An integrated structure of a housing and a frame and a lidar having the structure

Abstract

The present invention discloses an integrated housing and frame structure and a lidar having the structure. At least two lidar sub-modules are installed inside the integrated housing and frame structure. The integrated housing and frame structure includes: a housing; a positioning and supporting structure is provided in the inner cavity of the housing. The positioning and supporting structure provides an installation and positioning reference for the lidar sub-modules. The positioning and supporting structure mechanically cooperates with the lidar sub-modules and defines the spatial structural position relationship between the lidar sub-modules, so that the housing serves as a positioning frame for the lidar. Through the structure of the present invention, the integration of the frame and the housing is realized. The housing not only plays a protective role but also serves as a positioning frame. All lidar sub-modules are directly positioned and rooted on the housing, enhancing the rigidity of the housing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the structural design of lidar, and particularly to an integrated housing-frame structure and a lidar having the same. Background Art

[0002] Existing lidar products usually include at least one lidar sub-module, and the lidar sub-module includes a circuit board card, a scanning mirror, a laser transceiver module, etc. All lidar sub-modules usually need to be first arranged on a frame for integrated assembly, and finally the assembled frame is installed in the housing of the lidar. That is to say, all components inside the lidar are completely and tightly fixed to the frame, and the whole frame is fixedly connected to the housing of the lidar again.

[0003] The defect of doing so is that it is necessary to first assemble to the frame as an additional intermediate step, with more assembly processes and complex assembly techniques. The assembled frame and the housing need to be fixed with screws, so the mating surface between the frame and the housing is less, and the connection rigidity between the two is low. And if the frame moves inside the lidar, all lidar sub-modules attached to the frame will lose the position reference, resulting in a high risk of accuracy deviation. There are many required components, not only an additional frame needs to be configured, but also additional fixing connection components are needed, resulting in an increase in the overall weight and volume of the device, which is not conducive to adapting to application environments such as aircraft and vehicles. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem solved by the present invention is to simplify the structure and avoid separately setting a frame to implement a lidar with an integrated housing-frame structure.

[0005] The present invention discloses an integrated housing-frame structure applied to a lidar, and at least two lidar sub-modules are installed inside the integrated housing-frame structure. The integrated housing-frame structure includes:

[0006] A housing;

[0007] A positioning and supporting structure is provided in the inner cavity of the housing. The positioning and supporting structure provides an installation and positioning reference for the lidar sub-module, and mechanically cooperates with the lidar sub-module to define the spatial structural position relationship between the lidar sub-modules, so that the housing serves as a positioning frame of the lidar.

[0008] The positioning and supporting structure is integrally formed.

[0009] The positioning and supporting structure is located on the top surface, side surface and / or bottom surface of the housing.

[0010] The lidar sub-module has at least one positioning and mating unit, the positioning and supporting structure has at least one limiting unit, and the positioning and mating unit is installed in cooperation with the limiting unit.

[0011] A plurality of the positioning and mating units are fixedly connected to the same limiting unit of the positioning and supporting structure, or one positioning and mating unit is fixedly connected to one limiting unit of the positioning and supporting structure.

[0012] The limiting unit and the positioning and mating unit are respectively one of a slide rail and a bump; or

[0013] The limiting unit and the positioning and mating unit are respectively one of an elastic member and a groove; or

[0014] The limiting unit and the positioning and mating unit are respectively one of a slide rail and a roller.

[0015] The bump is stepped, or the bump is L-shaped or T-shaped.

[0016] The bump has an arc-shaped surface.

[0017] The limiting unit extends along the Z-axis direction of the lidar to limit the movement of the lidar sub-module in the gravity direction.

[0018] The present invention also discloses a lidar having the integrated structure of the housing frame as described above. The lidar includes:

[0019] A housing;

[0020] At least two lidar sub-modules, installed inside the housing;

[0021] The inner cavity of the housing is provided with a positioning and supporting structure. The positioning and supporting structure provides an installation and positioning reference for the lidar sub-module. The positioning and supporting structure is mechanically matched with the lidar sub-module and defines the spatial structure position relationship between the lidar sub-modules.

[0022] The lidar sub-module includes:

[0023] One of a laser emission module, a laser signal receiving module, an optomechanical scanning module, a circuit board card, or a combination of at least two of them.

