Defined reflective sensor

Abstract

The invention provides a limited reflection type sensor, which can be simply and accurately positioned when a lens is installed, and can improve dustproof performance. The limited reflection type sensor (100) irradiates emitted light from a light emitting part (32) to an object detection area through an emitted light lens (22), and receives reflected light from an object existing in the object detection area through a reflected light lens (23) by a light receiving part (33). The housing part (10) is provided with a clamping part (13) formed on the side surface and a first opening part (15) facing the object detection area, and is used for accommodating the light emitting part and the light receiving part; the lens part (20) is provided with a light incident and emergent part (21) and a side surface covering part (24); the light incident and emergent part (21) is integrally formed with the lens for emitting light and the lens for reflecting light; and the end part of the light incident and emergent part (21) extends along the side surface. The lens portion closes the first opening portion by the light incidence and emission portion, and the side surface covering portion is locked by the locking portion.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the invention patent application with an international application date of January 21, 2019, application number 201980018660.3, and invention name “Limited Reflective Sensor”. Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to a sensor, and in particular to a limited reflection type sensor, which irradiates light emitted from a light emitting portion to an object detection area via an emission light lens, and receives reflected light from an object existing in the object detection area via a reflection light lens by a light receiving portion. Background Art

[0003] In the past, as a sensor for detecting whether an object is present at a specified position, a limited reflection type sensor has been proposed, which limits the detection area of ​​the object, irradiates light from a light emitting portion, and receives reflected light reflected by the object in the detection area by a light receiving portion (for example, refer to Patent Document 1, etc.).

[0004] In the above-mentioned limited reflection type sensor, the emitted light is irradiated from the light emitting part to the detection area via the emitting light lens, and the reflected light reflected by the object in the detection area is received by the light receiving part via the light receiving lens. When the reflected light is incident on the light receiving part, the light receiving part converts the light into an electrical signal, so by detecting the voltage change generated in the light receiving part, it is possible to detect the presence of the object in the detection area. Therefore, the detection area is limited to the range in which the light can be irradiated from the light emitting part and the light can reach the light receiving part. The setting range of the above-mentioned detection area can be changed according to the optical design of the emitting light lens and the light receiving lens.

[0005] In the conventional limited reflection type sensor shown in Patent Document 1, the emitting light lens and the receiving light lens are each composed of a combination of an aspherical lens and a cylindrical lens. Thus, by using the cylindrical lens to detect short distances and the aspherical lens to detect long distances, the long distance detection range can be expanded while maintaining the short distance detection range.

[0006] Prior art literature

[0007] Patent Literature

[0008] Patent Document 1: (Japanese) Patent Publication No. 2015-81801 Summary of the invention

[0009] Technical problem to be solved by the invention

[0010] The above-mentioned conventional limited reflection type sensor houses the light emitting lens and the light receiving lens in a housing, so that it is necessary to accurately focus on each light emitting part and the light receiving part. Therefore, protrusions and holes are integrally formed at the ends and the center of the lens, and are embedded and positioned in the corresponding locking parts inside the housing. In addition, by assembling lenses with different focal positions, the detection range of the limited reflection type sensor can be changed to the range corresponding to the lens.

[0011] However, when the lens is stored in the housing, the lens needs to be inserted into the housing while being held, and the position is engaged with the locking portion, so there is a problem that the assembly process is complicated. In addition, because the positioning protrusion and hole need to be formed integrally with the lens, the shape of the lens is complicated and the difficulty of processing increases. In addition, after the lens is positioned in the housing, the upper part of the housing needs to be covered by a cover to prevent dust from invading the interior. When the cover is installed, it is difficult to confirm whether the lens corresponding to the detection range is assembled and whether the position is accurately engaged.

[0012] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a limited reflection type sensor that can be easily and accurately positioned when a lens is mounted and has improved dust resistance.

[0013] Technical solutions for solving technical problems

[0014] In order to solve the above problems, the limited reflection type sensor of the present invention is a limited reflection type sensor that irradiates the emitted light from the light emitting part to the object detection area through the emitted light lens, and receives the reflected light from the object existing in the object detection area through the reflected light lens by the light receiving part, and is characterized by comprising: a housing part having a locking part formed on the side surface and a first opening part facing the object detection area, and accommodating the light emitting part and the light receiving part; a lens part having: a light input and output part formed integrally with the emitted light lens and the reflected light lens, and a side cover part whose end of the light input and output part is extended along the side surface. The lens part blocks the first opening part by the light input and output part, and the side cover part is locked by the locking part.

[0015] Thus, the side cover portion extending from the light input and output portion is locked by the locking portion formed on the side surface of the housing, so that the lens can be easily and accurately positioned when mounted, and dustproofness is improved.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, the locking portion is a snap-fit ​​structure in which a locking claw is formed at a front end of the elastic piece, and the locking claw is fitted into a locking opening formed in the side cover portion.

[0017] In addition, in one embodiment of the present invention, a guide groove for guiding the side cover is formed on the side surface.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present invention, the locking portion locks the side cover portion at a position closer to the light input and output portion than to a middle in the extension direction of the side cover portion.

[0019] In addition, in one embodiment of the present invention, a sealing groove is formed on the inner side of the first opening along the length direction of the housing portion, and a sealing protrusion is provided on the lens portion with a shape corresponding to the sealing groove formed on the first opening side, and the sealing groove abuts against the sealing protrusion.

