Adjusting knob and photoelectric sensor

Abstract

The application relates to an adjusting knob and a photoelectric sensor. The adjusting knob applied to the photoelectric sensor adjusting knob comprises a main body part and a screw rod part, the screw rod part is arranged in extension along a first direction and is used for threadedly connecting a component bearing an optical element of the photoelectric sensor, the screw rod part comprises a proximal end section, a middle section and a distal end section arranged in sequence along the first direction, and the proximal end section is connected to the main body part, wherein the pitch of the proximal end section and the pitch of the distal end section are both smaller than the pitch of the middle section. The application can improve the adjusting precision and the adjusting convenience of the adjusting knob.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of general automation technology, and in particular to an adjustment knob and a photoelectric sensor. Background Technology

[0002] In optoelectronic devices, the relative distance between two adjacent optical elements is typically adjusted by turning a knob to change the overall measurement range. This is especially true for background suppression photoelectric sensors, which are mid-range products in the general-purpose optoelectronic sensor category, with a wide range of applications and high requirements for the accuracy of adjusting the distance between adjacent optical elements. However, sensors in related technologies usually use standard screws, where even a small rotation by the user causes a significant movement of the optical element, resulting in poor usability and low accuracy in adjusting the distance between adjacent optical elements, making it difficult to meet the requirements. Utility Model Content

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to provide an adjustment knob and a photoelectric sensor to address the problem of low adjustment accuracy of the distance between two adjacent optical elements in sensors in related technologies.

[0004] According to one aspect of this application, an adjustment knob is provided for use in a photoelectric sensor, the adjustment knob comprising:

[0005] Main body; and

[0006] A screw portion extends along a first direction, and the outer periphery of the screw portion is provided with threads for connecting and controlling the movement of the optical element of the photoelectric sensor; the screw portion includes at least a proximal section, a middle section and a distal section arranged sequentially along the first direction, and the proximal section is connected to the main body portion;

[0007] The pitch of the proximal segment and the pitch of the distal segment are both smaller than the pitch of the intermediate segment.

[0008] In one embodiment, the screw portion further includes a transition section; at least one of the proximal section and the distal section is a target section;

[0009] Along the first direction, a transition section is provided between the target segment and the intermediate segment;

[0010] The pitch of the target segment is smaller than the pitch of the transition segment, and the pitch of the transition segment is smaller than the pitch of the intermediate segment.

[0011] In one embodiment, at least three threads are provided on the transition section; the spacing between two adjacent threads on the transition section increases sequentially along the direction from the transition section to the intermediate section; and / or,

[0012] The transition section has at least two threads, which point in the direction from the transition section to the middle section, and the distance between two adjacent threads on the transition section gradually increases along the helical direction of the threads.

[0013] In one embodiment, the threads on the proximal segment are equally spaced; and / or

[0014] The threads on the distal segment are evenly spaced; and / or

[0015] The threads on the middle section are evenly spaced.

[0016] In one embodiment, along the direction from the intermediate segment to the proximal segment, the spacing between two adjacent threads on the proximal segment decreases sequentially; the pitch of the proximal segment is the spacing between two adjacent threads on the proximal segment along the first direction; and / or

[0017] Along the direction from the middle segment to the distal segment, the spacing between two adjacent threads on the distal segment decreases sequentially; the pitch of the distal segment is the spacing between two adjacent threads on the distal segment along the first direction.

[0018] According to another aspect of this application, a photoelectric sensor is provided, including an adjustment knob, an optical element, and a bracket as described in any of the above embodiments, wherein the screw portion of the adjustment knob is adjustablely connected to the bracket, and the bracket is used to support the optical element.

[0019] In one embodiment, the bracket includes a connecting portion and a protrusion, the connecting portion defining a channel, the screw portion extending along the first direction and passing through the channel, the protrusion protruding from the inner wall of the channel, the protrusion being configured to fit into the gap between any two adjacent threads on the screw portion.

[0020] In one embodiment, the connecting portion has an opening that connects the channel and the outside, and the opening penetrates the inner wall of the channel along the first direction; the inner wall of the channel can provide a preset pressure to the screw portion.

[0021] In one embodiment, the inner wall of the channel has a top wall, and the protrusion is disposed on the top wall about an axis parallel to the first direction, the size of the protrusion being smaller than the size of the top wall.

