Connection structure and processing method thereof, laser radar and terminal equipment

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a connecting structure and a processing method thereof, a laser radar and terminal equipment, the connecting structure can be applied to the laser radar, and the connecting structure comprises an optical machine support, an optical transceiver and a buffer piece; the light receiving and transmitting device is used for transmitting or receiving laser; the buffer piece is connected between the optical machine support and the optical transceiver device, and the thermal expansion coefficient of the buffer piece is smaller than that of the optical machine support and larger than that of the optical transceiver device. In the embodiment of the invention, the buffer piece with the thermal expansion coefficient between the two structures is additionally arranged between the optical machine bracket and the optical transceiver device which are large in thermal expansion coefficient difference for thermal expansion matching, so that the expansion and shrinkage difference between adjacent different materials can be further reduced during high-temperature expansion or low-temperature shrinkage; therefore, the stress between the optical machine bracket and the optical transceiver can be reduced, and the relative displacement between the optical machine bracket and the optical transceiver can be reduced, so that the stability of the connection structure can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present application relate to the field of laser radar technology, and more specifically, to a connection structure and a processing method thereof, a laser radar and a terminal device. Background Art

[0002] LiDAR is a target detection technology. LiDAR emits a laser beam through a laser emitting device. The laser beam is reflected when it encounters the target object. The reflected beam is received by a laser receiving device and transmitted to the photosensitive area of ​​the chip. By comparing the emitted beam with the reflected beam of the target, laser scanning information is obtained, such as the distance, direction, height and angle from the target to the emission point.

[0003] LiDAR is currently widely used in the automotive field. The laser emitting device and laser receiving device of the automotive LiDAR need to be optically coupled with the optomechanical bracket and then connected and fixed. During the coupling and fixation and long-term operation, the relative position change at the micron level needs to be maintained at all times. However, the laser emitting device and the laser receiving device are large in size and heavy in weight, and there is a large difference between the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the laser emitting device / laser receiving device and the coefficient of thermal expansion of the optomechanical bracket. When using the traditional adhesive fixing connection method, during long-term operation under harsh working conditions such as high and low temperatures, due to the large difference between the thermal expansion coefficient of the laser emitting device and the laser receiving device and the thermal expansion coefficient of the optomechanical bracket, high and low temperature changes will produce excessive stress and reduce the mechanical strength of the bonding material. In addition, the glue may experience high-temperature creep, which will also cause the relative position relationship between the laser emitting device, the laser receiving device and the optomechanical bracket to shift, which may affect the emission and reception of the laser beam. Summary of the invention

[0004] The embodiments of the present application provide a connection structure and a processing method thereof, a laser radar and a terminal device, which can improve the stability of the connection structure. When the connection structure is applied to a laser radar (such as a vehicle-mounted laser radar), it can also avoid the relative position between the optical transceiver and the optical machine bracket from being offset, thereby avoiding affecting the emission and reception of the laser beam.

[0005] In a first aspect, a connection structure is provided, which can be applied to a laser radar, and comprises: an optomechanical bracket, an optical transceiver and a buffer; the optical transceiver is used for transmitting or receiving lasers; the buffer is connected between the optomechanical bracket and the optical transceiver, and the thermal expansion coefficient of the buffer is smaller than the thermal expansion coefficient of the optomechanical bracket and larger than the thermal expansion coefficient of the optical transceiver.

[0006] The optical transceiver device can be understood as a laser emitting device or a laser receiving device. It should be understood that both the laser emitting device and the laser receiving device need to be fixedly connected to the optical machine bracket to meet the requirements of laser emission and reception.

[0007] It should be noted that the optical machine bracket is generally made of aluminum alloy, and its thermal expansion coefficient is generally greater than 20ppm, while the optical transceiver is generally made of materials such as Kovar or silicon carbide, and its thermal expansion coefficient is generally less than 5ppm. Therefore, there is a large difference in thermal expansion coefficient between the optical machine bracket and the optical transceiver. The buffer in the embodiment of the present application can be made of alloy material (such as SUS304 stainless steel) as a primary buffer, or silicon aluminum alloy with different proportions can be used as a multi-stage buffer, and the thermal expansion coefficient of the buffer is located between the optical machine bracket and the optical transceiver.

[0008] In the embodiment of the present application, by adding a buffer member with a thermal expansion coefficient between the optomechanical bracket and the optical transceiver device having a large difference in thermal expansion coefficients to perform thermal expansion matching, the difference in thermal expansion coefficients between the optomechanical bracket and the optical transceiver device can be reduced, and excessive stress caused by high and low temperature changes that causes failure of the coupling joint can be avoided. At the same time, the relative displacement between the optomechanical bracket and the optical transceiver device can also be reduced, thereby improving the stability of the connection structure.

[0009] In addition, when the connection structure is applied to a laser radar (such as a vehicle-mounted laser radar), it can also avoid the influence on the emission and reception of the laser beam caused by the relative displacement between the optical mechanical bracket and the optical transceiver, thereby affecting the normal use of the laser radar.

[0010] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, a through groove is provided on the optical machine bracket, a protrusion is provided on the buffer component, the protrusion is provided on the end surface of the buffer component facing the optical machine bracket, and the protrusion passes through the through groove and is fixedly connected to the optical machine bracket.

[0011] That is to say, a through slot is provided on the optical machine bracket, and a boss corresponding to the through slot is provided on the end surface of the buffer member facing the optical machine bracket, and the boss can pass through the through slot and be fixedly connected to the optical machine bracket.

[0012] In a possible implementation, the buffer is a single PIN structure, that is, the buffer may be provided with a protrusion, the optical machine bracket is provided with a through slot, and the protrusion can pass through the through slot and be fixedly connected to the optical machine bracket. In other words, the optical machine bracket is provided with a through slot, and the end surface of the buffer facing the optical machine bracket is provided with a boss corresponding to the through slot, and the boss can pass through the through slot and be fixedly connected to the optical machine bracket.

[0013] In a possible implementation, the buffer is a multi-PIN structure, that is, the buffer may be provided with multiple protrusions (e.g., two protrusions). Correspondingly, the optical machine bracket may be provided with multiple through slots, and the multiple protrusions may pass through the multiple through slots and be fixedly connected to the optical machine bracket. In other words, the optical machine bracket is provided with multiple through slots, and the end surface of the buffer facing the optical machine bracket is provided with multiple bosses corresponding to the multiple through slots, and the multiple bosses may pass through the multiple through slots and be fixedly connected to the optical machine bracket.

[0014] In a possible implementation, the protrusion may be a T-shaped structure, that is, the buffer is provided with a protrusion of a T-shaped structure, and correspondingly, the optical machine bracket may be provided with a through slot of a T-shaped structure, and the protrusion may pass through the through slot and be fixedly connected to the optical machine bracket. In other words, the through slot on the optical machine bracket may be a T-shaped structure, and a T-shaped boss corresponding to the T-shaped through slot may be provided on the end surface of the buffer facing the optical machine bracket, and the boss of the T-shaped structure may be used in conjunction with the through slot of the T-shaped structure, that is, the boss of the T-shaped structure may pass through the through slot of the T-shaped structure and be fixedly connected to the optical machine bracket.

[0015] In the embodiment of the present application, by providing a protrusion on the buffer, that is, by providing an inserted PIN structure, the relative displacement of the connection structure in the z direction can be further reduced, thereby increasing the stability of the connection structure.

[0016] It should be noted that by optimizing the structure of the buffer, the stress between the buffer and the optical machine bracket can be reduced. For example, the crack rate of the buffer with a single PIN structure can be reduced by more than 10% relative to that of a multi-PIN structure, and the reliability is improved to a certain extent. It should be understood that by setting an inserted PIN structure, the relative displacement of the connection structure in the z direction can be further reduced. In addition, by setting the protrusion into a T-shaped structure, the relative displacement between the buffer and the optical machine bracket can be further constrained, thereby increasing the stability of the connection structure.

[0017] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the connection structure further includes an adapter, the adapter is connected to the side wall of the through slot, the adapter is provided with a through hole, the protrusion passes through the through hole and is fixedly connected to the adapter, wherein the material of the adapter is similar to or the same as that of the optical machine bracket.

[0018] That is to say, the adapter can be fixedly connected to the side wall of the through groove on the optical machine bracket, and a through hole can be provided on the adapter, and a boss corresponding to the through hole is provided on the end surface of the buffer facing the optical machine bracket, and the boss can pass through the through hole and be fixedly connected to the adapter, thereby realizing the fixed connection between the buffer and the optical machine bracket.

[0019] It should be understood that in the embodiment of the present application, by adding an adapter, the connection with the buffer component is facilitated, and local electroplating of the optical machine bracket can be avoided, thereby reducing processing costs.

