Patent Application
20230264660
The invention relates to a sensor housing for being assembled to a vehicle, wherein the sensor housing is further adapted to house at least one sensor for monitoring environmental conditions of the vehicle. The invention further relates to a device with said sensor housing connectable to a sensor.
Vehicles, in particular commercial vehicles—like the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,426 or US2005/0104322 A1—have an increasingly high demand of sensoring functions for monitoring environmental conditions of the vehicle. The sensors as such are necessarily exposed to the ambient environment for monitoring purpose and thus, necessarily, are also exposed to impacts from the environment of various kind. These can be detrimental to the sensor functioning as such. Even in normal use, the sensor is subject to deposition of debris like particles of dirt or particles resolved from liquid solutions, which are dried or baked on a sensor surface depending on the surrounding and kind of the environmental exposure of the vehicle.
Further WO2009/112066 A1 of the applicant relates to a device for arranging environment sensors in a vehicle, by which objects in the vehicle environment can be detected, wherein at least one first and a second environment sensor are disposed in a common housing. The common housing relates to a housing as mentioned in the introduction. The environment sensors are disposed such that a first centerline of the detection range of the first environment sensor points in a different direction than a second centerline of the detection range of the second environment sensor. In a sense, thereby two cooperating sensors of the same kind are adapted to increase a monitoring area of detection without increasing mounting and cabling effort for the two cooperating sensors.
On the other hand, vehicles increasingly take advantage from automated driver assisted systems—these are known as ADAS (Automated Driver Assistance Systems) for automated, autonomous or semi-autonomous driving (AD). The requirements thereof demand for sensors of different kind and purpose and safe availability thereof during function; sensors of different kind are not only related to a visual monitoring by a camera but also include sensors of a RADAR, LiDAR or a camera system or the like. Even for such complex sensor systems the need of a high level of sensoring finesse remains and thus the demand for keeping a sensor clean, in particular the sensor surface as window to the environment is to be kept as clean and as steadily clean as possible.
Whereas a complete protection of the sensor as such is for the above reasons neither possible nor advised, the strategy of regular and automatic cleaning of a sensor surface at least has become available in automated servicing of the sensors for upholding a correct and up to demand sensor functioning.
In view of the increasing number of sensors, it has become problematic however that the periphery of cleaning-devices has at least partly become unshaped or bulk and the sensors as such are exposed to the environment unprotected. It is a demand to capture sensoring in an appropriate way while still the sensor is available for automated cleaning.
In an embodiment, the present disclosure provides a sensor housing for being assembled to a vehicle and a connector integrated with the housing, wherein the sensor housing is further adapted to house at least one sensor to be connected to the connector means and for monitoring environmental conditions of the vehicle, wherein a sensor adapter resides in the housing to hold the at least one sensor, wherein the adapter has one or more assembly-fittings to hold each of the at least one sensors in a monitoring position, and wherein a placeholder is integrated with the housing to hold a washer-body of a cleaning-device in position as to afford cleaning of the at least one sensor.
Subject matter of the present disclosure will be described in even greater detail below based on the exemplary figures. All features described and/or illustrated herein can be used alone or combined in different combinations. The features and advantages of various embodiments will become apparent by reading the following detailed description with reference to the attached drawings, which illustrate the following:
In an embodiment, the present invention provides a useful sensor housing for being assembled to a vehicle wherein the sensor housing is further adapted to house at least one sensor for monitoring environmental conditions of the vehicle. In an embodiment, the invention also provides a housing-integrated sensor- and cleaning-device and vehicle of improved kind wherein the sensor housing also is adapted such that a cleaning of the sensor is possible in an improved way. In particular, an embodiment of the invention provides such sensor housing in a way to be available regardless of a special kind of sensor of cleaning demand thereof.
