Optoelectronic Sensor Multi-Hole Diaphragm Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optoelectronic sensor devices, such as light barriers and grids, face challenges in efficiently detecting objects due to unwanted reflections, requiring multiple variants with restricted transmission and reception cone angles for high safety standards, which complicates alignment and increases production and storage costs.
Innovation Solution
A multi-hole diaphragm is used to adjust the transmission and reception cone angles, allowing a single production variant with interchangeable diaphragms to accommodate various applications, simplifying alignment and reducing storage needs by allowing cone angles to be set from 0.5 to 10 degrees without additional tools or fastening means.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the transmission cone angle and reception cone angle are restricted to small values to avoid reflections, then object detection reliability is improved, but alignment difficulty increases and adjustment effort becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the optical system into modular components with interchangeable diaphragms. Each diaphragm is a separate segment that can be independently selected and attached, allowing the transmission and reception cone angles to be adjusted without redesigning the entire alignment system. This segmentation enables reliable object detection through proper angle restriction while maintaining ease of alignment through simple component interchange.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic adjustability through interchangeable diaphragms that can be attached and removed based on application requirements. This allows the cone angles to be dynamically adapted between narrow (for high reliability) and wide (for easier alignment) configurations, resolving the contradiction between detection reliability and alignment ease by providing context-dependent optimization.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple variants of optoelectronic sensors are produced with different cone angle restrictions to meet various safety requirements, then adaptability to different applications is improved, but device complexity and production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal optoelectronic sensor platform that can serve multiple applications through interchangeable diaphragms. Instead of producing multiple specialized sensor variants, a single universal design with attachable diaphragms of different geometries provides the same adaptability. This reduces production complexity while maintaining application versatility, as the base sensor unit remains standardized.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables parameter changes (cone angles) through physical modification via interchangeable diaphragms rather than manufacturing different sensor variants. By changing the diaphragm parameter (hole size, shape, arrangement), the sensor adapts to different safety requirements and applications. This approach maintains a single production line for the base sensor while providing parameter variability through accessory components.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple variants with different cone angle restrictions are maintained in inventory to serve different applications, then customer requirements coverage is improved, but storage costs and inventory complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The universal sensor platform with interchangeable diaphragms allows a single base unit to replace multiple specialized variants in inventory. The diaphragms themselves become the differentiated components that are stored and exchanged, rather than entire sensor assemblies. This significantly reduces inventory quantity and storage costs while maintaining the ability to cover diverse customer requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the sensor system into a universal base unit and application-specific diaphragms, the patent enables selective inventory management. Only the small, lightweight diaphragms need to be stored in multiple variants, not entire sensor assemblies. This segmentation dramatically reduces the quantity and complexity of inventory while preserving requirements coverage through simple diaphragm exchange.
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 solution enables efficient object detection by minimizing reflection interference, simplifies the alignment process, and reduces production and storage complexity by allowing a single optoelectronic sensor to be adapted for different safety requirements and applications.
Implementation Method 1
The transmitting unit has an optoelectronic converter, in particular an infrared emitter, which emits light
Implementation Method 2
The light is bundled onto the corresponding receiving unit by the optical functional element, a lens or a diaphragm
Implementation Method 3
The receiving unit has a corresponding optical functional element, which collects the light on an optoelectronic converter
Implementation Method 4
A multi-hole diaphragm is provided, which has at least two parallel holes next to each other in one plane and determines the transmission cone angle and/or the reception cone angle
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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Figure 5~6
AI summary
The sensor has a light transmitter (8) emitting light beams with a transmission cone angle in a monitoring path. A light receiver (10) receives the light beams within a reception cone angle. An evaluation device provides an object determination signal when an object is present on the monitoring path based on the light beams. Multi-diaphragms (24) have holes (26), which exhibit diameter (28) or width smaller than depth (32) of the holes. The holes are aligned parallel to a beam direction. The diaphragms are assigned to the transmitter and/or the receiver and determine the cone angles. The multi-diaphragms are in the form of foils and have carriers such as extruded plastic part and injection molded part.