Scan Sensor

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to make it possible to emit scanning beams along a plurality of planes surrounding a crime prevention target while saving labor for installing sensors and suppressing costs.　A scan sensor (100) according to the present invention comprises: a sensor unit (10) which has a light source and a scanning mechanism for emitting a beam from the light source along a predetermined plane; and an optical system (30) which converts a first scanning beam emitted along the predetermined plane into a second scanning beam emitted along three planes which are different from the predetermined plane and orthogonal to one another, and which have reflecting surfaces (31) respectively corresponding to the three planes.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a scan sensor used for crime prevention and the like. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventional scan sensors used for crime prevention in important facilities, for example, include those configured to detect intruders on a specified plane by rotating a mirror and reflecting laser light off the mirror to scan along the specified plane, as shown in Patent Document 1.

[0003] Examples of such important facilities include facilities that store and exhibit rare or valuable items. In such facilities, shelves are installed to house the stored or exhibited items, and it is therefore important to be able to detect access to these shelves.

[0004] However, when trying to detect access to a shelf using the above-mentioned scan sensor, it is necessary to scan the laser light along five planes excluding the bottom surface of the shelf. In other words, five scan sensors are required, which creates issues such as the time and effort required to install the sensors and increased costs.

[0005] The above-mentioned problem is not limited to cases where the object to be prevented from theft is a shelf, but also arises in cases where it is necessary to scan the scanning light along multiple planes surrounding the object to be prevented from theft, such as a bronze statue or other work of art. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-227569 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its objective is to enable scanning light to be scanned along multiple planes surrounding an object to be protected from crime, while minimizing the effort required to install sensors and keeping costs down. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The scanning sensor of the present invention is characterized by comprising a light source, a sensor unit having a scanning mechanism that scans light emitted from the light source along a predetermined plane, and an optical system that converts a first scanning light scanned along the predetermined plane into a second scanning light that is scanned along three planes different from the predetermined plane and perpendicular to each other. In this specification, the term "scanned along a plane" is a concept that includes not only scanning in a direction parallel to the plane, but also scanning in a direction slightly tilted relative to the plane.

[0009] According to the scan sensor configured in this manner, the first scanning light scanned along a predetermined plane is converted into the second scanning light scanned along three mutually perpendicular planes different from the predetermined plane, so that the scanning light can be scanned along the three mutually perpendicular planes using one scan sensor. As a result, the number of sensors required can be reduced compared to a configuration in which one sensor can only scan the scanning light on one plane, making it possible to scan the scanning light along at least three planes surrounding the object to be prevented while reducing the effort required to install the sensors and keeping costs down.

[0010] The three planes are preferably a plane along the horizontal direction and two planes along the vertical direction that are perpendicular to each other. Such a configuration contributes to the crime prevention of rectangular parallelepiped or cubic objects such as shelves.

[0011] It is preferable that the optical system has a reflecting surface corresponding to each of the three planes, and the first scanning light is a light that is rotationally scanned around a predetermined axis and reflected by each of the reflecting surfaces. With this configuration, the first scanning light can be converted into the second scanning light in a reasonable configuration, and for example, the second scanning light can be scanned over a wide range of each plane while keeping the distance from the first scanning light to the reflective surface short, thereby enabling high-density scanning of the second scanning light on three planes while keeping the product compact. Furthermore, if two reflecting surfaces are used to convert the first scanning light into second scanning light along three planes, for example, in order to scan the second scanning light over a wide area on each plane, the reflecting surfaces will need to be made larger, making it difficult to design a compact system or one that performs high-density scanning.

[0012] It is preferable that the reflecting surface is provided around the vertex of a rectangular parallelepiped or cubic object, and the sensor unit is attached to the vertex. With this configuration, three planes can be set as surveillance areas with a simple configuration.

[0013] It is preferable that the sensor further comprises a holder that can be attached to the apex portion, and that the sensor portion is held by the holder. With this configuration, the sensor unit can be more easily installed on the target object.

[0014] The top or side of an object such as a shelf may be slightly tilted relative to the horizontal or vertical plane. Therefore, it is preferable to further provide an optical adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position or angle of the optical system. With this configuration, the position or angle of the optical system can be adjusted according to the tilt described above, and the three planes serving as the surveillance area can be optimally set, thereby improving detection reliability. Furthermore, the degree of freedom in setting the direction of the second scanning light can be improved, making it possible to meet various requirements at the installation site.