[0024] With the structure of the present invention, the integration of the frame and the housing is achieved. The housing not only plays a protective role but also serves as a positioning frame for the frame. All lidar sub-modules are directly positioned and rooted in the housing, enhancing the rigidity of the housing. Compared with the technical solution of separately setting a frame, the mating contact surface between the sub-module and the housing of the present invention is large, with high precision, facilitating assembly. The internal structure is compact, reliable, and shock-resistant, eliminating the need for re-fixing between the frame and the housing, saving a large number of components. Moreover, the housing of the lidar of the present invention does not need to be connected to a separate frame, resulting in better sealing performance. The spatial position and attitude relationship between multiple lidar sub-modules can be directly fixed through the positioning and supporting structure 20. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1A The following shows a schematic structural diagram of a lidar with an integrated housing and frame structure according to the present invention;

[0026] Figure 1B 、 2 The following shows a schematic diagram of an integrated housing and frame structure applied to a lidar according to the present invention, and a cross-sectional schematic diagram along the AA' line in FIG. 1.

[0027] Figure 3 The following shows a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of the lidar with an integrated housing and frame structure according to the present invention along the AA' line in FIG. 1.

[0028] Figure 4 The following shows a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of the lidar according to an embodiment of the present invention along the AA' line in FIG. 1.

[0029] Figure 5 The following shows a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of the lidar according to another embodiment of the present invention along the AA' line in FIG. 1.

[0030] Figure 6 The following shows a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of the lidar according to still another embodiment of the present invention along the AA' line in FIG. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0031] The following describes the implementation process of the technical solution of the present invention in combination with specific embodiments, which shall not be construed as a limitation to the present invention.

[0032] In order to simplify the structure, avoid separately setting a frame, and ensure the positioning, installation, and protection of the sub-modules inside the lidar, the present invention discloses an integrated housing and frame structure applied to a lidar, integrating the functions of the frame and the housing. By transforming the functions of the inner cavity of the housing, the present invention enables the direct use of the housing to achieve the positioning and installation of the lidar sub-modules, and ensures the stability and compactness of the internal structure of the lidar. It has a simple and efficient positioning frame, enabling a simple and rapid installation method, while also improving the rigidity of the housing.

[0033] As Figure 1A shown in the schematic structural diagram of the lidar with an integrated housing frame structure of the present invention, Figure 1B 、 2 shown in the schematic diagram of the integrated housing frame structure applied to the lidar, and the cross-sectional schematic diagram along the line AA' in FIG. 1.

[0034] Figure 3 shown in the cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of the lidar with an integrated housing frame structure of the present invention along the line AA' in FIG. 1.

[0035] The lidar 100 includes:

[0036] A housing 10;

[0037] At least one lidar sub-module 30, installed inside the housing;

[0038] A positioning and supporting structure 20 is provided in the inner cavity of the housing, and this positioning and supporting structure provides an installation and positioning reference for the lidar sub-module. Through this positioning and supporting structure 20, the positioning and fixed connection of the lidar sub-module relative to the housing can be achieved. This positioning and supporting structure is integrally formed. The housing is integrally formed. The housing can be set to be integrally formed with at least four sides, that is, it can be integrally formed with four sides, or integrally formed with four sides and a bottom surface together.

[0039] This positioning and supporting structure is mechanically matched with the lidar sub-module.

[0040] Through this positioning and supporting structure 20, the spatial structural position relationship between the lidar sub-modules is also defined. The spatial position and attitude relationship between multiple lidar sub-modules can be directly fixed through this positioning and supporting structure 20.

[0041] The present invention omits a separately provided frame and directly uses the inner cavity structure of the housing 10 as the positioning frame for all components inside the lidar. The present invention adapts and modifies the inner cavity surface of the housing 10, changes the convex and concave shape of the inner cavity surface to form the positioning and supporting structure 20, so that each lidar sub-module 30 can be directly fixedly connected to the positioning and supporting structure 20, thereby using the housing 10 as the spatial positioning reference for all sub-modules and improving stability.

[0042] The lidar sub-module includes: one of an active optical module, an opto-mechanical scanning module, a circuit board card, a laser transceiver module, or a combination of at least two of them. The components inside the lidar can be assembled into several lidar sub-modules according to needs, or the components inside the lidar directly serve as lidar sub-modules, and each lidar sub-module is fixedly connected to this positioning and supporting structure 20.

