Roof-mounted LiDAR mounting device, installation method and vehicle

Abstract

This invention discloses a roof-mounted lidar mounting device, comprising an inner protective plate and an outer protective plate. A first positioning mechanism for positioning the lidar is provided on the outer protective plate, and a second positioning mechanism for positioning the lidar is provided on the inner protective plate. A sealing mechanism is provided between the outer protective plate and the lidar. This roof-mounted lidar mounting device enables accurate installation of the lidar on the vehicle roof and improves the lidar's sealing performance, reducing water leakage and wind noise problems. This invention also discloses a lidar installation method and a vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of automotive technology. Specifically, this invention relates to a roof-mounted lidar mounting device, mounting method, and vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] With the development and progress of science and technology, technological products are constantly improving all aspects of people's lives. The application of numerous new technologies in the automotive industry has made cars intelligent and connected, constantly redefining people's understanding of automobiles, such as autonomous driving, automatic parking, and remote control. Especially new energy vehicles have revolutionized people's perception of cars. Among these applications of autonomous driving, the use of LiDAR is indispensable. Currently, the conventional practice is to place the LiDAR in the center of the front of the vehicle roof. Because the LiDAR's emitting surface cannot be obstructed and must maintain a streamlined shape (to reduce wind resistance), the emitting surface cannot be well protected. The radar will face problems such as wind, rain, snow, dust, and direct sunlight. Furthermore, LiDAR is a precision component, requiring extremely precise positioning.

[0003] To solve the above problems, the structure would have to be made more complex to achieve good sealing and high positioning accuracy, which would not be able to meet the production schedule (high-precision positioning assembly will inevitably take time).

[0004] Therefore, a good, reliable and easy-to-install structure is needed here to solve problems such as water leakage (water leakage will affect the accuracy of radar detection results and have a significant impact on driving safety), wind noise (wind noise from the roof is directly transmitted into the car, which is detrimental to the driving experience), and long assembly time, while also meeting the requirements of high precision.

[0005] The aim is to provide an improved roof-mounted lidar mounting device, particularly regarding how to achieve accurate installation of lidar on the roof of a vehicle. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present invention provides a roof-mounted lidar mounting device, the purpose of which is to achieve accurate installation of lidar on the roof of a vehicle.

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a roof-mounted lidar mounting device, including an inner protective plate, an outer protective plate, and a first positioning mechanism for positioning the lidar, a second positioning mechanism for positioning the lidar is provided on the inner protective plate, and a sealing mechanism is provided between the outer protective plate and the lidar.

[0008] The sealing mechanism includes a sealing element. The outer protective plate is provided with a protective plate window to accommodate the light-emitting surface of the lidar. The sealing element is an annular structure arranged around the protective plate window and is located between the outer protective plate and the lidar.

[0009] The sealing element is a sealing ring, and the sealing element is provided with serrations that come into contact with the lidar.

[0010] The outer protective plate is provided with a protective plate flange, and the sealing element is sleeved on the protective plate flange, with the protective plate flange extending towards the inside of the protective plate window.

[0011] The first positioning mechanism includes positioning bosses, and multiple positioning bosses are provided.

[0012] The second positioning mechanism includes positioning blocks, and multiple positioning blocks are provided. The lidar is provided with positioning holes for the positioning blocks to be embedded in.

[0013] The positioning block has a wedge-shaped structure.

[0014] The inner protective plate is provided with a fastening mechanism, which is constructed to fix the lidar to the inner protective plate by cooperating with bolts.

[0015] The present invention also provides a method for installing a lidar, using the aforementioned roof-mounted lidar installation device, and includes the following steps:

[0016] S1. Assemble the roof-mounted lidar device;

[0017] S2. Position the lidar on the lidar mounting device on the vehicle roof;

[0018] S3. Securely connect the lidar to the roof-mounted lidar mounting device.

[0019] The present invention also provides a vehicle including the aforementioned roof-mounted lidar device.

[0020] The roof-mounted lidar mounting device of the present invention can achieve accurate installation of lidar on the roof of a car, and can improve the sealing performance of lidar, reducing water leakage and wind noise problems. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the roof-mounted lidar mounting device of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the assembled lidar and protective plate sealing structure;

[0023] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the roof-mounted lidar mounting device of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the roof-mounted lidar mounting device of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the layout of the positioning blocks;

[0026] Figure 6 This is an enlarged structural diagram of the positioning block;

[0027] Figure 7 This is a structural diagram of the positioning ribs;

[0028] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of the positioning bosses;

[0029] Figure 9 This is an enlarged structural diagram of the positioning boss;

[0030] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the sealing ring structure;

[0031] Figure 11 This is a comparison chart of wind tunnel test results;

[0032] The markings in the above figures are as follows: 1. Outer protective plate; 2. Light-emitting surface; 3. Inner protective plate; 4. Protective plate flange; 5. Protective plate window; 6. Sealing element; 7. LiDAR body; 8. Bolt; 9. Positioning block; 10. Positioning boss; 11. Positioning hole; 12. Third surface; 13. Fourth surface; 14. Positioning rib; 15. Serration. Detailed Implementation

[0033] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, a more comprehensive description of the present invention will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate several embodiments of the present invention. However, the present invention can be implemented in different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described in the text. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make the disclosure of the present invention more thorough and complete.

