Photoelectric sensor

Abstract

To provide a photoelectric sensor that makes the indicator light easily visible from any angle.SOLUTION: A photoelectric sensor 1 includes a housing 10 having a first surface (e.g., top surface 15) and a second surface (e.g., bottom surface 16) opposite to the first surface, and a first indicator light 31 and a second indicator light 32 capable of displaying mutually overlapping information about the state of the photoelectric sensor 1. The first indicator light 31 is disposed on the first surface, and the second indicator light 32 is disposed on the second surface, the first surface and the second surface are parallel to each other, and the overlapping information is the power on / off state and / or the detection state of the workpiece.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a photoelectric sensor. [Background technology]

[0002] A photoelectric sensor equipped with an indicator light can light up the indicator light to inform an operator of information such as the on / off state of the power supply and the detection state of the workpiece. Such an indicator light is generally arranged on the top surface of the housing of the photoelectric sensor, as disclosed in Patent Document 1 and the like. Depending on the installation location, the top surface of the housing may be difficult to see. Patent Document 2 discloses an invention of a photoelectric switch in which an output unit operation indicator light is provided at a corner of the first housing from which the relay cable extends, and a front operation indicator light is further provided on the front surface of the first housing arranged between the light projecting window of the light projecting unit and the light receiving window of the light receiving unit, and the front operation indicator light lights up or flashes in synchronization with the output unit operation indicator light. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2012-119335 A [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2021-168270 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When the indicator light is on the top of the housing as in Patent Document 1, the indicator light cannot be seen from the bottom side. In the invention described in Patent Document 2, the output unit operation indicator light at the corner and the front operation indicator light on the front side expand the range in which either indicator light can be seen, but neither indicator light can be seen from the top of the first housing. With conventional photoelectric sensors, there were restrictions on the installation location and orientation in order to make the indicator lights visible. Also, depending on the installation location, the indicator lights could not be seen.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENTS An object of the present invention is to provide a photoelectric sensor that allows an indicator light to be easily viewed from any direction. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A photoelectric sensor according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a housing having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a first indicator light and a second indicator light capable of displaying information about a state of the photoelectric sensor that overlap with each other. The first indicator light is disposed on the first surface, and the second indicator light is disposed on the second surface, the first surface and the second surface are parallel to each other, and the overlapping information is a power on / off state and / or a workpiece detection state.

[0007] According to this aspect, the first indicator light can be seen from the first surface of the housing, and the second indicator light can be seen from the second surface, so that the indicator lights can be easily seen from any direction. If the first surface and the second surface are parallel to each other, the second surface cannot be seen from the first surface, and the first surface cannot be seen from the second surface. However, since both the first indicator light and the second indicator light can display the same overlapping information, in particular, information that is desired to be displayed at all times, such as the power on / off state and / or the detection state of the workpiece, the state of the photoelectric sensor can be reliably notified to the operator.

[0008] In the above aspect, the first surface may be a top surface on which the display is disposed, and the second surface may be a bottom surface.

[0009] In this embodiment, the second surface cannot be seen from the first surface side, and the first surface cannot be seen from the second surface side, but since both the first and second indicator lights can display the same overlapping information, at least one of the indicator lights can be seen regardless of the orientation.

[0010] In the above aspect, the first indicator light may protrude from the first surface, and the second indicator light may protrude from the second surface.

[0011] According to this aspect, since the first indicator light and the second indicator light protrude and are easy to see, the state of the photoelectric sensor can be more reliably notified to the worker.

[0012] In the above aspect, the device may further include a display board on which the display is mounted, and a power supply board connected to a power cable and supplying power to the electronic components in the housing, and the light source of the first indicator light may be mounted on the display board, and the light source of the second indicator light may be mounted on the power supply board.

[0013] According to this aspect, although the second indicator light is provided in addition to the first indicator light, since the second indicator light is mounted on the existing power supply board, there is no need to prepare and add a board for the second indicator light. Compared to the case where a first display board is prepared for the first indicator light and a second display board is prepared for the second indicator light, the increase in the number of parts can be suppressed.

