Optoelectronic sensor and method for detecting objects in a surveillance area

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a monitoring area of an optoelectronic sensor to be enlarged.SOLUTION: An optoelectronic sensor 10 for detecting objects within a monitoring region 20 in the number of scanning planes exceeding one scanning plane comprises: a light emitter 12 that emits a light beam 16; a drive section 28 that generates a rotational motion; a deflection unit 18 that is rotatable centering around a rotary shaft 30 by the drive section 28 for periodically changing the light beam 16; tilting units 42b and 44 that are coupled to the drive section 28 for tilting the deflection unit 18 together with the rotational motion; a light receiver 26 for generating a light reception signal from a diffused emission or reflected light beam 22 in the monitoring area; and an evaluation unit 52 that is adapted so as to detect objects on the basis of the light reception signal. Further, the tilting units 42b and 44 include a profile wheel 44, and the profile wheel is engaged with a guide element 48 of the deflection unit 18. The profile wheel 44 is coupled to the drive section 28 via a decelerator 42, and is rotated at a fixed deceleration ratio together with the rotational motion of the drive section 28.