SENSOR MODULE HAVING A CLEANING APPARATUS, ROOF MODULE AND MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

A sensor module for being fixed to a vehicle. The sensor module may have at least one environment sensor, a panel component having a viewing area, through which the at least one environment sensor transmits and/or receives electromagnetic signals for charting an environment of the vehicle, and at least one cleaning apparatus, which has at least one cleaning nozzle by which the viewing area is cleaned. The at least one cleaning apparatus may have a guide lever which is rotationally connected to the at least one cleaning nozzle and which guides the at least one cleaning nozzle for an in particular combined longitudinal movement along a movement axis and a rotational movement about a rotational axis.

Claims

1. A sensor module for being fixed to a motor vehicle, the sensor module comprising: at least one environment sensor, a panel component having a viewing area, through which the at least one environment sensor transmits and/or receives electromagnetic signals for charting an environment of the vehicle, and at least one cleaning apparatus, which has at least one cleaning nozzle by which the viewing area is cleanable, wherein the at least one cleaning apparatus has a guide lever which is rotationally connected to the at least one cleaning nozzle and which guides the at least one cleaning nozzle for a combined longitudinal movement along a movement axis and a rotational movement about a rotational axis.

2. The sensor module according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cleaning nozzle is displaceable between retracted position and an extended position owing to the combined longitudinal movement and rotational movement.

3. The sensor module according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cleaning nozzle has a telescope nozzle having at least two telescopic segments, one of the at least two telescopic segments being movable in relation to the other of the at least two telescopic segments via the longitudinal movement along the movement axis, the at least one guide lever being mounted at its one end so as to be rotational at one of the at least two telescopic segments, and the at least one guide lever being mounted at its other end so as to be rotational at a support component of the sensor module.

4. The sensor module according to claim 3, wherein the guide lever translates the longitudinal movement along the movement axis into the rotational movement about the rotational axis.

5. A sensor module for being fixed to a motor vehicle, the sensor module having at least one environment sensor, a panel component having a viewing area, through which the at least one environment transmits and/or receives electromagnetic signals for charting an environment of the vehicle, and at least one cleaning apparatus, which has at least one cleaning nozzle by which the viewing area is cleanable, wherein the at least one cleaning apparatus has a guide lever which is rotationally connected to the at least one cleaning nozzle and which executes a longitudinal movement along a second movement axis and a rotational movement about a second rotational axis to guide the at least one cleaning nozzle for at least one rotational movement about a rotational axis.

6. The sensor module according to claim 5, wherein the at least one cleaning nozzle is displaceable between a retracted position and an extended position via the longitudinal movement and the rotational movement of the guide lever.

7. The sensor module according to claim 1, wherein the environment sensor has an optical axis, the at least one cleaning nozzle being disposed transverse to the optical axis in such a manner that the movement axis or the second movement axis is aligned transverse to the optical axis and the rotational axis is aligned essentially parallel to the optical axis.

8. The sensor module according to claim 2, wherein the at least one cleaning apparatus comprises a cover, which aligns flush with the panel component in the retracted position of the at least one cleaning nozzle.

9. The sensor module according to claim 8, wherein the cover has a wind deflector for deflecting an airflow from the at least one cleaning nozzle and/or from the at least one part of the viewing area, the wind deflector being disposed on the cover or being formed in one piece with the cover.

10. The sensor module according to claim 9, wherein the wind deflector is made of a flexible mat-shaped material which extends between the cover and the panel component.

11. The sensor module according to claim 9, wherein the wind deflector defines a wind-deflector surface, which extends along the movement axis or the second movement axis and transverse to the movement axis and transverse to the rotational axis, at least in the extended position of the at least one cleaning nozzle.

12. The sensor module according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cleaning nozzle is movable via a fluid pressure of a cleaning fluid and/or via an electric and/or hydraulic and/or pneumatic drive.