[0014] In the above aspect, the first indicator light and the second indicator light may simultaneously display overlapping information.

[0015] According to this aspect, even if the first and second indicator lights are in an orientation where they cannot both be viewed simultaneously, both the first and second indicator lights can display the same overlapping information, thereby reliably informing the worker of the status of the photoelectric sensor.

[0016] In the above aspect, a mode in which only one of the first indicator light and the second indicator light is turned off may be selectable. A mode in which only one of the first indicator light and the second indicator light is turned off with respect to a specific wavelength may be selectable.

[0017] If the light of the indicator light is reflected by a wall, ceiling, etc. and enters the light receiving section as disturbance light, the photoelectric sensor may malfunction. According to these aspects, since both the first indicator light and the second indicator light can display the same overlapping information, it is possible to selectively turn off the indicator light arranged on the surface that may become disturbance light, or selectively turn off light of a specific wavelength that may cause the photoelectric sensor to malfunction. This makes it possible to prevent malfunction of the photoelectric sensor.

[0018] In the above aspect, a mode in which the first indicator light and / or the second indicator light are turned off may be selectable. A mode in which light of a specific wavelength is turned off for the first indicator light and / or the second indicator light may be selectable.

[0019] Photoelectric sensors of the same model may be installed in multiple locations or may be reinstalled after changing the installation location, so there is a demand to install a photoelectric sensor with an indicator light in a housing that cannot be seen from the outside. In the housing, both the first surface side and the second surface side can become disturbance light. According to these aspects, when both the first surface side and the second surface side can become disturbance light, it is possible to selectively turn off both the first indicator light and the second indicator light, or to selectively turn off light of a specific wavelength that causes the photoelectric sensor to malfunction for both the first indicator light and the second indicator light. Also, when only one of the first surface side and the second surface side can become disturbance light, it is possible to selectively turn off the indicator light arranged on the surface that can become disturbance light, or to selectively turn off light of a specific wavelength that causes the photoelectric sensor to malfunction. This makes it possible to prevent malfunction of the photoelectric sensor in various situations. Effect of the Invention

[0020] According to the present invention, a photoelectric sensor can be provided in which an indicator light can be easily viewed from any direction. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a photoelectric sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a front view showing a light projecting portion and a light receiving portion of the photoelectric sensor shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a first indicator light of the photoelectric sensor shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a bottom view showing a second indicator light of the photoelectric sensor shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the internal structure of the photoelectric sensor shown in FIG. 1 as viewed obliquely from above. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the internal structure of the photoelectric sensor shown in FIG. 1 as viewed obliquely from below. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of a first indicator light and a second indicator light capable of displaying the same overlapping information. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of the first and second indicator lights capable of displaying the same overlapping information. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a light-off mode in which only one of the first and second indicator lights is turned off. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a wavelength-off mode in which light of a specific wavelength is turned off for only one of the first and second indicator lights. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a light-off mode in which the first indicator light and / or the second indicator light is turned off. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a wavelength-off mode in which light of a specific wavelength is turned off for the first indicator light and / or the second indicator light. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a modified example in which a wavelength off mode is selectable in a photoelectric sensor that does not include a second indicator lamp. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each drawing, the same reference numerals are attached to components having the same or similar configurations. Each configuration will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, a TOF (Time Of Flight) sensor is disclosed as an example of a photoelectric sensor 1, which measures distance based on the time it takes for a light receiving unit 3 to receive reflected light of light projected by a light projecting unit 2 at a constant period. Since the TOF sensor has a larger light receiving unit 3 and a larger housing 10 in the horizontal direction than other types of photoelectric sensors, a first indicator lamp 31 and a second indicator lamp 32 that are horizontally long and easy to see can be arranged on the housing 10. The photoelectric sensor 1 is not limited to the example shown in the drawing, and may be a photoelectric sensor other than the TOF type.