[0020] In addition, in one embodiment of the present invention, the housing portion has a second opening portion on the side opposite to the first opening portion, and further has: a mounting substrate that carries the light-emitting portion and the light-receiving portion and is accommodated in the housing portion, and a cover portion that is fixed to the housing portion and blocks the second opening portion.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present invention, a connector portion electrically connected to the outside is mounted on the mounting substrate, and the connector portion is exposed from a third opening portion formed on another side surface of the housing portion.

[0022] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the connector portion is exposed from a fourth opening portion formed in the bottom surface of the cover portion.

[0023] Effects of the Invention

[0024] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a limited reflection type sensor which can accurately position a lens when mounting the lens and has improved dust resistance. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 It is a perspective schematic diagram showing the structure of the limited reflection type sensor 100 according to the first embodiment.

[0026] Figure 2 1 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the structure of the reflection sensor 100 .

[0027] Figure 3 It is a schematic perspective view for explaining the assembly of the housing portion 10 and the base portion 30 .

[0028] Figure 4 It is a schematic perspective view for explaining the assembly of the housing portion 10 and the cover portion 40 .

[0029] Figure 5 It is a schematic perspective view for explaining the assembly of the housing portion 10 and the lens portion 20 .

[0030] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view defining the reflective sensor 100, Figure 6 (a) is Figure 1 The cross-sectional view of the AA position in FIG. Figure 6 (b) is Figure 1 Schematic cross-sectional view of the BB position in FIG.

[0031] Figure 7 2 is a diagram schematically showing a fixing structure of a mounting substrate 31 according to a second embodiment. Figure 7 (a) shows an example using a press pin 19a and a rivet pin 19b, Figure 7 (b) shows an example in which an adhesive 19 c is applied to the back surface of the mounting substrate 31 .

[0032] Figure 8 It is a perspective schematic diagram showing the structure of a restricted reflection type sensor 200 according to the third embodiment.

[0033] Fig. 9 1 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the structure of the reflection sensor 200 .

[0034] Fig.10 It is a schematic perspective view for explaining the assembly of the housing portion 50 and the base portion 70 .

[0035] Fig.11 It is a schematic perspective view for explaining the assembly of the housing portion 50 and the cover portion 80 .

[0036] Fig.12 It is a schematic perspective view for explaining the assembly of the housing portion 50 and the lens portion 60 .

[0037] Fig.13 is a cross-sectional view defining a reflective sensor 200, Fig.13 (a) is Figure 8 The cross-sectional view of the AA position in FIG. Fig.13 (b) is Figure 8 Schematic cross-sectional view of the BB position in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] <First embodiment>

[0039] Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 It is a perspective schematic diagram showing the structure of the limited reflection type sensor 100 according to the first embodiment. Figure 2 1 is a perspective exploded view schematically showing the structure of the reflection sensor 100. Figure 1 , Figure 2As shown, the restricted reflection sensor 100 includes a housing portion 10 , a lens portion 20 , a substrate portion 30 , and a cover portion 40 .

[0040] The housing 10 is a housing that defines the outer shape of the reflection sensor 100 and holds various components. Figure 1 1 shows an example of a substantially rectangular box shape. The housing 10 is made of a material that does not transmit light having a wavelength longer than ultraviolet light, and for example, a resin colored black can be used. In addition, the housing 10 includes a housing body 11, a mounting portion 12, a locking portion 13, a partition plate 14, and an opening 15. The shape of the housing 10 is not limited to Figure 1 The cuboid shape shown.

[0041] The housing body 11 has a locking opening 11a formed near the bottom of the side surface, a bottom opening 11b formed on the bottom surface, and a side opening 11c formed on the side surface in the longitudinal direction as each opening. In addition, a mounting portion 12 and a locking portion 13 are formed on the side surface of the short side, an opening 15 is formed on the upper surface, and a partition plate 14 is provided in the opening 15.

[0042] The locking opening 11a is an opening formed on the side surface of the housing body 11, and is formed at a position corresponding to a locking claw 41a described later. Figure 1 , Figure 2 , an example in which the locking opening 11a is provided in the longitudinal direction of the housing 10 is shown, but it may also be provided on the bottom surface in the short side direction. The bottom opening 11b is an opening formed on the lower surface of the housing body 11, and is equivalent to the second opening of the present invention. The side opening 11c is an opening formed on the side of the housing body 11, and is equivalent to the third opening of the present invention. The side opening 11c is formed at a position corresponding to the connector portion 34 and the opening cover portion 42 described later, and is formed into a shape corresponding to the above-mentioned components.

[0043] The mounting portion 12 is a portion formed integrally with the housing body 11 on the short side of the housing 10 and is used to position and fix the limited reflection type sensor 100 to other components. Figure 1 , Figure 2 , an example is shown in which the mounting portion 12 is a substantially cubic protrusion and is provided with a mounting hole 12a which is a hole penetrating in the vertical direction and the depth direction. The mounting hole 12a is a hole for inserting a fixing member such as a screw or a bolt, and a screw groove may be formed inside as required. The shape of the mounting portion 12 is not limited to Figure 1 , Figure 2 The shape shown may be, for example, a flat plate-like shape protruding from the side in a substantially horizontal direction.