[0020] In a possible implementation, the buffer is a single PIN structure, that is, the buffer may be provided with a protrusion, the adapter may be provided with a through hole, and the protrusion may pass through the through hole to be fixedly connected to the adapter. In other words, the adapter may be provided with a through hole, and the end surface of the buffer facing the optical machine bracket is provided with a boss corresponding to the through hole, and the boss may pass through the through hole to be fixedly connected to the adapter, thereby achieving a fixed connection between the buffer and the optical machine bracket.

[0021] In a possible implementation, the buffer is a multi-PIN structure, that is, the buffer may be provided with multiple protrusions (e.g., two protrusions). Correspondingly, the adapter may be provided with multiple through holes, and the multiple protrusions may pass through the multiple through holes to be fixedly connected to the adapter. In other words, the adapter may be provided with multiple through holes, and the end surface of the buffer facing the optical machine bracket is provided with multiple bosses corresponding to the multiple through holes, and the multiple bosses may pass through the multiple through holes to be fixedly connected to the adapter, thereby achieving a fixed connection between the buffer and the optical machine bracket.

[0022] In a possible implementation, the protrusion may be a T-shaped structure, that is, the buffer is provided with a protrusion of a T-shaped structure, and correspondingly, the adapter may be provided with a through hole of a T-shaped structure, and the protrusion may pass through the through hole to be fixedly connected with the adapter. In other words, the through hole on the adapter may be a T-shaped structure, and a T-shaped boss corresponding to the T-shaped through hole may be provided on the end surface of the buffer facing the optical machine bracket, and the boss of the T-shaped structure may be used in conjunction with the through hole of the T-shaped structure, that is, the boss of the T-shaped structure may pass through the through hole of the T-shaped structure to be fixedly connected with the adapter, thereby realizing a fixed connection between the buffer and the optical machine bracket.

[0023] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the buffer component may be a multi-layer buffer component, the thermal expansion coefficient of the multi-layer buffer component presents a gradient change, and the buffer layer with the lowest thermal expansion coefficient in the multi-layer buffer component is connected to the optical transceiver device, and the buffer layer with the highest thermal expansion coefficient in the multi-layer buffer component is connected to the optical machine bracket.

[0024] In an embodiment of the present application, the buffer may be composed of a multi-layer buffer structure material, and the CTE between each layer of material changes step by step to achieve a multi-level buffering effect. For example, different proportions of aluminum-silicon alloys are combined to form a CTE gradient change, the buffer layer with the lowest CTE is connected to the optical transceiver, and the surface buffer layer with the highest CTE is connected to the optical mechanical bracket. By setting the buffer as a multi-layer buffer structure, the expansion and contraction difference between adjacent different materials can be further reduced during high-temperature expansion or low-temperature contraction, which can reduce the stress between the optical mechanical bracket and the optical transceiver, and reduce the relative displacement between the optical mechanical bracket and the optical transceiver, thereby increasing the stability of the connection structure. In addition, when the connection structure is applied to a laser radar (such as a vehicle-mounted laser radar), it can also avoid the relative position between the optical transceiver and the optical mechanical bracket from being offset, which affects the emission and reception of the laser.

[0025] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the projection of the buffer on the first plane is located within the projection of the optical transceiver on the first plane, and the first plane is the connection surface between the optical transceiver and the buffer. In other words, the projection of the first end surface of the buffer in contact with the optical transceiver on the first plane is located within the projection range of the second end surface of the optical transceiver in contact with the buffer on the first plane.

[0026] In an embodiment of the present application, the projection of the buffer on the first plane is located within the projection of the optical transceiver on the first plane, that is, a step surface can be provided on the contact end surface of the buffer and the optical transceiver, thereby improving the stress condition of the solder joint while being better compatible with large assembly gaps.

[0027] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the material of the optical transceiver includes any one of the following: Kovar alloy, silicon aluminum alloy, silicon carbide, and quartz.

[0028] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, a connection method between the optical transceiver device and the buffer component includes any one of the following: fusion welding, brazing, diffusion welding, pressure welding, friction welding, and ultrasonic welding.

[0029] In some embodiments, the connection method between the buffer and the optical machine bracket includes any one of the following: fusion welding, brazing, diffusion welding, pressure welding, friction welding, and ultrasonic welding. Among them, brazing can be induction brazing, and fusion welding can be laser fusion welding.

[0030] In some embodiments, the connection method between the optical machine bracket and the adapter includes any one of the following: fusion welding, brazing, diffusion welding, pressure welding, friction welding, and ultrasonic welding. Among them, brazing can be induction brazing, and fusion welding can be laser fusion welding.

[0031] In some embodiments, the connection method between the buffer and the adapter includes any one of the following: fusion welding, brazing, diffusion welding, pressure welding, friction welding, and ultrasonic welding. Among them, brazing can be induction brazing, and fusion welding can be laser fusion welding.

[0032] It should be noted that when the above connection method is used to connect the components, the corresponding components need to be surface treated, for example, electroplating (such as nickel-silver plating) to ensure solderability and anti-corrosion of the coating.

[0033] In the embodiment of the present application, the components (such as the buffer and the adapter) are connected by welding. The strength of the welded joint is more than twice the strength of the adhesive, which can support the reliable connection of large and heavy components. On the premise of meeting the performance requirements of each component, the joint connection strength is improved and the connection reliability is increased. In other words, by connecting the various components by welding, a metallurgical structure can be formed, which can improve the joint strength and realize a high-reliability coupling connection structure.

[0034] In a second aspect, a processing method for a connection structure is provided, the method comprising: fixedly connecting an optical transceiver and a buffer, the optical transceiver being used for transmitting or receiving laser light; determining a fixed position of the buffer and an optomechanical bracket so that the optical indicators of the optical elements on the optomechanical bracket and the optical elements on the optical transceiver meet design requirements; fixedly connecting the buffer and the optomechanical bracket, the thermal expansion coefficient of the buffer being smaller than the thermal expansion coefficient of the optomechanical bracket and larger than the thermal expansion coefficient of the optical transceiver.

[0035] It should be understood that the fixed connection between the optical transceiver device and the buffer can be achieved in the following manner:

[0036] In one possible implementation, the fixed connection between the optical transceiver and the buffer component includes: nickel-plating the surface of the optical transceiver to prevent the optical transceiver from being corroded when operating under harsh working conditions; then removing the coating on the connection surface between the optical transceiver and the buffer component; and then performing fusion welding to connect the optical transceiver to the buffer component.

[0037] In another possible implementation, the surfaces of the optical transceiver and the buffer may not be plated first, and after the optical transceiver and the buffer are connected by fusion welding, the optical transceiver and the portion where the optical transceiver and the buffer are connected may be nickel plated. In other words, when the optical transceiver and the buffer are fixedly connected, unplated welding may be performed first and then protective plating may be performed.

[0038] In another possible implementation, the surfaces of the obtained optical transceiver and the buffer have been subjected to corresponding surface treatment, so during processing, the optical transceiver and the buffer can be connected by welding.

[0039] In the above three implementations, the optical transceiver and the buffer can be fixedly connected by fusion welding, diffusion welding, pressure welding, friction welding, ultrasonic welding, etc. When these welding methods are used for fixed connection, the original surfaces of the optical transceiver and the buffer need to be retained. In other words, there should be no coating at the location where the optical machine bracket and the buffer are connected, and the coating needs to be removed or not coated.

[0040] In addition, the optical transceiver and the buffer may be fixedly connected by brazing. When brazing is used, the surface of the brazing connection position between the optical transceiver and the buffer may be plated with nickel silver to ensure the wettability of the solder.

[0041] It should be understood that determining the fixed position of the buffer and the optical mechanical bracket can also be understood as determining the relative position of the optical transceiver and the optical mechanical bracket. For example, the optical components on the optical mechanical bracket and the optical transceiver can be coupled to a relatively optimal position through a coupling platform. For example, at room temperature, by adjusting the relative position of the optical mechanical bracket and the optical transceiver, the corresponding optical indicators, such as the divergence angle and the pointing angle, meet the design requirements.

[0042] It should be understood that the fixed connection between the buffer and the optical machine bracket can be achieved in the following manner:

[0043] In a possible implementation, the fixed connection between the buffer and the optical-mechanical support includes: filling a coupling gap (i.e., a coupling joint) between the buffer and the optical-mechanical support with solder for brazing connection, so as to achieve metallurgical bonding between the buffer and the optical-mechanical support. The coupling joint may be a brazing weld, and SAC305 alloy solder may be selected, and the coupling gap is less than or equal to 0.5 mm. In this implementation, the surface of the brazing connection position between the buffer and the optical-mechanical support may be plated with nickel silver to ensure the wettability of the solder.

