Vehicular optical-radar apparatus

Abstract: A vehicular optical radar apparatus comprising a light emitting portion (8) for irradiating a signal light on an object ahead and a light receiving portion (9) for receiving a reflecting light from the object. A light emitting lens (10) an a light receiving lens (11) are deformation-worked so that a distance between optical centers of the light emitting an receiving portions (8,9) can be move closer, and an angle formed between an incident axis of incoming light and an outgoing light becomes small.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention This invention relates to a vehicular optical-radar apparatus, and particularly to a vehicular optical-radar apparatus utilized for other optical radar apparatuses. Description of the Prior Art In the present society, a demand for traffic safety has been increased. Particularly, a multicollision or the like on an expressway tends to directly lead to a large traffic accident, and measures to meet such an accident should be taken. As a method for preventing accidents, a system has been proposed in which the distance to a vehicle ahead and the difference of speed therefrom are detected and calculated to transmit a danger signal to a driver. In a conventional optical distance-measuring apparatus, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13, light emitted from a light emitting portion 1 arranged within a lens-barrel 5 transmits through a light emitting lens 3 and is then formed into an outgoing light Lt. The outgoing light Lt irradiates on a reflecting body, for example, a reflex reflector of an object of a distant vehicle ahead or the like and is formed into a reflecting light Lr, which is condensed by a light receiving lens 4 and received by a light receiving portion 2 of the lens-barrel 5. A beam spot 7 reflected in a screen 6 irradiated on the object is substantially circular as shown in Fig. 14. In this case, the distance between the light emitting and receiving portions is D. However, in the aforementioned prior art, as the light emitting and light receiving lenses, circular lenses are used as they are in their shape without working. Therefore, the distance between optical centers of the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion is distanced. Accordingly, there arises a problem in that a quantity of reflecting light (a quantity of receiving light) reduces. Further, the beam spot irradiated on the object is circular as shown in Fig. 14, and unnecessary portions are present in upper and lower ends or the like. Accordingly, as shown in Figs. 15 and 16, out of light irradiated on a reflecting body C, a portion in which an angle 1 between an incident axis B and a reflecting light F is large, that is, a less effective power portion is utilized. This causes a problem in that detection performance of the light receiving portion is deteriorated. Moreover, the aforementioned optical distance-measuring apparatus for use with vehicles is insufficient in reliability such as precision. Further improvements have been required. DE-A-3 616 930 discloses a distance measurement device in which light can be forwardly irradiated and the reflected light can be received. For irradiating the light in a plurality of directions, a plurality of lenses are provided the optical axles of which are arranged at certain angles with respect to each other. The light reflected from the individual light beams is used for the purpose of selective identification of an object. DE-A-3 106 539 describes an optical imaging apparatus comprising a series of lenses having a deformed shape so as to allow a close arrangement and a small image angle and to allow combination with a prism. The close arrangement of a larger plurality of lenses in a certain area allows obtaining a sufficient amount of light. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicular optical-radar apparatus which can enhance the detection performance of a light receiving portion and by which unit assembly and mounting of beam emitting and receiving portions to the vehicle are improved, while overcoming the problems noted above with respect to prior art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION For achieving the aforementioned object, according to the present invention, there is provided a vehicular optical radar apparatus according to claim 1. An advantageous embodiment of the invention is disclosed in claim 2. Light emitted from a light emitting portion (a light emitting element) passes through a light emitting lens and is formed into an outgoing light. At that time, a beam spot irradiated on a distant object, for example, a vehicle ahead is formed into a substantially laterally lengthy elliptical shape as shown in Fig. 4. The irradiated light is reflected in a reflex reflector at the rear of an object and formed into a reflecting light, which is condensed by a light receiving lens and received by a light receiving portion (a light receiving element). According to the invention , a box may be fixed so that it is horizontal while watching a level, and a unit is assembled so that a beam irradiating angle and a beam receiving angle are horizontal. Prior to mounting the apparatus on the vehicle, an optical axis of a distance measuring system is adjusted using a level. When