In an embodiment, a sensor housing as mentioned in the introduction is provided in that the sensor housing is adapted for being assembled to a vehicle, wherein the sensor housing is further adapted to house at least one sensor for monitoring environmental conditions of the vehicle. Therein a sensor adapter is resided in the housing to hold the at least one sensor. The sensor housing according to an embodiment of the invention is provided in that
the adapter has a number of one or more assembly-fittings to hold the at least one sensor in monitoring position, and
An embodiments of the invention is starting from the consideration that a sensor housing to house at least one sensor for monitoring environmental conditions should be subject to hold one or more sensor of the mentioned kind regardless of the kind of sensor or form of sensor. The inventors have recognized that it is useful to in effect provide a scalable sensor housing, this is in particular a scalable single-sensor housing or multi-sensor housing, which is afforded according to an embodiment of the invention by a sensor adapter having a number of one or more assembly fittings to hold the at least one sensor, this is one or more sensors, in monitoring position.
The adapter assembly fittings thus can be constituted of one or more of single or plural assembly fittings to each hold various kinds or forms of sensors; the assembly fittings can be all of same kind to hold a plurality of identical sensors side by side or in another preferable arrangement. More particularly the number of one or more assembly-fittings are adapted to hold a multitude of sensors, namely a multitude of sensors of the same kind or a multitude of sensors of different kind.
Thus, the adapter in the sensor housing afford that the housing has a kind of scalability to host different sensors from different manufactures in combination or a plurality of sensors of same manufactures or; as the adapter is detachable the adapter can be replaced or exchanged by other adapters on demand—in effect thus, the same sensor housing can be used with various kinds of adapters for various kinds or numbers of a sensors. In short terms, thus an embodiment of the invention provides a scalable sensor housing with integrated cleaning system; the sensor housing is scalable by means of the sensor adapter and further the placeholder as described below. A sensor adapter can also be formed as an adjustable disposition of the sensors inside housing in different monitoring positions like angles and/or placements.
Further, the inventors have recognized, that depending on the kind and number of sensors a placeholder should be integrated with the housing to hold a washer-body of a cleaning-device in position as to afford cleaning of the at least one sensor.
The placeholder integrated with the housing is at best a true part of the housing like for instance integrated with the housing's casing like a casing wall or the like carrier wall to hold a washer-body suitable to be used for one or all or at least a useful number of sensors in the sensor housing.
Thus, the number of washer-bodies on the placeholder integrated with the housing can be the same or more or preferably a lower number as compared to the number of sensors. Further, by integrating the placeholder to the housing this feature allows a fixing safe connection of the washer-body with the housing in an integrated solution.
Further according to an embodiment of the invention a connector means is integrated with the housing; this law to connect all plug and connections to on a one and the sensor and the washer-body to afford sufficient functioning thereof. Preferably, only a single plug and connection assembly is provided to connect the housing-integrated sensor- and cleaning-device to a vehicle.
In essence, thereby a plug and play installation is provided with the sensor housing for correct functioning of the sensor and the washer-body to clean the sensor.
In particular, the sensor housing—as an example a scalable single and multi-sensor housing—can be used for a housing-integrated sensor- and cleaning-device wherein a combination of two or more sensors combined in a single-sensor housing is provided with at least one washer-body. An embodiment includes at least an insofar integrated washer-body or even a completely integrated cleaning system enabling plug and play solution through fast water/air pipe and cable connection.
The sensor housing of the housing-integrated sensor- and cleaning-device protects the sensors, enables the plug and play installation and keeps sensors available in all conditions by keep it cleaned against debris of dirt and detrimental liquid solutions.
Scalability of the sensor housing can also be implemented by one or more internal housing adapters, which e.g. can be used to host different sensors from different manufacturers in combination; meaning on demand two or more sensors in a sensor housing. Further the adapters can be used not only to integrate different types of sensors but also different or same types of sensors but with different geometries and fixation to a standard housing format. E.g. a sensor housing, respectively an adapter can be used to define on demand various different sensor angles for a sensor according to the use case.
Preferably, the connector means is integrated with the housing. In a particular preferred development, the placeholder and/or connector means is part of the housing wall.
In a particular preferred development, the connector means comprising
In a particular preferred embodiment, the washer-body is integrated with the sensor housing on the placeholder. Integrated nozzles allow the existing vehicle cleaning system to be easily integrated with the housing.
In a particular preferred embodiment an electronic interface plug and/or a supply-connection plug is integrated with the housing
In a particular preferred embodiment the sensor adapter is resided at an inner side of the housing wall vis-à-vis the placeholder.
