Sensor device, use of a sensor device and vehicle light

• US 20060022836A1
• Filed: 07/28/2005
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ODELO GmbH (Bayraktarlar Holding AS)
• Original Assignee: Schefenacker Vision Systems Germany GmbH
• Inventors: Mack, Bernd
• Granted Patent: US 7,518,098 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/619
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0822 characterized by the arrangement or type of detection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0837 with a particular arrangement of the optical elements

Abstract

The invention is based on a sensor device having at least one transmitter unit situated inside a sensor body, a receiver unit associated with the transmitter unit and situated inside the sensor body, and an end face that is situated between the transmitter unit and receiver unit and constitutes a boundary surface of the sensor body. According to a first aspect of the invention, it is possible to achieve a compact embodiment with low requirements for assembly-related production tolerances if the transmitter unit and/or the receiver unit is/are comprised of an injection molded part with an incorporated radiation transmitter and/or radiation receiver. According to another aspect of the invention, a radiation transmitted from the transmitter unit to the receiver unit essentially travels in a beam path outside the sensor body. The invention also relates to a use of a sensor device and a vehicle light.

Claims

1. A sensor device comprising at least one transmitter unit situated inside a sensor body, at least one receiver unit operably associated with the transmitter unit and situated inside the sensor body, and a test surface situated between the transmitter unit and receiver unit, wherein at least one of said or transmitter unit the receiver unit is comprised of an injection molded part with at least one of an incorporated radiation transmitter or radiation receiver.

2. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter unit and/or the receiver unit is/are comprised of an injection molded part with an incorporated radiation transmitter and/or radiation receiver and the test surface is constituted by an exit surface of the transmitter unit and an entrance surface of the receiver unit.

3. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein a number of transmitter units and/or a number of receiver units and/or a combination of one or more transmitter units and one or more receiver units are situated inside an injection molded part.

6. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter unit has a radiation transmitter with an integrated optical device.

7. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the receiver unit has a radiation receiver with an integrated optical device.

8. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter unit has a radiation transmitter that is encompassed in close proximity by an optically effective surface.

9. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the receiver unit has a radiation receiver that is encompassed in close proximity by an optically effective surface.

10. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter unit has a radiation-guiding body.

11. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the receiver unit has a radiation-guiding body.

12. The sensor device according to claim 8, wherein the radiation-guiding body is situated inside the optically effective surface.

13. The sensor device according to claim 10, wherein the radiation-guiding body is separate from the sensor body.

14. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter unit and the receiver unit are situated in a region close to the surface of an end face of the sensor body.

15. The sensor device according to one claim 14, wherein the radiation exit surface of the transmitter unit and/or the receiver unit is substantially flush with the end face.

17. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein said end face includes an isolated protrusion, at least one isolated protrusion of the end face is situated between the transmitter unit and the receiver unit so that radiation emitted by the transmitter unit and oriented toward the receiver unit passes through the protrusion.

18. The sensor device according to claim 17, wherein the projection is situated around a symmetry axis, with the transmitter unit and receiver unit situated on opposite sides of the symmetry axis.

20. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the end face has a free-form cross section.

21. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor body is embodied in the form of an injection molded part.

22. The sensor device according to claim 2, wherein the sensor body, one or more transmitter units, and/or one or more receiver units are integrated into a single injection molded part.

23. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein additional sensors or functional units are integrated into the sensor body.

24. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein an evaluation unit for sensor signals is integrated into the sensor device.

25. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein a number of radiation transmitters and/or radiation receivers are situated inside a transmitter unit and/or a receiver unit.

4. A sensor device having at least one transmitter unit situated inside a sensor body and at least one receiver unit is associated with the transmitter unit and situated inside the sensor body, and a test surface situated between the transmitter unit and receiver unit, wherein a radiation transmitted from the transmitter unit to the receiver unit essentially travels in a beam path outside the sensor body.

5. The sensor device according to claim 4, wherein a radiation transmitted from the transmitter unit to the receiver unit essentially travels in a beam path outside the sensor body and the test surface is constituted by an exit surface of the transmitter unit and an entrance surface of the receiver unit.

16. The sensor device according to claim 4, wherein a circumference surface of the sensor body is situated outside the beam path.

19. The sensor device according to claim 16, wherein a plurality of transmitter units and receiver units are situated along the circumference of the sensor body.

26. The sensor device according to claim 5, wherein the exit surface of the one or more transmitter units and/or the entrance surface of the one or more receiver units adjoin or overlap one another.

27. The sensor device according to claim 26, wherein the exit surface and/or the entrance surface take up essentially an entire end face of the sensor body.