JP2822981B2 - Photosensor type attitude detection device and horizontal stabilization device for model aircraft - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical sensor type attitude detecting device for detecting an inclined state of front, rear, left and right using an optical sensor. This optical sensor type attitude detecting device is useful as a sensor portion of a horizontal stabilizing device which is mounted on, for example, a model airplane controlled by radio control and maintains a horizontal stable state of the body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 3 shows an optical sensor type attitude detecting device 99 of a conventional horizontal stabilizer mounted on a model airplane.
FIG. 4 is a plan view of a substrate having a built-in optical sensor type posture detecting device 99. On the peripheral surface of the substantially disk-shaped casing 100, the casing 100
The four lighting windows 101 are formed at 90 ° intervals in the circumferential direction along the radial direction from the center of the light-emitting device. Each lighting window 101
Communicate with each other through a space 102 provided inside the housing 100. In the space 102, a substrate 103 is provided at the same height as the lighting window 101. At the four corners of the substrate 103, photoconductive cells 104, which are optical sensors, are fixed with their light receiving surfaces orthogonal to the surface of the substrate 103, respectively. Accordingly, the terminals 105 of the photoconductive cell 104 are parallel to the plane of the substrate 103. The light receiving surface of the photoconductive cell 104 is 180
It is substantially orthogonal to the radiation direction connecting a pair of lighting windows 101 separated by an angle of °.

[0003] The four lighting windows 101 and the four photoconductive cells 104 are used in two sets, two of which are spaced apart by 180 ° in the circumferential direction. In each set, the radiation direction, which is the direction connecting the two lighting windows 101, 101, is the detection direction by the corresponding two photoconductive cells 104, 104.

Then, the optical sensor type posture detecting device 99
Is generally a model airplane 11 in a posture as shown in FIG.
Attach to the lower part of the fuselage. That is, the radiation direction (arrow A) in the first set of lighting windows is along the centerline of the fuselage, and the radiation direction (arrow B) in the second set of lighting windows orthogonal to this is along the longitudinal direction of the wing. Attach to

[0005] In each set, two photoconductive cells 104, 104 respectively detect light incident from the two lighting windows 101, 101 separated from each other by 180 degrees, and the horizontality in that direction is determined from the difference between the outputs. Is detected. For example, if the model aircraft deviates from a horizontal position during maneuvering, the photoconductive cell 10
Since the brightness of the light before and after or on the left and right incident on the light guide 4, 104 changes, the difference is output as the output difference between the photoconductive cells 104, 104 of each set. Based on the detection result, control means (not shown) controls the servos for driving each part of the model airplane until the aircraft is recognized as being horizontal.

In order to prevent an accident when the pilot loses his or her flight attitude during the flight, for example, when the pilot sets the operation stick of the transmitter to the neutral position, the set maximum value of the sensor output is obtained. In this case, the device can be operated simply by returning the operation stick to the neutral position.

[0007]

According to the conventional photo-sensor type attitude detecting device 99 of the horizontal stabilizer, the photoconductive cell 10 is provided.
The light receiving surface 4 is perpendicular to the light detection direction in the lighting window 101. For this reason, there is a problem that the light receiving surface of the photoconductive cell 104 is directly irradiated with external light, and the operation is likely to be unstable. For example, since the optical sensor type attitude detecting device 99 is based on the principle of recognizing the inclination direction from the difference in brightness between the heavens and the ground, especially in winter when the altitude of the sun is low or during sunrise / sunset, the conventional sensor is used. In the case of a structure in which external light is directly applied to the light receiving surface, such as an optical sensor type attitude detecting device, the direction of the horizon may be erroneously recognized as the zenith direction without reacting accurately.

A conventional optical sensor type attitude detecting device 99
According to the above, the terminal 105 of the photoconductive cell 104 is
In this case, the positioning and mounting of the photoconductive cell 104 with respect to the substrate 103 are not easy, and the variation is large.