[0044] In another possible implementation, the buffer and the optical-mechanical support can also be fixedly connected by fusion welding, diffusion welding, pressure welding, friction welding, ultrasonic welding, etc., and the original surfaces of the buffer and the optical-mechanical support need to be retained when these welding methods are used for fixed connection. In other words, there must be no coating at the location where the buffer is connected to the optical-mechanical support, and the coating needs to be removed or not coated. In specific processing, the overall surface of the optical-mechanical support and the buffer can be processed first, and then the coating can be partially removed by laser to ensure that there is no coating (such as an anodized layer) at the location where the optical-mechanical support and the buffer are connected.

[0045] In another possible implementation, the surfaces of the obtained optical-mechanical bracket and the buffer component have been subjected to corresponding surface treatment, and the optical-mechanical bracket and the buffer component only need to be fixedly connected during processing.

[0046] In the embodiment of the present application, by adding a buffer member with a thermal expansion coefficient between the optomechanical bracket and the optical transceiver device having a large difference in thermal expansion coefficients to perform thermal expansion matching, the difference in thermal expansion coefficients between the optomechanical bracket and the optical transceiver device can be reduced, and excessive stress caused by high and low temperature changes that causes failure of the coupling joint can be avoided. At the same time, the relative displacement between the optomechanical bracket and the optical transceiver device can also be reduced, thereby improving the stability of the connection structure.

[0047] In combination with the second aspect, in certain implementations of the second aspect, a protrusion is provided on the buffer component, and a through groove is provided on the optical machine bracket, and the fixed connection between the buffer component and the optical machine bracket includes: passing the protrusion through the through groove and fixedly connecting it with the optical machine bracket, so that the buffer component is fixedly connected to the optical machine bracket.

[0048] In combination with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the step of passing the protrusion through the through slot and fixing it with the optical mechanical support so that the buffer is fixedly connected to the optical mechanical support comprises: fixing an adapter to the side wall of the through slot, the adapter being provided with a through hole; and passing the protrusion through the through hole and fixing it with the adapter so that the buffer is fixedly connected to the optical mechanical support. The material of the adapter is similar to or the same as that of the optical mechanical support.

[0049] In a possible implementation, when the optical-mechanical bracket and the adapter are fixedly connected by fusion welding, diffusion welding, pressure welding, friction welding, ultrasonic welding, etc., the position where the optical-mechanical bracket and the adapter are connected needs to maintain the original metal surface and no anodized layer. Therefore, during the specific processing, the overall surface of the optical-mechanical bracket and the adapter structure can be processed first, and then the coating can be partially removed by laser to ensure that there is no coating (such as anodized layer) at the position where the optical-mechanical bracket and the adapter structure are connected.

[0050] In a possible implementation, the buffer and the adapter can be fixedly connected by brazing, and the coupling gap (i.e., coupling joint) between the buffer and the adapter is filled with solder for welding to achieve metallurgical bonding between the buffer and the optical-mechanical bracket. The coupling gap is less than or equal to 0.5 mm.

[0051] In combination with the second aspect, in certain implementations of the second aspect, the buffer is a multi-layer buffer, and the thermal expansion coefficient of the multi-layer buffer shows a gradient change. The fixed connection between the optical transceiver and the buffer includes: fixedly connecting the buffer layer with the lowest thermal expansion coefficient in the multi-layer buffer to the optical transceiver; the fixed connection between the buffer and the optical machine bracket includes: fixedly connecting the buffer layer with the highest thermal expansion coefficient in the multi-layer buffer to the optical machine bracket.

[0052] In combination with the second aspect, in certain implementations of the second aspect, the projection of the buffer on the first plane is located within the projection of the optical transceiver on the first plane, and the first plane is the connection surface between the optical transceiver and the buffer. In other words, the projection of the first end surface of the buffer in contact with the optical transceiver on the first plane is located within the projection range of the second end surface of the optical transceiver in contact with the buffer on the first plane.

[0053] In combination with the second aspect, in certain implementations of the second aspect, the material of the optical transceiver includes any one of the following: Kovar alloy, silicon aluminum alloy, silicon carbide, and quartz.

[0054] In combination with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, a connection method between the optical transceiver device and the buffer component includes any one of the following: fusion welding, brazing, diffusion welding, pressure welding, friction welding, and ultrasonic welding.

[0055] In some embodiments, the connection method between the buffer and the optical machine bracket includes any one of the following: fusion welding, brazing, diffusion welding, pressure welding, friction welding, and ultrasonic welding. Among them, brazing can be induction brazing, and fusion welding can be laser fusion welding.

[0056] In some embodiments, the connection method between the optical machine bracket and the adapter includes any one of the following: fusion welding, brazing, diffusion welding, pressure welding, friction welding, and ultrasonic welding. Among them, brazing can be induction brazing, and fusion welding can be laser fusion welding.

[0057] In some embodiments, the connection method between the buffer and the adapter includes any one of the following: fusion welding, brazing, diffusion welding, pressure welding, friction welding, and ultrasonic welding. Among them, brazing can be induction brazing, and fusion welding can be laser fusion welding.

[0058] In a third aspect, a laser radar is provided, comprising the connection structure described in any one of the implementation methods in the first aspect.

[0059] In a fourth aspect, a terminal device is provided, comprising the connection structure described in any one of the implementation methods in the first aspect above, or comprising the laser radar described in the third aspect.

[0060] It should be noted that the technical effects that can be achieved in the second or fourth aspect mentioned above can refer to the description of the technical effects in the first aspect mentioned above, and will not be repeated here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0061] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an application scenario of a laser radar provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0062] Figure 2It is a schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of a connection structure shown in an embodiment of the present application.

[0063] Figure 3 It is a schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of a connection structure provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0064] Figure 4 It is a schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of another connection structure provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0065] Figure 5 It is a schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of another connection structure provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0066] Figure 6 It is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a connection structure provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0067] Figure 7 It is a schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of another connection structure provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0068] Figure 8 It is a schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of another connection structure provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0069] Fig. 9 It is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of a buffer provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0070] Fig.10 It is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of another buffer component provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0071] Fig.11 It is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of another buffer component provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0072] Fig.12 It is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of another connection structure provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0073] Fig.13 It is a schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of another connection structure provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0074] Fig.14 It is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of another connection structure provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0075] Fig.15 It is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of another connection structure provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0076] Fig.16 It is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of another buffer component provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0077] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0078] In order to facilitate understanding of the embodiments of the present application, the following points are explained before introducing the embodiments of the present application.

[0079] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise specified, “ / ” means or. For example, A / B can mean A or B. The “and / or” in this article is merely a way to describe the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone.

[0080] In the embodiments of the present application, the terms "first" and "second" are used only for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined as "first" and "second" may sensibly or implicitly include one or more features. In addition, in the description of the embodiments of the present application, "multiple" refers to two or more than two, "at least one" and "one or more" refer to one, two or more. The singular expressions "one", "a kind of", "said", "above", "the" and "this" are intended to also include expressions such as "one or more", unless there is a clear indication to the contrary in the context.

[0081] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" etc. described in this specification mean that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in conjunction with the embodiment is included in one or more embodiments of the present application. Thus, the phrases "in one embodiment", "in some embodiments", "in some other embodiments", "in some other embodiments", etc. that appear at different places in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but mean "one or more but not all embodiments", unless otherwise specifically emphasized in other ways. The terms "including", "comprising", "having" and their variations all mean "including but not limited to", unless otherwise specifically emphasized in other ways.

[0082] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "inside", "outside", "vertical", "horizontal", etc. indicate orientations or positional relationships that are defined relative to the orientations or positions of the components schematically placed in the drawings. It should be understood that these directional terms are relative concepts. They are used for description and clarification relative to the drawings, rather than indicating or implying that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. It may change accordingly according to the change in the orientation of the components placed in the drawings, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application. In addition, the "vertical" involved in the present application is not vertical in the strict sense, but is within the allowable error range. "Parallel" is not parallel in the strict sense, but is within the allowable error range.

[0083] In the embodiments of the present application, the same reference numerals are used to represent the same components or parts. For the same parts in the embodiments of the present application, only one of the parts or parts may be marked with a reference numeral in the figure. It should be understood that the reference numerals are also applicable to other identical parts or parts. In addition, the various parts in the drawings are not drawn to scale, and the sizes and dimensions of the parts shown in the drawings are only exemplary and should not be understood as limiting the present application.

[0084] The embodiment of the present application defines the coordinate system of the drawings. The x-direction, y-direction and z-direction are perpendicular to each other. The z-direction can be understood as perpendicular to the connection surface between the laser receiving device (or laser transmitting device) and the buffer. The x-direction and y-direction can be understood as parallel to the connection surface between the laser receiving device (or laser transmitting device) and the buffer. The x-direction is perpendicular to the y-direction.

[0085] To facilitate understanding of the connection structure provided in the embodiment of the present application, the application scenario of the connection structure is first schematically explained below. It should be understood that the connection structure can be applied to laser radar (such as vehicle-mounted laser radar).

