Abstract: A method for operating a light curtain arrangement for monitoring a safety area is provided. The light curtain arrangement includes a plurality of first light emitter elements placed at an emitter side of the safety area, and a plurality of second light receiver elements placed at a receiver side of the safety area. The method includes the steps of: assigning a plurality of dedicated light emitter elements to a respective one light receiver element, wherein the assigned light emitter elements form an array; and activating the dedicated light emitter elements of a respective array to contemporaneously emit light, and at the same time, receiving the emitted light from the activated light emitter elements by the respective light receiver element.

Abstract: A monitoring system, a monitoring device, and a monitoring method are provided. The monitoring system includes a detection part that detects a position of a worker intruded into a work area, a first specifying part that specifies a worker movable area on the basis of a position of the worker, an image capturing part that captures an image of an area including at least the worker movable area and a predetermined robot occupied area, a second specifying part that specifies a robot movable area from the image of the area, a third specifying part that specifies a human body area of the worker from the image of the area, a measuring part that measures the distance between the robot movable area and the human body area, and a restricting part that restricts movement of the robot when the distance is equal to or less than a predetermined distance.

Abstract: A method for operating a light curtain arrangement for monitoring a safety area is provided. The light curtain arrangement includes a plurality of first light emitter elements placed at an emitter side of the safety area, and a plurality of second light receiver elements placed at a receiver side of the safety area. The method includes the steps of: assigning a plurality of dedicated light emitter elements to a respective one light receiver element, wherein the assigned light emitter elements form an array; and activating the dedicated light emitter elements of a respective array to contemporaneously emit light, and at the same time, receiving the emitted light from the activated light emitter elements by the respective light receiver element.

Abstract: A monitoring system, a monitoring device, and a monitoring method are provided. The monitoring system includes a detection part that detects a position of a worker intruded into a work area, a first specifying part that specifies a worker movable area on the basis of a position of the worker, an image capturing part that captures an image of an area including at least the worker movable area and a predetermined robot occupied area, a second specifying part that specifies a robot movable area from the image of the area, a third specifying part that specifies a human body area of the worker from the image of the area, a measuring part that measures the distance between the robot movable area and the human body area, and a restricting part that restricts movement of the robot when the distance is equal to or less than a predetermined distance.

Abstract: A multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor is provided having a casing that forms an outer shape of each of a projector and an optical receiver. The casing includes a frame body having a front face and two ends opened, a pair of caps to cover both ends of the frame body, and a light transmissive plate to cover the opened front face of the frame body 3. In the inner surfaces of both side plates of the frame body, supports are formed extending along the corresponding side edges of the opening of the front face. Both side edges of the light transmissive plate 6 are supported by the supports, and both ends thereof are supported by the caps. Portions of the caps that support the light transmissive plate 6 include communication portions to communicate with the supports of the frame body 3, and a string-like elastic member is disposed around a closed loop formed by each support and each communication portion.

Abstract: A multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor is provided having a casing that forms an outer shape of each of a projector and an optical receiver. The casing includes a frame body having a front face and two ends opened, a pair of caps to cover both ends of the frame body, and a light transmissive plate to cover the opened front face of the frame body 3. In the inner surfaces of both side plates of the frame body, supports are formed extending along the corresponding side edges of the opening of the front face. Both side edges of the light transmissive plate 6 are supported by the supports, and both ends thereof are supported by the caps. Portions of the caps that support the light transmissive plate 6 include communication portions to communicate with the supports of the frame body 3, and a string-like elastic member is disposed around a closed loop formed by each support and each communication portion.

Abstract: To provide a multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor and a multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor system, which enable function setting by an extremely simple operation, and further make it unnecessary to increase the size of a housing or to separately prepare a PC or a function setting tool. The multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor has: a columnar housing, from one end of which in the longitudinal direction an electric cord is pulled out, and at the other end of which in the longitudinal direction a plug-in type socket is provided, and a plug piece detachably attachable to the socket of the columnar housing. Particular information to serve as a function determining element on the columnar housing side is incorporated in the plug piece in a manner referenceable from a processing circuit on the columnar housing side via the socket. Further, the processing circuit on the columnar housing side is set so as to determine a function based upon particular information in the plug piece referenced via the socket.

Abstract: To provide a structure for mounting a multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor, where a multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor is mounted on the base while both ends and the back face thereof are not gripped, and thereby the space for mounting the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor can be reduced and the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor can be mounted from the front face thereof.

Abstract: A multi-beam photoelectric sensor is disclosed which can be fabricated by selecting the length of a light projection/light-receiving columnar member and the number and pitches of optical axes in accordance with the width of a hazardous area of an object or the diameter of the minimum object to be detected. A projector string or a photo-detector string includes an optical module string having an alignment of a plurality of optical modules with an optical system for one optical axis, a light projection circuit for one optical axis and a plurality of flip-flops corresponding to one stage of a shift register, integrated with each other, and a flat cable. The flip-flops in the adjacent optical modules are connected in cascade by the adjacent module conduction wires thereby to make up a shift register. The optical modules making the optical module string are sequentially activated by the data sequentially sent by the shift register.

Abstract: An optical multi-axis optoelectronic sensor, in which a phototransmitting sensor head having a plurality of phototransmitters arranged thereon and a photoreceiving sensor head having a plurality of photoreceivers arranged thereon are disposed opposite to each other, comprises: first device for inputting distance data equivalent to a distance between the sensor heads; second device for determining detection sensitivity based on the distance data input by the first device; and third device for setting the detection sensitivity determined by the second device.

