JP2009009491A - Proximity sensor and proximity sensor system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a safety proximity sensor device (system) for largely improving the reliability and safety of the proximity sensor system. <P>SOLUTION: The proximity sensor is equipped with: a non-contact sensor part, a sensor control part and an optical communication part of a first system; and a non-contact sensor part, a sensor control part and an optical communication part of a second system. The respective sensor control parts of the respective systems are configured to control respective optical communication parts in cooperation with or independently according to the location, distance, speed and operation such as vibration of a detection object from the sensor detection signals of the respective non-contact sensor parts. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a non-contact sensor unit that detects a detection object in a non-contact manner, and sensor control that performs necessary control in accordance with operations such as the position, distance, speed, and vibration of the detection object from the sensor signal of the non-contact sensor unit. And a proximity sensor system using the proximity sensor.

  The proximity sensor of the present invention is a concept including what is called a proximity switch.

Proximity sensor to handle the distance, position, speed, vibration, etc. of detection items such as the electrical properties, electrical capacitance, electromagnetic properties such as magnetism, optical properties such as reflectance, absorptivity, environmental temperature and humidity, etc. There are a wide variety of sensors. In addition, when mounting on an actual machine, the position, distance, angle, optical axis, etc. are adjusted appropriately to minimize the effects of environmental electromagnetic fields, etc., and self-diagnosis is performed. A technique for displaying operation by light emission and colored light emission is disclosed in Patent Document 1 below.
JP 2006-92486 A: published on April 6, 2006 (2006.4.6)

  Even if the proximity sensor disclosed in the above publication is equipped with an operation display unit, after the proximity sensor is attached to the installation location, the operation display unit is used except when the proximity sensor is malfunctioning or malfunctioning. Therefore, when a highly reliable and safe proximity sensor system is realized, two proximity sensors are installed. In addition, it is difficult to realize the operation information transmission of the detected object with high speed and large capacity safely in the proximity sensor due to its shape and cost.

  A proximity sensor according to the present invention includes a first system non-contact sensor unit, a sensor control unit, an optical communication unit, a second system non-contact sensor unit, a sensor control unit, and an optical communication unit, The sensor control unit of each system links or independently controls each optical communication unit corresponding to the operation of the position, speed, distance, vibration, etc. of the detected object from the sensor detection signal of each non-contact sensor unit. It is possible to do this.

  The proximity sensor includes a proximity switch.

  The proximity sensor is not limited to inductive, magnetic, capacitive, ultrasonic, photoelectric, etc.

  In the present invention, the non-contact sensor unit, the sensor control unit, and the optical communication unit of the proximity sensor are used in two systems, and the operation state is linked or independently optically communicated, and the operation display light emitting unit is individually or commonly used or linked and received. The detection state can be monitored, analyzed and controlled on the side, and the malfunction of the sensor can be judged in real time to ensure the safety of the proximity sensor system.

  Preferably, the light-emitting device may be composed of, for example, a light-emitting diode (LED) for operation display and operation light transmission. The light emitting device for operation display can be composed of organic electroluminescence (organic EL).

  Preferably, the optical communication unit is configured by a light emitting / receiving device having a chip configuration or a resin mold configuration, enables bidirectional operation optical communication, enables a feedback control function in real time of a system including a switch or a sensor, High precision control and safety control may be possible as compared with conventional proximity sensor devices.

  Preferably, the optical communication unit can be configured by a light bulb-shaped light emitting diode that emits visible light, a sheet-shaped organic electroluminescence, a laser diode, or an infrared light emitting diode.

  Preferably, a solar cell is mounted on the proximity sensor to generate power and use it as a power source.

  Preferably, a detection and analysis program, and a storage unit that stores the light emission display mode data and the operation light communication control data of the light emitting unit or the light receiving and emitting unit in a rewritable manner corresponding to the detection operation of the non-contact sensor unit are provided.

  A sensor device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention includes the proximity sensor, and a light receiving controller that performs optical communication with the optical communication unit of the proximity sensor and a space or between liquids or via an optical fiber. is there.

  The non-contact sensor unit is composed of a sensor head unit that detects a position deviation, a distance deviation, a speed deviation, a vibration range, and the like of the detected object in a non-contact manner, and an oscillation circuit unit including a coil of the head as one element. Can do. The non-contact sensor unit is an inductive type, but is not limited to a magnetic type, a capacitive type, an ultrasonic type, a photoelectric type, or the like.

  In the proximity sensor of the present invention, the optical communication unit, the non-contact sensor unit, the sensor control unit, etc. are controlled by the hardware and firmware of the CPU / FPGA module, and connected to an external personal computer, PLC, etc. by serial communication. Alternatively, RS485 can be provided.