[0015] For example, when the second scanning light is scanned in a direction perpendicular to the wall or floor surface, there is a risk of false detection occurring due to the second scanning light being reflected by the wall or floor surface. Therefore, it is preferable that the optical adjustment mechanism adjusts the optical system so that the second scanning light is directed at an acute angle or an obtuse angle relative to the first scanning light, rather than a direction perpendicular to the first scanning light. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the second scanning light from being reflected on the wall surface or floor surface, and it is possible to prevent the above-mentioned erroneous detection.

[0016] For example, if you want to set five flat surfaces excluding the bottom surface of a shelf as a security area, you can use two scan sensors according to the present invention. However, in this case, one of the five planes, such as the top surface of a shelf, will be scanned by both the second scanning light from one scan sensor and the second scanning light from the other scan sensor, and as a result, the second scanning light from one scan sensor may be detected by the other scan sensor, which could lead to a false detection. Therefore, it is preferable that the security areas on each of the three planes can be changed independently. With this configuration, one of the three planes can be excluded from the security area in one of the scan sensors, thereby preventing the above-mentioned false detection. Furthermore, if an operating part such as a switch that is operated by many people is provided on the side of a shelf or the like, the security of the switch or the like can be eased by excluding that side from the security area. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, it is possible to scan the scanning light along a plurality of planes surrounding an object to be prevented from crime, while reducing the effort required to install the sensor and keeping costs down. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a sensor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the scan sensor of the embodiment is attached. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the scan sensor of the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a second scanning light beam according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of mirrors in the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an optical adjustment mechanism of the embodiment. [Figure 7] 3A and 3B are schematic diagrams showing an implementation of the optical adjustment mechanism of the embodiment. [Figure 8] 3A and 3B are schematic diagrams showing an implementation of the optical adjustment mechanism of the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a scan sensor according to another embodiment is attached. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a scan sensor according to another embodiment is attached. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a scan sensor according to another embodiment is attached. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams showing the configuration of a position adjustment mechanism according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] A scan sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0020] [Scan sensor configuration] The scan sensor of this embodiment is used for indoor security, and a specific example of an implementation is one in which it is installed in a facility that has shelves for storing or exhibiting rare or valuable items, etc., to prevent intruders from accessing the shelves.

[0021] In another embodiment, the device may be used to prevent intruders from accessing artworks such as bronze statues, and may be installed not only indoors but also in important outdoor facilities such as nuclear power plants and airport facilities.

[0022] As shown in the schematic diagram of Figure 1, this scan sensor 100 has a sensor unit 10 that detects objects such as intruders in a pre-set security area. Specifically, the sensor unit 10 includes a light source 11, a scanning mechanism 12 that scans the light emitted from the light source 11, a photodetector 13 that receives light reflected by the object to be detected, and a control device 14 that sends and receives signals between the light source 11 and the photodetector 13.

[0023] The light source 11 emits light that is scanned over the above-mentioned security area. Details of the security area will be described later.

[0024] The light source 11 of this embodiment is a laser light source that emits laser light, and specifically, receives a control signal from the control device 14 and emits pulses of laser light.

[0025] The light source 11 is not limited to a laser light source, but may be a radiator that emits radio waves or electromagnetic waves such as millimeter waves, microwaves, or ultrasonic waves.

[0026] The scanning mechanism 12 scans the light emitted from the light source 11 along a predetermined plane. Hereinafter, the light scanned along this predetermined plane will be referred to as a first scanning light L1.

[0027] 1, the sensor unit 10 of this embodiment has a mirror 15 that reflects light emitted from a light source 11, and the scanning mechanism 12 rotates this mirror 15 around a predetermined axis T. As a result, the first scanning light L1 becomes light that is rotationally scanned around the predetermined axis T.

[0028] More specifically, the mirror 15 is disposed at an angle relative to the laser light emitted from the light source 11, and the scanning mechanism 12 rotates the mirror 15, for example, around the optical axis of the light source 11 as the axis of rotation, thereby scanning the laser light along a predetermined plane.

