Object detecting apparatus having hydrophilic light radiating window

• US 7,059,522 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2005
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Inomata, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAI, THIEN T
• Application Number:
  US11/043,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20060054701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.01, 235/462.47, 235/455, 235/470, 235/494, 235/472.01, 235/454, 235/472.02, 235/472.03, 250/492.1, 250/221
• US Class Current: 235/454
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/06 Use of electric means to obtain final indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4813 Housing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4817 relating to scanning

Abstract

An object detecting apparatus comprises a case, a light radiation unit and a light receiver unit. The case has a light radiating window and a light receiving window. The light radiating window has a hydrophilic layer on the outermost surface of the light radiating window. The hydrophilic layer restricts water droplets remaining on the light radiating window from functioning as light collecting lenses, so that the light is radiated outward without being scattered by the water droplets. Specifically, the light radiating window further has a glass substrate at an innermost side and a photo-catalyst layer between the glass substrate and the hydrophilic layer. The hydrophilic layer is made of silicon dioxides.

Claims

1. An object detecting apparatus for detecting an object, the apparatus comprising:

a case having a light radiating window and a light receiving window, the windows being made of light transmitting material;

a light radiation unit disposed in the case for radiating a light toward an outside of the case through the light radiating window; and

a light receiver unit disposed in the case for receiving the light reflected by the object through the light receiving window,

wherein the light radiating window has a hydrophilic layer on an outer surface thereof exposed to an outside of the case.

2. The object detecting apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic layer is made of silicon dioxides.

3. The object detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the light radiating window has a glass substrate, a photo-catalyst layer interposed between the glass substrate and the hydrophilic layer.

4. The object detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a reflecting mirror and a polygon mirror.

5. The object detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the polygon mirror is a frustum hexagonal prism.

6. The object detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light receiver unit includes a fresnel lens and a light receiving element.

7. The object detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the photo-catalyst layer is made of titanium oxides.

8. The object detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the light receiver unit includes a fresnel lens and a light receiving element.

9. The object detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the photo-catalyst layer is made of titanium oxides.

10. An object detecting apparatus for detecting an object, the apparatus comprising:

a case, including at least one window with a hydrophilic layer disposed on an outer surface thereof, exposed to an outside of the case;

a light radiating unit to radiate light to the object through the at least one window; and

a light receiving light to receive light reflected from the object through the at least one window.

11. The object detecting apparatus as in claim 10 wherein the hydrophilic layer is made of silicon dioxides.

12. The object detecting apparatus as in claim 10, wherein the at least one window includes at least one light radiating window and at least one light receiving window.

13. The object detecting apparatus as in claim 12, wherein the at least one light radiating window includes a hydrophilic layer.

14. The object detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the at least one light radiating window has a glass substrate, a photo-catalyst layer interposed between the glass substrate and the hydrophilic layer.

15. An object detecting apparatus for detecting an object, the apparatus comprising:

a case, including at least one window, the at least one window including a hydrophilic layer on an outer surface thereof, exposed to an outside of the case;

means for radiating light to the object through the at least one window; and

means for receiving light reflected from the object through the at least one window.

16. The object detecting apparatus as in claim 15, wherein the hydrophilic layer is made of silicon dioxides.

17. The object detecting apparatus as in claim 15, wherein the at least one window includes at least one light radiating window and at least one light receiving window.

18. The object detecting apparatus as in claim 17, wherein the at least one light radiating window includes a hydrophilic layer.

19. The object detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the at least one light radiating window has a glass substrate, a photo-catalyst layer interposed between the glass substrate and the hydrophilic layer.

20. The object detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the at least one light radiating window has a glass substrate, a photo-catalyst layer interposed between the glass substrate and the hydrophilic layer.