Area monitoring sensor

• US 8,248,235 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2009
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Keyence Corporation (Keyence)
• Original Assignee: Keyence Corporation (Keyence)
• Inventors: Inoue, Tetsu, Yamaguchi, Akiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): NWUGO, OJIAKO K
• Application Number:
  US12/427,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20090295580A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• Field of Search: 340/541, 340552-557, 340565-567, 250/221, 250/222.1, 250/222.2, 250/223.R
• US Class Current: 340/555
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/022 using lasers
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/06 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0093 co-operating with conveyor means
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/144 using light grids

Abstract

This invention provides an area monitoring sensor capable of setting a monitor area without connecting a terminal device for area setting. The area monitoring sensor that emits detection light in different emitting directions and senses an intruder within a monitor area based on reflection of the detection light, the monitor area being previously set as a polygonal shaped area defined by three or more sides, the sensor being provided on a first side out of the sides of the monitor area, and includes a side selecting unit that selects a second side other than the first side out of the three or more sides that define the monitor area based on an operation input; a distance specifying unit that specifies a distance between the area monitoring sensor and the second side that is being selected by the side selecting unit based on an operation input.

Claims

1. An area monitoring sensor that emits detection light in different emitting directions and senses an intruder within a monitor area based on reflection of the detection light, the predetermined monitor area as a polygonal shaped area defined by three or more sides, the sensor being provided on a first side out of the sides of the monitor area, the sensor comprising:

a side selecting unit that selects a second side other than the first side out of the three or more sides that define the monitor area based on an operation input;

a distance specifying unit that specifies a distance between the area monitoring sensor and the second side selected by the side selecting unit based on an operation input; and

an area size determining unit that determines a size of the monitor area based on the distance that has been specified by the distance specifying unit.

2. The area monitoring sensor according to claim 1, further comprising:

a test sensing zone forming unit that forms a test sensing zone including at least one side other than the first side out of the monitor area, the zone being formed along the at least one side; and

a first intruder sensing unit that senses an intruder within the test sensing zone based on reflection of the detection light.

3. The area monitoring sensor according to claim 2, further comprising:

a boundary sensing unit that senses that the intruder entering into the test sensing zone corresponding to the at least one side other than the first side based on a result of the sensing by the first intruder sensing unit, wherein

when an entrance of the intruder is sensed for all of the sides at least other than the first side, the area size determining unit determines the size of the monitor area based on the distance specified by the distance specifying unit.

4. The area monitoring sensor according to claim 2, further comprising:

a boundary sensing unit that senses the intruder entering into the test sensing zone corresponding to the at least one side other than the first side based on a result of the sensing by the first intruder sensing unit; and

an area boundary display unit that displays each side at least other than the first side out of the three or more sides that define the monitor area by two or more adjacent symbols, wherein

when an entrance of the intruder is sensed by the boundary sensing unit, the area boundary display unit displays one of the symbols corresponding to a position at which the intruder enters differently from other symbols.

5. The area monitoring sensor according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second intruder sensing unit that senses an intruder based on reflection of the detection light; and

an intruder position display unit that displays a distance to the intruder sensed by the second intruder sensing unit, wherein

the intruder position display unit displays the distance to the intruder in a direction perpendicular to the second side selected by the side selecting unit.

6. The area monitoring sensor according to claim 1, further comprising:

an area boundary display unit that displays each side at least other than the first side out of the three or more sides that define the monitor area by two or more adjacent symbols, wherein

the area boundary display unit displays the second side selected by the side selecting unit distinguishably from other sides.

7. An area monitoring sensor that emits detection light in different emitting directions and senses an intruder within a monitor area based on reflection of the detection light, the predetermined monitor area as a polygonal shaped area defined by three or more sides, the sensor being provided on a first side out of the sides of the monitor area, the sensor comprising:

an enclosure including a casing and a cover through which the detection light passes;

a display arranged on the casing, configured to display a setting screen;

an operation key arranged on the casing, operably connected to an operation unit;

a side selecting unit arranged within the enclosure, configured to select a second side other than the first side out of the three or more sides that define the monitor area based on the operation input;

a distance specifying unit arranged within the enclosure, configured to numerically specify a distance between the area monitoring sensor and the second side selected by the side selecting unit based on the operation input; and

an area size determining unit arranged within the enclosure, configured to determine a size of the monitor area based on the distance that has been specified by the distance specifying unit.

8. The area monitoring sensor according to claim 7, further comprising:

an operating mode and a setting mode;

wherein an operation parameter for the operating mode is set during the setting mode by using the setting screen on the display.

9. The area monitoring sensor according to claim 8, comprising:

wherein the setting screen is switchable to another setting screen selected from a plurality of setting screens corresponding to a respective operation parameter for the operating mode based on the operation unit.

10. The area monitoring sensor according to claim 7, further comprising:

a memory arranged within the enclosure, configured to store an operation parameter set based on the operation unit;

a confirmation unit arranged within the enclosure, configured to confirm the operation parameter stored in the memory by a user;

wherein the area monitoring sensor outputs a disable signal when the operation parameter stored in the memory is not confirmed.

11. The area monitoring sensor according to claim 7, comprising:

wherein the setting screen includes the second side selected by the side selecting unit;

the setting screen displayed on the display is arranged such that the second side on the setting screen displayed on the display is the same direction as an actual direction of the second side on a basis of the area monitoring sensor.