JPH0628662U - Sensor head - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] An object of the present invention is to provide a sensor head that can perform most of the alignment quickly and easily perform fine adjustment of the optical axis of the window portion of the sensor head sleeve. [Structure] D is provided only on a part of the upper side surface of the sensor head 12 for fixing the light emitting side or the light receiving side of the optical fiber 1.
It was cut. [Effect] The sensor head 1 using the D-cut surface 16
2 can be mounted quickly, and by finely tightening the portion not subjected to the D-cut processing, fine adjustment of the alignment of the optical axis of the window 4 portion of the sensor head sleeve 6 can be easily performed.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a sensor head of an optical sensor that detects the presence or absence of an object.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 Hereinafter, the configuration of the conventional sensor head will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 4 is an optical path diagram of an optical fiber, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a conventional sensor head, and FIG. 6 is a side view of the conventional sensor head.

First, the outline of the optical sensor will be described, and then the sensor head will be described.

As shown in FIG. 4, the light L that has passed through the inside of the optical fiber 1 on the projecting side is reflected by the reflecting surface 2 of the optical fiber 1, and the reflected light L is emitted from the tip of the optical fiber 1. It is projected onto the target. Then, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, when the light enters the optical fiber 1 on the light receiving side, a completely opposite process to the case of emitting the light is followed, and the light L incident on the tip of the optical fiber 1 on the light receiving side is reflected by the reflecting surface 2. After being reflected, it is guided into the optical fiber 1 on the light receiving side to detect the presence or absence of an object.

Normally, the optical fiber 1 is in a state where a coating is applied to the periphery like the portion of the optical fiber cable 3, but the coating is removed from the portion where the light L is emitted and the portion where the light L is incident, and this coating is removed. The open portion is the window 4. In order to quickly align the optical axes of the windows 4 on the light emitting side and the light receiving side, a sensor head 5 with a D-cut treatment on the side surface is integrally attached to the tip portion of the optical fiber cable 3. There is. As shown in FIG. 6, the optical fiber cable 3 is thinly constricted in the vicinity of the center of the sensor head 5 so that the tip is as small as possible, and this constricted portion is the sensor head sleeve 6.

[0007]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, in such a conventional sensor head configuration, since the side face is subjected to D-cut processing, the following problems occur when fixing the sensor head. This problem will be described with reference to a sectional view showing a state in which the conventional sensor head is fixed as shown in FIG.

In FIG. 7, the sensor head 5 having a D-cut treatment on its side surface is fitted into the corresponding sensor-head installation hole 7 having a D-cut treatment, and then fastened with a screw 8 to quickly provide the sensor head. It can be fixed to the installation part 9. However, inevitably, the D-cut surface 10 of the sensor head 5 and the D-cut surface 11 of the sensor head installation hole 7 facing each other are fixed in a close state with almost no play. Therefore, in order to finely adjust the position of the optical axis of the window 4, even if the screw 8 is loosened and the sensor head 5 is twisted, it does not rotate slightly, and the screw 8 is tightened again. Will return to the original state. If D-cut processing is performed, most of the alignment can be done quickly. However, on the other hand, it is difficult to finely adjust the position of the optical axis of the window 4. For this reason, in the case of the sensor head 5 having the D-cut treatment on the side surface, when the sensor head 5 is attached to the optical fiber cable 3, the angle between the optical axis of the window 4 of the sensor head sleeve 6 and the D-cut surface 10 is set. High-precision processing is required so that the error falls within the allowable range, and the corresponding installation accuracy of the sensor head installation hole 7 provided in the sensor head installation portion 9 is also required.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and to provide a sensor head that can perform most of the alignment quickly and can easily perform fine adjustment of the optical axis of the window portion of the sensor sleeve. And

[0010]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, only a part of the upper side surface of the sensor head for fixing the light emitting side or the light receiving side of the optical fiber is D-cut.

[0011]

[Action]

 With this configuration, the sensor head can be quickly attached using the D-cut surface, and the optical axis alignment of the window part of the sensor head sleeve can be performed by tightening the part that has not been D-cut processed. Fine adjustment can be easily done.

[0012]

【Example】

 Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the same parts as those of the conventional example are designated by the same reference numerals, and a duplicate description will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a fixed state of a sensor head according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view showing a fixed state of a sensor head according to an embodiment of the present invention. is there.

