Roof module for forming a vehicle roof

Abstract

A roof module for realizing a vehicle roof on a motor vehicle, the roof module having a panel component whose outer surface forms at least a portion of the roof skin of the vehicle roof, the roof module having at least one environmental sensor which can send and/or receive electromagnetic signals to detect the vehicle environment. The environmental sensor is mounted on the roof module in such a manner that it can be displaced between an inoperative position and an operative position, the environmental sensor being displaceable between the inoperative position and the operative position by a drive mechanism.

Claims

1. A roof module for forming a vehicle roof on a motor vehicle, the roof module comprising: a panel component whose outer surface forms at least a portion of the roof skin of the vehicle roof, the roof module comprising at least one environmental sensor which can send and/or receive electromagnetic signals to detect the vehicle environment, wherein the environmental sensor is mounted on the roof module in such a manner that it can be displaced between an inoperative position and an operative position, the environmental sensor being displaceable between the inoperative position and the operative position by a drive mechanism.

2. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein the roof module comprises at least one sensor housing in which the environmental sensor is disposed, the sensor housing having a recess which accommodates the environmental sensor in the inoperative position.

3. The roof module according to claim 2, wherein the recess can be closed by a lid mounted in a displaceable manner when the environmental sensor is in the inoperative position, the environmental sensor being moved out of the recess when in the operative position.

4. The roof module according to claim 3, wherein the sensor housing is disposed underneath the roof skin, the lid, which is closed when the environmental sensor is in the inoperative position, forming a portion of the roof skin.

5. The roof module according to claim 4, wherein the lid is mounted to pivot on the roof module, the pivot axis extending in the plane of the roof skin.

6. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism is a pivot drive.

7. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism is a lifting drive.

8. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein a wiper element by which a portion of the outer surface of the environmental sensor can be wiped, is disposed in the sensor housing.

9. The roof module according to claim 8, wherein the wiper element is fixed in the sensor housing, the wiper element being in contact with the portion to be wiped of the outer surface of the environmental sensor.

10. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein a heating means and/or a cooling means by which the environmental sensor can be heated and/or cooled is provided in the sensor housing.

11. The roof module according to claim 1 wherein the environmental sensor is at least one of a lidar sensor, a radar sensor, a camera sensor, and a multi-camera sensor.

12. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein at least one cleaning nozzle which can discharge a cleaning fluid for cleaning the environmental sensor is disposed in the sensor housing.

13. The roof module according to claim 11, wherein a drain through which the cleaning fluid can be discharged from the sensor housing is provided in the sensor housing.

14. A method for operating a roof module according to claim 12, wherein the cleaning fluid is discharged to clean the environmental sensor when the environmental sensor is in the inoperative position and the lid above the recess of the sensor housing is closed.

15. A motor vehicle comprising a roof module according to claim 1.

16. The roof module according to claim 7, wherein the lifting drive is a scissor lifting drive.

Description

[0020] An embodiment of the invention is schematically illustrated in the drawings and will be explained as an example below.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal section of a roof module with an environmental sensor in its inoperative position;

[0022] FIG. 2 shows the roof module of FIG. 1 after the environmental sensor has been moved into its operative position;

[0023] FIG. 3 shows the roof module of FIG. 1 during cleaning of the environmental sensor;

[0024] FIG. 4 is a perspective side view of a second embodiment of a roof module with two environmental sensors in the inoperative position;

[0025] FIG. 5 is a perspective side view the roof module of FIG. 4 after the two environmental sensors have been moved into their operative position;

[0026] FIG. 6 is a side view of the roof module of FIG. 5 after the two environmental sensors have been moved into their operative position.

