US 10,539,709 B2Granted

Multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor

AssigneeOMRON Corporation

InventorsTakuya Tobe, Keisaku Kikuchi

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor includes a sensor unit configured to detect whether each of plural optical axes formed between a projection unit and a light receiving unit is in a light shielding state, the sensor unit including the projection unit and the light receiving unit, the projection unit including plural projection elements, the light receiving unit including plural light receiving elements disposed opposite the plural projection elements. The multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor also includes a control unit that controls the light receiving unit, communication cables of plural signal wirings through which a signal is input to and output from the control unit, and a communicator that conducts communication between the control unit and an external device through a common wiring sharing one of the communication cables with a communication wiring.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor comprising:

a sensor unit configured to detect whether each of a plurality of optical axes formed between a projection unit and a light receiving unit is in a light shielding state, the sensor unit comprising the projection unit and the light receiving unit, the projection unit comprising a plurality of projection elements, the light receiving unit comprising a plurality of light receiving elements disposed opposite the plurality of projection elements;
a control unit configured to control the projection unit or the light receiving unit, the control unit being provided in each of the projection unit and the light receiving unit;
a plurality of signal wirings through which a signal is input to and output from the control unit;
and
a communicator configured to conduct communication between the control unit and an external device, wherein
at least one of the plurality of signal wirings comprises a common wiring sharing with a communication wiring for communicating with the communicator.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/687,603Filed 28 Aug 2017
Priority: JP 2016-18938928 Sep 2016
Published: US 2018/0088251 A129 Mar 2018
Granted: 21 Jan 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

G01V 8/12
Detecting, e.g. by using light barriers: using one transmitter and one receiver
F16P 3/144
The means being photocells or other devices sensitive without mechanical contact: using light grids
G01V 8/20
Detecting, e.g. by using light barriers: using multiple transmitters or receivers
H03K 17/9618
Touch switches: using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard