Laser radar

By introducing airflow cooling elements into the lidar, a closed cavity is formed and the airflow is driven to actively dissipate heat, which solves the problem of low heat dissipation efficiency, improves the working efficiency of the device and the reliability of the lidar, and is suitable for miniaturized design.

CN120652431APending Publication Date: 2025-09-16SUTENG INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202410295329.9
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-03-13
Publication Date
2025-09-16

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing lidars have low heat dissipation efficiency, which leads to increased device resistance, decreased working efficiency, and even possible burning.

Method used

An airflow heat dissipation element is used to form a closed cavity through air inlet and outlet slots. The airflow heat dissipation element is used to drive external airflow for active heat dissipation, thereby reducing the temperature inside the closed cavity.

Benefits of technology

It improves the working efficiency of electronic devices, achieves efficient heat dissipation, ensures the reliability and performance of lidar, and is suitable for miniaturized design.

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Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of laser, and provides a laser radar which comprises a shell and an airflow heat dissipation element, the shell defines a containing cavity, the shell is provided with a through air inlet groove and a through air outlet groove, and the airflow heat dissipation element is arranged in the containing cavity and provided with a heat dissipation face, an air inlet face and an air outlet face located between the heat dissipation face and the air inlet face, the air inlet surface is provided with an air inlet part, and the air outlet surface is provided with an air outlet part; the air inlet part communicates with the air inlet groove or the air inlet part extends out of the shell through the air inlet groove, and the air outlet part communicates with the air outlet groove or the air outlet part extends out of the shell through the air outlet groove; a closed cavity is defined by the portion, facing the containing cavity, of the heat dissipation face of the shell and the airflow heat dissipation element. The closed cavity provides a working environment with good air tightness for electronic devices of the laser radar, the working reliability of the laser radar is guaranteed, and compared with a natural convection heat dissipation mode, the airflow heat dissipation element drives airflow to accelerate flowing, active heat dissipation is achieved, and the heat dissipation efficiency is high.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of laser technology, and in particular to a laser radar. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of autonomous driving and smart transportation, the role of LiDAR sensors in environmental perception is becoming increasingly significant. Due to their high precision and lack of light effects, LiDAR sensors are used in both roadside and vehicle-side scenarios. In roadside scenarios, LiDAR primarily uses a static scanner to scan the roadside scene to accurately describe the real-time road conditions within the area. Algorithm modules are used to process real-time point cloud data to achieve real-time obstacle perception on the roadside. In vehicle-side scenarios, LiDAR primarily serves as the vehicle's "high-precision perception eye," capturing the real-time surrounding environment during the vehicle's journey. Vehicles also need to process point cloud data in real time using LiDAR perception algorithms to perceive obstacles within the driving area.

[0003] Currently, heat-generating components within LiDARs are typically dissipated through thermal pads, which then dissipate heat through natural convection from the housing to the outside world. However, this method suffers from low heat dissipation efficiency. During LiDAR operation, electronic components continuously radiate heat. If this heat is not removed promptly, the component resistance will increase as the LiDAR heats up, reducing operating efficiency and, in severe cases, potentially causing burnout. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a laser radar, aiming to solve the technical problem of low heat dissipation efficiency in existing laser radars.

[0005] The present application provides a laser radar, comprising:

[0006] A housing defines a receiving cavity, wherein the housing is provided with a through air inlet slot and a through air outlet slot; and

[0007] an airflow heat dissipation element disposed in the accommodating cavity and having a heat dissipation surface and an air inlet surface disposed opposite to each other, and an air outlet surface located between the heat dissipation surface and the air inlet surface, the air inlet surface being provided with an air inlet portion, and the air outlet surface being provided with an air outlet portion; the air inlet portion being communicated with the air inlet slot or the air inlet portion extending out of the housing via the air inlet slot, the air outlet portion being communicated with the air outlet slot or the air outlet portion extending out of the housing via the air outlet slot;

[0008] Wherein, the portion of the shell on the side of the heat dissipation surface facing the accommodating cavity and the airflow heat dissipation element together form a closed cavity.

[0009] In one embodiment, the airflow heat dissipation element includes a jet heat dissipation chip, a bladeless fan, a micro axial flow fan or a micro centrifugal fan.

[0010] In one embodiment, the laser radar further includes:

[0011] a transmitting module, comprising a first circuit board, a transmitting sensor, and a transmitting lens, wherein the transmitting sensor is provided on the first circuit board and is used to generate a detection laser, and the transmitting lens is used to optically process the laser generated by the transmitting sensor and emit the laser; and

[0012] a receiving module comprising a second circuit board, a receiving sensor, and a receiving lens, wherein the receiving sensor is disposed on the second circuit board; the receiving lens is configured to receive and optically process the echo laser, and emit the echo laser toward the receiving sensor, wherein the echo laser is formed by the detection laser being reflected by the target object;

[0013] At least one of the first circuit board and the second circuit board is connected to the airflow heat dissipation element.

