JP3207976U - OPTICAL RECEIVER HAVING LENS ADJUSTMENT ARRANGEMENT - Google Patents

Abstract

An optical receiver having an arrangement for adjusting the direction of a lens is provided. The optical receiver has a housing that forms an outer contour. A reflector 8 and a lens 9 are arranged in the housing 2. The reflector 8 is arranged to redirect the light beam that has entered the housing 2 through the light transmissive portion 7 toward the lens 9. The lens 9 is applied to transmit the redirected light beam to the focal plane. The lens 9 defines the optical axis O. The lens 9 is a convex lens, but any lens that refracts light in a suitable manner can be used. The holder 10 supports the lens 9. The holder 10 has a first portion proximal to the reflector 8 and a second portion distal to the reflector 8. The first part has a hole to which the lens 9 is attached. The second portion has an arch-like shape, and the center of the top portion of the arch is substantially aligned with the optical axis O. [Selection] Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical receiver having a lens and an arrangement for adjusting the orientation of the lens, and an optical system including such an optical receiver.

  Optical receivers that use lenses, mirrors, and other types of optical components to transmit an incoming light beam to a sensor for detection are typically relative positions of the various components. Very susceptible to. To ensure satisfactory technical performance, it is usually necessary to calibrate and recalibrate the position of the optical components, and for this purpose many optical devices adjust the position of these components. A mechanism is provided. When designing such a mechanism, multiple technical challenges must be addressed and are the basis for further efforts aimed at finding innovative solutions to these technical challenges. . In particular, there is a need for a solution that allows precise, easy and quick adjustment of the position of the optical components. There is also a need for a small and mechanically simple solution.

  From the above viewpoint, according to the first aspect, an optical receiver is provided. An optical receiver includes: a housing having a pedestal; a lens disposed in the housing, the lens defining an optical axis and a focal plane; and a light beam disposed at the focal plane of the lens and transmitted through the lens A light receiving region arranged in a manner; a holder rotatable about a first axis and a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, wherein the first and first are arranged when the holder is arranged at a reference position A holder for supporting the lens such that the two axes are orthogonal to the optical axis of the lens and intersect each other at the center of the lens, and the lens follows the rotation of the holder; First adjusting means for rotating from one orientation to a second orientation, and second adjusting means for rotating the holder from a third orientation to a fourth orientation about a second axis, Adjusting means, second adjusting means, and light receiving area First and second adjustment means disposed on the same side of the lens as viewed along the optical axis; a spring-action disposed within the housing pedestal about the circumference of the holder a member) that is compressed as the holder rotates about the first and second axes, thereby exerting a force on the holder and attempting to rotate the holder in the first and third orientations. And a spring acting member applied in such a manner.

  According to a second aspect, an optical system is provided, the optical system comprising a self-supporting unit comprising an optical receiver according to the first aspect and a light emitter arranged to emit a light beam to the optical receiver. A self-supporting unit and a frame to which the self-supporting unit can be mounted so as to be optically aligned with each other, the frame and the self-supporting unit being mutually aligned to spatially lock the self-supporting unit relative to each other It includes a fully matching positioning means.

  The arrangement of the light receiving area “on” the focal plane means that the light receiving area coincides with or substantially coincides with the focal plane. The units are “self-supporting”, suggesting that these units are separate units that can be detached from and attached to the frame independently of each other.

  The first and second adjustment means allow the lens orientation to be easily and quickly calibrated to optimize the amount of light entering the light receiving area. Dual-axis rotation capability allows precise adjustment of the position of the lens and the spring action member is exerted on the holder so that any play between the holder and its support structure is reduced. The accuracy is further improved by canceling the rotational force. Thus, the spring acting member helps to keep the rotational movement of the holder smooth and accurately controllable and reduces the vibration of the holder when the holder is not rotated.

  This optical receiver has a very small number of components in the lens adjustment arrangement, and the first and second adjustment means can be located at a distance from the lens along the optical axis, resulting in a very small size. be able to. In practice, the difference in size is particularly important when compared to prior art optical receivers where the lens and the mechanism for adjusting the position of the lens are at the same height.

