JPH0749813Y2 - Optical coupling device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a structure of an optical coupling device (photointerrupter) that detects the presence or absence of an object to be detected without contact.

<Prior Art> FIGS. 5 and 6 show the structure of an optical mold type optical coupling device (photointerrupter).

FIG. 5 shows a reflection type optical coupling device, and FIG. 6 shows a transmission type optical coupling device. In the figure, 1 is a light emitting element, 2 is a light receiving element, and these are formed into an injection molding mold according to the application. The optical coupling device is formed by arranging them in parallel (see FIG. 5) or facing each other (see FIG. 6), inserting them, and performing injection molding with a thermoplastic resin having a high thermal deformation temperature.

In FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, reference numeral 3 denotes an injection molded outer case for optically connecting the light emitting element 1 and the light receiving element 2 to hold and fix them.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> In recent years, optical coupling devices have been diversified in their outer shape requirements depending on the installation space during use, the positional relationship with an object to be detected, the size, and the like. In order to deal with this, conventionally, an injection molding die has been newly provided according to the application.

However, as described above, when a new injection mold is newly created, the following problems occur.

(1) A new insert type injection molding die is required to accommodate slight changes in size, and a certain initial investment is required regardless of the number of products produced. That is,
A large amount of mold cost is required to meet diversifying user needs.

(2) Ingestion Molding It takes time to set the conditions of the mold and confirm the product reliability, so it is not possible to promptly meet the delivery date.

(3) Since the light emitting element and the light receiving element are inserted into the injection molding mold, the product reliability varies due to variations in mold precision due to molding conditions and the like due to differences in product shape.

In view of the above, the present invention has an object to provide an optical coupling device that meets a user's needs for initial investment according to the number of productions and a prompt schedule.

<Means for Solving the Problems> The means for solving the problems according to the present invention is a reflection-type or transmission-type optical coupling device for contactlessly detecting an object to be detected as shown in FIGS. Light emitter 11 with element 10
A light receiving body 13 having a light receiving element 12, and a connecting body 14 for connecting the light emitting body 11 and the light receiving body 13 so as to optically couple with each other. Alternatively, a concave portion is provided, and a concave portion or a convex portion that is the engaged means 15 that engages with the convex portion or the concave portion of the connecting body 14 is provided on all side surfaces of the light emitting body 11 and the light receiving body 13. is there.

<Operation> In the above problem solving means, the light emitting element 10 and the light receiving element
12 are separately set in an injection mold and molded with a molding resin to form a light-emitting body 11 and a light-receiving body 13.

Then, with the separately formed connecting body 14, the light emitting body 11 and the light receiving body
13 and 13 are connected so as to be optically coupled.

At this time, as shown in FIG.
When 13 are arranged in parallel and connected by the connecting body 14, a reflection type optical coupling device is obtained. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, when the light emitting body 11 and the light receiving body 13 are arranged so as to face each other and are connected by the connecting body 14, a transmission type optical coupling device is obtained. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, the shape of the connecting body 14 is devised to obtain an optical coupling device corresponding to a flexible shape.

<Embodiment> An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The optical coupling device (photo interrupter) of the present embodiment is the first
As shown in FIGS. 4A to 4C, an object to be detected is detected without contact, and a light emitting body 11 having a light emitting element 10, a light receiving body 13 having a light receiving element 12, and the light emitting body 11 and the light receiving body 13 are provided. And a coupling body 14 for coupling so as to be optically coupled.

Here, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a light emitting body and a light receiving body of an optical coupling device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape by primary molding a light emitting element chip such as an infrared light emitting diode (LED) mounted on the light emitting side lead frame 17 with a transparent resin.

On the other hand, in the light receiving element 12, the light receiving element chip such as the photo die auto (PD) and the photo transistor (PT) mounted on the light receiving side lead frame 18 is primary-molded with a light transmitting resin like the light emitting element 10. It is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

The light emitter 11 and the light receiver 13 are a light emitting element 10 and a light receiving element.
12 are separately inserted into the injection molding mold, and except for the light emitting surface 10a of the light emitting element 10 and the light receiving surface 12a of the light receiving element 12, light-shielding resin, that is, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), liquid crystal polymer It is formed into a rectangular shape by secondary molding with a thermoplastic resin having high heat resistance such as. Further, the light emitter 11 and the light receiver 13 are connected bodies.
In order to provide a continuous function in four directions with respect to 14, engaged means 15 is provided on all side surfaces thereof.

