Abstract: A droplet sensor includes an optical cover that forms part of a spheroid, a major axis of the spheroid being a vertical axis, a light emitting/receiving device disposed at a position offset from a first focal point of the spheroid along the major axis, and a reflector disposed in vicinity of a second focal point of the spheroid. The optical cover has an effective detection area between the light emitting/receiving device and the reflector. The effective detection area satisfies a total internal reflection condition at an interface with a gas, and does not satisfy the total internal reflection condition at an interface with a liquid. The reflector reflects, towards a light receiving surface of the light emitting/receiving device, light totally reflected by the effective detection area, or reflects, towards the effective detection area, light directly incident on the reflector from the light emitting/receiving device.

Abstract: A droplet sensor has an optical cover with a curved surface that forms a part of a spheroid, a light source positioned at a first focal point of an ellipse, the first focal point facing the curved surface, and a photodetector positioned at a second focal point of the ellipse. The ellipse has an eccentricity determined such that the curved surface has an effective detection area that satisfies conditions for total internal reflection at an interface with a gas and that does not satisfy the conditions for total internal reflection at an interface with a liquid.

Abstract: A droplet sensor has an optical cover with a curved surface that forms a part of a spheroid, a light source positioned at a first focal point of an ellipse, the first focal point facing the curved surface, and a photodetector positioned at a second focal point of the ellipse. The ellipse has an eccentricity determined such that the curved surface has an effective detection area that satisfies conditions for total internal reflection at an interface with a gas and that does not satisfy the conditions for total internal reflection at an interface with a liquid.

Abstract: A droplet sensor includes an optical cover having an elliptical surface forming a portion of a spheroid, a light source arranged at or in a vicinity of a first focal point of the elliptical surface, and a photodetector arranged at or in a vicinity of a second focal point of the elliptical surface. The elliptical surface includes an effective detection area configured to reflect light emitted from the light source towards the photodetector. An amount of light reflected from the effective detection area changes according to adhesion of a droplet on the effective detection area of the elliptical surface. The optical cover includes a hollow portion that is provided in a region inside the optical cover, and outside optical paths of the light emitted from the light source and reflected from the effective detection area toward the photodetector.

Abstract: A droplet sensor includes an optical cover having an elliptical surface forming a portion of a spheroid, a light source arranged at or in a vicinity of a first focal point of the elliptical surface, and a photodetector arranged at or in a vicinity of a second focal point of the elliptical surface. The elliptical surface includes an effective detection area configured to reflect light emitted from the light source towards the photodetector. An amount of light reflected from the effective detection area changes according to adhesion of a droplet on the effective detection area of the elliptical surface. The optical cover includes a hollow portion that is provided in a region inside the optical cover, and outside optical paths of the light emitted from the light source and reflected from the effective detection area toward the photodetector.

Abstract: A droplet sensor includes an optical cover that forms part of a spheroid, a major axis of the spheroid being a vertical axis, a light emitting/receiving device disposed at a position offset from a first focal point of the spheroid along the major axis, and a reflector disposed in vicinity of a second focal point of the spheroid. The optical cover has an effective detection area between the light emitting/receiving device and the reflector. The effective detection area satisfies a total internal reflection condition at an interface with a gas, and does not satisfy the total internal reflection condition at an interface with a liquid. The reflector reflects, towards a light receiving surface of the light emitting/receiving device, light totally reflected by the effective detection area, or reflects, towards the effective detection area, light directly incident on the reflector from the light emitting/receiving device.

Abstract: A sensor circuit includes an illuminance sensor to detect illuminance of ambient light; and a proximity sensor to drive a light emitter, and to detect proximity of an object, based on an intensity of light emitted by the emitter and reflected on the object. The sensor circuit further includes at least one terminal among: a drive terminal for driving the light emitter; a detection result output terminal used for outputting a detection result of one of the sensors; an input/output terminal used for inputting and outputting data compliant with a communication protocol; and a clock terminal used for inputting a clock signal compliant with the communication protocol, and a writable nonvolatile memory in which trimming data for correcting an individual variation of a characteristic of the sensor circuit is to be written. The trimming data input from at least one of the terminal is written in the memory.

