Laser radar and automatic driving device

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a laser radar and an automatic driving device. The laser radar comprises a shell and a window sheet, the shell comprises a first opening and a light passage, and the window sheet is embedded in the first opening; the shell further comprises a first shell wall, a second shell wall and a first boss; the first boss comprises a third shell wall, a fourth shell wall and a first joint edge between the third shell wall and the fourth shell wall; the edges of the first shell wall jointly form the first opening, the second shell wall is between the first shell wall and the third shell wall, and the edges of the fourth shell wall jointly form the light passage; the first shell wall, the second shell wall and the third shell wall jointly define a glue dispensing groove; the window sheet comprises a conductive film and at least one metal conductive strip, at least one avoidance groove is formed in the first joint edge, and one metal conductive strip is accommodated in one avoidance groove. By accommodating the metal conductive strip in the avoidance groove, the overall height of the laser radar can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of lidar technology, and in particular to a lidar and autonomous driving device. Background Technology

[0002] LiDAR, as a high-precision measuring instrument, has been widely used in fields such as autonomous driving, surveying, and robotics. In practical applications, the surface of the LiDAR window is prone to problems such as frost, condensation, or fogging due to temperature differences between the inside and outside of the LiDAR housing or changes in the ambient temperature. These problems affect the emission of the scanning beam and the reception of the echo beam, thus impacting the detection performance of the LiDAR.

[0003] To address these issues, a conductive thin film is typically placed on the window plate and energized to heat it up, thereby regulating the surface temperature of the window plate and preventing problems such as frost, condensation, and fogging. However, due to the limited conductivity of common conductive films such as indium tin oxide (ITO), the ability of the conductive film to regulate the surface temperature of the window plate is limited under complex operating conditions. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The lidar and autonomous driving device provided by this invention are intended to solve at least one defect of existing lidar for autonomous driving devices.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a lidar. The lidar includes a housing and a window, the housing including a first opening and a light-transmitting port, and the window being fitted into the first opening;

[0006] The outer casing also includes a first housing wall, a second housing wall, and a first boss, wherein the first boss includes a third housing wall, a fourth housing wall, and a first joint edge located between the third housing wall and the fourth housing wall;

[0007] The first housing wall is surrounded by the edge to form the first opening, the second housing wall is located between the first housing wall and the third housing wall, and the edge of the fourth housing wall is surrounded to form the light-transmitting opening;

[0008] The first housing wall, the second housing wall, and the third housing wall together define a dispensing groove, and glue is filled between the window piece and the dispensing groove.

[0009] The window sheet includes a conductive film and at least one metal conductive strip. At least one clearance groove is provided on the first joint edge. The conductive film and the at least one metal conductive strip are electrically connected, and one of the metal conductive strips is housed in one of the clearance grooves.

[0010] In some embodiments, the lidar further includes a flexible circuit board and a main control circuit board. The flexible circuit board includes a first connecting portion, a flexible connecting portion, and a second connecting portion. The flexible connecting portion is located between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion. The first connecting portion is electrically connected to the main control circuit board, and the second connecting portion is electrically connected to the at least one metal conductive strip.

[0011] In some embodiments, the flexible circuit board further includes an adhesive portion located between the flexible connecting portion and the second connecting portion, wherein the adhesive portion and the window panel are bonded together with adhesive. By providing the adhesive portion, one end of the flexible circuit board is fixed to the window panel, which reduces the shaking of the flexible circuit board and enhances the connection stability between the second connecting portion of the flexible circuit board and the metal conductive strip.

[0012] In some embodiments, the at least one metal conductive strip includes a first metal conductive strip and a second metal conductive strip; each metal conductive strip includes a first segment and a second segment, the first segment of each metal conductive strip is accommodated in the clearance groove corresponding to each metal conductive strip; the second segment of the first metal conductive strip is electrically connected to the first end of the second connecting portion, and the second segment of the second metal conductive strip is electrically connected to the second end of the second connecting portion.

[0013] In some embodiments, the window panel further includes a light-transmitting area located between a first segment of the first metal conductive strip and a first segment of the second metal conductive strip; a first gap exists between the first segment of the first metal conductive strip and the edge of the light-transmitting area, and the first segment of the second metal conductive strip also has the first gap. The preset first gap prevents adhesive in the dispensing groove from overflowing into the light-transmitting area before curing.

[0014] In some embodiments, the lidar further includes a thermistor; the thermistor is fixed to the second connection portion, and the thermistor and the second connection portion are electrically connected.

[0015] In some embodiments, the lidar further includes a processor located on the main control circuit board. The processor is used to obtain the surface temperature of the window based on the resistance value of the thermistor. Based on the surface temperature of the window, the processor adjusts the current supplied to the metal conductive strip on the window through the flexible circuit board, thereby achieving dynamic adjustment of the window surface temperature.

[0016] In some embodiments, the outer casing is provided with a second protrusion; the second protrusion includes a positioning post, the first connecting portion includes a positioning hole, and the positioning post is embedded in the positioning hole.

[0017] In some embodiments, the main control circuit board is provided with a metal spring, and the first connecting portion further includes a metal exposed area, which abuts against the metal spring. The metal spring is elastic, enabling rapid assembly of the flexible circuit board within a limited space during the housing assembly process. Furthermore, this spring contact method can be adapted to assembly tolerances, improving the convenience and error tolerance of the electrical connection between the flexible circuit board and the main control circuit board.

[0018] Secondly, the present invention provides an autonomous driving device. The autonomous driving device includes a vehicle body and a lidar as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

[0019] The beneficial effects of the lidar provided by this invention are as follows: By providing a clearance groove on the boss structure adjacent to the dispensing groove to accommodate the metal conductive strip, the space occupied by the heating assembly of the window and the boss structure on the housing can be reduced in the height direction of the lidar, thereby reducing the assembly height of the window. Furthermore, while ensuring the connection stability of the flexible printed circuit board (FPC), rapid assembly of the FPC within a limited space is achieved, which is beneficial for the miniaturization of the lidar. Attached Figure Description

[0020] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. These illustrations do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Elements having the same reference numerals in the drawings are designated as the same elements. Unless otherwise stated, the figures in the drawings are not to be limited by scale.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the outer casing provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 Provided for embodiments of the present invention Figure 1 A magnified view of a portion at point A;

[0023] Figure 3 Provided for embodiments of the present invention Figure 1 A magnified view of the area at point B;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a window provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the flexible circuit board, metal conductive strip, and temperature-sensitive resistor provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 6 Provided for embodiments of the present invention Figure 4 A magnified view of the area at point C;

[0027] Figure 7 Provided for embodiments of the present invention Figure 4 A magnified view of the area at point D;

[0028] Figure 8 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of a lidar provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 9 Provided for embodiments of the present invention Figure 8 A magnified view of the area at point E;

[0030] Figure 10 Provided for embodiments of the present invention Figure 8 A magnified view of the area at point F;

[0031] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the flexible circuit board, the first housing, and the metal spring sheet provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 12 Provided for embodiments of the present invention Figure 11 A magnified view of the area at point G;

[0033] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the main control circuit board, the second housing, and the flexible circuit board provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 14 Provided for embodiments of the present invention Figure 13 A magnified view of the area at point H.

