Roof module with cooling device

Abstract

The invention relates to a roof module for forming a roof on a motor vehicle, having a face member which forms at least regionally a roof skin of the roof, which serves as an outer sealing surface, a roof module frame on which the face member is arranged, at least one electrical and / or electronic component, and a cooling device by means of which waste heat discharged from the electronic component and / or heat introduced from the outside can be conducted away. The cooling device comprises at least one cooling channel and is arranged in an edge region of the roof module as a one-piece or multi-piece structural unit; or the at least one cooling channel is defined by a hollow channel which is arranged in an edge region of the roof module and is bounded by the roof module frame and the face member.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a roof module for forming a roof on a motor vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] These types of roof modules are widely used in vehicle structures. For example, roof modules can be prefabricated as independent functional modules and connected to the roof frame structure (which is part of the body structure) on the assembly line. The roof module at least partially forms the roof skin, which prevents moisture or airflow from entering the vehicle interior. The roof skin consists of one or more surface members, which can be made of stable materials, such as painted sheet metal or painted or colored plastic. The roof module can be part of a rigid roof or an openable roof assembly.

[0003] Furthermore, research and development in vehicle manufacturing is increasingly focused on autonomous or semi-autonomous driving vehicles. To enable vehicle control systems to autonomously or semi-autonomously control the vehicle, numerous environmental sensors (such as lidar sensors, radar sensors, and multiple cameras) are used, along with other electrical components. These sensors are integrated, for example, into roof modules to detect the environment surrounding the vehicle and, for example, to deduce relevant traffic conditions from the detected environmental data. Roof modules equipped with numerous environmental sensors are also known as roof sensor modules (RSMs). For this purpose, known environmental sensors send or receive corresponding electromagnetic signals, such as laser beams or radar beams. Through evaluation of these signals, a data model of the vehicle environment can be generated and used for vehicle control.

[0004] To achieve the best possible performance, reliability, safety, and availability in autonomous or semi-autonomous driving modes, environmental sensors and other (electrical) components require uninterrupted or continuous availability. Existing problems that can cause (temporary) failure of environmental sensors include heat buildup around them, which can lead to overheating and subsequent failure. This heat buildup can be caused not only by the self-heating of the environmental sensor itself during operation but also, alternatively, by hot external climate conditions (e.g., during the height of summer, ambient heat) and can result in overheating (e.g., overheating of a single electronic component of the environmental sensor). Hot external climate conditions and intense solar radiation can cause significant heating of the entire roof slab, especially since the environmental sensors are exposed on the upper side of the roof.

[0005] Therefore, to avoid this heat-related problem, it is desirable to employ cooling devices to prevent potential heat buildup. While the advantages of such cooling devices are known in principle, they are not yet fully implemented in rooftop modules used for autonomous or semi-autonomous driving operations, thus, at least partially, ensuring uninterrupted availability of environmental sensors by effectively dissipating heat from environmental sensors, antennas, and other electronic components is not yet fully realized at present.

[0006] Some cooling solutions employ air inlets (e.g., in the form of cooling grilles) externally mounted on the roof skin, and cooling fans, partially or even externally mounted on the roof skin. While these externally located cooling ribs and / or cooling fans theoretically provide the necessary airflow for cooling the electrical components of the roof module, this arrangement allows foreign particles and contaminants to easily enter the ventilation space, potentially leading to reduced cooling power. Furthermore, known cooling or air conditioning solutions for roof modules generally require numerous additional components that must be assembled and maintained, increasing associated costs. Moreover, existing solutions typically require large structural spaces, which are scarce resources in the automotive industry. If sufficient structural space is unavailable, known cooling solutions often relocate the cooling unit, at least partially, to one or more attachments on the roof module. This conflicts with the desired visual appearance of the roof module and, moreover, leads to disadvantages in the design of the roof module components regarding desired robustness, often complicating the provision of the required sealing and (e.g., the fan's) contaminant resistance. Furthermore, drainage concepts are always required in existing solutions, but they often have to be designed in a complex way. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The aforementioned drawbacks should be eliminated or reduced by the integrated, space-optimized, production- and assembly-optimized solutions of this invention.

[0008] Therefore, the objective of this invention is to provide a roof module that reduces the aforementioned disadvantages of the disclosed prior art.

[0009] This task is solved using a roof module taught by a preferred implementation scheme.

[0010] The advantageous embodiments of the present invention are the contents of the optional embodiments.

[0011] According to the present invention, a roof module for forming a roof on a motor vehicle is provided. The roof module includes a surface member that at least regionally forms a roof skin of the roof, which serves as an external sealing surface. Furthermore, the roof module includes: a roof module frame on which the surface member is disposed; and at least one electrical and / or electronic component. Additionally, the roof module includes a cooling device capable of dissipating waste heat from the electronic component and / or heat introduced from the outside. The roof module is characterized in that the cooling device includes at least one cooling channel and is disposed as a one-piece or multi-piece structural unit (or as an internal component) in the edge region of the roof module; or the at least one cooling channel is defined by a hollow channel disposed in the edge region of the roof module and bounded by the roof module frame and the surface member.

