Optoelectronic sensor and method for detecting an object

An optoelectronic sensor (10) according to the principle of triangulation for detecting an object (36) in a monitoring region (18), the sensor (10) comprising a light transmitter (12) for transmitting a light bundle (16) and a spatially resolving light receiver (26) offset from the light transmitter (12) by a base distance for receiving a remitted light bundle (20) remitted by the object (36),

• wherein receiving optics (22) and an optical element (24) between light receiver (26) and receiving optics (22) are arranged in front of the spatially resolving light receiver (26),
• wherein the optical element (24) comprises a converging partial region (24a) and a diverging partial region (24c) and is arranged such that, in detecting the object by triangulation, the remitted light bundle (20) from an object (36) in a near range of the monitoring region (18) passes through the converging partial region (24a) and a remitted light bundle (20) from the object (36) in a far range of the monitoring region (18) passes through the diverging partial region (24c),
• wherein the optical element (24) comprises a free-form surface (34a-b) comprising the converging partial region (24a) and the diverging partial region (24c),
• wherein, in a section along the base distance, the optical element (24) has the basic shape of a wave, the optical element (24) additionally comprises a converging curvature transverse to the wave,
• and wherein the free-form surface (34a-b) has at least one of localized curvatures or localized gradients of curvature both in a direction in which, in said detecting the object by triangulation, a reception light spot moves on the light receiver (26) and in a direction perpendicular thereto, and thus at least one of concentrates or mixes partial pupil bundles (20a) of the remitted light bundle (20).

A method for detecting an object (36) in a monitoring region (18) according to the principle of triangulation for detecting an object (36) in a monitoring region (18), the sensor (10), the method comprising:

• transmitting a light bundle (16);
• receive receiving a remitted light bundle (20) remitted by the object (36) using a spatially resolving light receiver (26) offset from the light transmitter (12) by a base distance to transmit a light bundle (16);
• and
• determining a receiving position of the light bundle (20) remitted from the object (36),
• wherein receiving optics (22) and an optical element (24) between light receiver (26) and receiving optics (22) are arranged in front of the spatially resolving light receiver (26),
• wherein, in detecting the object by triangulation, the remitted light bundle (20) is focused by a receiving optics and then additionally beam-shaped in an optical element (24),
• wherein the optical element (24) comprises a free-form surface (34a-b) comprising the converging partial region (24a) and the diverging partial region (24c),
• wherein, in a section along the base distance, the optical element (24) has the basic shape of a wave, the optical element (24) additionally comprises a converging curvature transverse to the wave,
• wherein the free-form surface (34a-b) has at least one of localized curvatures or localized gradients of curvature both in a direction in which, in said detecting the object by triangulation, a reception light spot moves on the light receiver (26) and a direction perpendicular thereto, and thus at least one of concentrates or mixes partial pupil bundles (20a) of the remitted light bundle (20),
• and wherein the optical element (24) comprises a converging partial region (24a) and a diverging partial region (24c) and is arranged such that, in detecting the object by triangulation, the remitted light bundle (20) from an object (36) in a near range of the monitoring region (18) passes through the converging partial region (24a) of the optical element (24) and a light bundle (20) remitted by an object (36) in a far range of the monitored region (18) is beam-shaped in a diverging partial region (24c) of the optical element (24).