[0035] Reference numerals: 100, LiDAR; 1, Housing; 11, First Housing; 12, Second Housing; 103, First Housing Wall; 104, Second Housing Wall; 107, Second Boss; 108, Second Joint Edge; 111, Third Joint Edge; 121, Fourth Joint Edge; 1051, Third Housing Wall; 1052, Fourth Housing Wall; 1053, First Joint Edge; 1054, First Groove Wall; 1055, Second Groove Wall; 1061, Adhesive Strip; 1071, Positioning Post; 2, Window Sheet; 201, Metal Conductive Strip; 202, Light Transmitting Area; 204, ... 3. Bonding area; 205. Chamfered area; 206. Second bonding area; 207. First bonding area; 208. Clearance area; 2013. First segment of the first metal conductive strip; 2014. Second segment of the first metal conductive strip; 2015. First segment of the second metal conductive strip; 2016. Second segment of the second metal conductive strip; 3. Flexible circuit board; 31. First connecting part; 32. Flexible connecting part; 33. Second connecting part; 34. Bonding part; 312. Exposed metal area; 331. Conductive adhesive; 4. Main control circuit board; 401. Metal spring; 5. Thermistor; M. Second direction. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to specific embodiments. It should be emphasized that the following description is merely exemplary and is not intended to limit the scope and application of the present invention.

[0037] As a high-precision laser scanning device, the light transmittance of the window of a lidar device directly affects its detection performance. However, due to factors such as temperature differences between the inside and outside of the lidar housing or changes in ambient temperature, problems such as frost, condensation, and fogging can easily occur on the surface of the window. In existing technologies, a conductive thin film is typically deposited on the surface of the window, and the surface temperature of the window is adjusted by the heat generated when the conductive film is energized.

[0038] Due to the limited conductivity of conductive films such as indium tin oxide (ITO), metal conductive strips are required on the surface of the window to enhance the heating efficiency of the conductive film. However, the addition of metal conductive strips increases the assembly height of the window, thereby increasing the overall height of the lidar unit, which is detrimental to lidar miniaturization. Furthermore, due to the special material requirements and high reliability requirements of the window, it is not possible to use clips and / or screws to fix the window to the housing. Conventional adhesive bonding and the structural design of the housing cannot prevent adhesive from overflowing into the light-transmitting area, thus affecting the lidar's detection performance.

[0039] To address the above issues, in one embodiment, please refer to... Figures 1 to 14 This application discloses a lidar. The lidar 100 includes a processor, a transmitting module (not shown), a receiving module (not shown), a housing 1, a window 2, a flexible circuit board 3, and a main control circuit board 4. The housing 1 includes a first opening (not shown) and a light-transmitting port (not shown), and the window 2 is embedded in the first opening. The window 2 includes a conductive film (not shown) and at least one metal conductive strip 201.

[0040] The outer casing 1 also includes a first casing wall 103, a second casing wall 104, and a first boss. The first boss includes a third casing wall 1051, a fourth casing wall 1052, and a first mating edge 1053 located between the third casing wall 1051 and the fourth casing wall 1052. The edge of the first casing wall 103 forms a first opening, the second casing wall 104 is located between the first casing wall 103 and the third casing wall 1051, and the edge of the fourth casing wall 1052 forms a light-transmitting opening. The first casing wall 103, the second casing wall 104, and the third casing wall 1051 together define a dispensing groove (not shown in the figure), which is used to contain adhesive during the dispensing process. After the adhesive cures, it forms an adhesive strip 1061. The window piece 2 is fixedly bonded to the dispensing groove based on the adhesive strip 1061 to fix the window piece 2 to the first opening.

[0041] In one embodiment, the lidar further includes a transmitting module and a receiving module. The scanning beam emitted from the transmitting module passes through a light-transmitting port onto the window 2, and then, after passing through the light-transmitting area 202 of the window 2, it is directed towards the detection area. A target object located in the detection area reflects the scanning beam, forming an echo beam. This echo beam is transmitted sequentially through the light-transmitting area 202 and the light-transmitting port before being received by the receiving module. The receiving module obtains an echo signal based on the echo beam. A processor is used to calculate parameters such as the target object's distance, velocity, and surface reflectivity based on the echo signal. The processor is also used to supply power to at least one metal conductive strip 201 via the flexible circuit board 3, thereby energizing the conductive film to heat the window 2 and regulating its surface temperature.