[0086] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an application scenario of a laser radar provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0087] like Figure 1 As shown, the laser radar 10 is set at the front end of the vehicle 20 (such as an unmanned vehicle, a smart car, an electric car, a digital car, etc.), and emits a laser beam in a certain direction. If there is a target within a certain distance along the emission direction of the laser beam, the target can reflect the received laser beam back to the laser radar 10 (called an echo beam). The laser radar 10 can determine the associated information of the target based on the echo beam, such as the distance to the target, the moving speed of the target, the posture of the target or the point cloud map, etc. The laser radar 10 can sense the fan-shaped area shown in the dotted box, which can be called the detection area of ​​the laser radar 10.

[0088] It should be understood that the installation position of the above-mentioned laser radar 10 is only for illustration. In some other embodiments, the laser radar 10 can also be set on both sides or the rear of the vehicle 20, etc., and this application does not limit this.

[0089] Figure 1 The application scenarios shown can be, for example, unmanned driving, automatic driving, assisted driving, intelligent driving, connected vehicles, etc. In this application scenario, the laser radar 10, as a vehicle-mounted laser radar, can obtain the longitude and latitude, speed, direction, distance to surrounding objects and other measurement information detected to the vehicle 20 in real time or periodically, and then implement assisted driving or unmanned driving of the vehicle 20 based on these measurement information and in combination with the advanced driver assistance system. For example, the longitude and latitude are used to determine the position of the vehicle 20, or the speed and direction are used to determine the driving direction and purpose of the vehicle 20 in the future, or the distance to surrounding objects is used to determine the number and density of obstacles around the vehicle 20.

[0090] It should be noted that the above application scenarios are only exemplary, and the laser radar 10 can also be applied to other scenarios, which is not limited in this application. For example, the laser radar 10 can also be applied to terminal devices or components provided in terminal devices, and the terminal devices can be, for example, drones, robots, smart phones, smart home devices, etc., which is not limited in this application.

[0091] It should be understood that the laser radar 10 may include an optical machine bracket, a laser emitting device (hereinafter referred to as the optical emitting device), a laser receiving device (hereinafter referred to as the optical receiving device), and electronic components and optical components that need to be installed, etc., wherein the optical emitting device and the optical receiving device may be collectively referred to as an optical transceiver. That is, the optical transceiver described below may be an optical emitting device, may be an optical receiving device, or may include both an optical emitting device and an optical receiving device.

[0092] Figure 2 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a connection structure 100 shown in an embodiment of the present application. It should be understood that Figure 1 The laser radar 10 may include the connecting structure 100 , that is, the connecting structure 100 may be applied to the laser radar 10 .

[0093] like Figure 2As shown, the connection structure 100 may include an optical mechanical bracket 110 and an optical transceiver 120, and the optical mechanical bracket 110 and the optical transceiver 120 may be coupled and fixedly connected via a coupling joint 130. Specifically, when assembling the optical mechanical bracket 110 and the optical transceiver 120, first, the corresponding electronic and optical components may be assembled on the optical mechanical bracket 110 and the optical transceiver 120, respectively; then, the optical mechanical bracket 110 and the optical transceiver 120 may be coupled to a relatively optimal position via a coupling platform, for example, at room temperature, by adjusting the relative position of the optical mechanical bracket 110 and the optical transceiver 120, the optical indicators (such as divergence angle, pointing angle, etc.) of the optical components on the optical mechanical bracket 110 and the optical transceiver 120 may meet the design requirements; then, fixing glue may be added at the position of the coupling joint 130 and UV / heat curing may be performed, thereby achieving the coupling and fixing of the optical mechanical bracket 110 and the optical transceiver 120.

[0094] It should be understood that in order to achieve a better fixing effect of the fixing glue, the adhesive surface can also be properly roughened, or even mechanical fixation can be added to increase reliability. This processing method is often used for coupling and fixing optical components in light or good working conditions. The processing technology is simple and easy to implement.

[0095] It should be noted that the optical machine bracket 110 is generally made of aluminum alloy, and its thermal expansion coefficient is generally greater than 20ppm, while the optical transceiver 120 is generally made of materials such as kovar or silicon carbide, and its thermal expansion coefficient is generally less than 5ppm. Therefore, there is a large difference in thermal expansion coefficient between the optical machine bracket 110 and the optical transceiver 120. When the optical machine bracket 110 and the optical transceiver 120 are affected by high and low temperatures, the deformation of the optical machine bracket 110 with a higher thermal expansion coefficient is greater than the deformation of the optical transceiver 120 with a lower thermal expansion coefficient. This causes a mismatch in deformation between the optical machine bracket 110 and the optical transceiver 120 due to the mismatch in thermal expansion coefficients. The optical transceiver 120 is easily warped and deformed by the deformation force of the optical machine bracket 110, causing a significant offset in the relative position of the optical transceiver 120 to the optical machine bracket 110.

[0096] It is understandable that, for the transmitting end, a large offset causes a large deviation between the transmitting direction and the set direction, which may increase the recognition error and cannot be corrected, affecting the use of the laser radar; for the receiving end, a large offset makes the received echo too weak to be recognized. Therefore, the relative position offset between the optical transceiver 120 and the optical machine bracket 110 may eventually affect the transmission and reception of the laser.

[0097] In addition, the optical machine bracket 110 and the optical transceiver 120 are large and heavy. If the two are fixed by gluing, they cannot meet the requirements of reliability and high-precision positioning under long-term operation in harsh working conditions such as high and low temperatures and high-temperature creep of glue. In addition, even if mechanical fixation can increase reliability to a certain extent, it is difficult to avoid relative micro-displacement and failure of the optical machine bracket 110 and the optical transceiver 120 during the reinforcement process and long-term operation.

[0098] Therefore, an embodiment of the present application provides a connection structure and a processing method thereof, by adding a buffer component with a thermal expansion coefficient between the optical machine bracket 110 and the optical transceiver device 120 with a large difference in thermal expansion coefficients to perform thermal expansion matching, thereby avoiding excessive stress caused by high and low temperature changes that may cause the coupling joint 130 to fail, thereby avoiding affecting the emission and reception of the laser beam.

[0099] Figures 3 to 8 1 is a schematic diagram of a connection structure 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application. In the embodiment of the present application, a buffer 140 may be added at the position where the optical mechanical bracket 110 and the optical transceiver 120 are fixedly connected. The thermal expansion coefficient of the buffer 140 is smaller than the thermal expansion coefficient of the optical mechanical bracket 110 and larger than the thermal expansion coefficient of the optical transceiver 120. That is, the thermal expansion coefficient of the buffer 140 is between that of the optical mechanical bracket 110 and the optical transceiver 120.

[0100] like Figure 3 As shown, the connection structure 100 may include an optical mechanical support 110, an optical transceiver 120 and a buffer 140, and the buffer 140 may be connected between the optical mechanical support 110 and the optical transceiver 120. That is, the buffer 140 is located between the optical mechanical support 110 and the optical transceiver 120 and is fixedly connected to the optical transceiver 120. After the buffer 140 is fixedly connected to the optical transceiver 120, it is coupled and fixed to the optical mechanical support 110 through the coupling joint 130, so that the optical mechanical support 110 and the optical transceiver 120 are coupled to a relatively optimal position. For example, at room temperature, by adjusting the relative position of the optical mechanical support 110 and the optical transceiver 120, the optical indicators (such as divergence angle, pointing angle, etc.) of the optical elements on the optical mechanical support 110 and the optical transceiver 120 meet the design requirements. Among them, the optical transceiver 120 can be the above-mentioned laser emitting device or laser receiving device, which can be used for emitting or receiving lasers. The buffer member 140 can be made of alloy material (such as SUS304 stainless steel) as a primary buffer.

[0101] It should be noted that the thermal expansion coefficient can be used to measure the degree of thermal expansion of solid materials. The thermal expansion coefficient is the relative change in length or volume of an object per unit length and unit volume when the temperature rises by 1°C. It should be understood that the measurement methods of the thermal expansion coefficient may include the top rod indirect method, telescope direct reading method and laser measurement. Generally speaking, after determining the materials of the optical machine bracket, optical transceiver and buffer, their thermal expansion coefficients can also be determined. For example, the thermal expansion coefficient of silicon is 2.4ppm, and the thermal expansion coefficient of aluminum is 23.2ppm.

[0102] It should be understood that the thermal expansion coefficient of the buffer 140 is smaller than that of the optical support 110 and larger than that of the optical transceiver 120. By adding the buffer 140 whose CTE is between the optical support 110 and the optical transceiver 120 with a large thermal expansion coefficient difference to perform thermal expansion matching, the CTE difference between the optical support 110 and the optical transceiver 120 can be reduced, and the excessive stress caused by high and low temperature changes to cause the coupling joint 130 to fail can be avoided. At the same time, the relative displacement between the optical support 110 and the optical transceiver 120 can also be reduced, thereby improving the stability of the connection structure 100.

