Sensor module of unmanned vehicle and unmanned vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of unmanned vehicles, and provides a sensor module of an unmanned vehicle and the unmanned vehicle, and the sensor module comprises a housing assembly which comprises an upper cover plate and a lower cover plate which are buckled with each other, and the middle part enclosed by the upper cover plate and the lower cover plate forms an accommodating space; the radar assembly comprises a first radar and a second radar, the first radar is arranged at the top of the upper cover plate, and the second radar is arranged on the side wall of the lower cover plate; the camera assembly comprises a first camera, a second camera and a third camera which are respectively arranged on the side wall of the lower cover plate; the inertial navigation assembly is arranged in the accommodating space and is positioned below the first radar; and the antenna assemblies are arranged in the accommodating space and are symmetrically arranged on the two sides of the inertial navigation assembly. The radar assembly, the camera assembly, the inertial navigation assembly, the antenna assembly and other assemblies are arranged in one module in a centralized mode, scattered installation is avoided, integrated and modular design is achieved, and the structure is simple and reasonable.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of unmanned vehicles, and in particular to a sensor module of an unmanned vehicle and an unmanned vehicle. Background Art

[0002] In order to meet the safety, reliability and stability of autonomous driving, most of the unmanned vehicles on the market use multi-sensor fusion technology, that is, multiple sensors are distributed in different positions and angles such as the chassis, front of the vehicle or cargo box of the unmanned vehicle, and multi-level, multi-space and multi-dimensional information complementarity and optimized combination processing are carried out to achieve panoramic detection of different obstacles in the distance, medium and near. Then, based on the collected information, the intelligent controller will finally make correct judgments and generate control decisions, thereby controlling the movement behavior of the unmanned vehicle.

[0003] This method has the following problems: 1. The sensors are scattered in different parts. If a part is damaged, the sensor will have to be disassembled when replacing the part, and must be recalibrated after reinstallation; 2. The sensor calibration can only be performed after the entire vehicle is assembled, and it cannot be calibrated after the sensor module is assembled or performed simultaneously. The limitation of the process reduces production efficiency; 3. Different sensors on parts and exterior trims need to be packaged, and the assembly process is relatively cumbersome; 4. It is not conducive to the iterative upgrade of vehicle models, and the cost of upgrading and restructuring is high. Summary of the invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide a sensor module for an unmanned vehicle and an unmanned vehicle, which integrates radar, camera, rain sensor, controller, antenna, heat dissipation, cleaning, etc. into one module, which is both a structural component of the unmanned vehicle and a sensor functional component, thereby realizing integrated and modular design.

[0005] To achieve the above object, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0006] The present application provides a sensor module for an unmanned vehicle, comprising:

[0007] The housing assembly comprises an upper cover plate and a lower cover plate which are buckled with each other, wherein the middle part enclosed by the upper cover plate and the lower cover plate forms an accommodating space;

[0008] A radar assembly, comprising a first radar and a second radar, wherein the first radar is arranged on the top of the upper cover plate, and the second radar is arranged on the side wall of the lower cover plate;

[0009] A camera assembly, comprising a first camera, a second camera and a third camera, which are respectively arranged on the side walls of the lower cover plate;

[0010] An inertial navigation component is arranged in the accommodating space and below the first radar;

[0011] The antenna assembly is disposed in the accommodating space and symmetrically arranged on both sides of the inertial navigation assembly.

[0012] Furthermore, the sensor module also includes a cleaning component, which includes a fan, a fan controller, a blowing duct and a cleaning nozzle. The fan is fixed to the upper end of the lower cover plate, and one end is connected to the fan controller, and the other end is connected to multiple cleaning nozzles through the blowing duct. Each cleaning nozzle corresponds to a camera in the camera assembly.

[0013] Furthermore, the sensor module also includes a radar bracket, a waterproof rubber pad and a rain shield. The bottom of the radar bracket is fixed to the upper end surface of the lower cover, the waterproof rubber pad is installed on the top, the middle part is hollowed out for placing the inertial navigation component, and the fan controller is installed on the side wall. The waterproof rubber pad is sleeved on the outer side of the bottom of the first radar, the top of the first radar extends to the outside through the avoidance hole of the upper cover, and the rain shield is sleeved on the top of the first radar.

