阅读说明：本技术 带冷却的传感器总成 (With cooling sensor unit ) 是由 塞贡多·巴尔多维诺 普拉桑特·杜贝 文卡特什·克里希南 艾哈迈德·苏凡 于 2019-05-17 设计创作，主要内容包括：本公开提供了“带冷却的传感器总成”。一种传感器总成包括纵长的管状梁、被定位成接收来自所述梁的空气的室以及热连接到所述室的传感器。所述室具有多个出口孔。多个翅片可以设置在所述梁和/或所述室中。所述传感器可以由所述梁支撑。(Present disclose provides " with cooling sensor units ".A kind of sensor unit includes the tubular beams of lengthwise, the room for being positioned to receive the air from the beam and the sensor for being thermally connected to the room.The room has multiple outlet openings.Multiple fins can be set in the beam and/or the room.The sensor can be supported by the beam.)

1. a kind of sensor unit comprising:

The tubular beams of lengthwise；

It is positioned to receive the room of the air from the beam, the room has multiple outlet openings；And

It is thermally connected to the sensor of the room.

2. sensor unit as described in claim 1 further includes the multiple fins being arranged in the beam.

3. sensor unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fin has wing shapes.

4. sensor unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fin is tilted to the airflow direction limited by the beam.

5. sensor unit as described in claim 1 further includes the multiple fins of setting in the chamber.

6. sensor unit as claimed in claim 5, wherein the fin has wing shapes.

7. sensor unit as claimed in claim 5, wherein the fin, which is respectively arranged to, makes the air-flow from the beam Towards the nearest deflection in the outlet opening.

8. sensor unit as claimed in claim 5, wherein the room is ring-shaped and limits circumferencial direction, and the wing Piece is tilted to the circumferencial direction.

9. sensor unit as described in claim 1, wherein the beam is oriented to support the entire weight of the sensor.

10. sensor unit as described in claim 1 further includes thermoelectric (al) cooler, the thermoelectric (al) cooler is oriented Heat is drawn from the sensor and heat is expelled to the room.

11. sensor unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein the room is ring-shaped and limits center cavity, and the heat Electric cooler is positioned in the center cavity.

12. sensor unit as described in claim 1, wherein the room is ring-shaped, the sensor is cylindrical, and And the room has outer diameter big at least as the diameter of the sensor.

13. sensor unit as described in claim 1 further includes plate, the plate contacts the sensor and the room, Described in plate be thermally conductive.

14. sensor unit as described in claim 1, wherein the sensor is first sensor, the sensor unit It further include second sensor, wherein the room is thermally connected to the second sensor and is arranged in the first sensor and institute It states between second sensor.

15. the sensor unit as described in one in claim 1 to 14 further includes air blower, the air blower setting In the beam and it is oriented to move the air through the beam.

Technical field

This disclosure relates to the field of vehicle sensors, and relate more specifically to a kind of vehicle sensors assembly that band is cooling.

Background technique

Autonomous vehicle generally includes various sensors.A kind of such sensor is light detection and ranging (LIDAR) Device.LIDAR device passes through transmitting laser pulse and measures that pulse marches to object and the flight time returned detects The distance of object.The exemplary currents model of LIDAR device generates 50 watts of heat and is sometimes exposed to prolonged direct sunlight Under.The exemplary currents model of LIDAR device experienced performance deterioration at greater than about 65 DEG C.

Summary of the invention

A kind of sensor unit includes the tubular beams of lengthwise, the room for being positioned to receive the air from the beam and heat It is connected to the sensor of the room.The room has multiple outlet openings.

The sensor unit can also include the multiple fins being arranged in the beam.The fin can have wing Shape.The beam and the fin can be integrated.The fin can be to the airflow direction inclination limited by the beam.

The sensor unit can also include the multiple fins of setting in the chamber.The fin can have wing Shape.The room and the fin can be integrated.The fin, which can respectively be arranged to, makes the air-flow from the beam Towards the nearest deflection in the outlet opening.The room can be ring-shaped and limit circumferencial direction, and the fin It can be tilted to the circumferencial direction.

