US 12,066,573 B2
Optoelectronic sensor and method for detecting an object
Siegfried Ringwald, Waldkirch (DE)
Assigned to SICK AG, Waldkirch (DE)
Filed by SICK AG, Waldkirch (DE)
Filed on Dec. 3, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/111,322.
Prior Publication US 2021/0173051 A1, Jun. 10, 2021
Int. Cl. G01S 7/48 (2006.01); G01S 7/481 (2006.01); G01S 7/495 (2006.01); G01S 17/10 (2020.01); G01S 17/894 (2020.01)
CPC G01S 7/4817 (2013.01) [G01S 7/495 (2013.01); G01S 17/10 (2013.01); G01S 17/894 (2020.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An optoelectronic sensor for detecting an object in a monitored zone, the optoelectronic sensor comprising:
at least one light source for transmitting transmitted light;
a beam splitter arrangement arranged downstream of the light source for splitting the transmitted light into a plurality of transmitted light beams separated from one another;
transmission optics for projecting the transmitted light beams into the monitored zone to produce separate, spaced light spots when they hit an object in the monitored zone;
a light receiver having a reception optics arranged upstream for generating received signals from light beams remitted at the object; and
a control and evaluation unit for acquiring information on the object from the received signals that is configured to determine a distance of the object from a time of flight between the transmission of the transmitted light beams and the reception of the remitted light beams,
wherein the beam splitter arrangement has at least one input for receiving the transmitted light from the light source, a plurality of outputs for transmitting the transmitted light beams, a plurality of switchable beam splitters for splitting the transmitted light over the outputs, and a beam splitter control for controlling the switchable beam splitters,
and wherein the switchable beam splitters are configured for a simultaneous splitting of the transmitted light over at least two outputs of the beam splitter arrangement.