13. A roof module for forming a vehicle roof on a vehicle, the roof module having a panel component, which forms at least a section of a roof skin of the vehicle roof, the roof skin functioning as an outer sealing surface of the roof module, the roof module having at least one sensor module according to claim 1.

14. A motor vehicle having at least one sensor module according to claim 1 and/or a roof module having a panel component, which forms at least a section of a roof skin of the vehicle roof, the roof skin functioning as an outer sealing surface of the roof module, the roof module having at least one sensor module.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0034] Embodiments of the invention are shown schematically in the drawings and are explained exemplarily below.

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a vehicle roof of a motor vehicle in the form of a roof module;

[0036] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a sensor module according to a first embodiment having a cleaning apparatus in a first position;

[0037] FIG. 3 a further schematic view of the sensor module according to the first embodiment having the cleaning apparatus in a second position;

[0038] FIG. 4 a schematic sectional view of the sensor module according to the first embodiment having the cleaning apparatus in the first position;

[0039] FIG. 5 a schematic sectional view of the sensor module according to the first embodiment having the cleaning apparatus in the second position;

[0040] FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of the cleaning apparatus in the first position;

[0041] FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of the cleaning apparatus in the second position;

[0042] FIG. 8 shows a schematic view of the sensor module according to a second embodiment having the cleaning apparatus in the second position;

[0043] FIG. 9 shows a schematic view of the sensor module according to a third embodiment having the cleaning apparatus in the second position;

[0044] FIG. 10 shows a schematic view of the sensor module according to a fourth embodiment having the cleaning apparatus in the first position;

[0045] FIG. 11 shows a schematic view of the sensor module according to the fourth embodiment having the cleaning apparatus in the second position;

[0046] FIG. 12 shows a schematic detailed view of FIGS. 10 and 11;

[0047] FIG. 13 shows a schematic detailed view of FIGS. 10 and 11;

[0048] FIG. 14 shows a schematic detailed view of a further embodiment;

[0049] FIG. 15 shows a schematic detailed view of a displacement component according to an exemplary embodiment; and

[0050] FIG. 16 shows a schematic detailed view of a displacement component according to an exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] FIG. 1 shows a vehicle roof 100 of a motor vehicle 1000 comprising a roof module 10. The roof module 10 comprises a panel component 12 for forming the roof skin 14 of the vehicle roof 100 of the motor vehicle 1000 (not shown in its entirety). The roof module 10 is preferably disposed as a structural unit on a roof frame 104 of the motor vehicle 1000. The roof frame 104 preferably comprises the at least two transverse beams 102 and at least two longitudinal beams 106. The roof module 10 in the exemplary embodiment shown has a panoramic roof 108.

[0052] In a frontal area of the vehicle roof 100 and/or the roof module 10, viewed in a longitudinal vehicle direction x, a sensor module 16 is disposed symmetrically to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The sensor module 16 is disposed directly behind a front transverse beam 102, which defines a roof-side front header of the motor vehicle 1000. The sensor module 16 comprises a panel component 12. The panel component 12 may be comprised in the panel component 12. Alternatively, the panel component 12 can be part of a sensor casing 18. The sensor module 16 can also be disposed in an opening (not shown in detail) in the roof module 10 so as to be retractable and extendable.

[0053] The panel component 12 comprises a viewing area 20, which can, for example, be made of a preferably shatterproof plastic or other (partially) transparent material. Furthermore, the sensor module 16 comprises an environment sensor 22, which is at least partially covered by the panel component 12. The environment sensor 22 is a lidar sensor in the present case. Other sensor types, e.g., (multidirectional) cameras, can also be used. The environment sensor 22 is aligned along an optical axis 26, which in the case of FIG. 1 is aligned parallel to the longitudinal vehicle direction x. The longitudinal vehicle direction x is orthogonal to a vehicle width direction y. The longitudinal vehicle direction x and the vehicle width direction y are orthogonal to a vehicle height direction Z.

