OPTICAL DETECTING APPARATUS

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical detecting apparatus consuming little power and having a long service life. SOLUTION: This apparatus includes: a time measuring means 32 for measuring the scanning times of light-emitting elements and light-receiving elements or the number of scans; a detecting means 31 for detecting whether or not an object blocking light is present; means 31, 34 for increasing the stopping period of scans by a certain time from the end of one scan to the start of the next scan while holding one scanning time constant for all of the plural pairs of light-emitting elements and light-receiving elements when no object blocking light is detected by the detecting means within a predetermined time or a predetermined number of scans; and means 31, 34 for restoring the increased stopping period of scans to the original stopping period of scans when an object blocking light is detected.