The sensor can be supported by the beam.The beam can be positioned so that the entire weight for supporting the sensor Amount.

The sensor unit can also include thermoelectric (al) cooler, and the thermoelectric (al) cooler is oriented from the sensor It draws heat and heat is expelled to the room.The room can be ring-shaped and limit center cavity, and the thermoelectric (al) cooler It can be positioned in the center cavity.The sensor unit can also include plate, and the plate contacts the sensor, described Room and the thermoelectric (al) cooler, and the plate can be it is thermally conductive.

The room can be ring-shaped, the sensor can be it is cylindrical, and the room can have at least with institute State the equally big outer diameter of the diameter of sensor.

The sensor unit can also include plate, and the plate contacts the sensor and the room, and the plate can be with It is thermally conductive.

The sensor can be first sensor, and the sensor unit can also include second sensor, and described Room can be thermally connectable to the second sensor and be arranged between the first sensor and the second sensor.

The sensor unit can also include air blower, and the air blower is oriented to move the air through described Beam.The air blower can be set in the beam.

A kind of sensor unit 30 for vehicle 32 includes the tubular beams 34 of lengthwise, is positioned to receive from the beam The room 36 of 34 air and at least one first sensor 38 or second sensor 40 for being thermally connected to the room 36.The room 36 have multiple outlet openings 42.

The sensor unit 30 provides efficient and effective mode to be discharged by first sensor 38 and second sensor 40 heats that are generating or being absorbed by first sensor 38 and second sensor 40 from environment.With in no beam 34 and described The sensor operated in the identical environment of room 36 is compared, and the sensor unit 30 can provide significant temperature and reduce.Described One sensor 38 and second sensor 40 can undergo improved performance and can keep connecing in more broad range of environmental condition The performance received.

Detailed description of the invention

Fig. 1 is the side view of example vehicle.

Fig. 2 is the rear perspective view of a part of the exemplary sensors assembly of the vehicle of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is the perspective view of the beam of the exemplary sensors assembly of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is the viewgraph of cross-section of the beam of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is the exploded view of a part of the sensor unit of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is the viewgraph of cross-section of the room of the sensor unit of Fig. 2.

Specific embodiment

With reference to Fig. 1, vehicle 32 can be autonomous vehicle.Computer can be programmed to fully or in lesser degree solely The intervention of human driver is stood on to operate vehicle 32.Computer can be programmed to action advances system, braking system, steering System and/or other Vehicular systems.For the purpose of this disclosure, autonomous operation means that computer is not coming from mankind's driving Propulsion system, braking system and steering system are controlled in the case where the input of member；Semi-autonomous operation means that computer control pushes away Into one or two of system, braking system and steering system, and human driver controls remainder；And it is non-autonomous Operation means that human driver controls propulsion system, braking system and steering system.

Vehicle 32 includes vehicle body 44.Vehicle 32 can be integral in-vehicle body structure, wherein the vehicle frame of vehicle 32 and vehicle body 44 It is single component.Alternatively, vehicle 32 can be body structure on vehicle frame, and wherein vehicle frame supports vehicle body 44, the vehicle body 44 It is the component separated with vehicle frame.Vehicle frame and vehicle body 44 can be by any suitable materials, for example, steel, aluminium etc. are formed.Vehicle body 44 wraps Include the body panels 46,48 for partly limiting the outside of vehicle 32.Class-A surfaces can be presented in body panels 46,48, for example, cruelly It is exposed to polished surface client's sight and without inaesthetic flaw and defect.Body panels 46,48 include such as roof 46 etc..

Sensor unit 30 includes multiple sensors, for example, first sensor 38, second sensor 40 and 3rd sensor 50.3rd sensor 50 can be contained in the shell 52 of roof 46, and first sensor 38 and second sensor 40 can be sudden and violent It is exposed at the outside of shell 52, for example, in the top of shell 52 and roof 46.Sensor unit 30 may include any suitable quantity Sensor.