[0042] In one embodiment, combined Figures 1 to 3 The projection of the fourth shell wall 1052 onto a plane perpendicular to the Z-axis is the first projection, and the projection of the first shell wall 103 onto a plane perpendicular to the Z-axis is the second projection. The first projection is located within the area enclosed by the edges of the second projection.

[0043] In one embodiment, combined Figures 1 to 3 At least one clearance groove is formed on the first joining edge 1053, and a metal conductive strip 201 is accommodated in one of the clearance grooves. The clearance groove has an open groove structure, that is, the clearance groove is connected to the dispensing groove and the light transmission port. In one example, the clearance groove includes a first groove wall 1054 and a second groove wall 1055. The metal conductive strip 201 abuts against the first groove wall 1054 and the second groove wall 1055 respectively. The second groove wall 1055 is used to limit and fix the metal conductive strip 201. The open groove structure can increase the size of the accommodating space of the clearance groove for the metal conductive strip in the first direction (Y-axis direction), where the first direction is the height direction of the lidar.

[0044] In one embodiment, the flexible circuit board 3 includes a first connecting portion 31, a flexible connecting portion 32, and a second connecting portion 33. The flexible connecting portion 32 is located between the first connecting portion 31 and the second connecting portion 33. The first connecting portion 31 is electrically connected to the main control circuit board 4, and the second connecting portion 33 is electrically connected to at least one metal conductive strip 201.

[0045] In one embodiment, combined Figure 4 and Figure 5 The flexible circuit board 3 also includes an adhesive portion 34. The adhesive portion 34 is located between the flexible connecting portion 32 and the second connecting portion 33, and the adhesive portion 34 and the window sheet 2 are bonded based on an adhesive strip 1061. The bonding of the adhesive portion 34 and the window sheet 2 based on the adhesive strip 1061 means that the adhesive portion 34 is bonded to the window sheet 2 or the conductive film on the window sheet 2 using a non-conductive adhesive. The non-conductive adhesive between the adhesive portion 34 and the window sheet 2 can be double-sided tape.

[0046] In one embodiment, the contact area between the adhesive portion 34 and the conductive film is greater than the contact area between the second connecting portion 33 and the conductive film. By providing the adhesive portion, one end of the flexible circuit board 3 is fixed to the window piece 2, which can reduce the shaking of the flexible circuit board 3, enhance the connection stability between the second connecting portion 33 of the flexible circuit board 3 and the metal conductive strip 201, prevent the flexible circuit board 3 from shaking or breaking, ensure the reliability of the electrical connection between the main control circuit board 4 and the conductive film and the metal conductive strip 201, and thus ensure the dynamic adjustment of the surface temperature of the window piece 2.

[0047] In one embodiment, the window 2 includes a first surface facing the internal cavity of the lidar and a second surface facing the external environment of the lidar, as well as a plurality of side surfaces located between the first and second surfaces. The plurality of side surfaces abut against the first housing wall 103 forming the first opening, thereby limiting the position of the window 2. The first surface includes a light-transmitting area 202 corresponding to the light-transmitting opening and at least one metal conductive strip 201. The entire first surface is coated with a conductive thin film, or only at the light-transmitting area 202. Therefore, each metal conductive strip 201 is disposed on the surface of the conductive thin film, or each metal conductive strip 201 is electrically connected to the edge of the conductive thin film. The second surface includes a light-transmitting area 202 of the same size corresponding to the light-transmitting area 202. One or more combinations of films such as hydrophobic films, antireflective films, and anti-reflective films are coated on both the first and second surfaces.