In a particular preferred embodiment the sensor housing has a carrier-wall wherein the placeholder is resided on an outer side thereof and the sensor adapter is resided on an inner side thereof vis-à-vis, in particular wherein the carrier wall is adapted to hold on an outer side the placeholder and on an inner side the sensor adapter.
In a particular preferred embodiment, the housing holds a heater element and/or the heater element is integrated in a housing wall, in particular in the carrier-wall. Generally, the housing surface is composed of an omniphobic material/coating that repels dust and any type of contamination. Optionally, the surface incorporates a Heating element to melt snow and prevent ice buildup.
In a particular preferred embodiment, the connector means is placed in the housing away from the carrier-wall.
In a particular preferred embodiment sensor adapter and/or the carrier wall provides an adjustment means for tuning a sensor position, in particular monitoring position, in particular angular position and/or monitoring position.
In a particular preferred embodiment the sensor adapter and/or the placeholder is detachable from the sensor housing, in particular from a housing wall. Thereby the adapter and/or the placeholder replaceable and/or exchangeable.
In a particular preferred embodiment, the sensor adapter is adapted to receive a number of one or more sensors and/or the placeholder is adapted to receive a number of washer-bodies
In a particular preferred embodiment, the sensor is one of the sensors selected from the group consisting of RADAR, LiDAR, optical sensor, in particular camera and/or a headlamp. Advantageously the number of one or more assembly-fittings are adapted to hold a multitude of sensors, namely in combination a multitude of sensors of the kind: RADAR- and/or LiDAR and a camera and a lightening device, particularly a headlamp. It can service a particular demand for a wide 3-D imaging in various ambient brightness and darkness conditions and in particular install positions at the vehicle, which favor integrated high-level ADAS solutions like smart corner monitors etc.
In a particular preferred embodiment, the washer-body is one of the washer-bodies selected from the group consisting of spray body, puls-jet body, liquid- and/or airflow body.
An embodiment of the invention also leads to a housing-integrated sensor- and cleaning-device with a sensor housing of the invention and a cleaning-device connectable to a valve assembly by a pneumatic and hydraulic flow path of a cleaning-device system and a sensor. According to an embodiment of the invention, it is provided that
In particular the washer-body, in particular spray body, has a washer-nozzle, in particular spray nozzle and a body housing—optionally in common defining a mixing chamber—with a liquid fluid connection to a liquid inlet and a pressurized air fluid connection to a pressurized air inlet of the body housing, and a spray or washer-path in the spray nozzle for outputting a cleaning fluid to the sensor surface.
Different types of cleaning systems are considered, from fluid or air only cleaning system to any mixture of air/fluid. The meaning of nozzle shall be understood as the entire mechanism that ensures water, air or any mixture of it including venturi mechanism, and valves when required to be near the output point.
An embodiment of the invention also leads to a vehicle, in particular a commercial vehicle, comprising an automated drive assistance system (ADAS) with at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor of the ADAS-system is part of the inventive housing-integrated sensor- and cleaning-device or housed in the inventive sensor housing.
For a more complete understanding of embodiments of the invention, embodiments will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing. It should of course be understood that various modifications and changes in form or detail could readily be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is intended that the invention may not be limited to the exact form and detail shown and described herein, nor to anything less than the whole of the invention disclosed herein and as claimed hereinafter. Further the features described in the description, the drawing and the claims disclosing the invention may be essential for the invention considered alone or in combination. In particular, any reference signs in the claims shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. The wording “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps. The wording “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. The wording, “a number of” items, comprises also the number one, i.e. a single item, and further numbers like two, three, four and so forth.
Further details and advantages of different components are explained in the detailed description provided below. The labeling of the elements of different drawings is not to be construed as limiting.
For identical or equivalent items or items of identical or equivalent function in the following, the some reference marks are used. For corresponding features, thus it is referred to the above description.
Automated or autonomous driven vehicles, in particular vehicles with automated driver assistance systems (ADAS), use sensor means of various kinds like in the optical or acoustic field or also generally in the field of using wave detection principles like those of RADAR, LIDAR and the like. These and other sensor means also comprise various kinds of cameras in the visual or other wavelength regions of electro-magnetique waves. Whereas a complete protection of the sensor as such is for the above reasons neither possible nor advised the strategy of regular and automatic cleaning of a sensor surface at least has become available in automated servicing of the sensors for upholding a correct and up to demand sensor functioning.
