Light barrier receiver

• US 4,250,498 A
• Filed: 05/11/1979
• Issued: 02/10/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Erwin SICK GmbH Optik-Elektronik
• Original Assignee: Erwin SICK GmbH Optik-Elektronik
• Inventors: Walter, Arthur
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, III, Glen R.
• Application Number:
  US06/038,323
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 340/556, 340/693, 361/395, 361/399
• US Class Current: 340/556
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/183 by interruption of a radiation beam or barrier
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/184 using radiation reflectors

Abstract

A transmitting lens and a receiving lens are arranged alongside each other on one narrow side of a shallow housing so that a pencil beam of light transmitted by the transmitting lens and reflected by a separate reflector is received by the receiving lens and concentrated onto a photoelectric converter. Interruption of the pencil beam of light results in interruption of the output signal from the photoelectric converter and is detected and used to actuate an alarm signaller located within the housing. The alarm signaller, which is preferably a buzzer, is connected with the housing to form a single constructional unit. The optics and electronics are conveniently mounted on a circuit board which is conveniently located within the housing and secured by a resilient cushion.

Claims

1. A light barrier receiver having a shallow housing comprising at least base and cover parts, a receiving lens arranged to one narrow side of the housing and adapted to concentrate a received light beam on a photoelectric converter arranged behind the lens, at least one of the base and cover parts incuding cylindrical positioning pin means, the photoelectric converter being adapted to allow response of an alarm signaller following interruption of the light beam of the light barrier receiver via a processing circuit, said receiving lens, photoelectric converter and alarm signaller and the processing circuit being mounted on a circuit board, the circuit board having a hole of a diameter equal to said cylindrical positioning pin means and being located thereover and resilient means bearing on the circuit board to secure the circuit board in position by rotationally biasing the circuit board about the positioning pin means against stop means.

2. A light barrier receiver according to claim 1, wherein said stop means comprises corresponding abutment faces on the receiving lens and the housing.

3. A light barrier receiver according to claim 1, wherein said resilient means comprises a resilient cushion interposed between the housing and an edge of the circuit board.

4. A light barrier receiver according to claim 1, comprising pedestal means on at least one of said base or cover parts for locating the circuit board relative to the housing.

5. A light barrier receiver according to claim 1 and characterized in that further resilient means is interposed between at least one of said base and cover parts and the circuit board.

6. A light barrier receiver according to claim 5, wherein said further resilient means comprises a resilient cushion bearing on an optical unit including the receiving lens.

7. A light barrier receiver according to claim 1, wherein said cylindrical positioning pin means forms a spacer member located between said base and cover parts and has a central bore with counter bores at each end thereof, an insert member with a central portion and two end portions, at least one of said end portions being releasably fitted to said central portion, said insert member being adapted to receive the head and shank of a throughgoing securing bolt the threaded end of which is engageable with a mounting bracket.

8. A light barrier receiver according to claim 7, wherein said mounting bracket has a friction grip surface of at least one side thereof for frictionally engaging the insert on tightening said securing bolt.

9. A light barrier receiver according to claim 8, wherein said mounting bracket is reversable and has friction grip surfaces on both sides.

10. A light barrier receiver according to claim 1, wherein said circuit board is arranged adjacent one of the two large area walls of the housing and the alarm signaller extends from there to the opposite wall.

11. A light barrier receiver according to claim 10, wherein said alarm signaller ends shortly before said opposite wall and wherein said opposite wall is provided with an arrangement of holes in the vicinity of the alarm signaller.

12. A light barrier receiver according to claim 1, wherein said alarm signaller is a cylindrical buzzer with sound exit apertures provided in an end face thereof.

13. A light barrier receiver according to claim 1, wherein said receiving lens and said photoelectric converter are arranged in front of, and the alarm signaller behind, said cylindrical positioning pin means.

14. A light barrier receiver according to claim 1, wherein a timing element adjustable by hand is mounted in the housing alongside the alarm signaller.

15. A light barrier receiver according to claim 1, wherein a transmission lens is mounted in the said narrow side of the housing above the receiving lens.

16. A light barrier receiver according to claim 1, wherein a transmission lens is mounted in the said narrow side of the housing below the receiving lens.

17. A light barrier receiver according to claim 9, wherein the mounting bracket extends along the wall remote from the wall having said arrangement of holes.

18. A light barrier receiver according to claim 17, wherein said mounting bracket is an angled bracket having an inwardly turned limb at the point where it extends beyond the housing.

19. A light barrier receiver according to claim 1, wherein a supply cable for feeding electrical power to the receiver is introduced from the supply into a narrow side of the housing.

20. A light barrier receiver according to claim 1, wherein an indicator lamp is arranged in a narrow side of the housing.