[0048] In one embodiment, combined Figures 4 to 5 At least one metal conductive strip 201 includes a first metal conductive strip and a second metal conductive strip. A clearance groove is provided on each of the upper and lower sides of the light-transmitting area 202. The first and second metal conductive strips have the same structure, each including a first segment and a second segment. The first segment 2013 of the first metal conductive strip is housed within a corresponding clearance groove, and the first segment 2015 of the second metal conductive strip is housed within a corresponding clearance groove. The light-transmitting area 202 on the window slab 2 is located between the first segment 2013 of the first metal conductive strip and the first segment 2015 of the second metal conductive strip. The conductive film is electrically connected to both the first and second metal conductive strips. One end of the second segment 2014 of the first metal conductive strip is electrically connected to the first end of the second connecting part 33 through conductive adhesive 331 or a contact, and the other end of the second segment 2014 of the first metal conductive strip is connected to the first segment 2013 of the first metal conductive strip; one end of the second segment 2016 of the second metal conductive strip is electrically connected to the second end of the second connecting part 33 through conductive adhesive 331 or a contact, and the other end of the second segment 2016 of the second metal conductive strip is connected to the first segment 2015 of the second metal conductive strip.

[0049] In one embodiment, a plurality of first metal conductive strips are provided on one side of the light-transmitting area 202, and a plurality of second metal conductive strips are provided on the other side of the light-transmitting area 202. A plurality of clearance grooves are correspondingly provided on the first bonding edge 1053, and each metal conductive strip is embedded in a corresponding clearance groove. By providing a plurality of metal conductive strips on one side of the light-transmitting area 202, power can be supplied to different areas of the conductive film, thereby achieving effective power supply to a larger area of ​​the conductive film.

[0050] In this embodiment, the conductive film and each metal conductive strip 201 are electrically connected. The metal conductive strip 201 is used to energize the conductive film, causing it to heat up. This allows for heating of a portion or all of the surface of the window 2, adjusting its surface temperature and resolving issues such as frost, condensation, and fogging, thus ensuring high light transmittance of the window 2 under various working environments. To further improve the conductivity of the conductive film and enhance its heating efficiency for the window 2, the metal conductive strip 201 is made of high-performance conductive materials such as silver, copper, or gold. Furthermore, the strip-shaped metal conductive strip 201 ensures stable and uniform current transfer to the conductive film, improving the temperature uniformity of the heated area of ​​the window 2.

[0051] In one embodiment, such as Figure 5 As shown, the lidar 100 also includes a thermistor 5 and a processor (not shown). The processor is located on the main control circuit board 4, and the thermistor 5 is fixed to the second connection part 33. The thermistor 5 and the second connection part 33 are electrically connected based on contacts or conductive adhesive. The resistance value of the thermistor 5 changes as the surface temperature of the window piece 2 changes. Therefore, the processor can obtain the surface temperature of the window piece 2 by monitoring the resistance value of the thermistor 5. The processor is also used to adjust the current of the heating circuit (the heating circuit is a current loop formed by a conductive film and at least one metal conductive strip) according to the surface temperature of the window piece 2, so as to achieve dynamic adjustment of the surface temperature of the window piece 2.

[0052] In one embodiment, such as Figure 6As shown, taking the first segment 2013 of the first metal conductive strip as an example, the window piece 2 includes a first bonding area 207, which includes a second bonding area 206 and a third bonding area 204. The second bonding area 206 also includes a chamfered area 205. The chamfered area 205 corresponds to the area where the window piece 2 undergoes chamfering processing; setting the chamfered area 205 can improve the processing yield of the window piece 2. The second bonding area 206 is correspondingly set with the dispensing groove and is used to fix and bond with the adhesive strip 1061 set in the dispensing groove. The third bonding area 204 corresponds to the setting area of ​​the first segment 2013 of the first metal conductive strip. Before the adhesive strip 1061 in the dispensing groove cures, adhesive with a certain degree of fluidity may overflow the dispensing groove and flow to the area where the clearance groove is located (corresponding to the third bonding area 204). Therefore, the bonding strength of the second bonding area 206 is greater than the bonding strength of the third bonding area 204. The third bonding area 204 serves as a secondary bonding area to assist in the bonding and fixing at the second bonding area 206; and as an overflow area to prevent uncured glue from overflowing into the light-transmitting area 202 during the curing process of the glue strip 1061 in the glue dispensing groove.