[0034] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," and similar expressions used in this document are for illustrative purposes only.

[0035] It should be noted that in the following embodiments, the terms "first", "second", "third" and "fourth" do not represent an absolute distinction in structure and / or function, nor do they represent the order of execution, but are merely for the convenience of description.

[0036] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly associated with those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the specification of this invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments and is not intended to limit the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0037] Firstly, such as Figures 1 to 8 As shown, the present invention provides a roof-mounted lidar mounting device, including an inner protective plate 3, an outer protective plate 1, and a first positioning mechanism for positioning the lidar. A second positioning mechanism for positioning the lidar is provided on the inner protective plate 3, and a sealing mechanism is provided between the outer protective plate 1 and the lidar.

[0038] The sealing mechanism includes a sealing element 6. The outer protective plate 1 is provided with a protective plate window 5 for accommodating the light-emitting surface 2 of the lidar. The sealing element 6 is an annular structure arranged around the protective plate window 5. The sealing element 6 is located between the outer protective plate 1 and the lidar.

[0039] The sealing element 6 is a sealing ring, and the sealing element 6 is provided with serrations 15 that contact the lidar.

[0040] The outer protective plate 1 is provided with a protective plate flange 4, and the sealing element 6 is sleeved on the protective plate flange 4. The protective plate flange 4 extends toward the inner side of the protective plate window 5.

[0041] The first positioning mechanism includes a positioning boss 10, and the lidar is provided with a first positioning hole 11 into which the positioning boss 10 is embedded.

[0042] The second positioning mechanism includes positioning blocks 9, and multiple positioning blocks 9 are provided. The laser radar is provided with positioning holes 11 for the positioning blocks 9 to be embedded.

[0043] The positioning block 9 has a wedge-shaped structure.

[0044] The inner protective plate 3 is provided with a fastening mechanism, which is constructed to fix the laser radar to the inner protective plate 3 by cooperating with the bolt 8.

[0045] In a second aspect, the present invention also provides a method for installing a lidar, employing the aforementioned roof-mounted lidar installation device, and comprising the following steps:

[0046] S1. Assemble the roof-mounted lidar device;

[0047] S2. Position the lidar on the lidar mounting device on the vehicle roof;

[0048] S3. Securely connect the lidar to the roof-mounted lidar mounting device.

[0049] In a third aspect, the present invention also provides a vehicle including the aforementioned roof-mounted lidar device.

[0050] Example

[0051] like Figures 1 to 8 As shown, this embodiment of the invention provides a roof-mounted lidar mounting device, including an inner protective plate 3 and an outer protective plate 1 connected to each other, and a first positioning mechanism for positioning the lidar. A second positioning mechanism for positioning the lidar is provided on the inner protective plate 3, and a sealing mechanism is provided between the outer protective plate 1 and the lidar.

[0052] Specifically, such as Figure 1 As shown, the roof-mounted lidar device of this invention is installed on the roof of the vehicle body, with the lidar located at the center of the front end of the roof. The outer protective plate 1 is located above the inner protective plate 3 and the lidar. The length direction of the outer protective plate 1 is parallel to the Y direction (the width direction of the vehicle body), and the lidar is located at the middle position in the length direction of the outer protective plate 1.

[0053] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the sealing mechanism includes a sealing element 6. The outer protective plate 1 has a protective plate window 5 that accommodates the emitting surface 2 of the lidar. The protective plate window 5 is a through hole extending along the thickness direction of the outer protective plate 1, exposing the emitting surface 2. The sealing element 6 is an annular structure surrounding the protective plate window 5. The sealing element 6 is located between the outer protective plate 1 and the lidar. The sealing element 6 is used to seal the enclosure of the lidar between the lidar and the external environment. The enclosure of the lidar is formed by the outer protective plate 1 and the vehicle roof. By setting the sealing element 6, rainwater, dust, and other impurities from the external environment are prevented from entering the enclosure of the lidar. In particular, rainwater entering the enclosure of the lidar will affect the lidar's detection results, ensuring the accuracy of the detection results, preventing data distortion when autonomous driving collects road information, and avoiding impact on autonomous driving calculations. Furthermore, it can reduce wind noise by allowing airflow into the space where the lidar is located.