[0023] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a photoelectric sensor 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a front view showing a light-projecting unit 2 and a light-receiving unit 3 of the photoelectric sensor 1 shown in Fig. 1. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the photoelectric sensor 1 includes a housing 10 formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a light-projecting unit 2, a light-receiving unit 3, a power cable 9 (shown in Fig. 4), a display 20, a first indicator light (first indicator) 31, a second indicator light (second indicator) 32, an operation button 40, a trimmer 50, and the like, which are arranged on each of the surfaces 11 to 16 of the housing 10.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 1, the housing 10 has a front surface 11, a rear surface 12, a left side surface 13, a right side surface 14, a top surface 15, a bottom surface 16, etc. In the following description, the direction from the rear surface 12 to the front surface 11 is referred to as the front, the direction from the front surface 11 to the rear surface 12 is referred to as the rear, the direction from the right side surface 14 to the left side surface 13 is referred to as the left, the direction from the left side surface 13 to the right side surface 14 is referred to as the right, the direction from the bottom surface 16 to the top surface 15 is referred to as the up, and the direction from the top surface 15 to the bottom surface 16 is referred to as the down. In Fig. 1, the X-axis direction indicates the front-rear direction, the Y-axis direction indicates the left-right direction, and the Z-axis direction indicates the up-down direction.

[0025] One of the features of the photoelectric sensor 1 of this embodiment is that the housing 10 has a first surface and a second surface located opposite to each other, a first indicator light 31 is arranged on the first surface, and a second indicator light 32 is arranged on the second surface opposite to the first surface. The first indicator light 31 arranged on the first surface and the second indicator light 32 arranged on the second surface are configured to be capable of displaying information about the state of the photoelectric sensor 1 that overlaps with each other.

[0026] In the illustrated example, the top surface 15 is the first surface, and the bottom surface 16 is the second surface. The combination of the first surface and the second surface is not limited to the illustrated example. The left side surface 13 may be the first surface, and the right side surface 14 may be the second surface. The front surface 11 may be the first surface, and the back surface 12 may be the second surface. In these combinations, the first surface and the second surface are parallel to each other. Although not illustrated, an inclined surface connecting the top surface 15 and the front surface 11 may be formed as the first surface, and an inclined surface connecting the bottom surface 16 and the back surface 12 may be formed as the second surface.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 2, the light-projecting unit 2 and the light-receiving unit 3 are disposed on the front surface 11 of the housing 10. The light-projecting unit 2 has a light source such as a laser diode, and projects light onto a workpiece or the like. The light-receiving unit 3 has a light-receiving element such as a CMOS image sensor, and receives the reflected light that is reflected off the workpiece or the like. Boards (light-projecting and receiving board 62, main board 63, etc., described below) connected to the light-projecting unit 2 and the light-receiving unit 3 calculate the distance between the photoelectric sensor 1 and the workpiece or the like by measuring the time it takes for the light projected from the light-projecting unit 2 to be reflected and returned.

[0028] Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the first indicator light 31 of the photoelectric sensor 1 shown in Fig. 1. In the illustrated example, the first indicator light 31 is composed of a power / communication indicator light 31L capable of notifying the on / off state of the power supply, an operation indicator light 31R capable of notifying the detection state of the work, etc. As shown in Fig. 3, in addition to the first indicator light 31, a display 20, a trimmer 50, etc. are arranged on the top surface 15 of the housing 10.

[0029] The trimmer 50 can change the shape of the spot hit by the light projected by the light projecting unit 2 to match the workpiece. In the illustrated example, the trimmer 50 is configured to be able to change the shape of the spot by rotating it clockwise or counterclockwise. For a workpiece that does not have a recess or through hole, a smaller spot size makes it less likely to malfunction due to disturbance and allows for stable work detection. On the other hand, for a workpiece that has a recess or through hole, a larger spot size allows for stable work detection even if the reflectance of light changes at the recess.

[0030] The operation button 40 is used for teaching or the like to automatically set an appropriate judgment threshold value in various usage environments. In the illustrated example, the operation unit 40 is composed of a Tech button 41, a DOWN button 42, and an UP button 43. The Tech button 41 is used, for example, for teaching or function operation of the photoelectric sensor 1, and the DOWN button 42 and the UP button 43 are used, for example, for fine adjustment of the sensor threshold value or for menu transitions.