[0014] In one embodiment, the airflow heat dissipation element is directly connected to the second circuit board; or, the laser radar further includes a heat conducting element, and the airflow heat dissipation element is connected to the second circuit board through the heat conducting element.

[0015] In one embodiment, the housing comprises:

[0016] a first wall portion, provided on a side of the second circuit board facing away from the receiving lens, the first wall portion being provided with the air inlet slot;

[0017] a second wall portion, corresponding one-to-one with the emission modules, provided on a side of the first circuit board away from the emission lens, the second wall portion being closer to a portion of the housing for laser entry and exit than the first wall portion; and

[0018] The third wall portion is provided between the first wall portion and the second wall portion and is connected to the first wall portion and the second wall portion respectively. The third wall portion is provided with the air outlet slot.

[0019] In one embodiment, a plurality of first heat dissipation protrusions are provided on the outer surface of the first wall portion.

[0020] In one embodiment, a plurality of second heat dissipation protrusions are provided on the outer surface of the second wall portion.

[0021] In one embodiment, the second heat dissipation protrusions are arranged in a two-dimensional array.

[0022] In one embodiment, the third wall portion includes a first end connected to the second wall portion, and a second end connected to the first wall portion, and along the direction pointing from the first end to the second end, the extension length of the second heat dissipation protrusion is greater than or equal to the distance between the air outlet slot and the second wall portion.

[0023] In one embodiment, the air outlet slot is arranged toward at least a portion of the second heat dissipation protrusion.

[0024] In one embodiment, the laser radar includes two transmitting modules, which are arranged on both sides of the receiving module along a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the receiving lens.

[0025] In one embodiment, the third wall portion is provided with two air outlet slots, and each of the air outlet slots corresponds to a second heat dissipation protrusion provided on the second wall portion.

[0026] In one embodiment, the airflow heat dissipation element has two air outlet surfaces, and each air outlet surface is disposed corresponding to one air outlet slot.

[0027] The beneficial effect of the laser radar provided by the present invention is that the part of the shell on the side of the heat dissipation surface facing the accommodating cavity and the airflow heat dissipation element together form a closed cavity. The closed cavity provides an airtight working environment for the electronic components of the laser radar, ensuring the working reliability of the laser radar. At the same time, the airflow heat dissipation element drives the external airflow of the laser radar to flow through the air inlet of the air inlet surface, the airflow channel inside the airflow heat dissipation element, and the air outlet of the air outlet surface in sequence. The airflow flowing inside the airflow heat dissipation element passes through the heat dissipation surface close to the closed cavity and exchanges heat with the closed cavity or the heat source directly / indirectly connected to the heat dissipation surface, thereby reducing the internal temperature of the closed cavity and improving the working efficiency of the electronic components located inside the closed cavity. Compared with the natural convection heat dissipation method, the airflow heat dissipation element drives the airflow to accelerate the flow, realizes active heat dissipation, and has high heat dissipation efficiency, thereby solving the technical problem of low heat dissipation efficiency of the existing laser radar. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0029] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a laser radar provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2An exploded view of a laser radar provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the housing, airflow heat dissipation element, and heat conduction element of the laser radar provided in an embodiment;

[0032] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Another perspective of the picture;

[0033] Figure 5 A schematic structural diagram of the first housing portion and the airflow heat dissipation element of the laser radar provided in an embodiment;

[0034] Figure 6 An exploded view of the first housing portion and the airflow heat dissipation element of the laser radar provided in an embodiment;

[0035] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of the transmitting module, receiving module and power board of the laser radar provided in the embodiment.

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

[0037] Z, first direction; X, second direction; Y, third direction;

[0038] 100, housing; 101, accommodating cavity; 102, sealed cavity; 103, first housing portion; 104, second housing portion; 105, first light-transmitting hole; 106, second light-transmitting hole; 110, first wall portion; 111, air inlet slot; 112, first heat dissipation protrusion; 120, second wall portion; 121, second heat dissipation protrusion; 130, third wall portion; 131, air outlet slot; 132, first end; 133, second end;

[0039] 200, airflow heat dissipation element; 210, heat dissipation surface; 220, air inlet surface; 230, air outlet surface;

[0040] 300, transmitting module; 310, first circuit board; 320, transmitting sensor; 330, transmitting lens;

[0041] 400, receiving module; 410, second circuit board; 420, receiving sensor; 430, receiving lens;

[0042] 510. Thermal conductive element; 520. Power board; 530. Plug. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] The following describes embodiments of the present invention in detail, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to be used to explain the present invention, and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0044] Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present application. Thus, when the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in some embodiments" appear in various places throughout this specification, not all references are to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0045] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0046] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or to implicitly indicate the quantity of the technical features indicated. Thus, a feature specified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features.

[0047] In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," "connect," "fixed," etc. should be understood broadly. For example, they may refer to fixed connection, detachable connection, or integration; mechanical connection or electrical connection; direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediate medium; internal communication between two components or interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on specific circumstances.

[0048] Please combine Figures 1 to 3, which respectively show a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram, an exploded view and a cross-sectional view (some components are omitted for easy observation) of the laser radar provided in some embodiments of the present application. The laser radar includes a shell 100 and an airflow heat dissipation element 200. The shell 100 defines a accommodating cavity 101 and is provided with an air inlet slot 111 and an air outlet slot 131 that pass through. The accommodating cavity 101 can be used to accommodate electronic devices, which may include an auxiliary power device such as a transmitting module 300, a receiving module 400 or a power board 520, which are not limited here. The airflow heat dissipation element 200 is arranged in the accommodating cavity 101, and has a heat dissipation surface 210 and an air inlet surface 220 that are relatively arranged, and an air outlet surface 230 located between the heat dissipation surface 210 and the air inlet surface 220. Among them, the air inlet surface 220 is provided with an air inlet portion, and the air outlet surface 230 is provided with an air outlet portion. The air inlet is connected to the air inlet slot 111 or extends out of the housing 100 through the air inlet slot 111, thereby connecting the air inlet to the atmosphere outside the laser radar. The air outlet is connected to the air outlet slot 131 or extends out of the housing 100 through the air outlet slot 131, thereby connecting the air outlet to the atmosphere outside the laser radar. In other words, external air within the airflow heat dissipation element 200 can enter the interior of the airflow heat dissipation element 200 through the air inlet portion of the air inlet surface 220 and exit the airflow heat dissipation element 200 through the air outlet portion of the air outlet surface 230, thereby forming an airflow channel within the airflow heat dissipation element 200. The portion of the housing 100 on the side of the heat dissipation surface 210 facing the accommodating cavity 101, together with the airflow heat dissipation element 200, forms a sealed cavity 102. This sealed cavity 102 is not connected to the atmosphere outside the laser radar. Thus, all components housed within the housing 100, except for the airflow heat dissipation element 200, are located within the sealed cavity 102 and are protected from the external atmosphere.

[0049] During operation, the power devices in the sealed cavity 102 continuously emit heat. If the heat cannot be removed in a timely manner, as the temperature in the sealed cavity 102 continues to rise, the device resistance increases, the operating efficiency decreases, and in severe cases, it may even burn out. If natural convection is used to dissipate heat from the housing 100, that is, the heat from the heating device is transferred to the housing 100 through a thermal pad or thermal gel, and then dissipated through natural convection between the housing 100 and the external environment, the heat dissipation efficiency will be low. The heat dissipation efficiency is also limited by the size of the surface area of ​​the housing 100. The surface area of ​​the housing 100 must be increased (making the LiDAR bulky), otherwise the temperature of the entire device will be too high, thereby affecting the overall hardware performance.

[0050] In the laser radar provided in the present application, the part of the shell 100 on the side of the heat dissipation surface 210 facing the accommodating cavity 101 and the airflow heat dissipation element 200 together form a closed cavity 102. The closed cavity 102 provides an airtight working environment for the electronic components of the laser radar, which can avoid the formation of violent air flow inside and ensure the working reliability of the electronic components, especially precision optical electronic components; because if the precision optical electronic components emit displacement, deformation and other adverse changes under the action of airflow, it will cause the ranging accuracy of the laser radar to decrease. At the same time, the airflow heat dissipation element 200 drives the external airflow of the laser radar to flow through the air inlet of the air inlet surface 220, the airflow channel inside the airflow heat dissipation element 200, and the air outlet of the air outlet surface 230 in sequence. The airflow flows through the heat dissipation surface 210 close to the closed cavity 102, and exchanges heat with the heat source directly / indirectly connected to the closed cavity 102 or the heat dissipation surface 210, thereby reducing the internal temperature of the closed cavity 102 and improving the working efficiency of the electronic components located inside the closed cavity 102. Compared with the natural convection heat dissipation method, the airflow heat dissipation element 200 drives the airflow to accelerate the flow along a preset path, realizing active heat dissipation with high heat dissipation efficiency.

[0051] In addition, firstly, since the laser radar provided by the present application has high heat dissipation efficiency, the power devices located in the closed cavity 102 can operate according to the maximum transmission power and frequency to achieve a longer ranging capability and obtain a higher point cloud scanning frame rate, which is beneficial to improving the performance of the laser radar; secondly, the airflow heat dissipation element 200 is embedded in the shell 100 and integrated into the interior of the shell 100. The laser radar has a high degree of integration, which is beneficial to the miniaturization design of the laser radar; thirdly, the airflow heat dissipation element 200 can seal the air inlet slot 111 and the air outlet slot 131 of the shell 100, and is close to the external environment for forced convection heat exchange, and the heat dissipation distance is short, which is beneficial to improving the heat dissipation efficiency.

[0052] Combine Figure 3 and Figure 4 The laser radar has a first direction Z, a second direction X and a third direction Y that are perpendicular to each other.

