JP7617564B2 - Proximity sensor and wiring device including same - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to a proximity sensor and a wiring device including the same. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a proximity sensor that detects the approach of an object to be detected, and a wiring device including the same.

Patent Document 1 discloses a proximity sensor that includes a light-emitting unit, a light-receiving unit, and a window member. The window member is provided in front of the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit. Detection light emitted by the light-emitting unit is emitted to the outside through the window member. Reflected light of the detection light from the detected object passes through the window member and enters the light-receiving unit.

JP 2017-68999 A

In the proximity sensor of Patent Document 1, if a portion of the light emitted from the light-emitting portion is totally reflected by the outer peripheral surface of the window member, the light totally reflected by the outer peripheral surface may enter the light-receiving portion, causing crosstalk. If such crosstalk occurs, the sensitivity of the proximity sensor may decrease.

The objective of this disclosure is to provide a proximity sensor that suppresses a decrease in sensitivity, and a wiring device equipped with the same.

A proximity sensor according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a detection unit and a light guide member. The detection unit includes a light emitting unit that emits light, and a light receiving unit that outputs an electrical signal according to the incident light. The light guide member has a first region facing the light emitting unit and a second region facing the light receiving unit on a first surface facing the detection unit, and a third region on a second surface opposite the first surface. The first region and the second region are provided along an arrangement direction in which the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit are arranged. The light guide member guides light incident from the first region to the third region and emits it to the outside from the third region, and guides reflected light by a detection target incident from the third region to the second region and emits it from the second region to the light receiving unit. The light guide member has a first end and a second end located on both sides of the detection unit in the arrangement direction. A light guide is provided on at least one of the first end and the second end. The light guiding section includes at least one of a first protrusion protruding along the arrangement direction and a second protrusion protruding toward the detection section. The light guiding member further has a fourth region different from each of the first region, the second region, and the third region. The light guiding section guides a portion of the light traveling inside the light guiding member toward the first surface to the fourth region and emits the light to the outside from the fourth region.
A proximity sensor according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes a detection unit and a light guide member. The detection unit has a light emitting unit that emits light, and a light receiving unit that outputs an electrical signal according to the incident light. The light guide member has a first region facing the light emitting unit and a second region facing the light receiving unit on a first surface facing the detection unit, and a third region on a second surface opposite the first surface. The first and second regions are provided along an arrangement direction in which the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit are aligned. The light guide member guides the light incident from the first region to the third region and emits it to the outside from the third region, and guides the reflected light by the detection object that is incident from the third region to the second region and emits it from the second region to the light receiving unit. The light-guiding member is provided with at least a detection unit side protrusion protruding toward the detection unit, and an outward protrusion protruding from the detection unit side protrusion in the opposite direction to the detection unit in the arrangement direction, at least on one of a first end and a second end located on either side of the detection unit in the arrangement direction.
A proximity sensor according to yet another aspect of the present disclosure includes a detection unit and a light guide member. The detection unit has a light emitting unit that emits light, and a light receiving unit that outputs an electrical signal according to the incident light. The light guide member has a first region facing the light emitting unit and a second region facing the light receiving unit on a first surface facing the detection unit, and a third region on a second surface opposite the first surface. The first and second regions are provided along an arrangement direction in which the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit are arranged. The light guide member guides light incident from the first region to the third region and emits it to the outside from the third region, and guides reflected light by a detection object incident from the third region to the second region and emits it from the second region to the light receiving unit. The light guide member is provided with at least one of a first protrusion protruding along the arrangement direction and a second protrusion protruding toward the detection unit on at least one of a first end and a second end located on both sides of the detection unit in the arrangement direction. A lens having positive power is provided in the first region, the lens having a convex surface protruding toward the light-emitting portion, and the optical axis of the light-emitting portion is shifted from the position where the curvature of the convex surface is minimum.

The wiring device of one embodiment of the present disclosure includes the proximity sensor and a control unit that controls the device based on the detection result of the detection unit.

This disclosure makes it possible to suppress the decrease in sensitivity.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a wiring device including a proximity sensor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the wiring device. FIG. 3 is a bottom view of a light guide member included in the proximity sensor. FIG. 4 is a rear view of the light guide member. FIG. 5 is an external perspective view of the light guide member. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the wiring device. FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of part A in FIG. FIG. 8 is an external perspective view of the wiring device. FIG. 9 is a front view of the wiring device. FIG. 10 is a rear view of the wiring device. FIG. 11 is a rear view of an outer cover provided in the wiring device. FIG. 12 is a bottom view of a light guide member included in the proximity sensor of the first modified example. FIG. 13 is an external perspective view of a light guide member included in the proximity sensor of the second modification. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a light-guiding member included in the proximity sensor of the second modification.

(Embodiment)
(1) Overview Each drawing described in the following embodiments is a schematic drawing, and the ratio of sizes and thicknesses of each component in each drawing does not necessarily reflect the actual dimensional ratio.

The proximity sensor 10 of this embodiment is used to detect a detection target such as a human body or an object. In the following, an example will be described in which the detection target of the proximity sensor 10 is a human body, but the detection target of the proximity sensor 10 is not limited to a human body and may be an object, etc.

As shown in FIG. 1, the proximity sensor 10 includes a detection unit 20 and a light-guiding member 30.

As shown in FIG. 2, the detection unit 20 has a light-emitting unit 21 that emits light and a light-receiving unit 22 that outputs an electrical signal according to the incident light.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 to FIG. 7, the light guide member 30 has a first region 31 facing the light emitter 21 and a second region 32 facing the light receiver 22 on the first surface 30A facing the detection unit 20. The light guide member 30 has a third region 33 on the second surface 30B opposite to the first surface 30A. The first region 31 and the second region 32 are provided along the arrangement direction DR1 (see FIG. 7) in which the light emitter 21 and the light receiver 22 are arranged. The light guide member 30 guides the light incident from the first region 31 to the third region 33 and emits it to the outside from the third region 33. The light guide member 30 guides the reflected light by the detection object B1 (see FIG. 6) incident from the third region 33 to the second region 32 and emits it from the second region 32 to the light receiver 22. C1 in FIG. 6 shows an example of an optical path in which light emitted from the light-emitting unit 21 is emitted to the space A1 via the light-guiding member 30 and strikes the detection object B1, and the light reflected by the detection object B1 passes through the light-guiding member 30 and enters the light-receiving unit 22.

The light-guiding member 30 is provided with at least one of a first protrusion 41 and a second protrusion 42 on at least one of a first end 301 and a second end 302 located on both sides of the detection unit 20 in the array direction DR1. The first protrusion 41 protrudes from at least one of the first end 301 and the second end 302 along the array direction DR1. The second protrusion 42 protrudes from at least one of the first end 301 and the second end 302 toward the detection unit 20.