[0044] The locking portion 13 is formed on the side surface of the short side of the housing body 11 and is used to lock the lens portion 20. The specific structure of the locking portion 13 is not limited, for example, Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, a buckle structure in which a part of the side is cut out as an elastic piece and a locking claw 13a is formed at its front end can be used. In addition, in the locking portion 13, a guide groove 13b having a width and length equal to that of the side cover portion 24 described later is formed on the short side of the housing body 11.

[0045] The partition plate 14 is a substantially flat plate-shaped portion provided upright at the substantially center of the opening 15, and separates the light emitting side from the light receiving side, and its upper end abuts against the lower surface of the light input and output portion 21 of the lens portion 20 described later. Since the light receiving side and the light emitting side are separated by the partition plate 14, it is possible to prevent light from the light emitting portion 32 from directly reaching the light receiving portion 33.

[0046] The opening portion 15 is an opening portion formed on the upper surface of the housing body 11, and corresponds to the first opening portion of the present invention. In addition, a lens abutment portion 15a and a sealing groove 15b are formed in the opening portion 15. The lens abutment portion 15a is a portion that forms the upper end of the side surface in the longitudinal direction of the housing body 11. The sealing groove 15b is a step or a groove formed on the inner side of the lens abutment portion 15a, and is formed to a position lower than the upper end of the partition plate 14. In addition, the shape of the sealing groove 15b is formed with a width, length, and depth corresponding to the sealing protrusion 25 of the lens portion 20 described later. Figure 2 In the embodiment, the sealing groove 15b is extended to the outside of the elastic piece of the locking portion 13, but may be extended to the inside of the elastic piece to prevent the side cover portion 24 from being inserted incorrectly.

[0047] The lens unit 20 is made of a light-transmitting material such as resin, and is an optical component that transmits light emitted from the light-emitting unit 32 and outputs it to the outside with a predetermined light distribution, and transmits light incident from the outside and causes it to enter the light-receiving unit 33. Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, the lens unit 20 includes a light input and output unit 21 , an output light lens 22 , a reflected light lens 23 , a side cover 24 , and a sealing protrusion 25 .

[0048] The light input and output portion 21 is a roughly flat plate-shaped portion forming the upper portion of the lens portion 20, and a lens 22 for emitting light and a lens 23 for reflecting light are integrally formed on the lower surface side thereof. The upper surface of the light input and output portion 21 is a roughly flat surface, and is arranged opposite to the object detection area. Therefore, in the limited reflection type sensor 100, light is emitted to the object detection area through the light input and output portion 21, and light is received from the object detection area. Since the lens portion 20 has the light input and output portion 21, the lens portion 20 does not protrude to the outside of the limited reflection type sensor 100, which can save space and suppress the adhesion of dirt. In addition, the periphery of the light input and output portion 21 is formed to be the same as the outer diameter of the lens abutment portion 15a of the housing body 11, and the lens portion 20 is positioned and fixed to the housing portion 10 by abutting against the lens abutment portion 15a.

[0049] The emitting light lens 22 is a lens for irradiating the light emitted from the light emitting section 32 to the object detection area. The reflected light lens 23 is a lens for causing the light reflected by the detection object in the object detection area to enter the light receiving section 33. Although the emitting light lens 22 and the reflected light lens 23 are formed at positions separated from each other by the separation groove 26, the lens section 20 is integrally molded with the light input and output section 21. By integrally molding the emitting light lens 22 and the reflected light lens 23 as the lens section 20, the emitting light lens 22 and the reflected light lens 23 can be positioned relative to the light emitting section 32 and the light receiving section 33, respectively, only by positioning the lens section 20 in the housing 10, which can simplify the assembly process and improve the positioning accuracy.

[0050] The side cover 24 is a flat plate-shaped portion extending downward from both ends of the light input / output portion 21, and is integrally formed with the light input / output portion 21. The side cover 24 is formed with a width and length equal to the guide groove 13b. In addition, a locking opening 24a is formed at a position of the side cover 24 corresponding to the locking portion 13. When the lens portion 20 is mounted on the housing portion 10, the side cover 24 is engaged in the guide groove 13b, and the locking portion 13 is engaged in the locking opening 24a, thereby positioning and fixing.

[0051] The sealing protrusion 25 is a protrusion on a straight line provided near the long side of the light input / output portion 21 and on the back side, and is formed at a position corresponding to the sealing groove 15b and in a shape corresponding to the sealing groove 15b. Figure 2 As shown, the longitudinal end portions of the sealing protrusions 25 are located outside the inner surface of the side cover portion 24 and inside the outer surface.

[0052] The separation groove 26 is a groove that separates the emitting light lens 22 and the reflected light lens 23 and reaches the back side of the light input and output portion 21. The lens portion 20 is positioned and held by inserting the spacer 14. The surfaces of the emitting light lens 22 and the reflected light lens 23 exposed in the separation groove 26 are tapered, making it easy to insert and position the spacer 14.

[0053] The substrate part 30 is a component in which a light emitting part 32, a light receiving part 33 and a connector part 34 are mounted on the surface of one side of a mounting substrate 31. The mounting substrate 31 is a substrate on which a wiring layer (not shown) is formed, and the light emitting part 32, the light receiving part 33 and the connector part 34 are mounted on the wiring layer. The material constituting the mounting substrate 31 is not limited, and known substrates such as a printed circuit board, a metal substrate, and a composite substrate of resin and metal can be used. In addition, a through hole, i.e., a positioning hole 31a, is formed at a predetermined position of the mounting substrate 31.