[0053] In one embodiment, a first gap exists between the first segment 2013 of the first metal conductive strip and the edge of the light-transmitting area 202, and a first gap exists between the first segment 2015 of the second metal conductive strip and the edge of the light-transmitting area 202. This first gap corresponds to the clearance area 208. The clearance area 208 further prevents incompletely cured adhesive from overflowing into the light-transmitting area 202.

[0054] In one embodiment, the first surface of the window piece 2 is parallel to the second surface, the angle between the normal of the first surface of the window piece 2 and the Z-axis is less than or equal to 90 degrees, and the first surface of the window piece 2 is not parallel to the XY plane, i.e., the window piece 2 is tilted. The light-transmitting area 202 is a rectangular area, including a first edge and a second edge that are parallel to each other, and a third edge and a fourth edge that are parallel to each other. The first edge is located adjacent to the first segment 2013 of the first metal conductive strip, and the second edge is located adjacent to the first segment 2015 of the second metal conductive strip. The second direction M is parallel to the surface of the window piece 2, and the second direction M is parallel to the third edge and perpendicular to the first edge. The first gap corresponds to the length of the clearance area 208 along the second direction M, and the edges of the first edge and the third bonding area 204 define the clearance area 208.

[0055] In one embodiment, the first gap is set according to a first tolerance, which is the tolerance of the first segment of each metal conductive strip in the second direction M relative to the light-transmitting area 202. For example, if the first tolerance is 0.6 mm, the first gap is greater than 0.6 mm. The method for calculating the first tolerance is not limited; it can be calculated using limit deviations or a probability method.

[0056] In one embodiment, combined Figure 6 and Figure 7 The first segment 2015 of the second metal conductive strip is set with reference to the first segment 2013 of the first metal conductive strip.

[0057] In the above embodiments, reference is made to Figures 1 to 9 The side wall of the first boss (third housing wall 1051) serves as the groove wall of the dispensing groove, cooperating with the first housing wall 103 to construct the dispensing groove. Even without the metal conductive strip 201, the first boss still has a height along the Y-axis for constructing the dispensing groove. Therefore, by opening a clearance groove on the first boss, the first boss and the metal conductive strip 201 are overlapped in the Y-axis direction, which can make full use of the housing space in the Y-axis direction and help reduce the overall height of the lidar. Furthermore, the clearance groove is connected to the dispensing groove, which on the one hand can reduce the assembly height of the window piece 2 to the housing 1 and reduce the overall height of the lidar 100; on the other hand, combined with the setting of the metal conductive strip 201 and the first gap, it can prevent incompletely cured glue from overflowing into the light-transmitting area 202 and affecting the detection accuracy of the lidar.

[0058] In one embodiment, combined Figures 10 to 14 The electrical connection between the flexible circuit board 3 and the main control circuit board 4 is described. A second protrusion 107 is provided on the outer casing 1, and the second protrusion 107 includes a positioning post 1071. The first connecting part 31 includes a positioning hole (not shown in the figure), and the first connecting part 31 is fixed to the second protrusion 107 by the positioning post 1071 being embedded in the positioning hole. The outer casing 1 includes a first housing 11 and a second housing 12. The first housing 11 and the second housing 12 abut at a second joining edge 108, forming the internal cavity of the lidar. The second joining edge 108 includes a third joining edge 111 on the first housing 11 and a fourth joining edge 121 on the second housing 12, and the third joining edge 111 and the fourth joining edge 121 abut.