[0012] The at least one cooling channel is preferably configured to allow cooling fluid flow for cooling the at least one electronic component to pass through it. That is, the at least one cooling channel preferably does not have holes or other openings when viewed longitudinally, but is constructed as a tubular, preferably one-piece channel. For this purpose, the roof module frame and the surface member are preferably manufactured as planar, continuous, and preferably one-piece elements. The cooling fluid flow is preferably a cooling airflow. However, other cooling media are also considered in principle. The at least one cooling channel is preferably arranged as a structural unit to be assembled in a hollow channel constructed in the edge region between the roof module space and the surface member.

[0013] The thermal management concept of this invention is particularly expected to be fully adopted in future (semi-)autonomous vehicles. To this end, the cooling device of this invention is specifically provided for dissipating heat from environmental sensors and other electrical or electronic components. Particularly preferably, the roof module is a roof sensor module. The solution of this invention also allows for the optimal arrangement of fewer air inlets and / or outlets (if desired), and they can be optimally positioned (along the edge region), thereby improving the styling and visual appearance of the roof module.

[0014] In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the cooling device is designed such that one or more air cooling channels required for thermal management can be particularly preferably incorporated as structural units into the roof module. This structural unit can be implemented very compactly, can be prefabricated simply and cost-effectively, and is particularly easy to assemble into the roof module, as assembly only requires inserting and, if necessary, securing the structural unit to the edge region between the roof module space and the surface member. It is also possible, for example, to simply replace this structural unit in case of failure, as it is replaceable. Furthermore, this simplifies the maintainability and accessibility of the cooling device of the invention. The cooling device of the invention is preferably arranged as a structural unit on the roof module frame before it is connected to the surface member. Thus, the cooling device forms an integral part of the roof module integrated between the roof module space and the surface member. The roof module is preferably assembled as an integral structural unit onto the vehicle body roof frame. Furthermore, it is particularly preferred that the at least one cooling channel, implemented as a structural unit, be provided with fixing and / or connecting devices for other components (e.g., wiring harnesses, lines for cleaning fluid, lines for compressed air, compressed air chambers, valves / distributors, pumps, control devices, electronic components, sensor modules, antennas, etc.), thereby simplifying the assembly or placement of the relevant components. The cooling device of the present invention is particularly preferably implemented as a single piece and can thus be arranged as a single structural unit in the edge region of the roof module. Alternatively, the cooling device may also consist of two or more components, which can be joined together as a single component type. Moreover, assembly can be simplified by using such a component with only a few parts.

[0015] In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the at least one cooling channel is defined by a hollow channel disposed in the edge region of the roof module and bounded by the roof module frame and the surface member. This cooling channel is preferably an integral part of the roof module. The at least one cooling channel is preferably constructed as a tubular cavity, the walls of which are formed by the roof module frame and the surface member. The at least one cooling channel preferably comprises a closed tubular cross-section. Therefore, the cooling channel does not necessarily need to be incorporated into the roof module as a separate assembly component or as a structural unit. This is particularly advantageous if a cavity or hollow channel already exists structurally in the edge region between the roof module frame and the surface member that can serve as the at least one cooling channel. Thus, the structural form of this hollow channel, pre-defined by the roof module frame and the surface member, can be used as part of a cooling system for thermal management of the at least one electronic component (e.g., an environmental sensor, antenna, and / or other electronic components of the roof module). The hollow channel is preferably formed by joining the roof module frame and the surface member together using manufacturing techniques (e.g., bonding, screwing, riveting, brazing, and / or welding). The roof module frame and surface components are preferably connected continuously and without interruption to form a continuous hollow channel that defines the at least one cooling channel, or the at least one cooling channel is preferably arranged as a structural unit within the hollow channel. Thus, the design features of the roof module can be effectively used in conjunction with the thermal management of the at least one electronic component. This is advantageous because by using the at least one hollow channel as part of the cooling system, very few additional components (e.g., other cooling channels) are required, resulting in material savings, production time savings, and weight savings. Consequently, a very compact design, size, and arrangement of the cooling system can be achieved.

[0016] According to the present invention, the at least one cooling channel can be arranged, either as a separate structural unit, preferably as a separate structural unit, between the roof module frame and the surface member, or directly formed through a hollow channel existing between the roof module frame and the surface member due to a predetermined shape. The cooling device of the present invention has the advantage that its arrangement between the edge regions of the roof module optimizes the structural space. This is particularly advantageous when the roof module includes a transparent sunroof, as arranging the cooling device in the edge region ensures that the sunroof opening is not affected by the structural space of the cooling device, and preferably its size can be designed to extend to the adjacent edge region. This, for example, enables the formation of a panoramic roof. Through the solution of the present invention, particularly through its possibility, waste heat from multiple electronic components mounted in the roof module along the edge contour can be discharged through a common cooling channel whose shape follows the edge contour. Thus, for example, it is possible to discharge all electrical and / or electronic components of the roof module using only a single cooling channel extending along the entire edge contour of the roof module. This saves components compared to known solutions and also significantly improves the assembly of the cooling device. In particular, the present invention allows for the simple production of preferably integrated cooling channels, the simple assembly of the cooling channels as complete components or structural units (which preferably include fasteners for pre-assembling other components), and thus the simple integration of the cooling device in a single working process of the production line.