[0054] The sensor module 16 further comprises a cleaning apparatus 28, by means of which the viewing area 20 can be cleaned. The cleaning apparatus 28 comprises at least one cleaning nozzle 30, each of which can be supplied with a cleaning fluid (e.g., a liquid or a gas) through a supply channel (not shown). The cleaning fluid can, for example, be an aqueous soapy solution. Alternatively, cleaning with compressed air or another pressurized gas is also conceivable. When the cleaning fluid emerges from the cleaning nozzles 30, a jet of fluid is generated which hits the viewing area 20 and cleans it.

[0055] The cleaning nozzle 30 can be displaced and/or moved between a retracted position (see FIGS. 2, 4, 6) and at least one extended position (see FIGS. 3, 5, 7). The at least one cleaning nozzle 30 performs a combined movement comprising a longitudinal movement along a movement axis 36 and a rotational movement about a rotational axis 38. The rotational axis 38 is aligned parallel to the optical axis 26 of the environment sensor 22. The movement axis 36 is preferably aligned orthogonal or oblique to the rotational axis 38 in the present case. The at least one cleaning nozzle 30 is preferably designed as a telescopically displaceable cleaning nozzle. The at least one cleaning nozzle 30 preferably comprises at least two telescopic segments 40, 42. At least one telescopic segment 42 of the at least two telescopic segments 40, 42 is linearly displaceable along the movement axis 36 relative to the other telescopic segment 40 of the at least two telescopic segments 40, 42.

[0056] To translate the linear longitudinal movement into the rotational movement, the cleaning apparatus 28 comprises a guide lever 44, which is rotationally connected to the at least one cleaning nozzle 30. The at least one cleaning nozzle 30 is guided by the guide lever 44 in particular during the combined movement sequence. The guide lever 44 translates the longitudinal movement into the rotational movement. The at least one guide lever 44 is mounted at its one end 46 so as to be rotational on the one telescopic segment 42 of the at least two telescopic segments 40, 42. Furthermore, the at least one guide lever 44 is mounted at its other end 48, which is opposite the end 46, so as to be rotational on a support component 50 of the sensor module 16 and/or the roof module 10 and/or the motor vehicle 1000.

[0057] In the retracted position, the cleaning nozzle 30 is disposed in an interior of the sensor module 16 and/or is completely retracted into the interior. The cleaning apparatus 28 preferably comprises a cover 52, which can be integrally formed on the cleaning nozzle 30. In the retracted position of the at least one cleaning nozzle 30, the cover 52 preferably closes flush with the surrounding panel component 12.

[0058] The cover 52 preferably comprises a wind deflector 54 for deflecting a driving wind from the at least one cleaning nozzle 30 and/or from at least a part of the viewing area 20. The wind deflector 54 is integrally formed on the cover 52 as shown in FIG. 8. Alternatively, the wind deflector 54 can be formed from a flexible, in particular mat-shaped material which extends between the cover 52 and the panel component 12, as shown schematically in FIG. 9. In the present case, the cleaning nozzle 30 can be retracted and extended and/or displaced by means of a fluid pressure of the cleaning nozzle 30.

[0059] FIGS. 10 and 11 show a further embodiment, in particular according to the second aspect of the invention, of the sensor module 16. FIG. 10 shows the cleaning nozzle 30 in the retracted position. FIG. 11 shows the cleaning nozzle 30 in the extended position.

[0060] According to this embodiment, the guide lever 44 is also rotationally connected to the at least one cleaning nozzle 30 at least at its one end 46. The guide lever 44 performs a longitudinal movement along a second movement axis 47 and a rotational movement about a second rotational axis 49 to displace the cleaning nozzle 30 in order to guide the at least one cleaning nozzle 30 at least during a rotational movement about a rotational axis 38.

