Abstract: An optical sensor includes an irradiation system including a semiconductor laser having plural light-emitting parts; and at least one photodetector that detects an amount of light which is emitted from the irradiation system and reflected on a sheet-like object.

Abstract: In an optical sensor, a light emission system emits an irradiated light of a linear polarization in a first polarization direction toward a surface of a target object having a sheet shape from an incident direction which is inclined with respect to a normal direction of the surface. A first light detection system includes a first light detector arranged on a first light path of a specular reflected light, which is emitted from the light emission system and is specularly reflected from the target object. A second light detection system includes a second light detector arranged on a second light path of a diffuse reflected light which is diffusely reflected from an incident plane on the target object. The second light detector receives second light passed by an optical element which passes a linear polarization component of a second polarization direction perpendicular to the first polarization direction.

Abstract: A sensor is configured to include an optical sensor including a light source and a plurality of light receivers which receive light emitted from the light source and light regularly reflected and diffusely reflected by an object, a database including output data regarding multiple objects of known and different types from the plurality of light receivers when an incident direction of light emitted from the light source forms a first direction to the object and when the incident direction of light emitted from the light source forms a second direction which is orthogonal to the first direction, and a processor which controls the light emitted from the light source to illuminate an object of unknown type and specifies the type of the object by matching the output data of the plurality of light receivers to the database.

Abstract: A sensor device is disclosed, including a database, and a processing apparatus. The database includes, for multiple different first types of objects, a first output data which are output data of an optical system acquired beforehand for each of the first objects in a case in which a surface of one side of the first object is set as the detection surface; and a second output data which are output data of the optical detection system acquired beforehand for each of the first objects in a case in which a surface of an other side opposite to the one side of the first object is set as the detection surface. The processing apparatus matches measurement data with the database, the measurement data being the output data of the optical detection system which is acquired with respect to a second object, and determines a type of the second object.

Abstract: A moisture sensor for detecting moisture content of an object includes a light source to emit light having an infrared wavelength that is absorbed by water; an optical system to receive the light from the light source and output linearly polarized light having a first polarization direction in a direction toward the object, and to receive light scattered from the object and output linearly polarized light having a second polarization direction perpendicular to the first polarization direction in another direction other than the direction toward the object; and a photodetector to receive the linearly polarized light having the second polarization direction output from the optical system.

Abstract: An optical sensor includes a light source; and an optical detector detecting intensity of light that is reflected by a recording medium, the light from the light source and irradiated onto the recording medium. Further, when an incident angle of the light incident the recording medium from the light source relative to a normal line of the recording medium is given as ?1, a formula 75°??1?85° is satisfied.

Abstract: An optical sensor includes an irradiation system emitting linearly polarized light of a first polarization direction toward a surface of an object from an incident direction inclined with respect to a normal to the surface; a first light detection system including a first light detector placed on a light path of light emitted from the irradiation system and specularly reflected by the object; and a second light detection system including a separation optical element placed on a light path of light diffusely reflected by the object, on a plane of incidence of the object, and extracting a linearly polarized light component of the first polarization direction included in the light diffusely reflected by the object, a second light detector receiving the linearly polarized light component of the first polarization direction extracted by the separation optical element and a third light detector receiving the light diffusely reflected by the object.

Abstract: A sensor device and an image forming apparatus incorporating the sensor device are provided. The sensor device includes a light source, a photo-detection system configured to receive light emitted from the light source and reflected at a sheet-like object, a housing accommodating the light source and the photo-detection system, the housing having a slit into which the object is inserted, and a holding member configured to hold the object such that relative positions of a surface of the object inserted into the slit and the photo-detection system are fixed. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a recording medium, the sensor device, and an adjustment unit configured to adjust a condition for image formation, based on an output from the sensor device.

Abstract: A sensor apparatus includes an irradiation system with a light source configured to emit linearly polarized light of a first polarization direction onto a sheet-like object, in a direction oblique to a direction orthogonal to a surface of the object, a first photodetector arranged on an optical path of light that is emitted from the irradiation system and then is reflected at the object by regular reflection, a first optical element, arranged on an optical path of light reflected by diffuse reflection from an incidence plane of the object, configured to transmit linearly polarized light of a second polarization direction that is orthogonal to the first polarization direction, a second photodetector configured to receive light that has passed through the first optical element, and a detection unit configured to detect at least one of basis weight and thickness of the object.

Abstract: An optical sensor is disclosed. The optical sensor includes an irradiating system which irradiates a linearly polarized light; a first photodetecting system including a first photodetector which is arranged on an optical path of a light which is specularly reflected from a subject; a second photodetecting system including an optical element which is arranged on an optical path of a light which is diffuse reflected from the subject within an incident face in the subject and which separates a linearly polarized component in a second polarizing direction which is orthogonal to a first polarizing direction and a second photodetector which receives a light separated by the optical element, wherein an angle of taking in the light in the first photodetector and an angle of taking in the light in the second photodetector are mutually different.