[0022] In one embodiment, the protrusion is interference-fitted with at least one preset gap, the preset gap being the gap between at least two adjacent threads on the proximal segment and / or the distal segment.

[0023] The aforementioned adjustment knob, by rotating the adjustment screw, moves the component carrying the optical element of the photoelectric sensor and the optical element thereon relative to the screw along a first direction, thereby adjusting the position of the optical element. Furthermore, by using a smaller screw pitch at both ends of the screw, the position adjustment accuracy of the optical element at the ends of the screw is improved, which is beneficial for improving the quality of light propagation and the adjustment accuracy of the photoelectric sensor. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the adjustment knob in one embodiment of this application.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the adjustment knob connected to the bracket in one embodiment of this application.

[0026] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the structure with a thread on the proximal and distal segments.

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the structure where the spacing between two adjacent threads on the transition section increases sequentially along the helical direction of the threads.

[0028] Figure 5 for Figure 2 An enlarged view of point A shown.

[0029] Figure 6 This is a front view of the bracket in one embodiment of this application.

[0030] Figure 7 for Figure 6 Side view of the bracket in the illustrated embodiment.

[0031] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0032] 10. Adjust the knob;

[0033] 11. Proximal segment; 12. Distal segment; 13. Intermediate segment; 14. Threaded section;

[0034] 20. Bracket;

[0035] 21. Connecting part; 22. Protrusion; 23. Opening; 24. Frame;

[0036] 30. Optical components;

[0037] F1, First Direction. Detailed Implementation

[0038] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0039] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" appear, these terms indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0040] Furthermore, where the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, where the term "multiple" appears, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0041] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0042] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0043] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. If so, the terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0044] Background suppression photoelectric sensors are high-precision photoelectric sensors that utilize optical principles and signal processing technology to effectively shield against background interference and detect only target objects within a set distance. As a high-precision photoelectric sensor, it requires high adjustment accuracy for its internal optical components; however, background suppression photoelectric sensors in related technologies typically lack high adjustment accuracy. It is understood that the adjustment knob described in this specification's embodiments can also be applied to other possible types of photoelectric sensors, and this specification does not limit this application.

[0045] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the adjustment knob 10 in one embodiment of this application. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the adjustment knob 10 connected to the bracket 20 in one embodiment of this application.

[0046] The adjustment knob 10 includes a main body and a screw portion. The screw portion extends along the first direction F1, and a thread is provided on the outer periphery of the screw portion. The screw portion is used for threading and controlling the movement of the optical element 30 of the photoelectric sensor. By rotating the adjustment knob 10, the screw portion rotates relative to the bracket 20, and through the threaded connection, the rotational movement of the adjustment knob 10 is converted into the horizontal movement of the bracket 20 along the first direction F1, thereby driving the optical element 30 to move along the first direction F1.

[0047] The screw section includes at least a proximal section 11, an intermediate section 13, and a distal section 12 arranged sequentially along the first direction F1, with the proximal section 11 connected to the main body. The segmented screw section allows for separate design of the proximal section 11, intermediate section 13, and distal section 12, improving the design flexibility of the adjustment knob 10. In some embodiments, when the travel of the adjustment knob is long, more threaded sections can be provided for finer adjustment control; the specific details can be determined based on actual conditions, and this specification does not limit this aspect.

[0048] Specifically, the pitch of the proximal segment 11 and the pitch of the distal segment 12 are both smaller than the pitch of the intermediate segment 13. In other words, the distance between two adjacent threads 14 on the proximal segment 11 is smaller than the distance between two adjacent threads 14 on the intermediate segment 13, and the distance between two adjacent threads 14 on the distal segment 12 is smaller than the distance between two adjacent threads 14 on the intermediate segment 13.

[0049] In this way, the screw can be threaded onto the bracket 20 that supports the optical element 30 via the threaded thread 14. By adjusting the screw, the bracket 20 and the optical element 30 on it can be moved relative to the screw along the first direction F1. At this time, the pitch on the middle section 13 is larger. Therefore, when the adjusting screw is rotated around the axis parallel to the first direction F1 by the same number of turns, the bracket 20 moves a larger distance relative to the middle section 13 along the first direction F1. This allows for rapid adjustment of the position of the bracket 20 along the first direction F1. In other words, the larger threaded thread 14 spacing facilitates the rapid adjustment of the bracket 20 to the appropriate position.

