Scanner arrangement

• US 8,536,509 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2010
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BEA (Halma PLC)
• Original Assignee: BEA (Halma PLC)
• Inventors: Borlez, Yves, Sarlette, Laurent
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, DON J
• Application Number:
  US12/965,012
• Publication Number:
  US 20110315852A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 250/206, 250/206.1, 250/206.2, 250/221, 250/559.06, 250/559.12, 250/559.13, 382/103, 382/218
• US Class Current: 250/221
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 29/02 Guards or obstacles for preventing access to the route cattle guards connected to the permanent way E01B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 29/228 using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 29/30 Supervision, e.g. monitoring arrangements

Abstract

The invention relates to a sensor arrangement for scanning a scanning area (16, 36) comprising a scanner (10, 30, 42, 54) that generates a scanning field (12) which is defined between two legs spaced from each other by a scanning angle (A), and which scanner is adapted to control at least one blocking means (18, 38, 50) for a passageway (32, 56), said passageway (32, 56) being delimited at least in its horizontal extension. The invention is characterized in that a scanner (10, 30, 42, 54) is mounted at a distance, as viewed in the passage direction (14), from the passageway (32, 56) and thus also from the controlled blocking means (18, 38, 50), and that the scanning field (12) is directed towards the passageway and extends through the passageway (32, 56).

Claims

1. A sensor arrangement for scanning a scanning area, comprising:

a scanner generating a scanning field, said scanning field is defined between two legs spaced at a scanning angle, (A), from each other;

said scanning field is subdivided into first and second zones, said first zone is an activation zone and said second zone is a protection zone;

said scanner is a laser scanner that emits detection rays which are reflected by an object within said scanning field and due to propagation delay said object is assigned to said first activation zone or said second protection zone;

said scanner controls a blocking means for a passageway, said passageway being delimited at least in its horizontal extension;

said scanner disposed at a distance, as viewed in the passage direction, from said passageway and thus also from said controlled blocking means; and

,

said scanning field directed towards said passageway and extending through said passageway.

2. The sensor arrangement for scanning a scanning area as claimed in claim 1 wherein said scanner generates a scanning field having a scanning angle, (A), of less than 180°

in the horizontal direction.

3. The sensor arrangement for scanning a scanning area as claimed in claim 2 wherein said legs of said scanning field are aligned flush with one of said lateral delimitations of said passageway.

4. The sensor arrangement for scanning a scanning area as claimed in claim 2 wherein objects and/or people are scanned by said scanner in a plurality of planes located in said scanning area.

5. The sensor arrangement for scanning a scanning area as claimed in claim 4 wherein said scanning planes are positioned at different angles from each other and said plurality of scanning planes intersect in said scanner.

6. The sensor arrangement for scanning a scanning area as claimed in claim 1 wherein said legs of said scanning field are aligned flush with one of said lateral delimitations of said passageway.

7. The sensor arrangement for scanning a scanning area as claimed in claim 6 wherein objects and/or people are scanned by said scanner in a plurality of planes located in said scanning area.

8. The sensor arrangement for scanning a scanning area as claimed in claim 7 wherein said scanning planes are positioned at different angles from each other and said plurality of scanning planes intersect in said scanner.

9. The sensor arrangement for scanning a scanning area as claimed in claim 1 wherein objects and/or people are scanned by said scanner in a plurality of planes located in said scanning area.

10. The sensor arrangement for scanning a scanning area as claimed in claim 9 wherein said scanning planes are positioned at different angles from each other and said plurality of scanning planes intersect in said scanner.

11. The sensor arrangement for scanning a scanning area as claimed in claim 1 wherein said protection zone extends across said passageway and across the area adjacent said passageway, and, said activation zone is spaced apart from said passageway as viewed in said passage direction.

12. The sensor arrangement for scanning a scanning area as claimed in claim 1 wherein said blocking means is a vertically or horizontally displaceable gate or door.

13. The sensor arrangement for scanning a scanning area as claimed in claim 1 wherein said blocking means is a vertically or horizontally pivotable barrier.

14. The sensor arrangement for scanning a scanning area as claimed in claim 1 wherein said scanner is aligned to be flush with said passageway.

15. The sensor arrangement for scanning a scanning area as claimed in claim 1 wherein said scanner is a laser scanner.