Light barrier

• US 20090224137A1
• Filed: 01/26/2009
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MARANTEC MARANTEC Antriebs-und Steuerungstechnik GmbH & Co., KG
• Original Assignee: MARANTEC MARANTEC Antriebs-und Steuerungstechnik GmbH & Co., KG
• Inventors: Hoermann, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,973,273 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/206
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 8/22 using reflectors

Abstract

The present invention relates to a light barrier for the monitoring of a light path having a base assembly of a first transmitter emitting a light signal and a first receiver generating an output signal for a control. In accordance with the invention, the light barrier has an active reflector assembly having a second receiver for the reception of the light signal emitted by the first transmitter and a second transmitter for the transmission of a feedback signal in dependence on the received light signal.

Claims

1. A light barrier for the monitoring of a light path having a base assembly of a first transmitter emitting a light signal and a first receiver generating an output signal for a control,

comprising

an active reflector assembly having a second receiver for the reception of the light signal emitted by the first transmitter and a second transmitter for the transmission of a feedback signal in dependence on the received light signal.

2. A light barrier in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first and the second transmitters transmit different signals.

3. A light barrier in accordance with claim 2, wherein the feedback signal emitted by the second transmitter has a different frequency than the signal emitted by the first transmitter.

4. A light barrier in accordance with claim 2, wherein the feedback signal emitted by the second transmitter has a different encoding than the signal emitted by the first transmitter.

5. A light barrier in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first transmitter and the first receiver form a unit and/or the second transmitter and the second receiver form a unit.

6. A light barrier in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first transmitter and the first receiver are or can be arranged at a certain spacing from one another and have separate optical systems and/or the second transmitter and the second receiver are or can be arranged at a certain spacing from one anther and have separate optical systems.

7. A light barrier in accordance with claim 5, wherein the transmitter and receiver have a common optical system.

8. A light barrier in accordance with claim 1, wherein the energy supply of the base assembly and reflector assembly are made separately.

9. A light barrier in accordance with claim 1, wherein the energy supply of the reflector assembly takes place via an electrical energy store and/or a solar collector.

10. A light barrier in accordance with claim 1, wherein the reflector assembly has a stand-by mode.

11. A light barrier in accordance with claim 10, wherein the second receiver switches from an inactive state into an active state at preset intervals in the stand-by mode to switch into a normal mode with constant reception readiness on reception of a corresponding light signal.

14. A door drive control comprising a light barrier in accordance with claim 1.

15. A light barrier in accordance with claim 3, wherein the feedback signal emitted by the second transmitter has a different encoding than the signal emitted by the first transmitter.

16. A light barrier in accordance with claim 15, wherein the first transmitter and the first receiver form a unit and/or the second transmitter and the second receiver form a unit.

17. A light barrier in accordance with claim 2, wherein the first transmitter and the first receiver form a unit and/or the second transmitter and the second receiver form a unit.

18. A light barrier in accordance with claim 3, wherein the first transmitter and the first receiver form a unit and/or the second transmitter and the second receiver form a unit.

19. A light barrier in accordance with claim 4, wherein the first transmitter and the first receiver form a unit and/or the second transmitter and the second receiver form a unit.

20. A light barrier in accordance with claim 16, wherein the first transmitter and the first receiver are or can be arranged at a certain spacing from one another and have separate optical systems and/or the second transmitter and the second receiver are or can be arranged at a certain spacing from one anther and have separate optical systems.

12. An active reflector assembly for a light barrier for the monitoring of a light path having a receiver for the reception of a light signal and a transmitter for the transmission of a feedback signal in dependence on the received signal.

13. An active reflective assembly in accordance with claim 12 for a light barrier comprising

an active reflector assembly having a second receiver for the reception of the light signal emitted by the first transmitter and a second transmitter for the transmission of a feedback signal in dependence on the received light signal.