Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a slave station that may not deteriorate even when a switch is placed in a vertical direction and that may replace only the worn switch with new one in low costs thereby having user-friendliness. The slave station according to the present invention comprises the switch. The switch comprising a flexible cylindrical member bendable in any directions and the flexible cylindrical member being detachably attached to a housing composed of a body, a rigid rod member attached to a free end of the flexible cylindrical member, a flexible rod member extending from a base end of the rigid rod member toward the base end of the flexible cylindrical member through the inside of the flexible cylindrical member, and a guiding member comprising a insertion opening for inserting and holding the flexible rod member, the guiding member allowing movement in a direction to the shaft line of the flexible cylindrical member.

Abstract: A contactless switch structure is provided that may turn on and off an electrical signal in a contactless manner, allow a worn operating portion in the structure to be easily replaced, and prevent decrease of the sensitivity caused by foreign material such as dust. A contactless switch structure according to the invention includes a replaceable member to be detachably set to a target portion to which the contactless switch structure is to be set, the replaceable member having an aperture at an end section thereof and a virtual boundary defined by the aperture at the end section; and a detection element and a detector closely opposed across the virtual boundary in the normal state, the detection element and the detector being placed on the replaceable member side and the target portion side of the virtual boundary, respectively.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a slave station that may not deteriorate even when a switch is placed in a vertical direction and that may replace only the worn switch with new one in low costs thereby having user-friendliness. The slave station according to the present invention comprises the switch. The switch comprising a flexible cylindrical member bendable in any directions and the flexible cylindrical member being detachably attached to a housing composed of a body, a rigid rod member attached to a free end of the flexible cylindrical member, a flexible rod member extending from a base end of the rigid rod member toward the base end of the flexible cylindrical member through the inside of the flexible cylindrical member, and a guiding member comprising a insertion opening for inserting and holding the flexible rod member, the guiding member allowing movement in a direction to the shaft line of the flexible cylindrical member.

Abstract: Disclosed are a photoelectric sensor and a photoelectric sensor system capable of accurately detecting an object without being affected by disturbance even though the object is very thin. A photoelectric sensor according to an embodiment of the invention includes a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit. The photoelectric sensor detects whether there is an object between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit based on a variation in the intensity of a light signal received by the light receiving unit. The light receiving unit receives a light signal that is emitted from the light emitting unit to the light receiving unit without intersecting the object and a light signal that is emitted from the light emitting unit to the light receiving unit through the object, and is operated in synchronization with a light emission timing signal of the light emitting unit.

Abstract: A control/monitor signal transmission system in which simple communication control can be performed without a control unit, and a wiring allowable distance is larger than a conventional system. A plurality of slave stations which are installed corresponding to the plurality of actuating apparatuses and are connected through a common data signal line, and a mediation station which is connected to the data signal line are equipped, and the data signal line includes a plurality of independent groups which are consolidated to the mediation station. The plurality of actuating apparatuses are divided into one or plural sets including at least two, and the actuating apparatuses which belong to the same set and are different in group of the connected data signal line have a correspondence relationship.

Abstract: A contactless switch structure is provided that may turn on and off an electrical signal in a contactless manner, allow a worn operating portion in the structure to be easily replaced, and prevent decrease of the sensitivity caused by foreign material such as dust. A contactless switch structure according to the invention includes a replaceable member to be detachably set to a target portion to which the contactless switch structure is to be set, the replaceable member having an aperture at an end section thereof and a virtual boundary defined by the aperture at the end section; and a detection element and a detector closely opposed across the virtual boundary in the normal state, the detection element and the detector being placed on the replaceable member side and the target portion side of the virtual boundary, respectively.

Abstract: Provided is a conveyance control system in which fast and smooth control is realized without causing a control delay by a processing delay of a control apparatus such as a PLC, and wiring between a control object and a central control unit is omitted. A conveyance control system according to the present invention includes a plurality of data processing slave stations connected through a common transmission line. The data processing slave station obtains information about a predetermined station from monitor/control data about a plurality of stations of the data processing slave station transmitted to the common transmission line, determines and adjusts control/monitoring of an own station and outputs information about an own station to the common transmission line. The information about an own station output to the common transmission line from the data processing slave station is obtained by a different station as part of the monitor/control data to become a control/monitor factor of the different station.

Abstract: A photoelectronic sensor collectively adjusts the light emission intensity of plural light emitting elements and the light reception sensitivity of plural light receiving elements automatically or manually. In order to collectively adjust the light emission intensity of plural light emitting elements and the light reception sensitivity of single light receiving elements automatically, a photoelectronic sensor is configured such that constant current light emission signals are applied to the light emitting elements. Additionally, a light amount of the environment is measured by the light receiving elements and stored, and a reflection light amount from a body to be measured is stored. Furthermore, signal intensities indicating the respective light amounts are calculated, and optimal thresholds of light emission intensity and light reception sensitivity are provided automatically or manually, so that setting of sensor sensitivity is performed.

Abstract: A master station has a master-station transmission circuit that extracts a serial monitor signal so as to convert a control data signal into monitor data by changing a duty ratio of negative and positive voltage-level periods, converting the control signal into a serial pulsing voltage signal, transmitting a monitor data signal that is superimposed on the serial pulsing voltage signal, and detecting the presence or absence of a signal of a current that flows during the negative and positive voltage-level periods. A plurality of slave stations respectively have a slave-station transmission circuit that identifies a duty ratio of the positive and negative voltage-level periods relative to each serial pulsing voltage signal, that extracts a control data signal so as to output the data to a controllable unit of the slave station.