[0029] In addition, the scanning mechanism 12 may be one that rotates the light source 11 around a predetermined rotation axis to scan the light emitted from the light source 11 along a predetermined plane, and in this case, the sensor unit 10 does not need to be equipped with a mirror 15.

[0030] The photodetector 13 detects light reflected by an object present in the above-mentioned security area, and outputs a photodetection signal indicating the detection to the control device 14.

[0031] The photodetector 13 of this embodiment receives laser light and is, for example, a photodiode such as an APD. However, the photodetector 13 is not necessarily limited to this and may be changed as appropriate depending on, for example, the type of the light source 11.

[0032] Physically, the control device 14 is equipped with at least an information processing circuit consisting of a CPU, memory, etc., and functionally, it functions as an object detection unit that detects objects present in the surveillance area based on the light detection signal from the above-mentioned light detector 13, by the CPU and other peripheral devices working together in accordance with the program stored in the memory.

[0033] That is, the alert area in this scan sensor 100 is a range in which an object can be detected, and in which, when an object is detected, a signal (alarm) indicating that an object has been detected is output.

[0034] The scan sensor 100 of this embodiment is what is called LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), and the control device 14 includes a TOF circuit 16 as shown in FIG.

[0035] In other words, the control device 14 of this embodiment measures the time from when the light source 11 emits a pulse of laser light until the laser light is reflected and received by the detected object, and by converting this measured time into distance, it functions as a distance measuring unit that measures the distance to the detected object and also functions as a position acquisition unit that acquires the coordinates, which are the position information of the detected object, from the angle of the received laser light.

[0036] However, the control device 14 only needs to have at least the function of an object detection unit, and does not necessarily have to have the functions of one or both of a distance measurement unit and a position acquisition unit.

[0037] As described above, the scan sensor 100 of this embodiment is used to prevent access to the shelf, and the shelf can be considered as the object X to be prevented from being stolen.

[0038] Therefore, the sensor unit 10 is adapted to be attached to a shelf, which is an object X to be prevented from theft, as shown in Fig. 2. That is, the sensor unit 10 of this embodiment is attached to an object X having a rectangular parallelepiped or cubic shape.

[0039] The rectangular parallelepiped shape referred to here is a concept that includes not only a strict rectangular parallelepiped but also shapes that are slightly distorted from a rectangular parallelepiped, and the cubic shape referred to here is a concept that includes not only a strict cube but also shapes that are slightly distorted from a cube.

[0040] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the scan sensor 100 of this embodiment further includes a holder 20 that holds the sensor unit 10, and the sensor unit 10 is attached to the object X via this holder 20.

[0041] The holder 20 can be attached to one of the vertices X1 of the object X, and in this case, is attached to the vertex X1 located at the corner of the top surface from the outside of the object X. Note that the vertex X1 here is a concept that includes not only the strict vertex but also an area slightly away from the vertex.

[0042] 3, the holder 20 has a triangular pyramid shape having installation surfaces 21 along three planes including the vertex X1 of the object X. The sensor unit 10 is attached to the vertex of the holder 20 via, for example, an attachment member (not shown).

[0043] With this configuration, by overlapping the vertex of the holder 20 with the vertex X1 of the object X, each of the installation surfaces 21 is installed on the three planes of the object X, and the sensor unit 10 is attached to the vertex X1 of the object X via the holder 20.

[0044] In order to easily install the holder 20 on the object X, it is desirable that the holder 20 has the three installation surfaces 21 described above, but the specific shape is not limited to a triangular pyramid shape and may be changed as appropriate.

[0045] Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the scan sensor 100 of this embodiment further includes an optical system 30 that converts the first scanning light L1 scanned along the above-mentioned predetermined plane into a second scanning light L2 scanned along three planes that are different from the predetermined plane and perpendicular to each other. For ease of explanation, FIG. 4 shows the second scanning light L2 that scans along the top surface of the object X, and omits the second scanning light L2 that scans along the other two planes.

[0046] The optical system 30 converts the first scanning light L1 into a second scanning light L2 that is scanned along multiple planes surrounding at least a portion of the object X, and the entire area scanned by the second scanning light L2 is set as the security area. However, a part of the area scanned by the second scanning light L2 may be set as the security area.

