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US 7,582,888 B2Granted
Reflection type optical sensor and method for detecting surface roughness
AssigneeStanley Electric Co., Ltd.
InventorsKazuhisa Shinno, Fumio Ogawa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A reflection type optical sensor can include a light emitting and receiving unit. The light emitting and receiving unit can include both a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit having light receiving sensitivity to light emitted from the light emitting unit. The light emitting unit and the light receiving unit can be arranged such that the optical axis of the light emitting unit intersects at a predetermined angle with the optical axis of the light receiving unit. The light emitting and receiving unit can be movably supported.
Claims11
A reflection type optical sensor, comprising:
- a light emitting unit having an optical axis;
- two light receiving units each having an optical axis and configured to sense light received from the light emitting unit;
- and
- a 1ight receiving guide located adjacent each of the light receiving units, each of the light receiving guides having an optical light emitting axis, wherein the optical light emitting axes of the light receiving guides are spaced apart from each other along their length by a first distance, and the optical axes of the light receiving units are spaced apart from each other along their length by a second distance, wherein the first distance is less than the second distance such that the optical light emitting axes of the light receiving guides are closer together than are the optical axes of the light receiving units, wherein
- the light emitting unit and the two light receiving units are configured such that each of the optical axes of the light receiving units intersects the optical axis of the light emitting unit at a substantially identical predetermined angle, thereby detecting reflected light.
2 more elements
A method for detecting surface roughness, comprising:
- providing a light emitting and receiving unit including a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit, an object to be measured, and a storage device including a first storage area and a second storage area;
- placing the light emitting and receiving unit at a predetermined position relative to the object to be measured;
- irradiating the object with light from the light emitting unit and receiving reflected light from the object by the light receiving unit;
- outputting a first signal from the light receiving unit in accordance with an amount of the reflected light received;
- storing a first output from the light receiving unit in the first storage area;
- changing a distance between the light emitting and receiving unit and the object;
- irradiating the object with light from the light emitting unit after the distance is changed and receiving second reflected light from the object by the light receiving unit;
- outputting a second signal from the light receiving unit in accordance with an amount of the second reflected light received;
- storing a second output from the light receiving unit in the second storage area;
- performing predetermined computation using the first and second outputs stored in the first and second storage areas, respectively;
- outputting results of the computation;
- and
- outputting data for surface roughness based on the outputted results.
10 more elements
A method for identifying a material, comprising:
- providing a light emitting and receiving unit including a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit, an object to be measured, and a storage device including a first storage area and a second storage area;
- placing the light emitting and receiving unit at a predetermined position relative to the object to be measured;
- irradiating the object with light from the light emitting unit and receiving reflected light from the object by the light receiving unit;
- outputting a first signal from the light receiving unit in accordance with an amount of the reflected light received;
- storing a first output from the light receiving unit in the first storage area;
- changing a distance between the light emitting and receiving unit and the object;
- irradiating the object with light from the light emitting unit after the distance is changed and receiving second reflected light from the object by the light receiving unit;
- outputting a second signal from the light receiving unit in accordance with an amount of the second reflected light received;
- storing a second output from the light receiving unit in a second storage area;
- performing predetermined computation using the first and second outputs stored in the first and second storage areas, respectively;
- outputting results of the computation;
- and comparing the outputted results with predetermined standard data and estimating a type of the object, whereby material type identification of the object is performed.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.