  This optical receiver also offers cost benefits in addition to technical performance benefits. The very small number of components of the optical device reduces the total cost of the components and simplifies and shortens the assembly method. A further cost benefit comes from the fact that this optical receiver can compensate for inaccuracies in other components of the optical system. Thus, the manufacturing requirements of those components can be relaxed and often reduce the main drivers of manufacturing costs. In practice, the ability to easily and independently tune the optical receiver is advantageous in many situations. For example, the optical receiver facilitates recalibration in situations where a new optical emitter that is replaced with an old optical emitter is not well calibrated to the optical receiver. Thereby, the optical receiver also helps to reduce system downtime.

  The lens can be a convex lens. Such lenses can be easily applied to application specific requirements.

  At least one of the first and second adjustment means may be a screw. This is a mechanically simple and compact solution that still allows calibration without the use of expensive tools.

  The spring acting member can be made of an elastic material. Such a spring acting member can be technically simple and reliable, but still relatively inexpensive.

  The spring acting member can be a continuous element or alternatively can be formed by several individual elements. Such a spring acting member can provide a spring acting force in multiple directions so that any play between the holder and its support structure is practically reduced and the holder is held firmly in place. it can.

  The pedestal can be formed by one or more grooves in the housing. The housing can be provided with a highly accurate groove using a relatively inexpensive tool.

  The groove can be disposed in a plane that is inclined with respect to the optical axis when the holder is disposed at the reference position. Such a groove arrangement allows the holder to be rotated in two directions around each of the first and second axes using only a single adjustment means for each axis. .

  The optical receiver can include at least one reflector arranged to receive the light beam and redirect the received light beam toward the lens. The reflector can be, for example, a mirror. The use of one or more reflectors gives greater freedom in positioning the lens with respect to the incoming light beam.

  The mutual alignment positioning means may include a set of holes in the frame that align with the respective holes in the freestanding unit so that the freestanding units are spatially locked relative to each other. It can be attached to the frame with screws. Additionally or alternatively, the mutual alignment positioning means can include a set of threaded pins in the housing that align with holes in the frame. Additionally or alternatively, the mutual alignment positioning means can include a set of threaded pins within the frame that align with holes in the housing. Such positioning means allow the units to be positioned reliably and accurately relative to each other and also allows for quick and easy replacement of defective units.

  The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings:

1 is a perspective view of an optical receiver according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the optical receiver of FIG. 1, partially cut away to show the internal components of the optical receiver. It is a perspective view of the lid | cover of FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the housing of FIG. 1 with a portion cut open to show the interior. 1 is a side view of an optical system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. It is a side view of the frame of FIG.

  Hereinafter, the optical receiver 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. The optical receiver 1 has a housing 2 that forms the outer contour of the optical receiver 1. The shape and size of the housing 2 depends on the application. In the illustrated example, the shape of the housing 2 is substantially square. The height h of the housing 2 can be, for example, in the range of 20 mm to 500 mm; or 50 mm to 300 mm, or 100 mm to 200 mm. The length 1 of the housing 2 can be, for example, in the range of 5 mm to 300 mm; or 10 mm to 200 mm; or 30 mm to 100 mm; or 40 mm to 75 mm. The width w of the housing 2 can be, for example, in the range of 5 mm to 200 mm; or 10 mm to 100 mm; or 20 mm to 75 mm; or 30 mm to 60 mm. The height h, length l, and width w can be enlarged and reduced depending on the application. The housing 2 is typically made from a plastic material or metal.

  The housing 2 includes a side wall 3 and a peripheral wall 4 disposed around the circumference of the side wall 3. The side wall 3 and the peripheral wall 4 can be a single part or two separate parts attached to each other, so that the two walls 3, 4 are integrated with each other. In the illustrated example, the side wall 3 is substantially flat, and the peripheral wall 4 extends orthogonally to the side wall 3. The housing 2 further includes a lid 5 disposed on the opposite side of the side wall 3. The lid 5 is attached to the peripheral wall 4 with screws 6. Of course, the lid 5 can be attached to the peripheral wall 4 in some other way, for example by being snap-locked to the peripheral wall 4.