[0031] The display 20 is an organic EL display, a liquid crystal display, or the like, capable of displaying character strings. The display 20 displays, for example, information related to the settings of the photoelectric sensor 1 changed by the operation button 40, information such as a detection value related to the reflected light received by the light receiving unit 3, and the like, as character strings. The character strings may be one line or two or more lines. The display 20 may display various icons in addition to character strings.

[0032] The character string displayed on the display 20 may be, for example, the result of a button operation to switch the response time, such as "Response 50ms", "Response 10ms", or "Response 1.5ms". For example, it may be the result of an operation to execute teaching, such as "PUSH TEACH", "Background Teach...", "Object Teach", "Success", "Teach Cancel", or "Teach Error". For example, it may be a key lock state, such as "LOCKED" or "UNLOCKED". For example, it may be a numerical value, such as "500", indicating the set value of the threshold. When the photoelectric sensor 1 is a TOF sensor, it is possible to measure the distance to the object and determine whether the object has been detected based on the magnitude relationship between the measured value and a preset threshold. The character string that can be displayed on the display 20 may be related to other functions. For example, it may be a detection value, such as "150.0" or "500", which is a numerical value that quantifies the distance to the object. The detection value may be only a numerical value without the unit, such as mm.

[0033] 4 is a bottom view showing the second indicator light 32 of the photoelectric sensor 1 shown in FIG. 1. The second indicator light 32 is configured to be able to display the same information as the first indicator light 31. While the display 20 described above displays character strings that are difficult to see unless the display is close, the first indicator light 31 and the second indicator light 32 notify the worker of information about the state of the photoelectric sensor 1 by a lighting pattern or a light color that is easy to see even from a long distance. Such information is, for example, the power on / off state and / or the detection state of the workpiece, and the information that can be displayed by both the first indicator light 31 and the second indicator light 32 will be described in detail later with reference to FIG. 7 and FIG. 8.

[0034] 2, the first indicator light 31 protrudes upward from the top surface 15, and the second indicator light 32 protrudes downward from the bottom surface 16. Therefore, the first indicator light 31 and the second indicator light 32 are easy to see from the front, back, left and right. If the width of the second indicator light 32 in the left-right direction Y is large, it is easy to see even from a long distance, so the width of the second indicator light 32 is preferably larger than 1 / 2 the width of the bottom surface 16.

[0035] When the top surface 15 is the first surface and the bottom surface 16 is the second surface, the front surface 11 may be called the third surface, the left side surface 13 may be called the fourth surface, and the right side surface 14 may be called the fifth surface. The fourth surface and the fifth surface may be parallel to each other. In the example shown in FIG. 1, a through hole is provided penetrating the left side surface 13 and the right side surface 14 from left to right. In this embodiment, the photoelectric sensor 1 can be fixed to an L-shaped mounting member or the like by inserting a fastening screw into the through hole and sandwiching it from the left and right. Instead of a through hole, a screw hole that screws into a fastening screw may be provided in the left side surface 13 and / or the right side surface 14 to fix the photoelectric sensor 1.

[0036] By using the fourth and fifth surfaces as mounting surfaces for fixing the photoelectric sensor 1 to a mounting member, the stability of the fixed photoelectric sensor 1 is improved compared to using the first surface from which the first indicator light 31 protrudes or the second surface from which the second indicator light 32 protrudes as the mounting surface. The photoelectric sensor 1 can be mounted from either the left or right side. Furthermore, regardless of whether the left or right side is used as the mounting surface, there is no interference between the first indicator light 31 or the second indicator light 32 and the mounting member. The first indicator light 31 and the second indicator light 32 can be visually observed from all directions. Furthermore, if the third surface, which emits and receives measurement light, is used as the mounting surface, there is a risk that this will affect the measurement performance. By using the fourth and fifth surfaces as the mounting surfaces, such a situation is eliminated. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent this from happening.