Here, the first region 31 "facing" the light-emitting unit 21 is not limited to being directly facing the light-emitting unit 21, and the first region 31 may be facing the light-emitting unit 21 through one or more light-transmitting members having translucency. Similarly, the second region 32 "facing" the light-receiving unit 22 is not limited to being directly facing the light-receiving unit 22, and the second region 32 may be facing the light-receiving unit 22 through one or more light-transmitting members having translucency. In addition, the detection target B1 is a part of a human body (e.g., a hand) that exists within the detection range of the proximity sensor 10 in the space A1 to which the third region 33 faces. The detection target B1 is not limited to being a part of a human body, and may be a movable object. The third region 33 is not limited to being directly facing the space A1 in which the detection target B1 exists, and may be facing the space A1 through one or more light-transmitting members having translucency. Further, the second protrusion 42 protruding toward the detection unit 20 means that the second protrusion 42 protrudes in a direction approaching the detection unit 20 in the direction in which the light-guiding member 30 and the detection unit 20 are aligned.

1 and 3 to 7, the first end 301 and the second end 302 are each provided with a light guide section 40 including a first protrusion 41 and a second protrusion 42. Here, the light guide section 40 has a function of guiding noise light traveling inside the light guide member 30 toward the first surface 30A to the fourth region 34 and emitting it to the outside from the fourth region 34, and the fourth region 34 includes at least a part of the surface of the light guide section 40 provided at both the first end 301 and the second end 302. The noise light includes light (for example, light passing through optical paths C3 and C4 in FIG. 7) that is reflected by the second surface 30B or a side surface of the light guide member 30 and travels toward the first surface 30A, among the emitted light of the light emitting section 21 that enters the inside of the light guide member 30 from the first region 31. The noise light is light that enters the light guide member 30 from the third region 33 and travels toward the first surface 30A, and includes light other than the reflected light from the detection target B1 (for example, light passing through the optical path C2 in FIG. 7). In the following embodiment, the light guide unit 40 includes the first light guide unit 40A provided at the first end 301 and the second light guide unit 40B provided at the second end 302, but the light guide unit 40 may be provided at only one of the first end 301 and the second end 302. In other words, in the following embodiment, the light guide member 30 is provided with at least one of the first protrusion 41 and the second protrusion 42 at each of the first end 301 and the second end 302, but at least one of the first protrusion 41 and the second protrusion 42 may be provided at only one of the first end 301 and the second end 302.

The following description will be given using an example in which the proximity sensor 10 is applied to a wiring device 1 that is installed on a wall of a facility, etc.

The wiring device 1 includes a proximity sensor 10 and a control unit 50 (see FIG. 2) that controls the device 3 based on the detection result of the detection unit 20.

Here, the "control" of device 3 may be a control to switch between a power supply state in which power is supplied to device 3 and a power supply stop state in which power supply to device 3 is stopped, or the operating state of device 3 may be controlled by transmitting a control signal to device 3 via wired or wireless communication.

According to the proximity sensor 10 of this embodiment, when a part of the light emitted from the light emitting unit 21 enters the inside of the light guide member 30 from the first region 31 and is then reflected by the inner surface of the light guide member 30, a part of the light reflected by the inner surface of the light guide member 30 is guided to the first protrusion 41 or the second protrusion 42 and is emitted to the outside from the first protrusion 41 or the second protrusion 42. In addition, a part of the light that enters the inside of the light guide member 30 from the third region 33, other than the reflected light by the detection target B1, is guided to the first protrusion 41 or the second protrusion 42 and is emitted to the outside from the first protrusion 41 or the second protrusion 42. Therefore, of the noise light traveling inside the light guide member 30 toward the first surface 30A, the light that enters the light receiving unit 22 through the second region can be reduced, and there is an advantage that the deterioration of the sensitivity of the proximity sensor 10 can be suppressed by suppressing erroneous detection due to crosstalk or noise light entering from the outside.

(2) Details The proximity sensor 10 according to the present embodiment and the wiring device 1 including the proximity sensor 10 will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, in FIG. 1, the X-axis direction is defined as the left-right direction, the Y-axis direction is defined as the front-rear direction (depth direction), and the Z-axis direction is defined as the up-down direction. Furthermore, the positive direction in the X-axis direction is defined as the right side, the positive direction in the Y-axis direction is defined as the front side, and the positive direction in the Z-axis direction is defined as the top side. However, these directions are merely examples and are not intended to limit the directions in which the proximity sensor and the wiring device are used. Furthermore, the arrows indicating the respective directions in the drawings are merely indicated for the purpose of explanation and do not have any substance.

(2.1) Configuration First, the internal circuit of the wiring device 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the wiring device 1 of the present embodiment.

As described above, the wiring device 1 includes a proximity sensor 10 (see FIG. 1) and a control unit 50. The wiring device 1 further includes a pair of first terminals T11, T12, a pair of second terminals T21, T22, a switch 51, a display unit 52, a brightness sensor 53, a temperature sensor 54, and a power supply unit 55.

A power source 2, such as a commercial AC power source, is connected to the pair of first terminals T11 and T12 via an electric wire.

A device 3 such as a lighting fixture is connected to the pair of second terminals T21 and T22 via an electric wire.

The power supply unit 55 steps down the AC voltage input via the first terminals T11 and T12, then rectifies and smooths it to convert it into a DC voltage of a predetermined voltage value. The power supply unit 55 supplies the voltage required for operation to the internal circuits such as the detection unit 20, the control unit 50, the display unit 52, the brightness sensor 53, and the temperature sensor 54.

The switch 51 includes a semiconductor switch such as a MOSFET (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor) or a three-terminal thyristor, and is controlled to be turned on or off by the control unit 50. The switch 51 is electrically connected between the second terminal T22 and the first terminal T12. The first terminal T11 and the second terminal T21 are also electrically connected via an internal conductive member. As a result, the power source 2 and the device 3 are connected in series between both ends of the switch 51, and the on/off of the switch 51 switches between a power supply state in which power is supplied to the device 3 and a power supply stop state in which the power supply to the device 3 is cut off.

The detection unit 20 includes a light emitting unit 21, a light receiving unit 22, and a detection circuit 23.

The light-emitting unit 21 has, for example, an infrared light-emitting diode that emits light in the infrared region. The light-emitting unit 21 may be configured, for example, to emit infrared light constantly, or may be configured to emit infrared light at predetermined time intervals. The light emitted by the light-emitting unit 21 is emitted into the space A1 via the light-guiding member 30 and the translucent cover 60 (see FIG. 1).

