Sensor assembly for a vehicle windshield

• US 8,192,095 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2011
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leopold Kostal GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Leopold Kostal GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Kortan, Josef, Blaesing, Frank, Boebel, Ralf
• Primary Examiner(s): LaBalle, Clayton E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Butler, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US12/987,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20110129209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 396/326, 396/419, 248/314, 248/475.1, 738/665, 156/64, 356/221, 340/693.9, 439/34, 267/205, 254 1-400, 294/101
• US Class Current: 396/419
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0844 including a camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0881 characterized by the attachment means on the windshield
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1043 Subsequent to assembly

Abstract

A sensor assembly for a vehicle windshield includes a retaining frame, a sensor housing, clamping hooks, a spring, and an actuating lever. The retaining frame is attachable to the windshield. The clamping hooks are connected to the housing. The clamping hooks are attachable to the retaining frame to attach the housing to the retaining frame. The spring is connected to the housing and associated with one of the clamping hooks. The actuating lever is pivotably mounted to the clamping hooks. Pivoting of the actuating lever causes the spring to compress and press the housing against the windshield when both the retaining frame is attached to the windshield and the housing is attached by the clamping hooks to the retaining frame.

Claims

1. A sensor assembly for a vehicle windshield, the sensor assembly comprising:

a retaining frame attachable to a windshield;

a sensor housing;

a pair of clamping hooks connected to the sensor housing, wherein the clamping hooks are attachable to the retaining frame to attach the sensor housing to the retaining frame;

a spring element connected to the sensor housing and adjacent to a respective one of the clamping hooks and physically separate from the clamping hooks; and

an actuating lever pivotably mounted to the clamping hooks, wherein pivoting of the actuating lever causes the spring element to compress and press the sensor housing against the windshield, with the clamping hooks being uncompressed from the pivoting of the actuating lever, when both the retaining frame is attached to the windshield and the sensor housing is attached by the clamping hooks to the retaining frame.

2. The sensor assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the actuating lever is U-shaped.

3. The sensor assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the spring element is a leaf spring.

4. The sensor assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the spring element is an elastically deformable section of the sensor housing.

5. The sensor assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

an eccentric connected to the actuating lever and engaged with the spring element, wherein pivoting of the actuating lever causes the eccentric to move against the spring element and thereby compress the spring element.

6. The sensor assembly of claim 1 wherein:

each clamping hook includes wrap-around elements connectable with the retaining frame in order to attach the clamping hook to the retaining frame.

7. The sensor assembly of claim 6 wherein:

the retaining frame includes a pair of grooves for the wrap-around elements of the clamping hooks, wherein the wrap-around elements are respectively connectable with the grooves in order to be connectable with the retaining frame.

8. The sensor assembly of claim 6 wherein:

the retaining frame includes pins for the wrap-around elements of the clamping hooks, wherein the wrap-around elements are respectively connectable with the pins in order to be connectable with the retaining frame.

9. The sensor assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the sensor housing contains at least one optical sensor.

10. The sensor assembly of claim 9 wherein:

the optical sensor is a camera.

11. The sensor assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the sensor housing includes a pair of receiving pockets;

wherein the clamping hooks are respectively inserted into the receiving pockets to be connected to the sensor housing.

12. A sensor assembly for a vehicle windshield, the sensor assembly comprising:

a retaining frame attachable to a windshield;

a sensor housing;

a pair of clamping hooks connected to the sensor housing, wherein the clamping hooks are attachable to the retaining frame to attach the sensor housing to the retaining frame;

a pair of spring elements connected to the sensor housing and respectively adjacent to the clamping hooks and physically separate from the clamping hooks; and

an actuating lever pivotably mounted to the clamping hooks, wherein pivoting of the actuating lever causes the spring elements to compress and press the sensor housing against the windshield, with the clamping hooks being uncompressed from the pivoting of the actuating lever, when both the retaining frame is attached to the windshield and the sensor housing is attached by the clamping hooks to the retaining frame.

13. The sensor assembly of claim 12 wherein:

at least one of the spring elements is a leaf spring.

14. The sensor assembly of claim 12 wherein:

at least one of the spring element is an elastically deformable section of the sensor housing.

15. The sensor assembly of claim 12 further comprising:

a pair of eccentrics connected to the actuating lever and respectively engaged with the spring elements, wherein pivoting of the actuating lever causes the eccentrics to move against the respective spring elements and thereby compress the respective spring elements.

16. The sensor assembly of claim 12 wherein:

each clamping hook includes wrap-around elements connectable with the retaining frame in order to attach the clamping hook to the retaining frame.

17. The sensor assembly of claim 16 wherein:

the retaining frame includes a pair of grooves for the wrap-around elements of the clamping hooks, wherein the wrap-around elements are respectively connectable with the grooves in order to be connectable with the retaining frame.

18. The sensor assembly of claim 16 wherein:

the retaining frame includes pins for the wrap-around elements of the clamping hooks, wherein the wrap-around elements are respectively connectable with the pins in order to be connectable with the retaining frame.

19. The sensor assembly of claim 12 wherein:

the sensor housing includes a pair of receiving pockets;

wherein the clamping hooks are respectively inserted into the receiving pockets to be connected to the sensor housing.