[0054] The light emitting unit 32 is a component that transmits power and signals from the outside of the reflective sensor 100 via the connector unit 34 and the wiring layer, and emits light at a predetermined wavelength. The specific structure of the light emitting unit 32 is not limited, and an example thereof may be a light emitting diode (LED). The wavelength of the light emitted by the light emitting unit 32 may be included in the absorption band of the light receiving unit 33, and for example, infrared light may be used. In addition, the light emitting unit 32 may also have an optical component such as a lens to irradiate the light from the LED chip with a desired light distribution characteristic.

[0055] The light receiving unit 33 is a component that absorbs light of a specified wavelength and converts it into an electrical signal, and transmits a detection signal to the outside of the reflective sensor 100 via the connector unit 34 and the wiring layer. The specific structure of the light receiving unit 33 is not limited, and for example, a phototransistor can be used. The light receiving unit 33 includes the wavelength of the light irradiated by the light emitting unit 32 in the absorption band. In addition, the light receiving unit 33 can also have an optical component such as a lens to effectively focus the incident light on the phototransistor for detection.

[0056] The connector 34 is a component that transmits output and signals from the outside from an external connection harness or the like that defines the reflective sensor 100. The terminals of the connector 34 are electrically connected to the wiring layer on the mounting substrate 31. Figure 1 , Figure 2 In the illustrated example, the connector portion 34 is mounted on the mounting surface of the mounting substrate 31 so as to face in a parallel direction and be exposed to the outside of the housing portion 10 through the side opening 11 c.

[0057] The cover part 40 is a component that blocks the bottom opening part 11b of the housing part 10 and holds the substrate part 30. The cover part 40 has a cover wall 41 that is erected along the four sides of the outer periphery of the bottom surface, and the outer periphery of the cover wall 41 is substantially the same as the inner periphery of the bottom opening part 11b. In addition, a locking claw 41a is formed protruding from the side of the cover wall 41, and substrate support parts 41b and 41c are formed protruding upward at the upper end of the cover wall 41. In addition, the opening covering part 42 is formed at a position corresponding to the side opening part 11c to a position higher than the substrate support parts 41b and 41c.

[0058] exist Figure 1 , Figure 2 In the illustrated limit reflection type sensor 100, the power and signal supplied from the outside to the connector part 34 are transmitted to the light emitting part 32, and the light emitting part 32 emits light. The light from the light emitting part 32 is incident on the light emitting lens 22, and is irradiated to the outside through the light incident emitting part 21 with a light distribution corresponding to the curved surface of the light emitting lens 22. In addition, when an object exists in the object detection area for detecting the object, the light irradiated from the light emitting part 32 is reflected in the direction of the limit reflection type sensor 100, and is incident on the reflected light lens 23 through the light incident emitting part 21, and is incident on the light receiving part 33. A voltage corresponding to the intensity of the light received by the light receiving part 33 is output, and the voltage value is transmitted to the outside as a signal that the object is detected through the connector part 34.

[0059] Next, use Figures 3 to 5 , the assembly of the limited reflection type sensor 100 will be described. Figure 3 1 is a perspective view for explaining the assembly of the housing 10 and the substrate 30. Figure 3 As shown, a partition wall 11d is formed inside the housing 10. The partition wall 11d forms a connector housing 16, a light emitting housing 17, and a light receiving housing 18 inside the housing 10. A downward projection from the partition wall 11d is formed as a substrate positioning portion 19.

[0060] The connector housing portion 16 is a space formed inside the housing body 11 from the side opening portion 11c to house the connector portion 34. The connector housing portion 16 is separated from the light emitting housing portion 17 and the light receiving housing portion 18 by a separation wall portion 11d, and is also separated from the space on the opening portion 15 side where the emitting light lens 22 and the reflected light lens 23 are housed.

[0061] The light emitting housing 17 is a space provided in communication with the opening 15, and is also in communication with the bottom opening 11b of the housing body 11. The light emitting unit 32 is arranged at a predetermined position in the light emitting housing 17. The light receiving unit 18 is a space provided in communication with the opening 15, and is also in communication with the bottom opening 11b of the housing body 11. The light receiving unit 33 is arranged at a predetermined position in the light receiving housing 18. The substrate positioning unit 19 is a protrusion formed at a position corresponding to the positioning hole 31a formed in the mounting substrate 31.

[0062] like Figure 3 As shown, the substrate positioning portion 19 is engaged with the positioning hole 31a, and the connector receiving portion 16 is engaged with the connector portion 34, and the substrate portion 30 is inserted into the bottom surface opening 11b. As a result, the light emitting portion 32 is positioned at a predetermined position of the light emitting receiving portion 17, and the light receiving portion 33 is positioned at a predetermined position of the light receiving receiving portion 18.

[0063] In this embodiment, the side opening 11c is formed in advance in the housing 10, and the connector 34 is stored in the connector storage 16 and exposed from the side opening 11c. As described above, since the connector storage 16 is separated from the light emitting storage 17 and the light receiving storage 18 by the wall surface, even if the connector 34 is exposed to the outside, it is possible to prevent dust from entering the light emitting storage 17 and the light receiving storage 18 from the outside, thereby improving dust resistance. In addition, by simply combining the positioning hole 31a with the position of the substrate positioning portion 19, the light emitting portion 32 and the light receiving portion 33 can be easily and accurately combined at the specified position.