The light receiving unit 22 has, for example, a photodiode that is sensitive to light in the infrared region. When light emitted from the second region 32 of the light-guiding member 30 enters the light receiving unit 22, the light receiving unit 22 converts the incident light into an electrical signal and outputs it to the detection circuit 23. The light receiving unit 22 outputs an electrical signal to the detection circuit 23 at a voltage level according to the amount of light received.

The detection circuit 23 detects the presence or absence of a detection object B1 (e.g., a part of a human body) based on the electrical signal input from the light receiving unit 22. When the voltage level of the electrical signal output by the light receiving unit 22 exceeds a predetermined threshold, the detection circuit 23 outputs a detection signal indicating the presence of the detection object B1 to the control unit 50. On the other hand, if the voltage level of the electrical signal output by the light receiving unit 22 is equal to or lower than the predetermined threshold, the detection unit 20 outputs a detection signal indicating the absence of the detection object B1 to the control unit 50.

The display unit 52 includes two light-emitting diodes 521 , 522 (see FIG. 1). When the device 3, which is a lighting fixture, is turned off, the control unit 50 lights up the two light-emitting diodes 521 , 522 , thereby causing the protrusion 61 of the light-transmitting cover 60 to emit light. As a result, even in a dark environment, the protrusion 61 shines brightly, allowing the user to grasp the position of the protrusion 61 (i.e., the position of the wiring fixture 1).

The brightness sensor 53 is sensitive to light in the near-infrared region. The brightness sensor 53 has, for example, a photodiode, detects the brightness of the space A1, and outputs the detection result to the control unit 50.

The temperature sensor 54 detects the temperature around the wiring device 1. The temperature sensor 54 has a temperature-sensing element such as a thermistor. The temperature sensor 54 detects the temperature of the detection unit 20, for example, and outputs the detection result to the control unit 50.

The control unit 50 mainly comprises a computer system having one or more processors and a memory. The functions of the control unit 50 are realized by the processor of the computer system executing a program recorded in the memory of the computer system. The program may be recorded in the memory, or may be provided via a telecommunications line such as the Internet, or may be recorded on a non-transitory recording medium such as a memory card and provided.

The control unit 50 controls the on/off of the switch 51 based on the detection result of the detection unit 20. Furthermore, the control unit 50 turns off the light-emitting diodes 521 and 522 when the switch 51 is on (i.e., when the lighting fixture is on), and turns on the light-emitting diodes 521 and 522 when the switch 51 is off (i.e., when the lighting fixture is off).

The control unit 50 also has a function of adjusting the threshold of the detection circuit 23 according to the detection results of the brightness sensor 53 and the temperature sensor 54. Here, the threshold of the detection circuit 23 can be switched between two levels: a first threshold and a second threshold higher than the first threshold.

The control unit 50 controls the device 3 based on the detection results of the detection unit 20 and the brightness sensor 53. Specifically, when the brightness detected by the brightness sensor 53 is darker than a predetermined first reference value, the control unit 50 sets the threshold of the detection circuit 23 to the first threshold. When the brightness detected by the brightness sensor 53 is equal to or brighter than the first reference value, the control unit 50 sets the threshold of the detection circuit 23 to the second threshold. When the surrounding brightness is equal to or brighter than the first reference value, the threshold of the detection circuit 23 is set to the second threshold higher than the first threshold, so that erroneous detection by the detection circuit 23 due to external light (e.g., sunlight, etc.) can be suppressed.

The control unit 50 controls the device 3 based on the detection results of the detection unit 20 and the temperature sensor 54. Specifically, when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 54 is lower than a predetermined second reference value, the control unit 50 sets the threshold of the detection circuit 23 to the first threshold. When the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 54 is equal to or greater than the second reference value, the control unit 50 sets the threshold of the detection circuit 23 to the second threshold. The output of the detection circuit 23 tends to increase with an increase in temperature, but when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 54 is equal to or greater than the second reference value, the threshold of the detection circuit 23 is set to the second threshold, which is higher than the first threshold, thereby suppressing erroneous detection by the detection circuit 23.

Next, the structure of the wiring device 1 will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 11.

The wiring device 1 further includes a case 70 having a body 71 and a cover 72, and a front panel 90. The wiring device 1 is attached to a wall 200 (see FIG. 6) of a facility using a mounting frame 100 made of synthetic resin, for example.

The mounting frame 100 is, for example, a mounting frame for wide handle type switches standardized by the Japanese Industrial Standards. A rectangular window hole 101 is provided in the center of the mounting frame 100, and the case 70 of the wiring device 1 is fitted into this window hole 101. The mounting frame 100 has a pair of side walls 102 on both the left and right sides of the window hole 101. A total of eight fitting holes 103 are provided in each of the pair of side walls 102 at intervals in the longitudinal direction (up and down direction). In addition, mounting pieces 104 are provided on both the top and bottom sides of the window hole 101. In the center of each mounting piece 104, a long hole 105 is provided through which a screw is inserted to fix the mounting frame 100 to a switch box embedded in the wall 200. In each mounting piece 104, two round holes 106 are provided at intervals in the left and right direction on the opposite side of the long hole 105 from the window hole 101. Each mounting piece 104 has a screw hole 107 between the two round holes 106 for attaching a rectangular plate frame that covers the front surface of the mounting frame 100. The plate frame has a rectangular window hole through which the front panel 90 is exposed.

The mounting frame 100 is fixed to a switch box embedded in the wall 200 with screws passed through the long holes 105, or to a wall such as plasterboard using clamping metal fittings. The mounting frame 100 can also be fixed to a wooden wall with tapping screws passed through the round holes 106. The plate frame is placed in front of the mounting frame 100, and the plate frame is fixed to the mounting frame 100 by screwing the screws passed through the holes in the plate frame into the screw holes 107. The plate frame is not shown in FIG. 1.

The case 70 is formed into a rectangular box shape by joining a body 71 and a cover 72.

The body 71 constitutes the rear of the case 70. The body 71 is formed, for example, from synthetic resin in the shape of a rectangular box with an opening on the front. Two electric wire insertion holes 75 into which electric wires are inserted are provided on each of the left and right sides of the rear surface of the body 71 (see FIG. 10). Of each pair of electric wire insertion holes 75 provided on the left and right sides of the rear surface of the body 71, two electric wires connected to the first terminals T11 and T12 are inserted into the two electric wire insertion holes 75 on one side, and two electric wires connected to the second terminals T21 and T22 are inserted into the remaining two electric wire insertion holes 75.

