Optical sensor and method for suppressing faults by diffused light
AssigneeBaumer Electric AG
InventorPeter Halter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical sensor (1) with a light beam (7) created by a pulsed primary light source (5), which light beam is reflected at a surface (13) of an object and is recognized by a detector. In order to mask interfering effects, which might develop due to diffused light of the light beam (7), a compensation light source (25) emits a light cone during station breaks in operation of the primary light source (5), which includes the diffused light range of the light beam (7) of the primary light source (5). In this way, objects within the diffused light area create a compensation light portion, which prevents the activation of the sensor output merely by the diffused light of the light beam (7).
Claims15
An optical sensor (1) for detecting objects within a detection range, comprising a light beam (7), created by a primary light source (5), and a detector, the light beam (7) having a diffused light corona (23) encircling a core beam (19), the sensor (1) includes a compensation light source (25) for masking interferences caused by the diffused light corona (23).
A method for suppressing faults caused by diffused light in an optical sensor (1), comprising:
- operating a primary light source (5) and a compensation light source (25) in a pulsing manner, and switching-on phases of the compensation light source (25) during switching-off phases of the primary light source (5), and
- masking interferences caused by a diffused light corona (23) of the primary light source using receiving signals generated by the compensation light source.
A method of using an optical sensor for laterally detecting stacked objects, comprising:
- providing a light beam (7), created by a primary light source (5), and a detector, the light beam (7) having a diffused light corona (23) encircling a core beam (19), the sensor (1) includes a compensation light source (25) for masking interferences caused by the diffused light corona (23),
- operating the primary light source (5) and the compensation light source (25) in a pulsing manner, and switching-on phases of the compensation light source (25) during switching-off phases of the primary light source (5), and
- masking interferences caused by the diffused light corona (23) of the primary light source using receiving signals generated by the compensation light source to laterally detect stacked objects.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.