Sensor Apparatus For Coupling To A Pane Of Glass

Abstract

A sensor apparatus for coupling to a pane of glass, in particular to the windscreen of a motor vehicle, having at least one coupling layer for the optical coupling of the sensor apparatus with the windscreen. The coupling layer is constructed with multiple layers, at least two layers of the coupling layer consist of coupling materials that are different from each other, and the layer provided for placement on the pane of glass has a weaker capacity for adhesion to the glass than at least one further layer of the coupling layer.

Claims

1. Sensor apparatus for coupling to a pane of glass, in particular to the windscreen of a motor vehicle, with at least one coupling layer for optical coupling of the sensor apparatus to the glass, wherein the coupling layer is constructed of multiple layers, at least two layers of the coupling layer are made from coupling materials that differ from each other, and the layer provided as the layer for placement on the pane of glass has a lower capacity for adhesion to the glass than at least one further layer of the coupling layer.

2. The sensor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein different coupling materials have good bonding properties with each other.

3. The sensor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one layer is made from a material that contains silicone oil, and at least one layer is made from a material that does not contain silicone oil.

4. The sensor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the layer facing the pane of glass is made from a material that contains silicone oil, and the layer facing the sensor apparatus is made from a material that does not contain silicone oil.

5. The sensor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the layer consisting of a material that contains silicone oil and facing the pane of glass forms a silicone oil film on the surface facing the glass.

6. The sensor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor apparatus has a housing, that the housing has a coupling region at least a portion of which is of flat design for arrangement on the pane of glass, that the coupling region has a rim for forming a recess, and that at least one layer is accommodated in the recess.

7. The sensor apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the layer containing no silicone oil is accommodated in the recess that is formed up to a level flush with the upper edge of the rim of the coupling region.

8. The sensor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the layer that contains silicone oil has a larger diameter than the layer that contains no silicone oil.

9. The sensor apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the recess and the rim are covered with the layer that contains silicone oil.

10. The sensor apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the coupling layer is constructed with two layers, and the separation plane is arranged between the two layers parallel to the plane spanned by the coupling region.

11. The sensor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the coupling materials are silicone gels.

12. The sensor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor apparatus is a rain-light sensor with at least one radiation transmitter for transmitting radiation and with at least one radiation receiver for detecting radiation.

13. A motor vehicle having at least one pane of glass, in particular a windscreen, and having at least one sensor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor apparatus is arranged on the inner surface of a pane of glass.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In the following section, the invention will be explained in greater detail with reference to an exemplary embodiment represented in the drawing. In detail, the diagrammatic figures show:

[0019] FIG. 1: a top view of a sensor apparatus with a coupling material, and

[0020] FIG. 2: a side view in cross section of a sensor apparatus with a coupling layer mounted on a pane of glass.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] FIG. 1 represents a top view of the side of a sensor apparatus 1 that is assigned to a windscreen. The sensor apparatus 1 has a housing 2 with an interface 3, via which the sensor apparatus 1 may be connected to an evaluation unit for example in a manner that allows the flow of electricity and data. The housing 2 includes a coupling region 4 which is provided such that it may arranged to face the inside of a pane of glass, in particular a windscreen. The coupling region 4 includes a transparent region, through which radiation is able to pass into the interior of the housing 2 and pass out of said interior. In order to obtain the best possible optical coupling of the housing 2 with the pane of glass, a coupling layer 5 is arranged on the coupling region 4. The coupling region 4 has a rim 6, with which the coupling region 4 forms a recess 7. At least a portion of the coupling layer 5 is accommodated in the recess 7.

[0022] FIG. 2 represents a cross sectional side view of a sensor apparatus 1 according to FIG. 1. The coupling layer 5 is arranged between the coupling region 4 of the housing 2 and the glass pane 8 that is to be monitored. In this context, the coupling layer 5 is constructed with two layers. A first layer 9 is accommodated in the recess 7 of the coupling region 4 so as to reach a level flush with the top edge of the rim 6. The layer 9 accommodated in the recess 7 consists of a material that contains no silicone oil, in particular a silicone gel which contains no silicone oil. The layer 9 which contains no silicone oil and the rim 6 are covered with a layer 10 which contains silicone oil. In particular, layer 10 is made from a silicone gel which contains silicone oil. Since the layers 9 and 10 are made from chemically similar materials, the layers 9 and 10 form a strong connection with each other. The surface of the layer 10 which faces the glass pane 8 has a silicone oil film because of the silicone oil it contains, with the result that the layer 10 only has weak adhesion properties with the glass 8. This in turn enables non-destructive detachment of the sensor apparatus 1 from the glass 8. The layer 9, which is accommodated in the recess 7 of the housing 2, contains no silicone oil, so layer 9 exhibits strong adhesion to the housing 2. When the sensor apparatus 1 is removed from the glass 8, it is thus ensured that the layer 10 is detached from the glass 8, and the connection between the layer 9 and the housing 2 or between the layers 9 and 10 is not severed.

[0023] All of the features described in the preceding description and the claims can be combined in any permutation with all of the features of the independent claims. The disclosure of the invention is thus not limited to the feature combinations that are described and/or claimed, but rather all feature combinations which are practicable within the scope of the invention are to be considered disclosed.