Providing a constant gap width between a sensor head and an opening in a sensor holder outside a vehicle

• US 10,160,401 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2015
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mekra Lang GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Mekra Lang GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Lang, Werner, Finkenberger, Elmar, Deffner, Simon, Zink, Matthias
• Primary Examiner(s): Aggarwal, Yogesh K
• Application Number:
  US14/659,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20150274091A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/004 outside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0066 using screws, bolts, rivets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0075 using a containment or docking space
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01006 Mounting of electrical components in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01 Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents electrical circuits for transmission of signals between steering wheel and the vehicle itself B60R16/027; for electrically actuating belt retractor locking means B60R22/343
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/34 Protecting non-occupants of a vehicle, e.g. pedestrians B60R19/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/30 Supports specially adapted for an instrument; Supports specially adapted for a set of instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9327 Sensor installation details
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2015/937 sensor installation details constructional features of transducers G01S7/521 and B06B; casing of transducers, e.g. housing, cover or filler details, G10K9/22; mounting of transducers, i.e. fixture, fitting or holder details, G10K11/004
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/027 Constructional details of housings, e.g. form, type, material or ruggedness
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4026 Antenna boresight
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/521 Constructional features

Abstract

A device for monitoring vehicles surroundings includes a sensor, a sensor holder and a fastener. Due to manufacturing tolerances, the sensor axis that passes through the head of the sensor deviates from the axis of the sensor main body. The sensor head passes into an opening in the sensor holder centered around a sensor holding axis. When the sensor is mounted into a receiver niche in the sensor holder, the sensor holding axis and the sensor axis are aligned. The fastener fastens the sensor to the sensor holder and compensates for the sensor axis deviating from the main body axis. Screws pass through bore holes in the fastener and into screw holes in the sensor holder. The bore holes have a larger diameter than do the screw holes, allowing the sensor axis to be aligned with the sensor holding axis despite the sensor axis deviating from the main body axis.

Claims

1. A device for monitoring the surroundings of a vehicle, comprising:

a sensor that includes a sensor main body and a sensor head, wherein a sensor axis passes through the center of the sensor head and a main body center axis passes through the center of the sensor main body, and wherein the sensor axis deviates from the main body center axis;

a sensor holder that includes a sensor head receiver niche and a sensor head opening into which the sensor head is received, wherein a sensor holding axis passes through the center of the sensor head opening; and

a fastener that fastens the sensor to the sensor holder, wherein the sensor head receiver niche is formed so that when the sensor is mounted in the sensor holder the sensor holding axis and the sensor axis are colinear, and

wherein the fastener compensates for the sensor axis deviating from the main body central axis.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor head includes a sensor head collar, and wherein the sensor head collar rests on the sensor holder so as to align the sensor axis with the sensor holding axis.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the sensor head collar has an annular ridge that fits in an annular groove in the sensor holder.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor head protrudes past the sensor head opening, wherein the sensor head opening is surrounded by a cover with a cover opening, wherein the sensor head passes into the cover opening, and wherein a predefined gap width between the sensor head and the cover opening is greater than a constant gap width between the sensor head and the sensor head opening.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a camera, and the sensor head is a camera lens.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is taken from the group consisting of:

a thermal imaging camera, an infrared sensor, a radar sensor, and an ultrasound sensor.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor holder has an outside surface with a matte coating around the sensor head opening.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor holder is integrated into a holding arm of a turn indicator lamp of the vehicle.

9. A device for monitoring the surroundings of a vehicle, comprising:

a sensor that includes a sensor main body and a sensor head, wherein a sensor axis passes through the center of the sensor head and a main body center axis passes through the center of the sensor main body, and wherein the sensor axis deviates from the main body center axis;

a sensor holder that includes a sensor head receiver niche and a sensor head opening into which the sensor head is received, wherein a sensor holding axis passes through the center of the sensor head opening; and

a fastener that fastens the sensor to the sensor holder, wherein the sensor head receiver niche is formed so that when the sensor is mounted in the sensor holder the sensor holding axis and the sensor axis are aligned, wherein the fastener compensates for the sensor axis deviating from the main body central axis, wherein the fastener includes bore holes in holding clips attached to the sensor, wherein screws pass through the bore holes and into screw holes in the sensor holder, and wherein the bore holes have a larger diameter than do the screw holes.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the screws hold the sensor head centered in the sensor head opening.

11. A device for monitoring the surroundings of a vehicle, comprising:

a sensor that includes a sensor main body and a sensor head, wherein a sensor axis passes through the center of the sensor head and a main body center axis passes through the center of the sensor main body, and wherein the sensor axis deviates from the main body center axis;

a sensor holder that includes a sensor head receiver niche and a sensor head opening into which the sensor head is received, wherein a sensor holding axis passes through the center of the sensor head opening; and

a fastener that fastens the sensor to the sensor holder, wherein the sensor head receiver niche is formed so that when the sensor is mounted in the sensor holder the sensor holding axis and the sensor axis are aligned, wherein the fastener compensates for the sensor axis deviating from the main body central axis, and wherein the sensor and the sensor holder are integrated into a holding arm that is attached to the vehicle.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the sensor holder and the holding arm are integrally formed as a single piece.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the sensor holder is attached to the holding arm by an annular collar of the sensor holder that mates with a complementary annular step of the holding arm.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein a flexible heating foil is wrapped around the sensor head inside the holding arm.

15. A device comprising:

a sensor that includes a sensor main body and a cylindrical sensor head, wherein a sensor axis passes through the center of the sensor head and a main body center axis passes through the center of the sensor main body, and wherein the sensor axis deviates from the main body center axis;

a sensor holder that includes a circular sensor head opening into which the sensor head passes, wherein a sensor holding axis passes through the center of the sensor head opening; and

a fastener that attaches the sensor to the sensor holder such that the sensor holding axis and the sensor axis are aligned, wherein the fastener compensates for the sensor axis deviating from the main body central axis by centering the sensor head in the sensor head opening, wherein bore holes are disposed in the fastener, wherein screws pass through the bore holes and into screw holes in the sensor holder, and wherein the bore holes have a larger diameter than do the screw holes.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the sensor holder is integrated into a holding arm that is attached to a vehicle.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the sensor is taken from the group consisting of:

a thermal imaging camera, an infrared sensor, a radar sensor, and an ultrasound sensor.

18. A device comprising:

a sensor that includes a sensor main body and a cylindrical sensor head, wherein a sensor axis passes through the center of the sensor head and a main body center axis passes through the center of the sensor main body, and wherein the sensor axis deviates from the main body center axis;

a sensor holder that includes a circular sensor head opening into which the sensor head passes, wherein a sensor holding axis passes through the center of the sensor head opening; and

a fastener that attaches the sensor to the sensor holder such that the sensor holding axis and the sensor axis are aligned, wherein the fastener compensates for the sensor axis deviating from the main body central axis by centering the sensor head in the sensor head opening, wherein the sensor holder is attached to a holding arm that is attached to a vehicle, and wherein the sensor holder is oriented with the holding arm by an annular ridge of the sensor holder that mates with a complementary annular groove of the holding arm.