[0064] Figure 4 1 is a perspective view for explaining the assembly of the housing 10 and the cover 40. Figure 4 As shown, a substantially flat bottom surface 43 is formed at the bottom of the cover 40, and a cover wall 41 is provided along the outer edge of the bottom surface 43. When the cover 40 is inserted into the bottom opening 11b of the housing 10, the outer periphery of the cover wall 41 is engaged with the inner wall of the housing body 11, and the locking claw 41a is engaged with the locking opening 11a, thereby positioning and fixing the cover 40. At this time, the substrate support parts 41b and 41c formed at the upper end of the cover wall 41 support the back side of the mounting substrate 31, and the opening cover part 42 supports the lower surface side of the connector part 34. As a result, the substrate part 30 positioned inside the housing 10 is sandwiched between the cover 40 and the housing 10, and is positioned and fixed.

[0065] The opening cover 42 is formed to a size that blocks the area of ​​the side opening 11c other than the area where the connector 34 is exposed, so that the bottom opening 11b can be blocked by the cover 40, and the side opening 11c can be blocked by the opening cover 42. Thus, the substrate 30 can be easily fixed by the cover 40, and the intrusion of dust from the outside can be suppressed, thereby improving dust resistance.

[0066] Figure 5 1 is a perspective view for explaining the assembly of the housing 10 and the lens 20. Figure 5 As shown, the side cover 24 of the lens unit 20 is positioned and coupled to the locking portion 13 of the housing 10, and the light input and output portion 21 of the lens unit 20 blocks the opening 15. At this time, the partition plate 14 is simultaneously inserted into the separation groove 26 and abuts against the back surface of the light input and output portion 21, and the sealing protrusion 25 is inserted into the sealing groove 15b. In addition, the side cover 24 is engaged with the guide groove 13b, and the locking claw 13a is engaged with the locking opening 24a, so that the lens unit 20 is positioned and fixed to the housing 10.

[0067] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view defining the reflective sensor 100, Figure 6 (a) is Figure 1 The cross-sectional view of the AA position in FIG. Figure 6 (b) is Figure 1 In the limited reflection type sensor 100 of the present embodiment, the lens unit 20 is mounted in the opening 15 of the housing 10, the substrate unit 30 is accommodated inside the housing 10, the connector unit 34 is exposed from the side opening 11c, and the cover unit 40 is mounted in the bottom opening 11b of the housing 10.

[0068] against Figure 6 (a) Figure 6 (b) The assembly state shown is briefly described. The partition plate 14 is inserted into the separation groove 26, and its upper end abuts against the back of the light input and output portion 21. The upper end of the lens abutment portion 15a abuts against the back of the light input and output portion 21. The sealing protrusion 25 is embedded in the sealing groove 15b. The side cover 24 is guided and embedded in the guide groove 13b. The locking claw 13a is embedded in the locking opening 24a.

[0069] The connector part 34 is accommodated in the connector accommodation part 16 and exposed from the side opening part 11c. The substrate positioning part 19 is inserted into the positioning hole 31a. The light emitting part 32 is accommodated in the light emitting accommodation part 17. The light receiving part 33 is accommodated in the light receiving accommodation part 18. The upper surface of the mounting substrate 31 abuts against the partition wall part 11d.

[0070] The locking claw 41a is fitted into the locking opening 11a. The upper ends of the board support parts 41b and 41c abut against the back surface of the mounting board 31. The upper end of the opening cover part 42 abuts against the lower surface of the connector part 34.

[0071] Therefore, the lens portion 20 is restricted from moving upward by the locking claw 13a and the locking opening 24a, and is restricted from moving downward by the upper end of the partition plate 14 and the lens abutment portion 15a and the back of the light input and output portion 21, so that the movement in the upward and downward directions is restricted and positioned. In addition, the movement of the lens portion 20 in the depth direction in the figure is restricted and positioned by the engagement of the guide groove 13b and the side cover 24 and the abutment of the sealing groove 15b and the sealing protrusion 25. In addition, the lens portion 20 is restricted from moving horizontally in the figure and positioned by the insertion of the partition plate 14 into the separation groove 26 and the clamping of the housing portion 10 by the two side cover portions 24.

[0072] Although the above positioning can achieve the effect by each movement restriction alone, the effect can be further improved by combining multiple methods. Therefore, by only installing the lens unit 20 on the housing 10, the movement of the lens unit 20 in the three-dimensional direction relative to the housing 10 can be restricted. Therefore, the emitting light lens 22 and the reflected light lens 23 integrally formed with the light input and output unit 21 can be easily and accurately positioned relative to the light emitting unit 32 and the light receiving unit 33 housed inside the housing 10.

[0073] In addition, by providing the locking claw 13a on the side of the housing body 11, it is the locking portion 13 of the housing body 10 that is elastically deformed when the lens unit 20 is installed, and the lens unit 20 is not elastically deformed. As a result, the risk of defocusing and damage caused by deformation of the lens unit 20 can be reduced, and the lens unit 20 can be easily installed.

