Society of Robots - Robot Forum
Electronics => Electronics => Topic started by: Gertlex on May 20, 2011, 07:11:47 PM
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So I have this exact "spot sensor", which I pulled out of a printer last summer:
http://www.partshere.com/online/detailadv.asp?partno=C6426-60013 (http://www.partshere.com/online/detailadv.asp?partno=C6426-60013)
It has a 4 pin connector, which isn't labeled, and I'm wondering:
1) What *is* a spot sensor, and how might it be useful to me
2) How does one wire a spot sensor
Google wasn't a help... Seems that spot sensor is a printer-industry term. My guess is it's used to detect whether paper is present in the printer.
I will note that the connector is a 4pin version of the 3pin connectors used on SHARP IR rangefinders, such as this one (http://www.sparkfun.com/products/8958).
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Hi,
It has a 4 pin connector, which isn't labeled, and I'm wondering:
1) What *is* a spot sensor, and how might it be useful to me
2) How does one wire a spot sensor
It's an IR sensor that is screened (the long round tube) to measure only in a small spot. It has got an emitter (LED) and a detector (phototransistor) - just like any other reflex opto coupler.
You should be able to trace out the small PCB and you wire it with a resistor in each (if they're not already on the board in the shape of SMD resistors.
I will note that the connector is a 4pin version of the 3pin connectors used on SHARP IR rangefinders, such as this one (http://www.sparkfun.com/products/8958).
That's just because it's a Japanese product that they used a JST connector. You could cut the wires and use standard 1/10" connectors if you haven't got a male JST.
2 wires for the LED, 2 wires for the photo transistor (could be reduced to 3).
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Thanks, Soeren. I'll start from there, but I'm no EE, so I might well ask a more detailed q when I get stuck.
Fortunately, I kept the wires from the printer (nice wires, really), so I was able to use one end of the JST connector for the sharp IR sensor I bought (with dremel modification, hehe) and the other will be useful for the spot sensor.