Optoelectronic sensor for the detection of objects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9316724-B2
Application number	US-201314109298-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2013
Priority date	Dec 18, 2012
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

An optoelectronic sensor ( 10 ), in particular a laser scanner, for the detection of objects in a monitored zone ( 20 ) having a more than one scanning plane is provided which comprises a light transmitter ( 12 ) for the transmission of a light beam ( 16 ), a drive ( 28 ) for generating a rotational movement, a deflection unit ( 18, 62 ) rotatable about an axis of rotation ( 30 ) by the drive ( 28 ) for the periodic deflection of the light beam ( 16 ), a light receiver ( 26 ) for generating a received signal from the light beam ( 22 ) remitted or reflected from the monitored zone ( 20 ), and comprising an evaluation unit ( 46 ) which is configured for the detection of the objects on the basis of the received signal, wherein the deflection unit ( 18, 62 ) can be tilted in order to vary the scanning plane. In this connection the drive ( 28 ) tilts the deflection unit ( 18, 62 ) at the same time as the rotational movement.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An optoelectronic sensor ( 10 ) for the detection of objects in a monitored zone ( 20 ) having more than one scanning plane, which comprises a light transmitter ( 12 ) for the transmission of a light beam ( 16 ), a drive ( 28 ) for the generation of a rotational movement, a deflection unit ( 18 , 62 ) rotatable about an axis of rotation ( 30 ) by means of the drive ( 28 ) for the periodic deflection of the light beam ( 16 ), a light receiver ( 26 ) for the generation of a received signal from the light beam ( 22 ) remitted or reflected from the monitored zone ( 20 ), and an evaluation unit ( 46 ) which is configured for the detection of the objects on the basis of the received signal, wherein the deflection unit ( 18 , 62 ) can be tilted in order to vary the scanning plane,
wherein the drive ( 28 ) tilts the deflection unit ( 18 , 62 ) at the same time as the rotational movement,
the optoelectronic sensor further comprising a compulsory guidance ( 40 , 42 , 50 , 52 ) which determines a respective tilt angle in dependence on the rotational movement,
wherein the compulsory guidance ( 40 , 42 , 50 , 52 , 54 ) has an engagement between a guide element ( 40 , 50 ) connected to the deflection unit ( 18 , 62 ) and a sectional track ( 40 , 50 , 54 , 56 ) not following the rotational movement of the deflection unit ( 18 ) or has an engagement between a sectional track ( 40 , 50 , 54 , 56 ) arranged at the deflection unit ( 18 , 62 ) and a guide element ( 40 , 50 ) not following the rotational movement.

2. The sensor ( 10 ) in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a laser scanner.

3. The sensor ( 10 ) in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the deflection unit ( 18 ) is supported at a joint position ( 34 ) opposite to the engagement.

4. The sensor ( 10 ) in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the deflection unit is a mirrored wheel ( 62 ) having a plurality of facets ( 64 a - c ) whose axis ( 66 ) is arranged transverse to the axis of rotation ( 30 ).

5. The sensor ( 10 ) in accordance with claim 4 , wherein the mirrored wheel ( 62 ) has a plurality of facets ( 64 a - c ) whose axis ( 66 ) is arranged perpendicular to the axis of rotation ( 30 ).

6. The sensor ( 10 ) in accordance with claim 4 , wherein the facets ( 64 a - c ) have different lengths and/or are tilted differently with respect to the axis ( 66 ).

7. The sensor ( 10 ) in accordance with claim 4 , wherein the deflection unit ( 62 ) has a plurality of guide elements ( 40 ) which are alternatively in engagement with a sectional track ( 42 , 52 , 54 , 56 ).

8. The sensor ( 10 ) in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the sectional track has a groove ( 42 ) and the guide element has a spigot ( 40 ) running in the groove ( 42 ).

9. The sensor ( 10 ) in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the guide element has two guide rollers gripping around the web ( 52 ).

10. The sensor ( 10 ) in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the sectional track has a web ( 52 ) and the guide element has at least one guide roller.

11. The sensor ( 10 ) in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the sectional track varies the distance with respect to the axis of rotation ( 30 ) in a relief section ( 54 ).

12. The sensor ( 10 ) in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the sectional track ( 56 ) has an ascending straight and a return ( 58 ).

13. The sensor ( 10 ) in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the sectional track ( 56 ) has a plurality of horizontal part sections connected by short ascents ( 60 ).

14. The sensor ( 10 ) in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the sectional track ( 56 ) comprises at least one periodic oscillation.

15. The sensor ( 10 ) in accordance with claim 14 , wherein the at least one periodic oscillation comprises at least one sinusoidal curve.

16. The sensor ( 10 ) in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the sectional track ( 56 a , 56 b ) comprises a setting element in order to displace, to expand or to compress the sectional track ( 56 a , 56 b ).

17. A method for the detection of objects in a monitored zone ( 20 ) having more than one scanning plane, comprising
transmitting and periodically deflecting a light beam ( 16 ) by means of a deflection unit ( 18 , 62 ),
displacing into a rotational movement by means of a drive ( 28 ) and
receiving again following a remission or reflection at the object in order in this connection to obtain information on the scanned object on the basis of a generated received signal,
wherein the deflection unit ( 18 , 62 ) is tilted in order to vary the scanning plane,
wherein the deflection unit ( 18 , 62 ) is transferred into a rotational movement and tilted at the same time by the same drive ( 28 ), and
further comprising determining a respective tilt angle in dependence on the rotational movement by a compulsory guidance ( 40 , 42 , 50 , 52 ), wherein the compulsory guidance ( 40 , 42 , 50 , 52 , 54 ) has an engagement between a guide element ( 40 , 50 ) connected to the deflection unit ( 18 , 62 ) and a sectional track ( 40 , 50 , 54 , 56 ) not following the rotational movement of the deflection unit ( 18 ) or has an engagement between a sectional track ( 40 , 50 , 54 , 56 ) arranged at the deflection unit ( 18 , 62 ) and a guide element ( 40 , 50 ) not following the rotational movement.

18. An optoelectronic sensor ( 10 ) for the detection of objects in a monitored zone ( 20 ) having more than one scanning plane, which comprises a light transmitter ( 12 ) for the transmission of a light beam ( 16 ), a drive ( 28 ) for the generation of a rotational movement, a deflection unit ( 18 , 62 ) rotatable about an axis of rotation ( 30 ) by means of the drive ( 28 ) for the periodic deflection of the light beam ( 16 ), a light receiver ( 26 ) for the generation of a received signal from the light beam ( 22 ) remitted or reflected from the monitored zone ( 20 ), and an evaluation unit ( 46 ) which is configured for the detection of the objects on the basis of the received signal, wherein the deflection unit ( 18 , 62 ) can be tilted in order to vary the scanning plane,
wherein the drive ( 28 ) tilts the deflection unit ( 18 , 62 ) at the same time as the rotational movement,
wherein the deflection unit is a mirrored wheel ( 62 ) having a plurality of facets ( 64 a - c ) whose axis ( 66 ) is arranged transverse to the axis of rotation ( 30 ).

Assignees

• Sick Ag

Inventors

• Gehring Roland
• Nubling Ralf Ulrich
• Pastor Sebastian

Classifications

• G02B26/105

  with one or more pivoting mirrors or galvano-mirrors (G02B26/101 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01S7/4817

  relating to scanning · CPC title

• G01S17/42

  Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates (indirect measurement G01S17/46) · CPC title

• G01S7/4812 Primary

  transmitted and received beams following a coaxial path · CPC title