  The housing 2 is provided with positioning means in the form of holes 15 for attaching the optical receiver 1 to the frame or some other type of external structure, such as by screws. Furthermore, the housing 2 has a light-transmissive portion 7 so that the light beam can travel from the outside to the inside of the housing 2 through the light-transmissive portion. The light transmissive portion 7 is a circular component of light transmissive material disposed within the peripheral wall 4. In other examples, the light transmissive portion 7 can be located elsewhere, such as in the side wall 3 or the lid 5, and the shape of the light transmissive portion 7 can be different, eg, square. Can do. The light transmissive portion 7 can also be made of glass or plastic, for example, or simply an opening in the housing 2.

  A reflector 8 and a lens 9 are arranged in the housing 2. The reflector 8 is arranged to redirect the light beam that has entered the housing 2 through the light transmissive portion 7 toward the lens 9. The lens 9 is applied to transmit the redirected light beam to the focal plane. The lens 9 defines the optical axis O. The lens 9 is a convex lens, but any lens that refracts light in a suitable manner can be used. In the illustrated example, the reflector 8 is a plane mirror disposed at an angle of approximately 45 ° with respect to the optical axis O. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the angle between the reflector 8 and the optical axis O can be in the range of 35 ° to 55 °. Furthermore, the reflector 8 is preferably arranged in such a way that light is reflected along the optical axis O of the lens 9, which is achieved by the light transmissive part 7 and other relative positions of the lens 9. You can also. In some cases, in some embodiments, the reflector 8 is not required, for example when the light transmissive portion 7 and the optical axis O are aligned.

  The holder 10 supports the lens 9. The holder 10 has a first portion proximal to the reflector 8 and a second portion distal to the reflector 8. The first part has a hole to which the lens 9 is attached. The second portion has an arch-like shape, and the center of the top portion of the arch is substantially aligned with the optical axis O.

The holder 10 is rotatable, and the optical receiver 1 has first and second adjusting means 11, 12. By using the first and second adjusting means 11, 12, the holder 10 can be rotated. Is possible. In the illustrated example, each of the first and second adjusting means 11 and 12 is a screw. Other types of first and second adjusting means 11, 12 that can be used are, for example, cylindrical pins with a locking action, for example a push-pull or snap-hook lock based on friction. The first adjusting means 11 is applied to rotate the holder 10 around the first axis A ₁ , and the second adjusting means 12 is a second axis A ₂ that is orthogonal to the _first axis A _1. Is applied to rotate the holder 10 around. In the illustrated example, the first and second axes A ₁ and A ₂ are located in a horizontal plane orthogonal to the z-axis of the Cartesian coordinate system shown in FIG. The first axis A ₁ is parallel to the x-axis, the second axis A ₂ is parallel to the y-axis. The first and second axes A ₁ and A ₂ intersect each other at the center of the lens 9 or substantially at the center of the lens 9 when the holder 10 is disposed at the reference position. The reference position of the holder 10 is a position of the holder 10 such that the optical axis O is orthogonal to the first and second axes A ₁ and A ₂ . In other words, when the holder 10 is at the reference position, the optical axis O is parallel to the z-axis.

In the illustrated example, the first adjusting means / the screws 11 is arranged parallel to the second axis A _2, the second adjusting means / the screws 12 is arranged parallel to the first axis A _1. The first and second adjusting means 11 and 12 are the same at a distance d from the plane of the first and second axes A ₁ and A ₂ along the optical axis O when the holder 10 is in its reference position. Arranged in a plane. The distance d depends on the application, but is typically in the range of 35 mm to 40 mm, for example 38 mm. In a different embodiment, the first and second adjustment means 11, 12, it is noted that can be spaced different distances from the first and second axes A _1, A ₂ planes. This should mean that the first and second adjusting means 11, 12 are not arranged in the same plane.

The first adjusting means 11 can be used to rotate the holder 10 around the first axis A ₁ from the first direction to the second direction, and the second adjusting means 12 is used to rotate the holder 10. it can be the use of third orientation in the second about the axis a ₂ in order to rotate the fourth orientation. The first, second, third, and fourth orientations can correspond to the end points of the adjustment range of the lens 9 / holder 10. Holder 10, the fifth orientation, and the third direction and the fourth orientation at the second about the axis A ₂ between the first orientation and the second orientation in the first about the axis A ₁ By placing the holder 10 in the sixth direction between the two, it can be positioned at the reference position. The fifth orientation is preferably disposed substantially in the middle between the first orientation and the second orientation. The sixth orientation is preferably disposed substantially in the middle between the third orientation and the fourth orientation.