[0053] In some embodiments, combined Figure 2The housing 100 includes a first housing portion 103 and a second housing portion 104. The first housing portion 103 and the second housing portion 104 are connected to each other along the first direction Z shown in the figure, enclosing the accommodating cavity 101; in other words, the first direction Z is the direction determined by one of the first housing portion 103 and the second housing portion 104 pointing to the other, and the second direction X and the third direction Y are directions perpendicular to the first direction Z, respectively, and the second direction X and the third direction Y are also perpendicular to each other. Among them, the first housing portion 103 is the part of the housing 100 for the laser to enter and exit, and the second housing portion 104 is the part for installing the laser radar; the second housing portion 104 is provided with the above-mentioned air inlet slot 111 and air outlet slot 131, and accordingly, the above-mentioned airflow heat dissipation element 200 is installed in the second housing portion 104.

[0054] In some embodiments, combined Figure 1 and Figure 4 , the outer contour of the shell 100 is roughly in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. Based on this, the outer contour of the shell 100 is regular, which is conducive to the storage and packaging of the laser radar, and the stacking is more compact, saving warehouse or transportation space; and the required installation space is small, which broadens the application scenarios and improves the adaptability and practicality of the laser radar. In this embodiment, the thickness direction of the shell 100 is consistent with the first direction Z, the length direction of the shell 100 is consistent with the second direction X, and the width direction of the shell 100 is consistent with the third direction Y. It can be understood that in other embodiments, the outer contour of the shell 100 can also be prismatic, truncated cone or spherical, and the same regular shape is conducive to storage, packaging and installation, and is not specifically limited here.

[0055] In this embodiment, the air inlet portion is positioned directly opposite the air inlet slot 111 and communicates with the air inlet slot 111. The air inlet surface 220 can be coplanar with the inner notch of the air inlet slot 111, can be located within the housing 100 with a spacing of 2mm to 30mm from the air inlet slot 111, or can protrude from the housing 100 with a spacing of 2mm to 30mm from the air inlet slot 111, without limitation herein. This reduces the requirements for the installation position accuracy of the air inlet surface 220. The shape of the air inlet surface 220 can be compatible with the air inlet slot 111, and can be larger or smaller than the flow area of ​​the air inlet slot 111, without limitation herein. This reduces the requirements for the shape and size accuracy of the airflow heat dissipation element 200.

[0056] In some embodiments, combined Figure 3 and Figure 4The air inlet surface 220 is fitted to the inner wall of the second shell part 104 and abuts against the notch of the air inlet slot 111 close to the accommodating cavity 101, avoiding the air inlet surface 220 and the inner wall of the second shell part 104 from having a gap, which causes the airflow to enter the gap or pass over the airflow heat dissipation element 200 to reach the above-mentioned closed cavity 102, thereby effectively reducing the loss and waste of airflow, avoiding the airflow entering the gap to generate turbulence and noise, reducing the accumulation of dust in the gap, and helping to improve the cleanliness of the interior of the accommodating cavity 101, while ensuring the sealing of the closed cavity 102.

[0057] In some embodiments, the area of ​​the air inlet surface 220 is greater than or equal to the flow area of ​​the air inlet slot 111. In a projection along the depth direction of the air inlet slot 111 (see the first direction Z), the air inlet surface 220 covers the air inlet slot 111. As a result, external air entering the accommodating chamber 101 through the air inlet slot 111 generally flows toward the air inlet surface 220, thereby preventing air loss and waste, increasing air intake, and improving heat dissipation efficiency and effectiveness.

[0058] In one embodiment, the slot area of ​​the air inlet slot 111 is smaller than the area of ​​the air inlet surface 220. On the one hand, the air inlet surface 220 can more easily seal the air inlet slot 111, preventing the airflow from entering the gap and generating turbulence and noise, and maximizing the air intake of the airflow heat dissipation element 200. On the other hand, the small opening area of ​​the air inlet slot 111 is conducive to ensuring the structural strength of the shell 100, so that the shell 100 can stably support the airflow heat dissipation element 200.

[0059] It can be understood that in other embodiments, the slot area of ​​the air inlet slot 111 is adapted to the area of ​​the air inlet surface 220, and the air inlet surface 220 seals the slot of the air inlet slot 111 with sealant, thereby maximizing the slot area of ​​the air inlet slot 111, maximizing the air intake volume, and improving the heat dissipation efficiency.

[0060] In some embodiments, the number of air inlet slots 111 is more than two, each air inlet slot 111 can extend along the third direction Y, and the more than two air inlet slots 111 are spaced apart along the second direction X; in this way, by increasing the number of air inlet slots 111, the air intake volume of the airflow heat dissipation element 200 can be increased, thereby improving the heat dissipation efficiency. On the other hand, the intervals between the air inlet slots 111 can ensure the structural strength of the second shell part 104, so that the second shell part 104 can stably support the airflow heat dissipation element 200, and prevent the second shell part 104 and the airflow heat dissipation element 200 from loosening and generating gaps, causing airflow leakage.

[0061] In a specific embodiment, the air inlet surface 220 is attached to the inner wall of the second shell portion 104, and the area of ​​the air inlet surface 220 is larger than the cross-sectional profile of the air inlet slot 111, so as to seal and cover the end of the air inlet slot 111 close to the accommodating cavity 101, thereby avoiding the formation of a gap between the air inlet surface 220 and the first wall portion 110, which can prevent the backflow and leakage of air flow, and reduce noise and turbulence. The airflow passing through the air inlet slot 111 is all guided into the airflow heat dissipation element 200, ensuring high air intake and high heat dissipation efficiency.