[0014] Furthermore, the sensor module also includes a heat dissipation assembly and a rain sensor; the heat dissipation assembly is installed at the upper end of the lower cover plate and is located between the radar bracket and the antenna assembly, the rain sensor is arranged at the front of the radar bracket and the top passes through the upper cover plate and is flush with the upper end surface of the upper cover plate, and the bottom of the lower cover plate is also provided with multiple drainage holes.

[0015] Furthermore, the front side wall of the lower cover plate is provided with a second camera, a first camera, a second radar, a first camera and two third cameras with different installation angles from left to right in sequence, the left side wall of the lower cover plate is provided with a second camera, a second radar and a first camera in sequence from left to right, and the right side wall of the lower cover plate is arranged in a symmetrical form with the left side wall.

[0016] Furthermore, the first radar is a multi-line laser radar for positioning, the second radar is a blind spot radar for eliminating blind spots, the first camera is a recognition camera for identifying obstacles, the second camera is a monitoring camera for real-time monitoring, and the third camera is a traffic light camera for identifying traffic lights and lane lines.

[0017] The present application also provides an unmanned vehicle, including a chassis and the sensor module as described above.

[0018] Furthermore, the unmanned vehicle also includes a front end and a cargo box which are fixedly mounted on the chassis and can be detachably spliced, and the sensor module is detachably mounted on the top of the front end.

[0019] Furthermore, a sealing strip is provided at the joint between the front of the vehicle and the cargo box, and after the joint, the internal space of the front of the vehicle and the internal space of the cargo box are combined into one.

[0020] Furthermore, the bottom plate of the cargo box is also provided with an inspection port, which is connected to the interior of the chassis through the inspection port.

[0021] Beneficial effects of the present invention:

[0022] The sensor module of the unmanned vehicle provided by the present invention centrally arranges multiple components such as a radar component, a camera component, an inertial navigation component, an antenna component, etc. in one module, and can also selectively integrate a cleaning component, a heat dissipation component, a rain sensor, etc., avoiding scattered installation, realizing integrated and modular design, and having a simple and reasonable structure, while bringing many advantages: first, it facilitates production assembly, replacement of parts and components, and later maintenance of the whole vehicle; second, it makes the calibration process of the sensor simpler, and the sensor module can be calibrated separately, without the need to calibrate after the whole vehicle is assembled, and is not restricted by the process, which greatly improves the production efficiency; third, it only needs to package a single module, and there is no need to package sensors at different positions, thereby reducing and simplifying the assembly process; fourth, it can reduce the workload and modification cost during the iterative upgrade of the vehicle model.

[0023] The unmanned vehicle provided by the present invention includes the above-mentioned sensor module, and therefore also has the above-mentioned advantages; on the other hand, the chassis, the front of the vehicle, and the cargo box also adopt modular design and production, which simplifies the production process, reduces the types of materials, and saves production costs; the front of the vehicle and the cargo box are spliced ​​together, tightened and sealed, so that the internal space of the front of the vehicle and the internal space of the cargo box are combined into one, thereby increasing the loading space for goods. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative labor.

[0025] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an exploded structure of a sensor module in one embodiment;

[0026] Figure 2 is a front view of a sensor module in one embodiment;

[0027] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Left view of

[0028] Figure 4 for Figure 2 A top view of

[0029] Figure 5 for Figure 1Schematic diagram of the explosion structure from another perspective;

[0030] Figure 6 is a top view of the lower cover;

[0031] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of an unmanned vehicle in one embodiment;

[0032] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of an explosion structure of an unmanned vehicle in one embodiment;

[0033] Fig. 9 A cross-sectional view of the connection between the front of the vehicle and the cargo box in one embodiment;

[0034] Fig.10 for Fig. 9 A partial enlarged view of the middle A;

[0035] Fig.11 This is a schematic diagram of the interior of a vehicle after the front of the vehicle and the cargo box are joined in one embodiment;

[0036] Among them, the reference numerals in the figure are:

[0037] 1. Upper cover; 2. Radar bracket; 3. Waterproof rubber pad; 4. Lower cover; 5. First radar; 6. Rain shield; 7. Cleaning nozzle; 8. Second radar; 9. First camera; 10. Second camera; 11. Third camera; 12. Fan; 13. Fan controller; 14. Air duct; 15. Inertial navigation component; 16. Antenna component; 17. Heat dissipation component; 18. Rain sensor; 19. Drain outlet; 100. Chassis; 200. Front of vehicle; 300. Sensor module; 400. Cargo box; 401. Inspection port; 500. Sealing strip. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to be used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0039] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0040] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present invention, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0041] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0042] Please refer to Figures 1 to 6 The sensor module for the unmanned vehicle provided in the embodiment of the present application is suitable for being loaded on various types of unmanned vehicles, replacing the traditional method of arranging various types of radars and cameras on the body and exterior trim of unmanned vehicles. It mainly includes a shell assembly, a radar assembly, a camera assembly, an inertial navigation assembly 15 and an antenna assembly 16, etc.; wherein, the shell assembly includes an upper cover plate 1 and a lower cover plate 4 that are interlocked, and the middle part enclosed by the upper cover plate 1 and the lower cover plate 4 forms an accommodating space; in this embodiment, the shell assembly is made of plastic material, and the upper cover plate 1 and the lower cover plate 4 are fastened by bolts; the radar assembly includes a first radar 5 and a second radar 8, the first radar 5 is arranged on the top of the upper cover plate 1, and the second radar 8 is arranged on the side wall of the lower cover plate 4, and there are multiple second radars 8 distributed in various directions; the camera assembly includes The first camera 9, the second camera 10 and the third camera 11 are respectively arranged on the side walls of the lower cover 4; the inertial navigation component 15 is arranged in the accommodating space and is located below the first radar 5, and adopts GNSS (BDS / GPS system joint positioning) / INS combined navigation and positioning technology to provide high-precision positioning for the unmanned vehicle; the antenna component 16 is arranged in the accommodating space and is symmetrically arranged on both sides of the inertial navigation component 15; the antenna component 16 is arranged at a height slightly higher than the radar component and the camera component, which can not only give full play to the antenna performance, but also will not affect the structural layout between the components, with a compact structure and a reasonable layout.

[0043] In one embodiment, the sensor module also includes a cleaning component, which is mainly used to clean each camera. The cleaning component includes a fan 12, a fan controller 13, a blowing duct 14 and a cleaning nozzle 7. More specifically, the fan 12 is fixed to the upper end of the lower cover plate 4, and one end is connected to the fan controller 13, and the other end is connected to multiple cleaning nozzles 7 through the blowing duct 14. Each of the cleaning nozzles 7 corresponds to a camera in the camera assembly. The cleaning nozzle 7 is located above each camera, and the nozzle faces the lens of the camera, which does not affect the function of the camera and can clean the camera at any time.

[0044] In one embodiment, the sensor module also includes a radar bracket 2, a waterproof rubber pad 3 and a rain shield 6. The bottom of the radar bracket 2 is fixed to the upper end surface of the lower cover plate 4, the waterproof rubber pad 3 is installed on the top, the middle part is hollowed out for placing the inertial navigation component 15, and the fan controller 13 is installed on the side wall. The waterproof rubber pad 3 is sleeved on the outer side of the bottom of the first radar 5, and the top of the first radar 5 extends to the outside through the avoidance hole of the upper cover plate 1. The rain shield 6 is sleeved on the top of the first radar 5, mainly used to protect the first radar 5 and prevent rain.

[0045] In one of the embodiments, the sensor module also includes a heat dissipation component 17 and a rain sensor 18; there are two heat dissipation components 17, which are respectively installed at the upper end of the lower cover plate 4 and located between the radar bracket 2 and the antenna component 16, one of which is for air intake and the other for exhaust, forming an exhaust channel to take away heat in time and solve the problem of heating of various components inside the accommodating space; the rain sensor 18 is arranged at the front of the radar bracket 2 and the top passes through the upper cover plate 1 and is flush with the upper end surface of the upper cover plate 1, which is used to observe the rainfall situation. The bottom of the lower cover plate 4 is also provided with a plurality of drainage ports 19, which are distributed in various corners and are slightly lower than the plane height of the lower cover plate 4, so as to discharge water that accidentally seeps in in time.

