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Object detecting apparatus

  • US 10,031,228 B2
  • Filed: 10/24/2014
  • Issued: 07/24/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2013
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An object detecting apparatus comprising:

  • a light projector that includesan array light source in which each of a plurality of light emission areas emits light, anda coupling lens;

    a light-projection optical scanner that performs scanning with the light, which is emitted from the light projector, in a first direction;

    a light-reception optical scanner that reflects reflected light, which is the light with which the scanning is performed, being reflected by an object to guide the reflected light;

    a light receiver that includes a photodetector and an image forming lens and receives the reflected light reflected by the light-reception optical scanner and guided by the light-reception optical scanner to the light receiver; and

    a processor to detect a presence/absence of the object based on emission timing at which the light is emitted from the light projector and light receiving timing at which the light receiver receives the reflected light,wherein;

    the plurality of light emission areas are disposed one-dimensionally in a direction parallel to a rotation axis of the light-projection optical scanner,the light-projection optical scanner and the light-reception optical scanner rotate synchronously, anda distance between the coupling lens and the light source is identical to a focal length of the coupling lens, and the photodetector is at a position farther than a focal length of the imaging forming lens when seen from the imaging forming lens;

    or alternatively, a distance between the coupling lens and the light source is longer than the focal length of the coupling lens, and the photodetector is at a position which is away from the imaging forming lens by a distance corresponding to the focal length of the imaging forming lens when seen from the imaging forming lens.

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