SENSOR DEVICE FOR DETECTING MOISTURE ON A ROADWAY HAVING AT LEAST ONE STRUCTURE-BORNE SOUND SENSOR

Abstract

A sensor device for detecting moisture on a roadway of a vehicle includes a housing having at least one flat housing area. The housing is constructed as a resonant body and is provided for mounting in a wheel arch of the vehicle. At least one structure-borne sound sensor is arranged in the housing area of the housing and at least one connecting means is assigned to the housing for producing a connection between the housing and the wheel arch. The at least one connecting means is constructed to be vibration damping and constructed for receiving a decoupling of the sensor device and the wheel arch. The at least one connecting means is constructed for producing a connection between the housing and the wheel arch and the structure-borne sound sensor is configured to detect only structure-borne sound signals caused by impacting moisture droplets on the housing.

Claims

1. A sensor device for detecting moisture on a roadway of a vehicle, comprising: a housing having at least one flat housing area, the housing being constructed as a resonant body and the housing being provided for mounting in a wheel arch of the vehicle; at least one circuit carrier arranged in the housing; at least one structure-borne sound sensor arranged in the housing area of the housing and connected in a signal-conducting matter to the circuit carrier; and at least one connecting means assigned to the housing for producing a connection between the housing and the wheel arch, the at least one connecting means being constructed to be vibration damping, at least in certain sections, and constructed for receiving a decoupling of the sensor device and the wheel arch, wherein the at least one connecting means is constructed for producing a connection between the housing and the wheel arch, wherein the housing has a lateral protrusion extending outward from a top surface of the housing, and wherein the at least one connecting means is a double-sided adhesive tape having a first side directly adhered to the lateral protrusion and a second side directly adhered to the wheel arch.

2. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the structure-borne sound sensor has an extensive contact with the housing area which is constructed to be flat and the structure-borne sound sensor is arranged on the side of the housing area facing an interior of the housing.

3. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein at least one structure-borne sound sensor is a piezoelectric element.

4. A sensor device for detecting moisture on a roadway of a vehicle, comprising: a housing having at least one flat housing area, the housing being constructed as a resonant body and the housing being provided for mounting in a wheel arch of the vehicle; at least one circuit carrier arranged in the housing; at least one structure-borne sound sensor arranged in the housing area of the housing and connected in a signal-conducting matter to the circuit carrier; and at least one connecting means assigned to the housing for producing a connection between the housing and the wheel arch, the at least one connecting means being constructed to be vibration damping, at least in certain sections, and constructed for receiving a decoupling of the sensor device and the wheel arch, wherein the circuit carrier is connected to the housing in a vibration-damped manner, wherein the housing has a lateral protrusion extending outward from a top surface of the housing, and wherein the at least one connecting means is a double-sided adhesive tape having a first side directly adhered to the lateral protrusion and a second side directly adhered to the wheel arch.

5. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the circuit carrier is only connected to the housing at edges of the circuit carrier.

6. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the connecting means is connected flat.

7. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the housing is constructed for mounting in at least one opening of the wheel arch.

8. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein a plane spanned by the lateral protrusion and a plane spanned by the flat housing area are arranged parallel to one another.

9. A vehicle, comprising: at least two axles, having at least two wheels, the wheel arch surrounding at least one wheel of the at least two wheels at least in certain sections; and the sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor device is arranged in the wheel arch.

10. The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the at least one flat housing area of the housing is arranged in the wheel arch facing a running surface of one wheel of the at least two wheels, and wherein the sensor device is arranged counter to a direction of travel of the vehicle behind the one wheel.

11. The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the sensor device is arranged in the region of the wheel arch close to the roadway.

12. The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the at least one flat housing area of the sensor device is inserted into an opening in the wheel arch at least in certain sections.

13. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one structure-borne sound sensor is a piezoelectric film.

14. A sensor device for detecting moisture on a roadway of a vehicle, comprising: a housing having at least one flat housing area, the housing being constructed as a resonant body and the housing being provided for mounting in a wheel arch of the vehicle; at least one circuit carrier arranged in the housing; at least one structure-borne sound sensor arranged in the housing area of the housing and connected in a signal-conducting matter to the circuit carrier; and at least one connecting means assigned to the housing for producing a connection between the housing and the wheel arch, the at least one connecting means being constructed to be vibration damping, at least in certain sections, and constructed for receiving a decoupling of the sensor device and the wheel arch wherein the circuit carrier is connected to the housing in a vibration-damped manner, wherein the at least one connecting means is constructed for producing a connection between the housing and the wheel arch, wherein the housing has a lateral protrusion extending outward from a top surface of the housing, and wherein the at least one connecting means is a double-sided adhesive tape having a first side directly adhered to the lateral protrusion and a second side directly adhered to the wheel arch.

15. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the structure-borne sound sensor is configured to detect vibrations caused by impacting water on the housing.

16. A sensor device for detecting moisture on a roadway of a vehicle, comprising: a housing having at least one flat housing area, the housing being constructed as a resonant body and the housing being provided for mounting in a wheel arch of the vehicle; at least one structure-borne sound sensor arranged in the housing area of the housing and; at least one connecting means assigned to the housing for producing a connection between the housing and the wheel arch, the at least one connecting means being constructed to be vibration damping, at least in certain sections, and constructed for receiving a decoupling of the sensor device and the wheel arch, wherein the at least one connecting means is constructed for producing a connection between the housing and the wheel arch, wherein the structure-borne sound sensor is configured to detect only structure-borne sound signals caused by impacting moisture droplets on the housing.