[0059] In one embodiment, the first housing 11 includes a fifth housing wall and a seventh housing wall, and the second housing 12 includes a sixth housing wall. The seventh housing wall is located between the fifth housing wall and the third mating edge 111. The main control circuit board 4 is fixedly mounted on the sixth housing wall. A second boss 107 extends along the X-axis on the seventh housing wall. The second boss 107 includes a first end face facing the fifth housing wall, a second end face facing the sixth housing wall, and a plurality of side faces located between the first and second end faces. A positioning post 1071 extends along the Y-axis on the second end face. The side face of the second boss 107 facing the window piece 2 has a second gap along the Z-axis with the window piece 2. A portion of the flexible connection portion 32 passes through the second gap and connects to the first connection portion 31. A third gap along the Y-axis exists between the second end face of the second boss 107 and the sixth housing wall, and a fourth gap along the Y-axis exists between the first end face of the second boss 107 and the fifth housing wall. The fourth gap is larger than the third gap. The second boss 107 is used to limit the installation position of the first connection portion 31. Furthermore, the fourth gap is larger than the third gap. On the one hand, this can reduce the weight of the lidar housing; on the other hand, it can ensure that the first connecting part 31 is located between the main control circuit board 4 and the second end face of the second boss 107 during installation, preventing the first connecting part 31 from sliding into the space between the first end face of the second boss 107 and the fifth housing wall during assembly, which would cause the FPC installation to fail.

[0060] In one embodiment, based on the size relationship between the fourth gap and the third gap, the first connecting portion 31 and the main control circuit board 4 need to ensure the effectiveness of the electrical connection within a limited space. To solve this problem, the main control circuit board 4 is provided with a metal spring 401, and the first connecting portion 31 also includes a metal exposed area 312. When the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 overlap each other along the Y-axis direction, the metal exposed area 312 and the metal spring 401 directly abut. Furthermore, the metal spring 401 is elastic; when the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 overlap each other in the Y-axis direction, the metal spring 401 is compressed, thereby easily and quickly achieving the electrical connection between the flexible circuit board 3 and the main control circuit board 4.

[0061] In this embodiment, when the metal spring 401 abuts against the exposed metal area 312, the metal spring 401 may deviate from the spatial position of the exposed metal area 312, causing an assembly tolerance (second tolerance) between the metal spring 401 and the exposed metal area 312. To ensure the reliability of the electrical connection between the metal spring 401 and the exposed metal area 312, the actual size of the exposed metal area 312 is the sum of the effective contact size and the second tolerance. The effective contact size is the contact area between the metal spring 401 and the exposed metal area 312 when an effective electrical connection is ensured. For example, if the assembly tolerance of the metal spring 401 relative to the exposed metal area 312 is ±a, and the effective contact size is b, then the actual size of the exposed metal area 312 is (b+2×a) to ensure the reliability of the electrical connection.

[0062] In some embodiments, the metal spring 401 has a preset compression limit in the Y-axis direction. The assembly tolerance between the exposed metal area 312 and the metal spring 401 in the Y-axis direction should be less than the compression limit to ensure that the metal spring 401 can conduct within a certain compression range, thus ensuring the normal implementation of the electrical connection.

[0063] In one embodiment, this application discloses an autonomous driving device, which includes a central controller, a vehicle body, and a LiDAR 100 as described in the above embodiment, mounted on the vehicle body. The central controller is used to perform autonomous driving tasks such as path planning, target recognition, and obstacle avoidance based on the three-dimensional point cloud map obtained by the LiDAR 100. In some embodiments, the processor or central controller can be a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a System on Chip (SoC), a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Network Processor (NP), a Digital Signal Processing Circuit, a Micro Controller Unit (MCU), an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or any combination thereof for implementing the relevant functions.

[0064] The lidar provided in this embodiment of the invention uses a clearance groove on a first protrusion adjacent to the dispensing groove to accommodate the metal conductive strip 201. This reduces the assembly height of the window piece 2 in the height direction of the lidar. Furthermore, while ensuring the connection stability of the flexible circuit board 3, it enables rapid assembly of the flexible circuit board 3 within a limited space, which is beneficial for the miniaturization of the lidar.

