JPH03216694A - Semiconductor vibration sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect vibration electrically by providing a spherical body which is large enough to cut off one of light beams of light traveling from a semiconductor light emitting element to a reflecting body and reflected by the reflecting body to travel to a semiconductor light receiving element and a light- transmissive container where the spherical body is stored. CONSTITUTION:The light-nontransmissive movable spherical body 3 which cuts off the light 8 traveling from the semiconductor light emitting element 5 to the reflecting body 2 and light reflected by the reflecting body 2 to travel to the semiconductor light receiving element 6 at the same time is provided on the optical axis. The movable spherical body 3, therefore, cuts off the light in the absence of vibration, so no photocurrent flows to the semiconductor light receiving element 6, but the spherical body 3 which cuts off the light moves in the presence of vibration to make the light incident on the semiconductor light receiving element; and the photocurrent flows and the vibration is detected from the photocurrent. Consequently, the vibration can be detected electrically.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a vibration sensor that detects mechanical vibration.
In particular, it is used in a vibration sensor that detects vibration using an optical semiconductor element and outputs it as an electrical signal.

[Conventional technology]

Conventional vibration sensors mechanically transmit vibrations by moving the center of gravity of fluids or other objects. For this reason, it was difficult to convert it into an electrical signal, making it difficult to connect it to a microcomputer, etc. [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The conventional vibration sensor described above has a structure in which vibrations detected by movement of the center of gravity are transmitted through mechanical connections, so the sensor becomes large and the signal transmission distance is shortened. It has the disadvantage that it cannot be extended, it is difficult to convert into an electrical signal, and it cannot be connected to a control system using a microcomputer or the like.

[Means to solve the problem]

The semiconductor vibration sensor of the present invention includes a semiconductor light-emitting element, a semiconductor light-receiving element, a movable sphere, a light-transmitting container housing the sphere,
It has a housing case and a reflector plate for incorporating these.

By providing an optically opaque movable sphere on the optical axis that can simultaneously block the light from the semiconductor light-emitting element towards the reflective object and the light reflected by the reflector and directed towards the semiconductor light-receiving element, it is possible to As a result of the movable sphere blocking light, no photocurrent flows through the semiconductor photodetector, but during vibration, the sphere that had been blocking light moves, allowing light to enter the semiconductor photodetector and photocurrent flows. . Vibration is detected by this photocurrent.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of Example 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a view from above of a light-transmitting container. When there is no vibration, the light-shielding sphere 3 is on the optical axis of the light-emitting element 5 and the light-receiving element 6, so the light 8 emitted from the light-emitting element 5 is blocked by the sphere 3 and does not enter the light-receiving element 6. No photocurrent flows through. When vibration is applied, the sphere 3 that has been shielding the optical axis moves, and the light reflected by the reflector plate 2 is incident on the light receiving element, and a photocurrent flows through the light receiving element, so that the vibration can be sensed. The light-transmissive container l that houses the sphere is tilted so that the bottom surface thereof is centered on the optical axis of the light-receiving element 6, and by changing the angle of this slope or the size of the sphere 3, detection is possible. The strength of the vibration can be changed. Embodiment 2 is shown in Figures 3 and 4. In Example 2, a plurality of light-receiving elements 6 are installed around the single light-receiving element 6 that was installed at the bottom of the light-transmitting container 1 in Example 1. Other aspects are the same as in the first embodiment. This embodiment has the advantage that since there are a plurality of light receiving elements 6, not only the vibration of the main body but also the direction of the tilt can be detected by changes in the current flowing through each light receiving element 6. In addition, by increasing the number of photodetectors, the accuracy of tilt detection can be improved. [Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the present invention enables electrical vibration detection by installing a light-shielding sphere on the optical axis of the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element in a movable manner in a reflective ink club. The effect is that it can be done.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the semiconductor vibration sensor of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of the semiconductor vibration sensor, and FIG. 2 shows a view from the top of the light-transmitting container. 3 and 4 show a second embodiment of the semiconductor vibration sensor. FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of Example 2, and FIG. 4 shows a view from the top of the light-transmitting container.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a light reflection type vibration sensor composed of a light-emitting element, a light-receiving element, and a reflecting object, at least one of the light directed from the semiconductor light-emitting element toward the reflecting object and the light reflected by the reflecting object and directed toward the semiconductor light-receiving element is detected. A semiconductor vibration sensor characterized by comprising a sphere large enough to block the light and a light-transmitting container that houses the sphere.