[0050] The pitch on the proximal section 11 and the distal section 12 is smaller, so when the rotating adjusting screw rotates the same number of times around the axis parallel to the first direction F1, the distance the bracket 20 moves relative to the corresponding end along the first direction F1 is smaller, which helps to improve the adjustment accuracy of the bracket 20 at the corresponding end.

[0051] In this embodiment, the pitch between the threads on the proximal segment 11 can be equal or linearly varied. The pitch between the threads on the distal segment 12 can also be equal or linearly varied. The pitches on the proximal segment 11 and the distal segment 12 can be the same or different, and can be set according to the actual user's adjustment needs. This embodiment does not limit this.

[0052] In this embodiment, the number of threads 14 on the screw section is not limited. At least two threads 14 can be provided on the proximal section 11, such as two threads 14 or three threads 14, or multiple threads 14. At least two threads 14 can be provided on the distal section 12, such as two threads 14 or three threads 14, or multiple threads 14. At least two threads 14 can be provided on the middle section 13, such as two threads 14 or three threads 14, or multiple threads 14. The specific number can be set according to the actual user's adjustment needs. This embodiment of the specification does not limit this.

[0053] See Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing a thread 14 on the proximal segment 11 and the distal segment 12. The proximal segment 11 may also have one thread 14, and the distal segment 12 may have only one thread 14. For example, when the screw portion has a small dimension along the first direction, the proximal segment 11 and the distal segment 12 may each have only one thread 14. In this case, the proximal segment 11 shares one thread 14 with the adjacent intermediate segment 13. The pitch of the proximal segment 11 refers to the distance between the thread on the proximal segment 11 and the thread 14 shared by the proximal segment 11 and the intermediate segment 13. The pitch of the distal segment 12 refers to the distance between the thread on the distal segment 12 and the thread 14 shared by the distal segment 12 and the intermediate segment 13. Furthermore, the pitch on the proximal section 11 can either gradually change with the thread of the thread 14 or remain constant with the thread of the thread 14. Similarly, the pitch on the distal section 12 can also either gradually change with the thread of the thread 14 or remain constant with the thread of the thread 14. No further restrictions are imposed here.

[0054] In this embodiment, the proximal section 11 and distal section 12 of the adjustment knob 10 are closer to the limit range of the optical element 30's reception, and the quality of the received light signal is close to the threshold limit. Therefore, the finer the adjustment at the ends, the better the detection performance of the background suppression sensor. When the bracket 20 is located in the middle section 13, the light signal received by the optical element 30 is of higher quality than that of the proximal section 11 and distal section 12. Therefore, the larger pitch in the middle section 13 facilitates rapid adjustment of the optical element 30 to the appropriate position.

[0055] That is, the adjustment knob 10 of this application can quickly adjust the optical element 30 to a suitable position through the thread with a larger pitch in the middle of the screw part, and at the same time, through the thread with a smaller pitch at both ends of the screw part, the position adjustment accuracy of the optical element 30 at both ends of the screw part is improved, which is beneficial to improving the quality of light propagation and improving the adjustment accuracy of the photoelectric sensor.

[0056] In some embodiments, continue reading Figure 1As shown, the screw section may also include a transition section to serve as a transition and improve the smoothness of adjustment of the adjustment knob 10.

[0057] At least one of the proximal segment 11 and the distal segment 12 can be the target segment. A transition segment is provided between the target segment and the intermediate segment 13 along the first direction F1. That is, a transition segment can be provided between the proximal segment 11 and the intermediate segment 13, or between the distal segment 12 and the intermediate segment 13, or both between the proximal segment 11 and the intermediate segment 13 and between the distal segment 12 and the intermediate segment 13. No further restrictions are imposed here.

[0058] In this embodiment, the pitch of the target segment is smaller than the pitch of the transition segment, and the pitch of the transition segment is smaller than the pitch of the middle segment 13. In this way, the transition segment, together with the middle segment 13 and the corresponding target segment, forms a gradual pitch buffer zone, which helps to reduce the stress concentration caused by the sudden change in pitch of the middle segment 13 and the corresponding target segment, helps to extend the service life of the adjustment knob 10, and reduces the jerky feeling when adjusting the adjustment knob 10, thereby improving the smoothness of the adjustment of the adjustment knob 10.