Abstract: To provide a structure for mounting a multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor, where a multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor is mounted on the base while both ends and the back face thereof are not gripped, and thereby the space for mounting the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor can be reduced and the multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor can be mounted from the front face thereof.

Abstract: A network master (M) having charge of an operation of a main device (L) and one or more network slaves (S1 to S3) each having charge of a safety determining device (A to C) for determining safety which is an operating permission condition of the main device (L) are connected on the network. Each network slave comprises means for selectively performing a first operation for transmitting information including data for maintenance of the safety determining device or both determination output of the safety determining device and data for maintenance of the safety determining device, to the network master and a second operation for transmitting information including the determination output of the safety determining device but not including the data for maintenance of the safety determining device at all or hardly including it to the network master.

Abstract: To provide a multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor and a multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor system, which enable function setting by an extremely simple operation, and further make it unnecessary to increase the size of a housing or to separately prepare a PC or a function setting tool. The multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor has: a columnar housing, from one end of which in the longitudinal direction an electric cord is pulled out, and at the other end of which in the longitudinal direction a plug-in type socket is provided, and a plug piece detachably attachable to the socket of the columnar housing. Particular information to serve as a function determining element on the columnar housing side is incorporated in the plug piece in a manner referenceable from a processing circuit on the columnar housing side via the socket. Further, the processing circuit on the columnar housing side is set so as to determine a function based upon particular information in the plug piece referenced via the socket.

Abstract: A multi-beam photoelectric sensor is disclosed which can be fabricated by selecting the length of a light projection/light-receiving columnar member and the number and pitches of optical axes in accordance with the width of a hazardous area of an object or the diameter of the minimum object to be detected. A projector string or a photo-detector string includes an optical module string having an alignment of a plurality of optical modules with an optical system for one optical axis, a light projection circuit for one optical axis and a plurality of flip-flops corresponding to one stage of a shift register, integrated with each other, and a flat cable. The flip-flops in the adjacent optical modules are connected in cascade by the adjacent module conduction wires thereby to make up a shift register. The optical modules making the optical module string are sequentially activated by the data sequentially sent by the shift register.

Abstract: A sensor system includes a plurality of sensor bodies arranged aligned and adjacent to each other, each of said sensor bodies being connected to an electric cord including at least a signal line via a connector. Each connector has a power feed terminal, and a detachable fitting for electrically connecting the power feed terminals of the connectors is provided between the connectors. The power supplied to the connector of any of the sensor body through the power feed line in the electric cord is distributed to the power feed terminal of another sensor body through a row of connectors. By this configuration, the number of power feed lines for the overall system can be significantly reduced, and common bodies not distinguished for the main and sub bodies can be used as the sensor bodies, whereby the cost can be reduced and inventory management can be facilitated.

Abstract: An optical multi-axis optoelectronic sensor, in which a phototransmitting sensor head having a plurality of phototransmitters arranged thereon and a photoreceiving sensor head having a plurality of photoreceivers arranged thereon are disposed opposite to each other, comprises: first device for inputting distance data equivalent to a distance between the sensor heads; second device for determining detection sensitivity based on the distance data input by the first device; and third device for setting the detection sensitivity determined by the second device.

Abstract: A network master (M) having charge of an operation of a main device (L) and one or more network slaves (S1 to S3) each having charge of a safety determining device (A to C) for determining safety which is an operating permission condition of the main device (L) are connected on the network. Each network slave comprises means for selectively performing a first operation for transmitting information including data for maintenance of the safety determining device or both determination output of the safety determining device and data for maintenance of the safety determining device, to the network master and a second operation for transmitting information including the determination output of the safety determining device but not including the data for maintenance of the safety determining device at all or hardly including it to the network master.

Abstract: A sensor system includes a plurality of sensor bodies arranged aligned and adjacent to each other, each of said sensor bodies being connected to an electric cord including at least a signal line via a connector. Each connector has a power feed terminal, and a detachable fitting for electrically connecting the power feed terminals of the connectors is provided between the connectors. The power supplied to the connector of any of the sensor body through the power feed line in the electric cord is distributed to the power feed terminal of another sensor body through a row of connectors. By this configuration, the number of power feed lines for the overall system can be significantly reduced, and common bodies not distinguished for the main and sub bodies can be used as the sensor bodies, whereby the cost can be reduced and inventory management can be facilitated.

Abstract: In a light curtain generating device comprising a pair of pillar assemblies for supporting arrays of light emitting and receiving units which are placed opposite to each other so as to form a light curtain for detecting an object between the pillar assemblies, the light emitting and receiving unit arrays each consist of a group of single-beam optical modules so that the length of the arrays of light emitting and receiving units and the pitches of the individual light emitting and receiving units can be selected at will. Therefore, the light curtain generating device can readily adapt itself to each particular application at low cost and in a highly precise manner.

Abstract: A sensor system includes a plurality of sensor bodies arranged aligned and adjacent to each other, each of said sensor bodies being connected to an electric cord including at least a signal line via a connector. Each connector has a power feed terminal, and a detachable fitting for electrically connecting the power feed terminals of the connectors is provided between the connectors. The power supplied to the connector of any of the sensor body through the power feed line in the electric cord is distributed to the power feed terminal of another sensor body through a row of connectors. By this configuration, the number of power feed lines for the overall system can be significantly reduced, and common bodies not distinguished for the main and sub bodies can be used as the sensor bodies, whereby the cost can be reduced and inventory management can be facilitated.