JPH0613462Y2 - Optical fiber attachment for photoelectric sensor - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial application] The present invention relates to an optical fiber attachment for a photoelectric sensor, and more particularly to a detachable mounting structure for a holding sleeve that flexibly holds an optical fiber at its light emitting / receiving end. .

[Conventional technology]

Particularly, the photoelectric sensor whose detection target is small is, as shown in FIG. 13, an optical fiber attachment (4) attached to an amplifier unit (3) incorporating a light projecting element (1) and a light receiving element (2).
Mount and emit and receive light. This optical fiber attachment (4) has a base (6) at the light emitting and receiving end of the optical fiber (5).
And a holding sleeve (7). The optical fiber attachment (4) is attached by fixing the base (6) at the attaching position and bending the holding sleeve (7).
This makes it possible to accurately face the light emitting / receiving end of the optical fiber (5) to a minute detection target. Here, the holding sleeve (7) is made of a bendable tubular body, for example, a stainless pipe having a predetermined wall thickness, and the outer diameter D thereof corresponds to the diameter of the optical fiber to be inserted therein.

In the optical fiber attachment (4), the diameter D and the length L of the holding sleeve (7) must be optimally selected according to the object to be detected. The reason for selecting the diameter D is that the projection range and the reception range are determined by the diameter of the optical fiber inserted into the holding sleeve (7) as shown in FIG. This is because it is necessary to improve the SN ratio by making the sizes of (1) to the same level. The reason for selecting the length L is that it is necessary to correspond to the distance between the attachment position of the base and the position of the detection target.

Therefore, conventionally, as the optical fiber attachment (4) in which the base (6) and the holding sleeve (7) are attached to the optical fiber (5), various types of holding sleeves having different diameters D and lengths L are manufactured. It was This type is, for example, the standard specification and the inner diameter d is 0.25 to
Each combination is 1.5 mm and the length L is in the range of 25 to 150 mm.

[Problems to be solved by the device]

As described above, manufacturing a large number of types of optical fiber attachments leads to poor productivity and cost reduction.

Further, for the user, when the holding sleeve (7) is misaligned during the mounting, the entire optical fiber attachment (4) is replaced even though only the holding sleeve (7) is defective. Must.

Then, this invention aims at solving the said problem by making an optical fiber attachment (4) into a structure which can attach or detach only the holding sleeve part.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

The optical fiber attachment of the photoelectric sensor provided by the present invention comprises a first optical fiber extending from the amplifier unit of the photoelectric sensor to a detection position, a base coated on the detection side end of the first optical fiber, and a second optical fiber attachment. And a fixing member for removably fixing the holding sleeve to the base in a state where the first and second optical fibers are optically coupled. Is characterized by.

[Action]

The optical fiber attachment of the photoelectric sensor includes a holding sleeve containing a second optical fiber and a first optical fiber extended from an amplifier unit and having a base attached thereto.
Each can be manufactured as a separate item.

Therefore, it is possible to select a holding sleeve having different lengths, diameters, and different materials for the optical fiber incorporated therein according to the purpose of use, and easily attach it to the first fiber.

〔Example〕

 A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

1 and 2 show the cap portion of the optical fiber attachment (10) of the photoelectric sensor, (11) is the first optical fiber, (12) is the mounting nuts (12a), (12a) Fitted base,
(13) is a holding sleeve, (14) is a second optical fiber inside the holding sleeve (13), (15) is the holding sleeve (13)
It is a cap nut-shaped fixing member that is fixed to 2).

The holding sleeve (13) is manufactured, for example, as shown in FIGS. First, prepare a bendable tubular body, such as a stainless pipe, and add an auxiliary sleeve (1
Fit 3a) and fix with adhesive. Then hold the retaining sleeve (1
3) Glass or plastic second optical fiber (1
Insert 4) and fix both ends with adhesive. Next, cut the part protruding from both ends of the optical fiber, and
Both ends of (14) are mirror-polished with the holding sleeve (13).
As the holding sleeve (13), various kinds of holding sleeves (13) having different diameters, different lengths, and different materials for the optical fibers contained therein are manufactured.

Returning to FIG. 2, in the first optical fiber (11), the tip from which the outer cover (16) has been peeled off is inserted into the base (12) and fixed with an adhesive. This end face is also mirror-polished together with the die (12). This optical fiber (11) with a base is usually manufactured as one type as a common part.

