Optoelectronic sensor

The receiver lens with refractive and reflective surfaces addresses the blind zone issue in optoelectronic sensors, enhancing near-range performance and manufacturing efficiency.

DE102016208713C5Active Publication Date: 2025-07-31IFM ELECTRONIC GMBH
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Patent Information

Application Number
DE102016208713
Authority / Receiving Office
DE · DE
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2016-05-20
Publication Date
2025-07-31
Estimated Expiration
2036-05-20

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing optoelectronic sensors, such as reflex light scanners and time of flight sensors, suffer from a blind zone in the near range due to the distance between optical axes, leading to interference from background objects and varying switching distances based on reflection coefficients, and existing solutions are complex, costly, or inefficient in addressing this issue.

Method used

A receiver lens with an aspherical structure featuring a refracting and reflecting surface, produced in a single injection molding process, directs near-range light to the receiver, reducing the blind zone and smoothing the signal profile.

Benefits of technology

The solution effectively reduces the blind zone and improves signal quality by coordinating refractive and reflective surfaces, enabling efficient operation in the near range with simplified and cost-effective manufacturing.

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Abstract

Optoelectronic sensor with a light transmitter (1) for emitting a light signal through a collimator (2) into an object area (3) on a first optical axis (4), with a receiver (5) and a receiver lens (6) for receiving the light signal reflected by an object on a second optical axis (7), wherein the receiver lens (6) contains a main lens (8) for imaging the object area (3) and an additional lens (9) for detecting the near range, wherein the additional lens (9) has a two-dimensionally parameterizable free-form surface which directs the light more strongly in the direction of the second optical axis (7), the closer a reflecting object is to the sensor, characterized in that the additional lens (9) is arranged downstream of the main lens (8) in the beam path and is raised with respect to a surface of the main lens (8) facing the receiver (5).a biconic surface (10) refracting rays from the near field with two different focal lengths f1 and f2, and a surface (11) reflecting rays from the near field, wherein the receiver lens (6) is penetrated by rays reflected from the surface (11) in such a way that the rays reflected from the surface (11) are refracted at the biconic surface (10) and directed onto the receiver (5).
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Claims

[1] Optoelectronic sensor with a light transmitter (1) for emitting a light signal through a collimator (2) into an object area (3) on a first optical axis (4), with a receiver (5) and a receiver lens (6) for receiving the light signal reflected by an object on a second optical axis (7), wherein the receiver lens (6) contains a main lens (8) for imaging the object area (3) and an additional lens (9) for detecting the near range, wherein the additional lens (9) has a two-dimensionally parameterizable free-form surface which directs the light more strongly in the direction of the second optical axis (7), the closer a reflecting object is to the sensor, characterized bythat the additional lens (9) is arranged downstream of the main lens (8) in the beam path and is raised with respect to a surface of the main lens (8) facing the receiver (5), has a biconic surface (10) which refracts rays from the close range and has two different focal lengths f1 and f2, as well as a surface (11) which reflects rays from the close range, wherein the receiver lens (6) is penetrated by rays reflected from the surface (11) in such a way that the rays reflected from the surface (11) are refracted at the biconic surface (10) and directed onto the receiver (5). [2] Optoelectronic sensor according to claim 1, characterized by that rays coming from the near area at the reflecting surface (11) are directed to the receiver (5) by total reflection. [3] Optoelectronic sensor according to claim 1 to 2, characterized by that the receiver lens (6) is made of one piece and is made of plastic. [4] Optoelectronic sensor according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the main lens (8) has a Fresnel structure (12). [5] Optoelectronic sensor according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the receiver lens (6) has a further additional lens with a second biconic surface (102) which serves to smooth the signal curve. [6] Receiver lens (6) for an optoelectronic sensor according to one of the preceding claims.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

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