[0017] The electronic or electrical component may be a component that interacts with the environmental sensor of the roof module. Alternatively or additionally, it may be a component that is only physically located near the structure of the environmental sensor (i.e., in the adjacent structural space), and the environmental sensor is heated, arguably, almost passively, by the waste heat of the component. This effectively prevents the environmental sensor from being heated by surrounding components, thus ensuring the thermally stable operation of the environmental sensor. In principle, the at least one electronic component may also be a computing unit and / or an evaluation unit and / or an antenna (or antenna module) and / or a light source (e.g., an optical module) and / or other electronic devices that generate waste heat.

[0018] "At least one" is understood to mean that the roof module may include one or more related components. Ambient heat introduced from the outside may be, for example, waste heat from other electrical and / or electronic components installed in the roof module. "Cooling device" may include, in addition to the at least one cooling channel, other cooling components, particularly other cooling channels, cooling air inlets and / or cooling air outlets, which together form a cooling device. The cooling device is generally configured to cool or regulate the temperature of one or more electrical and / or electronic and / or mechanical and / or electromechanical components arranged in the roof module (which may also mean heating of components depending on environmental conditions). Here, the cooling device includes all components that directly or indirectly affect the temperature regulation of the roof module.

[0019] The cooling channels of the present invention preferably have a shape or orientation extending longitudinally along the cooling channel, adapted to or mimicking the edge regions of the roof frame and / or surface members, or formed through them. In its simplest case, the at least one cooling channel can be straight and substantially (i.e., ±10%) parallel to the vehicle's longitudinal orientation. Alternatively, the cooling channel may also have an L-shaped length orientation. It is also possible that the cooling channel is formed along the entire edge region and includes, for example, a rectangular length orientation (with rounded corners where necessary).

[0020] The roof module of the present invention can form a structural unit integrating devices for autonomous or semi-autonomous driving support via a driver assistance system. This structural unit can be mounted as a unit on the vehicle body by the vehicle manufacturer, for example, on a roof frame structure formed by crossbeams and longitudinal beams. The longitudinal beams extend substantially along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The crossbeams preferably extend along the width direction of the vehicle, that is, transverse to, preferably perpendicular to, and substantially horizontal to, the vehicle's direction of travel.

[0021] Preferably, the roof module is connected to the vehicle's roof frame structure via a roof module frame, for example, by adhesive, screwing, and / or bolting. Furthermore, the roof module of the present invention can be constructed as a purely fixed roof or as a roof with a roof opening system. The roof module can be placed on or incorporated into the roof frame structure, which is part of the vehicle body. The roof module can be designed for use in passenger cars or commercial vehicles. The roof module is preferably provided as a structural unit in the form of a roof sensor module (RSM), in which environmental sensors and other electrical components for (semi-)autonomous driving are housed.