[0047] In this embodiment, the surveillance area is set along at least three planes of the object X, which has a rectangular parallelepiped or cubic shape. In other words, the three planes scanned by the second scanning light L2 are a plane along the horizontal direction and two planes along the vertical direction that are perpendicular to each other.

[0048] Note that the term "plane along the horizontal direction" here refers to a concept that includes not only a plane parallel to the horizontal direction but also a plane slightly tilted relative to the horizontal direction, and the term "plane along the vertical direction" refers to a concept that includes not only a plane parallel to the vertical direction but also a plane slightly tilted relative to the vertical direction.

[0049] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the optical system 30 is connected to the above-mentioned holder 20 via a connecting portion 40, and thereby, when positioned relative to the sensor unit 10, converts the first scanning light L1 into a second scanning light L2 that is scanned along the top surface of the object X, a second scanning light L2 that is scanned along one side surface perpendicular to the top surface, and a second scanning light L2 that is scanned along another side surface perpendicular to the top surface.

[0050] In this embodiment, the first scanning light L1 is set to be rotated and scanned through 360 degrees around a predetermined axis T, and the optical system 30 can be said to split this rotated and scanned first scanning light L1 into second scanning light L2 along three planes that are perpendicular to each other.

[0051] In addition, the sensor unit 10 of this embodiment is capable of changing the angular range in which the first scanning light L1 is rotated and scanned, and by appropriately changing this angular range, the scanning range of the second scanning light L2 in each of the three planes can be changed.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 3, the optical system 30 has a plurality of mirrors 31, which are optical elements that convert the first scanning light L1 into the second scanning light L2 by reflecting it, and an exterior member 32 that holds these mirrors 31.

[0053] The mirror 31 has a reflective surface that reflects the first scanning light L1, and is provided corresponding to each of the three planes on which the second scanning light L2 is scanned. These reflective surfaces of the mirrors 31 are provided around the vertex X1 to which the above-mentioned sensor unit 10 is attached. With this configuration, the first scanning light L1 that is rotationally scanned around a predetermined axis is reflected by each reflective surface and converted into second scanning light L2 that is aligned along each of the three planes.

[0054] As shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. 5, these mirrors 31 are arranged so that the angle θ formed around a predetermined axis T, which is the center of rotation of the first scanning light L1, is a constant angle. An example of an arrangement when the object X has a cubic shape is one in which, when looking down on the vertices of the object X, three mirrors 31 are arranged at 120-degree intervals around the predetermined axis T.

[0055] Although the distances from the predetermined axis T to the mirrors 31 are set equal here, the distances from the predetermined axis T to the mirrors 31 may be set differently.

[0056] 3, an exterior member 32 is provided for each mirror 31, and in this embodiment, they are provided integrally. More specifically, three exterior members 32 are arranged to form a triangular pyramid, and each exterior member 32 holds each mirror 31 so that the reflective surface of each mirror 31 faces the sensor unit 10, in other words, so that the reflective surface of each mirror 31 surrounds the sensor unit 10. It should be noted that these exterior members 32 do not necessarily need to be integral, and some or all of the exterior members 32 may be separate.

[0057] 6, the scan sensor 100 of this embodiment is provided with an optical adjustment mechanism 50 that is interposed between the mirror 31 and the exterior member 32 and adjusts the position or angle of the mirror 31. However, the scan sensor 100 according to the present invention does not necessarily need to be provided with the optical adjustment mechanism 50.

[0058] The optical adjustment mechanism 50 of this embodiment moves the mirror 31 relative to the exterior member 32, and specifically includes a rotating member 51 that rotatably supports the mirror 31, which is an optical element that constitutes the optical system 30, and a power transmission mechanism (not shown) that transmits power to rotate the rotating member 51 to the rotating member 51. Examples of the power transmission mechanism include a mechanism using a shelf and pinion, and a mechanism using one or more cams or gears.

[0059] In such a configuration, the optical adjustment mechanism 50 may adjust the optical system 30 so that the second scanning light L2 is directed at an acute angle relative to the first scanning light L1, as shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. 7, or may be configured to adjust the optical system 30 so that the second scanning light L2 is directed at an obtuse angle relative to the first scanning light L1, as shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. 8.

