Optical measuring device and a method for producing a cover disc for a housing of an optical measuring device

• US 9,297,901 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Bayha, Heiner, Horvath, Peter, Nicolai, Jens, Reichert, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): RATCLIFFE, LUKE D
• Application Number:
  US14/366,017
• Publication Number:
  US 20140320845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 356 301- 315, 356/4.01, 356/4.1, 356 501- 515
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/72 Encapsulating inserts having non-encapsulated projections, e.g. extremities or terminal portions of electrical components B29C70/742 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/04 Systems determining the presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2007/4977 including means to prevent or remove the obstruction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4813 Housing arrangements

Abstract

The invention relates to an optical measuring device (1) having a housing (3), in which at least one optical emitter (20) for emitting at least one emission beam (22, 24) and at least one optical receiver are arranged, wherein a cover disc (5) terminates the housing and forms an emission window (10) and a reception window (7), wherein the at least one emission beam (22, 24) exits from the housing through the emission window (10), wherein the receiver receives the emission beam, which is reflected from the surroundings, as a reception beam through the reception window (7), and wherein the cover disc (5) has a heating assembly (20), and a corresponding method for producing a cover disc (5) for the optical measuring device (1).

To provide an optical measuring device (1) having a heating assembly (20), which does not distort an emission beam as it exits from the housing (3) of the measuring device (1) via the cover disc (5), the heating assembly (20) is arranged essentially in the region of the reception window (7) and the region of the emission window (10) is left out.

Claims

1. An optical measuring device, comprising:

a housing, in which at least one optical emitter for emitting at least one emission beam and at least one optical receiver for receiving a reception beam are arranged,

wherein a cover disc terminates the housing and forms an emission window and a reception window, wherein the at least one emission beam exits from the housing through the emission window,

wherein the optical receiver receives the emission beam, which is reflected from the surroundings, as a reception beam through the reception window, and

wherein the cover disc has a heating assembly arranged essentially in the region of the reception window with the region of the emission window being left out.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the heating assembly has at least one electrical heating conductor, which is applied to an elastic carrier.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the elastic carrier is embodied as a film, on which the at least one electrical heating conductor is applied as a metallization.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the heating assembly is one of arranged on an external surface, arranged on an internal surface of the reception window, and is integrated in the reception window.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the at least one electrical heating conductor extends directly on the reception window and touches the reception window on at least one touch region.

6. The device according to claim 4, wherein the at least one electrical heating conductor extends in the reception window essentially horizontally in parallel to a vehicle transverse axis.

7. The device according to claim 4, wherein the at least one electrical heating conductor extends vertically, in parallel to a vehicle vertical axis, on an edge region of the reception window and can be electrically contacted via at least one contact region.

8. The device according to claim 4, wherein the at least one electrical heating conductor is arranged in a meandering form on the carrier.

9. A method for producing a cover disc for a housing of an optical measuring device, wherein the cover disc comprises an emission window, a reception window, and a heating assembly having at least one electrical heating conductor, the method comprising:

laying the heating assembly in a tool mould so that the at least one electrical heating conductor of the heating assembly is arranged after an injection-moulding operation in the region of the reception window and the region of the emission window is left out by the at least one electrical heating conductor of the heating assembly.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein, during the injection-moulding operation, the heating assembly is connected to an external surface and/or an internal surface of the reception window and/or integrated in the reception window.