Mounting for a distance sensor

A sensor mounting for a distance sensor includes a fixing part for attaching to a vehicle, and a receiving part attached to the fixing part in an adjustable manner in order to receive the distance sensor. The receiving part is adjustable into at least two different angular positions on the fixing part.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention generally relates to a mounting for a distance sensor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For detection of distances or separations, various distance sensors can be attached to a vehicle. For example, ultrasound and radar distance sensors are known, which can detect the separation or distance to other objects within a spatial angle.

For rear view monitoring systems and ramp approach systems, such distance sensors are attached to the rear of the vehicle. Depending on the application, the sensors are disposed at different angles to the longitudinal axis, in order to be able to cover the necessary monitoring area with the minimum possible number of sensors.

The distance sensors are generally attached to the vehicle by sensor mountings, e.g., to the vehicle chassis or the bumper. Thus, in general, multiple sensor mountings are necessary for the various angular positions of the sensor, e.g., lateral sensor mountings and a central sensor mounting.

This accordingly increases the number of parts for manufacturers and the costs of the tools for manufacturing the sensor mountings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Generally speaking, it is an object of the present invention is to provide a sensor mounting that can be flexibly or adjustably attached on or in a vehicle.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the sensor mounting is designed essentially in two parts, with an attachment part for attachment to the vehicle, e.g., to the vehicle chassis or the bumper, and an accommodating part for accommodating the distance sensor. The attachment part can be a housing that encloses the distance sensor and the accommodating part can be a cover that closes the housing, to which the distance sensor is fixed. Thus, the cover with fixed distance sensor can be placed on the housing in the desired angular position and fixed.

The attachment part can be directly and or indirectly attached to the vehicle, e.g., on a mounting plate. The accommodating part can be fixed onto the attachment part in at least two angular positions, wherein the angular position of the accommodating part defines the angular positions of the distance sensor.

The distance sensor is thus accommodated in the various angular positions of the accommodating part with a different orientation of its sensor axis. The user can thus adjust the orientation of the sensor axis by the angular position of the accommodating part.

The various angular positions of the sensor axis can lie in particular in the horizontal plane, i.e., the XY plane of the vehicle.

According to a preferred embodiment, the accommodating part can be attached to the attachment part in exactly two angular positions, which are rotated relative to each other by 180°, whereby two different orientations of the sensor axis are defined in the horizontal plane.

A first angular position can be such that the sensor axis extends essentially in the vehicle's longitudinal direction (or opposite to the vehicle's x direction).

In this angular position, the sensor mounting can be mounted, for example, centrally at the rear of the vehicle and can detect a distance to the rear. In the other angular position, the sensor axis is orientated towards the side in the horizontal plane. Depending on the installation of the entire sensor mounting, this orientation can face to the left or right, so that a total of three sensor systems can be attached with orientations towards the center and to the left and right.

It should be appreciated that the production costs are significantly reduced, because a uniform sensor mounting can be used for the various sensor orientations.

The adjustment can be carried out by the user. For this purpose, for example, positive locking of the attachment part to the accommodating part can take place, e.g., using mounting eyes or fixing eyelets, which are formed on the two parts and joined or fixed to each other by fixing bolts. Definite positions can thus be set for the user with relatively little effort.

The inventive sensor mounting is characterized moreover by a small parts count and robustness. In principle, only the attachment part and the accommodating part are necessary, possibly with locking mechanisms such as fixing bolts or also possibly a seal between their positioning surfaces for mutual contact.

The present invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts, all as exemplified in the constructions herein set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The direction of travel of a vehicle1on a road2is conventionally designated as X, the vertical direction as Z, and the transverse direction shown inFIGS. 2 and 3as Y, which together form a vehicle coordinate system. The horizontal plane is defined by the X direction and the Y direction.

A sensor mounting5according to an embodiment of the present invention with a distance sensor6shown dashed inFIGS. 2 and 3is attached to the vehicle1, e.g., on its bumper3or on a mounting plate4fixed to the bumper3. The sensor mounting5with the distance sensor6form a sensor system7. Attachment of the sensor system7is not only possible on the bumper3or the rear area of the vehicle1, but in principle also, for example, on the sides for detecting a lateral distance or even on the front of the vehicle1. This also allows a different height on the vehicle1to be selected.