[0060] In addition, the configuration in which the second scanning light L2 is directed at an acute angle relative to the first scanning light L1 (FIG. 8) is more compact than the configuration in which the second scanning light L2 is directed at an obtuse angle relative to the first scanning light L1 (FIG. 7) because it is not necessary to expand the mirror 31, which is an optical element.

[0061] With this configuration, even if the top or side of the shelf, which is the object of security X, is slightly tilted with respect to the horizontal or vertical plane, the position or angle of the optical system 30 can be adjusted according to this tilt, and the three planes as the surveillance area can be optimally set, thereby improving detection reliability.

[0062] Furthermore, for example, when the second scanning light L2 is scanned in a direction perpendicular to a wall surface or a floor surface, there is a risk of false detection due to the second scanning light L2 being reflected by the wall surface or the floor surface. However, with the above-described configuration, the second scanning light L2 is directed at an acute or obtuse angle relative to the first scanning light L1 rather than a direction perpendicular to the first scanning light L1, thereby preventing the second scanning light L2 from being reflected by the wall surface or the floor surface and preventing the above-described false detection.

[0063] Furthermore, the degree of freedom in setting the direction of the second scanning light L2 can be improved, making it possible to meet various requirements at the installation site.

[0064] The configuration shown in Figures 7 and 8 has a passing hole that allows either the emitted light emitted from the light source 11 or the reflected light reflected by an object to pass through, and uses a mirror 17 that reflects the other.This allows the projection path La of the emitted light and the receiving path Lb of the reflected light to share a portion, thereby reducing the number of parts and making the device more compact.

[0065] [Effects of this embodiment] The scan sensor 100 configured in this manner is equipped with an optical system 30 that converts the first scanning light L1, which is scanned along a predetermined plane, into the second scanning light L2, which is scanned along three mutually orthogonal planes different from the predetermined plane, so that a single scan sensor 100 can be used to scan the scanning light along the three mutually orthogonal planes. As a result, the number of sensors required can be reduced compared to a configuration in which one sensor can only scan the scanning light on one plane, so it is possible to scan the scanning light along at least three planes surrounding the security target X while reducing the effort required to install the sensors and keeping costs down.

[0066] Furthermore, the three planes scanned by the second scanning light L2 are a plane along the horizontal direction and two planes along the vertical direction that are perpendicular to each other, which contributes to crime prevention for objects X that have a rectangular or cubic shape, such as shelves.

[0067] Because the optical system has a reflective surface corresponding to each of the three planes, the first scanning light can be converted into the second scanning light with a reasonable configuration, and the second scanning light can be scanned over a wide range of each plane while keeping the distance from the first scanning light to the reflective surface short, which enables high-density scanning of the second scanning light on the three planes while keeping the product compact.

[0068] Furthermore, the reflective surface of the mirror 31 is provided around the vertex X1 of the object X, which has a rectangular parallelepiped or cubic shape, and the sensor unit 10 is attached to the vertex X1, so that a surveillance area can be set along the three planes of the object X with a simple configuration.

[0069] Since the holder 20 is attached to the vertex X1 and the sensor unit 10 is held by the holder 20, the sensor unit 10 can be more easily installed relative to the object X.

[0070] [Other embodiments] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment.

[0071] For example, in the above embodiment, a surveillance area was set along three planes of the object X by using one scan sensor 100, but as shown in Figure 9, a surveillance area may be set along five planes excluding the bottom surface of the object X by using two scan sensors 100.

[0072] In this case, for example, a mode is conceivable in which the scan sensors 100 are installed at each of two vertices X1 on the diagonal line of the top surface of the target object X.

[0073] However, in this case, the top surface of the object X will be scanned by both the second scanning light L2 from one scanning sensor 100 and the second scanning light L2 from the other scanning sensor 100, and as a result, the second scanning light L2 from one scanning sensor 100 may be detected by the other scanning sensor 100, which may result in an erroneous detection.

[0074] Therefore, it is preferable that the scanning sensor 100 according to the present invention be capable of changing the surveillance area independently on each of the three planes.

[0075] A specific example of an embodiment for independently changing the surveillance area is, for example, changing the angular range of rotational scanning of the first scanning light L1, thereby changing the scanning range of the second scanning light L2 in each of the three planes, as described in the above embodiment.

