Glossary of Fiber-Optic Sensors

Fiber cores are aligned in a line to emit light in a flat beam.
It is suitable to detect objects with unstable reflection, due to not fixed passages or uneven shapes.
There are also Screen types of Fiber-Optic Cables in a similar structure.

This Fiber-Optic Cables is used to make detection within a limited distance.
Light axises of emitter and receiver are set at angles to make detection within their crossing area.

The Fiber-Optic Cables are used for liquid level control.
There are contact types that detect a level by contact and pipe-installed types to be installed on a transparent pipe to make detection.

Fiber cores with diameters of less than 0.5mm are called as a fine fiber.
A thin light axis through fine fiber makes detection of a small object easy, but in a short detection distance.

A Fiber-Optic Cables that does not get broken, even when it is bent in a small radius.
The R1 Fiber-Optic Cables can be bent to r1mm, R2 to r2mm. Although, in general, bending a Fiber-Optic Cables shortens its detection distance, the distances of flexible fibers are not influenced by bending.
* To install a Fiber-Optic Cables on a moving part that repeatedly bends the fiber, bending-resistant Fiber-Optic Cables are recommended.

A part of fiber that transfers light is a core.
The drawing below shows a diffuse Fiber-Optic Cables consists of an emitter core of φ0.5 and 9 receiver cores of φ0.25.

A Fiber-Optic Cables and reflector are installed on both sides to detect an object in between.

A Fiber-Optic Cables that its detection direction is to a side of the unit with an optical system installed on the side.
With the Square units, it is called Side-On, and with the Sleeve units Side-View.

It is an angle of emitted and receiving light from a Fiber-Optic Cables.
Generally Fiber-Optic Cables come with an aperture angle of 60˚, while narrow-view Fiber-Optic Cables with 2~5˚.

This comes with a lens to emit light in a flat beam.
This is suitable to detect objects with unstable reflection, due to not fixed passages or uneven shapes.
There is a similar type, Array. The Screen Fiber-Optic Cables equipped with lenses come with narrower aperture angles for detection in long distances.

This is a Fiber-Optic Cables that comes with a built-in lens on its head unit for a narrow aperture angle of 2~5˚.
In addition to long-distance detection, as these do not get influence from light reflection from a reflective object beside the light axis, these are suitable for use of wafer mapping.

A Fiber-Optic Cables has a thin tube, sleeve, on its head unit.
The Sleeve models are suitable to detect a small object in a narrow area.
There are Fiber-Optic Cables with bendable sleeves and not-bendable sleeves available.

This is suitable to be installed on a moving part that repeatedly bend a fiber.
Their bending radius are r2 and r4 that are larger than those of Flexible fibers.

A fiber part can be cut by an included fiber cutter.
When a Fiber-Optic Cables is too long for an installation distance, an unnecessary part of the fiber can be cut off for easy installation.

This is a kind of diffuse reflective Fiber-Optic Cables that comes with multiple light-receiving cores installed around an emitter core, and is suitable to make detection in higher accuracy.
There are Fiber-Optic Cables, which lenses for small object detection can be attached on.

These are Fiber-Optic Cables that detects in a straight direction with optical systems on the top of fiber heads.
With the Square units, it is called Head-On, and with the thread and cylindrical units Head-View.

Emitter and receiver units are installed on both side, facing each other, and detect an object in between.
This makes detection in a long distance possible.

This is a smallest radius that a Fiber-Optic Cables can be bent.
Bending a fiber in a smaller radius may break fiber cores and result in a shorter detection distance or malfunction.

A fiber head is structured with a screw nut for simple installation.

This is equipped with a LED with infrared light of 1.45μm wave length.
Special Fiber-Optic Sensors, D3IF models, and Fiber-Optic Cables, NF-TW01 and NF-DW01, for water detection are available. Detection of transparent liquid in a transparent glass bottle that was difficult with the conventional sensors can be made.

This is a Fiber-Optic Cables that comes with fibers of light emitter and receiver bundled in a single fiber and detect light reflection from an object.
While its detection distance is shorter, a single unit requires less installation work and space.

A lens unit is attached on a fiber head.
These units are used for long-distance detection and space-saving with through-beam Fiber-Optic Cables and small object detection with diffuse reflective units.
There are through-beam Fiber-Optic Cables that come with built-in lenses.

This has detection direction on its side with an optical systems on the large face on a head unit.
Thin dimensions to the detection direction of this type make it useful to be installed in a small space in its depth.

This fiber head is installed on a leakage pan.
With capillary action, this can detect a small amount of liquid or viscous liquid.