SENSOR MODULE AND RAIL VEHICLE COMPRISING SUCH A SENSOR MODULE

Abstract

A sensor module for a rail vehicle contains a box-like module housing with a housing wall having a front opening. It further has one or more environment sensors arranged in the module housing for acquiring environment data that can be perceived through the front opening. Moreover, it contains one or more front windows, which have in each case one window pane, which closes the front opening. As a result, the integration of environment sensors into rail vehicles, in particular for high-speed operation, can be optimized. A rail vehicle ideally contains such a sensor module.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A sensor module for a rail vehicle, comprising: a box-shaped module housing with a housing wall having a front opening formed therein; at least one sensor disposed in said box-shaped module housing for acquiring environment data being perceived through said front opening; and at least one front window, each with a window pane, which closes said front opening.

12. The sensor module according to claim 11, wherein said at least the one sensor is selected from the group consisting of video cameras, lidar systems, and radar sensors.

13. The sensor module according claim 11, wherein said at least one front window is embodied as part of an outer skin of the rail vehicle and continues an outer contour thereof aerodynamically.

14. The sensor module according to claim 11, wherein said at least one front window each have a window frame, which encloses said window pane and is detachably connected to said housing wall.

15. The sensor module according to claim 14, wherein said at least one front window is selected from a front window set which has front windows with different window panes optimized for a transmission of radiation used in each case by said at least one sensor.

16. The sensor module according to claim 14, wherein said at least one front window is selected from a front window set which has front windows with different window panes optimized for aerodynamics of a respective outer contour of the rail vehicle.

17. The sensor module according to claim 11, wherein: said at least one front window is one of a plurality of front windows; and said box-shaped module housing and said front windows are embodied in terms of strength and tightness for high-speed operation of the rail vehicle.

18. The sensor module according to claim 11, wherein said window pane has a water-repellent and/or dirt-repellent coating on its outer side.

19. A rail vehicle, comprising: said sensor module according to claim 11.

20. The rail vehicle according to claim 19, further comprising: a nose region having an outer skin with a cutout formed therein; and a module holder disposed in said nose region of the rail vehicle behind sad cutout in said outer skin of the rail vehicle such that said sensor module being guided through said cutout is received and detachably fastened in said module holder.

Description

[0014] Further properties and advantages will become apparent from the following description of an exemplary embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings which schematically illustrate:

[0015] FIG. 1 a perspective view of a sensor module according to the invention and

[0016] FIG. 2 a rail vehicle comprising a sensor module according to FIG. 1 integrated in the nose region.

[0017] According to FIG. 1, a sensor module 1 according to the invention comprises a box-like module housing 2 the housing wall 3 of which has a rectangular bottom part 31, a rectangular top part 32 which is narrower in comparison, two trapezoidal side parts 33 and 34, and a rectangular back part 35. A rectangular front opening 4 in the housing wall 3 is closed by three front windows 5. Environment sensors – designated 6 in their entirety – embodied to acquire environment data from an environment section that can be perceived through the front opening 4 are arranged within the module housing 2. In the exemplary embodiment depicted, a video camera 6V, a lidar system 6L and a radar sensor 6R are arranged as environment sensors 6 looking from left to right against the direction of travel X of the rail vehicle 7 (see FIG. 2). The module housing 2 has a size such that other environment sensors 6, for example an infrared camera or a laser scanner, can also be arranged therein, depending upon what type of environment data is to be acquired. Environment sensors 6 with different acquisition modes and different ranges enable the acquisition of environment data of a different type from a wide environment, for example environment image data including distance and position data of objects and obstacles. The module housing 2 closed by the housing wall 3 and the front windows 5 protects the environment sensors 6 arranged therein during transport, installation and operation of the rail vehicle 7, in particular from the application of external mechanical forces.

[0018] According to FIG. 2, the sensor module 1 according to the invention 1 is integrated in the middle of the side in the nose region of a rail vehicle 7 embodied as a high-speed train. A head part 8 of the rail vehicle 7 tapers in a streamlined manner to the nose of the train 9 where a two-part nose flap 10 covers a coupling that is not visible in FIG. 2. The outer skin of the head part 8 has a rectangular cutout 11 above the nose flap 10 behind which a module holder, not shown, is arranged in the interior of the head part 8. The sensor module 1 can be inserted into the module holder from the outside and extracted again for removal through the cutout 11. The sensor module 1 received by the module holder is fastened detachably there. The module holder can be embodied as a box-shaped shaft corresponding to the module housing 2. The front windows 5 continue the outer contour of the outer skin in the region of the cutout 11 aerodynamically and thus form part of the outer skin by forming a smooth transition that is favorable in terms of flow dynamics. In the exemplary embodiment depicted, the front windows 5 are embodied as flat and set at an acute angle relative to the bottom part 31 of the housing wall toward the rear in the direction of travel X. In order to reproduce the round contour 12 in the transverse direction Y, the two outer front windows 5 form an obtuse angle relative to the central front windows 5.

[0019] Each of the front windows 5 has a window frame 52, which encloses a window pane 51 and is detachably connected to the housing wall 3. This makes it possible to replace individual front windows 5 in a simple manner. For example, front windows 5 with different window panes 51 optimized for transmission of the radiation used in each case by an environment sensor 6 can be used in order to keep signal attenuation low when light or radio waves pass through. Similarly, it is possible for front windows 5 with different window panes 51 adapted to the respective outer contour of the rail vehicle 7 to be used in order to optimize the aerodynamics of the rail vehicle 7. In order to prevent deposits of dirt particles, water droplets or other coatings on the windshields 51, their outer sides can have a water and/or dirt-repellent coating.

[0020] The module housing 2 closed by the front windows 5 meets railroad-specific requirements in terms of strength and tightness for high-speed operation and facilitates the function of the environmental sensors 6. The construction effort for the sensor module 1 according to the invention is incurred once and can then be integrated into a number of rail vehicles 7 in a variety of ways and can accommodate different environment sensors 6 in different configurations depending on the requirements. The design with the module housing 2 and module holder enables the rail vehicle 7 to be modified by the operator, while the sensor module 1 must be self-contained and not belong to the vehicle operator. The sensor module 1 is constructed in such a way that it satisfies current railroad standards. The cabling and all parts belonging to the driver assistance system also conform to railroad standards. The installation of the sensor module 1 does not restrict the performance data of the rail vehicle 7, in particular with regard to the design-related maximum speed.