As an example, generally mixing of fluids is basis to provide an undefined water-liquid and air mixture for cleaning of sensors. Automated and/or autonomous vehicles use optical sensors and cameras. These sensors and camera surfaces in use will be clouded with dust and dirt or other kind of debris during riding. The same need to be cleaned on demand for effective functioning of the devices in the vehicle. An embodiment of the invention is adapted to provide an improved integrated spray cleaning with a mixture of water-liquid and air mixture, which will be elucidated further with reference to
Generally, such kind of cleaning system for cleaning with a mixture of water-liquid and air mixture according to an embodiment of the invention can be provided in a vehicle V that is shown schematically in
The cleaning-device system CDS as shown in
In detail, the vehicle V is provided with a pressurized air service arrangement V100 and a vehicle pneumatic system V200 that as such provide a compressor V101 or a pressurized container V102, herein below also indicated in general as a pressurized air reservoir MQA. The vehicle pneumatic system V200 in particular comprises an air pressure suspension system with one or more pressure springs V201 is shown e.g. for each wheel of the vehicle.
Further, the vehicle V as such provides a liquid reservoir MQL, in particular for water or the like liquid. For instance, the liquid reservoir MQL can be used as a liquid reservoir for glass pane cleaning in co-working relationship to the vehicle's cleaning system V300, which is also shown schematically with the vehicle V of
The components of the cleaning-device system CDS as depicted in
Further, the cleaning-device system CDS provides a cleaning-device CD with a cleaning spray-body directed to the sensor surface S101 and a device supporting structure carrying a valve assembly VA to operate the cleaning spray-body.
As can be taken from
In this case, the sensor housing 1000 is provided in various forms of sensor housings 1100, 1200, 1300 (like further explained in
In this case, the sensor housing 1000 is assembled to a commercial vehicle CV as shown in
Respectively, another embodiment of the sensor housing 1200 is also shown in the backside of the trailer CVT and assembled thereto, wherein the sensor housing 1200 is adapted to house another sensor 200 or 300—may it be that this is a LiDAR sensor 200 or a RADAR sensor 300—for monitoring the outer backside environmental conditions of the trailer CVT. Thus, also in the following, the reference sign 200 is used for a LiDAR sensor and the reference sign 300 is used for a RADAR sensor. The further embodiment of the sensor housing 1200 is shown in detail Y in
A correspondingly same sensor housing 1200 is assembled to the vehicle CV, namely the traction vehicle CVF at the front of the commercial vehicle CV to monitor the outer front part environmental condition of the traction vehicle CVF.
It should be noted that although herein below the single-sensor housing 1100 and the single-sensor housing 1200 is shown and described to be assembled at a front and/or rear of a traction vehicle CVF and a trailer CVT respectively, still nevertheless said single-sensor housings 1100, 1200 can also be assembled, respectively positioned, at any other position of any vehicle CV; this is in particular but not restricted said single-sensor housings 1100, 1200 can also be assembled, respectively positioned, at a side or at a corner or at a vertical or horizontal or other edge of a vehicle CV, even underneath or on top of a vehicle CV. It also applies to the other housings 1300, 1500 shown and described below at certain positions, that theses housings can also be assembled, respectively positioned, at any other position of any vehicle CV
A preferred embodiment of a sensor housing 1400—may it be that this is a fixed or adaptable sensor housing according to a variant 1401, 1402 of multi-sensor housings—is assembled in the region between the trailer CVT and traction vehicle CVF, this is either at each or at least one thereof; said sensor housing 1400 of the third embodiment is shown in detail X in
It should be noted that although herein below the multi-sensor housings 1400, 1401, 1402 are shown and described to be assembled at a side of a traction vehicle CVF and/or a trailer CVT respectively, still nevertheless said multi-sensor housings 1400, 1401, 1402 can also be assembled, respectively positioned, at any other position of any vehicle CV; this is in particular but not restricted said multi-sensor housings 1400, 1401, 1402 can also be assembled, respectively positioned, at a front and/or rear or at a corner or at a vertical or horizontal or other edge of a vehicle CV, even underneath or on top of a vehicle CV. It also applies to the other housings 1300, 1500 shown and described below at certain positions, that theses housings can also be assembled, respectively positioned, at any other position of any vehicle CV.