[0022] It is also conceivable that the roof module includes one or more antenna modules and / or other electrical components. It is also possible that the roof module includes one or more environmental sensors and / or one or more antenna modules and / or other electrical or electronic components, wherein at least one selected (as described above) component can be cooled by the cooling device of the present invention.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the roof module frame is formed by at least one crossbeam and at least two longitudinal beams. The at least one crossbeam and the at least two longitudinal beams define the edge region. The edge region is preferably defined in width by the width of the at least one crossbeam and the respective widths of the at least two longitudinal beams. The longitudinal beams preferably extend substantially (i.e., ±10%) along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The crossbeams preferably extend along the vehicle width direction, that is, transverse to, preferably perpendicular to, and substantially horizontal to, the vehicle's direction of travel. The at least one crossbeam can preferably be constructed as a shell-like sheet metal member. The crossbeam can preferably have at least two mutually inclined (preferably perpendicular) extending wall sections. The crossbeam can be formed in an L-shape or S-shape in its cross-section (perpendicular to its longitudinal direction), wherein the lengths of the two legs define the respective heights of the corresponding wall sections. The longitudinal beams can preferably each have at least two mutually inclined (preferably perpendicular) extending wall sections. The longitudinal beams can be formed in an L-shape or S-shape in their respective cross-sections (perpendicular to their longitudinal direction), wherein the lengths of the corresponding two legs define the respective heights of the corresponding wall sections. The roof module frame can preferably be constructed as a reinforced shell member. Furthermore, the roof module frame can be constructed in a certain manner and, for example, made of metal, preferably sheet metal. The surface member preferably has at least two mutually inclined (preferably perpendicular) extending wall sections in at least a section. The surface member can form an L, S, or U-shaped cross-section in this region (extending perpendicular to its longitudinal direction, respectively), wherein the lengths of the two legs define the respective heights of the corresponding wall sections.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment, the at least one cooling channel is formed circumferentially on the roof module frame. In this embodiment, the at least one cooling channel is preferably formed in one piece and circumferentially around the entire roof module frame. The at least one cooling channel is preferably arranged along the entire edge region or formed by a hollow channel extending along the entire edge region. This embodiment is advantageous because the entire edge region can preferably be provided for the cooling channel, thereby enabling heat dissipation around the roof module or roof module frame. This is particularly advantageous for roof sensor modules used in (semi-)autonomous driving, where multiple electrical and / or electronic components for detecting the vehicle's surrounding environment are arranged along the entire edge region of the roof module. For this purpose, the edge region is particularly suitable for this arrangement due to its exposed location. By providing a cooling device in the edge region, the generated waste heat and / or ambient heat can be effectively and preferably discharged in close proximity to the respective generation location. Alternatively, it is preferred that the at least one cooling channel is formed such that it is arranged in at least one section of the edge region or at least one section of the edge region forms a hollow channel, through which the at least one cooling channel is defined. For example, the above situation is advantageous when only a portion of the edge area can be used to house electrical and / or electronic components for a particular vehicle, and thus heat dissipation is only required in that portion of the edge area.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, the at least one cooling channel is formed of at least two different materials. The cooling channel is preferably not constructed as a homogeneous tube, but rather has two different materials. This is particularly advantageous in terms of heat dissipation because the heat conduction direction can be defined according to the material composition, which is derived along the direction of the steepest gradient of thermal conductivity distribution along the orientation of the cooling channel. Preferably, at least one lower side (pointing towards the vehicle interior) of the at least one cooling channel is made of a metallic material such as aluminum or a metal alloy, and preferably of a sheet metal (e.g., stamped or deep-drawn sheet metal). Conversely, the upper side (facing away from the vehicle interior) of the at least one cooling channel is preferably made of plastic and is preferably (especially irreversibly) moisture-tightly fixedly connected to the lower side of the air cooling channel.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the at least one cooling channel comprises two half-shells, wherein the first half-shell is made of plastic and the second half-shell is made of metal, preferably sheet metal. This configuration is particularly advantageous if the at least one cooling channel is defined by a hollow channel formed in the edge region between the roof module frame and the surface member. That is, the roof module frame is often made of metal or formed into a stamped or deep-drawn sheet metal due to rigidity and strength requirements, while the surface member is often made of plastic, which may be, for example, (partially) transparent or colored. Thus, when the cooling channel is constructed as a hollow channel, the cooling channel is directly composed of both materials. Here, the first half-shell of the cooling channel is preferably formed by the roof module frame, which, as described above, preferably has two mutually inclined wall sections. The second half-shell of the cooling channel is preferably formed by the surface member, which, as described above, preferably has two mutually inclined wall sections through which the second half-shell is formed. The first and second half-shells correspond to each other, such that a hollow channel is formed when they are joined together. It is also possible that the at least one cooling channel (which may be arranged as a structural unit in the edge region or in a hollow channel) is made of two different materials. Thus, such a cooling channel may be configured, for example, according to the type of pipe, consisting of two half-shells that differ in their materials.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment, the at least one electrical and / or electronic component is arranged in a moisture-protected dry section of the roof module, and waste heat discharged by the electrical and / or electronic component can be discharged from the dry section using the cooling device. Thus, it is possible that the electrical and / or electronic component is arranged in a moisture-protected manner, for example, in a housing or the like. By directly contacting the housing, for example, with the cooling channel through at least one surface, heat can be dissipated directly from the housing onto the cooling channel. Alternatively, the housing can also be connected to the cooling channel in a heat-transfer manner using a thermally conductive element. This allows for free positioning of the electrical and / or electronic component within the structural space of the roof module. Through the separation between the dry section and the wet section formed by the cooling device, it is possible to wet, for example, the cooling fluid flow, thereby increasing the absorbable heat.

[0028] Preferably, the at least one electrical and / or electronic component is directly or indirectly connected to the at least one cooling channel via at least one thermally conductive element in a heat transfer manner. It is also preferred that the at least one cooling device includes at least one cooling fan and / or at least one cooling body and / or at least one heat exchanger and / or at least one heat pump and / or at least one heat pipe. Other components (e.g., compressors or condensers) disclosed by thermal management are also conceivable in principle.

[0029] Alternatively or additionally, the cooling device may have one or more cooling fans, which, for example, when the vehicle speed is very low or when connected to the vehicle's cooling circuit, generate airflow in the cooling channels of the cooling device by means of the one or more cooling fans. Preferably, the one or more cooling fans are adjusted such that different volumetric flows through the cooling channels or these cooling channels can be configured. The cooling fans are preferably integrated into the cooling channels.

[0030] Alternatively or additionally, the at least one electrical and / or electronic component may be arranged at least regionally on the cooling channel and / or form a thermally conductive connection with the cooling channel via a thermally conductive element. Particularly preferably, the at least one electrical and / or electronic component forms direct thermally conductive contact with a portion of the cooling channel, preferably made of metal, for example, by means of its (metal) housing, thereby enabling lossless heat transfer. Here, the (metal) housing of the at least one electrical and / or electronic component preferably forms a dry space, which is arranged, for example, on the outside of the crossbeams or longitudinal beams of the roof module frame via a bottom (or flat) support surface. To prevent heat transfer loss, thermal grease may preferably be applied between these support surfaces.

[0031] Instead of directly arranging the at least one electrical and / or electronic component on the cooling channel, it is preferable that heat transfer between the at least one electrical and / or electronic component and the cooling channel is provided by one or more thermally conductive elements. In a particularly preferred embodiment, heat sinks (or radiators) and / or heat exchangers and / or heat pumps and / or metal plate sections and / or heat pipes are used as thermally conductive elements, and / or these elements can be connected with thermal paste or other thermally conductive materials. It should be understood that a combination of the thermally conductive elements listed above can also be used, i.e., not just one type of thermally conductive element. Furthermore, it should be understood that all heat-generating components of the roof module can be listed or derived using at least one thermally conductive element. Therefore, the at least one electrical and / or electronic component may, for example, include one or more thermally conductive elements. In each case, the thermally conductive element forms a heat transfer bridge between the at least one electrical and / or electronic component and the at least one cooling channel, thereby transferring waste heat or ambient heat to the at least one cooling channel with as little loss as possible. The advantage of using a heat-conducting element is that it increases design freedom, as the at least one electrical and / or electronic component does not have to be placed directly on the cooling channel, but can be positioned more freely.