First, the outline of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. 1 and 2, the side surface of the sensor head 12 that is integrally attached to the tip portion of the optical fiber cable 3 is D-cut, but unlike the conventional example, it is D-cut. There is only a part of the upper side of the side surface, and the lower side remains as it is. Also, the shape of the sensor head installation hole 14 provided in the sensor head installation portion 13 is a mere cylindrical shape, unlike the conventional example in which the D-cut processing is performed. However, by preliminarily protruding the screw 15 from the sensor head installation hole 14 to some extent, the screw 15 serves as a D cut surface on the sensor head installation hole 14 side corresponding to the D cut surface 16 of the sensor head 12. Fulfill Furthermore, by changing the amount of protrusion of the screw 15 from the sensor head installation hole 14, the play between the D-cut surface 16 of the sensor head 12 and the screw 15 can be adjusted appropriately, so that the window 4 Fine adjustment of the alignment of the optical axis of the part can be easily performed.

Hereinafter, the procedure for mounting the sensor head of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 and a perspective view of the sensor head according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a screw 15 is previously projected from the sensor head installation hole 14 by a predetermined amount. In this state, the sensor head 12 is inserted from the lower side of the sensor head installation hole 14 so that the D-cut surface 16 of the sensor head 12 and the screw 15 protruding from the sensor head installation hole 14 face each other. By inserting the D-cut surface 16 of the sensor head 12 along the screw 15, most of the alignment can be done at the time of insertion, but the window 4 on the light emitting side and the light receiving side as shown in FIG. Fine adjustment of the optical axis alignment of is performed as follows.

First, as shown in FIG. 1, by slightly retracting the screw 15 in the direction of arrow A, a play is provided between the screw 15 and the D-cut surface 16 of the sensor head 12. Next, as shown in FIG. 2, the sensor head 12 is rotated in the direction of arrow B to finely adjust the angle of the optical axis. The angle that can be rotated in the direction of arrow B can be appropriately changed by changing the protruding amount of the screw 15. After determining the rotation angle and height of the optical axis of the window 4 portion of the sensor head sleeve 6, tighten the screw 17 firmly in the direction of arrow C as shown in FIG. 1, and then hit the screw 15 against the D-cut surface 16. Lightly tighten. Since the sensor head 12 is strongly tightened by the screw 17 on the lower side, it is sufficient to lightly tighten the screw 15 on the upper side. On the contrary, if the screw 15 is tightened too strongly, the angle of the optical axis of the window 4 part will be displaced as the sensor head sleeve 6 is twisted again.

In the above description, only the sensor head used for the opposite side view detection is mentioned, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the sensor head used for the reflection side view detection is also applied. Applicable.

In addition, although the D-cut processing has been illustrated as a specific example of the cutout portion provided on the side surface of the sensor head, another cutout method may be used as long as the sensor head can be attached quickly.

Further, although the sensor head sleeve mentioned in the present invention is premised on being non-bendable, in the case of a bendable sensor head sleeve, the optical axis may be adjusted by bending.

[0021]

[Effect of device]

 In the sensor head of the present invention, only a part of the upper side surface of the sensor head for fixing the light emitting side or the light receiving side of the optical fiber is D-cut.

With this configuration, the sensor head can be mounted quickly using the D-cut surface, and the portion not subjected to the D-cut processing is tightened, so that the optical axis of the window portion of the sensor head sleeve can be adjusted. Fine adjustment of positioning can be easily performed. Due to this, even in the case of a sensor head with a D-cut treatment on its side surface, when attached to an optical fiber cable, an error in the angle formed between the optical axis of the window part of the sensor head sleeve and the D-cut surface is allowed. It eliminates the need for high-precision machining to stay within the range. In addition, moderate accuracy is sufficient for the installation position of the sensor head installation hole provided in the sensor head installation section.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which a sensor head according to an embodiment of the present invention is fixed.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a sensor head is fixed according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a sensor head according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 4] Optical path diagram of optical fiber

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a conventional sensor head.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a conventional sensor head.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a state in which a conventional sensor head is fixed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Optical fiber 2 Reflective surface 3 Optical fiber cable 4 Window 5 Sensor head 6 Sensor head sleeve 7 Sensor head installation hole 8 Screw 9 Sensor head installation part 10 D-cut surface 11 D-cut surface 12 Sensor head 13 Sensor head installation part 14 Sensor head installation hole 15 screws 16 D cut surface 17 screws

Claims (2)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A sensor head for fixing a light emitting side or a light receiving side of an optical fiber, wherein the sensor head has a cutout portion on a part of a side surface of the sensor head. 2. The sensor head according to claim 1, wherein the cutout portion is D-cut processed.