the apparatus is mounted on the vehicle after the unit has been assembled, the vehicle is arranged horizontally and mounted so that the unit is horizontal while watching the level. When the assembly of the unit and the mounting to the vehicle are completed in accordance with the aforementioned procedure, the level may be removed for re-use for other units or the level may remain mounted for use at the time of checking such as inspection. After being mounted on the vehicle, adjustment can be made merely by a level without an optical aiming of a distance measuring system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a front view of an apparatus according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view of a first embodiment of an apparatus according to the present invention; Fig. 3 is a view showing a working state of a lens; Fig. 4 is a view representative of an irradiated beam spot; Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view showing a second embodiment of an apparatus acccording to the present invention; Fig. 6 is a front view showing the second embodiment of apparatus according to the present invention; Fig. 7 is an optical explanatory view of the present invention; Fig. 8 shows a power distribution of reflecting light with respect to incoming light according to the present invention; Fig. 9 is a view for explaining operation when a unit is mounted on a vehicle; Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a further embodiment according to the present invention; Fig. 11 is a sectional view showing an example in which a level is mounted; Fig. 12 is a front view of a conventional apparatus; Fig. 13 is a partial sectional view of a conventional apparatus; Fig. 14 is a view showing a beam spot in prior art; Fig. 15 is an optical explanatory view of a conventional embodiment; and Fig. 16 showsa power distribution of reflecting light with respect to incoming light according to prior art. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 8. First, a vehicular optical radar apparatus R according to the present invention comprises a light emitting portion 8 for irradiating a signal light on an object ahead and a light receiving portion 9 for receiving reflecting light from said object. An optical system mount 12 has the light emitting portion (light emitting element) 8 and the light receiving portion (light receiving element) 9 which are arranged in separate chambers. A light emitting lens 10 is arranged on the side of the light emitting portion 8, and a light receiving lens 11 is arranged on the side of the light receiving portion 9. Figs. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the present invention. The light emitting lens 10 is deformation-worked with upper and lower ends E cut off as shown in Fig. 3 so that the distance DI between optical centers of both the light emitting and receiving portions 8 and 9 can be moved closer and an angle formed between an incident axis B of incoming light A to a reflecting object C and a reflecting light F is formed into a small angle 2 (see Fig. 8). It is to be noted that the deformation-working of the light emitting lens 10 is not limited to the aforementioned upper and lower ends. The distance between the optical centers can be moved closer to enhance the detection performance of the light receiving portion 9 without forming unnecessary beams in the light emitting portion 8 and the light receiving portion 9 by the deformation-working of the light emitting lens 10. Light emitted from the light emitting portion (light emitting element) 8 passes through the light emitting lens 10 and is formed into an outgoing light Lt, and a beam spot 15 irradiated on a distant object 13, for example, a vehicle ahead is formed into a substantially laterally lengthy elliptic shape as shown in Fig. 4. The irradiated light Lt is reflected in a reflex reflector 14 at the rear of the object 13 and formed into a reflecting light Lr, which is condensed by the light receiving lens 11 and received by the light receiving portion (light receiving element) 9. Figs. 5 and 6 show a second embodiment according to the present invention. Both a light emitting lens 10 and a light receiving lens lla are similarly deformation-worked. Fig. 7 is an optical explanatory view in the case where the aforementioned lenses 10 and 11a are used. In the case of the second embodiment, since both the light emitting and receiving lenses 10 and lla are worked, the distance D2 between the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion is in the relation of D1 > D2, wherein D1 is the distance between the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion in the case of the first embodiment in which only the light emitting lens 10 is worked. Accordingly, the distance between the optical centers of the light emitting and receiving portions 8 and 9 is moved closer. Embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In Figs. 9 to 11, at a front portion A' of a vehicle A, within a box 16 is mounted a unit 17 in which a light receiving portion, a light emitting portion or light emitting and receiving portions (not shown) of an optical distance-measuring apparatus which forms a vehicular radar system are collectively incorporated. The box 16 is provided with an irradiation window 18 and a