[0074] exist Figure 1 to Figure 5 In the example shown, the locking opening 24a is formed at a position closer to the upper side than the middle of the side cover 24, that is, closer to the light input and output portion 21. Thus, the elastic piece formed with the locking claw 13a is extended, and elastic deformation can be easily generated when the lens unit 20 is installed, and the side cover 24 covers the entire elastic piece to eliminate the gap, so that the lens unit 20 can be easily installed and the dustproof performance can be improved.

[0075] In addition, the mounting substrate 31 is restricted in its upward movement because its upper surface contacts the partition wall 11d, and its downward movement is restricted because its substrate support parts 41b and 41c contact the back surface. Therefore, its upward and downward movement is restricted and it is positioned. In addition, the substrate positioning part 19 is inserted into the positioning hole 31a of the mounting substrate 31, so that its horizontal movement is restricted and it is positioned.

[0076] Although the above-mentioned positioning can achieve the effect by each movement restriction alone, the effect can be further improved by combining multiple movement restrictions. Therefore, by only inserting the substrate part 30 into the housing part 10 and installing the cover part 40, the movement of the substrate part 30 in the three-dimensional direction relative to the housing part 10 is restricted. Therefore, the light-emitting part 32 and the light-receiving part 33 mounted on the mounting substrate 31 can be easily and accurately positioned in each light-emitting housing part 17 and the light-receiving housing part 18. In addition, because the opening cover part 42 is extended to the vicinity of the lower surface of the connector part 34, the side opening part 11c is blocked by the connector part 34 and the opening cover part 42, which can inhibit dust from intruding into the interior, thereby improving dust resistance.

[0077] As described above, in the limit reflection type sensor 100 of this embodiment, accurate positioning can be performed when the lens unit 20 is mounted on the housing 10, and dust resistance is improved. Therefore, by assembling the lens unit 20 with a different focal position, it is also easy to change the detection range of the limit reflection type sensor 100 to a range corresponding to the lens unit 20.

[0078] In addition, the side cover 24 is extended from the light input and output portion 21 and formed integrally, and constitutes the outermost portion of the lens portion 20. Therefore, it is possible to easily confirm whether the side cover 24 is fitted in the guide groove 13b and whether the locking claw 13a is fitted in the locking opening 24a from the outside of the reflection type sensor 100. Therefore, after the lens portion 20 is mounted, it is possible to easily confirm whether the emitting light lens 22 and the reflected light lens 23 are accurately positioned.

[0079] <Second embodiment>

[0080] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, but descriptions of contents overlapping with those of the first embodiment will be omitted. Figure 7 2 is a diagram schematically showing a fixing structure of a mounting substrate 31 according to a second embodiment. Figure 7 (a) shows an example using a press pin 19a and a rivet pin 19b, Figure 7 (b) shows an example in which an adhesive 19 c is applied to the back surface of the mounting substrate 31 .

[0081] exist Figure 7In the example shown in (a), a plurality of positioning holes 31a are formed in advance on the mounting substrate 31, and the press-in pin 19a and the rivet pin 19b formed on the partition wall 11d are inserted into the positioning holes 31a. The press-in pin 19a is a pin with a slightly tapered front end, and the diameter of the front end is smaller than that of the positioning hole 31a, and the diameter at the base is larger than that of the positioning hole 31a. When the press-in pin 19a is positioned and inserted into the positioning hole 31a, when the mounting substrate 31 is pressed strongly, the press-in pin 19a formed of resin is slightly deformed and pressed in. Thus, positioning and fixing can be performed simultaneously by pressing the press-in pin 19a and the positioning hole 31a.

[0082] The rivet pin 19b is a pin with a smaller diameter than the positioning hole 31a. After the rivet pin 19b is positioned and inserted into the positioning hole 31a, the head of the rivet pin 19b is crushed and deformed. Thus, positioning and fixing can be performed simultaneously by riveting the rivet pin 19b and the positioning hole 31a.

[0083] exist Figure 7 In the example shown in (b), after the mounting substrate 31 is inserted into the bottom opening 11b, the adhesive 19c is applied to the entire back side of the mounting substrate 31. The adhesive 19c fills and seals the gap between the mounting substrate 31 and the inner surface of the housing body 11, and fixes the mounting substrate 31 inside the housing body 11.

[0084] In addition, as a fixing structure for mounting substrate 31, for example, a locking claw may be formed in advance on housing body 11 so that the locking claw is engaged with mounting substrate 31. In addition, the clamping by cover 40, the use of press-fit pin 19a, rivet pin 19b, the application of adhesive 19c, and the locking by the locking claw may be appropriately combined.

[0085] <Third Embodiment>

[0086] Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, but descriptions of contents overlapping with those of the first embodiment will be omitted. Figure 8 It is a perspective schematic diagram showing the structure of a restricted reflection type sensor 200 according to the third embodiment. Fig. 9 2 is a perspective exploded view schematically showing the structure of the reflection sensor 200. Figure 8 , Fig. 9 As shown, the reflection type sensor 200 includes a housing portion 50 , a lens portion 60 , a substrate portion 70 , and a cover portion 80 .