The cover 72 constitutes the front part of the case 70. The cover 72 is formed, for example, from synthetic resin, in the shape of a rectangular box with an opening on the rear surface. A square window hole 76 is provided in the center of the front surface of the cover 72 to expose the third region 33 of the light guide member 30. The left and right side walls of the cover 72 are provided with two protrusions 77, which are fitted into two fitting holes 103 provided in the center in the vertical direction on the left and right side walls 102 of the mounting frame 100, respectively.

The upper and lower walls of the cover 72 each have a pair of protruding pieces 74 that protrude rearward from both left and right ends. Meanwhile, the upper and lower walls of the body 71 each have a pair of projections 73. The body 71 and cover 72 are butted together in the front-to-rear direction and the projections 73 of the body 71 are fitted into the holes of the protruding pieces 74 of the cover 72, whereby the body 71 and cover 72 are joined together to assemble the case 70.

The case 70 contains components such as a first substrate 81, a second substrate 82, and a light guide member 30. The second substrate 82 is contained within the case 70 so as to be located behind the first substrate 81.

Components such as the detection unit 20, the control unit 50, the display unit 52, the brightness sensor 53, and the temperature sensor 54 are mounted on the first board 81. The detection unit 20 is mounted at a position corresponding to the window hole 76 of the cover 72. The light-emitting unit 21 and the light-receiving unit 22 of the detection unit 20 are aligned along an arrangement direction DR1, which is the left-right direction. The first board 81 is provided with an elongated hole 83 on the right side of the detection unit 20, and a round hole 84 on the left side of the detection unit 20. The display unit 52 includes, for example, two light-emitting diodes 521 , 522 that emit green light, and the two light-emitting diodes 521 , 522 are arranged one above and one below the detection unit 20.

The second board 82 is mounted with components such as the first terminals T11, T12, the second terminals T21, T22, and the power supply unit 55. The first terminals T11, T12 and the second terminals T21, T22 are disposed at positions corresponding to two pairs of wire insertion holes 75 provided on the rear surface of the body 71.

The light guide member 30 is accommodated inside the case 70 so as to be located in front of the detection unit 20 and the two light emitting diodes 521 and 522 .

3 and 5, the light guide member 30 includes a rectangular parallelepiped main portion 300 and two light guide portions 40 (first light guide portion 40A and second light guide portion 40B) provided at a first end portion 301 on the right side of the main portion 300 and a second end portion 302 on the left side of the main portion 300. The first end portion 301 and the second end portion 302 of the light guide member 30 are located on both sides of the detection portion 20 in the arrangement direction DR1. The light guide portion 40 is provided at least on one of the first end portion 301 and the second end portion 302, and guides noise light traveling inside the light guide member 30 toward the first surface 30A to the fourth region 34 and emits it from the fourth region 34 to the outside.

The first surface 30A, which is the rear surface of the main part 300, is provided with a first area 31 in an area facing the light emitting part 21 of the detection unit 20, into which light from the light emitting part 21 is incident.

The first surface 30A of the main part 300 is provided with a second region 32 in an area facing the light receiving part 22 of the detection part 20, and light emitted from inside the light guide member 30 to the outside through the second region 32 is incident on the light receiving part 22. The first region 31 and the second region 32 are provided along the array direction DR1 on the first surface 30A. Here, the second region 32 is provided with a light collecting part 321 that collects light passing through the second region on the light receiving part 22. The light collecting part 321 includes a convex lens-shaped collecting lens that protrudes toward the light receiving part 22. Note that the light collecting part 321 is not limited to one including a convex lens-shaped collecting lens, and may be a lens in a Fresnel lens shape.

In addition, two light incident surfaces 35 , 36 are provided on the rear surface of the main part 300 on both sides of the first region 31 and the second region 32 in a direction (up-down direction) perpendicular to the arrangement direction DR1. The two light incident surfaces 35 , 36 face two light emitting diodes 521 , 522 mounted on the first substrate 81, respectively. Light emitted from each of the two light emitting diodes 521 , 522 passes through the light incident surfaces 35 , 36 and enters the inside of the light guiding member 30, passes through the inside of the light guiding member 30, is guided to the third region 33, and is emitted from the third region 33 to the outside. The light of the light emitting diode 521 emitted from the third region 33 is emitted to the space A1 through the translucent cover 60, so that a user present in the space A1 can confirm the light of the light emitting diodes 521 , 522 emitted through the translucent cover 60.

The front surface of the main part 300 is formed in a rectangular shape, and the front surface of the main part 300 becomes the third region 33. The front end of the main part 300 is exposed forward from the window hole 76 of the cover 72. The third region 33 on the front surface of the main part 300 faces the rear surface of the translucent cover 60, and the light-guiding member 30 faces the space A1 via the translucent cover 60.

The light guide 40 (first light guide 40A) provided at the first end 301 includes a first protrusion 41 that protrudes rightward from the first end 301 along the arrangement direction DR1, and a second protrusion 42 that protrudes from the rear of the first protrusion 41 toward the detection unit 20 (i.e., rearward). The light guide 40 provided at the first end 301 further includes a third protrusion 43 that protrudes from the second protrusion 42 in the arrangement direction DR1 in the opposite direction to the detection unit 20 (i.e., rightward). A rectangular parallelepiped fitting protrusion 45 that protrudes downward is provided on the underside of the light guide 40 provided at the first end 301.

The light guide 40 (second light guide 40B) provided at the second end 302 includes a first protrusion 41 that protrudes leftward from the second end 302 along the arrangement direction DR1, and a second protrusion 42 that protrudes from the rear of the first protrusion 41 toward the detection unit 20 (i.e., rearward). The light guide 40 provided at the second end 302 further includes a third protrusion 43 that protrudes from the second protrusion 42 in the arrangement direction DR1 in the opposite direction to the detection unit 20 (i.e., leftward). A cylindrical engagement protrusion 46 that protrudes downward is provided on the lower surface of the light guide 40 provided at the second end 302 (i.e., the lower surfaces of the second protrusion 42 and the third protrusion 43).

As described above, the light guide section 40 includes the first protrusion 41 that protrudes from both the first end 301 and the second end 302 along the array direction DR1, but the first protrusion 41 may be provided on only one of the first end 301 and the second end 302. In other words, it is sufficient for the light guide section 40 to include the first protrusion 41 that protrudes from at least one of the first end 301 and the second end 302 along the array direction DR1, and the fourth region 34 includes at least a portion of the surface of the first protrusion 41.