[0037] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the internal structure of the photoelectric sensor 1 shown in Fig. 1, as viewed obliquely from above. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the internal structure of the photoelectric sensor 1 shown in Fig. 1, as viewed obliquely from below. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the photoelectric sensor 1 includes a board housed in a housing 10. In the illustrated example, the photoelectric sensor 1 includes a light emitting / receiving board 62, a main board 63, a display board 65, a power supply board 66, etc.

[0038] Inside the housing 10, the light-emitting / receiving board 62 is arranged along the back surface 62, the main board 63 is arranged along the left side surface 13, the display board 65 is arranged along the top surface 15, and the power supply board 66 is arranged along the bottom surface 16. The light-emitting / receiving board 62 is equipped with a light source such as a laser diode constituting the light-emitting unit 2 and a sensor such as a CMOS constituting the light-receiving unit 3. The main board 63 is equipped with a CPU for controlling various light sources and sensors. The display board 65 is equipped with a display 20, an operation button 40, light sources A and B of the first indicator light 31, and the like. The light source A lights the power / communication indicator light 31L, and the light source B lights the operation indicator light 31R. The power supply board 66 includes a power supply circuit (such as a DC-DC converter) for supplying power to electronic components in the housing 10. A power cable 9 is connected to the power supply board 66. The power cable 9 is mounted on boards such as the light emitting / receiving board 62, the main board 63, the display board 65, the power supply board 66, and the like, and supplies power to electronic components such as a laser diode, a CMOS, and a CPU housed within the housing 10. In addition to the power cable 9, the light source C of the second indicator light 32 is mounted on the power supply board 66.

[0039] 7 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a first indicator light and a second indicator light capable of displaying the same overlapping information. In the example shown, the number of light sources of the first indicator light 31 and the number of the second light sources are equal, two each, and each of the first indicator light 31 and the second indicator light 32 includes a power / communication indicator light and an operation indicator light.

[0040] The power supply / communication indicators of the first indicator light 31 and the second indicator light 32 are configured to light up in green when the power supply of the photoelectric sensor 1 projecting light from the light projecting unit 2 is on, and to go out when the power supply of the photoelectric sensor 1 not projecting light from the light projecting unit 2 is off. The power supply / communication indicators may be configured to flash depending on the communication state with an external device.

[0041] The operation indicators of the first indicator light 31 and the second indicator light 32 are configured, for example, to light up in orange when the light receiving unit 3 receives light projected from the light projecting unit 2 and determines that the light is equal to or above the lower threshold, and to turn off when the output is otherwise off. The operation indicators may be configured to light up when the output is equal to or above the lower threshold and equal to or below the upper threshold, and to turn off when the output is otherwise off. The first indicator light and the second indicator light may simultaneously display overlapping information. The first indicator light and the second indicator light may display overlapping information with a time lag.

[0042] Alternatively, it may be defined that output is on when the light-receiving unit 3 receives the light projected from the light-projecting unit 2, and that output is off when the light-receiving unit 3 does not receive the light projected from the light-projecting unit 2. In this case, the indicator may be configured to light up when the output is on and to turn off when the output is off. The indicator may be configured to light up in a color corresponding to a LOW judgment, a PASS judgment, or a HIGH judgment, with the indicator being determined to be below the lower threshold value as LOW for output on, between the lower threshold value and the upper threshold value or less as PASS for output on, and exceeding the upper threshold value as HIGH for output on. The indicator may be configured to light up in a color corresponding to a head failure or setting mode.

[0043] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of a first indicator light and a second indicator light capable of displaying the same overlapping information. In the illustrated example, the number of light sources of the first indicator light 31 is different from the number of the second light sources. The first indicator light 31 has a power / communication indicator light and an operation indicator light similar to the example shown in Fig. 7, and the second indicator light 32 has a power / communication indicator light and an operation indicator light.

[0044] The second indicator lamp 32 lights up orange, for example, when the power of the photoelectric sensor 1 projected by the light-projecting unit 2 is on, the light-receiving unit 3 receives the light projected from the light-projecting unit 2, and the output is on when it is determined that the light is equal to or above the lower threshold value. The second indicator lamp 32 lights up green when the power of the photoelectric sensor 1 projected by the light-projecting unit 2 is on, the light-receiving unit 3 receives the light projected by the light-projecting unit 2, and the output is off when it is determined that the light is below the lower threshold value. The second indicator lamp 32 goes out when the power of the photoelectric sensor 1, which is not projected by the light-projecting unit 2, is off.