Sensor 38,40,50 can provide the data of the operation about vehicle 32, for example, vehicle wheel rotational speed, wheel orientation with And engine and transmission data (for example, temperature, fuel consumption etc.).Sensor 38,40,50 can detecte the position of vehicle 32 And/or orientation.For example, sensor 38,40,50 may include global positioning system (GPS) sensor；Accelerometer is such as pressed Electricity or MEMS (MEMS)；Gyroscope, such as rate, ring laser or fibre optic gyroscope；Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU)；And magnetometer.Sensor 38,40,50 can detecte the external world, for example, the object of the ambient enviroment of vehicle 32 And/or feature, other vehicles, Road lane markings, traffic lights and/or mark, pedestrian etc..For example, sensor 38,40, 50 may include radar sensor, scanning laser rangefinder, light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device and image procossing sensor (such as camera).Sensor 38,40,50 may include communication device, for example, vehicle is to infrastructure (V2I) or vehicle to vehicle (V2V) device.

With reference to Fig. 2, first sensor 38 and second sensor 40 can be LIDAR device.LIDAR device is special by transmitting The long laser pulse of standing wave and measure that pulse marches to object and flight time for returning detects the distance of object.First Sensor 38 and second sensor 40 can respectively have the cylindrical shape being vertically oriented, that is, cylindrical axis A is substantially Vertical.First sensor 38 and second sensor 40 can limit axis A.First sensor 38 and second sensor 40 can be with With 360 ° of horizontal field of view.

With reference to Fig. 3, sensor unit 30 may include beam 34, may be connected to vehicle 32.For example, beam 34 can be attached to Shell 52, the support of shell 52 and/or receiving 3rd sensor 50, as shown in fig. 1.Beam 34 can be relative to vehicle 32 vertically Elongation.Beam 34 can be rigid structure, be oriented by the component of sensor unit 30 (for example, first sensor 38 and/or Second sensor 40) at least some weight supports at the certain altitude of the rest part away from vehicle 32.For example, beam 34 can be with Support first sensor 38 and second sensor 40,58 and of room 36, the first plate 54 and the second plate 56 and/or the first thermoelectric (al) cooler The entire weight of second thermoelectric (al) cooler 60.Beam 34 can be integrated with shell 52 or beam 34 can be and be fixedly attached to The discrete item of shell 52, for example, by traditional attachment device, adhesive, fastener, snap-fastener etc..

Beam 34 has the tubular form of lengthwise.Tubular form can have any suitable cross-sectional shape, for example, square Shape, circle, ellipse etc..With continued reference to Fig. 3, beam 34 is vertical from first end 62 to second end 64 and/or horizontally extends.Beam 34 It may include the second part 68 of the first part 66 extended vertically from first end 62 and horizontal extension to second end 64.First Divide 66 can be attached to shell 52 at first end 62, and second part 68 can be attached to room 36 at second end 64.The One end 62 can be from 52 internal receipt air of shell, or alternatively can be to atmosphere opening.Beam 34 defines path, air along The path freely marches to second end 64 from first end 62.

Air blower 70, which can be positioned so that, moves the air through beam 34.For example, air blower 70 can be set in beam 34, For example, in first part 66.Air blower 70, which can be positioned so that, receives air from the first end 62 of beam 34 and towards beam 34 Second end 64 pushes air.Air blower 70 can be the air blower of any suitable type for moving the air through beam 34, For example, cfentrifugal blower, positive discharge capacity air blower, fan etc..It is known as " upstream " towards the direction of the first end 62 of beam 34, that is, The direction advanced when air blower 70 is activated against air, and it is known as " downstream " towards the direction of the second end of beam 34 64, That is, when air blower 70 is activated on the direction that air is advanced.