[0032] Similarly, to improve the efficiency of heat transfer between the at least one electrical and / or electronic component and the cooling channel, and also to improve heat conduction within the cooling channel, it is advantageous that the cooling device includes a cooling body, which preferably has multiple cooling ribs. For example, the cooling body can be a metal component (preferably made of aluminum) with multiple notches or protrusions to increase its heat dissipation surface for transferring as much heat as possible from the at least one electrical and / or electronic component to the cooling fluid flow in the cooling channel. Particularly preferably, the cooling body is disposed directly on the heat transfer surface between the at least one electrical and / or electronic component and the cooling channel (in the case where the environmental sensor is disposed directly on the cooling channel). Alternatively, the cooling body can also be disposed, for example, on the heat inlet portion of a heat-conducting element to remove heat from the heat-conducting element as efficiently as possible.

[0033] It is also preferable to place damping material for damping noise or vibration at predetermined locations in the cooling channels. This damping material is preferably arranged at least on the lower side of the roof module frame facing inwards towards the vehicle interior, on which cooling devices are arranged or constructed.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment, the at least one cooling channel is configured to receive a cooling fluid supply from the outside of the roof module. Thus, for example, the roof module may include one or more inlets, such as ventilation slots, through which fresh air is drawn into the roof module from the outside. This at least one inlet is preferably located on the front side, in the region of the front side crossbeams or longitudinal beams of the roof module frame, in a side region of the roof module parallel to at least one of the at least two longitudinal beams. Here, a lateral cooling fluid supply (inlet) is advantageous because rainwater will not easily enter the cooling channel. Preferably, a type of grille or filter is installed in such an inlet, through which particles can be captured from the drawn-in ambient air and thus prevented from entering the cooling channel. This arrangement of at least one air inlet has the advantage of creating a forced airflow due to vehicle movement, thus preferably eliminating the need for additional, noisy fans to generate cooling fluid flow, at least from a certain speed of the vehicle. Thus, low-noise operation is achieved by avoiding or at least reducing the use of cooling fans in the roof structure space.

[0035] Alternatively or additionally, the at least one cooling passage is preferably configured to connect to the vehicle's air conditioning circuit located inside the vehicle. Preferably, the at least one cooling passage, viewed downstream along the heat dissipation direction, includes an interface leading to the vehicle's air conditioning circuit, allowing cooling fluid flow to be introduced into the vehicle's air conditioning circuit after receiving waste heat from the at least one electronic component and / or ambient heat introduced from the outside. This allows the waste heat from the at least one electronic component and / or ambient heat to be discharged through the vehicle's air conditioning circuit. The discharged waste heat can, for example, be used to cool or heat the vehicle's interior (depending on temperature). For this purpose, the cooling passage is connected to the vehicle's air conditioning circuit, for example, via one or more flexible hose-like connecting devices. The vehicle's air conditioning circuit may also form a sub-circuit, configured to be in parallel or parallel to the interior cooling device. Thus, it is possible to provide a different cooling power for the at least one electronic component than for the cooling of the vehicle's interior.

[0036] For example, it is also possible that the cooling device not only has an external cooling fluid supply (inlet) but also a connector to the vehicle's air conditioning circuit, and can decide between these two cooling air supply possibilities as needed. Therefore, for example, it is possible to switch between the external air fluid supply and the use of the vehicle's air conditioning circuit. If, for example, a cold external temperature exists, a purely external cooling fluid supply can be provided to reduce the power consumption of the air conditioning circuit and thus also reduce the vehicle's fuel consumption.

[0037] Particularly preferably, the cooling fluid or cooling air is pre-wetted so that it can absorb more heat. For this purpose, it is advantageous that the cooling circuit includes thermodynamic components, such as one or more condensers and evaporators. In this case, it is also preferred that the at least one electronic component is arranged in a dry area (e.g., in a moisture-sealed housing), which forms a moisture barrier relative to the cooling device constructed as a wet area. This has the advantage that the cooling passage is arranged in the wet area and there, by using moist cooling air, more heat can be absorbed while still maintaining isolation relative to the dry area.

[0038] To enhance the power of the cooling system connection to the vehicle's air conditioning circuit, it is particularly preferred that the cooling passage, viewed downstream in the heat dissipation direction, includes an interface leading to the vehicle's air conditioning circuit. This allows the cooling fluid flow, after absorbing waste heat from the at least one electronic component and / or ambient heat introduced from the outside, to be introduced into the vehicle's air conditioning circuit (and preferably dehumidified and / or cooled there). This interface can be constructed, for example, as a tubular or flexible connector and ensures a lossless transition from the waste-heat-containing cooling air to the air conditioning circuit. The expression "downstream in the heat dissipation direction" is understood to mean a direction in which the cooling fluid flow passes the ambient sensor to dissipate heat. Here, the cooling fluid flow downstream of the ambient sensor, i.e., after absorbing waste heat, has a higher temperature than upstream of the sensor.