[0103] In some embodiments, the optical machine bracket 110 may include a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion (long side portion) is mainly used to install the required electronic and optical components, and the second portion (narrow side portion) is mainly used to be fixedly connected to the optical transceiver 120. Similarly, the optical transceiver 120 may include a third portion and a fourth portion, wherein the third portion (long side portion) may be installed with the required electronic and optical components, and the fourth portion (narrow side portion) may be fixedly connected to the second portion of the optical machine bracket 110.

[0104] It can also be understood that the optical machine bracket 110 can be an L-shaped structure, the long side of the L-shaped portion is used to install the required electronic and optical components, and the narrow side of the L-shaped portion is used to connect with other components (such as the optical transceiver 120). The optical transceiver 120 can also be an L-shaped structure, the long side of the L-shaped portion is used to install the required electronic and optical components, and the narrow side of the L-shaped portion is used to connect with other components (such as the optical machine bracket 110).

[0105] In some embodiments, Figure 3The buffer member 140 shown in the figure can be composed of multiple layers of buffer materials, and the CTE between each layer of material changes step by step to achieve a multi-level buffering effect. For example, different proportions of aluminum-silicon alloys are combined to form a CTE gradient change, the buffer layer with the lowest CTE is connected to the optical transceiver 120, and the surface buffer layer with the highest CTE is connected to the optical mechanical bracket 110. By setting the buffer member 140 as a multi-layer buffer structure, the expansion and contraction difference between adjacent different materials can be further reduced during high-temperature expansion or low-temperature contraction, which can reduce the stress between the optical mechanical bracket 110 and the optical transceiver 120, and can also reduce the relative displacement between the optical mechanical bracket 110 and the optical transceiver 120, thereby increasing the stability of the connection structure 100. In addition, when the connection structure 100 is applied to a laser radar (such as a vehicle-mounted laser radar), it can also avoid the relative position between the optical transceiver 120 and the optical mechanical bracket 110 from being offset, which affects the emission and reception of the laser.

[0106] It should be noted that, in some embodiments, the buffer 140 may adopt a PIN-free structure (eg Figure 3 As shown), that is, the buffer 140 may not adopt an inserted coupling structure. In other words, the buffer 140 has no raised portion in the first direction, and the first direction is a direction perpendicular to the connection surface between the buffer 140 and the optical transceiver 120 (i.e., the z direction). It should be understood that when the buffer 140 adopts a PIN-free structure, the stress between the optical machine bracket 110 and the optical transceiver 120 can be reduced, and there is almost no constraint in the z direction. The crack rate of the PIN-free structure will be relatively small, but due to the lack of constraint in the z direction, a certain amount of displacement in the z direction may occur when the whole is heated. Therefore, the embodiment of the present application also provides as follows Figures 4 to 8 The connection structure 100 shown is provided with an insertion coupling PIN structure, thereby further reducing the relative displacement of the connection structure 100 in the z direction.

[0107] In some embodiments, the cross-sectional structure diagram of the connection structure 100 can refer to Figure 4 .like Figure 4As shown, the connection structure 100 may include an optical support 110, an optical transceiver 120 and a buffer 140. The buffer 140 may be connected between the optical support 110 and the optical transceiver 120. Specifically, a through groove may be provided on the optical support 110, and a protrusion may be provided on the buffer 140. The protrusion is provided on the end surface of the buffer 140 facing the optical support 110, and the protrusion may pass through the through groove and be fixedly connected to the optical support 110. It should be understood that in this case, the coupling joint 130 may be located at the connection between the side wall of the through groove and the protrusion of the buffer 140. That is to say, the buffer 140 is first fixedly connected to the optical transceiver 120, and then optically coupled (such as AA coupling) with the optical support 110 before being fixedly connected.

[0108] In some embodiments, the cross-sectional structure diagram of the connection structure 100 can refer to Figure 5 .like Figure 5 As shown, in Figure 4 On the basis of, the buffer 140 may include a multi-layer buffer, and the thermal expansion coefficient of the multi-layer buffer shows a gradient change. That is to say, the buffer 140 may be composed of multiple layers of buffer materials, and the CTE between each layer of material changes step by step to achieve a multi-level buffering effect. For example, different proportions of aluminum-silicon alloys are combined to form a CTE gradient change, the buffer layer with the lowest CTE is connected to the optical transceiver 120, and the surface buffer layer with the highest CTE is connected to the optical machine bracket 110. It should be understood that a coupling joint 130 is required between the buffer 140 and the optical machine bracket 110 for optical coupling (such as AA coupling), and they can be directly welded after coupling to obtain a joint with better reliability.

[0109] In some embodiments, the structural diagram of the connection structure 100 can refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 .in, Figure 6 FIG. 1 shows a partial structural diagram of a connection structure 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 7 It is shown that Figure 6 The cross-sectional structure diagram of the connection structure 100 in FIG. Figure 6 or Figure 7As shown, the connection structure 100 may include an optical mechanical support 110, an optical transceiver 120, a buffer 140 and an adapter 150. The buffer 140 may be connected between the optical mechanical support 110 and the optical transceiver 120. Specifically, a through slot may be provided on the optical mechanical support 110, the adapter 150 is connected to the side wall of the through slot, a through hole is provided on the adapter 150, a protrusion is provided on the buffer 140, and the protrusion on the buffer 140 may pass through the through hole to be fixedly connected to the adapter 150. It should be understood that in this case, the coupling joint 130 may be located at the connection between the through hole side wall of the adapter 150 and the protrusion of the buffer 140.

[0110] In some embodiments, the structural diagram of the connection structure 100 can refer to Figure 8 .like Figure 8 As shown, in Figure 7 On the basis of, the buffer 140 can be a multi-layer buffer, and the thermal expansion coefficient of the multi-layer buffer shows a gradient change. That is to say, the buffer 140 can be composed of multiple layers of buffer materials, and the CTE between each layer of material changes step by step to achieve a multi-level buffering effect. For example, different proportions of aluminum-silicon alloys are combined to form a CTE gradient change, the buffer layer with the lowest CTE is connected to the optical transceiver 120, and the surface buffer layer with the highest CTE is connected to the optical machine bracket 110. It should be understood that a coupling joint 130 is required between the buffer 140 and the adapter 150 for optical coupling (such as AA coupling), and they can be directly welded after coupling to obtain a joint with better reliability.

[0111] In some embodiments, the structure of the buffer 140 can refer to Figures 9 to 11 .

[0112] Fig. 9The buffer 140 shown is a single PIN structure, that is, a protrusion may be provided on the buffer 140. In one example, a protrusion is provided on the buffer 140, and correspondingly, a through slot is provided on the optical machine support 110, and the protrusion can pass through the through slot and be fixedly connected to the optical machine support 110. That is to say, a through slot is provided on the optical machine support 110, and a boss corresponding to the through slot is provided on the end surface of the buffer 140 facing the optical machine support 110, and the boss can pass through the through slot and be fixedly connected to the optical machine support 110. In another example, a protrusion is provided on the buffer 140, and correspondingly, a through hole is provided on the adapter 150, and the protrusion can pass through the through hole, so that the buffer 140 is fixedly connected to the adapter 150. That is to say, a through hole may be provided on the adapter 150, and a boss corresponding to the through hole may be provided on the end surface of the buffer 140 facing the optical machine bracket 110. The boss may pass through the through hole and be fixedly connected to the adapter 150, thereby realizing a fixed connection between the buffer 140 and the optical machine bracket 110.

[0113] Fig.10 The buffer 140 shown is a multi-PIN structure, that is, the buffer 140 may be provided with a plurality of protrusions (e.g., two protrusions). In one example, the buffer 140 is provided with a plurality of protrusions, and correspondingly, the optical machine support 110 may be provided with a plurality of through slots, and the plurality of protrusions may pass through the plurality of through slots and be fixedly connected to the optical machine support 110. That is, the optical machine support 110 is provided with a plurality of through slots, and the end surface of the buffer 140 facing the optical machine support 110 is provided with a plurality of bosses corresponding to the plurality of through slots, and the plurality of bosses may pass through the plurality of through slots and be fixedly connected to the optical machine support 110. In another example, the buffer 140 is provided with a plurality of protrusions, and correspondingly, the adapter 150 may be provided with a plurality of through holes, and the plurality of protrusions may pass through the plurality of through holes, so that the buffer 140 is fixedly connected to the adapter 150. That is to say, the adapter 150 may be provided with a plurality of through holes, and the end surface of the buffer 140 facing the optical machine bracket 110 may be provided with a plurality of bosses corresponding to the plurality of through holes, and the plurality of bosses may pass through the plurality of through holes and be fixedly connected to the adapter 150, thereby realizing a fixed connection between the buffer 140 and the optical machine bracket 110.