Although the light guide 40 includes the second protrusion 42 protruding from both the first end 301 and the second end 302 toward the detection unit 20, the second protrusion 42 may be provided only on one of the first end 301 and the second end 302. In other words, the light guide 40 only needs to include the second protrusion 42 protruding from at least one of the first end 301 and the second end 302 toward the detection unit 20, and the fourth region 34 includes at least a part of the surface of the second protrusion 42. In other words, the light guide member 30 may only have the second protrusion 42 provided on at least one of the first end 301 and the second end 302.

In addition, in this embodiment, the first end 301 and the second end 302 are provided with the first protrusion 41 and the second protrusion 42, respectively, and the first protrusion 41 and the second protrusion 42 are provided in a continuous manner, so that the noise light can escape from the first protrusion 41 to the second protrusion 42 and be emitted to the outside from the surface of the second protrusion 42. Note that in this embodiment, the first end 301 and the second end 302 are provided with the first protrusion 41 and the second protrusion 42, respectively, but the first protrusion 41 and the second protrusion 42 may be provided on at least one of the first end 301 and the second end 302.

The light guide unit 40 further includes a third protrusion 43 that protrudes from the second protrusion 42 in the opposite direction to the detection unit 20 in the array direction DR1. In other words, the light guide member 30 is provided with the second protrusion 42 and the third protrusion 43 at each of the first end 301 and the second end 302, and noise light can be allowed to escape from the second protrusion 42 to the third protrusion 43 and emitted to the outside from the surface of the third protrusion 43.

Here, with the fitting protrusion 45 inserted into the long hole 83 of the first substrate 81 and the fitting protrusion 46 inserted into the round hole 84 of the first substrate 81, the light guide member 30 is fixed to the front surface of the first substrate 81 by an appropriate method such as adhesion or pressure bonding. With the light guide member 30 fixed to the front surface of the first substrate 81, the light emitter 21 of the detection unit 20 faces the first region 31, and the light receiver 22 of the detection unit 20 faces the second region 32. In addition, the two light emitting diodes 521 , 522 are opposed to the two light incident surfaces 35 , 36 of the light guide member 30, respectively.

Light from the light-emitting unit 21 enters the light-guiding member 30 from the first region 31 and exits to the outside from the third region 33. When the light that has exited to the outside from the third region 33 is reflected by the detection object B1 present in the space A1 and enters the light-guiding member 30 from the third region 33, the light that entered the light-guiding member 30 is guided to the second region 32, exits to the outside from the second region 32, and enters the light-receiving unit 22.

The case 70 is inserted from the rear into the window hole 101 of the mounting frame 100, and the two protrusions 77 on the left and right side walls of the cover 72 are fitted into the two fitting holes 103 provided in the left and right side walls 102, thereby attaching the case 70 to the mounting frame 100. When the case 70 is attached to the mounting frame 100, the front part of the cover 72 protrudes forward from the window hole 101 of the mounting frame 100.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 9, the front panel 90 is made of synthetic resin and has a rectangular front surface. A square window hole 92 is provided in the center of the front surface of the front panel 90 at a position corresponding to the window hole 76 of the cover 72. As shown in Fig. 11, two hooks 91 are provided on the rear surface of the front panel 90, protruding rearward from both the left and right sides. The front panel 90 is attached to the front side of the cover 72 by hooking the left and right hooks 91 into the recesses 78 provided on the left and right sides of the cover 72, respectively.

A light-transmitting cover 60 (see FIG. 1) and a light-shielding portion 65 (see FIG. 1) are attached to the back surface of the front panel 90. In this embodiment, the proximity sensor 10 further includes a light-transmitting cover 60 that is disposed opposite the third region 33 of the light-guiding member 30. Since the light-transmitting cover 60 is disposed in front of the light-guiding member 30, the light-transmitting cover 60 can protect the light-guiding member 30.

The light-transmitting cover 60 is made of a synthetic resin having light-transmitting properties, such as polycarbonate resin or acrylic resin. The light-transmitting cover 60 is formed in a rectangular shape when viewed from the front. A platform-shaped protrusion 61 that is inserted into the window hole 92 of the front panel 90 is provided in the center of the front surface of the light-transmitting cover 60. In other words, the light-transmitting cover 60 has a protrusion 61 that protrudes in the opposite direction to the light-guiding member 30.

Here, the light-transmitting cover 60 is provided with a light diffusion section 611 that diffuses the light that passes through the light-transmitting cover 60. The light diffusion section 611 has, for example, a fine uneven shape formed on the surface of the protruding section 61, and the light that passes through the light-transmitting cover 60 can be diffused by the light diffusion section 611. The angle θ1 in FIG. 7 is the spread angle of the light emitted from the light-transmitting cover 60 when the light diffusion section 611 is not provided, and the angle θ2 in FIG. 7 is the spread angle of the light emitted from the light-transmitting cover 60 when the light diffusion section 611 is provided. When the light diffusion section 611 is not provided, the spread angle of the light emitted from the light-transmitting cover 60 becomes narrower, so that even if a hand is held near the wiring device 1, if the position of the hand is off the front of the protruding section 61, it becomes difficult for the detection section 20 to detect the hand. In contrast, in this embodiment, the protrusion 61 is provided with a light diffusion section 611, which has the advantage that the spread angle of the light emitted from the light-transmitting cover 60 can be increased, making it easier to detect the target human body (e.g., a hand).

The translucent cover 60 also has long holes 62 extending in the up-down direction on both the left and right sides of the protrusion 61.

The wiring device 1 further includes a light-shielding section 65 disposed on the opposite side of the light-guiding member 30 with respect to the light-transmitting cover 60. The light-shielding section 65 is formed in a rectangular plate shape from synthetic resin having a lower light-transmitting property than the front panel 90, and is formed in a black color that does not easily transmit visible light, for example. The light-shielding section 65 is disposed between the rear surface of the front panel 90 and the light-transmitting cover 60. A square through-hole 66 is provided in the center of the light-shielding section 65 to allow the protruding section 61 of the light-transmitting cover 60 to pass through. In other words, the protruding section 61 is inserted into the through-hole 66 provided in the light-shielding section 65. The light-shielding section 65 also has two through-holes 67 provided at positions corresponding to the two long holes 62 provided in the light-transmitting cover 60.

6 and 11, two protrusions 93 are provided on the back surface of the front panel 90 on both the left and right sides of the window hole 92, and the light-transmitting cover 60 and the light-shielding part 65 are attached to the back surface of the front panel 90 using the two protrusions 93. The light-shielding part 65 and the light-transmitting cover 60 are arranged on the back surface of the front panel 90 so that the through holes 67 and the long holes 62 are inserted into the two protrusions 93, respectively. Here, the light-shielding part 65 is arranged between the back surface of the front panel 90 and the light-transmitting cover 60. Then, the tips of the two protrusions 93 protruding from the back surface of the light-transmitting cover 60 are crushed by applying pressure or heat to the tips of the two protrusions 93 protruding from the back surface of the light-transmitting cover 60, thereby fixing the light-transmitting cover 60 and the light-shielding part 65 to the back surface of the front panel 90. When the light-transmitting cover 60 and the light-shielding part 65 are attached to the front panel 90, the front surface of the protrusion 61 of the light-transmitting cover 60 is exposed forward from the window hole 92 of the front panel 90.