light receiving window 19. An irradiation beam Lt is irradiated from the irradiation window 18, and a light receiving beam Lr is inputted from the light receiving window 19. In detection of distance and speed difference with respect to a vehicle 13 ahead, they are obtained by irradiating the light beam Lt on the rear portion 14 of the vehicle 13 ahead and taking a difference in time required till the light receiving portion receives the reflected beam. Accordingly, the unit 17 is assembled so that an angle of irradiation of the beam Lt is drawn to some extent and the beam is irradiated substantially horizontally to a road surface F in order that the beam Lt is positively irradiated on only the rear portion 14 of the vehicle ahead 13. In order that the beam Lt is positively irradiated on the rear portion 14 of the vehicle ahead 13 as shown in Fig. 9 when the unit 17 has been mounted to the vehicle A, it is necessary that when the unit 17 is assembled, the beam irradiation angle coincides with the light receiving angle and also with the installation angle of the unit box 16, and when the unit 17 is mounted on the vehicle A, the horizontal angle of the vehicle coincides with the installation angle of the box 16. A horizontal reference surface 20 to be horizontal with the road surface F when mounted on the vehicle is provided on the upper portion of the box 16, and mounting plates 21 are provided on opposite ends of the horizontal reference surface 20. A level 22 is mounted by the mounting plates 21. In the present embodiment, assembly of and mounting of the unit 17 to the vehicle A have been accomplished by the single level 22. However, in the case where the provision of the mounting plates 21 for the level 22 is difficult in terms of mechanism or in terms of design, only the reference surface 20 is provided, and the level 22 may be prepared by individual processes. Even in this case, adjustment can be easily carried out by preparing the level 22 at the time of checking such as inspection. Since the apparatus according to the present invention is configured as described above, there are effects as follows: Since the center position between the light emitting and receiving portions is closer, detection at a portion close to the incident axis becomes possible to improve the detection performance in the light receiving portion (see Figs. 7 and 8). Furthermore, since the shape of the light emitting lens is deformation-worked, the shape of the radiation beam can be made variable. Moreover, since the shape of the light emitting lens and light receiving lens is deformation-worked, the distance between the light emitting portion (light emitting element) and the light receiving portion (light receiving element) can be moved closer to increase the quantity of receiving light. In addition, since the diameter of the light receiving lens and light emitting lens can be formed to be smaller than that of the conventional lens, optical portions can be miniaturized, and apparatus can be also miniaturized. Mounting work can be simplified by the miniaturization of the optical portions. Moreover, since the horizontal reference surface is provided on the upper portion of the box and the level can be installed on the horizontal reference surface, the beam irradiation angle with respect to the box and the beam receiving angle when the unit is assembled are easily adjusted by use of the level. In addition, also when the unit is mounted on the vehicle, adjustment of angle can be easily made. Furthermore, at the time of inspection, adjustment of the unit mounting angle is easily carried out without optical aiming of the distance measuring system whereby the reduction in process cost can be expected.

Claims: A vehicular optical radar apparatus comprising a light emitting portion (8,10) for irradiating a signal light (Lt) on an object ahead and a light receiving portion (9,lla) for receiving a reflecting light (Lr) from the object, characterized in that a light emitting lens (10) and a light receiving lens (11,11a) are individually provided, of which at least the light emitting lens (10) is deformation-worked, i.e. partly cut off so that a distance (D1) between optical centers of the light emitting and receiving portions can be moved closer, and an angle (2) formed between an incident axis of incoming light and an outgoing light becomes small. A vehicular optical radar apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a light receiving portion (19), a light emitting portion (18) or both light receiving and emitting portions (19,18) of an optical distance-measuring apparatus are collectively incorporated into a box (16) to form a unit (17), characterized in that a horizontal reference surface (20) to be horizontal with a road surface (F) when mounted on the vehicle is provided on the upper portion of the box, and a level (22) is mounted on the horizontal reference surface.

Inventors: IWASAKI KAZUHISA, KIMURA SHIGERU, KITAMURA HIDEKI, OMAMYUDA YUKIO, SENOO YASUSHI, SETO TAKAO, SUGIMURA KAZUHIKO, TANABE TORU, IWASAKI, KAZUHISA, KIMURA, SHIGERU, KITAMURA, HIDEKI, OMAMYUDA, YUKIO, SENOO, YASUSHI, SETO, TAKAO, SUGIMURA, KAZUHIKO, TANABE, TORU
Applicants: STANLEY ELECTRIC CO LTD, STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: G01S13
IPC codes: G01S7, G01S17