The distance sensor6outputs a sensor signal S1, which can be received in the vehicle1by a controller8for evaluation of a distance d to an obstruction9and, e.g., to output a warning signal if the distance is less than a minimum distance, as well as possibly also to control vehicle brakes10if the distance sensor6is part of an automatic vehicle brake control system or vehicle driving dynamics control system. In principle, the sensor signals S1can also be evaluated already within the sensor mounting5, which then outputs, e.g., a warning signal if the distance is less than the minimum distance.

The sensor mounting5is made in multiple parts; according to the embodiment shown it has two parts, namely a housing12as the attachment part, which is attached to the chassis side mounting plate4, e.g., with its planar rear side12a, and an accommodating part, which in this instance is in the form of a cover14. The distance sensor6can, for example, be essentially rectangular and is attached to the cover14. The distance sensor6is accommodated in the housing12and is covered at the rear by the cover14. An opening15is formed in the cover14, through which the sensitive area of the distance sensor6detects a detection region around the sensor axis A.

The housing12is formed with a first positioning surface12bthat is oblique or inclined relative to the vertical YZ plane, and which is formed, for example, by the four front edges of the housing12, i.e., the edge surfaces of its two side walls and the edge surfaces of the upper wall and the lower wall. Correspondingly, a second positioning surface14ais formed on the cover14, e.g., likewise by the edge surfaces of its horizontal upper wall and lower wall and its side walls14cand14d. In addition, the second positioning surface14ais offset relative to the vertical YZ plane. The positioning surfaces14aand12bare in contact with each other, e.g., with a seal between them.

According toFIGS. 2 and 3, the first positioning surface12bis inclined relative to the vertical YZ plane at a first inclination angle α1, which thus lies in the horizontal XY plane. For this purpose, e.g., the right side wall12cof the housing12can be somewhat longer than its left side wall12d.

Correspondingly, the second positioning surface14ais inclined relative to the vertical YZ plane by a second inclination angle α2, which thus also lies in the horizontal XY plane, for which purpose the side walls14cand14dof the cover14can be of different lengths.

A bearing eye (fixing eyelet)18with a vertical throughway is provided centrally in each case on both side walls14cand14dof the cover14. Correspondingly, two bearing eyes19are provided on the side walls12cand12dof the housing12, which align with the bearing eyes18when mounting the cover14on the housing12, allowing a fixing bolt20shown schematically inFIG. 3to be placed through the bearing eyes18,19, in order to allow the cover14to be locked or latched to the housing12on both sides.

According toFIGS. 2 and 3, the cover14can be attached to the housing12in two positions, wherein its bearing eyes (fixing eyelets)18are each accommodated between the corresponding bearing eyes19of the housing12. In the second positions ofFIG. 3the cover14is rotated by 180° relative to the X direction compared toFIG. 2, i.e., its lateral surfaces14cand14dare reversed left and right, as can also be seen from the offset position of the hole15. In both positions or angular positions the positioning surfaces12band14aare in mutual contact.

Because the distance sensor6is attached to the cover14, it is turned with it. The sensor axis A thus extends differently in the XY plane inFIGS. 2 and 3.

As the inclination angles α1=α2are selected, inFIG. 2the cover surface14eextends parallel to the mounting surface or the rear side12aof the housing12. The sensor axis A thus extends at the angle α1−α2=0 relative to the vehicle's longitudinal direction (−X direction). In the position of the cover14rotated by comparison through 180° according toFIG. 3, the inclination angles α1and α2add to a total angle α1+α2=2α1, by which the sensor axis A is rotated relative to the X direction in the XY plane.

In principle, even more complex angular positions than those with the simple contact shown of positioning surfaces12band14aare possible. Thus, for example, square designs of the sensor mounting with 4-fold (instead of 2-fold) symmetry are possible.

According to an embodiment of the invention, three sensor systems7can be mounted on the bumper3: e.g., the sensor system7according toFIG. 2can be mounted in the center of the bumper3, wherein its sensor axis A thus points rearwards in the −X direction. A sensor system7can be mounted laterally outwardly, i.e., on the left and right respectively, for which the sensor mounting5is turned outwards in the horizontal XY plane according toFIG. 3. The sensor system shown inFIG. 3can be mounted on the left as shown. For mounting on the right side, it can be rotated relative toFIG. 3by a total of 180°, so that the sensor axis A points outwards to the right.

The distance sensor6can, for example, be an ultrasound sensor or radar sensor or other suitable sensor. According to its design, the hole15may be closed with a transparent cover (when in the form of a radar sensor).