  Note that the optical communication unit can be configured by an organic EL that performs operation display and operation light communication with 360-degree blind spot with planar light emission and cylindrical light emission.

  In addition, it can be used for remote operation state monitoring and feedback control of a proximity sensor device having a system configuration including an amplifier or a sensor controller including a light receiving device such as a photodiode via a space and between liquids or via an optical fiber.

  It should be noted that the optical communication unit is a visible light emitting LED, organic EL, etc., and humans cannot recognize various blinking patterns and blinking patterns and colored light emission data with a long period of 0.1 seconds or longer that can be recognized by humans. It is possible to operate with the same light emitting device operating optical communication modulated with a PWM (pulse width modulation) or PCM (pulse code modulation) pulse by a possible high-speed blinking as a carrier.

  In addition, although the amount of information in optical communication is as small as the amount of information displayed in operation display, the optical communication unit can use the blinking pattern and the flashing pattern light emission in the operation display as they are in optical communication.

  In addition, a light receiving device is additionally installed in the optical communication unit, and the operation light communication can be made bidirectional communication, and the proximity sensor system can be feedback controlled in real time, which is highly precise control compared to conventional proximity sensor devices. And safety control is possible.

  Also, a solar cell can be mounted, an appropriate light source can be installed on the light receiving side or other places, the necessary power can be supplied to the built-in amplifier type and external proximity sensor, and the proximity sensor can be completely wireless without battery .

  It is possible to supply power when the operation display is stopped without mounting a device with good power generation efficiency using an LED for operation display or an organic EL, and without mounting a separate solar cell.

  In the present invention, real-time operation monitoring / analysis / judgment / control can be performed by two systems of operation optical communication functions, and reliability and safety are greatly enhanced. In addition to display by light emission, a proximity sensor with functions, safety, cost, and shape that are conscious of optical communication, photovoltaic power generation and light reception can be designed.

  Hereinafter, a proximity sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention and a proximity sensor system including the proximity sensor will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a block configuration of an inductive proximity sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention and a dual light receiving controller. In the proximity sensor according to the embodiment, two sensor heads (mounted integrally) 5a and 5b, each having a built-in detection coil 3a and 3b, are installed close to the detected object 1 whose detection position is displaced in the direction of the double-headed arrow in the figure. The This proximity sensor includes two oscillation circuit units 7a and 7b corresponding to the two-system sensor heads 5a and 5b, respectively. Each of the sensor heads 5a and 5b constitutes at least a part of the non-contact sensor unit. Each of the non-contact sensor units may include the oscillation circuit units 7a and 7b.

  One oscillation circuit unit 7a is individually connected to the detection coil 3a built in the sensor heads 5a and 5b, and the oscillation circuit unit 7b is individually connected to the detection coil 3b built in the sensor heads 5a and 5b. Each oscillation circuit section 7a, 7b is connected to an arithmetic / processing section 9 constituted by a CPU / FPGA (field programmable gate array) module. The sensor heads 5a and 5b are oscillated according to the parameters of the coils 3a and 3b, the oscillation circuit and the CPU / FPGA, the impedance change and the oscillation state of the sensor heads 5a and 5b are detected, and the preamplifiers of the oscillation circuit units 7a and 7b are passed through. Are input to the arithmetic / processing unit 9. The detection coils 3a and 3b include a core and a core.

  As an example of the independent two-system sensor control unit, the arithmetic / processing unit 9 corresponds to the sensor heads 5a and 5b and the oscillation circuit units 7a and 7b, and includes a linkage including a memory, a detection circuit, a peripheral circuit, and the like. It consists of two independent hardware systems and two linked and independent software programs programmed for oscillation, drive, display, correction, etc. A USB communication input / output connector 17 to an external personal computer or PLC 15 or the like is connected to the arithmetic / processing unit 9 so that the arithmetic / processing unit 9 can perform various communications with the external personal computer or PLC 15 or the like. .

  The arithmetic / processing unit 9 outputs the sensor detection signals of the above systems to the colored light emitting display circuit 11a, the modulation circuit / output circuits 13a, 13b. In the case of a proximity sensor mounted with a solar cell (solar cell) 19, a power generation circuit unit 21 for supplying power to each part of the proximity sensor is incorporated. The solar cell 19 and the power generation circuit unit 21 can be provided independently corresponding to the two systems.