[0043] The optical-mechanical scanning module can adopt various scanning forms, such as a rotating mirror scanning module, a prism scanning module, and a MEMS scanning module.

[0044] As Figure 3 shown, in the present invention, the lidar sub-module has at least one positioning and mating unit 31, which is located on the adjacent contact surface of the lidar sub-module facing the inner cavity of the housing. The positioning and mating unit 31 can be a bump, an elastic member, or a roller. The elastic member can be a spring member or a rubber block. At a position corresponding to the positioning and mating unit 31, the positioning and supporting structure 20 is provided with a limiting unit 21, and the limiting unit 21 can be a groove or a slide rail. The positioning and mating unit 31 is located in the limiting unit 21 to realize the mating installation of the positioning and mating unit 31 and the positioning and supporting structure 20, and to realize the positioning of the sub-module relative to the housing.

[0045] The housing is usually at least partially open in the installed state. When the positioning and mating unit 31 is an elastic member, the limiting unit 21 can be a groove. The lidar sub-module can slide to the position of the groove when the elastic member is in a compressed state, and when the elastic member is exactly located in the groove, it resumes its extended state to achieve positioning. When the positioning and mating unit 31 is a bump or a roller, the limiting unit 21 can be a slide rail. The lidar sub-module can slide through the bump in the slide rail and slide to a positioning point in a slide rail to achieve positioning. When the positioning and mating unit 31 is a roller, at least one elastic clamping member can be provided in the slide rail to trigger the elastic clamping member when the roller slides to the positioning point, and lock the roller through the elastic clamping member, so as to fix the position of the roller at a positioning point and prevent it from moving. The elastic clamping member can be a positioning structural member in the prior art. Thus, the three-axis positioning connection of the sub-module relative to the housing is realized through the positioning structural member.

[0046] To prevent the movement of the positioning and mating unit 31 in the Z direction, as Figure 4 shown, the lidar further includes a positioning bar 40, which is fixedly connected to the housing and is also fixedly connected to the lidar sub-module 30. The positioning bar 40 can be fixedly connected to the housing and the lidar sub-module 30 through positioning pins 41.

[0047] Alternatively, the lidar sub-module can be directly fixed to the housing through the positioning pins.

[0048] As Figure 4As shown, the length of the limiting unit 21 in the X direction matches that of the positioning and mating unit 31, thereby preventing the positioning and mating unit 31 from moving significantly in the X direction. The depth of the limiting unit 21 in the Y direction matches that of the positioning and mating unit 31, thereby preventing the positioning and mating unit 31 from moving significantly in the Y direction. The limiting unit can also extend along the height direction of the lidar, restricting the movement of the lidar sub-module in the Z direction through the action of gravity.

[0049] In the above manner, a fixed connection between the lidar sub-module 30 and the housing 10 in six dimensions of the XYZ axes is achieved.

[0050] In one embodiment, as Figure 4 shown, a plurality of the positioning and mating units 31 are fixedly connected to the same limiting unit 21 of the positioning and supporting structure 20 to increase the mating contact area between the positioning and mating unit 31 and the limiting unit 21 and improve rigidity.

[0051] The positioning and supporting structure 20 can be located on the top surface, side surface, and / or bottom surface of the inner cavity of the housing to position the lidar sub-module from different orientations.

[0052] In another embodiment, the limiting unit 21 can be a bump or a roller, and the positioning and mating unit 31 can be a slide rail, as Figure 5 shown. The bump or roller can be embedded in the slide rail, and the bump can be in the shape of I, L, or T. As Figure 4 shown, the positioning and mating unit 31 in the lower left is an inverted T shape, and the inverted T shape can also be regarded as two L shapes arranged back to back. Figure 4 The positioning and mating unit 31 in the lower right is in the shape of I. Alternatively, the limiting unit 21 can be an elastic member, and the positioning and mating unit 31 can be a groove.

[0053] As Figure 6 shown is a schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of the lidar along the AA' line in FIG. 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0054] The positioning and mating unit 31 is a bump, and the bump is in a stepped shape. To make the sliding of the bump in the slideway smoother, the bump can have an arc-shaped surface. The slideway has an arc-shaped surface that matches the shape of the bump.