With reference to Fig. 4, multiple first fins 72 be can be set in beam 34.First fin 72 can extend across the interior of beam 34 Portion, i.e., from the side of the cross section of beam 34 to the other side of the cross section of beam 34.First fin 72 can have wing shapes, With thicker end 74 and relatively thin end 76.Relatively thin end 76 can be arranged relative to beam 34 in upstream, and thicker end 74 can be relative to Beam 34 is arranged in downstream.First fin 72 can be to the airflow direction inclination limited by beam 34.Beam 34 and the first fin 72 can be with Be it is integrated, i.e., formed by one piece, seam that beam 34 and the first fin 72 do not keep together, connector, fastener Or adhesive.

With reference to Fig. 5, room 36 be can be set between first sensor 38 and second sensor 40, and be positioned to receive Air from beam 34.Room 36 has the import 78 for the second end 64 that may be connected to beam 34.Room 36 is thermally connected to first sensor 38 and/or second sensor 40, so that flowing to room 36 and then by the heat that first sensor 38 and second sensor 40 generate Flow to external environment.For the purpose of this disclosure, " thermal connection " is defined as being attached, so that after the operation of air blower 70 Heat flows so that hot linked both ends (if it is separated) temperature basically the same in a short time.Being thermally connected can be with It is convection current and/or conduction.Example includes the heat transmitting by air-flow and/or radiator.As an example, as it is following more Detailed description, first sensor 38 and second sensor 40 can with contact plate 54,56, i.e. radiator (its contact chamber 36), and Plate 54,56 can have high thermal conductivity.

Room 36 can be ring-shaped.Room 36 can have at least with first sensor 38 and the diameter of second sensor 40 one The big outer diameter of sample.Room 36 can limit axis A, center that is orthogonal with the plane of annular shape and passing through annular shape, and room 36 can limit circumferencial direction along annular shape.Room 36 can limit center cavity 80 and inner cavity 82.Center cavity 80 may be at ring The centre of shape shape.Inner cavity 82 can follow annular shape, and other than import 78 and outlet opening 42, and room 36 can surround interior Chamber 82.

With reference to Fig. 6, room 36 includes outlet opening 42.Outlet opening 42 guides the outside of room 36 into from inner cavity 82.Outlet opening 42 can be with It is radially directed towards far from axis A.Outlet opening 42 allows the air for entering inner cavity 82 from beam 34 to leave inner cavity 82.

Multiple second fins 84 can be set in room 36.Second fin 84 can extend across inner cavity 82；For example, second Fin 84 can be vertically oriented and extend to the bottom of inner cavity 82 from the top of inner cavity 82.Second fin 84, which can be arranged, to be made Air-flow from beam 34 is deflected towards nearest one in outlet opening 42.Second fin 84 can be to the circumference limited by room 36 Direction inclination.Second fin 84 can each comfortable one nearest side towards in outlet opening 42 upwardly extend.Second fin 84 can have wing shapes, with thicker end 74 and relatively thin end 76.Thicker end 74 can be set into more to be leaned on than relatively thin end 76 Closest to one of corresponding second fin in nearly outlet opening 42.Room 36 and the second fin 84 can be it is integrated, i.e., by single-piece Material is formed, seam, connector, fastener or the adhesive that room 36 and the second fin 84 do not keep together.

Fig. 5 is returned to, plate 54,56 includes the first plate 54 and the second plate 56.First plate 54 can contact first sensor 38, room 36 and first thermoelectric (al) cooler 58.Second plate 56 can contact second sensor 40, room 36 and the second thermoelectric (al) cooler 60.Plate 54,56 it can be dish type, diameter is approximately equal to the diameter of first sensor 38 and second sensor 40.Plate 54,56 and room 36 can surround center cavity 80, as described below.Plate 54,56 be it is thermally conductive, i.e., 25 DEG C have high thermal conductivity, for example, be equal to extremely Few 15 watts/meter-Kelvin (W/ (m K)), for example, being greater than the thermal conductivity of 100W/ (m K).For example, plate 54,56 can be aluminium.