[0054] like Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, a flange 4 is provided on the outer protective plate 1. The flange 4 and the outer protective plate 1 are integrally formed. The sealing element 6 is sleeved on the flange 4, which extends towards the inner side of the protective plate window 5 (where the receiving cavity is located). The protective plate window 5 is a rectangular hole, and the flange 4 is rectangular, surrounding the entire edge of the protective plate window 5. The sealing element 6 is a rubber sealing ring. The flange 4 facilitates the installation of the sealing element 6, and the position of the sealing element 6 will not move. Before assembling the lidar, the sealing ring is sleeved on the flange 4. When the lidar is moved towards the protective plate window 5, after the lidar contacts the sealing ring, the lidar can cooperate with the outer protective plate 1 to clamp the sealing ring, thereby achieving effective sealing. The position of the sealing element 6 will not move during the assembly process. The sealing element 6 is well positioned by the flange 4 and is in a good sealing state, which can effectively prevent water and noise, ensuring the sealing effect.

[0055] like Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 10 As shown, the sealing element 6 is provided with serrations 15 that contact the lidar. The sealing element 6 includes an annular portion and serrations 15 disposed on the annular portion. The annular portion and serrations 15 are annular structures arranged around the protective plate window 5. The annular portion is fitted onto the protective plate window 5. Multiple serrations 15 are provided, with one end of each serration connected to the annular portion and the other end of each serration being a pointed tip. The serrations 15 have a V-shaped cross-section. The outer surface of each serration includes a first surface and a second surface, with an included angle of less than 90 degrees between the first and second surfaces. One end of each first and second surface is connected to the annular portion, and the other ends of the first and second surfaces are connected to form a pointed tip, which is used to contact the lidar surface. The serration shape design of the serration 15 rubber sealing ring enables more effective contact with the lidar sealing surface, forming a tighter sealing structure. This design reduces the gap between the sealing surfaces, thereby improving the sealing performance.

[0056] like Figure 11 As shown in the figure, the sealing effect of the sealing surface affects wind noise. Under the same wind speed, the sealing structure of the present invention can effectively reduce wind noise.

[0057] like Figure 2 , Figure 8 and Figure 9As shown, the first positioning mechanism includes positioning bosses 10, which are fixedly mounted on the flange 4 of the protective plate. Multiple positioning bosses 10 are provided, and each boss is used to contact the surface of the lidar. The positioning bosses 10 and the sealing ring are located on opposite sides of the flange 4 of the protective plate. When the lidar is moved towards the window 5 of the protective plate, after it contacts the positioning boss 10, the lidar is inserted into place and can no longer be pushed forward. The positioning bosses 10 ensure that the lidar can be accurately assembled into position.

[0058] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the second positioning mechanism includes positioning blocks 9, which are fixedly mounted on the inner protective plate 3. Multiple positioning blocks 9 are provided, and the lidar is provided with positioning holes 11 for the positioning blocks 9 to be inserted. After the lidar is moved toward the window 5 of the protective plate, each positioning block 9 is inserted into a positioning hole 11, which ensures that the lidar can be accurately assembled and facilitates the subsequent fixed installation of the lidar.

[0059] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, in this embodiment, the positioning block 9 is installed on the mounting surface of the inner protective plate 3. The positioning block 9 has a wedge-shaped structure. The outer surface of the positioning block 9 includes a third surface 12 and a fourth surface 13. The third surface 12 and the fourth surface 13 are arranged sequentially along the moving direction during the assembly of the lidar. The included angle between the third surface 12 and the fourth surface 13 is greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees. The fourth surface 13 is parallel to the mounting surface. The third surface 12 is inclined. The first end of the third surface 12 is connected to one end of the fourth surface 13. The distance between the second end of the third surface 12 and the mounting surface is less than the distance between the first end of the third surface 12 and the mounting surface. The first end and the second end of the third surface 12 are the opposite ends of the third surface 12. The inclined third surface 12 can guide the lidar to move and play a guiding role. During operation, there is no need for calibration; simply press the lidar down. This helps to improve assembly efficiency and positioning accuracy.

[0060] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, in this embodiment, two positioning blocks 9 are provided, and each positioning block 9 is distributed at a different position. The third surfaces 12 of all positioning blocks 9 are parallel.

[0061] like Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, a fastening mechanism is provided on the inner protective plate 3. The fastening mechanism is constructed to fix the lidar to the inner protective plate 3 by cooperating with the bolts 8. The fastening mechanism includes nut clips set on the inner protective plate 3 and nuts set on the nut clips. The nuts cooperate with the bolts 8. Multiple nut clips are provided, each nut clip is distributed in a different position, and each nut clip is provided with a nut. Through the cooperation of multiple bolts 8 and nuts, the lidar is firmly fixed to the inner protective plate 3.

