Unique optical system gives sensor the edge in bottle counting applications

Citation

(1999), "Unique optical system gives sensor the edge in bottle counting applications", Sensor Review, Vol. 19 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/sr.1999.08719bad.006

Unique optical system gives sensor the edge in bottle counting applications

Unique optical system gives sensor the edge in bottle counting applications

Keywords Production, Sensors

Omron has developed a new sensor designed to allow reliable counting of bottles on production lines ­ an application which can be extremely difficult to solve with conventional retroreflective sensors because bottles can be very close together.

Omron has overcome the problem of bottles being tightly spaced on the line by developing a sensor which combines a unique coaxial optical system with a hyperLED light source and a specially designed reflector. The E3S-CR ensures reliable detection of narrow gaps between lined-up bottles in even the most arduous of environmental conditions (see Plate 5).

Plate 5 Omron's new E3S-CR sensor employs a unique coaxial optical system with a hyper-LED light source and specially designed reflector to ensure reliable detection of narrow gaps between bottles

Conventional retroreflective sensors employ a double lens optical system, where only part of the light emitted from one lens is ever received by the other. In contrast, the E3S-CR employs a coaxial optical system, using the same lens for light emission and detection. At the same time, a specially designed reflector ensures light is turned back through 180° very sharply, so that the maximum amount of light is received, guaranteeing stable detection. To further ensure reliable operation on bottling lines where bottles are very tightly spaced, the E3S-CR employs a hyper-LED light source. In contrast with conventional surface emission LEDs which have a wide angle of light diffusion, resulting in extreme loss ­ and hence unstable detection ­ when a narrow beam is required, the hyper-LED produces a powerful, pin point beam of 5mm in diameter to detect narrow gaps between bottles at 200mm sensing distance.

The E3S-CR uses a visible red LED for simple set up, and employs a two-turn endless potentiometer for easy sensitivity adjustment.

Further information from Iain Fitzsimons, Omron Electronics, Tel: +44 (0)181 450 4646; Fax: +44 (0)181 450 8087.