Sensors

Lecture (7)
Proximity sensors
 Proximity sensors
➢ Proximity sensors are able to detect the presence of nearby
objects without any physical contact.
➢ This is different from limit switches, which are a mechanical
switches that can be activated by the presences of an object
and require physical contact and a small operating force to
operate.
➢ Proximity sensors can have a high reliability and long functional
life because of the absence of mechanical parts and lack of
physical contact between the sensor and the sensed object.
• Types of proximity sensors:

1) Photoelectric sensor.

2) Hall effect sensor.

3) Eddy current proximity sensors.

4) Reed switch.

5) Capacitive proximity sensor.

6) Inductive proximity sensor.

 1- Photoelectric sensors
➢ Uses a light source and a photo sensor that are mounted in
such a way that the object to be detected cuts the light path.
➢ The light source is simply led.
➢ The light receiver can be one of the following:
1. Photo resistor.
2. Photo diode.
3. Photo transistor.
4. Photo cell.
1) Photo resistor:
Made of a material such as cadmium sulfide, that has the property that
its resistance decreases as the light level increases.

2) Photo diode:
A light sensitive diode.

3) Photo transistor:
The more the light, the more the transistor turns on.

4) Photo cell:
Creates electrical power from light. The more the light, the higher the
voltage.
• Types of photoelectric sensors:
1) Transmissive type:

• Light is sent from source and is

supposed to be received by
the sensor at the opposite
side.
• If an object passes between
the source and the sensor, it
cuts the light beam and then
light isn’t received by the
sensor. So, it assumes that an
object has passed.
2) Reflective type:

• Based on the reflection principle.

• If an object passes, it reflects the
light submitted from the source.
• The reflected light is received by
the receiver.
• So, if the sensor detects light, this
means that an object has passed.
 2- Hall effect sensor
➢ The function of the Hall Sensor is based on the principle of Hall
Effect.
➢ A Voltage is generated transversely to the current flow
direction, if a magnetic field is applied perpendicularly to the
conductor.

‫هو عبارة عن متوازي اضالع عند مرور تيار عمودي علي اتجاه المجال المغناطيسي‬
.‫يتولد جهد عمودي علي كال من التيار والمجال المغناطيسي‬
➢ The value of the voltage is:

BI
V = KH
t
I: Current
B: Flux
t: Thickness
K H : Hall constant

➢ The produced voltage is always very

small, so it must be amplified.
➢ Applications of the hall effect
sensors:

1. It’s used as a magnetic

switch (on-off).
2. It’s used for the
measurement of angular
position, displacement,
and velocity.
3. It’s used for the
measurement of current.
4. It’s used for the
measurement of power.
 3- Eddy current proximity sensor
➢ Is a coil with constant alternative current passing through it,
which produces a constant magnetic field.
➢ If a metal object is in close proximity to the sensor, an eddy
current is produced in the object, which in turn produces an
opposite magnetic field.
➢ As a result, the impedance of the coil change and so the
amplitude of the alternating current / voltage.
➢ The resulting voltage output gives an indication of how close
the object is.
➢ At some preset level, this change can be used to trigger a
switch.
➢ It is used for detection of conductive materials.
 4- Reed switch
➢ It is a non contact
proximity switch.
➢ It consist of two
magnetic switch
contacts sealed in a
glass or plastic tube.
➢ These contacts are
overlapping but not
touching.
➢ When a magnet is brought close to the switch, the magnetic
contacts are attracted to each other and close the switch contacts.
➢ Commonly used in anti-theft alarms at houses to discover when a
door opens:
• The magnet is placed at the moving door and the reed switch is
placed at the fixed frame.
• When the door opens, the switch is open and so an alarm will
go off.
 5- Capacitive proximity sensors
➢ A capacitive proximity sensor senses the presence of an object
(usually called the target) without physical contact.
➢ They are designed to detect both metallic and nonmetallic
targets.
➢ When an object comes near the capacitive sensor, it enters its
electrostatic field and changes its capacitance.
➢ It’s equipped with a LED status indicator to verify the presence
of a target.
➢ The larger the dielectric
constant of a target, the
easier it is for the
capacitive proximity sensor
to detect based on the
law:

εo εr A
C=
d
 6- Inductive proximity sensors
➢ It consist of a coil wound around a metallic core.
➢ When the end of the coil is close to a metallic object, its
inductance (L) changes.
➢ This change can be monitored by its effect on a resonant circuit
as the current in this circuit changes due to the metallic object.
➢ The resulting current can be used to trigger a switch.
➢ It can only be used for detection of metal objects and is best
with ferrous metals.