Optoelectronic Sensor Lens Arrangement for Autocollimation Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optoelectronic sensor systems are limited in their versatility and manufacturing complexity, as they are typically designed for specific configurations such as autocollimation or biaxial arrangements, which are not easily convertible, leading to increased production and maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
An optoelectronic sensor system with a lens arrangement featuring a first and second lens area, where the transmitted light path can be configured to run through both areas, allowing for the insertion or removal of deflection elements to switch between autocollimation and biaxial arrangements, enabling easy conversion between the two configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If sensor systems are designed for specific configurations (autocollimation or biaxial arrangements), then they achieve optimized performance for that specific application, but they lack versatility and require separate systems for different applications, increasing manufacturing and maintenance costs
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system is designed with a universal lens arrangement that can accommodate both autocollimation and biaxial configurations through the optional insertion or removal of deflection elements. The lens arrangement includes a first lens area and a second lens area, where the first lens area is used for autocollimation mode and the second lens area is used for biaxial mode, allowing a single system to perform multiple functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The lens arrangement is segmented into distinct functional areas: a first lens area for autocollimation configuration and a second lens area for biaxial configuration. This segmentation allows the system to switch between different operational modes by selectively using different lens areas, thereby achieving versatility without requiring completely separate systems.
2Ease of manufacture
If separate sensor systems are manufactured for autocollimation and biaxial arrangements, then each system is optimized for its specific configuration, but production costs and maintenance requirements increase due to the need for multiple system types
Solution Approach 1:
A single universal sensor system design incorporates both autocollimation and biaxial capabilities through the lens arrangement and deflection element integration. This eliminates the need to manufacture separate systems for different configurations, reducing production costs while maintaining the ability to adapt to different application requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates dynamic reconfigurability through the optional insertion or removal of deflection elements, allowing the sensor system to adapt its configuration based on the application requirements. This dynamic capability is achieved within a single manufactured system, avoiding the need for multiple static system variants.
3Reliability
If deflection elements are inserted to achieve autocollimation arrangement, then the system benefits from reduced sensitivity requirements, but the light paths become more complex and require additional optical components
Solution Approach 1:
The deflection elements are designed as optional, removable components that can be inserted or removed based on the desired configuration. When removed, the system operates in biaxial mode with simpler optical paths. When inserted, they enable autocollimation mode with reduced sensitivity requirements, allowing the system to extract only the necessary complexity for each specific application.
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 allows for a universal sensor system that can be easily converted between autocollimation and biaxial configurations, reducing the need for separate systems and lowering manufacturing and maintenance costs, while maintaining high sensitivity and minimizing parallax errors.
Implementation Method 1
a lens arrangement 18A arranged upstream of the light transmitter 12 and the light receiver 14
Implementation Method 2
the transmitted light path 20 and the received light path 24A, 24B run at a distance from one another
Implementation Method 3
at least one deflection element 30, 32 which, when introduced into the receiving space 28, is designed to deflect the received light path 24A
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to an optoelectronic sensor system for detecting objects in a monitoring area, comprising a light transmitter for emitting transmitted light along a transmitted light path into the monitoring area, a light receiver for receiving received light from the monitoring area, which is reflected by an object to be detected in the monitoring area or by a reflector delimiting the monitoring area along a received light path towards the light receiver, and a lens arrangement arranged upstream of the light transmitter and the light receiver. The transmitted light path and the received light path are spaced apart from each other, at least in the respective sections facing the light transmitter and the light receiver.It is proposed that the lens arrangement has a first lens area and a second lens area spaced laterally to the first lens area, wherein the transmitted light path passes through the first lens area, and that the sensor system has a receiving space provided between the lens arrangement on the one hand and the light transmitter and the light receiver on the other, in which at least one deflecting element can optionally be inserted, which is designed to define the received light path in such a way that, with the deflecting element inserted, it passes through the first lens area and, with the deflecting element not inserted, through the second lens area.