SENSOR MODULE

• US 20100308094A1
• Filed: 08/28/2008
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Europe Gmbh & Co. Kg
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Europe Gmbh & Co. Kg
• Inventors: Werner, Heribert, Stegmann, Rainer
• Granted Patent: US 8,456,317 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 224/482
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0885 the sensor being integrated in a rear-view mirror module
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/146 arrangements for moving thermometers to or from a measuring position

Abstract

The aim of the invention is to improve a sensor module that is mounted in the region of a windshield of a motor vehicle in such a way that said sensor module is easier to mount and damage to the sensor during the mounting process can be prevented as much as possible. Said aim is achieved by the fact that the sensor module (2, 20) can be connected, via a fastening section (10) that is arranged on a module housing (3, 30), to an element that is fixed to the vehicle body or to an element which is connected to a part that is fixed to the vehicle body. Furthermore, a sensor (4, 40) is accommodated in the module housing (3, 30). Said sensor (4, 40) is retained such that it can be displaced and/or pivoted from a first starting position into a second end position in order to rest against the windscreen (1). Said adjusting movement can be initiated by an adjusting element (5, 50) which can be preloaded in the direction of the end position by means of a spring element (6, 60) and can be blocked in the starting position by means of a blocking element (7). Also, a delaying element (8, 80) is provided that can influence a parameter of the adjusting movement.

Claims

1. A sensor module (2, 20) for releasable attachment of a sensor (4, 40) to a window (1) of a motor vehicle, characterized in that the sensor module (2, 20) is connectable via a fastening section (10) arranged on a module housing (3, 30) to an element which is fixed to the vehicle body or is connected to a part fixed to the vehicle body, a sensor (4, 40) being accommodated in the module housing (3, 30) and being held displaceably and/or swivelably from a first starting position to a second end position in order to rest against the window (1), this adjusting movement being able to be initiated by means of an adjusting element (5, 50) and the adjusting element (5, 50) being preloadable in the direction of the end position by means of a spring element (6, 60) and being blockable in the starting position by means of a blocking element (7), and in that there is further provided a delaying element (8, 80) by which a parameter of the adjusting movement can be influenced.

2. The sensor module as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the adjusting element 5 is in the form of a pivoted lever.

4. The sensor module as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the sensor (4, 40) is connected to the adjusting element (5, 50) by an articulated joint.

5. The sensor module as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the articulated connection comprises a ball head (14) mounted in a joint socket (15).

6. The sensor module as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the spring element (6) is a torsion spring, one arm of which bears against the underside of the lever and the other arm of which bears against the module housing.

7. The sensor module as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the blocking element (7) is in the form of a horizontally movable pin which engages behind a downwardly-oriented blocking catch (16) in the front region of the lever.

8. The sensor module as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the delaying element (8) is in the form of a friction brake and comprises a gearwheel provided with a friction lining on the module housing, which gearwheel meshes with a toothed member arranged on the adjusting element (5).

10. The sensor module as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the delaying element is a timing element which releases the adjusting movement of the sensor (4) from the starting position to the end position after a predetermined time.

11. The sensor module as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the adjusting element 50 is in the form of a piston-cylinder arrangement which comprises a piston (52) mounted in a longitudinally displaceable manner in a cylinder housing (51).

12. The sensor module as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the sensor (4, 40) is connected to the adjusting element (5, 50) by an articulated joint.

13. The sensor module as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that the articulated connection comprises a ball head (14) mounted in a joint socket (15).

14. The sensor module as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that the spring element (6) is a torsion spring, one arm of which bears against the underside of the lever and the other arm of which bears against the module housing.

15. The sensor module as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that the delaying element is a friction lining arranged between cylinder housing and piston.

16. The sensor module as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that the delaying element is a timing element which releases the adjusting movement of the sensor (4) from the starting position to the end position after a predetermined time.

3. (canceled)

9. (canceled)