The present invention has a structure in which the light receiving surface of the optical sensor is not directly irradiated with external light, so that a stable reaction can be obtained irrespective of the intensity of the external light, and the optical sensor can be easily positioned and mounted on the substrate. It is an object of the present invention to provide a sensor-type attitude detection device and a horizontal stabilization device for a model airplane provided with such an optical sensor-type attitude detection device.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical sensor type attitude detecting device comprising: a housing;
A pair of first daylighting windows formed along the radial direction at intervals of 80 degrees, and a pair of second second windows formed along the radial direction at intervals of 180 degrees around the housing. A lighting window, and at least four light sensors provided in the housing to detect light incident from each of the first and second lighting windows, and from two lighting windows separated by 180 degrees In an optical sensor type attitude detecting device which detects horizontality from a difference between outputs of two optical sensors which respectively detect incident light, it is preferable that light incident from each of the lighting windows reaches each optical sensor indirectly. Features.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the sensor-type attitude detecting apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the light receiving surface of each of the optical sensors is substantially parallel to the radiation direction. Each of the light sensors is arranged inside each of the lighting windows.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the optical sensor type attitude detecting device according to the second aspect, wherein the radiation direction is substantially different from the lighting window inside the housing. A light sensor is attached to a position of the substrate close to the lighting window so that a light receiving surface is parallel to the substrate.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical sensor type attitude detecting device according to the first aspect, wherein light incident from each of the lighting windows is reduced to reach each optical sensor. It is characterized by having a neutral density filter.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the horizontal stabilizing device for a model airplane, wherein the optical sensor type attitude detecting device according to the first aspect is provided on the model airplane, and the optical sensor type attitude detecting device provided on the model airplane. Control means for controlling the model airplane based on the detected levelness.

[0015]

FIG. 1 shows an example of an embodiment of the present invention.
This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 shows an optical sensor type attitude detecting device 1 of a horizontal stabilizing device of this example mounted on a model airplane.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of a substrate 2 incorporated in the optical sensor type posture detecting device 1. The substantially disk-shaped casing 3 has a vertically divided structure, and on its peripheral surface, four lighting windows 4 are formed at 90 ° intervals in the circumferential direction along the radiation direction from the center of the casing 3. . Each lighting window 4 communicates with a space 5 provided inside the housing 3. At the bottom in the space 5, a mounting portion 6 for the substrate 2 is provided. The upper surface of the mounting portion 6 is located higher than the lighting window 4, and the substrate 2 is mounted on the upper surface. The area of the upper surface of the mounting portion 6 is smaller than the area of the substrate 2, and the peripheral portion of the substrate 2 protrudes from the upper surface of the mounting portion. Photoconductive cells 7 as optical sensors are respectively fixed to the lower surfaces of the four peripheral edges of the protruding substrate 2. The light receiving surface 7 a of the photoconductive cell 7 is parallel to the surface of the substrate 2. Therefore, although the light receiving surface 7a of the photoconductive cell 7 faces the side of the lighting window 4, the two lighting windows 4, 180 away from each other by 180 °.
4 is substantially parallel to the radiation direction of the housing 3 which is a line connecting the light sources 4, and most of the light incident from the lighting window 4 is reflected by the lighting window 4, the side peripheral surface of the mounting portion 6 or the like, and indirectly. The light enters the light receiving surface 7a.

The configuration in the case where the optical sensor type attitude detecting device 1 of this embodiment is attached to a model airplane as a sensor portion of the horizontal stabilizer is the same as the conventional case shown in FIG. However, if there is an obstacle such as a leg or a muffler of the model airplane in the detection direction of the pair of photoconductive cells 7, 7 (radiation direction connecting the pair of lighting windows 4, 4), By rotating the optical sensor type posture detecting device 1 from the position shown in FIG.
The detection of sunlight by the photoconductive cell 7 is not disturbed. In that case, the detection direction by the photoconductive cell 7 is as shown in FIG.
Is different from the example shown in FIG.
If the output from is appropriately processed accordingly, the horizontal attitude control of the airframe can be performed in the same manner as in the above-described example.

