Light-sensitive sensor unit, especially for automatic switching of illumination equipment

• US 6,831,288 B1
• Filed: 03/26/2003
• Issued: 12/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Michenfelder, Gehbard, Meier, Hans, Schmitt, Patrick, Burkart, Manfred, Blitzke, Henry, Hodapp, Bruno, Hog, Norbert, Pientka, Rainer, Gille, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Pyo, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US10/149,824
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 250/573, 250/574, 250/227.25, 250/208.1, 250/239, 318/483, 318/DIG.2, 318/444, 340/601, 340/602, 362/494, 362/503, 315/159
• US Class Current: 250/573
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1423 Automatic dimming circuits, i.e. switching between high beam and low beam due to change of ambient light or light level in road traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/312 Adverse weather
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/314 Ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/3321 Detection of streetlights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/337 Tunnels or bridges
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0822 characterized by the arrangement or type of detection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0833 Optical rain sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/087 including an ambient light sensor control of vehicle lights B60Q

Abstract

Light-sensitive sensor unit, especially for the automatic switching of illuminating equipment, preferably in motor vehicles, which includes at least two light-sensitive sensors, at least a first sensor and a second sensor detecting the light conditions in predetermined directions. For this purpose, all light-conducting elements allocated to the sensors are to be connected in one piece as a light-conducting member and integrated into the light-conducting member of a rain sensor.

Claims

1. A light-sensitive sensor unit, comprising:

at least two light-sensitive sensors, each of the at least two light-sensitive sensors assigned a plurality of light-conducting elements, the plurality of light-conducting elements having a plurality of predeterminable receiving characteristics, at least a first light-sensitive sensor and a second light-sensitive sensor detecting a light condition in at least two predetermined directions;

wherein the plurality of light-conducting elements assigned to the at least two light-sensitive sensors are connected as one piece to form a light-conducting member, the light-conducting member being integrated into a further light-conducting member of a rain sensor unit.

2. The sensor unit as recited in claim 1, wherein at least three light-sensitive sensors detect light from the at least two predetermined directions.

3. The sensor unit as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one light-sensitive sensor is aligned in a predetermined driving direction of a vehicle.

4. The sensor unit as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one light-sensitive sensor detects a light condition in a predetermined angle α

direction, the predetermined angle α

direction defining an angle α

with a straight line in a driving direction of a vehicle.

5. The sensor unit as recited in claim 4, wherein two light-sensitive sensors define the angle α

with each side of the straight line in the driving direction of the vehicle, each of the two light-sensitive sensors including a common light-sensitive sensor element.

6. The sensor unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the light-conducting elements are integrally formed.

7. The sensor unit as recited in claim 1, wherein light detecting cones of the light-conducting elements overlap.

8. The sensor unit as recited in claim 1, further comprising an evaluating device, the evaluating device able to distinguish between daylight and artificial light.

9. The sensor unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the light-conducting member is produced by a multi-component injection molding process.

10. The sensor unit as recited in claim 9, wherein a plurality of components of the multi-component injection molding process are adjusted with respect to a plurality of heat expansion coefficients of the plurality of components.

11. The sensor unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the rain sensor unit includes:

at least one transmitter;

at least one receiver; and

at least one light-conducting member between a pane and one of the at least one transmitter and the at least one receiver;

wherein at least one image of the at least one transmitter and the at least one receiver forms by projection onto the pane at least one corner point of a trapezium.

12. The sensor unit as recited in claim 11, further comprising at least one sensor element, the at least one sensor element able to distinguish between daylight and artificial light.

13. The sensor unit as recited in claim 11, wherein between the at least one transmitter and the at least one receiver, radiation is reflected at least once at a surface of the pane, the at least one transmitter emitting radiation in various directions, and at least one reflection surface created thereby establishing an at least approximately coherent sensitive surface.

14. The sensor unit as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one transmitter emits radiation in two directions to two of the at least one receiver.

15. The sensor unit as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one receiver receives radiation from two directions from two of the at least one transmitter.

16. The sensor unit as recited in claim 11, wherein:

the at least one transmitter includes two transmitters; and

the at least one receiver includes two receivers.

17. The sensor unit as recited in claim 16, wherein the trapezium includes a symmetrical trapezium, and wherein one of:

a first distance between the two receivers is about double a second distance between the two transmitters; and

the second distance is about double the first distance.

18. The sensor unit as recited in claim 17, wherein:

the two transmitters are positioned on a first, lower parallel in an installation position of the trapezium; and

the two receivers are positioned on a second, upper parallel in the installation position of the trapezium.

19. The sensor unit as recited in claim 11, wherein the rain sensor unit includes four measuring paths.

20. The sensor unit as recited in claim 11, wherein at least two centers of at least two reflection surfaces of at least two radiation cones of at least two of the at least one transmitter are positioned next to one another on the pane and spaced apart at an at least approximately equal distance.

21. The sensor unit as recited in claim 20, wherein the at least two centers are positioned on a line that lies between two parallels of the trapezium.

22. The sensor unit as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one light-conducting member, the at least one transmitter, and the at least one receiver are designed and positioned so that only one single total reflection of a transmitter light appears on the pane.

23. The sensor unit as recited in claim 11, wherein allocated to each transmitter and receiver on the at least one light-conducting member is an optical element, the optical element including a plurality of separate lenses.

24. The sensor unit as recited in claim 23, wherein the plurality of separate lenses are integrally formed.

25. The sensor unit as recited in claim 23, wherein the plurality of separate lenses is two separate lenses.

26. The sensor unit as recited in claim 11, wherein:

an optical element having a single lens is allocated to each of the at least one transmitter on the at least one light-conducting member, and

an optical element having a single lens is allocated each of the at least one receiver on the at least one light-conducting member.

27. The sensor unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the first light-sensitive sensor detects a global ambient light.

28. The sensor unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor unit includes a heating device for heating the light-conducting member.

29. The sensor unit as recited in claim 28, wherein the heating device includes a heating element which is one of:

in contact with the light-conducting member; and

integrated into the light-conducting member.

30. The sensor unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is for an automatic switching of illuminating equipment.

31. The sensor unit as recited in claim 30, wherein the sensor unit is for a motor vehicle.

32. The sensor unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the light-conducting member is integrated in one piece.

33. The sensor unit as recited in claim 32, wherein the light-conducting member is produced together with the further light-conducting member of the rain sensor unit and a coupling medium.