[0114] Fig.11 The buffer member 140 shown is a T-shaped PIN structure. Fig.11As shown in (a) and (b) in the figure, the buffer 140 may include a protrusion, which may be a T-shaped structure. In one example, the buffer 140 is provided with a protrusion of a T-shaped structure, and correspondingly, the optical machine support 110 may be provided with a through slot of a T-shaped structure, and the protrusion may pass through the through slot and be fixedly connected to the optical machine support 110. That is to say, the through slot on the optical machine support 110 may be a T-shaped structure, and a T-shaped boss corresponding to the T-shaped through slot may be provided on the end surface of the buffer 140 facing the optical machine support 110, and the boss of the T-shaped structure may be used in conjunction with the through slot of the T-shaped structure, that is, the boss of the T-shaped structure may pass through the through slot of the T-shaped structure and be fixedly connected to the optical machine support 110. In another example, the buffer 140 is provided with a protrusion of a T-shaped structure, and correspondingly, the adapter 150 may be provided with a through hole of a T-shaped structure, and the protrusion may pass through the through hole, so that the buffer 140 is fixedly connected to the adapter 150. That is to say, the through hole on the adapter 150 can be a T-shaped structure, and a T-shaped boss corresponding to the T-shaped through hole can be provided on the end surface of the buffer 140 facing the optical machine bracket 110, and the boss of the T-shaped structure can be used in conjunction with the through hole of the T-shaped structure, that is, the boss of the T-shaped structure can pass through the through hole of the T-shaped structure and be fixedly connected to the adapter 150, thereby realizing the fixed connection between the buffer 140 and the optical machine bracket 110.

[0115] It should be noted that by optimizing the structure of the buffer 140, the stress between the buffer 140 and the optical machine bracket 110 can be reduced, or the stress between the buffer 140 and the adapter 150 can be reduced. For example, the crack rate of the buffer with a single PIN structure can be reduced by more than 10% relative to that of a multi-PIN structure, and the reliability is improved to a certain extent. It should be understood that by setting an inserted PIN structure, the relative displacement of the connection structure 100 in the z direction can be further reduced. In addition, by setting the protrusion into a T-shaped structure, the relative displacement between the buffer 140 and the optical machine bracket 110 / adapter 150 can be further constrained, thereby increasing the stability of the connection structure 100.

[0116] In some embodiments, the projection of the optical transceiver 120 on the first plane is located within the projection of the buffer 140 on the first plane, and the first plane is the connection surface between the optical transceiver 120 and the buffer 140. In other words, the projection of the first end surface of the buffer 140 in contact with the optical transceiver 120 on the first plane is located within the projection range of the second end surface of the optical transceiver 120 in contact with the buffer 140 on the first plane. In the embodiment of the present application, the projection of the buffer 140 on the first plane is located within the projection of the optical transceiver 120 on the first plane, that is, the contact end surface of the buffer 140 and the optical transceiver 120 can be provided with a step surface, so as to improve the stress condition of the solder joint and better accommodate large assembly gaps.

[0117] In some embodiments, the material of the optical transceiver 120 includes any one of the following: Kovar alloy, silicon aluminum alloy, silicon carbide, and quartz.

[0118] In some embodiments, the connection between the optical transceiver 120 and the buffer 140, between the buffer 140 and the optical machine bracket 110, between the optical machine bracket 110 and the adapter 150, and between the buffer 140 and the adapter 150 includes any one of the following: fusion welding, brazing, diffusion welding, pressure welding, friction welding, and ultrasonic welding. Among them, brazing can be induction brazing, and fusion welding can be laser fusion welding.

[0119] It should be noted that when the above connection method is used to connect the components, corresponding surface treatment is required, for example, electroplating to ensure brazing weldability and plating for corrosion protection.

[0120] It should be understood that in the embodiment of the present application, the components (such as the buffer 140 and the adapter 150) are connected by welding, and the strength of the welded joint is more than twice the strength of the adhesive, which can support the reliable connection of large and heavy components. On the premise of meeting the performance requirements of each component, the joint connection strength is improved and the connection reliability is increased. In other words, by connecting the various components by welding, a metallurgical structure can be formed, which can improve the joint strength and realize a high-reliability coupling connection structure.

[0121] The structure of the connection structure 100 is introduced above, and the processing method of the connection structure 100 will be introduced in detail below.

[0122] In some embodiments, the steps of the processing method of the connection structure 100 can be referred to as follows:

[0123] Step 101 : fix and connect the optical transceiver 120 and the buffer 140 .

[0124] In some embodiments, the optical transceiver 120 can be made of an alloy (such as Kovar alloy, silicon aluminum alloy, etc.) or a ceramic material (such as silicon carbide, quartz, etc.), and its surface can be nickel-plated to avoid corrosion when operating under harsh conditions.

[0125] In some embodiments, the buffer member 140 may adopt an insert-type buffer structure, such as Fig.12 The buffer member 140 shown in FIG. 1 is a double PIN structure, and the material can be an alloy material (such as SUS304 stainless steel). Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 7 As shown, the buffer 140 can be directly made of stainless steel as a primary buffer. Figure 5 and Figure 8 As shown, the buffer member 140 can be made of silicon-aluminum alloys in different proportions to form a multi-level buffer structure.

[0126] It should be understood that the connection methods between the optical transceiver device 120 and the buffer component 140 include but are not limited to fusion welding, brazing, diffusion welding, pressure welding, friction welding, ultrasonic welding, etc.

[0127] When the optical transceiver 120 and the buffer 140 are fixedly connected by brazing, the surface of the brazing connection position of the optical transceiver 120 and the buffer 140 can be plated with nickel / silver to ensure the wettability of the solder. When the optical transceiver 120 and the buffer 140 are fixedly connected by fusion welding, diffusion welding, pressure welding, friction welding, ultrasonic welding, etc., the position where the optical transceiver 120 and the buffer 140 are connected cannot have a coating, and the coating needs to be removed or not coated to retain the original surface of the material.

[0128] For example, Fig.12 As shown, the optical transceiver 120 and the buffer 140 can first be connected by fusion welding. Specifically, a pulsed fiber laser can be used to weld the connection seams around the optical transceiver 120 and the buffer 140 to form a sealed weld to prevent subsequent surface treatment liquid from entering the gap between the optical transceiver 120 and the buffer 140. In this example, there must be no coating at the location where the optical transceiver 120 and the buffer 140 are connected, and the coating needs to be removed or not coated.

[0129] In some embodiments, the fixed connection between the optical transceiver device 120 and the buffer component 140 includes: nickel plating the surface of the optical transceiver device 120 to prevent the optical transceiver device 120 from being corroded when operating under harsh working conditions; then removing the plating on the connection surface between the optical transceiver device 120 and the buffer component 140; and then fixedly connecting with the buffer component 140.

[0130] In other embodiments, after the optical transceiver 120 and the buffer 140 are fixedly connected, and before the buffer 140 and the optical machine bracket 110 are fixedly connected, the step may further include: nickel plating the optical transceiver 120 and the portion where the optical transceiver 120 and the buffer 140 are connected. That is, when the optical transceiver 120 and the buffer 140 are fixedly connected, unplated welding may be performed first and then protective plating may be performed. For example, after fusion welding is completed, the optical transceiver 120 and the portion where the optical transceiver 120 and the buffer 140 are connected may be partially nickel plated for protection. Reference Fig.12 , Fig.12 The shaded area shown in the figure is the local electroplating area, that is, Fig.12 The surface of the optical transceiver 120 and the periphery of the bottom plate of the buffer 140 connected to the optical transceiver 120 are nickel plated, and the upper surface of the bottom plate of the buffer 140 and the raised part are not electroplated.

[0131] In some other embodiments, the surfaces of the obtained optical transceiver 120 and the buffer 140 have been subjected to corresponding surface treatment, and the optical transceiver 120 and the buffer 140 only need to be fixedly connected during processing.

[0132] In some embodiments, the projection of the buffer 140 on the first plane is located within the projection of the optical transceiver 120 on the first plane, and the first plane is the connection surface between the optical transceiver 120 and the buffer 140. Fig.13 As shown, the assembly gap 121 between the optical transceiver 120 and the buffer 140 is less than or equal to 0.1 mm, and a step surface can be provided at the weld position, so as to improve the stress condition of the weld point and better accommodate the large assembly gap.

[0133] Step 102 , determining the fixed position of the buffer 140 and the optical machine bracket 110 , which can also be understood as determining the relative position of the optical transceiver 120 and the optical machine bracket 110 .

[0134] It should be understood that before fixing the optical machine bracket 110 and the buffer 140, it is also necessary to determine the fixed positions of the optical machine bracket 110 and the buffer 140 (i.e., determine the relative positions of the optical transceiver device 120 and the optical machine bracket 110) so that the optical indicators of the optical elements on the optical machine bracket 110 and the optical elements on the optical transceiver device 120 meet the design requirements.