According to this embodiment, most of the light incident from the daylighting window 4 is reflected on the inner wall of the daylighting window 4 and enters the light receiving surface 7a of the photoconductive cell 7. That is, direct sunlight is applied to the photoconductive cell 7.
Are not incident on the light receiving surface 7a. Therefore, the light is weaker than when the external light is directly incident on the light receiving surface 7a, and the difference between the outputs of the photoconductive cells 7 of each set is smaller than in the conventional case. Therefore, the attitude control can be performed more stably than in the past, and a more accurate response can be made even in winter when the altitude of the sun is low or during sunrise and sunset compared to the past.

According to the present embodiment, the terminal 8 of the photoconductive cell 7 is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate 2, and the terminal 8 is inserted into a through hole formed in the substrate 2 with high precision in advance. Then, the photoconductive cell 7 can be positioned with high accuracy with respect to the substrate 2. It is also easy to install.

Another example of the embodiment of the present invention will be described.
In the present example, a light-reducing filter is provided in each of the light-receiving windows 4 in the first example, and the incident light is reduced to reach each of the photoconductive cells 7. In the first example, sunlight may directly enter the light-receiving surface 7a of the photoconductive cell 7 depending on the size and shape of the lighting window 4, the incident angle of light, and the like. If the window 4 is provided with a neutral density filter, direct incidence of sunlight on the light receiving surface 7a can be reliably prevented, and the operation stability can be further ensured.

[0020]

According to the present invention, since the light incident from the daylighting window 4 does not directly enter each optical sensor, the operation stability is improved, and the wintertime and sunrise / sunday when the altitude of the sun is low are improved. An effect is obtained that stable attitude control can be performed even when the player dies.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a first example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a substrate 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional optical sensor type posture detecting device 1.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a substrate 2 of the conventional optical sensor type posture detecting device 1.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the model airplane to which the optical sensor type attitude detecting device 1 is attached.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Photosensor-type attitude detection device 2 Substrate 4 Lighting window 7 Photoconductive cell as photosensor 101 Model airplane

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-5-285276 (JP, A) JP-A-7-300096 (JP, A) JP-A-5-58198 (JP, U) (58) Field (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) A63H 27/00 A63H 30/02 G01B 11/26 G05D 1/08

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A housing, a pair of first lighting windows formed along the radiation direction at 180-degree intervals around the housing, and radiating at 180-degree intervals around the housing. A set of two second lighting windows formed along a direction, and at least four light sensors provided in the housing and detecting light incident from each of the first and second lighting windows. And 18
An optical sensor-type attitude detecting device that detects horizontality from a difference between outputs of two optical sensors that respectively detect light incident from two light-receiving windows separated by 0 degrees, wherein light incident from each of the light-receiving windows is indirectly detected. An optical sensor-type attitude detection device characterized by causing the optical sensor to reach each optical sensor. 2. The optical sensor type posture detecting device according to claim 1, wherein each of the optical sensors is arranged in the housing such that a light receiving surface of each of the optical sensors is substantially parallel to the radiation direction. 3. A substrate is disposed inside the housing at a position different from the lighting window so as to be substantially parallel to the radiation direction, and a light receiving surface is provided at a position of the substrate close to the lighting window. The optical sensor type posture detecting device according to claim 2, wherein an optical sensor is attached so as to be parallel to the substrate. 4. The optical sensor-type attitude detecting device according to claim 1, further comprising a dimming filter that diminishes light incident from each of said lighting windows to reach each of said optical sensors. 5. An optical sensor type attitude detecting device according to claim 1, which is provided on a model airplane, and controls the model airplane based on the levelness detected by the optical sensor type attitude detecting device provided on the model airplane. A horizontal stabilizer for a model airplane having a control means.