Sensor arrangement

• US 8,051,707 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2010
• Issued: 11/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leopold Kostal GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Leopold Kostal GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Weber, Thomas, Hagen, Frank, Roehr, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): ALLEN, ANDRE J
• Application Number:
  US12/941,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20110061445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 365 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 73/170.17
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0866 including a temperature sensor heating devices for windshield B60H
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0881 characterized by the attachment means on the windshield
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0888 characterized by the attachment of the elements in a unit
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/245 Housings for sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/30 Supports specially adapted for an instrument; Supports specially adapted for a set of instruments
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/147 at least one of the printed circuits being bent or folded, e.g. by using a flexible printed circuit H05K1/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10121 Optical component, e.g. opto-electronic component
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10151 Sensor

Abstract

A sensor arrangement includes an optical sensor, a non-optical sensor, a sensor holder, and main and flexible interconnect devices. The sensor arrangement can be fixed to a vehicle window by the sensor holder. The sensor holder is in the form of a sensor housing having a sensor housing cover and a second housing body attached to one another. The sensor housing cover and the sensor housing body each have corresponding bracket sections which form a bracket connected to the sensor housing. The main interconnect device is positioned within the sensor housing. The optical sensor is connected to the main interconnect device. The flexible interconnect device is connected to the main interconnect device and extends from the main interconnect device to the bracket connected to the sensor housing. The non-optical sensor is connected to the flexible interconnect device within the bracket and is held by the bracket.

Claims

1. A sensor arrangement comprising:

an optical sensor;

a non-optical sensor;

a sensor housing cover and a sensor housing body attached to one another to form a sensor housing attachable to a window, the sensor housing cover and the sensor housing body each having corresponding bracket sections which form a bracket connected to the sensor housing;

a main interconnect device positioned within the sensor housing, wherein the optical sensor is connected to the main interconnect device; and

a flexible interconnect device connected to the main interconnect device and extending from the main interconnect device to the bracket connected to the sensor housing, wherein the non-optical sensor is connected to the flexible interconnect device within the bracket and is held by the bracket.

2. The sensor arrangement of claim 1 wherein:

the main interconnect device is a printed circuit board.

3. The sensor arrangement of claim 1 wherein:

the flexible interconnect device is one of a foil conductor and a flexible printed circuit substrate.

4. The sensor arrangement of claim 1 wherein:

the optical sensor forms at least one of a rain sensor and a light sensor.

5. The sensor arrangement of claim 1 wherein:

the non-optical sensor is operable to detect formation of condensation.

6. The sensor arrangement of claim 1 wherein:

the non-optical sensor is operable to detect impending condensation on prior to definite formation of condensation.

7. The sensor arrangement of claim 1 wherein:

the non-optical sensor includes at least one of a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor.

8. The sensor arrangement of claim 1 further comprising:

a spring mounted on the bracket, wherein the spring presses the non-optical sensor in the direction of the window when the sensor housing is attached to the window.

9. The sensor arrangement of claim 1 wherein:

the section of the flexible interconnect device provided with the non-optical sensor rests against the window when the sensor housing is attached to the window.

10. The sensor arrangement of claim 1 further comprising:

a pair of bars attached to the bracket section of the sensor housing cover, wherein the bars hold the non-optical sensor for the non-optical sensor to be held by the bracket.

11. The sensor arrangement of claim 10 wherein:

each bar includes a recess and the non-optical sensor includes corresponding clip-like sections, wherein the clip-like sections of the non-optical sensor clip into the recesses of the bars in order for the non-optical sensor to be held by the bracket.

12. The sensor arrangement of claim 10 wherein:

the bars are aligned parallel to one another.

13. The sensor arrangement of claim 10 wherein:

the bars are surrounded at least partially by the sensor housing body when the sensor housing cover and the sensor housing body are attached to one another to form the sensor housing.

14. The sensor arrangement of claim 10 wherein:

the sensor housing body includes openings in the region of the sensor housing body surrounding the bars for ventilating the non-optical sensor.

15. The sensor arrangement of claim 1 wherein:

the main interconnect device includes a plug-and-socket connector, wherein the flexible interconnect device is connected to the main interconnect device via the plug-and-socket connector.

16. The sensor arrangement of claim 1 wherein:

the non-optical sensor is mounted with a spring on the bracket.

17. The sensor arrangement of claim 1 wherein:

the sensor housing cover includes a pair of first spring hooks, wherein the first spring hooks are attachable to a support piece attached to the window such that the sensor housing is attachable to the window.

18. The sensor arrangement of claim 17 wherein:

the sensor housing cover further includes a plurality of second spring hooks and the sensor housing body includes a plurality of latching eyelets;

wherein the second spring hooks of the sensor housing cover project into the latching eyelets of the sensor housing body in order to attach the sensor housing cover and the sensor housing body to one another and thereby form the sensor housing.

19. The sensor arrangement of claim 1 wherein:

the sensor housing body includes a coupling surface which faces the window when the sensor housing is attached to the window, the coupling surface for coupling light into the optical sensor.

20. The sensor arrangement of claim 1 wherein:

the main interconnect device includes a plug-and-socket connector extending through the outside of the sensor housing cover.