Housing or part thereof for distance sensor

• US 6,674,412 B1
• Filed: 07/10/2002
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Lucas, Bernhard, Schmidt, Ewald
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HOANGANH T
• Application Number:
  US10/070,880
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: H01/Q.142, 343/872, 343/700.MS, 343/906, 343/713, 343/711, 342/70, 342/71, 342/72
• US Class Current: 343/872
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9327 Sensor installation details
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/42 Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/02 Refracting or diffracting devices, e.g. lens, prism
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/062 for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/00 Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2658 Phased-array fed focussing structure

Abstract

A housing or housing part for a distance sensor, e.g., for motor vehicles, having at least one first housing part into which at least one member transparent to the sensor radiation for focusing the sensor radiation and/or at least one radome without intended focusing is/are integrated in the main radiation direction of the distance sensor. The housing or housing part has at least one second housing part into which at least one base plate having antenna elements is installed orthogonally to the main radiation direction of the distance sensor. A connecting line between the first housing part and the second housing part extends in a region between the base plate and the member transparent to the sensor radiation, and/or the radome. At least one plug connector is provided for electrical connection of the distance sensor to the motor vehicle. The connecting line is located in the region of the plug connector of the distance sensor, and is aligned co-axially to the main radiation direction of the distance sensor.

Claims

1. A housing or housing part for a distance sensor, comprising:

at least one first housing part including at least one of;

at least one member transparent to sensor radiation configured to focus the sensor radiation integrated in a main radiation direction of the distance sensor; and

at least one radome without intended focusing integrated in the main radiation direction of the distance sensor;

at least one second housing part including at least one base plate having antenna elements, the base plate installed orthogonally to the main radiation direction of the distance sensor;

a connecting line between the first housing part and the second housing part extending in a region between the base plate and the at least one of the member transparent to sensor radiation and the radome; and

at least one plug connector having a first side and a second side including electrical connections;

wherein the connecting line is located in a region of the plug connector of the distance sensor, and the plug connector is aligned co-axially to the main radiation direction of the distance sensor.

2. The housing or housing part of claim 1, wherein the electrical connections of the plug connector are configured to provide electrical connections between the distance sensor and a motor vehicle.

3. The housing or housing part of claim 1, wherein the first side of the plug connector is within the housing or housing part and is enclosed by the at least one first housing part.

4. The housing or housing part of claim 1, further comprising at least one pressure equalizing device configured to equalize pressure between an interior and an exterior of the housing or housing part, the pressure equalizing device located in the at least one first housing part in the region of the plug connector.

5. The housing or housing part of claim 1, further comprising:

a groove and tongue joint; and

lockable fixing devices;

wherein the first housing part is fixed to the second housing part along the connecting line by the groove and tongue joint and the lockable fixing devices.

6. The housing or housing part of claim 1, wherein the member transparent to sensor radiation includes a covering layer, and the first housing part and the covering layer are made of one piece and of the same material.

7. The housing or housing part of claim 6, wherein the material includes at least one of polyether imide, polyphenylene oxide and polyamide.

8. The housing or housing part of claim 6, wherein the first housing part, the covering layer and the member transparent to sensor radiation are produced in one multi-step injection-molding process.

9. The housing or housing part of claim 1, further comprising at least one internal subassembly arranged on the base plate with the antenna elements.

10. The housing or housing part of claim 9, wherein a height of the second housing part is greater than or equal to a height of the internal subassembly on the base plate.

11. The housing or housing part of claim 1, further comprising a sealing device arranged between the plug connector and the second housing part, the plug connector releasably inserted into the second housing part.

12. The housing or housing part of claim 1, wherein the member transparent to sensor radiation includes a dielectric lens.

13. The housing or housing part of claim 1, further comprising electrically conductive tracks embedded in the member transparent to sensor radiation.

14. The housing or housing part of claim 1, wherein the plug connector is aligned opposite to the main radiation direction of the distance sensor.