[0062] In some embodiments, the air inlet portion is an air inlet hole provided on the air inlet surface 220. The shape of the air inlet hole can be circular, elliptical, polygonal, or irregular, and is not limited herein. The number of air inlet holes can be one or more, and is not limited herein. Specifically, the number of air inlet holes is multiple, and the multiple air inlet holes are distributed in an array on the air inlet surface 220 at intervals. The intervals between the air inlet holes not only help ensure that the air inlet surface 220 has a certain structural strength, but also can filter out impurities such as dust, thereby maintaining the internal cleanliness of the airflow heat dissipation element 200.

[0063] In this embodiment, the air outlet surface 230 is in communication with the air outlet slot 131 or extends out of the housing 100 via the air outlet slot 131. The air outlet surface 230 can be coplanar with the end of the air outlet slot 131 facing away from the accommodating cavity 101, can be located within the housing 100, or can extend out of the housing 100 via the air outlet slot 131, without limitation. This reduces the requirements for the installation position accuracy of the air outlet surface 230. The shape of the air outlet surface 230 can be compatible with the air outlet slot 131, and can be larger or smaller than the flow area of ​​the air outlet slot 131, without limitation. This reduces the requirements for the shape and size accuracy of the air outlet surface 230.

[0064] In some embodiments, combined Figure 3 and Figure 4 The air outlet surface 230 extends out of the housing 100 through the air outlet slot 131 to ensure that the airflow discharged from the airflow heat dissipation element 200 is directly discharged into the external environment, avoiding the leaving airflow from being retained inside the housing 100 and causing turbulence and noise.

[0065] In some embodiments, combined Figure 5 and Figure 6 The area of ​​the air outlet surface 230 is equal to the notch area of ​​the air outlet slot 131. On the one hand, it is beneficial for the air outlet surface 230 to seal the air outlet slot 131, avoiding noise generated during the operation of the airflow heat dissipation element 200 due to the existence of a gap. On the other hand, it is beneficial for the air outlet surface 230 to be able to pass through the air outlet slot 131 and extend out of the shell 100.

[0066] In some embodiments, the air outlet portion is an air outlet hole opened on the air outlet surface 230. The shape of the air outlet hole can be circular, elliptical, polygonal or irregular, which is not limited here. The number of air outlet holes can be one or more, which is not limited here. Specifically, the number of air outlet holes is multiple, and the multiple air outlet holes are distributed in an array on the air outlet surface 230 at intervals. The intervals between the air outlet holes, on the one hand, are conducive to ensuring that the air outlet surface 230 has a certain structural strength, and on the other hand, ensure uniform air outlet, which is conducive to uniform heat dissipation inside the airflow heat dissipation element 200, and avoid local high temperature inside the airflow heat dissipation element 200 and the closed cavity 102.

[0067] In some embodiments, combined Figure 5 and Figure 6 The airflow heat dissipation element 200 has a rectangular parallelepiped, truncated cone, or prism shape. This regular shape requires minimal installation space, facilitating compact installation within the accommodating cavity 101. Furthermore, the regular shape of the airflow heat dissipation element 200 facilitates internal heat exchange and maintains a relatively uniform internal temperature, avoiding localized high temperatures caused by sharp corners or heat dissipation blind spots. It is understood that in other embodiments, the airflow heat dissipation element 200 may also be spherical or a regular polyhedron, and this is not specifically limited here.

[0068] In one embodiment, the airflow heat dissipation element 200 has a rectangular shape, and the air inlet surface 220 and the heat dissipation surface 210 are arranged relative to each other along the thickness direction of the airflow heat dissipation element 200, thereby ensuring that the area of ​​the air inlet surface 220 and the heat dissipation surface 210 is maximized, which is beneficial to increase the air intake volume, and is also beneficial to rapid and uniform heat exchange with the closed cavity 102 through the large area of ​​the heat dissipation surface 210, thereby improving the heat dissipation efficiency.

[0069] In one embodiment, the air inlet surface 220 is a plane, which is conducive to uniform air intake; the heat dissipation surface 210 is a plane, which is conducive to uniform heat exchange; and the air outlet surface 230 is a plane, which is conducive to uniform air outlet.

[0070] In some embodiments, combined Figure 6 The airflow heat dissipation element 200 includes a jet heat dissipation chip, a bladeless fan, a micro axial flow fan or a micro centrifugal fan. The above devices can effectively increase the air flow speed and improve the heat dissipation efficiency. They are small in size, which is conducive to the miniaturization design of the laser radar, with high energy efficiency and low noise.