[0039] For alternative or supplemental use of the air conditioning circuit connected to the vehicle, in a preferred embodiment, the cooling passage includes a cooling fluid outlet downstream when viewed along the heat dissipation direction, allowing the cooling fluid flow to be discharged into the surrounding environment after absorbing waste heat from the at least one electronic component and / or ambient heat introduced from the outside. This cooling fluid outlet can be structurally provided in the form of one or more air exhaust channels disposed in the rear-side face member and / or roof module frame. Preferably, the cooling fluid outlet is disposed in the rear-side region on the side of the rear crossbeam of the roof module frame, i.e., parallel to the vehicle's longitudinal direction. However, other arrangements of the cooling fluid outlet are possible and may be at least structurally advantageous depending on the type of roof module. In this embodiment, the airflow is preferably generated by air being introduced into the air supply section during vehicle movement (e.g., through an air supply channel on the rear-side in one of the longitudinal beams of the roof frame), flowing through the cooling device or one or more cooling channels to the air output section, and there, preferably discharged from the roof frame on the rear side. In this embodiment, it is preferable that the airflow is not actively generated by the cooling fan, thereby ensuring low-noise operation of the cooling device.

[0040] Preferably, the cooling device has an adjustment mechanism by which the cooling power of the cooling device can be adjusted. This adjustment mechanism may be integrated into the roof module, for example, or may be part of the adjustment mechanism of the vehicle's air conditioning circuit. The adjustment mechanism preferably receives one or more signals from one or more temperature sensors and / or pressure sensors to determine the corresponding cooling state of the cooling device. Thus, it is possible to adjust the cooling power of the cooling device based on waste heat from environmental sensors or based on the ambient heat to be dissipated, thereby ensuring optimal heat dissipation at all times. The temperature and / or pressure sensors are preferably arranged not only upstream and downstream of the environmental sensors in the cooling channel and / or near the environmental sensors or in the direct surrounding environment of the environmental sensors. In other words, it is preferably possible to adjust the volumetric flow rate and / or temperature of the cooling fluid flow according to demand or according to the waste heat generated in the situation (comparable to the adjustment of air conditioning equipment for the interior).

[0041] The types of electrical and / or electronic components cooled by the cooling device of the present invention are, in principle, arbitrary. The at least one electrical and / or electronic component includes an environmental sensor, which is incorporated in the roof module and can emit and / or receive electromagnetic signals through a transparent area to detect the vehicle's surrounding environment. Here, the types of environmental sensors used are, in principle, arbitrary. Particularly advantageous is the cooling provided in the roof module according to the present invention, wherein a lidar sensor and / or a radar sensor and / or a camera sensor and / or multiple camera sensors are provided.

[0042] The present invention also preferably relates to a motor vehicle having the roof module of the present invention.

[0043] It should be understood that the above-mentioned embodiments and the following descriptions can be used individually and in any combination without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the advantageous embodiments and examples mentioned with respect to the roof module can be equivalently adapted to motor vehicles having such a roof module. Attached Figure Description

[0044] Embodiments of the invention are schematically illustrated in the accompanying drawings and are exemplarily described below. In the drawings:

[0045] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing an embodiment of the roof module of the present invention is provided.

[0046] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the roof module of the present invention is shown, which can be assembled as a structural unit on the vehicle roof frame;

[0047] Figure 3A schematic diagram of one embodiment of the roof module of the present invention is shown in an isolated view;

[0048] Figure 4 An exploded view shows a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the roof module of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing an embodiment of the cooling device of the present invention is shown;

[0050] Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the edge region of the roof module of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the edge region of the roof module with a cooling fan according to the present invention; and

[0052] Figure 8 shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the edge region of the roof module with thermally conductive elements of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0053] exist Figure 1 The image shows the roof 100 of a vehicle (not shown in its entirety), which includes the roof module 10 of the present invention. The roof module 10 (as shown in the image) Figure 2 As shown by the dotted lines, the roof frame 104 is placed as a separate structural unit within the vehicle's roof body frame 104 or on at least two body crossbeams 102 and at least two body longitudinal beams 106 of the vehicle body 1000, forming the roof body frame 104 through the body crossbeams and body longitudinal beams. Figure 1 In the embodiment shown, the roof module 10 has a panoramic roof 108.

[0054] The roof module 10 includes the face member 12 of the present invention for forming a roof skin 14 of the roof 100, which serves as an outer sealing surface. The roof module 10 also includes a roof module frame 15, on which the face member 12 is disposed or securely fixed, typically adhesively, to the roof module frame. These two main components of the roof module 10, namely the face member 12 and the roof module frame 15, are... Figure 4 The image is shown in an exploded view.

[0055] In the front region of the roof module 10 (viewed along the vehicle's longitudinal x-axis, which corresponds to the vehicle's direction of travel), regarding Figure 1Electrical and / or electronic components 16 in the form of an environmental sensor 17 are exemplarily arranged symmetrically along the vehicle's longitudinal axis x. The environmental sensor 17 is positioned directly behind the front body crossbeam 102, which defines a roof-side air duct that connects to the vehicle's windshield (not shown in detail). The environmental sensor 17 is arranged to be removable or rigidly mounted on the surface member 12. In this case, the environmental sensor 17 is a lidar sensor. Other sensor types, such as (multi-directional) cameras, can also be used, which are employed during (semi-)autonomous driving. Other electrical and / or electronic components 16 can also be mounted in the roof module 10.

