ROOF MODULE WITH COOLING SYSTEM

Abstract

Roof module for forming a vehicle roof on a motor vehicle, the roof module having a surface component which at least in some regions forms a roof skin of the vehicle roof, a tray which defines a wet area, an environment sensor for detecting a vehicle environment, wherein the environment sensor is arranged in a sensor housing which defines a dry area, wherein the environment sensor is arranged in the wet area in a retractable and extendable manner relative to the surface component and the tray, wherein the roof module also has a cooling device with a cooling line for cooling the sensor housing by an interior air of the motor vehicle, wherein the cooling line can be guided at least in some regions through the wet area into an interior and/or a vehicle frame of the motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A roof module for forming a vehicle roof on a motor vehicle, the roof module having: a surface component which at least in some regions forms a roof skin of the vehicle roof, a tray which defines a wet area, an environment sensor for detecting a vehicle environment, wherein the environment sensor is arranged in a sensor housing which defines a dry area, wherein the environment sensor is arranged in the wet area in a retractable and extendable manner relative to the surface component and the tray, wherein the roof module also has a cooling device with a cooling line for cooling the sensor housing by means of an interior air of the motor vehicle, and wherein the cooling line is guided at least in some regions through the wet area into an interior and/or a vehicle frame of the motor vehicle.

2. The roof module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooling line is configured as a flexibly movable hose which is fluidically connected to the interior and/or the vehicle frame of the vehicle and the sensor housing.

3. The roof module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tray is configured, at least in an extended state of the environment sensor, to collect water flowing in from outside between the surface component and the sensor housing and to divert it out of the roof module.

4. The roof module as claimed in claim 1, wherein, at least in the retracted state of the environment sensor, the sensor housing is arranged with the environment sensor in the tray which defines the wet area.

5. The roof module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooling device has a fan which is arranged in the sensor housing or in the cooling line.

6. The roof module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooling line is guided out of the wet area into the interior via an interface provided in the tray, wherein the cooling line is connected in a moisture-tight manner to the interface of the tray or is guided through the interface of the tray.

7. The roof module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooling line is designed to receive an electrical connection and/or a cleaning port of the environment sensor.

8. The roof module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the environment sensor has a lidar sensor and/or a radar sensor and/or a camera sensor and/or a multi-camera sensor and/or an ultrasound sensor.

9. The roof module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the roof module is assembled as a pre-assembled structural unit on a motor vehicle.

10. A motor vehicle comprising a roof module as claimed in claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0039] Embodiments of the invention are shown schematically in the drawings and are explained by way of example below.

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a roof module in an embodiment.

[0041] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a sensor module of the roof module in an embodiment.

[0042] FIG. 3 shows the sensor module in an embodiment.

[0043] FIG. 4 shows a sensor module in an embodiment.

[0044] FIG. 5 shows a sensor module in an embodiment.

[0045] FIG. 6 shows a sensor module in an embodiment.

[0046] FIG. 7 shows a sensor module in an embodiment in a sectional view.

[0047] FIG. 8 shows a sensor module in an embodiment in a plan view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] A vehicle roof 100 of a motor vehicle 1000 which comprises a roof module 10 is shown in FIG. 1. The roof module 10 is arranged as a separate pre-assembled structural unit on a roof body frame 102 of the motor vehicle 1000.

[0049] The roof module 10 comprises a surface component 12 for forming a roof skin 14 of the vehicle roof 100 which functions as an outer sealing surface. Moreover, the roof module 10 comprises an environment sensor 16 for detecting a vehicle environment. The environment sensor 16 is arranged in a sensor housing 18 and is retractable and extendable relative to the surface component 12. The sensor housing 18 can also have, for example, a cover 19 which in the retracted state of the environment sensor 16 terminates flush with the surface component 12. The retraction and extension of the environment sensor 16 takes place via any kinematic mechanism 21, for example an articulated kinematic mechanism, in which the environment sensor 16 can be rotated about an axis of rotation. In the present case, the environment sensor 16 is arranged in a front region of the vehicle roof 100 in the region of a front wind deflector directly adjacent to a windshield 104. The environment sensor 16 detects the vehicle environment through a see-through area 20, see FIGS. 2, 3 and 7.

[0050] The roof module also comprises a tray 22. The tray 22 defines a wet area 24 which is sealed relative to a vehicle interior. The tray 22 is configured to receive the sensor housing 18 when the environment sensor is in the retracted position. The tray 22 can be arranged, for example, on the surface component 12 or on a roof module frame (see FIG. 8). The tray 22 can be, for example, adhesively bonded to the surface component 12 or connected thereto by means of a screw connection, wherein a seal is created between the tray and the surface component, preferably by means of a sealing profile. A seal 26 can be provided between the surface component 12 and the sensor housing 18, for example, in an edge region of the tray 22 or on the surface component 12. The sensor housing 18 forms a dry area 28 (see FIG. 8). The tray 22 is configured at least in an extended state of the environment sensor 16 to collect water flowing in from outside between the surface component 12 and the sensor housing 18 and divert it out of the roof module 10 (not shown).

[0051] The roof module 10 further comprises a cooling device 30. The cooling device 30 has, for example, two cooling lines 32 for cooling the sensor housing 18 or the environment sensor 16 by means of an interior air of the motor vehicle 1000. The two cooling lines 32 are guided at least in some regions through the wet area 24 into an interior 34 (see FIG. 8) of the motor vehicle 1000. The two cooling lines 32 are configured as flexibly movable hoses which in each case are fluidically connected to the interior 34 and/or a vehicle frame (not shown) of the motor vehicle 1000 and the sensor housing 18.

[0052] The cooling device 30 also has a fan 36 which in the present case can be arranged in the sensor housing 18 or in one of the two cooling lines 32 (see FIGS. 6 and 8).

[0053] The two cooling lines 32 are guided out of the wet area 24 into the interior 34 via an interface 38 provided in the tray 22. The interface 38 is sealed between the tray 22 and the two cooling lines 32. The two cooling lines 32 are thus connected in each case in a moisture-tight manner to the interface 38 of the tray 22 or guided through the interface 38 of the tray 22. At least one of the two cooling lines 32 is also designed to receive an electrical connection or a cable 40 and/or a cleaning port of the environment sensor 16 (see FIGS. 4 to 8).

List of Reference Signs

[0054] 10 Roof module [0055] 12 Surface component [0056] 14 Roof skin [0057] 16 Environment sensor [0058] 18 Sensor housing [0059] 19 Cover [0060] 20 See-through area [0061] 21 Kinematic mechanism [0062] 22 Tray [0063] 24 Wet area [0064] 26 Seal [0065] 28 Dry area [0066] 30 Cooling device [0067] 32 Cooling lines [0068] 34 Interior [0069] 36 Fan [0070] 38 Interface [0071] 40 Connector [0072] 100 Vehicle roof [0073] 102 Roof body frame [0074] 104 Windshield [0075] 1000 Motor vehicle