Object sensor system for doors

• US 5,739,523 A
• Filed: 11/06/1995
• Issued: 04/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nabco Ltd. (Nabtesco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nabco Ltd. (Nabtesco Corporation)
• Inventors: Wada, Takashi, Tsutsumi, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Westin, Edward P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PYO, KEVIN K
• Application Number:
  US08/554,565
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 250/221, 250/341.8, 250/342, 340/555, 340/556, 340/557
• US Class Current: 250/221
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/73 responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/132 Doors

Abstract

A light-emitter emits light, and a plano-convex condenser lens focuses the emitted light and projects the focused light onto a floor near a door to thereby establish a sensing area. A plano-convex light-receiving lens focuses light reflected from the sensing area, and a light-receiver receives the focused, reflected light. The plano-convex lenses have edges closer to the door which is substantially straight.

Claims

1. A door sensor system comprising:

light-emitting means for generating light to be projected toward a floor near a door;

focusing means for focusing a component of light generated by said light-emitting means which impinges directly thereon and directing the focused light component directly toward a first region at a location along said door;

variably tiltable reflecting means for reflecting, toward said focusing means, a component of said light which does not directly impinge on said focusing means, and directing said reflected light component toward a second region at a location more remote from said door than said first region; and

light-receiving means adapted to receive light reflected from said first and second regions.

2. The door sensor system according to claim 1, further comprising fixed reflecting means for reflecting part of said component of light which does not directly impinge on said focusing means toward said focusing means, and directing the reflected part toward a third region at a location along said first region.

3. The door sensor system according to claim 2 wherein the optical axis of said light-emitting means is so positioned that substantially equal amounts of light impinge on said variably tiltable reflecting means and said fixed reflecting means.

4. The door sensor system according to claim 1 wherein said focusing means is a plan-convex lens having its convex surface facing said floor, said lens having a straight edge facing said door, said straight edge being generally parallel to said door.

5. The door sensor system according to claim 4 wherein said light-emitting means is located above said straight edge of said plano-convex lens.

6. A door sensor system comprising:

light-emitting means for generating light to be projected toward a floor near a door;

light-receiving means adapted to receive light reflected from said floor;

focusing means for focusing a light component reflected from a first region on said floor at a location along said door and causing the focused light component to impinge directly on said light-receiving means; and

variably tiltable reflecting means for reflecting a light component reflected from a second region at a location more remote from said floor than said first region and focused by said focusing means, to thereby cause the reflected and focused light component to impinge on said light-receiving means.

7. The door sensor system according to claim 6, further comprising fixed reflecting means for reflecting a light component reflected from a third region at a location along said first region and focused by said focusing means, to thereby cause the reflected and focused light component to impinge on said light-receiving means.

8. The door sensor system according to claim 7 wherein the optical axis of said light-receiving means is so positioned that said light-receiving means receives substantially equal amounts of light from said variably tiltable reflecting means and said fixed reflecting means.

9. The door sensor system according to claim 6 wherein said focusing means is a plano-convex lens having its convex surface facing said floor, said lens having a straight edge facing said door, said straight edge being generally parallel to said door.

10. The door sensor system according to claim 9 wherein said light-receiving means is located above said straight edge of said plano-convex lens.

11. A door sensor system comprising:

light-emitting means for generating light to be projected toward a floor near a door;

first focusing means for focusing a component of light generated by said light-emitting means which impinges directly thereon and directing the focused light component directly toward a first region at a location along said door;

first variably tiltable reflecting means for reflecting, toward said first focusing means, a component of said light which does not directly impinge on said first focusing means, and directing said reflected light component toward a second region at a location more remote from said door than said first region;

light-receiving means adapted to receive light reflected from said first and second regions;

second focusing means for focusing a light component reflected from said first region and causing the focused light component to impinge directly on said light-receiving means; and

second variably tiltable reflecting means for reflecting a light component reflected from said second region and focused by said second focusing means, to thereby cause the reflected and focused light component to impinge on said light-receiving means.

12. The door sensor system according to claim 11 wherein said first and second variably tiltable reflecting means are at the same angle with respect to said door and are tilted together to a same angular position.

13. The door sensor system according to claim 11 wherein said first and second variably tiltable reflecting means are operated independent of each other.

14. The door sensor system according to claim 11 further comprising:

first fixed reflecting means for reflecting part of said light component which does not directly impinge on said first focusing means toward said first focusing means, and directing the reflected part toward a third region at a location along said first region; and

second fixed reflecting means for reflecting light reflected from said third region and focused by said second focusing means to cause the reflected and focused light to impinge on said light-receiving means.

15. The door sensor system according to claim 14 wherein the optical axes of said light-emitting means and light-receiving means are so positioned that substantially equal amounts of light impinge on said first variably tiltable reflecting means and said first fixed reflecting means and that said light-receiving means receives substantially equal amounts of light from said second variably tiltable reflecting means and said second fixed reflecting means.

16. The door sensor system according to claim 11 wherein each of said first and second focusing means is a plano-convex lens having its convex surface facing said floor, said lens having a straight edge facing said door, said straight edge being generally parallel to said door.

17. The door sensor system according to claim 16 wherein said light-emitting means and said light-receiving means are located above said straight edges of said respective plano-convex lenses.