Optical Displacement Sensor Edge Detection via Dual Detector Segmentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical displacement sensors produce erroneous outputs when encountering edges due to blockage or partial blockage of light, which affects the accuracy of surface profiling measurements.
Innovation Solution
The optical displacement sensor is designed with an optical source positioned intermediate a pair of optical detectors, allowing light scattered or reflected from an object to be collected by both detectors, with one detector forward and one rearward of the source. This configuration mitigates errors by enabling the selection of clean output data for processing, even when light is blocked or partially blocked by a step.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a conventional optical displacement sensor with a single optical detector is used, then the device complexity is low, but measurement precision deteriorates when edges or steps are encountered due to light blockage
Solution Approach 1:
The single optical detector is segmented into multiple optical detectors (first and second detectors) positioned at different locations. Each detector independently measures light from different angles, allowing the system to identify and compensate for blockage effects by comparing measurements from multiple detectors, thereby maintaining measurement precision while resolving the light blockage problem
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple optical detectors are merged into a single sensor system with coordinated measurement and processing. The detectors work together to collect light scattered or reflected from the object surface, and their combined outputs are processed to eliminate blockage errors, achieving improved measurement precision through collaborative detection
2Measurement precision
If the optical source is positioned intermediate a pair of optical detectors, then measurement precision improves by mitigating light blockage errors, but device complexity increases due to additional detectors and processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The optical source is positioned asymmetrically intermediate the first and second optical detectors, creating an asymmetric detector arrangement around the source. This asymmetric configuration allows each detector to view the object from a different angle, enabling the system to detect and compensate for light blockage by comparing the asymmetric measurements from both sides
Solution Approach 2:
The optical source positioned intermediate the detectors acts as an intermediary element that enables both detectors to independently measure light scattered or reflected from the object. This intermediary positioning allows the source to illuminate the object from a central position while detectors on either side collect light from different angular perspectives, facilitating error mitigation through comparative measurement
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The sensor effectively reduces detection errors by comparing outputs from both detectors, allowing for accurate surface profiling even in the presence of steps, and determines the minimum transversal separation between steps, enhancing measurement precision.
Implementation Method 1
light emitted by said optical source when scattered by and/or reflected from said object
Implementation Method 2
light emitted by said optical source when scattered by and/or reflected from said object
Implementation Method 3
the distance of an object (L) from a reference point can be evaluated from the triangulation principle and is equal to Bf/x
Data Source
AI summary
An optical displacement sensor for measuring distance or surface displacement of an object by surface profile scanning includes an optical source, a first optical detector and a second optical detector. The optical source is located intermediate the first and second optical detectors. The first and second optical detectors are arranged to collect light emitted by the optical source when scattered by and/or reflected from the object.