[0061] According to this embodiment, the cleaning nozzle 30 has no telescopic segments, but is designed as a non-extendable, in particular rod-shaped component, the length of which is preferably not adaptable. Unlike in the previous embodiments, the extension takes place in that the end 48 of the guide lever 44 is guided in a slider 56 so as to be displaceable along the second movement axis 47. The pivot point defined by the end 48 about the rotational axis 49 is therefore displaceable along a groove of the slider 56, which in the present case extends parallel to the support component 50. The displacement and/or actuation for retracting and extending the cleaning nozzle 30 can preferably be effected by the pressure of the cleaning fluid. To extend the cleaning nozzle 30, the guide lever 44 and/or the end 48 of the guide lever 44 in the slider is moved in a direction A by the pressure of the cleaning fluid. Since the cleaning nozzle 30 is supported on a bearing which defines the rotational axis 38 and the end 46 of the guide lever 44 is supported on the cleaning nozzle 30, the cleaning nozzle 30 is extended by the guide lever 44. The cleaning nozzle 30 then moves around the rotational axis 38. The same cleaning fluid, which applies the extension pressure, can then be applied to the viewing area 20 after extension. A return to the retracted position (FIG. 10) can preferably be carried out by means of a return spring, for example installed in a pressure cylinder or in the extension mechanism itself. Alternatively, an additional actuating unit such as an electric motor, a hydraulic/pneumatic cylinder or a magnetic drive can be used. The end 48 is preferably moved in the slider 56 by the fluid pressure which can build up in a pressure cylinder 58. FIGS. 10 and 11 also show a supply line 60 for supplying the cleaning fluid.

[0062] FIGS. 12 and 13 show the displacement mechanism for retracting and extending the cleaning nozzle 30 from FIGS. 10 and 11 in isolated form. The slider is not shown.

[0063] In a further embodiment, shown in FIG. 14, the cleaning nozzle 30 can also have several openings in order to cover a larger cleaning area on the viewing area 20.

[0064] In FIGS. 12 to 14, a tube connection for connecting the cleaning fluid to the pressure cylinder 58 for the pressure drive for extending the cleaning nozzle 30 is labeled 62.

[0065] It is also understood that the slider 56 is purely optional, and the end 48 can, for example, also be connected only to an end area 64 of the pressure cylinder 58. In this context, it is preferable if the pressure cylinder 58 is mounted and/or held in a rotationally fixed manner, preferably parallel to the direction A. As a result, the cylinder can preferably only perform a linear movement along the A direction.

[0066] FIGS. 15 and 16 show a possible realization of the pressure cylinder 58. The pressure cylinder 58 preferably serves as an actuator for displacing the cleaning nozzle 30. The pressure cylinder 58 preferably uses the pressure and/or volume flow of the cleaning fluid to actuate the guide lever 44 and to direct the pressure and/or volume flow to the cleaning nozzle 30 preferably simultaneously or with a time delay. The pressure cylinder 58 preferably has a cylinder 66, a piston 68, a spring 70, the tube connection 62 and a cleaning nozzle connection 72.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0067] 10 roof module [0068] 12 panel component [0069] 14 roof skin [0070] 16 sensor module [0071] 18 sensor casing [0072] 20 viewing area [0073] 22 environment sensor [0074] 26 optical axis [0075] 28 cleaning apparatus [0076] 30 cleaning nozzle [0077] 36 movement axis [0078] 38 rotational axis [0079] 40 telescopic segment [0080] 42 telescopic segment [0081] 44 guide lever [0082] 46 end [0083] 47 second movement axis [0084] 48 end [0085] 49 second rotational axis [0086] 50 support component [0087] 52 cover [0088] 54 wind deflector [0089] 56 slider [0090] 58 pressure cylinder [0091] 60 supply line [0092] 62 tube connection [0093] 64 end area [0094] 66 cylinder [0095] 68 piston [0096] 70 jump [0097] 72 cleaning nozzle connection [0098] 100 vehicle roof [0099] 102 transverse beam [0100] 104 roof frame [0101] 106 longitudinal beam [0102] 108 panoramic roof [0103] 1000 motor vehicle [0104] A direction [0105] x longitudinal vehicle direction [0106] y vehicle width direction [0107] z vehicle height direction