LIDAR system including convection cooling

Abstract

A LIDAR system that includes a laser unit, a receiving unit, and a cooling device for generating a cooling airflow. The laser unit, the receiving unit, and the cooling device are situated rotatingly about a rotational axis, so that the cooling airflow for cooling the rotating components is generated by the LIDAR system itself.

Claims

1. A LIDAR system, comprising: a laser unit; a receiving unit; a cooling device configured to generate a cooling airflow, wherein the cooling device includes a plurality of vane elements; a housing, in which the laser unit, the receiving unit, and the cooling device are situated, wherein each of the laser unit, the receiving unit and the cooling device rotate; and a control board, wherein the vane elements are situated at the control board, and/or the laser unit, and/or the receiving unit; wherein the cooling device is configured for generating a circular cooling airflow or a toroidal cooling airflow, wherein the laser unit, the receiving unit, and the cooling device are situated rotatingly about a rotational axis, wherein the laser unit and the receiving unit are jointly situated on a rotation element, wherein the rotation element is configured for positioning and holding the laser unit, the receiving unit, and the cooling device, and which via a bearing is supported in the housing so that rotation is provided about a rotational axis, and wherein the laser unit, the receiving unit, and the cooling device are situated along an axial direction of the rotational axis.

2. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 1, wherein the laser unit is situated between the cooling device and the receiving unit.

3. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 1, wherein the cooling device also includes a control board that is configured for generating the cooling airflow.

4. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 1, further comprising: a heat exchanger configured to dissipate heat that is absorbed by the cooling airflow.

5. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 4, further comprising: a housing in which the rotating laser unit, the rotating receiving unit, and the rotating cooling device are situated.

6. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 5, wherein the heat exchanger is situated at a housing wall, or the housing includes a working area and a cooling area, the heat exchanger being situated in the cooling area.

7. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 4, wherein the heat exchanger is situated rotatingly about the rotational axis.

8. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 1, further comprising: at least one stator element that is stationarily situated to generate turbulences of the cooling airflow.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention is described below with reference to exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the figures. Functionally equivalent components are denoted in each case by the same reference numerals in the figures.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a LIDAR system according to a first exemplary embodiment, including a housing with a cooling area and with circular cooling airflow that is generated by vane elements of the cooling device.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a detail of the LIDAR system from FIG. 1, including vane elements that are situated at a control board.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a LIDAR system according to a second exemplary embodiment, including a housing with a cooling area with circular cooling airflow, and multiple vane elements and stator elements situated at various positions.

(5) FIG. 4 shows a LIDAR system according to a third exemplary embodiment, including a housing and with toroidal cooling airflow that is generated by vane elements of the cooling device.

(6) FIG. 5 shows a LIDAR system according to a fourth exemplary embodiment, including a housing with a cooling area with circular cooling airflow, and a control board that is configured for generating the cooling airflow.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

(7) FIGS. 1 and 2 show a LIDAR system 1 according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. LIDAR system 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a laser unit 2, a receiving unit 3, and a cooling device 4 that are jointly situated on a rotation element 6 and rotate about a shared rotational axis 5. In the first exemplary embodiment, cooling device 4 includes a control board 8 that is configured for controlling LIDAR system 1, and at which vane elements 7 are situated. A laser beam 20 for scanning the surroundings is emitted, for example, by laser unit 2 perpendicularly with respect to the rotational axis.

(8) The first exemplary embodiment also includes a housing 10 with a working area 12, and a cooling area 11 in which a heat exchanger 9 is situated and which is in contact with working area 12 via an inlet area 13 and an outlet area 14 and separated from working area 12 by a wall 17. Housing 10 may be mounted at a vehicle 40, for example, at an outer side. Due to the rotation of rotation element 6, with the aid of cooling device 4 an airflow forms which flows across laser unit 2 and receiving unit 3 in the axial direction of rotational axis 5. This is illustrated by the arrows in FIG. 1.

(9) FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment with a circular cooling airflow A that flows across rotation element 6 in working area 12 in the axial direction of rotational axis 5, is subsequently deflected by 90 degrees with respect to the rotational axis, and flows across inlet area 13 from working area 12 into cooling area 11, where another deflection by 90 degrees takes place. When flow passes across the rotating components, in particular laser unit 2, which represents the hottest element, the temperature of these rotating components is reduced by forced convection. In cooling area 11, cooling airflow passes across and/or through heat exchanger 9, thus cooling the cooling airflow. Via outlet area 14, the colder cooling airflow is subsequently deflected by 90 degrees and is led back into working area 12. A reverse flow direction, opposite to the flow direction illustrated in FIG. 1, may also be used.

(10) FIG. 2 shows a detail of the first exemplary embodiment of LIDAR system 1.

(11) Rotation element 6 is designed, for example, as a framework which is configured for positioning and holding laser unit 2, receiving unit 3, and cooling device 4, and which via a bearing 16 is supported in housing 10 in such a way that a rotation about rotational axis 5 is made possible.

(12) As is apparent in FIG. 2, laser unit 2, receiving unit 3, and cooling device 4 are preferably situated along an axial direction of rotational axis 5, laser unit 2 particularly preferably being situated between cooling device 4 and receiving unit 3.

(13) Components 60 that are cooled may also be situated on control board 8, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

(14) A second preferred exemplary embodiment with multiple stator elements 15 and multiple vane elements 7 is illustrated in FIG. 3, the further configuration of LIDAR system 1 corresponding to the first exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1.

(15) Vane elements 7 and stator elements 15 are situated at various positions. In the second exemplary embodiment, vane elements 7 are situated at control board 8, at rotation element 6, and at receiving unit 3. Stator elements 15 are stationarily situated at housing 10. By use of multiple vane elements 7 and/or one or multiple stator elements 15, the cooling airflow may be better influenced, resulting in an improved distribution of the heat of the rotating components due to local adaptation of the flow.

(16) FIG. 4 shows a third advantageous exemplary embodiment with a toroidal cooling airflow B. Housing 10 does not include a cooling area in this exemplary embodiment. For toroidal cooling airflow B, the cooling airflow is led across the rotating components in the axial direction of rotational axis 5. The flow may subsequently be led across a heat exchanger 9, for example, as in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4. The cooling airflow is subsequently deflected, and is led back in the opposite axial direction of rotational axis 5 in an area that is concentric with respect to rotational axis 5 and adjacent to the rotating components in the radial direction. Toroidal cooling airflow B may also be used with a reverse flow direction, opposite to the flow direction illustrated in FIG. 4.

(17) FIG. 5 shows a fourth exemplary embodiment that includes a control board 8, and in which control board 8 is situated perpendicularly with respect to rotational axis 5 at an angle α relative to a plane E. Due to this arrangement of control board 8 by way of example, when control board 8 rotates about rotational axis 5 an airflow may be generated in a direction along rotational axis 5, as the result of which no vane elements are necessary for generating the airflow. In the fourth exemplary embodiment, the cooling airflow is designed as circular cooling airflow A and housing 10 is designed with a cooling area 11, analogously to the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1.

(18) In addition, in all described exemplary embodiments control board 8 may be situated at the rotation element, and for example may include components 60 that are cooled.

(19) In all exemplary embodiments, for example mounting of LIDAR system 1 at an outer side of the housing that is situated in parallel to rotational axis 5 is possible, as illustrated in the first exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1.

(20) In addition, in all exemplary embodiments, mounting at an outer side perpendicular to the rotational axis is possible, as shown in the third exemplary embodiment in FIG. 4.