[0065] The above description, in conjunction with specific / preferred embodiments, provides a further detailed explanation of the present invention, but it should not be construed as limiting the specific implementation of the invention to these descriptions. Those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present invention, and all such modifications and improvements fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0066] It should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "first direction," "height direction," "second direction," etc., used in this specification indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. The terms "installation," "fitting," "connection," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection or a detachable connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. "Fixing" can be bolted, clipped, or glued. The terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first," "second," and "third" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of those features. "A plurality" or "several" means two or more. In addition, "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0067] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. In the embodiments of this application, the specific shape, structure, and size of the "LiDAR and autonomous driving equipment" are not limited; those skilled in the art can selectively use any suitable implementation method according to actual needs.

Claims

1. A lidar, characterized in that, It includes a housing and a window panel, the housing including a first opening and a light-transmitting port, and the window panel being embedded in the first opening; The outer casing also includes a first housing wall, a second housing wall, and a first boss, wherein the first boss includes a third housing wall, a fourth housing wall, and a first joint edge located between the third housing wall and the fourth housing wall; The edges of the first housing wall enclose to form the first opening, the second housing wall is located between the first housing wall and the third housing wall, and the edges of the fourth housing wall enclose to form the light-transmitting opening; The first housing wall, the second housing wall, and the third housing wall together define a dispensing groove, and glue is filled between the window piece and the dispensing groove. The window sheet includes a conductive film and at least one metal conductive strip. At least one clearance groove is provided on the first joint edge. The conductive film and the at least one metal conductive strip are electrically connected, and one of the metal conductive strips is housed in one of the clearance grooves.

2. The lidar according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lidar also includes a flexible circuit board and a main control circuit board, wherein the flexible circuit board includes a first connecting part, a flexible connecting part and a second connecting part; The flexible connection portion is located between the first connection portion and the second connection portion. The first connection portion is electrically connected to the main control circuit board, and the second connection portion is electrically connected to the at least one metal conductive strip.

3. The lidar according to claim 2, characterized in that, The flexible circuit board further includes an adhesive portion located between the flexible connecting portion and the second connecting portion, and the adhesive portion is bonded and fixed to the window piece.

4. The lidar according to claim 2, characterized in that, The at least one metal conductive strip includes a first metal conductive strip and a second metal conductive strip; Each of the metal conductive strips includes a first segment and a second segment, and the first segment of each metal conductive strip is housed in the corresponding clearance groove of each metal conductive strip. The second segment of the first metal conductive strip is electrically connected to the first end of the second connecting portion, and the second segment of the second metal conductive strip is electrically connected to the second end of the second connecting portion.

5. The lidar according to claim 4, characterized in that, The window panel also includes a light-transmitting area, which is located between the first segment of the first metal conductive strip and the first segment of the second metal conductive strip; The first segment of the first metal conductive strip has a first gap with the edge of the light-transmitting area, and the first segment of the second metal conductive strip has the first gap with the edge of the light-transmitting area.

6. The lidar according to claim 2, characterized in that, The lidar also includes a thermistor; The temperature-sensitive resistor is fixed on the second connecting part, and the temperature-sensitive resistor and the second connecting part are electrically connected.

7. The lidar according to claim 6, characterized in that, The lidar also includes a processor; The processor is located on the main control circuit board, and the processor is used to obtain the surface temperature of the window sheet based on the resistance value of the thermistor.

8. The lidar according to claim 2, characterized in that, A second protrusion is provided on the outer shell; The second protrusion includes a positioning post, and the first connecting part includes a positioning hole, with the positioning post embedded in the positioning hole.

9. The lidar according to claim 8, characterized in that, The main control circuit board is provided with a metal spring, and the first connecting part also includes a metal exposed area, wherein the metal exposed area and the metal spring abut against each other.

10. An autonomous driving device, characterized in that, Includes the vehicle body and the lidar as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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