[0046] In one embodiment, the front side wall of the lower cover plate 4 is provided with a second camera 10 (horizontally facing forward, vertically tilted down 25-35°), a first camera 9 (horizontally facing forward, vertically centered), a second radar 8 (horizontally facing forward, vertically tilted down 25-35°), a first camera 9 (horizontally facing forward) and two third cameras 11 with different installation angles (one on the left is horizontally facing forward, vertically tilted up 3-8°, and the other on the right is horizontally facing forward, vertically tilted up 5-15°); the left side wall of the lower cover plate 4 is provided with a second camera 10 (horizontally facing left), a second radar 8 ( The first camera 9 (obliquely facing left and installed at an angle of 105-135° to the front of the vehicle, and installed at a vertical angle of 25-35°) and the first camera 9 (obliquely facing backward and installed at an angle of 105-135° to the front of the vehicle, and installed at a vertical angle of 25-35°), the right side wall of the lower cover 4 is arranged symmetrically with the left side wall, the camera and radar on the front side wall are used to detect the front environment, the camera and radar on the left side wall are used to detect the left and left rear environment, and the camera and radar on the right side wall are used to detect the right and right rear environment. Each radar and camera complements each other to eliminate blind spots, thereby achieving 360° comprehensive detection and perception without dead ends, with high recognition accuracy, safety and reliability, and simplified layout and wiring, reducing assembly difficulty.

[0047] In one embodiment, the first radar 5 is a multi-line laser radar, such as a 32-line laser radar or a 64-line laser radar, which mainly plays the role of positioning and scanning the surrounding environment. The second radar 8 is a blind spot radar, which is mainly used to eliminate blind spots. The first camera 9 is an identification camera for identifying obstacles. The second camera 10 is a fisheye monitoring camera for background or terminal real-time monitoring. The third camera 11 is a traffic light camera for identifying traffic lights and / or lane lines.

[0048] During specific use, the sensor module provided in the present application can be calibrated individually after assembly. When it is needed on an unmanned vehicle, the sensor module only needs to be installed as a whole on the top of the unmanned vehicle.

[0049] The sensor module of the unmanned vehicle provided by the present application arranges multiple components such as radar components, camera components, inertial navigation components, antenna components, etc. in one module, and can also selectively integrate cleaning components, heat dissipation components, rain sensors, etc., avoiding scattered installation, realizing integrated and modular design, and having a simple and reasonable structure, while bringing many advantages: first, it facilitates production assembly, replacement of parts and components, and later maintenance of the whole vehicle; second, it makes the calibration process of the sensor simpler, and the sensor module can be calibrated separately, without the need to calibrate after the whole vehicle is assembled, and is not restricted by the process, which greatly improves production efficiency; third, it only needs to package a single module, and there is no need to package sensors in different positions, which reduces and simplifies the assembly process; fourth, it can reduce workload and modification costs during the iterative upgrade of vehicle models.

[0050] Please refer to Figures 7 to 11 The embodiment of the present application also provides an unmanned vehicle, which mainly includes a chassis 100, a front end 200, a cargo box 400, and also includes the sensor module 300 as described above. The front end 200 and the cargo box 400 are detachably spliced ​​and installed on the chassis 100. The front end 200 is located at the front of the cargo box 400. The sensor module 300 is detachably installed on the top of the front end 200 as a whole, which is both a structural component of the unmanned vehicle and a sensor functional component.

[0051] More specifically, the front of the vehicle 200 and the cargo box 400 can be fixed by bolts. When the cargo box is not needed, the front of the vehicle 200 can be installed on the chassis 100 and covered with a rear cover. The modification is flexible, easy to manufacture, and reduces costs. It should be noted that the chassis 100 in this application adopts the existing technology and will not be described in detail here.

[0052] Preferably, a sealing strip 500 is provided at the joint of the front of the vehicle 200 and the cargo box 400. After the joint, the internal space of the front of the vehicle 200 and the internal space of the cargo box 400 are combined into one to form an integral vehicle compartment. Part of the space inside the front of the vehicle 200 can also be used to load cargo, thereby increasing the cargo space of the entire vehicle.

[0053] Preferably, the bottom plate of the cargo box 400 is also provided with an inspection port 401, which is connected to the interior of the chassis 100. When the chassis 100 has some minor faults, it only needs to open the inspection port 401 for inspection and repair, which is simple and convenient to operate. It should be noted that the power components such as the battery and the motor are arranged inside the chassis 100, and the self-driving components such as the controller are arranged in the front of the vehicle 200, which is a conventional layout and will not be described in detail here.