Also, it should be noted that although the shape of housings indicated herewith has shown up to be of particular advantage; still nevertheless the housings can adopt another shape. E.g. the cross-sectional shape of single-sensor housings 1100, 1200 needs not to be quadratic or rectangular. E.g. the cross-sectional shape of multi-sensor housings 1400, 1401, 1402 needs not to be trapezoidal. The cross-sectional shape of all housing shown herewith in a variant can also adopt more or less roundish forms at their corners and edges with on demand small or large edge radius or corner radius. E.g. each of the single-sensor housings 1100, 1200 and multi-sensor housings 1400, 1401, 1402 can adopt a kind of circular, oval or semi-circular, semi-oval shape. This correspondingly also applies to the other housings 1300, 1500 shown and described below.
Whereas the first and second embodiment of the sensor housing 1100, 1200, are hereinafter in part are referred to as straight-view single-sensor housings 1100, 1200, the third embodiment of the sensor housing 1400 is in both variants 1401, 1402 a multi-sensor housing, and further in part is referred to as an angular view sensor housing 1400.
In the following the straight-view sensor housing 1100, 1200 is described in more detail with regard to
This being said,
As clearly visible from
A bigger size of a second embodiment of a sensor housing 1200 is also adapted to house a single LiDAR or RADAR sensor 200, 300 and again also is adapted to hold a washer-body 400 of a cleaning-device in position as to effort cleaning of the at least one LiDAR- or RADAR-sensor 200, 300.
In
As can be seen from
This being said, as shown in
In a first variant, as shown in the right part of
In a second variant, the sensor adapter 12 has an assembly fitting to variably hold different kind of sensors like a LiDAR sensor 200 and RADAR 300—this is detachable and thus replaceable or exchangeable and different forms of sensors 200, 300, namely for instance a single LiDAR or a single RADAR sensor can be held on demand.
Thus, in essence, the fixed sensor adapters 11, 12 as described is a kind of interface by means of the one or more assembly fittings to be used for multiple sensors independent of the sensor type and manufacturer.
An adjustable or angular adjusted non-fixed sensor adapter 13, 14 is described with
Further, the straight-view single-sensor housing 1100, 1200 as shown in
The washer-body 400 and the connector means 500 are placed on the outside of said walls 21, 22.
The heater element 600 is integrated in said casing front-wall 21 of the casing. In this case, the casing front-wall 21 establishes a carrier wall of the casing 20 to hold said adapter 10 for the sensor 100, 200 and to integrate the heater element 600 and further to integrate the placeholder 14 for the washer-body 400. More specifically, optionally a resistance can be installed in the housing surface for heating-up the surface against concentration of snow or ice or just to dry the inner part of the housing. Resistance can be either a conductive surface printing or micro-wires embodied in plastic.
The casing 20 with the casing walls 21, 22, 23, 24 of the housings 1100, 1200, 1201, 1101 and also of the housings 1300, 1400 is preferably composed of an omniphobic material/coating that repels dust and any type of contamination. Optionally, as described above, said omniphobic material/coating incorporates said heating element 600 to melt snow and prevent ice buildup.
Thereby, the placeholder integrated with the housing's casing front-wall 21 a washer-body 400 is safely held in position for a cleaning-device CD, respectively the sensor 100, 200, 300, resided therein—so as to effort cleaning of the at least one sensor 100, 200, 300. More particularly, the washer-body 400 has a washer-nozzle and a washer-body and as such is integrated at least with the nozzle to the housing, more particularly to the casing 20 enables a kind of “plug & play”-connection of fluid, or preferably pressurized airfluid from an air cleaning system.
The arrangements of embodiments as shown in
In this further developed variant of a straight-view sensor housing 1300, the sensor housing 1300 is in direct development of the aforementioned straight-view sensor housing 1201 with the addition that the sensor housing 1300 is adapted to house a multitude of sensors for monitoring environmental conditions of the vehicle V, CV.