  Around the first portion of the holder 10, a spring acting member 13 is arranged in the circumferential direction. In this example, the spring action member 13 is an elastic member, more precisely, a rubber O-ring. Thus, the spring acting member 13 is a single continuous element, but in other examples the spring acting member 13 can be formed by several individual elements. The O-ring has a circular cross section. The inner diameter of the O-ring depends on the size of the lens 9, and the size of the lens 9 is typically in the range of 25 mm to 30 mm, for example 28 mm, depending on the application. Note that the spring acting member 13 need not be an O-ring. Examples of other spring acting members 13 include circular lips and rib rings. Further examples of the spring acting member 13 include a ring, and the cross section of the ring is a rectangle such as a rectangle, or an oval. The spring acting member 13 can have any cross section as long as the lens holder 10 and the housing 2 are made accordingly. Furthermore, the O-ring can also be replaced by a rubber, plastic or even thin metal part with a cutout, for example a circular or square cutout. At this time, the circular cutout should serve the same purpose as the O-ring and the stiffness / flexibility of this sheet of material should provide a spring force.

  The spring acting member 13 is supported by the pedestal 14. In this example, the pedestal 14 is formed in the housing 2 by a groove. The groove can have any geometry as long as it has the opposite geometry of the spring acting member 13. The spring acting member 13 and the groove should preferably fit together. In the example shown there are a total of four grooves, but of course in other examples this number can be different. The shape of the pedestal 14 is complementary to the shape of the spring acting member 13, and as a result, the spring acting member 13 is securely fitted in the pedestal 14. Specifically, the groove has a semi-circular transverse profile that is negative or opposite to the transverse profile of the spring acting member 13, ie O-ring.

In some cases, the groove can be arranged in a plane inclined with respect to the optical axis O when the holder 10 is in the reference position. In other words, the grooves can be placed in a plane that is not orthogonal to the z-axis of the Cartesian coordinate system of FIG. More precisely, the grooves can be arranged in a plane rotated about the x-axis and the y-axis. By arranging the grooves in this way, the spring acting member / O-ring 13 can exert a force on the holder 10 in the direction opposite to the force from the screws 11 and 12 over the entire adjustment range. Thereby, instead of two screws arranged in opposite directions, only one screw is used for each of the axes A ₁ , A ₂ , so that the holder 10 is attached to the first and second axes A ₁ , A 2. Each of the _two can be rotated both clockwise and counterclockwise. When the screw is moved toward the holder 10, the screw pushes the holder 10, so that the holder 10 rotates. When the same screw is moved away from the holder 10, the spring action member 13 pushes the holder 10 so as to follow the retracting screw, so that the holder 10 rotates (in the reverse direction).

  In the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the optical receiver 1: When the first screw 11 is moved toward the holder 10, the holder 10 rotates counterclockwise when viewed in the positive x direction, When the screw 11 is moved away from the holder 10, the holder 10 rotates clockwise as viewed in the positive x direction, and when the second screw 12 is moved toward the holder 10, the holder 10 is moved in the positive y direction. When the second screw 12 is rotated clockwise as viewed and moved away from the holder 10, the holder 10 is applied to rotate counterclockwise as viewed in the positive y direction.

  In the example shown, the plane of the groove is rotated by the same angle around the x and y axes, but in other examples this may or may not be the case. The rotation angle can be 7 ° or less, such as 5 °, 3 °, or 2 °, for example. As an example, consider the case where it is desirable that the adjustment range of the lens 9 / holder 10 about the x-axis be between −3 ° and + 3 ° with respect to the z-axis. At this time, the rotation angle of the plane around the x-axis is typically selected to be 3 °. The first orientation of the holder 10 can correspond to the optical axis O being at an angle of −3 ° with respect to the z-axis, and the second orientation of the holder 10 is that the optical axis O is relative to the z-axis. + 3 ° and vice versa.