Further, the engaged means 15 are arranged in a total of four, one at each substantially central portion of each side surface of the light emitter 11 and the light receiver 13, and are T-shaped in a front view formed by penetrating in the width direction of the side surface. It is composed of a concave portion 19 of.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the connecting body 14 is formed in a shape according to the use of the optical coupling device, and an engaging means 16 for engaging with the engaged means 15 is provided. . The second
FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an example in which the present invention is applied to a reflection type optical coupling device, FIG. 3 (a) is a side view showing an example applied to a transmission type optical coupling device, and FIG. a) A arrow view,
FIGS. 4 (a) to 4 (c) are diagrams showing an example in which the optical coupling device of FIGS.

The engaging means 16 comprises a T-shaped convex portion 20 arranged at a position corresponding to the engaged means 15.

The optical coupling device is manufactured as follows.

First, the light-emitting element 10 and the light-receiving element 11 that were primarily molded with a light-transmissive resin were separately set in an injection molding mold, and a light-shielding resin having high heat resistance thermoplasticity such as PPS and liquid crystal polymer was set. Secondary molding is performed to form the light emitting body 11 and the light receiving body 13.

Then, with the separately formed connecting body 14, the light emitting body 11 and the light receiving body
It is completed by connecting 13 and so as to be optically coupled.

At this time, a concave portion 19 which is the engaged means 15 is provided on all side surfaces of the light emitting body 11 and the light receiving body 13, and a convex portion 20 which is an engaging means 16 for engaging the engaged means 15 with the connecting body 14. Since it is provided, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, only by devising the shape of the connecting body 14, the light emitting body 11 and the light receiving body to be molded by the injection molding are formed.
It is possible to provide an optical coupling device that responds to diversifying user needs by always making 13 common.

Therefore, the following effects (1) to (3) can be obtained.

(1) Insert-type injection molding mold A highly heat-resistant injection molding optical coupling device that is flexible and can be used on one side of the mold is obtained.

(2) Conventionally, the number of molds to be taken is determined by the number of light emitting elements, light receiving elements, and lead frames to be inserted.
Since the insert-type injection mold can be used in common regardless of the number of products produced, the number of molds produced according to the number of products produced, that is, the initial investment can be made for the connected body forming die.

(3) Even if the shape of the connected body changes, the basic product reliability is the same, so there is no need to check the reliability, and it is only necessary to consider the schedule for forming the connected body molding die, and prompt delivery can be achieved. Is possible.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and it is needless to say that many modifications and changes can be added to the above embodiment within the scope of the present invention.

For example, in the above embodiment, the engaged means 15 is composed of the concave portion 19 and the engaging means 16 is composed of the convex portion 20, but this structure may be reversed.

<Effects of the Invention> As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the light-emitting body is provided with the projection or the recess, which is the engaging means, in the connecting body that connects the light-emitting body and the light-receiving body so as to optically couple them. Since the concave portion or the convex portion that is the engaged means that engages with the convex portion or the concave portion of the connecting body is provided on each of all the side surfaces of the light receiving body and the light receiving body, the injection molding mold for molding the light emitting body and the light receiving body is provided. By making one surface, by changing the shape of the connecting body, it is possible to obtain a reflection type, a transmission type, and a flexible optical coupling device corresponding to a shape.

Therefore, it is very effective to provide an optical coupling device that meets a user's needs for initial investment according to the number of productions and a prompt schedule.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a light emitter and a light receiver of an optical coupling device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example in which the present invention is applied to a reflection type optical coupling device, and FIG. a) is a side view showing an example applied to a transmission type optical coupling device, and FIG.
Is a view as seen from the arrow A in FIG. 4 (a), and FIGS.
3 is a diagram showing an example in which the optical coupling device of FIG. 3 is further developed, FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a conventional reflection type optical coupling device, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the same transmission type optical coupling device. . 10: Light emitting element, 11: Light emitting element, 12: Light receiving element, 13: Light receiving element, 1
4: connected body, 15: engaged means, 16: engaging means, 19: recess, 20:
Convex part.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A reflection-type or transmission-type optical coupling device for detecting an object to be detected without contact, comprising a light-emitting body having a light-emitting element, a light-receiving body having a light-receiving element, and the light-emitting body and the light-receiving body. A coupling body for coupling so as to optically couple with each other, the coupling body is provided with a convex portion or a concave portion as an engaging means, and the convex portion of the coupling body is provided on all side surfaces of the light emitting body and the light receiving body. Alternatively, the optical coupling device is provided with a concave portion or a convex portion which is engaged means that engages with the concave portion.