17. The sensor device according to claim 16, wherein the sensor device has a resonance frequency of approximately 5 kHz.

18. The sensor device according to claim 16, wherein a transmission of structure borne sound signals between the housing of the sensor device and the wheel arch of the vehicle is prevented by the arrangement of the vibration damping connecting means.

19. Method for detecting moisture on a roadway of a vehicle, using a sensor device comprising: a housing having at least one flat housing area, the housing being constructed as a resonant body and the housing being provided for mounting in a wheel arch of the vehicle; at least one structure-borne sound sensor arranged in the housing area of the housing and; at least one connecting means assigned to the housing for producing a connection between the housing and the wheel arch, the at least one connecting means being constructed to be vibration damping, at least in certain sections, and constructed for receiving a decoupling of the sensor device and the wheel arch, wherein the at least one connecting means is constructed for producing a connection between the housing and the wheel arch, measuring structure-borne sound signals caused by impacting moisture droplets thrown up from the roadway only on the housing, analyzing the structure-borne sound signals caused only on the housing, drawing conclusion about the moisture on the roadway from the analyzed structure-borne sound signals caused only on the housing.

20. Method according to claim 19, wherein a transmission of structure borne sound signals between the housing of the sensor device and the wheel arch of the vehicle is prevented by the arrangement of the vibration damping connecting means.

21. Method according to claim 19, wherein the sensor device has a resonance frequency of approximately 5 kHz.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0033] The invention is explained further below with reference to an exemplary embodiment which is illustrated in the drawing. In detail, in the schematic illustrations:

[0034] FIG. 1: shows the arrangement of a sensor device on a vehicle,

[0035] FIG. 2: shows a cross section of the sensor device arranged in a wheel arch,

[0036] FIG. 3: shows a cross section of a sensor device mounted in a wheel arch by means of an adhesive connection, and

[0037] FIG. 4 shows the sensor device according to the invention in an alternative embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0038] In FIG. 1, the arrangement of a sensor device 1 according to the invention on a vehicle 2 is illustrated. In particular, the sensor device 1 is arranged in a wheel arch 3 of the vehicle 2. The wheel arch 3 surrounds a wheel 4 in certain sections, from which wheel moisture from the wetted roadway 5 is thrown up in the form of spray water 6. The spray water droplets 6 impact onto the sensor device 1 and generate structure-borne sound signals on the same, which are detected by the sensor device 1.

[0039] In FIG. 2, a cross section of the sensor device 1 arranged in a wheel arch 3 is illustrated. The sensor device is arranged counter to the direction of travel of the vehicle 1 behind the wheel 4 in the region of the wheel arch 3 close to the roadway, that is to say in the region of the base plate of the vehicle 2. The sensor device 1 has a housing 7, in which a structure-borne sound sensor 8 and a circuit carrier 9 are arranged. The structure-borne sound sensor 8 has a signal-conducting connection 10 to the circuit carrier 9. The structure-borne sound sensor 8 can for example be constructed as a piezoelectric film. The structure-borne sound sensor 8 has an extensive contact with a flat constructed housing area 11. The housing area 11 faces the running surface 12 of the wheel 4. The spray water 6 thrown up by the wheel 4 in the case of a wetted roadway impacts onto the flat constructed housing area 11 and sets the same vibrating. The vibrations can be detected in the form of a structure-borne sound signal by the structure-borne sound sensor 8. Because the housing 7 has a cavity, the housing area 11 can act as a resonator surface, which amplifies the structure-borne sound signals. The housing 7 therefore act as a resonant body. The circuit carrier 9 only has a connection to the housing 7 at the edges of the circuit carrier. As a result, vibrations, which occur during the driving of the vehicle 2, are not transmitted at full-strength to the circuit carrier 9. The housing 7 can for example be connected to the wheel arch 3 by means of screw or adhesive connections.

[0040] In FIG. 3, a sensor device 1 according to FIG. 2 is illustrated mounted in a wheel arch 3 of a vehicle 1. The sensor device 1 is connected to the wheel arch 3 by means of an adhesive connection 13. In this case, the adhesive connection 13 has a vibration damping action. As a result, vibrations, which occur during the driving of the vehicle 1, are damped, so that the sensor device 1 is protected from the shocks.

[0041] An alternative embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 4, which is provided for mounting in an opening 14 in a wheel arch 3. The housing 7 is inserted into the opening 14 in certain sections. Preferably, the flat constructed housing area 11 here forms a flush plane with the inner wall of the wheel arch 3. The structure-borne sound sensor 8 is arranged on the inside of the housing area 11. The housing 7 has a lateral protrusion 15, which is provided for resting with the wall of the wheel arch 3. The lateral protrusion 15 of the housing 7 and the edging of the opening 14 of the wheel arch 3 form an overlap. A connecting means 16 is arranged between the lateral protrusion 15 and the wheel arch 3. The connecting means 16 is preferably constructed flat and has an adhesive film on both sides for producing an adhesive connection 13 between the housing 7 and the wheel arch 3. The connecting means 16 is preferably produced from a foamed plastic material. The foamed plastic material is here realized in an elastic manner, so that the adhesive connection 13 produced by the connecting means 16 has a vibration-damping action. By constructing the lateral protrusion 15 and using a vibration damping connecting means 16, a fast and simple mounting of the housing 7 into an opening 14 of a wheel arch 3 is enabled.

[0042] All of the features mentioned in the preceding description and in the claims can be combined in any desired selection with the features of the independent claims. The disclosure of the invention is therefore not limited to the described or claimed feature combinations, rather all sensible feature combinations in the context of the invention are to be considered as disclosed.