[0076] Other embodiments include a mode in which the scanning range of the second scanning light L2 is maintained while the area within that scanning range in which an object can be detected is changeable, and a mode in which the area within that scanning range in which a signal (alarm) indicating that an object has been detected is output is changeable.

[0077] Specifically, for example, when the second scanning light L2 from both of two scanning sensors 100 is scanned along the top surface of the object X, by modifying one of the scanning sensors 100 so that the second scanning light L2 scanned along the top surface does not detect the object, or even if it does detect the object, a signal (alarm) indicating this is not output, the surveillance area along the top surface of that one scanning sensor 100 is changed (eliminated) independently from the surveillance areas along the other sides.

[0078] In this way, for example, one of three planes can be excluded from the security area, and false detection caused by using the two scan sensors 100 described above can be prevented. Furthermore, if an operating part such as a switch that is operated by many people is provided on the side of the object X such as a shelf, the security of the operating part such as the switch can be released by excluding the side from the security area.

[0079] Furthermore, the scanning ranges for scanning with the second scanning light L2 may be set independently of each other on each plane, as shown in Fig. 10. In other words, the scanning range of the second scanning light L2 does not necessarily have to be set over the entire plane of the object X, and may be set over only a part of the plane.

[0080] A specific configuration is, for example, one in which the scanning range of the second scanning light L2 on each of the three planes can be set by inputting the lengths of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis that are orthogonal to each other.

[0081] In the above embodiment, the optical system 30 is described as being configured using a mirror 31 as an optical element, but it may also be configured using an optical element such as a prism that refracts the first scanning light L1.

[0082] In the above embodiment, the holder 20 is attached to the vertex X1 of the object X from the outside, but as shown in Fig. 11, if the object X is accessible to the inside, such as a shelf, the holder 20 may be attached to the vertex X1 of the object X from the inside. In other words, the sensor unit 10 held by this holder may be attached to the outside of the vertex X1 of the object X, or may be attached to the inside of the vertex X1 of the object X.

[0083] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the sensor unit 10 is provided at the vertex X1 of the object X via the holder 20, but the sensor unit 10 does not necessarily have to be provided at the vertex X1, and may be provided on a certain surface or side of the object X.

[0084] Furthermore, examples of the power transmission mechanism 52 constituting the optical adjustment mechanism 50 include a mechanism using a shelf and pinion, or a mechanism using one or more cams or gears, as shown in FIG.

[0085] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0086] According to the present invention, it is possible to scan a scanning light along a plurality of planes surrounding an object to be prevented from crime, while reducing the effort required for installing a sensor and suppressing costs. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 100 scan sensor X: Object (shelf) 10 Sensor section 11...Light source 12 Scanning mechanism 13 Photodetector 14 Control equipment 15...mirror T...Predetermined axis 20...Holding body 21...Installation surface 30...Optical system 31 ···Mirror L1: First scanning light L2: Second scanning light 40...Connection part 50...Optical adjustment mechanism

Claims

1. a sensor unit including a light source, a scanning mechanism for scanning the light emitted from the light source along a predetermined plane, and a photodetector for receiving the light reflected by the object to be detected; a scanning sensor comprising an optical system that converts a first scanning light that is scanned along the predetermined plane into a second scanning light that is scanned along three planes that are different from the predetermined plane and are perpendicular to each other.

2. 2. The scan sensor according to claim 1, wherein the three planes are a plane along the horizontal direction and two planes along the vertical direction that are perpendicular to each other.

3. the optical system has a reflecting surface corresponding to each of the three planes, 2. The scan sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first scanning light is a light that is rotated and scanned around a predetermined axis and reflected by each of the reflecting surfaces.

4. 4. The scan sensor according to claim 3, wherein the reflecting surface is provided around a vertex of a rectangular parallelepiped or cubic object, and the sensor unit is attached to the vertex.

5. 5. The scan sensor according to claim 4, further comprising a holder that can be attached to the apex, the sensor portion being held by the holder.

6. 2. The scan sensor according to claim 1, further comprising an optical adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position or angle of the optical system.

7. A warning area is set in the area scanned by the second scanning light, and a signal indicating that an object is detected is output, 2. The scan sensor according to claim 1, wherein the surveillance area in each of the three planes can be changed independently.

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