(2.2) Description of Operation The operation of the wiring device 1 of the present embodiment will be described below.

The wiring device 1 of this embodiment is used to operate the device 3.

The light-emitting unit 21 of the proximity sensor 10 provided in the wiring device 1 emits light constantly or periodically, and the light emitted from the light-emitting unit 21 is irradiated into the space A1 via the light-guiding member 30 and the translucent cover 60.

In a power supply stop state in which power supply to the lighting device 3 is stopped, when a user brings his/her hand close to the protrusion 61 of the light-transmitting cover 60 exposed from the window hole 92 of the front panel 90, the reflected light reflected by the user's hand enters the light receiving unit 22 through the light-transmitting cover 60 and the light-guiding member 30. When the signal level of the voltage signal output from the light receiving unit 22 exceeds a threshold value, the detection circuit 23 outputs a detection signal indicating the presence of the detection target B1 to the control unit 50. At this time, the control unit 50 turns on the switch 51 based on the detection signal input from the detection circuit 23, switches to a power supply state in which power is supplied to the device 3, and lights up the lighting device 3. When the control unit 50 switches from the power supply stop state to the power supply state, it turns off the light-emitting diode 521 provided in the display unit 52.

In addition, when a user brings his/her hand close to the protrusion 61 of the light-transmitting cover 60 in a power supply state in which power is being supplied to the lighting device 3, the light reflected by the user's hand enters the light-receiving unit 22 through the light-transmitting cover 60 and the light-guiding member 30. When the signal level of the voltage signal output from the light-receiving unit 22 exceeds a threshold value, the detection circuit 23 outputs a detection signal indicating the presence of the detection target B1 to the control unit 50. At this time, the control unit 50 turns off the switch 51 based on the detection signal input from the detection circuit 23, switches to a power supply stop state in which the power supply to the device 3 is cut off, and turns off the lighting device 3. When the control unit 50 switches from the power supply state to the power supply stop state, the control unit 50 lights up the light-emitting diode 521 provided in the display unit 52.

In this embodiment, a light diffusion section 611 is provided on the protrusion 61 of the light-transmitting cover 60, thereby widening the spread angle of the light emitted from the light-transmitting cover 60 to the space A1 , thereby widening the range in which the detection object B1 can be detected, thereby improving usability.

In addition, by providing a lens with positive power in the first region 31 of the light-guiding member 30, the light passing through the first region 31 can be made closer to parallel light, and the light reflected inward by the second surface 30B of the light-guiding member 30 can be reduced, thereby suppressing the occurrence of crosstalk. In addition, by reducing the light reflected inward by the second surface 30B of the light-guiding member 30, the light emitted forward from the third region 33 is increased, so that even if the light spread angle is increased by the light diffusion section 611, the power of the light emitted from the light-transmitting cover 60 can be increased, which has the advantage of improving the detection sensitivity of the detection section 20.

In addition, since the light-concentrating section 321 is provided in the second region 32 of the light-guiding member 30, the power of the light incident on the light-receiving section 22 can be increased, which has the advantage of improving the detection sensitivity of the detection section 20.

In addition, a light-shielding section 65 is disposed between the front panel 90 and the light-transmitting cover 60, and the protruding section 61 of the light-transmitting cover 60 passes through a through-hole 66 of the light-shielding section 65 and protrudes forward. This allows the light-shielding section 65 to attenuate unnecessary noise light that has passed through the front panel 90 and entered the light-shielding section 65, thereby reducing the possibility of the noise light entering the light-guiding member 30 through the light-transmitting cover 60 and suppressing erroneous detection by the detection section 20.

(3) Modifications The above embodiment is merely one of various embodiments of the present disclosure. The above embodiment can be modified in various ways depending on the design and the like as long as the object of the present disclosure can be achieved.

Below, we will list some variations of the above embodiment. The variations described below can be applied in appropriate combinations.

The wiring device 1 in the present disclosure includes a computer system in the control unit 50, etc. The computer system is mainly composed of a processor and a memory as hardware. The function of the control unit 50 in the present disclosure is realized by the processor executing a program recorded in the memory of the computer system. The program may be pre-recorded in the memory of the computer system, may be provided through an electric communication line, or may be recorded and provided in a non-transitory recording medium such as a memory card, an optical disk, or a hard disk drive that can be read by the computer system. The processor of the computer system is composed of one or more electronic circuits including a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) or a large-scale integrated circuit (LSI). The integrated circuits such as IC or LSI referred to here are called differently depending on the degree of integration, and include integrated circuits called system LSI, VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration), or ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration). Furthermore, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) that is programmed after the manufacture of the LSI, or a logic device that can reconfigure the connection relationship inside the LSI or reconfigure the circuit partition inside the LSI, can also be adopted as a processor. The multiple electronic circuits may be integrated into one chip, or may be distributed across multiple chips. The multiple chips may be integrated into one device, or may be distributed across multiple devices. The computer system referred to here includes a microcontroller having one or more processors and one or more memories. Therefore, the microcontroller is also composed of one or more electronic circuits including a semiconductor integrated circuit or a large-scale integrated circuit.

In the above embodiment, the first protrusion 41 is provided on each of the first end 301 and the second end 302 of the light-guiding member 30, and the second protrusion 42 is further provided from the first protrusion 41 toward the detection unit 20, but the first protrusion 41 is not a required configuration. In other words, the light-guiding member 30 may be provided with only the second protrusion 42 that protrudes from at least one of the first end 301 and the second end 302 toward the detection unit 20.

Figure 12 shows a light-guiding member 30 of variant 1, in which a second protrusion 42 protruding from the outside of the first region 31 and the second region 32 toward the detection unit 20, and a third protrusion 43 protruding from the second protrusion 42 in the opposite direction to the detection unit 20 are provided on the rear surface of the main portion 300 of the light-guiding member 30. Here, in the array direction DR1, the portion of the main portion 300 located outside the first region 31 and the second region 32 becomes a guide portion 47 that guides light to the second protrusion 42. In variant 1 as well, erroneous detection by the proximity sensor 10 can be suppressed by allowing noise light to escape to the second protrusion 42 and the third protrusion 43. In the first modification shown in FIG. 12, the second protrusion 42 and the third protrusion 43 are provided on both the first end 301 and the second end 302, but the second protrusion 42 and the third protrusion 43 may be provided on at least one of the first end 301 and the second end 302. In the light guide member 30 of the first modification, the third protrusion 43 is not a required component, and only the second protrusion 42 may be provided on the light guide member 30.