  In the arithmetic / processing unit 9 described above, two color light emission operation display circuits 11a and 11b that are synchronized or matched corresponding to two linked or independent two systems, and sensor detection signals corresponding to two independent systems. Two modulation / output circuits 13a and 13b that perform modulation output are connected. One colored light emission operation display circuit 11a is connected to one operation display light emitting device 14a as an operation display unit, and the other colored light emission operation display circuit 11b is connected to the other operation display light emitting device 14b as an operation display unit. Is done. One modulation / output circuit 13a is connected to one operating light transmitting light emitting device 16a as an optical output device, and the other modulating / output circuit 13b is the other operating light transmitting light emitting device 16b as an optical output device. Connected to.

  The above connection and independence depend on the program (firmware) of the arithmetic / processing unit 9.

  In the proximity sensor configured as described above, the two operation display light emitting devices 14a and 14b emit light by linking the operations of the proximity sensors, and the two operation light transmitting light emitting devices 16a and 16b are linked or independently. The safety sensor system is monitored and controlled. A safety PLC and a safety controller currently exist above the proximity sensor, and this proximity sensor realizes a safety proximity sensor system including the PLC and the controller.

  Reference numeral 18 denotes a two-line light receiving controller. The two-line light receiving controller 18 includes light receiving units 18a and 18b and a two-line light receiving safety control unit 18c.

  In addition, real-time instruction and feedback control to the proximity sensor can be achieved by adding bidirectional photodiodes (PD) and using the integrated light receiving and emitting device instead of the operation display light emitting devices 14a and 14b. Can be realized.

  Two-system software is two independent CPUs with two CPUs, or two programs with different calculation methods and functions for selecting calculation data such as oscillation software, detection software, and so on. Software (firmware) that can be executed at the same time to detect when the proximity sensor is abnormal. The data optically transmitted by the two systems can be received by the controller 18, compared and judged, and abnormal data or the like can be checked.

  The detection output corrected and corrected from the arithmetic / processing unit 9, the drive signal to the colored light emission operation display circuits 11a and 11b that display the operation by emitting colored light in response to the sensor detection signal, and the operation light communication Drive signals to the modulation output circuits 16a and 16b for modulating the sensor detection signal for output. The light emission colors of the operation display light emitting devices 14a and 14b are not particularly limited, but are stored in the memory of the arithmetic / processing unit 9 as data. The light emission form of the operating light transmitting light emitting devices 16a and 16b is not particularly limited, but a preferred form is a light emission form by infrared rays from an infrared light emitting LED.

  In the proximity sensor having the above configuration, each form can be easily developed from the configuration of FIG. 1 in the magnetic type, the capacitive type, the ultrasonic type, or the photoelectric type.

  In the proximity sensor, the sensor heads 5a and 5b and the oscillation circuit portions 7a and 7b are connected by coaxial cables 23a and 23b in the amplifier separated type.

  In the proximity sensor having the above-described configuration, the detection coils 3a and 3b, the oscillation circuit units 7a and 7b, the arithmetic / processing unit 9 internal hardware and software structure, etc. are made into two independent systems, and there is a problem with the proximity sensor on the optical receiving side. It is not necessary to provide two proximity sensors for safety because it is a form that can check whether the detected object 1 is defective or not, and safety control by feedback control with a proximity sensor device including a controller such as a programmable controller is inexpensive. In addition, it can be realized wirelessly.

  FIG. 2 shows the structure of the inductive proximity sensor of the present invention. The sensor heads 5a and 5b are connected to a base substrate (platform) 25 by soldering or bonding. On this base substrate 25, electronic component modules 27 such as electronic circuit elements 7a, 7b, 11a, 11b, 13a, 13b, etc., including an LSI (Large Scale Integrated circuit) shown in FIG. 1 are mounted and molded. The sensor head 5 may be separated and connected to the base substrate 25 with a coaxial cable. In FIG. 2, LEDs 29 a and 29 b serving as operation display light emitting devices 14 a and 14 b and LEDs 31 a and 31 b serving as operation light transmitting light emitting devices 16 a and 16 b are mounted on the base substrate 25. In addition, LED29a, 29b also includes the structure replaced with single organic EL. The LEDs 29a and 29b may be switchable between single color and multicolor.

  FIG. 3 shows a proximity sensor system including a light receiving side in the operation optical communication by the proximity sensor of the present embodiment, where arrow A is the proximity sensor of the present invention, arrow B is the space or liquid space of the transmission medium, and the optical fiber. , Arrow C is an optical receiver. The proximity sensor shown in FIG. 3 includes a CPU / FPGA module, and includes hardware such as a memory, a detection circuit, and a peripheral circuit, and software (firmware) programmed with oscillation, drive, display, correction, and the like. Including an arithmetic processing unit 9; circuits 13a and 13b in charge of modulation and output of sensor detection signals; and operation display light-emitting devices 14a and 14b indicated by dotted line blocks, each of which includes a visible light LED, an organic EL, and the like. The operation light transmitting light-emitting devices 16a and 16b including visible light, a laser diode (LD), and an infrared light-emitting LED are included. The light receiving unit side includes light receiving devices 47a and 47b such as photodiodes (PD), and demodulation / processing circuits 49a and 49b including optical demultiplexing, demodulation circuits, processing circuits, and the like. Output light from the operating light transmitting light emitting devices 16a and 16b is transmitted to the light receiving devices 47a and 47b via spaces or liquids indicated by dotted lines 51a and 51b or optical fibers 53a and 53b.

