Sick Ag

Philipp Fortenbacher

Gerhard Merettig

Ingolf Hörsch

Felix Lang

Rolf Meier

Thomas Schulz

Stefan Jaegle

The subject matter disclosed relates to a method for the detection of objects, wherein one transmitted light bundle is transmitted into a detection region, transmitted light reflected back from an object, when present, is detected by a receiver unit having reception elements arranged in an M&#xd7;N matrix, wherein M&#x3e;1 and N&#x3e;1, and the distance of the object is determined by triangulation from the position of the light patch produced by the reflected light at the receiver unit. In addition to the position of the reflected light, the two-dimensional energy distribution of the received light patch within the light incident on the receiver unit is evaluated to determine further information on the object in addition to the distance of the object determined by triangulation, with a light patch quality value being determined which includes information on the homogeneity of the light reflected or remitted at the object.

Method and optical sensor for the detection of objects

A light barrier detects an object which interrupts a beam of light of the light barrier. A light transmitter transmits a light beam in the direction of a reflector and a light receiver receives a reflected portion of the light beam. The improved light barrier has a reflector which is made as a cylindrical reflector column having a plurality of retroreflecting elements aligned toward the outer surface. The diameter of the reflector column is considerably smaller than the extent of the light beam perpendicular to the cylinder axis so that an optically effective detection beam of light is formed between the sensor and the reflector column whose cross-section at the sensor is determined by the light transmitter and, in direct proximity to the reflector column. The cross-section is determined by the areal overlap of the light beam with the reflector column.

Light barrier

Growing community of inventors

Gundelfingen, Germany

Philipp Fortenbacher