Abstract: Disclosed are a photoelectric sensor and a photoelectric sensor system capable of accurately detecting an object without being affected by disturbance even though the object is very thin. A photoelectric sensor according to an embodiment of the invention includes a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit. The photoelectric sensor detects whether there is an object between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit based on a variation in the intensity of a light signal received by the light receiving unit. The light receiving unit receives a light signal that is emitted from the light emitting unit to the light receiving unit without intersecting the object and a light signal that is emitted from the light emitting unit to the light receiving unit through the object, and is operated in synchronization with a light emission timing signal of the light emitting unit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a photoelectronic sensor which collectively adjusts light emission intensity of plural light emitting elements and light reception sensitivity of plural light receiving elements automatically or manually. In order to collectively adjust light emission intensity of plural light emitting elements and light reception sensitivity of single light receiving elements automatically, a photoelectronic sensor of the present invention is configured such that constant current light emission signal are applied to the light emitting elements, a light amount of environment is measured by the light receiving elements and stored, a reflection light amount from a body to be measured is stored, signal intensities indicating the respective light amounts are calculated, optimal thresholds of light emission intensity and light reception sensitivity are provided automatically or manually, so that setting of sensor sensitivity is performed.

Abstract: An ON/OFF switch of a non-contact type provided with a lever switch excellent in operability, which can be inclined in any direction in a whole circumferential direction is provided. One end of a cylindrical member having flexibility and being stretchable so as to be freely restored to a normal state is fixed to a base member, and a rod member having flexibility is inserted into the cylindrical member and is supported by a guide maintaining a state of an axial line of the rod member to the cylindrical member regardless of the state of the cylindrical member. Further, one end of the rod member is fixed to an end portion of the cylindrical member which is not fixed to the base member while the other end thereof is protruded from the cylindrical member, and a surrounding portion surrounding the end portion of the rod member which is protruded from the cylindrical member in a non-contact manner is provided in the base member.

Abstract: Provided is a conveyance control system in which fast and smooth control is realized without causing a control delay by a processing delay of a control apparatus such as a PLC, and wiring between a control object and a central control unit is omitted. A conveyance control system according to the present invention includes a plurality of data processing slave stations connected through a common transmission line. The data processing slave station obtains information about a predetermined station from monitor/control data about a plurality of stations of the data processing slave station transmitted to the common transmission line, determines and adjusts control/monitoring of an own station and outputs information about an own station to the common transmission line. The information about an own station output to the common transmission line from the data processing slave station is obtained by a different station as part of the monitor/control data to become a control/monitor factor of the different station.

Abstract: A control/monitor signal transmission system in which simple communication control can be performed without a control unit, and a wiring allowable distance is larger than a conventional system. A plurality of slave stations which are installed corresponding to the plurality of actuating apparatuses and are connected through a common data signal line, and a mediation station which is connected to the data signal line are equipped, and the data signal line includes a plurality of independent groups which are consolidated to the mediation station. The plurality of actuating apparatuses are divided into one or plural sets including at least two, and the actuating apparatuses which belong to the same set and are different in group of the connected data signal line have a correspondence relationship.

Abstract: Address setting and initial data setting of an oil-resistant, water-resistant control/monitor terminal for performing address setting and initial setting of control/monitor terminals of a transmission control system in an oil-mist or humid environment. Also provided is optical communications or electromagnetic induction through a light transmission window provided in the control/monitor terminal using a data-setting-circuit-equipped console.

Abstract: An intermediate station transmits a supervisory signal sent form a given controlled device to a controlled device associate with the given device as a control signal. An intermediate-station input unit extracts a supervisory signal, which is a current signal superimposed on a signal transmitted through a data signal line, in every clock cycle. An intermediate-station output unit obtains the supervisory signal in every clock cycle, and outputs a control signal, which is a pulse-width-modulated voltage signal, onto the data signal line in the same clock cycle in which the supervisory signal has been extracted.

Abstract: A master station has a master-station transmission circuit that extracts a serial monitor signal so as to convert a control data signal into monitor data by changing a duty ratio of negative and positive voltage-level periods, converting the control signal into a serial pulsing voltage signal, transmitting a monitor data signal that is superimposed on the serial pulsing voltage signal, and detecting the presence or absence of a signal of a current that flows during the negative and positive voltage-level periods. A plurality of slave stations respectively have a slave-station transmission circuit that identifies a duty ratio of the positive and negative voltage-level periods relative to each serial pulsing voltage signal, that extracts a control data signal so as to output the data to a controllable unit of the slave station.

Abstract: A parent station output section changes a duty factor between a period in which a control data signal is at a level (high-potential low-level) lower than a power supply voltage Vx but higher than high-level signal in other circuit portions and a subsequent period in which the control data signal is at the power supply voltage Vx level to convert the control data signal into a serial pulse voltage signal and output the voltage signal onto data signal lines D+ and D? in accordance with each data value in the control data signal inputted from a controller in each cycle of a clock.

Abstract: An intermediate station transmits a supervisory signal sent form a given controlled device to a controlled device associate with the given device as a control signal. An intermediate-station input unit extracts a supervisory signal, which is a current signal superimposed on a signal transmitted through a data signal line, in every clock cycle. An intermediate-station output unit obtains the supervisory signal in every clock cycle, and outputs a control signal, which is a pulse-width-modulated voltage signal, onto the data signal line in the same clock cycle in which the supervisory signal has been extracted.

Abstract: A parent station output section changes a duty factor between a period in which a control data signal is at a level (high-potential low-level) lower than a power supply voltage Vx but higher than high-level signal in other circuit portions and a subsequent period in which the control data signal is at the power supply voltage Vx level to convert the control data signal into a serial pulse voltage signal and output the voltage signal onto data signal lines D+ and D− in accordance with each data value in the control data signal inputted from a controller in each cycle of a clock.