[0059] It should be noted that the target segment can be set to equal pitch or non-equal pitch, the transition segment can be set to equal pitch or non-equal pitch, and the intermediate segment 13 can be set to equal pitch or non-equal pitch, without much restriction. The statement that the pitch of the target segment is less than the pitch of the transition segment means that the maximum pitch of the target segment is less than the minimum pitch of the transition segment. Similarly, the statement that the pitch of the transition segment is less than the pitch of the intermediate segment 13 means that the maximum pitch of the transition segment is less than the minimum pitch of the intermediate segment 13. In this embodiment, it is not limited to whether the target segment, transition segment, and intermediate segment 13 are equal pitch or non-equal pitch, and will not be elaborated further.

[0060] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 The threaded teeth 14 located on the transition section can be provided in at least three. By providing at least three threaded teeth 14 on the transition section, it is beneficial to increase the size of the transition section, thereby improving the transition effect of the transition section.

[0061] In this embodiment, the number of threads 14 on the transition section can be increased as needed, further enabling the bracket 20 to smoothly transition between the intermediate section 13 and the corresponding end via the transition section. The specific number of threads 14 on the transition section can be set according to requirements; for example, there can be two threads 14 on the transition section, without further restrictions.

[0062] In some embodiments, at least three threads 14 are provided on the transition section, and the spacing between two adjacent threads 14 on the transition section increases sequentially along the direction from the transition section to the intermediate section 13. That is, the threads of the transition section are not equally spaced, and the thread pitch on the transition section increases from the transition section to the intermediate section 13, so that the threads at both ends of the transition section along the first direction F1 can respectively adapt to the threaded connection of the intermediate section 13 and the corresponding target section.

[0063] It should be noted that the spacing between two adjacent threads 14 on the transition section in this embodiment increases sequentially, which means that the pitch increases sequentially, but the spacing between adjacent threads 14 in the same group remains unchanged along the helical direction of the threads 14.

[0064] In some embodiments, see Figure 4 As shown, Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the structure where the spacing between two adjacent threads 14 on the transition section increases sequentially along the helical direction of the threads 14. The transition section may have at least two threads 14. Along the direction from the transition section to the middle section 13, and along the helical direction of the threads 14, the spacing between two adjacent threads 14 on the transition section increases sequentially. Alternatively, the pitch between two threads on the transition section may gradually increase at 1 / 2 or 3 / 4 of a turn until it equals the pitch between the threads on the middle section. In other words, in this embodiment, the transition section has a non-uniform pitch, and the pitch on the transition section changes sequentially.

[0065] It should be noted that the increasing spacing between two adjacent threads 14 on the transition section in this embodiment means that the spacing between adjacent threads 14 in the same group also changes sequentially along the helical direction of the threads 14, or in other words, the pitch on the transition section can change linearly.

[0066] This facilitates a better connection between the transition section and the target section, which have different pitches, thus improving the buffering effect of the transition section. For example, the transition section can be gradually enlarged at the 1 / 2 or 3 / 4 turn position of the spiral encirclement of two adjacent threads 14, so that the two adjacent threads 14 on the transition section can connect with two other adjacent threads 14 on the transition section, or connect with two adjacent threads 14 on the intermediate section 13.

[0067] In some embodiments, along the first direction F1, the plurality of threads 14 on the transition section of the transition portion can also be equally spaced. For example, when the axial length of the screw portion is relatively long, the plurality of equally spaced threads 14 on the transition section of the transition portion helps to improve the smoothness of the bracket 20 when passing through the transition section, thereby further facilitating the smooth transition of the bracket 20 between the intermediate section 13 and the corresponding end. Whether the axial length of the screw portion is relatively long is determined based on actual usage and habits, without imposing excessive restrictions.

[0068] In some embodiments, at least three threads 14 may be provided on the proximal segment 11, and the threads 14 on the proximal segment 11 are equally spaced. That is, with the proximal segment 11 having an equal pitch, the bracket 20 can move more smoothly on the proximal segment 11, thereby improving the adjustment stability of the adjustment knob 10.

[0069] In some embodiments, at least three threads 14 may be provided on the distal segment 12, and the threads 14 on the distal segment 12 are equally spaced. That is, with the distal segment 12 having an equal thread pitch, the bracket 20 can move more smoothly on the distal segment 12, thereby improving the adjustment stability of the adjustment knob 10.

