji-dori Horikawa Higashiiri Minamifudo-cho             801 OMRON Corporation (72) Inventor Yasushi Miyake             Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto-shi Shioji-dori Horikawa Higashiiri Minamifudo-cho             801 OMRON Corporation (72) Inventor Ryuichiro Takaichi             Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto-shi Shioji-dori Horikawa Higashiiri Minamifudo-cho             801 OMRON Corporation F-term (reference) 4E088 KK07                 5G055 AA02 AB01 AC02 AE01 AE06                       AE25 AG18

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A base that can be fixed on a floor surface, and a column for mounting an optical sensor that is vertically installed on the floor surface with its lower end supported by the base. The base comprises:
It is equipped with a support for supporting the lower end of the column at least at two points, the upper and lower supports, and the upper and lower ends of the column can be displaced in the radial direction over the entire circumference. An optical sensor mounting device for supporting and supporting a supporting portion at a lower position by a tip of a supporting shaft capable of advancing and retreating the outer peripheral surface of the support column from at least four directions toward the center. 2. The optical sensor mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the base has a mounting board on the floor surface, and the mounting board is fixed to the floor surface by anchor bolts. 3. The multi-optical device having a plurality of light-projecting elements arranged in line on the pillar, and a light-emitter of a multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor, and the same number of light-receiving elements as the light-projecting elements arranged in line. The optical sensor mounting device according to claim 1, wherein one of the axial photoelectric sensor and the light receiver is mounted. 4. The optical sensor mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the base is a tubular body having an open upper surface, and a support portion at an upper position is provided in an opening portion of the upper surface of the tubular body. 5. The holder support plate at the upper position is composed of a holder having a through hole for passing a support column and an elastically deformable holder support plate having a through hole corresponding to the through hole of the holder. The optical sensor mounting according to claim 1 or 4, wherein the outer peripheral edge is fixed to the base, the holder is fixed to the inner peripheral edge, and the support column inserted into the through hole of the holder is fixed to the holder. apparatus. 6. The optical sensor mounting device according to claim 5, wherein the holder support plate is wholly or partially configured by a plate spring, and a plurality of grooves are formed on the plate surface. 7. The support portion at the upper position is composed of an elastically deformable cylindrical holder having a through hole for passing a support, the upper end of the holder is fixed to the base, and the lower end of the holder is the above-mentioned. The optical sensor mounting device according to claim 1 or 4, wherein the optical sensor mounting device is directly or indirectly fixed to a pillar inserted in the through hole. 8. The support portion in the lower position is a base 90.
Screw holes formed toward the center of the base at each equiangular position, four support shafts whose tips project into the base by being screwed into each screw hole, and each support shaft into the base. 2. A stopper for holding the protruding state.
The optical sensor mounting device described in.