[0087] The housing 50 includes a housing body 51, a mounting portion 52, a locking portion 53, a partition plate 54, and an opening 55. As the openings, the housing body 51 is provided with a locking opening 51a near the bottom surface of the side surface, a bottom surface opening 51b formed on the bottom surface, and a side surface opening 51c formed on the side surface in the longitudinal direction. The locking portion 53 uses a snap-fit ​​structure in which a part of the side surface is cut out as an elastic sheet and a locking claw 53a is formed at the front end. In addition, in the locking portion 53, a guide groove 53b having the same width and length as the side cover 64 is formed on the short side surface of the housing body 51. A lens abutment portion 55a and a sealing groove 55b are formed in the opening 55.

[0088] The lens portion 60 includes a light input / output portion 61, an output light lens 62, a reflected light lens 63, a side cover portion 64, and a sealing protrusion 65. Although the output light lens 62 and the reflected light lens 63 are formed at positions separated from each other by a separation groove 66, the lens portion 60 is integrally formed with the light input / output portion 61. A locking opening 64a is formed in the side cover portion 64 at a position corresponding to the locking portion 53.

[0089] The substrate 70 is a component in which a light emitting unit 72 and a light receiving unit 73 are mounted on one surface of a mounting substrate 71, and a connector unit 74 is mounted on the other surface. A positioning hole 71a, which is a through hole, is formed at a predetermined position of the mounting substrate 71.

[0090] The cover portion 80 includes: a cover wall 81, a locking claw 81a, a cover wall upper end 82a, a substrate abutment portion 82b, a bottom surface 83, and a connector opening portion 84. The cover wall upper end 82a is the upper end of a lower region formed in the cover wall 81. The substrate abutment portion 82b is the upper end of a higher region formed in the cover wall 81, and is formed to surround the outer periphery of the connector portion 74. The connector opening portion 84 is an opening formed at a position corresponding to the connector portion 74 in the bottom surface 83, and is formed on the inner side of the substrate abutment portion 82b, which is equivalent to the fourth opening portion of the present invention. Figure 8 , Fig. 9 In the illustrated example, the connector portion 74 is mounted facing downward from the rear surface of the mounting substrate 71 , and is exposed to the outside of the housing portion 50 through the connector opening 84 .

[0091] Next, use Figures 10 to 12 , the assembly of the limited reflection type sensor 200 will be described. Fig.10 1 is a perspective view for explaining the assembly of the housing 50 and the base plate 70. Fig.10As shown in FIG. 1 , a partition plate 54 is formed inside the housing 50. The partition plate 54 forms a light emitting housing 57 and a light receiving housing 58 inside the housing 50. A downward protrusion is formed on the partition plate 54 as a substrate positioning portion 59. The substrate positioning portion 59 is a protrusion formed at a position corresponding to the positioning hole 71a formed on the mounting substrate 71.

[0092] like Fig.10 As shown, the substrate positioning portion 59 is engaged with the positioning hole 71a, and the substrate portion 70 is inserted into the bottom surface opening 51b. Thus, the light emitting portion 72 is positioned at a predetermined position of the light emitting housing portion 57, and the light receiving portion 73 is positioned at a predetermined position of the light receiving housing portion 58.

[0093] Fig.11 1 is a perspective view for explaining the assembly of the housing 50 and the cover 80. Fig.11 As shown, a substantially flat bottom surface 83 is formed at the bottom of the cover 80, and a cover wall 81 is provided along the outer edge of the bottom surface 83. When the cover 80 is inserted into the bottom opening 51b of the housing 50, the outer periphery of the cover wall 81 is engaged with the inner wall of the housing body 51, and the locking claw 81a is engaged with the locking opening 51a, thereby positioning and fixing the cover 40. At this time, the substrate abutting portion 82b abuts against the back side of the mounting substrate 71. As a result, the substrate 70 positioned inside the housing 50 is clamped between the cover 80 and the housing 50, and positioned and fixed.

[0094] Fig.12 1 is a perspective view for explaining the assembly of the housing 50 and the lens 60. Fig.12 As shown, the side cover 64 of the lens portion 60 is combined with the locking portion 53 of the housing portion 50, and the light input and output portion 61 of the lens portion 60 blocks the opening 55. At this time, the partition plate 54 is inserted into the separation groove 66 to abut against the back of the light input and output portion 61, and the sealing protrusion 65 is inserted into the sealing groove 55b. In addition, the side cover 64 is embedded in the guide groove 53b, and the locking claw 13a is embedded in the locking opening 24a, so that the lens portion 60 is positioned and fixed to the housing portion 50.

[0095] Fig.13 is a cross-sectional view defining a reflective sensor 200, Fig.13 (a) is Figure 1 The cross-sectional view of the AA position in FIG. Fig.13 (b) is Figure 8In the limited reflection type sensor 200 of the present embodiment, the lens unit 60 is mounted in the opening 55 of the housing 50, the substrate unit 70 is accommodated inside the housing 50, and the cover unit 40 is mounted in the bottom opening 51b of the housing 50. The connector unit 74 is exposed downward from the connector opening 84.

[0096] The limit reflection type sensor 200 of this embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the connector part 74 is mounted on the back side of the mounting substrate 71 so as to be exposed downward in the figure from the connector opening 84 provided in the cover part 80. In addition, since the connector part 74 is not arranged between the light emitting part 72 and the light receiving part 73, the area of ​​the mounting substrate 71 is reduced. As a result, it is not necessary to provide a space between the light emitting housing part 57 and the light receiving housing part 58 to accommodate the connector part 74, and the housing part 50 is also miniaturized. By miniaturizing the housing body 51, the mounting part 52 is provided below the housing body 51 to protrude further than the cover part 80.