In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment and modified example 1, it is preferable that a lens having a positive power is provided in the first region 31. FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 show the light guide member 30 of modified example 2, and in the light guide member 30 of modified example 2, a lens 311 having a positive power is provided in the first region 31. The lens 311 is, for example, a convex lens formed with a convex curved surface that protrudes toward the light emitter 21. In other words, the lens 311 has a convex curved surface that protrudes toward the light emitter 21. C5 in FIG. 14 shows the optical path of the light emitted from the light emitter 21, and C6 in FIG. 14 shows the optical path of the light that enters the light receiver 22. Since the lens 311 has a positive power, it is possible to narrow the spread of the light that is emitted from the light emitter 21 and enters the inside of the light guide member 30 from the first region 31, and to make it closer to parallel light, and it is possible to reduce the light that hits the side wall of the light guide member 30 and enters the light receiver 22, and to suppress the occurrence of crosstalk.

Here, the optical axis AX1 of the light-emitting unit 21 is shifted from the position P1 where the curvature is minimum on the convex curved surface of the lens 311. The optical axis AX1 of the light-emitting unit 21 is, for example, the rotational symmetry axis of the light flux emitted from the light-emitting unit 21. In this embodiment, the lens 311 and the light-emitting unit 21 are arranged so that the optical axis AX1 faces a position closer to the second region 32 than the position P1 where the curvature is minimum. As a result, the light from the light-emitting unit 21 is irradiated toward a portion of the convex curved surface of the lens 311 that has a larger curvature than the position P1, and is refracted by the convex curved surface so that most of the light emitted from the light-emitting unit 21 is guided so that it is parallel to the forward direction. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the light that is reflected by the inner surface of the light-guiding member 30 and becomes noise light among the light emitted from the light-emitting unit 21, and the occurrence of crosstalk can be suppressed. In the example shown in FIG. 14, the lens 311 and the light-emitting unit 21 are arranged so that the optical axis AX1 faces a position closer to the second region 32 than the position P1, but the lens 311 and the light-emitting unit 21 may be arranged so that the optical axis AX1 faces a position farther from the second region 32 than the position P1.

The lens 311 is not limited to the shape shown in Figures 13 and 14, and can be modified as appropriate.

The light-guiding member 30 may also be provided with only a first protrusion 41 that protrudes from at least one of the first end 301 and the second end 302 along the array direction DR1.

In the above embodiment, when comparing two values such as measurement data, "greater than or equal to" may be "greater than." In other words, when comparing two values, whether or not the two values are equal can be arbitrarily changed depending on the setting of the reference value, etc., so there is no technical difference between "greater than or equal to" and "greater than." Similarly, "less than" may be "less than or equal to."

(summary)
As described above, the proximity sensor (10) of the first aspect includes a detection unit (20) and a light guide member (30). The detection unit (20) has a light emitting unit (21) that emits light and a light receiving unit (22) that outputs an electrical signal according to the incident light. The light guide member (30) has a first region (31) that faces the light emitting unit (21) and a second region (32) that faces the light receiving unit (22) on a first surface (30A) that faces the detection unit (20), and has a third region (33) on a second surface (30B) opposite to the first surface (30A). The first region (31) and the second region (32) are provided along an arrangement direction (DR1) in which the light emitting unit (21) and the light receiving unit (22) are arranged. The light guide member (30) guides the light incident from the first region (31) to the third region (33) and emits it to the outside from the third region (33), and guides the reflected light by the detection object (B1) incident from the third region (33) to the second region (32) and emits it from the second region (32) to the light receiving unit (22). The light guide member (30) is provided with at least one of a first protrusion (41) protruding along the arrangement direction (DR1) and a second protrusion (42) protruding toward the detection unit (20) on at least one of a first end (301) and a second end (302) located on both sides of the detection unit (20) in the arrangement direction (DR1).

This aspect makes it possible to suppress a decrease in sensitivity.

In the second aspect of the proximity sensor (10), in the first aspect, the light-guiding member (30) is provided with a first protrusion (41) and a second protrusion (42) on at least one of the first end (301) and the second end (302).

According to this aspect, by allowing noise light to escape to the first protrusion (41) and the second protrusion (42), the noise light incident on the light receiving unit (22) can be reduced, thereby preventing a decrease in sensitivity.

In the third embodiment of the proximity sensor (10), the first protrusion (41) and the second protrusion (42) are arranged in series in the second embodiment.

This aspect makes it possible to suppress a decrease in sensitivity.

In the proximity sensor (10) of the fourth aspect, in any of the first to third aspects, the light-guiding member (30) is provided with at least a second protrusion (42) on at least one of the first end (301) and the second end (302), and a third protrusion (43) protruding from the second protrusion (42) in the arrangement direction (DR1) in the opposite direction to the detection unit (20).

According to this embodiment, by allowing the noise light to escape to the third protrusion (43), the noise light incident on the light receiving section (22) can be reduced, thereby preventing a decrease in sensitivity.

In the proximity sensor (10) of the fifth aspect, in any of the first to fourth aspects, the light-guiding member (30) is provided with at least one of a first protrusion (41) and a second protrusion (42) at each of the first end (301) and the second end (302).

According to this aspect, at least one of the first protrusion (41) and the second protrusion (42) is provided on each of the first end (301) and the second end (302), so that the noise light incident on the light receiving unit (22) can be reduced, thereby suppressing a decrease in sensitivity.

In the proximity sensor (10) of the sixth aspect, in any one of the first to fifth aspects, a lens (311) having a positive power is provided in the first region (31).

According to this aspect, the light passing through the first region (31) can be made closer to parallel light by narrowing the spread of the light, and the amount of light that is reflected by the second surface (30B) of the light-guiding member (30) and becomes noise light can be reduced, thereby suppressing a decrease in sensitivity.

In the proximity sensor (10) of the seventh aspect, in the sixth aspect, the lens (311) has a convex curved surface that protrudes toward the light-emitting portion (21). The optical axis (AX1) of the light-emitting portion (21) is shifted from the position (P1) where the curvature of the convex curved surface is minimum.

According to this aspect, the light from the light emitting unit (21) is irradiated toward a portion of the convex curved surface of the lens (311) that has a greater curvature than the position (P1) where the curvature is at its minimum, and is refracted by the convex curved surface so that most of the light emitted from the light emitting unit (21) is guided in a forward direction in parallel. Therefore, the amount of light that is reflected by the inner surface of the light guiding member (30) and becomes noise light can be reduced, and the occurrence of crosstalk can be suppressed.