[0056] The roof module 10 (and / or the environmental sensor 17) includes a transparent area 18, which may be made of, for example, a preferably unbreakable plastic, glass, or other (partially) transparent material. The environmental sensor 17 is oriented along an optical axis 20, which is located in... Figure 1 In this case, the orientation is parallel to the vehicle's longitudinal direction (x). The field of view of the environmental sensor 17 extends conically around the optical axis 20, within which the environmental sensor 17 can send and / or receive electromagnetic signals in order to detect the environment surrounding the vehicle.

[0057] The roof module 10 of the present invention also includes a cooling device 22, by which waste heat discharged by electronic components 16, such as environmental sensors 17, and / or heat introduced from the outside can be dissipated. According to the invention, the cooling device 22 is arranged in an edge region 24 of the roof module 10, which is formed between the roof module frame 15 and the surface member 12. The edge region 24 is located in… Figure 1 and 2 In this configuration, each panoramic roof 108 is surrounded. The roof module frame 15 is formed by at least one crossbeam 26 and at least two longitudinal beams 28 (see...). Figure 4 Therefore, the edge area 24 of the roof module 10 is defined. Figure 4In this configuration, the roof module frame 15 has three crossbeams 26 and two longitudinal beams 28 forming the roof module frame 15. It can be seen that the roof module frame 15 has a shape that is not only planar but also three-dimensionally formed, with each of the crossbeams 26 and longitudinal beams 28 bulging towards the center of the roof module to meet stiffness and strength requirements and preferably provide a fixing platform for the face member 12. The crossbeams 26 and longitudinal beams 28 have an S-shaped profile in their respective cross sections (viewed perpendicular to their longitudinal extension), as exemplarily shown in Figure 6. Furthermore, a plurality of mounting interfaces 30 are provided on the crossbeams 26 and longitudinal beams 28, which are arranged, for example, along the guide edges (or tear edges) of the roof module frame 15 and along the arched areas, spaced apart from each other. The face member 12 (which may have corresponding mating interfaces (not shown)) can preferably be fixed to the roof frame module 15 via these mounting interfaces 30, for example, by screwing, riveting, welding, or bolting. In the cases of Figures 6 to 8, these two members are secured by adhesive or bonding devices. 31. A continuous (uninterrupted) connection around the ground.

[0058] According to the present invention, the cooling device 22 can be implemented in two alternative structural configurations. In a first configuration, the cooling device 22 includes at least one cooling channel 32 and is arranged as a one-piece or multi-piece structural unit in the edge region 24 of the roof module 10. This embodiment of the cooling device 22 is exemplarily described in... Figure 5 As shown, the cooling channel 32 is implemented here as a channel surrounding the roof module 10 or the edge region 24 of the roof module 10. This surrounding cooling device 22 can serve as a structural unit (see...). Figure 4 It is arranged or fixed in cavity 34 (see Figure 6), which is formed between roof module frame 15 and surface member 12.

[0059] To form the cavity 34, the crossbeam 26 and the longitudinal beam 28 preferably each have at least two mutually inclined wall sections 36 (see...). Figure 4 (and 6). These wall segments 36 preferably define a first half-shell that partially surrounds the cavity 34. The surface member preferably has a U-shaped cross-section (see Figure 6) in the edge region 24, and through the corresponding shape of the surface member 12, a second half-shell is formed that, together with the first half-shell, surrounds the cavity 34. For this purpose, the surface member also has at least two wall segments 38 that extend obliquely to each other (see Figure 6). Due to the longitudinal extension of the edge region 24, a hollow channel is formed inside the edge region 24.

[0060] In an alternative embodiment of the cooling device 22, the at least one cooling channel 32 is defined by the hollow channel 34 itself, which is formed in the edge region 24 between the roof module frame 15 and the surface member 12. In this case, it is not necessary to assemble between the roof module frame 15 and the surface member 12. Figure 5 Structural unit in a meaningful sense.

[0061] Preferably, the at least one electrical and / or electronic component 16 is arranged in a dry section 40 of the roof module 10, protected from moisture (see schematically Figure 8). Here, waste heat discharged by the electrical and / or electronic component 16 is discharged from the dry section 40 using a cooling device 22. For this purpose, the at least one electrical and / or electronic component 16 is directly or indirectly connected to the at least one cooling channel 32 via at least one thermally conductive element (and / or heat exchanger) 42 in a heat transfer manner (see Figure 8). Preferably, the component 16 is connected to the heat exchanger 42, for example, via one or more heat-conducting pipes 44 (see Figure 8).

[0062] To generate a forced airflow, at least one cooling fan 46 and / or at least one cooling element (see Figure 7) can be provided in the cooling passage 32. Furthermore, the cooling device 22 can have at least one cooling inlet 48 connected to the at least one cooling passage 32. Through this cooling inlet 48, the at least one cooling passage 32 is configured to receive cooling fluid from the outside of the roof module 10. Additionally, the cooling device 22 can have at least one cooling outlet or cooling fluid outlet 50. That is, the at least one cooling passage 32 is preferably located along the heat dissipation direction W. A The observation includes the cooling fluid outlet 50 downstream, allowing the cooling fluid flow to be discharged to the surrounding environment after receiving waste heat from the at least one electrical and / or electronic component 16 and / or heat introduced from the outside (see...). Figure 3 and 5 ).