In this case, three sensors of different kind are resided in the housing, which, however, are detachable and thus are able to be exchanged or replaced. In the instant case, the variant of sensor housing 1300 again provides an adapter 10 resided in the housing to hold a camera sensor 100 and further adapters 10 are set aside therefrom to hold a LiDAR and/or RADAR sensor 200, 300 on demand and as preferred for use. Thus, the adapters 10 also of this multi-sensor housing for straight-view has a number of in this case three assembly fittings to hold the sensors 100, 200, 300 as shown in monitoring position.
In this case, the variant of sensor housing 1300 similar to the variant of sensor housing 1201 holds the sensors 100, 200, 300 in a way such that the sensing direction is vertical to the casing front-wall 21 and casing back-wall 22 of the casing 20. Thus, in this sense, the multi-sensor housing 1300 holds the sensors 100, 200, 300 in a straight view vertical to the front-end back-wall 21, 22 as described above.
Further, similar to the straight-view single-sensor housing 1201, in this case a placeholder is integrated into the back-wall 22 of the housing to hold a multitude of washer-bodies 401, 402, 403 in position to effort cleaning the sensors 100, 200, 300.
In this case, the placeholder indicated by reference sign 40 is adapted to hold all of the washer-bodies 401, 402, 403 and is integrated into the casing back-wall 22 of the casing. In the instant case, each of the washer-bodies 401, 402, 403 respectively is assigned to each of the sensors 100, 200, 300 respectively; thus, for each sensor exactly one washer-body 401, 402, 403 is provided respectively. In a variant, it is also possible to provide a single washer-body 400, which is in position as to effort cleaning of all the sensors in the sensor housing.
Also, similar to the embodiment of the sensor housing 1201, in this case the multi-sensor straight-view sensor housing 1300 features a sensor and connector means 500 as described before with a sensor-connector 510 and a washer-connector 520 in the same manner as described before; this is, the sensor and connector means 500 is integrated into the housing at the inner side of the casing front-wall 21 and further adapted to connect all of the sensors 100, 200, 300 in the sensor housing 1300.
A sensor view angle in all cases is not perpendicular to a casing front-wall 21 and a casing back-wall 22 but in an angle thereto in a trapezoidal casing 20; thus—as can be seen from
The multi-sensor housing 1400, as mentioned before, can be adapted so as to provide an angular view of at least part of the sensors for monitoring environmental conditions of a vehicle, this is, the respective monitoring angle of the LiDAR and/or RADAR sensor 200, 300 placed therein, can be varied in a predefined form or they are variable. E.g., also the angular view can be varied by actuating the adapter when respective actuators are also provided in the housing in a transient way. This is an acute angle different from the wall direction can be set on demand, which will be described further below.
In the instant case, the casing 20 of the angular view multi-sensor housing 1400 has two casing side-walls 23, 24 and a casing back-wall 22 with connector means 500 as described before, for instance with sensor housings 1100, 1200.
However, the casing front-wall 21 in this case of sensor housing 1400 is enlarged and provides a wide inner space of the trapezoidal sensor housing 1400. This is afforded in that the front side 21 provides a sensor adapter 11 for the camera sensor 100 and this, in combination with a LiDAR sensor 200 plus the outside casing front-wall 21 placeholder for the washer-body 401 of a cleaning-device in position as to afford cleaning of the camera sensor 100 and the LiDAR sensor 200. The casing front-wall 21 functions as a carrier wall to hold the sensor adapter 11 and to integrate the placeholder and to integrate a heater element 600 as described before with, for instance, a sensor housing 1100, 1200.
Further, the trapezoidal casing 20 provides a left side angular casing front-wall 25 and a right side angular casing front-wall 26 in direct connection between casing front-wall 21 and casing side-walls 23, 24, wherein each of the angular casing front-walls 25, 26 also again features to hold a sensor adapter 15, 16.