[0071] Specifically, combined Figure 6Airflow cooling element 200 is an air jet cooling chip with a tiny membrane inside that generates airflow through ultrasonic vibrations without the need for fan blades. Air enters through air inlet surface 220, passes through the interior of airflow cooling element 200 in the form of a pulsating jet, and is then discharged through side outlet surface 230. At a noise level of 21dBA, the air jet cooling chip can remove 5.2W of heat while consuming approximately 1W of power. Its advantages include lightness, compactness, low power consumption, low noise, high energy efficiency, and excellent cleanliness. This facilitates the miniaturization of LiDAR designs, enhances endurance, and is suitable for installation in the limited driving space of vehicles.

[0072] In some embodiments, combined Figure 2 and Figure 7 The laser radar also includes a transmitting module 300 and a receiving module 400. Specifically, the transmitting module 300 includes a first circuit board 310, a transmitting sensor 320, and a transmitting lens 330. The transmitting sensor 320 is disposed on the first circuit board 310 and is used to generate a detection laser. The transmitting lens 330 is used to optically process the laser generated by the transmitting sensor 320 and emit it. The receiving module 400 includes a second circuit board 410, a receiving sensor 420, and a receiving lens 430. The receiving sensor 420 is disposed on the second circuit board 410. The receiving lens 430 is used to receive and optically process the echoed laser, and then emit it toward the receiving sensor 420. The echoed laser is formed by the detection laser being reflected by the target object.

[0073] At least one of the first circuit board 310 and the second circuit board 410 is connected to the airflow heat dissipation element 200. The connection method can be at least one of abutment, bonding, snap-on connection, welding, plug-in connection, and fastener connection, which is not limited here. The airflow heat dissipation element 200 can be directly connected to at least one of the first circuit board 310 and the second circuit board 410, or indirectly connected to at least one of the first circuit board 310 and the second circuit board 410 through an intermediate object, which is not limited here.

[0074] In this embodiment, the receiving sensor 420 and the main control chip are both provided on the second circuit board 410. This arrangement improves the integration of the receiving module 400, thereby reducing the total thermal power of the radar. However, correspondingly, the thermal power per unit volume of the receiving module 400 will be greatly increased. The above-mentioned airflow heat dissipation element 200 is connected to the receiving module 400 via the heat dissipation surface 210 to dissipate heat from the receiving module 400, thereby enabling the laser radar to have a high degree of integration while still having high working performance. Optionally, the second circuit board 410 directly supplies power to the airflow heat dissipation element 200, which on the one hand shortens the power supply distance of the airflow heat dissipation element 200, and on the other hand simplifies the electrical access port of the laser radar.

[0075] In some embodiments of the present application, Figures 2 to 4 , the laser radar also includes a heat-conducting element 510, and the airflow heat dissipation element 200 is connected to the second circuit board 410 through the heat-conducting element 510. The heat-conducting element 510 can effectively conduct heat, and quickly and evenly transfer the heat generated on the second circuit board 410 to the airflow heat dissipation element 200, thereby improving the heat dissipation efficiency. At the same time, the heat-conducting element 510 separates the airflow heat dissipation element 200 from the second circuit board 410, preventing the airflow heat dissipation element 200 from directly contacting and squeezing the second circuit board 410, thereby reducing damage to the second circuit board 410. Of course, in some other embodiments of the present application, the airflow heat dissipation element 200 can also be directly connected to the second circuit board 410 through the heat dissipation surface 210. As mentioned above, the present application does not limit the specific connection method between the two; in addition, in another embodiment of the present application, the airflow heat dissipation element 200 can also be connected to the first circuit board 310.

[0076] In one embodiment, the first shell portion 103 of the shell 100 is provided with a first light-transmitting hole 105 , and the emitting lens 330 is sealed and installed in the first light-transmitting hole 105 to ensure the airtightness of the closed cavity 102 , while emitting laser light outward through the first light-transmitting hole 105 .

[0077] In one embodiment, the first housing portion 103 of the housing 100 is provided with a second light-transmitting hole 106 , and the receiving lens 430 is sealed and installed in the second light-transmitting hole 106 to ensure the airtightness of the sealed cavity 102 and receive echoes through the second light-transmitting hole 106 .

[0078] In some embodiments, please combine Figures 3 to 6The second housing portion 104 of the housing 100 includes a first wall 110, a second wall 120, and a third wall 130. The first wall 110 is located on the side of the second circuit board 410 facing away from the receiving lens 430. It is provided with the air inlet slot 111 and is used to mount the airflow heat dissipation element 200. The airflow heat dissipation element 200 is adjacent to the first wall 110. The heat dissipation surface 210 can exchange heat with the side of the second circuit board 410 facing away from the receiving lens 430, thereby reducing the temperature of the second circuit board 410 while not interfering with the assembly of the receiving lens 430. The second wall 120 corresponds to the transmitting module 300 and is located on the side of the first circuit board 310 facing away from the transmitting lens 330. The second wall 120 is closer to the first housing portion 103 than the first wall 110. That is, the second wall 120 is closer to the portion of the housing 100 through which the laser enters and exits than the first wall 110. The third wall portion 130 is disposed between the first wall portion 110 and the second wall portion 120 and is connected to the first wall portion 110 and the second wall portion 120, respectively. The third wall portion 130 is provided with the aforementioned air outlet slot 131. The outer end of the air outlet slot 131 is located on the side of the second wall portion 120 facing away from the first housing portion 103, thereby allowing the airflow flowing out of the airflow heat dissipation element 200 to also accelerate the air flow behind the second wall portion 120, thereby achieving heat dissipation for the second wall portion 120 and the transmitting module 300. In other words, the airflow heat dissipation element 200 provided in the embodiment of the present application can simultaneously dissipate heat for the transmitting module 300 and the receiving module 400, thereby improving the reliability and performance of the lidar.

