Optical sensor device

• US 20070235638A1
• Filed: 03/27/2007
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TRW Automotive Electronics & Components GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: TRW Automotive Electronics & Components GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Backes, Ulrich, Kail, Andreas
• Application Number:
  US11/728,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20070235638A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/227.240
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0837 with a particular arrangement of the optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/43 by measuring critical angle

Abstract

An optical sensor device (10, 10′) is able to be coupled to a pane (14), particularly to a windscreen of a motor vehicle. A sensor unit (12) of the device (10, 10′) has a transmitter (26), a receiver (28) and a photoconductor structure with a first fresnel lens (42) associated with the transmitter (26) and a second fresnel lens (44) associated with the receiver (28). The fresnel lenses (42, 44) are arranged such that a diverging light beam (34) emitted from the transmitter (26) is oriented in parallel through the first fresnel lens (42) and is coupled into the pane (14) as a parallel light beam (34a) without further substantial deflection. The parallel light beam (34a) is coupled out from the pane (14) as a parallel light beam (34b) after at least one reflection inside the pane (14). The light beam (34b) impinges onto the receiver (28) as a converging light beam through the second fresnel lens (44).

Claims

1. An optical sensor device which is able to be coupled to a pane, particularly to a windscreen of a motor vehicle,

the device comprising a sensor unit including a transmitter, a receiver and a photoconductor structure having a first fresnel lens associated with the transmitter and a second fresnel lens associated with the receiver,

the fresnel lenses being arranged such that a diverging light beam emitted from the transmitter is oriented in parallel through the first fresnel lens and is coupled into the pane as a parallel light beam without further substantial deflection,

the parallel light beam being coupled out from the pane as a parallel light beam after at least one reflection inside the pane,

the light beam impinging onto the receiver as a converging light beam through the second fresnel lens.

2. The optical sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the first fresnel lens is constructed and arranged such that the parallel light beam is coupled into the pane at an angle of approximately 45°

.

3. The optical sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the second fresnel lens is constructed and arranged such that the parallel light beam is coupled out from the pane at an angle of approximately 45°

.

4. The optical sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the two fresnel lenses are constructed in mirror symmetry to each other.

5. The optical sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the two fresnel lenses are arranged adjacent to each other and are formed as one piece.

6. The optical sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the two fresnel lenses are formed in a plate, a front side of the plate having fresnel steps, the plate being arranged such that the front side of the plate faces one of the transmitter and the receiver.

7. The optical sensor device according to claim 6, wherein a rear side of the plate opposite the front side is substantially flat and faces the pane.

8. The optical sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the photoconductor structure is attached to the pane by a coupler.

9. The optical sensor device according to claim 8, wherein the coupler is formed by a transparent, elastic and substantially flat medium.

10. The optical sensor device according to claim 8, wherein the coupler has a rigid element with a rear side facing the pane and a front side facing the photoconductor structure, the rear side being substantially flat and the front side having coupling areas which are formed perpendicularly to the parallel orientation of the light beam.

11. The optical sensor device according to claim 10, wherein the photoconductor structure has a rear side adapted to the front side of the rigid element of the coupler.

12. The optical sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter and the receiver are arranged on a printed circuit board which is oriented substantially parallel to the pane.

13. The optical sensor device according to claim 1, comprising an even number of sensor units and an evaluation unit, the receivers of the sensor units delivering signals, the signals of each pair of sensor units being subjected to a subtraction in the evaluation unit.

14. The optical sensor device according to claim 1, wherein at least one additional daylight sensor unit is accommodated in a housing of the sensor device, the daylight sensor unit having a light receiver and a photoconductor structure with a further fresnel lens which displays light from a defined region of the environment on the light receiver.

15. The optical sensor device according to claim 14, wherein the further fresnel lens and at least one of the first and second fresnel lenses are formed in the same plate.