  The optical receiver 1 further includes a light receiving region 16 that coincides or substantially coincides with the focal plane. The light receiving area 16 faces the lens 9. The first adjusting unit 11, the second adjusting unit 12, and the light receiving region 16 are arranged on the same side of the lens 9 when viewed along the optical axis O. In the illustrated example, the light receiving region 16 is disposed on the top of the second portion of the holder 10. The light receiving region 16 can form a part of the photodetector attached to the holder 10. Alternatively, the light receiving region 16 can be a surface through which the light beam can pass, which is then routed, for example, through an optical fiber partially disposed in a hole in the holder 10. It is possible to proceed to a sensor arranged outside the optical receiver 1. Thus, the sensor and the optical receiver 1 can form separate units.

When the holder 10 is at the reference position, the distance between the lens 9 and the first and second adjusting means A ₁ and A ₂ along the optical axis O is the distance between the lens 9 and the light receiving region 16. It can be at least 50%, alternatively at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, or at least 100%. Additionally or alternatively, when the holder 10 is in the reference position, the distance between the lens 9 and the first and second adjusting means A ₁ , A ₂ along the optical axis O is 150% or less, 130% Hereinafter, it may be 120% or less, 110% or less, or 105% or less.

  Next, the optical system 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. The optical system 100 includes the optical receiver 1 described with reference to FIGS. The optical receiver 1 forms a self-supporting unit mounted on the frame 101. The frame 101 has positioning means 101a, 101b, 101c, 101d in the form of holes. The optical receiver 1 is attached to the frame 101 by screws that pass through the holes 15 in the housing 2 and align with the holes in the frame 101. A light emitter 102 forming a self-supporting unit is attached to the frame 101 so as to be spatially locked to the optical receiver 1. The light emitter 102 is provided with positioning means in the form of holes. The light emitter 102 is attached to the frame 101 by screws that pass through the holes in the light emitter 102 and align with the holes in the frame 101.

  There is a gap between the optical receiver 1 and the optical emitter 102. The width W of the gap depends on the specific application requirements, but can be in the range of 50 mm to 300 mm, or 100 mm to 250 mm, or 150 mm to 200 mm, for example. The optical receiver 1 and the optical emitter 102 are optically aligned with each other on different sides of the gap. Thus, the optical receiver 1 is arranged to receive the light beam emitted by the light emitter 102, and the light transmissive part 7 of the optical receiver 1 faces the light emitter 102. The light source of the light emitter 102 is typically a light emitting diode or a laser diode. The wavelength of the light beam emitted by the light emitter 102 can be, for example, in the range of 400-2000 nm; or 400 nm-700 nm; or 700-2000 nm.

  In use, the light emitter 102 emits a light beam L in the emission direction, which is approximately the width W direction. The light beam L enters through the light transmissive part 7 and is reflected towards the lens 9 by the reflector 8. The lens 9 transmits the light beam L to the light receiving region 16. The light striking the light receiving region 16 can be coupled into, for example, an optical fiber, which transmits the light to a sensor for detection.

  Typically, it is desired to increase the amount of light entering the light receiving region 16 as much as possible. If the orientation of the lens 9 and the direction and / or position of the light beam L are not aligned so that all or part of the light does not strike the light receiving area 16, more light will enter the light receiving area 16. The direction of the lens 9 can be adjusted. The lens 9 moves with the holder 10, and thus the orientation of the lens 9 can be adjusted by rotating the holder 10 using the first and second adjusting means 11, 12.

  The optical system 100 includes, for example, an automatic collection having a conveyor that transports used beverage bottles through a gap between the optical receiver 1 and the optical emitter 102 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the emission direction of the optical emitter 102. It can be part of a reverse bending machine. The optical receiver 1 receives light transmitted through a food or beverage container present in the gap, thereby determining, for example, whether a bottle is present in the gap and also determining different characteristics of the bottle. It becomes possible. Examples of other characteristics that can be determined include the type of plastic material and the color of an empty food container such as a bottle or food tray. Glass can also be identified, for example, by identifying the presence of a non-plastic translucent object.