[0070] In some embodiments, at least three threads 14 are provided on the intermediate section 13, and the threads 14 on the intermediate section 13 are equally spaced. That is, the intermediate section 13 is provided with equal thread pitch, so the bracket 20 can move more smoothly on the intermediate section 13, thereby improving the adjustment stability of the adjustment knob 10.

[0071] In some embodiments, the threads 14 on the proximal segment 11 are not limited to being equally spaced. At least three threads 14 may be provided on the proximal segment 11, with the spacing between adjacent threads 14 decreasing sequentially along the direction from the middle segment 13 to the proximal segment 11. This continuously decreasing thread spacing results in finer spacing closer to the end, and the operator can clearly perceive a gradual increase in resistance, effectively reducing overshoot of the setpoint caused by excessive rotation.

[0072] It should be noted that the pitch of the proximal section 11 is the distance between two adjacent threads 14 on the proximal section 11 along the first direction F1. The thread 14 is the name of a single turn of thread on a workpiece with a threaded structure, such as a bolt, in the mechanical field, and will not be described in detail here.

[0073] In some embodiments, at least three threads 14 may be provided on the distal segment 12, pointing from the intermediate segment 13 to the distal segment 12, with the spacing between adjacent threads 14 on the distal segment 12 decreasing sequentially. This continuously decreasing thread spacing results in finer spacing closer to the end, and the operator can clearly perceive an increase in resistance, effectively reducing overshoot of the set value caused by excessive rotation. The pitch of the distal segment 12 is the distance between two adjacent threads 14 on the distal segment 12 along the first direction F1, which will not be elaborated further here.

[0074] In some embodiments, see Figure 2 Combined with reference Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, Figure 5 for Figure 2 An enlarged view of point A shown. Figure 6 This is a front view of the bracket 20 in one embodiment of this application. Figure 7 for Figure 6 Side view of the bracket 20 in the illustrated embodiment.

[0075] This application also provides a photoelectric sensor, which includes an adjustment knob 10, an optical element 30, and a bracket 20 as described in any of the above embodiments. The screw portion of the adjustment knob 10 is adjustablely connected to the bracket 20, and the bracket 20 is used to support the optical element 30. Thus, by supporting the optical element 30 on the bracket 20 and adjusting the bracket 20 along the first direction F1 by adjusting the adjustment knob 10, the position of the bracket 20 and the optical element 30 on it can be adjusted.

[0076] In some embodiments, the photoelectric sensor further includes a housing and a frame 24. A support 20 and an optical element 30 are disposed within the housing. The frame 24 is tractively connected between the support 20 and the housing, allowing the support 20 to be movably disposed within the housing along a first direction F1 via the frame 24. An adjustment knob 10 is disposed on the housing and threadedly connected to the support 20, so that rotating the adjustment knob 10 can drive the support 20 to move along the first direction F1. The adjustment knob 10 can be screwed onto the housing or rotatably disposed on the housing. The above structure is similar to the sensor setup in related technologies and will not be described in detail here.

[0077] In some embodiments, continue reading Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the bracket 20 includes a connecting portion 21 and a protrusion 22. The connecting portion 21 defines a channel, and the screw portion extends along the first direction F1 and passes through the channel. The protrusion 22 protrudes from the inner wall of the channel and is configured to fit into the gap between any two adjacent threads 14 on the screw portion. When the adjustment knob 10 is rotated, the threads 14 on the screw portion spiral through the protrusion 22 in sequence. In this way, the rotation of the adjustment knob 10 about an axis parallel to the first direction F1 is converted into linear movement of the bracket 20 along the first direction F1, thereby enabling adjustment of the position of the bracket 20 and the optical element 30 on it along the first direction F1.

[0078] In this embodiment, the protrusion 22 may include at least one threaded portion structure. The protrusion 22 may be arranged around an axis parallel to the first direction on at least a portion of the inner wall of the channel. For example, the protrusion 22 may be provided on the top or side of the inner wall of the channel to limit the threaded portion on the screw. No further restrictions are imposed here.

[0079] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7The connecting part 21 is provided with an opening 23, which connects the channel and the external space. The opening 23 penetrates the inner wall of the channel along the first direction F1, and the inner wall of the channel can provide a preset pressure for the screw part. The setting of the opening 23 allows the connecting part 21 to better adapt to the intermediate section 13 and the target section with different pitches, so that when the near end section 11, the far end section 12 and the intermediate section 13 pass through the connecting part 21, the connecting part 21 can provide elastic deformation allowance for them.