Abstract: A proximity sensor for detecting proximity of an object, by sensing reflected light coming from an object on which a light emission pulse is reflected, the proximity sensor includes: a converter circuit configured to convert a current output from a photodetector sensing the reflected light into a voltage, and to output the voltage, magnitude of the current depending on a degree of the proximity of the object; a differential converter circuit configured to convert the voltage output by the converter circuit into a differential voltage, and to output the differential voltage; and a correlated double sampling circuit having a differential configuration, and configured to subtract a value of the differential voltage output by the differential converter circuit, sampled at falling of the light emission pulse, from a value of the differential voltage sampled at rising of the light emission pulse.

Abstract: A sensor circuit includes an illuminance sensor to detect illuminance of ambient light; and a proximity sensor to drive a light emitter, and to detect proximity of an object, based on an intensity of light emitted by the emitter and reflected on the object. The sensor circuit further includes at least one terminal among: a drive terminal for driving the light emitter; a detection result output terminal used for outputting a detection result of one of the sensors; an input/output terminal used for inputting and outputting data compliant with a communication protocol; and a clock terminal used for inputting a clock signal compliant with the communication protocol, and a writable nonvolatile memory in which trimming data for correcting an individual variation of a characteristic of the sensor circuit is to be written. The trimming data input from at least one of the terminal is written in the memory.

Abstract: A proximity sensor for detecting proximity of an object, by sensing reflected light coming from an object on which a light emission pulse is reflected, the proximity sensor includes: a converter circuit configured to convert a current output from a photodetector sensing the reflected light into a voltage, and to output the voltage, magnitude of the current depending on a degree of the proximity of the object; a differential converter circuit configured to convert the voltage output by the converter circuit into a differential voltage, and to output the differential voltage; and a correlated double sampling circuit having a differential configuration, and configured to subtract a value of the differential voltage output by the differential converter circuit, sampled at falling of the light emission pulse, from a value of the differential voltage sampled at rising of the light emission pulse.

Abstract: A syringe receptacle includes a base portion including a communication hole formed such that an injection needle of a syringe is insertable; a container airtightly provided on the base portion; a space forming portion provided on the base portion and forming a space which is connected to the communication hole and an inside of the container; a first valve portion provided between the communication hole and the space, and configured to restrict a movement of a fluid from the space to the communication hole; and a second valve portion provided between the space and the inside of the container, and configured to restrict a movement from the inside of the container to the space.

Abstract: A syringe receptacle includes a base portion including a communication hole formed such that an injection needle of a syringe is insertable; a container airtightly provided on the base portion; a space forming portion provided on the base portion and forming a space which is connected to the communication hole and an inside of the container; a first valve portion provided between the communication hole and the space, and configured to restrict a movement of a fluid from the space to the communication hole; and a second valve portion provided between the space and the inside of the container, and configured to restrict a movement from the inside of the container to the space.

Abstract: An optical sensor includes a first light-receiving element with one of a first polygonal ring shape and a first circular ring shape, a second light-receiving element with one of a second polygonal ring shape and a second circular ring shape, the second light-receiving element being provided separately from the first light-receiving element and concentrically with the first light-receiving element, and a subtraction device configured to conduct subtraction between an output from the first light-receiving element and an output from the second light-receiving element.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor integrated circuit for an optical sensor for receiving environmental light through a cover member that attenuates visible light and transmits infrared light and a collecting lens, performing luminosity factor correction based on an amount of received light, and detecting an illuminance, wherein the semiconductor integrated circuit includes a first light receiving element having a first spectral property; a second light receiving element having a second spectral property; and a luminosity factor correction unit configured to perform the luminosity factor correction according to output of the first light receiving element and output of the second light receiving element, wherein the luminosity factor correction unit includes an AD conversion unit performed by time division on the output of the first light receiving element and the output of the second light receiving element, and a calculating unit subtracting digital signals obtained by the conversion.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor integrated circuit for an optical sensor for receiving environmental light through a cover member that attenuates visible light and transmits infrared light and a collecting lens, performing luminosity factor correction based on an amount of received light, and detecting an illuminance, wherein the semiconductor integrated circuit includes a first light receiving element having a first spectral property; a second light receiving element having a second spectral property; and a luminosity factor correction unit configured to perform the luminosity factor correction according to output of the first light receiving element and output of the second light receiving element, wherein the luminosity factor correction unit includes an AD conversion unit performed by time division on the output of the first light receiving element and the output of the second light receiving element, and a calculating unit subtracting digital signals obtained by the conversion.