[0079] In one embodiment, the combination Figure 5 The outer surface of the first wall portion 110 is provided with a plurality of first heat dissipation protrusions 112, thereby increasing the heat dissipation surface area, improving the heat exchange area between the outer surface of the first wall portion 110 and the ambient air, achieving uniform distribution of heat on the outer surface of the first wall portion 110, avoiding the generation of local hot spots, and thus improving heat dissipation efficiency. At the same time, the provision of the first heat dissipation protrusions 112 can strengthen the structural strength of the first wall portion 110, improving its durability and vibration resistance. The plurality of first heat dissipation protrusions 112 are arranged at intervals along the third direction Y to form a group of first heat dissipation protrusion arrays, and the plurality of first heat dissipation protrusion arrays are arranged at intervals along the second direction X; the first wall portion 110 is formed with the above-mentioned air inlet groove 111 between two adjacent groups of first heat dissipation protrusion arrays in the second direction X, so that airflow can enter the air inlet groove 111 through between the two groups of first heat dissipation protrusion arrays, while also being able to dissipate heat for the first heat dissipation protrusions 112.

[0080] In some embodiments, combined Figure 5The outer surface of the second wall portion 120 is provided with a plurality of second heat dissipation protrusions 121, thereby increasing the heat dissipation surface area, improving the heat exchange area between the outer surface of the second wall portion 120 and the ambient air, achieving uniform distribution of heat on the outer surface of the second wall portion 120, avoiding the generation of local hot spots, and thus improving the heat dissipation efficiency. At the same time, the provision of the second heat dissipation protrusions 121 can strengthen the structural strength of the second wall portion 120, and improve its durability and vibration resistance. In one embodiment, the second heat dissipation protrusions 121 are arranged in a two-dimensional array. Combined Figure 5 The plurality of second heat dissipation protrusions 121 are distributed at intervals along the second direction X and at intervals along the third direction Y. The two-dimensional array of the second heat dissipation protrusions 121 is conducive to improving the heat dissipation effect of the second wall portion 120 .

[0081] In one embodiment, the combination Figure 6 The third wall portion 130 includes a first end 132 connected to the second wall portion 120 and a second end 133 connected to the first wall portion 110. Along the direction from the first end 132 to the second end 133, the extension length a of the second heat dissipation protrusion 121 is greater than or equal to the distance b between the air outlet slot 131 and the second wall portion 120. The distance b refers to the shortest distance between the air outlet slot 131 and the second wall portion 120 along the first direction Z. Based on this, the airflow discharged from the air outlet slot 131 is lower than the top surface of the second heat dissipation protrusion 121, and the outlet air flows along the side of the second heat dissipation protrusion 121. This allows the outlet air to more fully exchange heat with the second heat dissipation protrusion 121, promoting convective heat transfer and enhancing heat dissipation efficiency.

[0082] In one embodiment, the combination Figure 6 , the air outlet slot 131 is arranged toward at least part of the second heat dissipation protrusion 121. Based on this, the airflow discharged from the air outlet slot 131 flows more directly to the second heat dissipation protrusion 121, shortening the heat dissipation distance, increasing the efficiency of heat conduction, and further improving the heat dissipation efficiency. It is worth noting that when the laser radar is installed, it is configured in the second direction X shown in the figure as a vertical direction relative to the ground. On the one hand, the hot air flow escaping from the air outlet slot 131 will flow along the third direction Y. On the other hand, because its own temperature is higher than that of the external atmosphere, it will also float upward away from the ground along the second direction X, thereby dissipating heat to the array formed by the above-mentioned second heat dissipation protrusion 121 in two directions, so that the air at this location changes from natural convection to forced convection, and the heat dissipation efficiency will be improved.

[0083] In some embodiments, combined Figure 2 and Figure 7The LiDAR includes two transmitting modules 300, which are located on either side of a receiving module 400, perpendicular to the optical axis of a receiving lens 430. This dual-transmitting module 300 design broadens the LiDAR's field of view, reduces blind spots, and improves its detection sensitivity and accuracy. Furthermore, a receiving module 400, located between the two transmitting modules 300, can receive echoes from both. This reduces the number of receiving modules 400 and facilitates the miniaturization of the LiDAR.