  It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. On the contrary, many modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the appended claims. For example, when the optical system 100 is interested in identifying the color, material, or other property of an object, such as within an apparatus used for classification, collection, and / or identification, Also suitable for types of equipment. Additionally, variations on the disclosed embodiments can be understood and implemented by those skilled in the art upon review of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims, when practicing the claimed invention. . In the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Optical receiver 2 Housing 3 Side wall 4 Perimeter wall 5 Lid 6 Screw 7 Light transmissive part 8 Reflector 9 Lens 10 Holder 11 1st adjustment means, 1st screw 12 2nd adjustment means, 2nd screw 13 Spring Action member, O-ring 14 Base 15 Hole 16 Light receiving area 100 Optical system 101 Frame 101a Positioning means 101b Positioning means 101c Positioning means 101d Positioning means 102 Light emitter d Distance h Height l Length w Width A ₁ First axis A ₂ Second axis L Light beam O Optical axis W Width

Claims (13)

An optical receiver (1):
A housing (2) having a pedestal (14);
A lens (9) disposed within the housing (2), the lens (9) defining an optical axis (O) and a focal plane;
A light receiving region (16) disposed at the focal plane of the lens (9) and disposed to receive a light beam transmitted through the lens (9);
A first axis _{(A 1)} and rotatable holder about a second axis orthogonal to said first axis _{(A 1) (A 2)} (10), the holder (10) is a reference When placed in position, the first and second axes (A ₁ , A ₂ ) are perpendicular to the optical axis (O) of the lens (9) and intersect each other at the center of the lens (9), and the holder A holder that supports the lens (9) such that the lens (9) follows the rotation of the holder (10);
First adjusting means (11) for rotating the holder (10) around the first axis (A ₁ ) from the first direction to the second direction, and the holder (10) with the second axis ( A _second adjusting means (12) that rotates from the third direction to the fourth direction around A ₂ ), the first adjusting means (11), the second adjusting means (12), and the light receiving First and second adjustment means, wherein the region (16) is arranged on the same side of the lens (9) when viewed along the optical axis (O);
A spring acting member (13) disposed in the pedestal (14) of the housing (2) around the circumference of the holder (10), wherein the holder (10) is connected to the first and second shafts (A ₁ , A ₂ ) a spring acting member adapted to compress when rotating about, thereby exerting a force on the holder (10) and to attempt to rotate the holder (10) in the first and third orientations The optical receiver comprising (13).   The optical receiver (1) according to claim 1, wherein the lens (9) is a convex lens.   Optical receiver (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the first and second adjusting means (11, 12) is a screw.   The optical receiver (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the spring acting member (13) is made of an elastic material.   The optical receiver (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the spring acting member (13) is a continuous element.   5. The optical receiver (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the spring acting member (13) is formed by several individual elements.   The optical receiver (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pedestal (14) is formed by one or more grooves in the housing (2).   The optical receiver (1) according to claim 7, wherein the groove is arranged in a plane inclined with respect to the optical axis (O) when the holder (10) is arranged in the reference position.   The optical receiver (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a reflector (8) arranged to receive the light beam and redirect the received light beam towards the lens (9). 1).   The optical receiver (1) according to claim 9, wherein the reflector (8) is a mirror. An optical system (100) comprising:
A self-supporting unit comprising the optical receiver (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10;
A free-standing unit comprising a light emitter (102) arranged to emit a light beam to a light receiver (1);
A frame (101) to which the freestanding unit can be mounted so as to be optically aligned with each other;
Wherein the frame (101) and the first and second freestanding units comprise mutual alignment positioning means for spatially locking the freestanding units relative to each other.   The mutual alignment positioning means includes a set of holes (101a, 101b, 101c, 101d) in the frame (101) that align with the respective holes in the freestanding unit so that the freestanding units are relative to each other. The optical system (100) of claim 11, wherein the optical system (100) is attachable to the frame (101) by screws so as to be spatially locked. Automatic collection machine for handling used beverage or food containers:
A system according to claim 11 or 12,
Means for allowing said used beverage or food container to pass between said free-standing unit comprising a light emitter and said free-standing unit comprising a light receiver; The automatic collection configured to be illuminated by light emitted from the freestanding unit including an emitter, the emitted light being at least partially received by the freestanding unit including an optical receiver; Machine.

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