Patent ID: 9171438
Filing Date: 2015-10-27
Classification: G01V,G08B,H03K

Abstract:
1. A multi-axis photoelectric sensor comprising; a projector and an optical receiver disposed opposed to each other, between which a detection area is formed by a plurality of optical axes; a detector that sequentially detects a non-shielded state and a shielded state of the optical axes to determine the non-shielded state and the shielded state of the detection area as a whole; a signal output that outputs a high-level signal while the detector determines that the detection area is in the non-shielded state and stops the signal output when the detector determines that the detection area is in the shielded state; and a muting processor that temporarily disables the signal output stop function of the signal output when the determination results from the detector and a detection signal input from an external muting device change according to a prescribed sequence, wherein the muting processor includes an abnormality detector that divides into a plurality of stages the sequence of a change in the determination results from the detector and the detection signal from the muting device for monitoring to detect an abnormality in the sequence in the stage being monitored; an output controller that prevents the signal output stop function from being disabled in response to detection of the abnormality by the abnormality detector; and a notifier that outputs, in response to detection of the abnormality by the abnormality detector, information indicating a stage in which the abnormality has been detected.