Keyence Corporation

Akinori Nagata

Kazuhiro Makino

Kentaro Yamazaki

An optical waveguide of a light detection unit is allowed to pass through a thin space or to be installed in the thin space. A light detection unit includes: optical waveguides that are formed in a sheet shape, which is wide in the horizontal direction, and have cores and claddings, respectively, the cores and the claddings being provided in layers in the vertical direction; and sheet-shaped cover members that cover the claddings of the optical waveguides and are integrally formed with the optical waveguides.

Light detection unit

To provide an auxiliary unit capable of reducing the number of signal lines for outputting warning information. A multi-output unit is connected to a plurality of sensor units via individual output linestothrough which the plurality of sensor units output a detection result of each of the plurality of sensor units and a data linefor communicating with the plurality of sensor units. The communication control unitcommunicates with each of the plurality of sensor units via the data lineand receives warning information transmitted by at least one of the plurality of sensor units. When receiving the warning information from at least one of the plurality of sensor units via the data line, the common signal lineoutputs a common output signal indicating the warning information to an external device.

Auxiliary unit for sensor units

A photoelectric sensor includes a connecting section for light projection to which a light propagation member for light projection optically coupled to a light emitting element is connected, a connecting section for light reception to which a light propagation member for light reception optically coupled to a light receiving element is connected, a signal generating unit configured to compare a light reception signal generated by the light receiving element and a threshold and generate a detection signal indicating a result of the comparison, an light emitting element for indication optically coupled to at least one of the connecting section for light reception and the connecting section for light projection and configured to emit visible light, and a control unit configured to light the light emitting element for indication on the basis of an instruction from an outside.

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Osaka, Japan

Akinori Nagata