Thermoelectric (al) cooler 58,60 is operated according to Peltier effect to generate the heat flux from cold side 86 to hot side 88.Thermoelectricity Cooler 58,60, which can be positioned so that, to be drawn heat from first sensor 38 and second sensor 40 and heat is expelled to room 36.For example, thermoelectric (al) cooler 58,60 with contact plate 54,56 and can be centrally located in chamber 80.First thermoelectric (al) cooler 58 can be with Contact the first plate 54；For example, the cold side 86 of the first thermoelectric (al) cooler 58 can contact the first plate 54, and the first thermoelectric (al) cooler 58 Hot side 88 can be towards center cavity 80.Second thermoelectric (al) cooler 60 can contact the second plate 56；For example, the second thermoelectric (al) cooler 60 cold side 86 can contact the second plate 56, and the hot side 88 of the second thermoelectric (al) cooler 60 can be towards center cavity 80.

In course of normal operation, first sensor 38 and second sensor 40 generate heat, and one in the heat It is discharged in environment via the component of sensor unit 30 a bit.Path for amount of heat is from first sensor 38 or the second Sensor the 40 to the first plate 54 or the second plate 56 and then arrive room 36.Heat can via directly contact or via center cavity 80 from Plate 54,56 flows to room 36.Thermoelectric (al) cooler 58,60 can increase the heat for flowing to room 36 by center cavity 80 from plate 54,56 Rate.The air-flow that air blower 70 generates the inner cavity 82 by room 36 and comes out from outlet opening 42.The heat transfer for flowing to room 36 arrives Air-flow simultaneously leaves sensor unit 30 together with air.Therefore sensor unit 30 is efficiently discharged by first sensor 38 and The heat that two sensors 40 generate.

The disclosure is illustratively described, and it will be understood that the term used is intended that descriptive word The property of the property of word words and not restrictive.Adjective " first ", " second " and " third " runs through used herein as identifier, and It is not intended to indicate importance or sequence.In view of above teaching, many modifications and variations of the disclosure are possible, and the disclosure It can implement by the other modes for being different from specifically describing.

According to the present invention, a kind of sensor unit is provided, the tubular beams with lengthwise；It is positioned to receive from institute The room of the air of beam is stated, the room has multiple outlet openings；And it is thermally connected to the sensor of the room.

It is of the invention to be further characterized in that the multiple fins being arranged in the beam according to one embodiment.

According to one embodiment, the fin has wing shapes.

According to one embodiment, the beam and the fin are integrated.

According to one embodiment, the fin is tilted to the airflow direction limited by the beam.

It is of the invention to be further characterized in that the multiple fins of setting in the chamber according to one embodiment.

According to one embodiment, the fin has wing shapes.

According to one embodiment, the room and the fin are integrated.

According to one embodiment, the fin, which is respectively arranged to, makes the air-flow from the beam towards in the outlet opening A nearest deflection.

According to one embodiment, the room is ring-shaped and limits circumferencial direction, and the fin is to the circumferencial direction Inclination.

According to one embodiment, the sensor is supported by the beam.

According to one embodiment, the beam is oriented to support the entire weight of the sensor.

It is of the invention to be further characterized in that thermoelectric (al) cooler according to one embodiment, the thermoelectric (al) cooler be oriented from The sensor draws heat and heat is expelled to the room.

According to one embodiment, the room is ring-shaped and limits center cavity, and the thermoelectric (al) cooler is positioned in institute It states in center cavity.

Of the invention to be further characterized in that plate according to one embodiment, the plate contacts the sensor, the room and described Thermoelectric (al) cooler, wherein the plate is thermally conductive.

According to one embodiment, the room is ring-shaped, the sensor be it is cylindrical, and the room have at least with The equally big outer diameter of the diameter of the sensor.

It is of the invention to be further characterized in that plate, the plate contact the sensor and the room according to one embodiment, wherein The plate is thermally conductive.

According to one embodiment, the sensor is first sensor, and the sensor unit further includes second sensor, Wherein the room is thermally connected to the second sensor and is arranged between the first sensor and the second sensor.

It is of the invention to be further characterized in that air blower, the air blower are oriented to keep air mobile according to one embodiment Pass through the beam.

According to one embodiment, the air blower is arranged in the beam.