Abstract: An optical sensor is disclosed, including an irradiating system; a first photodetecting system including a first photodetector which is arranged on an optical path of a light which is specularly reflected from a subject; a second photodetecting system including an optical element which is arranged on an optical path of a light which is diffuse reflected from the subject within an incident face in the subject and which separates a linearly polarized component in a second polarizing direction which is orthogonal to a first polarizing direction and a second photodetector which receives a light separated by the optical element; and a restricting member which is arranged on an optical path of an incident light with respect to at least one of the first photodetector and the second photodetector and which restricts a light receiving range in the at least one photodetector.

Abstract: A sensor device is disclosed, including a database, and a processing apparatus. The database includes, for multiple different first types of objects, a first output data which are output data of an optical system acquired beforehand for each of the first objects in a case in which a surface of one side of the first object is set as the detection surface; and a second output data which are output data of the optical detection system acquired beforehand for each of the first objects in a case in which a surface of an other side opposite to the one side of the first object is set as the detection surface. The processing apparatus matches measurement data with the database, the measurement data being the output data of the optical detection system which is acquired with respect to a second object, and determines a type of the second object.

Abstract: An optical sensor includes a light source to illuminate a linear polarization in a first direction, a first optical detector disposed on a path of a light illuminated from the light source and specularly reflected by an object, a first optical element to separate the light reflected by the object into a linear polarization in the first direction and a linear polarization in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, a second optical detector to receive the linear polarization in the second direction separated by the first optical element, and a processor to obtain an amount of the light specularly reflected by the object on the basis of an output signal of the first optical detector and an output signal of the second optical detector.

Abstract: A moisture sensor for detecting moisture content of an object includes a light source to emit light having an infrared wavelength that is absorbed by water; an optical system to receive the light from the light source and output linearly polarized light having a first polarization direction in a direction toward the object, and to receive light scattered from the object and output linearly polarized light having a second polarization direction perpendicular to the first polarization direction in another direction other than the direction toward the object; and a photodetector to receive the linearly polarized light having the second polarization direction output from the optical system.

Abstract: A sensor comprising an optical sensor including a light source and a plurality of light receivers which receive light emitted from the light source and light regularly reflected and diffusely reflected by an object, a database including output data regarding multiple objects of known and different types from the plurality of light receivers when an incident direction of light emitted from the light source forms a first direction to the object and when the incident direction of light emitted from the light source forms a second direction which is orthogonal to the first direction, and a processor which controls the light emitted from the light source to illuminate an object of unknown type and specifies the type of the object by matching the output data of the plurality of light receivers to the database.

Abstract: A moisture sensor for detecting moisture content of an object includes a light source to emit light having an infrared wavelength that is absorbed by water; an optical system to receive the light from the light source and output linearly polarized light having a first polarization direction in a direction toward the object, and to receive light scattered from the object and output linearly polarized light having a second polarization direction perpendicular to the first polarization direction in another direction other than the direction toward the object; and a photodetector to receive the linearly polarized light having the second polarization direction output from the optical system.

Abstract: An optical sensor includes: a light emission module to emit a linearly polarized light beam having a first polarizing direction to a surface of an object in an incident direction inclined relative to a direction of a normal to the surface; a first photodetector module including a first photodetector disposed within a plane of incidence of the surface in an optical path inclined relative to an optical path of a light beam emitted from the light emission module and regularly reflected on the surface; and a second photodetector module including an optical element disposed within the plane of incidence of the surface in an optical path of a diffused reflection light beam from the surface to separate a linearly polarized light beam having a second polarizing direction perpendicular to the first polarizing direction, and a second photodetector to receive the light beam separated by the optical element.

Abstract: An optical sensor includes an irradiation system emitting linearly polarized light of a first polarization direction toward a surface of an object from an incident direction inclined with respect to a normal to the surface; a first light detection system including a first light detector placed on a light path of light emitted from the irradiation system and specularly reflected by the object; and a second light detection system including a separation optical element placed on a light path of light diffusely reflected by the object, on a plane of incidence of the object, and extracting a linearly polarized light component of the first polarization direction included in the light diffusely reflected by the object, a second light detector receiving the linearly polarized light component of the first polarization direction extracted by the separation optical element and a third light detector receiving the light diffusely reflected by the object.

Abstract: An optical sensor is disclosed, including an irradiating system; a first photodetecting system including a first photodetector which is arranged on an optical path of a light which is specularly reflected from a subject; a second photodetecting system including an optical element which is arranged on an optical path of a light which is diffuse reflected from the subject within an incident face in the subject and which separates a linearly polarized component in a second polarizing direction which is orthogonal to a first polarizing direction and a second photodetector which receives a light separated by the optical element; and a restricting member which is arranged on an optical path of an incident light with respect to at least one of the first photodetector and the second photodetector and which restricts a light receiving range in the at least one photodetector.

Abstract: An optical sensor is disclosed. The optical sensor includes a light source in which a semiconductor laser having multiple light-emitting units is sealed with one resin member; a light source driving unit which causes the multiple light-emitting units to emit light; and at least one photodetector which detects a light amount of a light which is emitted from the multiple light-emitting units and is reflected from a subject.