[0080] In this embodiment, the inner wall of the channel provides a preset pressure to the screw section, which facilitates the interference fit between the connecting part 21 and its protrusion 22 and the screw section and the corresponding adjacent thread 14. The opening 23 allows the connecting part to provide elastic deformation allowance, enabling the connecting part 21 to rotate normally while still having an interference fit with the screw section. Furthermore, the protrusion 22 can have a clearance interference fit with the corresponding thread 14. Without additional configuration, this improves the connection stability between the screw section and the connecting part 21. In short, the structure is simple yet provides sufficient constraint.

[0081] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 There may be only one protrusion 22. The setting of a single protrusion 22 helps to reduce the contact path between the bracket 20 and the adjacent thread 14, thereby improving the smoothness of the thread 14 of the proximal section 11, the middle section 13 and the distal section 12 when passing through the protrusion 22, and improving the smoothness of the rotation of the adjustment knob 10.

[0082] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 A single protrusion 22 is located on the top wall of the inner wall of the channel along the direction of gravity. In this embodiment, compared to when the protrusion 22 is not located at the top, the adjustment knob 10 is subjected to gravity, causing a component of gravity to press against the protrusion 22, resulting in uneven rotation between the adjustment knob 10 and the protrusion 22, creating a feeling of stiffness. In this embodiment, the protrusion 22 is located at the top, which helps to reduce the impact of gravity on the adjustment knob 10 on the protrusion 22, thereby improving the smoothness of rotation between the adjustment knob 10 and the protrusion 22.

[0083] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, the protrusion 22 is interference-fitted with at least one preset gap, which is the gap between at least two adjacent threads 14 on the proximal section 11 or the distal section 12. In this way, the connecting portion 21 with the opening 23 can be engaged, and the clamping force of the interference fit can be used to keep the bracket 20 in the relative position to the adjusting knob 10.

[0084] Furthermore, the protrusion 22 should be adapted to the smallest thread 14 clearance on the screw part so as to facilitate the fit between the protrusion 22 and the thread 14 of each size of the adjusting knob 10. No further restrictions are imposed here.

[0085] In some embodiments, the inner wall of the channel has a top wall, and a protrusion 22 is provided on the top wall. Around an axis parallel to the first direction F1, the size of the protrusion 22 is smaller than the size of the top wall; that is, the protrusion 22 can be a protruding structure whose size does not exceed that of the top wall portion. This allows for helical positioning of the thread 14 on the screw section, while also accommodating threaded connections of the thread 14 on the proximal section 11, distal section 12, and intermediate section 13 with different pitches. In other words, this configuration improves the adaptability of the protrusion 22, making it suitable for threaded connections of sections with various pitches.

[0086] In some embodiments, the protrusion 22 of this application may adopt a shape adapted to the gap between two adjacent threads 14, such as a conical or inverted trapezoidal cross-section. The threads 14 may be protruding with a conical or trapezoidal cross-section, and the cross-section of the gap between two adjacent threads 14 may be an inverted conical or inverted trapezoidal shape, without further restrictions.

[0087] In some embodiments, the specific distance between two adjacent threads 14, the number of threads 14 corresponding to the proximal segment 11, the middle segment 13, and the distal segment 12, etc., can all be specifically set according to the size of the photoelectric sensor actually used, the size of the screw section, and the user's habits. That is, the specific values ​​can be designed according to the actual situation. No further restrictions are imposed here.

[0088] In some embodiments, the spacing between two adjacent threads 14 of the intermediate segment 13 can be a standard pitch, typically 0.45 mm. However, this specification does not limit the embodiments to a standard pitch; other pitches may also be used. The spacing between two adjacent threads 14 of the proximal segment 11 and the distal segment 12 can be designed based on factors such as light source performance and the reflection range of the optical element 30, and is slightly smaller than the pitch of the intermediate segment 13, potentially set to 0.3 mm or other possible values. It should be noted that the spacing between two adjacent threads 14 of the proximal segment 11 and the distal segment 12 can be the same or different; no further restrictions are imposed here.

[0089] The optical element 30 in this application can be a receiving lens or a transmitting lens, or other possible optical elements, such as a laser emitter, etc., without further restrictions.