[0027] FIG. 1 show a section of a roof module 01 of a motor vehicle realized as a passenger vehicle, the roof module being illustrated in FIG. 1 only in so much detail as is needed to understand the invention. Roof module 01 comprises a panel component 02 whose outer surface forms the roof skin of a vehicle roof. A housing 04 in which an environmental sensor 05, such as a LiDAR sensor, is disposed is provided underneath roof skin 03, i.e., on the underside of panel component 02. In FIG. 1, environmental sensor 05 is in its inoperative position. In this inoperative position of environmental sensor 05, the upper opening of housing 04 is closed by means of a lid 06, resulting in a closed surface of roof skin 03. Lid 06 is mounted on panel component 02 in such a manner that it can pivot on a pivot axis 07 and can be pivoted open in the upward direction.

[0028] Moreover, a wiper element 09 is fixed in recess 08 accommodating environmental sensor 05. The effective surface of wiper element 09 is in contact with a visible surface of the outer surface of environmental sensor 05. A drive mechanism 10 by means of which the environmental sensor can be deployed from its inoperative position illustrated in FIG. 1 into its operative position illustrated in FIG. 2 is located below environmental sensor 05.

[0029] FIG. 2 shows roof module 01 after environmental sensor 05 has been deployed into its operative position. In this operative position, lid 06 is open and environmental sensor 05 protrudes beyond roof skin 03 to a degree in order to be able to detect the environment of the vehicle. Drive mechanism 10 has been extended upward to displace environmental sensor 05. When environmental sensor 05 is deployed, the movement relative to wiper element 09 results in a wiping motion across the surface to be wiped of environmental sensor 05, allowing any adhering dirt particles to be at least partially removed.

[0030] Environmental sensor 05 is attached to lid 06 via a joint 11, lid 06 thus being opened and closed by the positioning movement of environmental sensor 05.

[0031] FIG. 3 shows roof module 01 during cleaning of environmental sensor 05. To be cleaned, environmental sensor 05 is first moved into its inoperative position in recess 08 and lid 06 is closed in the process. Then, a cleaning fluid 12 is discharged by means of a cleaning nozzle 13 and sprayed onto the see-through area of environmental sensor 05. Undesired leakage of cleaning fluid 12 from recess 08 is precluded since lid 06 is closed. Instead, two drains 14 through which cleaning fluid 12 can be discharged downward in a controlled manner are provided at the bottom of housing 04.

[0032] FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment 15 of a roof module for forming a vehicle roof A front environmental sensor 16 and a rear environmental sensor 17, each of which is disposed in a recess of roof module 15, are provided on roof module 15. In FIG. 4, the two environmental sensors 16 and 17 are in their inoperative position, the recesses in roof module 15 being closed by a lid 18 and a lid 19, respectively. The two lids 18 and 19 each form part of roof skin 20 when environmental sensors 16 and 17 are in the inoperative position.

[0033] FIG. 5 shows roof module 15 after the two environmental sensors 16 and 17 have been displaced into their respective operative positions. Two lateral pivot drives 21 and 22, by means of which lid 18 and environmental sensor 16 disposed in the front can be pivoted upward, are provided for displacing front environmental sensor 16.

[0034] In contrast, two lateral scissor lifting drives 23 and 24, by means of which the entire lid can be lifted relative to roof skin 20, are provided for displacing rear environmental sensor 17 and lid 18.

[0035] FIG. 6 shows roof module 15 with environmental sensors 16 and 17 in their operative position. Pivoting drive 22 and scissor lifting drive 24 are visible.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0036] 01 roof module [0037] 02 panel component [0038] 03 roof skin [0039] 04 sensor housing [0040] 05 environmental sensor [0041] 06 lid [0042] 07 pivot axis [0043] 08 recess [0044] 09 wiper element [0045] 10 drive mechanism [0046] 11 joint [0047] 12 cleaning fluid [0048] 13 cleaning nozzle [0049] 14 drain [0050] 15 roof module [0051] 16 environmental sensor [0052] 17 environmental sensor [0053] 18 lid [0054] 19 lid [0055] 20 roof skin [0056] 21 pivot drive [0057] 22 pivot drive [0058] 23 scissor lifting drive [0059] 24 scissor lifting drive