Light detecting device

• US 8,299,434 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Goto, Koichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Kiho
• Application Number:
  US12/829,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20110001977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 2503381-3385, 250/340, 250/227.25, 250573-574, 250/216, 356/436
• US Class Current: 250/338.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0837 with a particular arrangement of the optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0204 Compact construction
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0214 Constructional arrangements for removing stray light
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0271 Housings; Attachments or accessories for photometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/04 Optical or mechanical part supplementary adjustable parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0407 Optical elements not provided otherwise, e.g. manifolds, windows, holograms, gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0411 using focussing or collimating elements, i.e. lenses or mirrors; Aberration correction

Abstract

A light detecting device includes a case, a light introducing member and a light receiving element. A predetermined light is incident into an inlet face of the introducing member, and an outlet face of the introducing member emits the light incident into the inlet face. A first distance is defined between a top point of the outlet face and a focus of the introducing member, and a second distance is defined between the top point of the outlet face and a light receiving face of the receiving element. The outlet face has a convex lens shape in a manner that the first distance is smaller than the second distance.

Claims

1. A light detecting device to detect light traveling around a vehicle comprising:

a case having an opening to be mounted to a windshield of the vehicle, a predetermined light passing through the windshield and the opening;

a first light introducing member located adjacent to the opening, the first light introducing member having

an inlet face into which the predetermined light is incident, and

an outlet face to emit the light incident into the inlet face; and

a first light receiving element arranged in the case so as to receive the light emitted from the outlet face, wherein

the first light receiving element outputs a signal corresponding to an intensity of the light received by the first light receiving element,

the outlet face has a convex lens shape so as to define

a first distance between a top point of the outlet face and a focus of the first light introducing member, and

a second distance between the top point of the outlet face and a light receiving face of the first light receiving element, and

the first distance is smaller than the second distance.

2. The light detecting device according to claim 1, wherein

the inlet face has a first dimension in a predetermined direction,

the light emitted from the outlet face has a second dimension in the predetermined direction when the light emitted from the outlet face reaches the light receiving face, and

the second dimension is larger than the first dimension.

3. The light detecting device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a raindrop detector to detect an amount of raindrop adhering on an outer face of the windshield, the raindrop detector including

a light emitting element to emit light toward the windshield, and

a second light receiving element to receive light reflected by a border plane defined between the outer face of the windshield and an outside of the vehicle, the second light receiving element outputting a signal corresponding to an intensity of the light received by the second light receiving element; and

a second light introducing member located between the raindrop detector and the windshield, wherein

the light emitted from the light emitting element passes through the second light introducing member, and is reflected by the border plane, and

the light passing through the first light introducing member has a route unable to cross a route of the light passing through the second light introducing member in the first light introducing member or the second light introducing member.

4. The light detecting device according to claim 3, wherein

the first light introducing member and the second light introducing member are separated from each other.

5. The light detecting device according to claim 3, wherein

the second light introducing member is located between the first light receiving element and the windshield, and

the second light introducing member has a color able to shield light having a wave length in a predetermined range.

6. The light detecting device according to claim 3, further comprising:

a shielding portion to shield the light emitted from the outlet face, wherein

the first light receiving element is located between the light emitting element and the second light receiving element, and

the shielding portion is located between the first light receiving element and the second light receiving element.

7. The light detecting device according to claim 6, further comprising:

a substrate on which the first light receiving element, the light emitting element and the second light receiving element are arranged; and

at least one electronic component arranged on the substrate, wherein

the shielding portion is made of the electronic component.

8. A light detecting device to detect light traveling around a vehicle comprising:

a case having an opening to be mounted to a windshield of the vehicle, a predetermined light passing through the windshield and the opening;

a first light introducing member located adjacent the opening, the first light introducing member having

an inlet face into which the predetermined light is incident, and

an outlet face to emit the light incident into the inlet face; and

a first light receiving element arranged in the case so as to receive the light emitted from the outlet face, wherein

the first light receiving element outputs a signal corresponding to an intensity of the light received by the first light receiving element,

the inlet face has a first dimension in a predetermined direction,

the light emitted from the outlet face has a second dimension in the predetermined direction when the light emitted from the outlet face reaches a light receiving face of the first light receiving element, and

the outlet face has a concave lens shape in a manner that the second dimension is larger than the first dimension.

9. The light detecting device according to claim 8, further comprising:

a raindrop detector to detect an amount of raindrop adhering on an outer face of the windshield, the raindrop detector including

a light emitting element to emit light toward the windshield, and

a second light receiving element to receive light reflected by a border plane defined between the outer face of the windshield and an outside of the vehicle, the second light receiving element outputting a signal corresponding to an intensity of the light received by the second light receiving element; and

a second light introducing member located between the raindrop detector and the windshield, wherein

the light emitted from the light emitting element passes through the second light introducing member, and is reflected by the border plane, and

the light passing through the first light introducing member has a route unable to cross a route of the light passing through the second light introducing member in the first light introducing member or the second light introducing member.

10. The light detecting device according to claim 9, wherein

the first light introducing member and the second light introducing member are separated from each other.

11. The light detecting device according to claim 9, wherein

the second light introducing member is located between the first light receiving element and the windshield, and

the second light introducing member has a color able to shield light having a wave length in a predetermined range.

12. The light detecting device according to claim 9, further comprising:

a shielding portion to shield the light emitted from the outlet face, wherein

the first light receiving element is located between the light emitting element and the second light receiving element, and

the shielding portion is located between the first light receiving element and the second light receiving element.

13. The light detecting device according to claim 12, further comprising:

a substrate on which the first light receiving element, the light emitting element and the second light receiving element are arranged; and

at least one electronic component arranged on the substrate, wherein

the shielding portion is made of the electronic component.