The proximity sensor (10) of the eighth aspect further includes a light-transmitting cover (60) arranged opposite the third region (33) of the light-guiding member (30) in any one of the first to seventh aspects.

According to this embodiment, the light-guiding member (30) can be protected by the translucent cover (60).

In the ninth aspect of the proximity sensor (10), the light-transmitting cover (60) in the eighth aspect is provided with a light diffusion section (611) that diffuses the light passing through the light-transmitting cover (60).

According to this embodiment, the light diffusion section (611) diffuses the light passing through the light-transmitting cover (60), thereby expanding the range in which the detection object (B1) can be detected.

The wiring device (1) of the tenth aspect includes a proximity sensor (10) of any one of the first to ninth aspects and a control unit (50) that controls the device (3) based on the detection result of the detection unit (20).

According to this aspect, it is possible to provide a wiring device (1) equipped with a proximity sensor (10) that suppresses a decrease in sensitivity.

The wiring device (1) of the eleventh aspect is the tenth aspect, and further includes a brightness sensor (53) that is sensitive to light in the near-infrared region. The control unit (50) controls the device (3) based on the detection result of the detection unit (20) and the detection result of the brightness sensor (53).

According to this embodiment, the detection result of the brightness sensor (53) can be used to control the device (3).

The wiring device (1) of the twelfth aspect is the same as the wiring device (1) of the tenth aspect, but further includes a temperature sensor (54) that detects temperature. The control unit (50) controls the device (3) based on the detection result of the detection unit (20) and the detection result of the temperature sensor (54).

According to this embodiment, the detection result of the temperature sensor (54) can be used to control the device (3).

The configurations according to the second to ninth aspects are not essential for the proximity sensor (10) and may be omitted as appropriate. The configurations according to the eleventh and twelfth aspects are not essential for the wiring device (1) and may be omitted as appropriate.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Wiring device 3 Device 10 Proximity sensor 20 Detection section 21 Light-emitting section 22 Light-receiving section 30 Light-guiding member 30A First surface 30B Second surface 31 First region 32 Second region 33 Third region 34 Fourth region 41 First protrusion 42 Second protrusion 43 Third protrusion 50 Control section 53 Brightness sensor 54 Temperature sensor 60 Light-transmitting cover 301 First end 302 Second end 611 Light diffusion section

Claims (12)

A detection unit having a light emitting unit that emits light and a light receiving unit that outputs an electrical signal according to the incident light;
a light guiding member having a first region facing the light emitting unit and a second region facing the light receiving unit on a first surface facing the detection unit, and a third region on a second surface opposite to the first surface, the first region and the second region being provided along an arrangement direction in which the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit are aligned,
the light guide member guides the light incident from the first region to the third region and emits the light from the third region to the outside, and guides the light reflected by the detection object incident from the third region to the second region and emits the light from the second region to the light receiving unit,
the light guide member has a first end and a second end located on either side of the detection unit in the arrangement direction,
a light guiding portion is provided at least on one of the first end portion and the second end portion ;
the light guide unit includes at least one of a first protrusion protruding along the arrangement direction and a second protrusion protruding toward the detection unit,
the light guiding member further includes a fourth region different from each of the first region, the second region, and the third region,
the light guiding portion guides a portion of the light traveling inside the light guiding member toward the first surface to the fourth region and emits the light from the fourth region to the outside.
Proximity sensor. A detection unit having a light emitting unit that emits light and a light receiving unit that outputs an electrical signal according to the incident light;
a light guiding member having a first region facing the light emitting unit and a second region facing the light receiving unit on a first surface facing the detection unit, and a third region on a second surface opposite to the first surface, the first region and the second region being provided along an arrangement direction in which the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit are aligned,
the light guide member guides the light incident from the first region to the third region and emits the light from the third region to the outside, and guides the light reflected by the detection object incident from the third region to the second region and emits the light from the second region to the light receiving unit,
The light guiding member is provided with at least a detection unit side protrusion protruding toward the detection unit and an outward protrusion protruding from the detection unit side protrusion in the opposite direction to the detection unit in the arrangement direction, at least on one of a first end portion and a second end portion located on both sides of the detection unit in the arrangement direction.
Proximity sensor. A detection unit having a light emitting unit that emits light and a light receiving unit that outputs an electrical signal according to the incident light;
a light guiding member having a first region facing the light emitting unit and a second region facing the light receiving unit on a first surface facing the detection unit, and a third region on a second surface opposite to the first surface, the first region and the second region being provided along an arrangement direction in which the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit are aligned,
the light guide member guides the light incident from the first region to the third region and emits the light from the third region to the outside, and guides the light reflected by the detection object incident from the third region to the second region and emits the light from the second region to the light receiving unit,
The light guiding member is provided with at least one of a first end portion and a second end portion located on both sides of the detection portion in the arrangement direction, the first end portion protruding along the arrangement direction and at least one of a second protruding portion protruding toward the detection portion,
A lens having a positive power is provided in the first region,
the lens has a convex curved surface that protrudes toward the light-emitting portion,
The optical axis of the light emitting unit is shifted from the position where the curvature of the convex curved surface is minimum.
Proximity sensor. The light guide member is provided with the first protrusion and the second protrusion on at least one of the first end and the second end.
The proximity sensor according to claim 1 or 3. the detection unit side protrusion is a second protrusion, and the outward protrusion is a third protrusion,
The light guiding member further includes a first protrusion protruding along the arrangement direction on at least one of the first end portion and the second end portion.
The proximity sensor of claim 2 . The first protrusion and the second protrusion are provided in series.
The proximity sensor according to claim 4 or 5. At least one of the first protrusion and the second protrusion is provided at each of the first end and the second end of the light guiding member.
The proximity sensor according to claim 1 or 3. Further comprising a light-transmitting cover disposed opposite the third region of the light-guiding member and having light transmittance.
The proximity sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 7. The light-transmitting cover is provided with a light diffusion portion that diffuses light transmitted through the light-transmitting cover.
The proximity sensor of claim 8. A proximity sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 9;
A control unit that controls the device based on the detection result of the detection unit.
Wiring equipment. Further comprising a brightness sensor having sensitivity to light in the near infrared region,
The control unit controls the device based on a detection result of the detection unit and a detection result of the brightness sensor.
The wiring device according to claim 10. Further comprising a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature,
The control unit controls the device based on a detection result of the detection unit and a detection result of the temperature sensor.
The wiring device according to claim 10.

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