[0054] The development of an unmanned vehicle model is usually used for different purposes. As a carrier of capacity sharing, the unmanned cargo vehicle will change the structure of the vehicle and the cargo box structure due to different uses, but the style of the vehicle must be unified. In order to facilitate production and manufacturing and reduce production costs, this application provides an unmanned vehicle, which uses modular design and production for the chassis, front, and cargo box, which simplifies the production process, reduces the types of materials, and saves production costs. The front of the vehicle and the cargo box are spliced ​​together, tightened, and sealed, so that the internal space of the front of the vehicle and the internal space of the cargo box are combined into one, increasing the cargo loading space, and solving the problem of the production and manufacturing of the shared platform for L-shaped vehicles with fronts and unmanned vehicles with integrated fronts and cargo boxes.

[0055] The above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sensor module for an unmanned vehicle, characterized in that: include: A housing assembly comprises an upper cover plate (1) and a lower cover plate (4) which are buckled together, wherein a central portion enclosed by the upper cover plate (1) and the lower cover plate (4) forms an accommodating space; A radar assembly, comprising a first radar (5) and a second radar (8), wherein the first radar (5) is arranged on the top of the upper cover plate (1), and the second radar (8) is arranged on the side wall of the lower cover plate (4); A camera assembly, comprising a first camera (9), a second camera (10) and a third camera (11), which are respectively arranged on the side walls of the lower cover plate (4); An inertial navigation component (15) is arranged in the accommodation space and located below the first radar (5); An antenna assembly (16) is disposed in the accommodating space and is symmetrically arranged on both sides of the inertial navigation assembly (15).

2. The sensor module for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cleaning device also includes a cleaning component, which includes a fan (12), a fan controller (13), a blowing duct (14) and a cleaning nozzle (7). The fan (12) is fixed to the upper end of the lower cover plate (4), and one end of the fan is connected to the fan controller (13), and the other end is connected to a plurality of cleaning nozzles (7) through the blowing duct (14), and each of the cleaning nozzles (7) corresponds to a camera in the camera component.

3. The sensor module for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that: It also comprises a radar bracket (2), a waterproof rubber pad (3) and a rain shield (6); the bottom of the radar bracket (2) is fixed to the upper end surface of the lower cover plate (4), the waterproof rubber pad (3) is installed on the top, the middle part is hollowed out for accommodating the inertial navigation component (15), and the wind turbine controller (13) is installed on the side wall; the waterproof rubber pad (3) is sleeved on the outer side of the bottom of the first radar (5), the top of the first radar (5) extends to the outside through the avoidance hole of the upper cover plate (1), and the rain shield (6) is sleeved on the top of the first radar (5).

4. The sensor module for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that: The invention also comprises a heat dissipation component (17) and a rain sensor (18); the heat dissipation component (17) is installed at the upper end of the lower cover plate (4) and is located between the radar bracket (2) and the antenna component (16); the rain sensor (18) is arranged at the front of the radar bracket (2) and the top thereof passes through the upper cover plate (1) and is flush with the upper end surface of the upper cover plate (1); and a plurality of drainage openings (19) are also provided at the bottom of the lower cover plate (4).

5. The sensor module for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that: The front side wall of the lower cover plate (4) is provided with a second camera (10), a first camera (9), a second radar (8), a first camera (9) and two third cameras (11) with different installation angles in sequence from left to right; the right side wall of the lower cover plate (4) is provided with a second camera (10), a second radar (8) and a first camera (9) in sequence from left to right; and the left side wall of the lower cover plate (4) is arranged in a symmetrical form with the right side wall.

6. The sensor module for an unmanned vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The first radar (5) is a multi-line laser radar for positioning, the second radar (8) is a blind spot radar for eliminating blind spots, the first camera (9) is a recognition camera for identifying obstacles, the second camera (10) is a monitoring camera for real-time monitoring, and the third camera (11) is a traffic light camera for identifying traffic lights and lane lines.

7. An unmanned vehicle, comprising a chassis (100), characterized in that: It also comprises the sensor module (300) according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The unmanned vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that: It also includes a front vehicle (200) and a cargo box (400) which are fixedly mounted on the chassis (100) and can be detachably spliced, and the sensor module (300) is detachably mounted on the top of the front vehicle (200).

9. The unmanned vehicle according to claim 8, characterized in that: A sealing strip (500) is provided at the joint between the vehicle head (200) and the cargo box (400), and after the joint, the internal space of the vehicle head (200) and the internal space of the cargo box (400) are combined into one.

10. The unmanned vehicle according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that: The bottom plate of the cargo box (400) is also provided with an inspection port (401), which is connected to the interior of the chassis (100) through the inspection port (401).

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