Mixed architecture light curtain system

A light curtain comprising a plurality of light curtain segments connected together in series, wherein each one of the segments comprises at least one light unit, such that the series-connected segments collectively form a combined set of light units;

• and wherein at least one segment in the plurality of segments connects to another segment in the plurality of segments through rigid connector, said rigid connector being one of a fixed-angle rigid connector or a rotatable-angle rigid connector, and wherein at least one segment in the plurality of segments connects to another segment in the plurality of segments through a flexible connector, said flexible connector being a flexible cable connector, such that the light curtain comprises both rigidly and flexibly connected segments;
• wherein the rigid connector comprises a coupler assembly affixed to a first end of a first segment and a receptacle affixed to a first end of a second segment, and wherein the receptacle is operative to mate with the coupler assembly, thereby rigidly coupling the first and second segments together;
• and wherein the coupler assembly and the receptacle comprise a keyed connector haying a first configuration when used to connect transmitter type light curtain segments, and a second configuration when used to connect receiver type light curtain segments.

A light curtain system comprising a plurality of transmitter segments and a plurality of receiver segments, the receiver segments operative to receive one or more light beams from corresponding ones of the transmitter segments;

• and wherein each plurality of segments comprises at least a first segment coupled to a second segment by a rigid connector, said rigid connector being one of a fixed-angle rigid connector or a rotatable-angle rigid connector, and a third segment coupled to one of the first and second segments by a flexible connector, said flexible connector being a flexible cable connector, such that each plurality of segments comprises a mix of rigidly and flexibly interconnected segments;
• and wherein the flexible connectors used in each plurality of light curtain segments are keyed for either transmitter use or receiver use to prevent misconnecting a transmitter segment to a receiver segment through a flexible connector.

A light curtain comprising a plurality of light curtain segments connected together in series, wherein each one of the segments comprises at least one light unit, such that the series-connected segments collectively form a combined set of light units;

• and wherein at least one segment in the plurality of segments connects to another segment in the plurality of segments through a rigid connector, said rigid connector being one of a fixed-angle rigid connector or a rotatable-angle rigid connector, and wherein at least one segment in the plurality of segments connects to another segment in the plurality of segments through a flexible connector, said flexible connector being a flexible cable connector, such that the light curtain comprises both rigidly and flexibly connected segments;
• wherein the rigid connector comprises a first mating section affixed to a first end of a first segment and a matching second mating section affixed to a first end of a second segment, and wherein the first and second mating sections are operative to mate together, thereby rigidly coupling the first and second segments together;
• and wherein the first and second mating sections comprise keyed mating sections having a first configuration when used to connect transmitter type light curtain segments, and a second configuration when used to connect receiver type light curtain segments.