# US 9,519,059 B2 · Limited-area reflection type optical sensor and electronic device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,519,059 B2 - Document ID: US9519059B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/507,289 - Filed: 2014-10-06 - Published: 2015-04-23 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2013-10-21 - Assignees: OMRON Corporation - Applicants: OMRON Corporation - Inventors: Masayuki Murota; Yoshitaka Taishi; Hayami Hosokawa; Masashi Sugimoto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9519059B2 ## CPC - G01S 17/08: for measuring distance only (indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48) - G01S 7/481: Constructional features, e.g. arrangements of optical elements - G01S 17/04: Systems determining the presence of a target - G01V 8/12: using one transmitter and one receiver - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02) ## Abstract There is provided a limited-area reflection type optical sensor having an emitted light lens and a reflected light lens. An opposite-light-receiver-side portion opposite to a light receiver side constitutes a first curvature surface having a first curvature while a light-receiver-side portion on the light receiver side with respect to the opposite-light-receiver-side portion constitutes a second curvature surface having a second curvature smaller than the first curvature in the emitted light lens provided in an optical path of the emitted light. An opposite-light-emitter-side portion opposite to a light emitter side constitutes a fourth curvature surface having a fourth curvature while a light-emitter-side portion on the light emitter side with respect to the opposite-light-emitter-side portion constitutes a fifth curvature surface having a fifth curvature smaller than the fourth curvature in the reflected light lens provided in an optical path of the reflected light. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A limited-area reflection type optical sensor configured to irradiate an object sensing limited area with emitted light from a light emitter and receive reflected light from an object existing in the object sensing limited area, the optical sensor comprising: an emitted light lens or a reflected light lens; wherein the emitted light lens comprises: an opposite-light-receiver-side portion opposite to a light receiver side constituting a first curvature surface comprising a first curvature while a light-receiver-side portion on the light receiver side with respect to the opposite-light-receiver-side portion constitutes a second curvature surface comprising a second curvature smaller than the first curvature in the emitted light lens provided in an optical path of the emitted light; wherein the reflected light lens comprises: an opposite-light-emitter-side portion opposite to a light emitter side constituting a fourth curvature surface comprising a fourth curvature while a light-emitter-side portion on the light emitter side with respect to the opposite-light-emitter-side portion constitutes a fifth curvature surface comprising a fifth curvature smaller than the fourth curvature in the reflected light lens provided in an optical path of the reflected light wherein the light emitter comprises a light emitting element configured to emit the emit light, the light emitting element is arranged such that an optical axis of the emitted light emitted from the light emitting element is located on the opposite-light-receiver side with respect to a center axis of the emitted light lens, the light receiver comprises a light receiving element configured to receive the reflected light, and the light receiving element is arranged such that an optical axis of the reflected light in the light receiving element is located on the opposite-light-emitter side with respect to a center axis of the reflected light lens. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The limited-area reflection type optical sensor according to claim 1, comprising a determination section configured to determine whether the object exists in the object sensing limited area based on a light receiving level at the light receiver. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The limited-area reflection type optical sensor according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of: at least one of the first curvature and the second curvature is changeable to a different curvature in the emitted light lens; and at least one of the fourth curvature and the fifth curvature is changeable to a different curvature in the reflected light lens. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The limited-area reflection type optical sensor according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of: the first curvature surface and the second curvature surface are integrally formed in the emitted light lens; and the fourth curvature surface and the fifth curvature surface are integrally formed in the reflected light lens. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The limited-area reflection type optical sensor according to claim 1, wherein the emitted light lens and the reflected light lens are integrally formed. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The limited-area reflection type optical sensor according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of light receiving elements configured to receive the reflected light reflected from the object from a plurality of directions are provided in the light receiver. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The limited-area reflection type optical sensor according to claim 1, wherein a third curvature surface comprising a third curvature larger than the second curvature of the second curvature surface is formed on the light receiver side with respect to the second curvature surface in the emitted light lens. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The limited-area reflection type optical sensor according to claim 1, wherein the second curvature surface of the emitted light lens constitutes a part of a cylindrical lens. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The limited-area reflection type optical sensor according to claim 1, wherein a sixth curvature surface comprising a sixth curvature larger than the fifth curvature of the fifth curvature surface is formed on the light emitter side with respect to the fifth curvature surface in the reflected light lens. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The limited-area reflection type optical sensor according to claim 1, wherein the fifth curvature surface of the reflected light lens constitutes a part of a cylindrical lens. ### Claim 11 An electronic device comprising a limited-area reflection type optical sensor configured to irradiate an object sensing limited area with emitted light from a light emitter and receive reflected light from an object in the object sensing limited area, the optical sensor comprising: an emitted light lens or a reflected light lens; wherein the emitted light lens comprises: an opposite-light-receiver-side portion opposite to a light receiver side constituting a first curvature surface comprising a first curvature while a light-receiver-side portion on the light receiver side with respect to the opposite-light-receiver-side portion constitutes a second curvature surface comprising a second curvature smaller than the first curvature in the emitted light lens provided in an optical path of the emitted light; wherein the reflected light lens comprises: an opposite-light-emitter-side portion opposite to a light emitter side constituting a fourth curvature surface comprising a fourth curvature while a light-emitter-side portion on the light emitter side with respect to the opposite-light-emitter-side portion constitutes a fifth curvature surface comprising a fifth curvature smaller than the fourth curvature in the reflected light lens provided in an optical path of the reflected light wherein the light emitter comprises a light emitting element configured to emit the emitted light, the light emitting element is arranged such that an optical axis of the emitted light emitted from the light emitting element is located on the opposite-light-receiver side with respect to a center axis of the emitted light lens, the light receiver comprises a light receiving element configured to receive the reflected light, and the light receiving element is arranged such that an optical axis of the reflected light in the light receiving element is located on the opposite-light-emitter side with respect to a center axis of the reflected light lens. ### Claim 12 An object detection method for determining whether an object exists in an object sensing limited area, the method comprising the steps of: a) irradiating the object sensing limited area with emitted light from a light emitter; b) receiving reflected light from the object existing in the object sensing limited area in a light receiver; and c) performing at least one of: providing an emitted light lens in an optical path of the emitted light from the light emitter; and providing a reflected light lens in an optical path of the reflected light from the object sensing limited area to the light receiver; wherein the emitted light lens comprises: an opposite-light-receiver-side portion opposite to a light receiver side constituting a first curvature surface comprising a first curvature while a light-receiver-side portion on the light receiver side with respect to the opposite-light-receiver-side portion constitutes a second curvature surface comprising a second curvature smaller than the first curvature in the emitted light lens provided in an optical path of the emitted light; wherein the reflected light lens comprises: an opposite-light-emitter-side portion opposite to a light emitter side constituting a fourth curvature surface comprising a fourth curvature while a light-emitter-side portion on the light emitter side with respect to the opposite-light-emitter-side portion constitutes a fifth curvature surface comprising a fifth curvature smaller than the fourth curvature in the reflected light lens provided in an optical path of the reflected light, wherein the light emitter comprises a light emitting element configured to emit the emitted light, the light emitting element is arranged such that an optical axis of the emitted light emitted from the light emitting element is located on the opposite-light-receiver side with respect to a center axis of the emitted light lens, the light receiver comprises a light receiving element configured to receive the reflected light, and the light receiving element is arranged such that an optical axis of the reflected light in the light receiving element is located on the opposite-light-emitter side with respect to a center axis of the reflected light lens. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The object detection method according to claim 12, further comprising: determining whether the object exists in the object sensing limited area based on a light receiving level at the light receiver.