[0062] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, three nut clips are provided, and the lidar is fixedly installed on the inner protective plate 3 by the cooperation of three bolts 8 and nuts.

[0063] like Figure 7 As shown, the outer protective plate 1 is provided with positioning ribs 14, and the inner protective plate 3 is provided with positioning grooves into which the positioning ribs 14 are embedded. Multiple positioning ribs 14 are provided, and the number of positioning grooves is the same as the number of positioning ribs 14. When the outer protective plate 1 and the inner protective plate 3 are assembled, each positioning rib 14 is embedded in a positioning groove, which facilitates the assembly between the outer protective plate 1 and the inner protective plate 3 and helps to improve assembly efficiency.

[0064] In a second aspect, embodiments of the present invention also provide a method for installing a lidar, employing the roof-mounted lidar mounting device described above, and comprising the following steps:

[0065] S1. Install roof-mounted lidar device;

[0066] S2. Position the lidar onto the lidar mounting device on the roof of the vehicle;

[0067] S3. Securely connect the lidar to the lidar mounting device on the roof.

[0068] In step S1 above, the outer guard plate 1 and the inner guard plate 3 are first assembled. Each positioning rib 14 on the outer guard plate 1 is embedded into a positioning groove on the inner guard plate 3. Then, the outer guard plate 1 and the inner guard plate 3 are pressed together to complete the assembly of the outer guard plate 1 and the inner guard plate 3. Finally, the sealing element 6 is assembled on the guard plate flange 4 and the sealing element 6 is bonded to the outer guard plate 1 with adhesive to form a roof-mounted laser radar mounting device.

[0069] In step S2 above, the laser radar is moved toward the window 5 of the protective plate. The angle α between the moving direction of the laser radar and the outer protective plate 1 is about 5 degrees. After the laser radar contacts the positioning boss 10, the laser radar is inserted into place. The laser radar and the outer protective plate 1 cooperate to clamp the sealing ring. Then, the laser radar is pressed and the laser radar fits into the inner protective plate 3. At this time, the positioning block 9 is inserted into the positioning hole 11 to complete the positioning of the laser radar.

[0070] In step S3 above, the bolt 8 is tightened by cooperating with the fastening mechanism to fix the lidar on the inner protective plate 3.

[0071] In a third aspect, embodiments of the present invention also provide a vehicle including a roof-mounted lidar device with the above-described structure. The specific structure of this roof-mounted lidar device can be found in [reference needed]. Figures 1 to 8 Further details will not be elaborated here. Since the vehicle of the present invention includes the roof-mounted lidar mounting device described in the above embodiments, it possesses all the advantages of the aforementioned roof-mounted lidar mounting device.

[0072] The present invention has been described above by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the specific implementation of the present invention is not limited to the above-described manner. Any non-substantial improvements made using the inventive concept and technical solution of the present invention, or the direct application of the inventive concept and technical solution of the present invention to other occasions without modification, are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A roof-mounted lidar mounting device, characterized in that, It includes an inner protective plate, an outer protective plate, and a first positioning mechanism for positioning the lidar. A second positioning mechanism for positioning the lidar is provided on the inner protective plate, and a sealing mechanism is provided between the outer protective plate and the lidar. The sealing mechanism includes a sealing element. The outer protective plate is provided with a protective plate window that accommodates the light-emitting surface of the lidar. The sealing element is a ring structure arranged around the protective plate window and is located between the outer protective plate and the lidar. The sealing element is a sealing ring, and the sealing element is provided with serrations that contact the lidar; The outer protective plate is provided with a protective plate flange, and the sealing element is sleeved on the protective plate flange, with the protective plate flange extending toward the inner side of the protective plate window; The first positioning mechanism includes positioning bosses, and multiple positioning bosses are provided; The second positioning mechanism includes positioning blocks, and multiple positioning blocks are provided. The laser radar is provided with positioning holes for the positioning blocks to be embedded in. The positioning block has a wedge-shaped structure.

2. The roof-mounted lidar mounting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner protective plate is provided with a fastening mechanism, which is constructed to fix the lidar to the inner protective plate by cooperating with bolts.

3. A method for installing a lidar system, characterized in that, The vehicle roof-mounted lidar device according to claim 1 or 2 is used, and includes the following steps: S1. Assemble the roof-mounted lidar device; S2. Position the lidar on the lidar mounting device on the vehicle roof; S3. Securely connect the lidar to the roof-mounted lidar mounting device.

4. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the roof-mounted lidar mounting device as described in claim 1 or 2.

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