[0084] Correspondingly, the third wall portion 130 is provided with two air outlet slots 131, and each air outlet slot 131 corresponds to a second heat dissipation protrusion 121 provided on the second wall portion 120. Based on this, the second wall portions 120 on both sides are directly heat-exchanged through the two air outlet slots 131, and the second heat dissipation protrusions 121 on both sides can respectively realize rapid and uniform heat exchange for the two transmitting modules 300, thereby improving the heat dissipation effect of the laser radar. The airflow heat dissipation element 200 has two air outlet surfaces 230, and each air outlet surface 230 corresponds to an air outlet slot 131. Based on this, an airflow heat dissipation element 200 exhausts air to the two air outlet slots 131 at the same time through the air outlet surfaces 230 on both sides, thereby quickly and actively dissipating heat for the two transmitting modules 300 on both sides, reducing the number of airflow heat dissipation elements 200, which is conducive to the miniaturization design of the laser radar.

[0085] In one embodiment, combined Figure 1 and Figure 2 The laser radar further includes a power supply board 520, which is installed in the sealed cavity 102 and provides power to the first circuit board 310 and the second circuit board 410. The power supply board 520 can be sealedly connected to an external power source through a plug 530.

[0086] Finally, it is worth mentioning that although the above embodiment is described using the example of the laser radar including two transmitting modules 300 and one receiving module 400, the present application is not limited to this. In other embodiments of the present application, the number of transmitting modules 300 and receiving modules 400 can also be other numbers; for example, in some embodiments, the number of transmitting modules 300 can be one or more than three, and the number of receiving modules 400 can be one or more than three.

[0087] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A laser radar, characterized in that: The laser radar includes: A housing defines a receiving cavity, wherein the housing is provided with a through air inlet slot and a through air outlet slot; and an airflow heat dissipation element, disposed in the accommodating cavity and having a heat dissipation surface and an air inlet surface arranged opposite to each other, and an air outlet surface located between the heat dissipation surface and the air inlet surface, the air inlet surface being provided with an air inlet portion, the air outlet surface being provided with an air outlet portion, the air inlet portion being communicated with the air inlet slot or the air inlet portion extending out of the housing via the air inlet slot, the air outlet portion being communicated with the air outlet slot or the air outlet portion extending out of the housing via the air outlet slot; Wherein, the portion of the shell on the side of the heat dissipation surface facing the accommodating cavity and the airflow heat dissipation element together form a closed cavity.

2. The laser radar according to claim 1, wherein: The airflow heat dissipation element includes an air jet heat dissipation chip, a bladeless fan, a micro axial flow fan or a micro centrifugal fan.

3. The laser radar according to claim 1, wherein The laser radar further includes: a transmitting module, comprising a first circuit board, a transmitting sensor, and a transmitting lens, wherein the transmitting sensor is provided on the first circuit board and is used to generate a detection laser, and the transmitting lens is used to optically process the laser generated by the transmitting sensor and emit the laser; and a receiving module comprising a second circuit board, a receiving sensor, and a receiving lens, wherein the receiving sensor is disposed on the second circuit board; the receiving lens is configured to receive and optically process the echo laser, and emit the echo laser toward the receiving sensor, wherein the echo laser is formed by the detection laser being reflected by the target object; At least one of the first circuit board and the second circuit board is connected to the airflow heat dissipation element.

4. The laser radar according to claim 3, wherein: The airflow heat dissipation element is directly connected to the second circuit board; or, the laser radar further includes a heat conducting element, and the airflow heat dissipation element is connected to the second circuit board through the heat conducting element.

5. The laser radar according to claim 3, characterized in that The housing comprises: a first wall portion, provided on a side of the second circuit board facing away from the receiving lens, the first wall portion being provided with the air inlet slot; a second wall portion, corresponding one-to-one with the emission modules, provided on a side of the first circuit board away from the emission lens, the second wall portion being closer to a portion of the housing for laser entry and exit than the first wall portion; and The third wall portion is provided between the first wall portion and the second wall portion and is connected to the first wall portion and the second wall portion respectively. The third wall portion is provided with the air outlet slot.

6. The laser radar according to claim 5, characterized in that A plurality of first heat dissipation protrusions are provided on the outer surface of the first wall portion.

7. The laser radar according to claim 5, characterized in that: A plurality of second heat dissipation protrusions are provided on the outer surface of the second wall portion.

8. The laser radar according to claim 7, characterized in that: The second heat dissipation protrusions are arranged in a two-dimensional array.

9. The laser radar according to claim 7, characterized in that: The third wall portion includes a first end connected to the second wall portion and a second end connected to the first wall portion, and an extension length of the second heat dissipation protrusion in a direction from the first end to the second end is greater than or equal to a distance between the air outlet slot and the second wall portion; The air outlet slot is arranged toward at least a portion of the second heat dissipation protrusion.

10. The laser radar according to any one of claims 5 to 9, characterized in that: The laser radar includes two transmitting modules, which are arranged on both sides of the receiving module along a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the receiving lens; The third wall portion is provided with two air outlet slots, each of the air outlet slots corresponding to a second heat dissipation protrusion provided on the second wall portion; The airflow heat dissipation element has two air outlet surfaces, and each air outlet surface is corresponding to an air outlet slot.

Citation Information

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