[0063] Exemplary in Figure 5 The cooling device 22 shown is a one-piece structural unit comprising multiple cooling channels 32 (or cooling channel sections) that are integrally interconnected. The cooling device 22 includes two cooling inlets 48, which are arranged on the front side (front along the driving direction x) in the side region of the roof module 10 and are enclosed by a ventilation grille 52 (see [link to diagram]). Figure 3 In the middle section (viewed along the longitudinal beam 28), heat exchangers 42 are integrated between the channel sections of the cooling channel 32 on each roof side (right and left along the direction of travel x) for dissipating heat from the component 16. Downstream in the cooling channel 32 (along the heat dissipation direction W) ACooling fans 46 are provided separately. In addition, the cooling device 22 has two cooling outlets 50 arranged on the rear side of the vehicle, through which heated exhaust gas can be discharged from the roof module 10.

[0064] List of reference numerals

[0065] 10 Roof Modules

[0066] 12-sided component

[0067] 14. Roof skin

[0068] 15. Roof Module Frame

[0069] 16 Electrical and / or electronic components

[0070] 17 Environmental Sensors

[0071] 18 Perspective Area

[0072] 20 optical axes

[0073] 22 Cooling device

[0074] 24. Edge Area

[0075] 26 crossbeams

[0076] 28 Longitudinal beams

[0077] 30 Assembly Interface

[0078] 31 Adhesive or joint

[0079] 32 Cooling Channels

[0080] 34 Cavity

[0081] 36. Wall section of the roof module frame

[0082] 38-face component wall section

[0083] 40 dry sections

[0084] 42. Thermal conductive elements, heat exchangers

[0085] 44 Heat pipe

[0086] 46 Cooling Fan

[0087] 48 Cooling Inlet

[0088] 50 Cooling outlet, cooling fluid outlet

[0089] 52 Ventilation grilles

[0090] 100 car roof

[0091] 102 Body crossbeam

[0092] 104 Roof and body frame, roof frame structure

[0093] 106 Body longitudinal beams

[0094] 108 Panoramic Roof

[0095] 1000 vehicle body

[0096] x Vehicle longitudinal direction, travel direction

[0097] y Vehicle width direction

[0098] W A Heat dissipation direction.

Claims

1. A roof module (10) for forming a roof on a motor vehicle, comprising: a surface member (12) that at least regionally forms a roof skin (14) of the roof, the roof skin serving as an external sealing surface; a roof module frame (15) on which the surface member (12) is disposed; a plurality of electrical and / or electronic components (16); and a cooling device (22) capable of dissipating waste heat discharged by the electronic components (16) and / or heat introduced from the outside, characterized in that, A cooling channel (32) is defined by a hollow channel (34) arranged around the entire roof module frame (15) in the edge region (24) of the roof module (10) and formed by the roof module frame (15) and the surface member (12), wherein only one cooling channel (32) is provided, which extends along the entire edge profile of the roof module (10), and the electrical and / or electronic components (16) are arranged in the dry section (40) of the roof module (10) protected from moisture. Furthermore, the waste heat discharged by the electrical and / or electronic components (16) can be discharged from the dry section (40) by the cooling device (22), the electrical and / or electronic components (16) being directly or indirectly connected to the cooling channel (32) by heat transfer via a heat-conducting element, the cooling channel (32) including a cooling fluid outlet (50) downstream when viewed along the heat dissipation direction, thereby enabling the cooling fluid flow to be discharged to the surrounding environment after receiving the waste heat from the electrical and / or electronic components (16) and / or heat introduced from the outside.

2. The roof module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The roof module frame (15) is formed by at least one crossbeam (26) and at least two longitudinal beams (28), the at least one crossbeam and the at least two longitudinal beams defining the edge region (24).

3. The roof module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cooling channel (32) is formed around the roof module frame (15).

4. The roof module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The cooling channel (32) is formed of at least two different materials.

5. The roof module according to claim 4, characterized in that, The cooling channel (32) consists of two half-shells, wherein the first half-shell is made of plastic and the second half-shell is made of metal.

6. The roof module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The cooling device includes at least one cooling fan (46) and / or at least one heat exchanger (42) and / or at least one heat pump and / or at least one heat pipe (44).

7. The roof module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The cooling passage (32) is configured to receive a cooling fluid supply from the outside of the roof module (10) and / or connect to the air conditioning circuit of the motor vehicle.

8. The roof module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The electrical and / or electronic components (16) include an environmental sensor (17) capable of transmitting and / or receiving electromagnetic signals through a transparent area (18) to detect the environment surrounding the vehicle.

9. The roof module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The roof module can be assembled as a structural unit onto the roof frame structure (104) of a motor vehicle via the roof module frame (15).

10. The roof module according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second half-shell is made of a metal plate.

11. The roof module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The cooling device includes at least one cooling element.

12. The roof module according to claim 8, characterized in that, The environmental sensor is a lidar sensor and / or a radar sensor and / or a camera sensor.

13. The roof module according to claim 8, characterized in that, The environmental sensor is a multi-camera sensor.

14. A motor vehicle comprising a roof module (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 13 above.

Images