[0097] like Fig.13 (a) Fig.13 As shown in (b), by simply mounting the lens unit 60 on the housing 50, the movement of the lens unit 60 in the three-dimensional direction relative to the housing 50 is restricted. Therefore, the emitting light lens 62 and the reflected light lens 63 integrally formed with the light input and output unit 61 can be easily and accurately positioned relative to the light emitting unit 72 and the light receiving unit 73 housed inside the housing 50.

[0098] In addition, the mounting substrate 71 is restricted in its upward movement because its upper surface abuts against the partition plate 54, and its downward movement is restricted because its abutting portion 82b abuts against its back surface. Therefore, the movement of the substrate 70 relative to the housing 50 can be restricted by simply inserting the substrate 70 into the housing 50 and installing the cover 80. Therefore, the light emitting portion 72 and the light receiving portion 73 mounted on the mounting substrate 71 can be easily and accurately positioned in each light emitting housing 57 and the light receiving housing 58.

[0099] In the limit reflection sensor 200 of this embodiment, the substrate contact portion 82b surrounds the connector portion 74 and contacts the back side of the mounting substrate 71. Thus, the substrate contact portion 82b blocks the connector portion 74, suppresses dust from entering the interior, and improves dust resistance.

[0100] As described above, also in the limit reflection type sensor 200 of the present embodiment, accurate positioning can be performed when the lens unit 60 is mounted on the housing unit 50 , and dust resistance can be improved.

[0101] It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed this time are only illustrative in all aspects and are not the basis for restrictive interpretation. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention is not only interpreted by the above-mentioned embodiments, but is limited based on the description of the scope of the technical solution. In addition, all changes within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of the technical solution are included.

[0102] Description of Reference Numerals

[0103] 10, 50 housing portion; 20, 60 lens portion; 30, 70 substrate portion; 40, 80 cover portion; 100, 200 limiting the reflective sensor; 11, 51 housing body; 11a, 51a locking opening portion; 11b, 51b bottom opening portion; 11c, 51c side opening portion; 11d partition wall portion; 12, 52 mounting portion; 12a mounting hole; 13, 53 locking portion; 13a, 53a locking claw; 13b, 53b guide groove; 14, 54 partition plate; 15, 55 opening portion; 15a, 55a lens abutment portion; 15b, 55b sealing groove; 16 connector storage portion; 17, 57 light emitting storage portion; 18, 58 light receiving storage portion; 1 9, 59 substrate positioning portion; 19a press-in pin; 19b rivet pin; 19c adhesive; 21, 61 light input and output portion; 22, 62 lens for emitting light; 23, 63 lens for reflecting light; 24, 64 side covering portion; 24a, 64a locking opening portion; 25, 65 sealing protrusion; 26, 66 separation groove; 31, 71 mounting substrate; 31a, 71a positioning hole; 32, 72 light emitting portion; 33, 73 light receiving portion; 34, 74 connector portion; 41, 81 cover wall; 41a, 81a locking claw; 41b substrate supporting portion; 42 opening covering portion; 43, 83 bottom surface; 82a upper end of cover wall; 82b substrate abutting portion; 84 connector opening portion.

Claims

1. A limited reflection type sensor, wherein light emitted from a light emitting unit is irradiated to an object detection area via an emission light lens, and reflected light from an object existing in the object detection area is received by a light receiving unit via a reflection light lens, the limited reflection type sensor being characterized in that: A housing having a locking portion formed on a side surface and a first opening facing the object detection area, and accommodating the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion; a lens portion including a light input / output portion formed integrally with the emitting light lens and the reflected light lens, and a side surface covering portion in which an end portion of the light input / output portion is extended along the side surface; The lens portion blocks the first opening portion by the light input and output portion, and the side cover portion is locked by the locking portion.

2. The limited reflection type sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The locking portion is a buckle structure in which a locking claw is formed at the front end of the elastic piece, and the locking claw is fitted into a locking opening formed in the side cover portion.

3. The limited reflection type sensor according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: A guide groove for guiding the side cover is formed on the side surface.

4. The limited reflection type sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The locking portion locks the side cover portion at a position closer to the light incident and emission portion than the middle in the extending direction of the side cover portion.

5. The limited reflection type sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: A sealing groove is formed inside the first opening along the length direction of the housing. The lens portion includes a sealing protrusion having a shape corresponding to the sealing groove formed on the first opening portion side, The sealing groove abuts against the sealing protrusion.

6. The limited reflection type sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The housing has a second opening on a side opposite to the first opening. The defined reflection type sensor also has: a mounting substrate, which carries the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit and is accommodated in the housing; The cover is locked to the housing and blocks the second opening.

7. The limited reflection type sensor according to claim 6, characterized in that: A connector portion electrically connected to the outside is mounted on the mounting substrate. The connector portion is exposed from a third opening portion formed on another side surface of the housing portion.

8. The limited reflection type sensor according to claim 6, characterized in that: A connector portion electrically connected to the outside is mounted on the mounting substrate. The connector portion is exposed from a fourth opening portion formed on the bottom surface of the cover portion.

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