Optical Sensor Lateral Receiver Compact Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical sensors have large overall heights due to the arrangement of transmitter and receiver optics along the deflection unit's axis, making them bulky and sensitive to extraneous light, which complicates their design and functionality.
Innovation Solution
The optical sensor design splits received light beams into spatially separate partial beams, which are guided laterally to the receiver, allowing for a compact structure without compromising detection sensitivity, and can be further enhanced with multiple receivers and measuring systems for increased accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the transmitter and receiver are arranged along the deflection unit's axis, then the optical sensor achieves proper optical coupling, but the overall height becomes excessively large
Solution Approach 1:
The receiver is positioned laterally adjacent to the deflection unit rather than along its axis, changing the spatial arrangement from a longitudinal to a lateral configuration. This dimensional change allows the receiver to receive deflected light beams without requiring excessive height, thus resolving the contradiction between proper optical coupling and compact overall height.
2Reliability
If a large focal length lens is used for reception optics to reduce extraneous light sensitivity, then detection sensitivity improves, but the structural height increases
Solution Approach 1:
By positioning the receiver laterally adjacent to the deflection unit, the system can use a large focal length lens for the reception optics without increasing the overall height excessively. The lateral arrangement provides the necessary optical path length while maintaining a compact vertical profile, thus resolving the contradiction between detection sensitivity and structural height.
3Length of stationary object
If the receiver is positioned laterally to the deflection unit, then the overall height is reduced, but optical coupling becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The deflection unit serves multiple functions: it deflects light beams toward the receiver positioned laterally, and also provides a reference for the optical path. This multi-functionality simplifies the overall optical coupling arrangement by using the existing deflection unit structure for both beam steering and optical path definition, thus resolving the contradiction between compact height and optical coupling complexity.
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
This design significantly reduces the structural size of the optical sensor, particularly its height, while maintaining or improving detection sensitivity and accuracy, making it suitable for compact and reliable object detection applications.
Implementation Method 1
the receiving optics are designed in such a way that the light beams reflected back from an object in the monitoring area and guided via the deflection unit are divided into several partial beams of rays
Implementation Method 2
the partial beams of rays being guided to the receiver in different directions
Implementation Method 3
a transmitter emitting light beams, having at least one receiver receiving light beams, having a deflection unit, by means of which the light beams are periodically guided within the monitored area
Implementation Method 4
at least one receiver receiving light beams... in which, depending on Received signals of the receiver, an object detection signal is generated
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an optical sensor (1) for detecting objects (5) in a monitoring area, comprising a transmitter (3) emitting light beams (2), a receiver (4) receiving light beams (2), a deflection unit (6) by means of which the light beams (2) are periodically guided within the monitoring area, and an evaluation unit in which an object detection signal is generated depending on the received signals from the receiver (4, 4'). A receiving optic is associated with the receiver (4, 4') by means of which incident light beams (2) are split into spatially separated partial beam bundles (9, 9'), wherein the partial beam bundles (9, 9') are guided to the receiver (4, 4') in different directions.