[0135] That is to say, in this step, the optical elements on the optomechanical bracket 110 and the optical transceiver 120 can be coupled to a relatively optimal position through a coupling platform. For example, at room temperature, by adjusting the relative position of the optomechanical bracket 110 and the optical transceiver 120, the optical indicators corresponding to the optical elements on the optomechanical bracket 110 and the optical transceiver 120, such as divergence angle, pointing angle, etc., can meet the design requirements.

[0136] Step 103 , fixing and connecting the optical machine bracket 110 and the buffer component 140 .

[0137] In some embodiments, the optical machine bracket 110 can be made of cast aluminum or aluminum alloy, and can be protected by anodizing or passivation surface treatment.

[0138] It should be understood that the connection methods between the optical machine bracket 110 and the buffer component 140 include but are not limited to fusion welding, brazing, diffusion welding, pressure welding, friction welding, ultrasonic welding, etc.

[0139] When the optical machine support 110 and the buffer 140 are fixedly connected by brazing, the surface of the brazing connection position of the optical machine support 110 and the buffer 140 can be plated with nickel / silver to ensure the wettability of the solder. When the optical machine support 110 and the buffer 140 are fixedly connected by fusion welding, diffusion welding, pressure welding, friction welding, ultrasonic welding, etc., the position where the optical machine support 110 and the buffer 140 are connected cannot have a coating, and the coating needs to be removed or not coated to retain the original surface of the material.

[0140] For example, if the connection is fixed by brazing, in this step, the buffer 140 and the optical machine bracket 110 can be coupled and welded by the coupling joint 130, and finally the following is obtained: Figure 3 , Figure 4 or Figure 5 The connection structure shown. The specific connection can be pre-fixed by gluing and then brazing, for example, fixed by high-frequency induction brazing. The highest temperature setting is not higher than 280°C, the vibration start time is not less than 6s, and the diameter of 1mm (3% flux) SAC305 tin wire is used for wire feeding welding. The wire feeding length of a single solder point is about 50mm, and wire feeding starts after vibration starts.

[0141] The coupling joint 130 may be a brazing weld, and SAC305 alloy solder may be selected, and the metallurgical bonding of the buffer 140 and the optical-mechanical bracket 110 is achieved by filling the coupling gap (i.e., the coupling joint 130) between the buffer 140 and the optical-mechanical bracket 110 with solder, wherein the coupling gap is less than or equal to 0.5 mm.

[0142] It should be noted that if Fig.16 As shown, in order to limit the range of the soldering seam, a designated shape of the plating layer can be removed from the soldering surface of the buffer 140 to form a solder resist area 142 , thereby limiting the solder wetting to the white unfilled area 141 .

[0143] For example, if the connection is fixed by fusion welding, the position where the optical machine bracket 110 and the buffer 140 are connected needs to maintain the original metal surface and no anodized layer. Therefore, during the specific processing, the overall surface of the optical machine bracket 110 and the buffer 140 can be processed first, and then the coating at the position where the optical machine bracket 110 and the buffer 140 are connected can be partially removed by laser to ensure that there is no coating (such as anodized layer) at the position where the optical machine bracket 110 and the buffer 140 are connected. Alternatively, the optical machine bracket 110 and the buffer 140 that have been subjected to corresponding surface treatment can be directly obtained, and then fixedly connected by fusion welding or other connection methods.

[0144] In some embodiments, if the buffer 140 can adopt a PIN-free structure (such as Figure 3 As shown in FIG. 1 , that is, the buffer 140 has no protrusion in the z direction, the optical machine bracket 110 and the buffer 140 can be directly fixedly connected in this step. In other words, the optical machine bracket 110 and the buffer 140 can be coupled and fixed by the coupling joint 130.

[0145] In other embodiments, if the buffer member 140 is provided with a protrusion (such as Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown in FIG. 1 , the step may include: providing a through slot on the optical machine support 110; passing the protrusion through the through slot to fix the buffer 140 and the optical machine support 110. In other words, the protrusion on the buffer 140 can be coupled and fixed with the side wall of the through slot on the optical machine support 110 through the coupling joint 130.

[0146] Through the above method, the buffer 140 can be used as an intermediate buffer layer, so that the CTE of the optical transceiver 120, the buffer 140 and the optical mechanical bracket 110 form a gradient change, and achieve thermal expansion coefficient matching. And the various structures can be connected by welding to form a metallurgical bond, improve the joint strength, and realize a high-reliability coupling connection structure. That is to say, by adding a buffer 140 with a thermal expansion coefficient between the optical mechanical bracket 110 and the optical transceiver 120 with a large thermal expansion coefficient difference, thermal expansion matching is performed, and an inserted low-stress coupling structure is designed to absorb stress, and each component is finally fixed through metallurgical bonding to achieve reliable connection. On the one hand, by adding the buffer 140, the difference in thermal expansion coefficient between the optical mechanical bracket 110 and the optical transceiver 120 can be reduced, avoiding excessive stress caused by high and low temperature changes that causes the coupling joint 130 to fail; on the other hand, adhesive fixation and mechanical fixation can be eliminated to avoid the influence of high-temperature glue creep and displacement during mechanical fixation.

[0147] In some embodiments, the steps of the processing method of the connection structure 100 can be referred to as follows:

[0148] Step 201 : fix and connect the optical transceiver 120 and the buffer 140 .

[0149] This step may refer to the above step 101 and will not be repeated here.

[0150] Step 202 , fix and connect the optical machine bracket 110 and the adapter 150 .

[0151] It should be understood that the connection methods between the optical machine bracket 110 and the adapter 150 include but are not limited to fusion welding, brazing, diffusion welding, pressure welding, friction welding, ultrasonic welding, etc. Among them, brazing can be induction brazing, and fusion welding can be laser fusion welding.

[0152] When the optical machine bracket 110 and the adapter 150 are fixedly connected by brazing, the surface of the brazing connection position of the optical machine bracket 110 and the adapter 150 can be plated with nickel / silver to ensure the wettability of the brazing material. When the optical machine bracket 110 and the adapter 150 are fixedly connected by fusion welding, diffusion welding, pressure welding, friction welding, ultrasonic welding, etc., the position where the optical machine bracket 110 and the adapter 150 are connected cannot have a coating, and the coating needs to be removed or not plated to retain the original surface of the material.

[0153] For example, Fig.14 As shown, the optical machine bracket 110 and the adapter 150 can be connected by fusion welding. Specifically, the adapter 150 is fixedly connected to the side wall of the through groove of the optical machine bracket 110, and the adapter 150 is provided with a through hole. When the optical machine bracket 110 and the adapter 150 are fixedly connected, single-mode continuous fiber laser oscillation welding can be used, and argon protection is added to avoid excessive oxidation of the weld and the generation of pores. The weld assembly gap 111 is generally less than 0.1mm, the laser power is 600-800w, the oscillation frequency is 200-300Hz, and the welding speed is 20-40mm / s.

[0154] It should be noted that when welding is used, the position where the optical machine bracket 110 and the adapter 150 are connected needs to maintain the original metal surface and no anodized layer. Therefore, during specific processing, the overall surface of the optical machine bracket 110 and the adapter structure 150 can be processed first, and then the coating can be partially removed by laser to ensure that there is no coating (such as anodized layer) at the position where the optical machine bracket 110 and the adapter structure 150 are connected.

[0155] In some embodiments, the adapter 150 is an adapter structure on the optical machine bracket, and the adapter 150 is made of a material similar to or the same as the optical machine bracket 110, for example, YL113 aluminum alloy can be selected. It should be understood that by providing the adapter 150, local electroplating of the optical machine bracket 110 can be avoided, thereby reducing costs.

[0156] Step 203, determining the fixed position of the buffer 140 and the adapter 150. It can also be understood as determining the fixed position of the buffer 140 and the optical machine bracket 110. Or it can be understood as determining the relative position of the optical transceiver 120 and the optical machine bracket 110.

[0157] This step may refer to the above step 102 and will not be repeated here.

[0158] Step 204 , fixing and connecting the buffer component 140 and the adapter component 150 .

[0159] It should be understood that the connection methods between the buffer component 140 and the adapter component 150 include but are not limited to fusion welding, brazing, diffusion welding, pressure welding, friction welding, ultrasonic welding, etc.

[0160] When the buffer 140 and the adapter 150 are fixedly connected by brazing, the surface of the brazing connection position of the buffer 140 and the adapter 150 can be plated with nickel / silver to ensure the wettability of the solder. When the buffer 140 and the adapter 150 are fixedly connected by fusion welding, diffusion welding, pressure welding, friction welding, ultrasonic welding, etc., the position where the buffer 140 and the adapter 150 are connected cannot have a coating, and the coating needs to be removed or not plated to retain the original surface of the material.