The holding sleeve (13) is an optical fiber with a base (11).
It is fixed by the fixing member (15). That is, the holding sleeve (13) is applied to the base (12) so that the first and second optical fibers (11) and (14) are optically coupled, and the fixing member
Fit the (15) from the tip of the retaining sleeve (13) and
Hold the fixing member (1
Screw 5) onto the base (12). This holds the retaining sleeve (1
3) is fixed to the base (12) as shown in FIG.

The above-mentioned first embodiment is an optical fiber attachment for transmission type detection in which one optical fiber is incorporated in one holding sleeve. Next, an example in which the present invention is manufactured as an optical fiber attachment (20) for reflection type detection in which two optical fibers are housed in one holding sleeve will be described below as a second embodiment.

In FIGS. 7 to 9 showing the second embodiment, (21) (21)
Is the first optical fiber, (22) is the first optical fiber (21) (21)
Cable side cap with the tip of the cable attached, (23) a holding sleeve, (24) and (24) a second optical fiber inside the holding sleeve (23), and (25) a holding sleeve (23) Side base (22)
It is a cap nut-shaped fixing member for fixing to.

The holding sleeve (23) is manufactured as in the first embodiment.
However, as shown in FIG. 8, a light-shielding plate (26) made of, for example, thin stainless steel, which also serves as the positioning of the second optical fibers (24) and (24), is inserted and fixed at the light emitting and receiving ends. A stepped auxiliary sleeve (23a) is used, and a sleeve side cap (27) is fitted therein. Two through holes (28) for inserting and fixing the second optical fiber (24) (24) in the sleeve side base (27).
(28) is provided, and a rectangular light shielding plate (29) is fitted in a protruding state so as to separate these through holes into right and left. This shading plate (29) is for preventing mutual interference of light, but provided with two through holes (30) (30) for inserting and fixing the first optical fiber (21) (21). Groove provided on the cable side cap (22)
The first and second optical fibers (21) and (21) are also fitted to the (31) and positioned for optical coupling.

The fixing of the holding sleeve (23) by the fixing member (25) in the second embodiment is the same as in the first embodiment, but the light shielding plate
It is characterized in that positioning is also performed by (29).

In the first and second embodiments, the holding sleeves (13) (2
The fixing member (15) (25) for fixing the (3) to the base (12) (22) presses the auxiliary sleeves (13a) (23a) externally fitted to the base end of the holding sleeve, and the base (12) ( It was a cap nut type screwed to 22). However, the fixing member may be any member as long as it has a function of detachably fixing the holding sleeve.
For example, as shown in FIG. 10, a collet (32) is used to tighten the tip of the mouthpiece provided with split grooves (32a) to fix the holding sleeve to the mouthpiece, and as shown in FIG. 11, it is provided in the mouthpiece. A spring-loaded projection (33) that fits into a recess (34) in the base of the holding sleeve, or
As shown in FIG. 12, it is conceivable that the holding sleeve fitted in the base is pressed and fixed by the male screw (35) screwed into the base.

[Effect of device]

In the present invention, the holding sleeve in which the optical fiber at the light emitting / receiving end is housed is detachable from the base. Therefore, by preparing a predetermined type of holding sleeve as a selection component for the optical fiber with a base as a common component, various optical fiber attachments required according to the purpose of use can be provided immediately.

As a result, prompt response to various demands occurs and productivity is improved.

In particular, even if only the holding sleeve becomes defective due to bending adjustment at the time of mounting, it is only necessary to replace this portion, and there is no need to replace the entire optical fiber attachment, which is advantageous in terms of cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 and 2 show a first embodiment of an optical fiber attachment according to the present invention, FIG. 1 is a half sectional view after combination, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view before combination. 3 to 6 are side cross-sectional views showing an example of a manufacturing procedure of the holding sleeve in the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a second embodiment of the present invention. 8 and 9 show a holding sleeve in the second embodiment, FIG. 8 is a front view of a light emitting and receiving end, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view seen from a mounting end. 10 to 12 are sectional views showing other examples of the fixing member. FIG. 13 is a front view showing a photoelectric sensor to which an optical fiber attachment is attached, and FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the diameter of the holding sleeve and the light emitting / receiving range. (10) (20) …… optical fiber attachment, (11) (21) …… first optical fiber, (12) (22) …… base, (13) (23) …… holding sleeve, (14) (24) …… Second optical fiber, (15) (25) …… Fixing member.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A first optical fiber extending from an amplifier unit of a photoelectric sensor to a detection position, a base sheathed at the detection side end of the first optical fiber, and a bendable optical fiber containing a second optical fiber. With a simple holding sleeve and the first and second optical fibers optically coupled,
An optical fiber attachment for a photoelectric sensor, comprising: a fixing member that detachably fixes the holding sleeve to the base.