  A two-way communication is performed by incorporating a light receiving unit (not shown) using a photodiode (PD) on the proximity sensor side in FIG. 3 and a transmitting unit (not shown) using an infrared LD (laser diode) on the light emitting side. A high-function proximity sensor system having a command to a proximity sensor in real time and a real-time feedback function can be configured.

  In FIG. 3, the proximity sensor displays an operation with a visible light LED, an organic EL, or the like, which is an operation display light emitting device 14 a, 14 b, and a proximity sensor with an LD, an infrared LED, or the like, which is an operation light transmission light emitting device 16 a, 16 b. Information indicating the detection state from the head is processed and modulated, and operating light communication is performed. This operating light communication is performed on the side of the light receiving control device including the light receiving devices 47a and 47b, the demodulation / processing circuits 49a and 49b, and the like by the radios 51a and 51b and the optical fibers 53a and 53b. In the light receiving control device, the light receiving devices 47a and 47b perform operation light communication with the proximity sensor A side. The light receiving devices 47a and 47b are formed of photodiodes or the like, and optical communication information is received by the photodiodes. The demodulation / processing circuits 49a and 49b demodulate the optical communication information. In this manner, information from the proximity sensor head arranged in the system can be optically communicated and used for monitoring and controlling the state of the proximity sensor device.

  It should be noted that the calculation / processing unit 9 is preliminarily externally operated with the detection and analysis program, the light emission mode data and the operation light communication mode control data of the operation display light emitting devices 14a and 14b and the operation light transmission light emitting devices 16a and 16b. You may provide the memory | storage part which memorize | stores rewritable.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, real-time operation monitoring / analysis / judgment can be performed by the operation optical communication function, and reliability and safety are greatly enhanced. Further, it is possible to provide a proximity sensor having functions, safety, cost, and shape in consideration of not only display by light emission but also optical communication, photovoltaic power generation and light reception.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a block configuration of a proximity sensor system including a proximity sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention and a dual light receiving controller. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the structure of the proximity sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a proximity sensor system including a proximity sensor and an optical receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Detected object 3a, 3b Detection coil 5a, 5b Sensor head 7a, 7b Oscillation circuit part 9 Arithmetic processing part 11a, 11b Color light emission operation display circuit 13a, 13b Modulation circuit, Output circuit 14a, 14b Light emission device 16a for operation display 16b Light emitting device for operating light transmission

Claims (6)

A first system non-contact sensor unit, a sensor control unit, an optical communication unit,
A second contactless sensor unit, a sensor control unit, an optical communication unit,
With
The sensor control unit of each system is the same hardware and software of the CPU / FPGA module, and corresponds to the operation of the position, distance, speed, vibration, etc. of the detected object from the sensor detection signal of each non-contact sensor unit A proximity sensor characterized in that each optical communication unit can be linked or controlled independently.   Each optical communication unit of each system comprises a light emitting device, and each sensor control unit of each system controls light emission of the light emitting device of each system and transmits two systems of operating light transmission signals to the receiving side. 2. The proximity sensor according to claim 1, wherein when the devices are combined, bi-directional communication control is performed so that the receiving side can perform a safety check and processing in real time. Each optical communication unit of each of the systems comprises a light emitting device for operation display and a light emitting device for operating light transmission,
The sensor control unit for each of the systems described above controls the light emission of the light emitting devices of the respective systems to perform the operation display control, and transmits the operation light transmission signal to the receiving side. 2. The proximity sensor according to claim 1, wherein the receiving side enables a safety check and processing in real time with two systems of operating light transmission signals.   The proximity sensor according to claim 1, wherein a solar cell is mounted as a power source of the proximity sensor.   A memory for storing the light emission display mode control data and the operation light communication mode control data of the light emitting unit or the light emitting / receiving unit in advance so as to be rewritable from the outside in advance corresponding to the position, distance, speed, vibration, etc. of the non-contact sensor unit. The proximity sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a unit.   6. A proximity sensor system comprising: the proximity sensor according to claim 1; and a controller that performs optical communication with an optical communication unit of the proximity sensor wirelessly or via an optical fiber.

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