[0161] For example, if the connection is fixed by brazing, in this step, the buffer 140 and the adapter 150 can be fixed with a large coupling gap and pre-fixed by gluing, and then the buffer 140 and the adapter 150 are coupled and welded through the coupling joint 130, and finally the connection is obtained. Figure 6 or Fig.15 That is to say, the protrusion of the buffer 140 is passed through the through hole of the adapter 150 to achieve a fixed connection between the buffer 140 and the adapter 150. Since the adapter 150 is fixedly connected to the side wall of the through groove of the optical machine bracket 110, the buffer 140 and the optical machine bracket 110 can be fixedly connected.

[0162] It should be understood that when the buffer 140 and the adapter 150 are fixedly connected by brazing, adhesive pre-fixing and then brazing can be used. For example, high-frequency induction brazing is used for fixation, the maximum temperature is set not higher than 280°C, the vibration starting time is not less than 6s, and a diameter of 1mm (3% flux) SAC305 tin wire is used for wire feeding and welding. The wire feeding length of a single solder point is about 50mm, and wire feeding begins after vibration starting.

[0163] The coupling joint 130 may be a brazing weld, and SAC305 alloy solder may be selected. The metallurgical bonding of the buffer 140 and the adapter 150 is achieved by filling the coupling gap (i.e., the coupling joint 130) between the buffer 140 and the adapter 150 with solder.

[0164] The surfaces of the soldering connection positions corresponding to the buffer 140 and the adapter 150 can be plated with nickel or silver to ensure the wettability of the solder. The coupling weld is less than or equal to 0.5 mm. Fig.16 As shown, in order to limit the range of the soldering seam, a designated shape of the plating layer can be removed from the soldering surface of the buffer 140 to form a solder resist area 142, and the solder wetting is limited to the white unfilled area 141.

[0165] It should be noted that when the optical machine bracket 110 and the adapter 150, the adapter 150 and the buffer 140, and the buffer 140 and the optical transceiver 120 are fixedly connected using the above-mentioned connection method, corresponding surface treatment is also required, such as electroplating to ensure brazing weldability and surface coating anti-corrosion.

[0166] Through the above method, the buffer 140 can be used as an intermediate buffer layer to form a gradient change in the CTE of the optical transceiver 120, the buffer 140 and the optical machine bracket 110, so as to achieve thermal expansion coefficient matching. And the various structures can be connected by welding to form a metallurgical bond, improve the joint strength, and realize a high-reliability coupling connection structure. During the welding process, through reliability testing, the positioning of each component meets the assembly accuracy requirements of the internal structure of the laser radar, and there is no risk of high-temperature creep. Through CTE matching with the buffer, the temperature cycle cracking of the weld can be reduced from 65.4% to 17.7%. The strength of the welded joint is more than twice the strength of the adhesive, which can support the reliable connection of large and heavy components.

[0167] In addition, the embodiment of the present application further provides a laser radar, which may include a laser transmitting device, a laser receiving device and an optical machine bracket, wherein the laser receiving device may be the optical transceiver 100 described in the aforementioned embodiment, and the laser transmitting device may also be the optical transceiver 100 described in the aforementioned embodiment. The laser transmitting device is used to transmit a laser beam to a target, and the laser receiving device is used to receive a laser beam (such as an echo beam) reflected back by the target and perform photoelectric conversion on it.

[0168] In some embodiments, the laser radar may also include a processor, which may be electrically connected to the laser transmitting device and the laser receiving device respectively, for controlling the laser transmitting device and the laser receiving device so that the laser transmitting device and the laser receiving device can operate normally.

[0169] In addition, the embodiment of the present application further provides a terminal device, which may include the laser radar described above, or may include the connection structure described above. Exemplarily, the terminal device may include but is not limited to vehicles (such as unmanned vehicles, smart cars, electric cars, digital cars, etc.), drones, robots, smart phones, laptops, tablets, etc.

[0170] The above is only a specific implementation of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art who is familiar with the present technical field can easily think of changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present application, which should be included in the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A connection structure, It is characterized in that The connection structure is applied to laser radar, and the connection structure includes: Optical machine support (110); An optical transceiver (120), the optical transceiver (120) being used for transmitting or receiving laser light; A buffer component (140) is connected between the optical machine bracket (110) and the optical transceiver (120), and the thermal expansion coefficient of the buffer component (140) is smaller than the thermal expansion coefficient of the optical machine bracket (110) and larger than the thermal expansion coefficient of the optical transceiver (120).

2. The connection structure according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The optical machine support (110) is provided with a through slot, the buffer (140) is provided with a protrusion, the protrusion is provided on the end surface of the buffer (140) facing the optical machine support (110), and the protrusion passes through the through slot and is fixedly connected to the optical machine support (110).

3. The connection structure according to claim 2, It is characterized in that The connection structure further comprises a transition piece (150), wherein the transition piece (150) is connected to the side wall of the through slot, a through hole is provided on the transition piece (150), and the protrusion passes through the through hole to be fixedly connected to the transition piece (150).

4. The connection structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, It is characterized in that The buffer (140) comprises a multi-layer buffer, the thermal expansion coefficient of the multi-layer buffer changes in a gradient, and the buffer layer with the lowest thermal expansion coefficient in the multi-layer buffer is connected to the optical transceiver (120), and the buffer layer with the highest thermal expansion coefficient in the multi-layer buffer is connected to the optical machine bracket (110).

5. The connection structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, It is characterized in that The projection of the buffer (140) on the first plane is located within the projection of the optical transceiver (120) on the first plane, and the first plane is the connection surface between the optical transceiver (120) and the buffer (140).

6. The connection structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, It is characterized in that The material of the optical transceiver (120) includes any one of the following: Kovar alloy, silicon aluminum alloy, silicon carbide, and quartz.

7. The connection structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6, It is characterized in that The connection method between the optical transceiver (120) and the buffer (140) includes any one of the following: fusion welding, brazing, diffusion welding, pressure welding, friction welding, and ultrasonic welding.

8. A laser radar, It is characterized in that The invention comprises the connection structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A terminal device, It is characterized in that It comprises the connection structure as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, or comprises the laser radar as described in claim 8.

10. A method for processing a connection structure, It is characterized in that include: A light transceiver (120) and a buffer (140) are fixedly connected, wherein the light transceiver (120) is used for transmitting or receiving laser light; Determining the fixed positions of the buffer (140) and the optical machine bracket (110) so that the optical indicators of the optical elements on the optical machine bracket (110) and the optical elements on the optical transceiver (120) meet the design requirements; The buffer component (140) is fixedly connected to the optical machine bracket (110), and the thermal expansion coefficient of the buffer component (140) is smaller than the thermal expansion coefficient of the optical machine bracket (110) and larger than the thermal expansion coefficient of the optical transceiver (120).

11. The processing method according to claim 10, It is characterized in that The buffer member (140) is provided with a protruding portion, the optical machine bracket (110) is provided with a through slot, and the fixed connection between the buffer member (140) and the optical machine bracket (110) comprises: The protrusion is passed through the through slot and fixedly connected to the optical machine bracket (110), so that the buffer component (140) is fixedly connected to the optical machine bracket (110).

12. The processing method according to claim 11, It is characterized in that The step of passing the protruding portion through the through slot and fixedly connecting it to the optical machine bracket (110) so that the buffer component (140) is fixedly connected to the optical machine bracket (110) comprises: The adapter (150) is fixedly connected to the side wall of the through groove, and the adapter (150) is provided with a through hole; The protrusion is passed through the through hole and fixedly connected to the adapter (150), so that the buffer (140) is fixedly connected to the optical machine bracket (110).

13. The processing method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, It is characterized in that The buffer (140) is a multi-layer buffer, and the thermal expansion coefficient of the multi-layer buffer changes in a gradient. The fixed connection between the optical transceiver device (120) and the buffer (140) comprises: The buffer layer with the lowest thermal expansion coefficient in the multi-layer buffer is fixedly connected to the optical transceiver (120); The fixed connection between the buffer component (140) and the optical machine bracket (110) comprises: The buffer layer with the highest thermal expansion coefficient in the multi-layer buffer component is fixedly connected to the optical machine bracket (110).

14. The processing method according to any one of claims 10 to 13, It is characterized in that The projection of the buffer (140) on the first plane is located within the projection of the optical transceiver (120) on the first plane, and the first plane is the connection surface between the optical transceiver (120) and the buffer (140).

15. The processing method according to any one of claims 10 to 14, It is characterized in that The material of the optical transceiver (120) includes any one of the following: Kovar alloy, silicon aluminum alloy, silicon carbide, and quartz.

16. The processing method according to any one of claims 10 to 15, It is characterized in that The connection method between the optical transceiver (120) and the buffer (140) includes any one of the following: fusion welding, brazing, diffusion welding, pressure welding, friction welding, and ultrasonic welding.

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