[0045] As shown in Fig. 8, even if the number of light sources of the first indicator light 31 is different from the number of the second light sources, the first indicator light 31 and the second indicator light 32 can display the same information that overlaps with each other, as in the example shown in Fig. 7. The first indicator light and the second indicator light may simultaneously display overlapping information. The first indicator light and the second indicator light may display overlapping information with a time lag.

[0046] The photoelectric sensor 1 may be configured to be able to select an off mode in which only one of the first indicator light 31 and the second indicator light 32 is turned off. The photoelectric sensor 1 may be configured to be able to select a wavelength off mode in which light of a specific wavelength is turned off for only one of the first indicator light 31 and the second indicator light 32. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of an off mode in which only one of the first indicator light 31 and the second indicator light 32 is turned off. In the example shown in the figure, the first indicator light 31 is turned off. Although not shown in the figure, the second indicator light 32 may also be turned off.

[0047] 10 is a diagram showing an example of a wavelength-off mode in which light of a specific wavelength is turned off for only one of the first indicator light 31 and the second indicator light 32. In the example shown, light of a specific wavelength is turned off for the second indicator light 32. Although not shown, light of a specific wavelength may be turned off for the first indicator light 31.

[0048] The photoelectric sensor 1 may be configured to be able to select an extinguishing mode in which the first indicator light 31 and / or the second indicator light 32 are turned off. The photoelectric sensor 1 may be configured to be able to select a wavelength off mode in which light of a specific wavelength is turned off for the first indicator light 31 and / or the second indicator light 32. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of an extinguishing mode in which the first indicator light and / or the second indicator light are turned off, and is a diagram showing an example of an extinguishing mode in which both the first indicator light 31 and the second indicator light 32 are turned off. The extinguishing mode in which only the first indicator light 31 is turned off is the same as the example shown in FIG. Although not shown, only the second indicator light 32 may be turned off.

[0049] 12 is a diagram showing an example of a wavelength off mode in which light of a specific wavelength is turned off for the first indicator light and / or the second indicator light, and is a diagram showing an example of a wavelength off mode in which light of a specific wavelength is turned off for both the first indicator light 31 and the second indicator light 32. Note that the light-off mode in which light of a specific wavelength is turned off only for the first indicator light 31 is similar to the example shown in FIG. 10. Although not shown, light of a specific wavelength may be turned off only for the first indicator light 31.

[0050] According to the photoelectric sensor 1 of this embodiment configured as described above, the first indicator light 31 can be seen from the first surface side such as the top surface 15 of the housing 10, and the second indicator light 32 can be seen from the second surface side such as the bottom surface 16, so that the indicator lights are easy to see from any direction. Information that is always desired to be displayed, such as the power on / off state and the detection state of the workpiece, can be displayed by both the first indicator light 31 and the second indicator light 32, so that such information can be reliably notified to the worker.

[0051] Although the second indicator light 32 is provided in addition to the first indicator light 31, the light emitting device C of the second indicator light 32 is mounted on the power supply board 66. Since the board on which the light emitting device C is mounted and the board on which the power supply circuit is mounted are shared, there is no need to provide a new board on which the light emitting device C is mounted, and an increase in the number of parts can be suppressed. Space saving and cost reduction can be realized. Since both the first indicator light 31 and the second indicator light 32 can display the same information that overlaps with each other, it is possible to selectively turn off the indicator light 31 or 32 arranged on the surface that may become disturbance light, or selectively turn off light of a specific wavelength that causes the photoelectric sensor 1 to malfunction. When both the first surface side and the second surface side can become disturbance light, it is also possible to selectively turn off light of a specific wavelength that causes the photoelectric sensor to malfunction for both the first indicator light and the second indicator light.

[0052] The above-described embodiments are intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention. The elements of the embodiments, as well as their arrangements, materials, conditions, shapes, sizes, etc., are not limited to those shown as examples and can be changed as appropriate. In addition, configurations shown in different embodiments can be partially substituted or combined with each other.