[0090] The adjustment knob 10 and photoelectric sensor in this application improve the adjustment accuracy and ease of use of the internal optical element 30. Related technologies typically use adjustment knobs with a single pitch, which is not conducive to fine adjustment. For example, in related technologies, an adjustment knob with a pitch of 0.5mm moves the support 20 by 0.5mm for every rotation. When the optical element 30, such as the receiving lens, is near the emitting lens, the light intensity is high, and the required movement distance is very small. Therefore, a 0.5mm pitch is relatively large and inconvenient to use. This application changes the pitch of the adjustment knob 10, giving it a different pitch in the near-end section 11 and the far-end section 12 compared to the middle section 13. Thus, for the corresponding optical element 30 at the near-end section 11 and the far-end section 12, one rotation of the adjustment knob 10 results in a smaller movement distance of the optical element 30 along the first direction F1, thereby improving the adjustment accuracy of the optical element 30. The pitch refers to the spacing of the threads 14 on the corresponding sections, which will not be elaborated further. Furthermore, the larger pitch of the intermediate section 13 facilitates rapid adjustment of the optical element 30 to the desired position, thus improving the ease of adjustment of the optical element 30. This application also improves the adjustment stability of the optical element 30 through the inclusion of transition sections, thereby further enhancing the adjustment accuracy of the optical element 30.

[0091] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0092] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An adjustment knob, applied to a photoelectric sensor, characterized in that, The adjustment knob includes: Main body; and A screw portion extends along a first direction, and the outer periphery of the screw portion is provided with threads for connecting and controlling the movement of the optical element of the photoelectric sensor; the screw portion includes at least a proximal section, a middle section and a distal section arranged sequentially along the first direction, and the proximal section is connected to the main body portion; The pitch of the proximal segment and the pitch of the distal segment are both smaller than the pitch of the intermediate segment.

2. The adjusting knob according to claim 1, characterized in that, The screw section further includes a transition section; at least one of the proximal section and the distal section is the target section; Along the first direction, a transition section is provided between the target segment and the intermediate segment; The pitch of the target segment is smaller than the pitch of the transition segment, and the pitch of the transition segment is smaller than the pitch of the intermediate segment.

3. The adjusting knob according to claim 2, characterized in that, The transition section has at least three threads; along the direction from the transition section to the middle section, the spacing between two adjacent threads on the transition section increases sequentially; and / or, The transition section has at least two threads, which point in the direction from the transition section to the middle section, and the distance between two adjacent threads on the transition section gradually increases along the helical direction of the threads.

4. The adjusting knob according to claim 1, characterized in that, The threads on the proximal segment are evenly spaced; and / or The threads on the distal segment are evenly spaced; and / or The threads on the middle section are evenly spaced.

5. The adjusting knob according to claim 1, characterized in that, Along the direction from the middle segment to the proximal segment, the spacing between two adjacent threads on the proximal segment decreases sequentially; the pitch of the proximal segment is the spacing between two adjacent threads on the proximal segment along the first direction; and / or Along the direction from the middle segment to the distal segment, the spacing between two adjacent threads on the distal segment decreases sequentially; the pitch of the distal segment is the spacing between two adjacent threads on the distal segment along the first direction.

6. A photoelectric sensor, characterized in that, The device includes an adjustment knob, an optical element, and a bracket as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the screw portion of the adjustment knob is adjustablely connected to the bracket, and the bracket is used to support the optical element.

7. The photoelectric sensor according to claim 6, characterized in that, The bracket includes a connecting portion and a protrusion. The connecting portion defines a channel. The screw portion extends along the first direction and passes through the channel. The protrusion protrudes from the inner wall of the channel and is configured to fit into the gap between any two adjacent threads on the screw portion.

8. The photoelectric sensor according to claim 7, characterized in that, The connecting part has an opening that connects the channel and the outside, and the opening penetrates the inner wall of the channel along the first direction; the inner wall of the channel can provide a preset pressure to the screw part.

9. The photoelectric sensor according to claim 7, characterized in that, The inner wall of the channel has a top wall, and the protrusion is provided on the top wall about an axis parallel to the first direction. The size of the protrusion is smaller than the size of the top wall.

10. The photoelectric sensor according to claim 7, characterized in that, The protrusion is press-fitted with at least one preset gap, the preset gap being the gap between at least two adjacent threads on the proximal segment and / or the distal segment.

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