[0055] The slideway extends along the Z direction, such that when the lidar top cover is opened, the lidar sub-module can move downward by the action of gravity during the installation process, achieving the effect of one-step installation positioning.

[0056] Through the structure of the present invention, the integration of the frame and the housing is achieved. The housing not only plays a protective role but also serves as a positioning frame for the frame. All lidar sub-modules are directly positioned and rooted in the housing, enhancing the rigidity of the housing. Compared with the technical solution of separately setting a frame, the mating contact surface between the sub-module and the housing of the present invention is large, with high precision, convenient for assembly, the internal structure is compact, reliable and shock-resistant, without the need for re-fixing between the frame and the housing, saving a large number of components. Moreover, the housing of the lidar of the present invention does not need to be connected to a separate frame, and the sealing performance is better. The spatial position and attitude relationship between multiple lidar sub-modules can be directly fixed through the positioning and supporting structure 20. Thus, the housing serves as the positioning frame of the lidar.

[0057] The above embodiments are only exemplary descriptions for implementing the present invention, and are not used to limit the protection scope of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make various obvious deformations and equivalent replacement technical solutions, all of which are covered within the scope of the disclosure of the present invention. The protection scope of the present invention shall be subject to the claims attached hereinafter.

Claims

1. An integrated structure of a housing frame for a lidar, at least two lidar sub-modules are installed inside the integrated structure of the housing frame, characterized in that, The integrated structure of the housing frame includes: A housing; At least two positioning and supporting structures are provided on the inner cavity surface of the housing. The at least two positioning and supporting structures provide an installation and positioning reference for the lidar sub-modules. The positioning and supporting structures are directly mechanically engaged with the at least two lidar sub-modules and define the spatial structural positional relationship between the lidar sub-modules, so that the housing serves as a positioning frame for the lidar, and the housing is used to achieve rapid positioning and installation of the lidar sub-modules and improve the rigidity of the housing; The positioning and supporting structures are located on the top surface, side surface, and / or bottom surface of the housing.

2. The integrated housing and frame structure applied to a lidar as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The lidar sub-module has at least one positioning and mating unit, and the positioning and supporting structure has at least one limiting unit, and the positioning and mating unit is installed in cooperation with the limiting unit.

3. The integrated housing frame structure applied to a lidar according to claim 2, characterized in that, A plurality of the positioning and mating units are fixedly connected to the same limiting unit of the positioning and supporting structure, or one of the positioning and mating units is fixedly connected to one of the limiting units of the positioning and supporting structure.

4. The integrated housing frame structure applied to a lidar according to claim 2, characterized in that, The limiting unit and the positioning and mating unit are respectively one of a slide rail and a bump; or The limiting unit and the positioning and mating unit are respectively one of an elastic member and a groove; or The limiting unit and the positioning and mating unit are respectively one of a slide rail and a roller.

5. The integrated housing frame structure applied to a lidar according to claim 4, characterized in that, The bump is stepped, or the bump is L-shaped or T-shaped.

6. The integrated housing frame structure applied to a lidar according to claim 4, characterized in that, The bump has an arc-shaped surface.

7. The integrated housing frame structure applied to a lidar according to claim 4, characterized in that, The limiting unit extends along the Z-axis direction of the lidar to limit the movement of the lidar sub-module in the gravity direction.

8. A lidar having an integrated housing frame structure as described in any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The lidar includes: A housing; At least two lidar sub-modules, installed inside the housing; At least two positioning and supporting structures are provided on the inner cavity surface of the housing. The at least two positioning and supporting structures provide an installation and positioning reference for the lidar sub-modules. The positioning and supporting structures are directly mechanically engaged with the at least two lidar sub-modules and define the spatial structural positional relationship between the lidar sub-modules, and the housing is used to achieve rapid positioning and installation of the lidar sub-modules and improve the rigidity of the housing; The positioning and supporting structures are located on the top surface, side surface, and / or bottom surface of the housing.

9. The lidar according to claim 8, wherein The lidar sub-module includes: One of a laser emission module, a laser signal receiving module, an optomechanical scanning module, a circuit board card, or a combination of at least two of them.

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