[0053] For example, the photoelectric sensor 1 of this embodiment may further include a shielding film capable of blocking electromagnetic waves. In this case, the power supply board 66 may be covered with the shielding film except for the area where the light source C of the second indicator light 32 is mounted. According to this aspect, although the second indicator light 32 is provided in addition to the first indicator light 31, the influence of the electromagnetic waves generated by the second indicator light 32 can be minimized.

[0054] For example, the light-off mode and / or wavelength-off mode according to the present embodiment can be applied to a conventional photoelectric sensor 1 that does not include the second indicator light 32. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a modified example in which the light-off mode and the wavelength-off mode are selectable in the photoelectric sensor 1 that does not include the second indicator light 32. According to these aspects, it becomes possible to turn off the first indicator light 31, which is the only indicator light, or to selectively turn off light of a specific wavelength that causes the photoelectric sensor 1 to malfunction for the first indicator light 31, which is the only indicator light. If the light of the first indicator light 31 is reflected by a wall, ceiling, or the like and enters the light receiving unit 2 as disturbance light, there is a risk of the photoelectric sensor 1 malfunctioning. However, such malfunction can be prevented in advance. In addition, although the above description has been given of an aspect in which the display 20 is on the top surface 15, which is an example of the first surface, the arrangement of the display 20 is not limited thereto. For example, a display 20 may be arranged on the rear surface 12, a first indicator light 31 may be arranged on the top surface 15, a second indicator light 32 may be arranged on the bottom surface 16, and the left side surface 13 and the right side surface 14 may be used as mounting surfaces.

[0055] [Note] A housing (10) having a first surface (15) and a second surface (16) opposite to the first surface (15); a first indicator light (31) and a second indicator light (32) capable of displaying information on the state of the photoelectric sensor (1) that overlap each other; the first indicator light (31) is disposed on the first surface (15), and the second indicator light (32) is disposed on the second surface (16); The first surface (15) and the second surface (16) are parallel to each other, The overlapping information is the power on / off state and / or the detection state of the workpiece; Photoelectric sensor (1). [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] 1...photoelectric sensor, 2...light-emitting unit, 3...light-receiving unit, 9...power cable, 10...housing, 11...front, 12...rear, 13...left side, 14...right side, 15...top (an example of the first side), 16...bottom (an example of the second side), 20...display, 31...first indicator light, 31L...power / communication indicator light, 31R...operation indicator light, 32...second indicator light, 40...operation button, 41...Tech button, 42...DOWN button, 43...UP button, 50...trimmer, 62...light-emitting and receiving board, 63...main board, 65...display board, 66...power board, A, B, C...light source, X...forward / backward direction of sensor, Y...left / right direction of sensor, Z...up / down direction of sensor.

Claims

1. a housing having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; a first indicator light and a second indicator light capable of displaying information about a state of the photoelectric sensor that overlap each other; the first indicator light is disposed on the first surface and the second indicator light is disposed on the second surface; the first surface and the second surface are parallel to each other; The overlapping information is the power on / off state and / or the detection state of the workpiece. Photoelectric sensor.

2. The first surface is a top surface on which a display is disposed, and the second surface is a bottom surface. The photoelectric sensor according to claim 1 .

3. the first indicator light protrudes from the first surface; and The second indicator light protrudes from the second surface. The photoelectric sensor according to claim 1 .

4. A display board on which a display is mounted; a power supply board connected to a power cable and supplying power to the electronic components in the housing; a light source of the first indicator light is mounted on the display substrate; A light source of the second indicator light is mounted on the power supply board. The photoelectric sensor according to claim 1 .

5. the first indicator light and the second indicator light simultaneously display the overlapping information; The photoelectric sensor according to claim 1 .

6. A mode in which the first indicator light and / or the second indicator light is turned off can be selected. The photoelectric sensor according to claim 1 .

7. A mode in which light of a specific wavelength is turned off for the first indicator light and / or the second indicator light can be selected. The photoelectric sensor according to claim 1 .

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