These are shown in more detail in view (A) of
In a variant as shown in view (B) of
Further, the sensor adapter 13—in variation to the sensor adapter 15 described before—can be adapted in amending the acute angle α as described before; namely in diminishing the acute angle α to an even smaller acute angle β, which is smaller than the angle α. Thus, the originally fixed angular monitoring direction of an acute angle α can be flattened to an acute angle β, which is nearer to a straight-view monitoring direction for the RADAR sensor 300. Acute angle in this case is to be understood not in a strict mathematical sense but more generally in that an acute angle α and acute angle β is to be understood generally as an angle different from 90°.
Thus, the angular casing front-wall 25 of the angular view multi-sensor housing 1400 allows for the RADAR sensor 300 to be adapted in a monitoring angle between a large angle α to a lower monitoring angle β. It can be adapted even such that the RADAR sensor 300 could be used for straight view, when the adapting angle γ is set large enough to put the RADAR sensor 300 in parallel position to the casing back-wall 22 of the casing 20. Corresponding measures are possible for a LiDAR sensor 200 instead of a RADAR sensor and also for any other kind of sensor like a camera sensor 100 instead.
It should be noted that although the shape of housings indicated herewith has shown up to be of particular advantage; still nevertheless the sensor housings 1500 can adopt another shape; e.g. as has been indicated before with regard to other multi-sensor housings 1400, 1401, 1402 e.g.. Thus, also the sensor housing 1500 can provide a position for a multitude of camera sensors 100 to allow an increased coverage of a view angle angular field to the environment, preferably to allow an increased coverage of an angular field of near 120° or up to 180° or an even larger angular field for the view angle to the environment. The sensor housing 1500 also has been found to be of particular advantage to realize a smart corner application.
It should also be noted that although herein below the sensor housing 1500 are shown and described to be assembled at a front and/or horizontal edge of a vehicle CV, still nevertheless said sensor housing 1500 can also be assembled, respectively positioned, at any other position of any vehicle CV; this is in particular but not restricted said sensor housing 1500 can also be assembled, respectively positioned, at a front and/or rear or at a corner or at a vertical or horizontal or other edge of a vehicle CV, even underneath or on top of a vehicle CV.
In particular the sensor housing 1500 can establish in addition to a standard headlamp function an additional auxiliary head lamp function at front and/or rear and/or side of the vehicle CV. The sensor housing 1500 also has been found to be of particular advantage to realize a smart corner application.
In view (B) of
This kind of sensor housing 1500 thus further implements a head light 700, wherein the head light 700 is shown integrated in the middle next to the camera 100 and next to the LiDAR sensor 200 and/or RADAR sensor 300; thus between them in the sensor housing 1500.
The head light in this case is integrated as a more or less intelligent main or auxiliary head lamp. The head light sensor housing 1500 is of particular use for large scale commercial vehicles CV like the main truck machine shown in view (A) to
As can be seen form view (B) of
Thus, the as such available standard auxiliary headlamp is adaptable as indicated in view (B) of
While subject matter of the present disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. Any statement made herein characterizing the invention is also to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive as the invention is defined by the claims. It will be understood that changes and modifications may be made, by those of ordinary skill in the art, within the scope of the following claims, which may include any combination of features from different embodiments described above.
The terms used in the claims should be construed to have the broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the foregoing description. For example, the use of the article “a” or “the” in introducing an element should not be interpreted as being exclusive of a plurality of elements. Likewise, the recitation of “or” should be interpreted as being inclusive, such that the recitation of “A or B” is not exclusive of “A and B,” unless it is clear from the context or the foregoing description that only one of A and B is intended. Further, the recitation of “at least one of A, B and C” should be interpreted as one or more of a group of elements consisting of A, B and C, and should not be interpreted as requiring at least one of each of the listed elements A, B and C, regardless of whether A, B and C are related as categories or otherwise. Moreover, the recitation of “A, B and/or C” or “at least one of A, B or C” should be interpreted as including any singular entity from the listed elements, e.g., A, any subset from the listed elements, e.g., A and B, or the entire list of elements A, B and C.
This application is a U.S. National Phase application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/EP2020/072625, filed on Aug. 12, 2020. The International Application was published in English on Feb. 17, 2022 as WO 2022/033673 A1 under PCT Article 21(2).
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2020/072625 | 8/12/2020 | WO |
