Photoelectric sensor with droplet resistant face
AssigneeHoneywell Inc.
InventorCatherine I. Klima
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A photodetector is provided with a housing that has a discontinuity formed in an outer surface of its light transmissive portion. The discontinuity serves to inhibit liquid droplets from adhering to the outer surface of the endface in the region where the discontinuity is located. Alternative embodiments of the present invention include discontinuities formed in the outer surfaces of housing windows which have flat inner surfaces or inner surfaces which are shaped to formed lenses. By preventing liquid droplets from adhering to the outer surface of the window, the present invention prevents the reflective liquid surfaces of droplets from creating false signals for the photodetector by reflecting light back from the light source toward a light sensitive component.
Claims28
A sensor, comprising:
- a housing;
- a light transmissive portion of said housing, said light transmissive portion having a first segment and a second segment, said light transmissive portion having an inner surface and a generally flat outer surface;
- a discontinuity formed in said outer surface of said light transmissive portion, said discontinuity being disposed between said first and second segments;
- a light source disposed within said housing and associated with said first segment to permit light from said light source to pass through said first segment in a direction from inside of said housing to outside of said housing;
- a light sensitive component disposed within said housing and associated with said second segment to permit light to pass through said second segment in a direction from outside of said housing to said light sensitive component;
- and
- means for preventing light from passing directly from said light source to said light sensitive component without passing through said light transmissive portion.
A sensor, comprising:
- a housing;
- a light transmissive portion of said housing, said light transmissive portion having a first segment and a second segment, said light transmissive portion having an inner surface and an outer surface;
- and
- a discontinuity formed in said outer surface of said light transmissive portion, said discontinuity being disposed between said first and second segments;
- a light source disposed within said housing and associated with said first segment to permit light from said light source to pass out of said housing through said first segment;
- and
- a light sensitive component disposed within said housing and associated with said second segment to permit light to pass into said housing through said second segment.
A photoelectric sensor, comprising:
- a housing;
- an window of said housing, said window having a first portion and a second portion, said window having an inner surface and an outer surface;
- a light source disposed within said housing, said first portion being associated with said light source to permit light from said light source to pass through said first portion in a direction from inside of said housing to outside of said housing;
- a light sensitive component disposed within said housing, said second portion being associated with said light sensitive component to permit light to pass through said second portion in a direction from outside of said housing to inside of said housing;
- means for preventing light from passing directly from said light source to said light sensitive component within said housing;
- and
- a discontinuity formed in said outer surface of said window, said discontinuity being disposed between said first and second portions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.