Shell of laser radar, laser radar, sensor assembly and carrier

Abstract

The utility model provides a shell of a laser radar, the laser radar, a sensor assembly and a carrier. The housing of the laser radar comprises a rear housing and a front housing. The rear shell and the front shell are connected to form a first accommodating space, and an emitter and a detector of the laser radar are arranged in the first accommodating space. The rear shell comprises a front end face, and the front end face comprises a light transmission area, a window frame and an extension part. Detection light emitted by the emitter is emitted into the environment through the light passing area, the detection light is reflected by an object in the environment to generate echoes, and the echoes enter the detector through the light passing area. The shape of the window frame is matched with the shape of the light passing area. The extension part is arranged on one side or two sides of the window frame, and the extension part is connected with the front shell and is configured to provide support for the front shell. The front shell comprises a first light-transmitting area, and the first light-transmitting area corresponds to the light-transmitting area in position. According to the embodiment of the invention, the shape freedom degree of the shell is improved, and the appearance and use performance of the laser radar and the bearing structure for installing the laser radar are optimized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to the technical field of lidar, and in particular to a housing of a lidar, a lidar, a sensor assembly, and a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Optical detection technology detects objects using light as a medium. Lasers have characteristics such as monochromaticity and good directivity compared to ordinary light sources, and more attention has been paid to object detection using lasers as a medium. For example, lidar (light detection and ranging) detects objects using lasers and has been applied in fields such as intelligent driving, industrial manufacturing, unmanned aerial vehicles, robot recognition, geographical mapping, or environmental monitoring. However, during the application of lidar, the shape of the lidar housing may affect the appearance consistency or performance of the load-bearing structure on which the lidar is installed.

[0003] The content in the background art section is only the technology known to the inventor and does not necessarily represent the prior art in this field. Summary of the Utility Model

[0004] In view of one or more deficiencies in the prior art, the present disclosure provides a housing for a lidar, comprising: a rear housing and a front housing;

[0005] The rear housing is connected to the front housing to form a first accommodation space; the transmitter and detector of the lidar are disposed in the first accommodation space;

[0006] The rear housing includes a front end face, and the front end face includes a light passing area, a window frame, and an extension; the detection light emitted by the transmitter is emitted into the environment through the light passing area, the detection light generates an echo after being reflected by an object in the environment, and the echo enters the detector through the light passing area;

[0007] The shape of the window frame matches the shape of the light passing area;

[0008] The extension is disposed on one or both sides of the window frame, and the extension is connected to the front housing and is configured to provide support to the front housing;

[0009] The front housing includes a first light transmissive area, and the position of the first light transmissive area corresponds to that of the light passing area.

[0010] Optionally, at least one of the window frame and the extension is provided with a stop structure, and there is a gap between the inner surface of the front housing and the stop structure, and the stop structure is configured to limit the inward deformation of the front housing.

[0011] Optionally, the gap between the inner surface of the front shell and the stop structure is 0.1 - 0.5 mm.

[0012] Optionally, a glue injection groove is provided at the circumferential edge of at least one of the window frame and the extension portion, and the front shell is adhesively connected to the rear shell at the position of the glue injection groove.

[0013] Optionally, the front shell is adhesively connected to the window frame.

[0014] Optionally, a positioning structure is provided on the inner surface of the front shell, and a mating structure that matches the positioning structure is provided on at least one of the window frame and the extension portion, and the positions of the positioning structure and the mating structure correspond.

[0015] Optionally, the front shell is integrally formed, and the front shell has a curvature in the first direction and the second direction.

[0016] Optionally, the front shell includes a second light-transmitting area, and the second light-transmitting area corresponds to the position of the extension portion.

[0017] Optionally, the first light-transmitting area is configured to allow light in a first wavelength band to pass through, and the second light-transmitting area is configured to allow light in a second wavelength band to pass through.

[0018] Optionally, the width of the extension portion gradually decreases in a direction away from the window frame.

[0019] Optionally, the present disclosure further includes a lidar, the lidar including: the housing, an optomechanical assembly, and a circuit board as described above;

[0020] The optomechanical assembly is disposed in the first accommodation space, and the optomechanical assembly includes a transmitting lens and a receiving lens.

[0021] The circuit board is provided with a transmitter and a detector, and the circuit board is configured to drive the transmitter to emit detection light and receive the electrical signal output by the detector, and determine the sensing data of the lidar according to the electrical signal, and the sensing data includes the distance information of the object.

[0022] Optionally, the present disclosure further includes a sensor assembly, the sensor assembly including: a first sensor and a second sensor;

[0023] The first sensor includes the lidar as described above;

[0024] The second sensor includes an image acquisition device.

[0025] Optionally, the position of the image acquisition device corresponds to the position of the extension portion, and the image acquisition device is configured to acquire image information of the external environment of the sensor assembly.

[0026] Optionally, the present disclosure further includes a vehicle, which includes: a main body structure and a lidar;

[0027] The top surface of the main body structure has a detection window;

[0028] The lidar is disposed on the top surface of the main body structure, and the lidar is configured to be able to detect the external environment of the vehicle through the detection window. The lidar includes a housing, and the housing includes a rear shell and a front shell;

[0029] The rear shell includes a front end face, and the front end face includes a light-transmitting area;

[0030] The front shell includes a first light-transmitting area, and the position of the first light-transmitting area corresponds to the position of the light-transmitting area; the front shell is configured such that the circumferential edge is conformal with the top surface of the main body structure.

[0031] Optionally, the upper edge of the front shell is flush with the upper edge of the detection window, and the lower edge of the front shell is close to the lower edge of the detection window.

[0032] Optionally, the top surface of the main body structure includes a cover, the cover is disposed above the rear shell, and the cover constitutes at least a part of the upper edge of the detection window; the curvature of the side of the front shell close to the cover is substantially equal to the curvature of the side of the cover close to the front shell.

[0033] Optionally, the cover and the rear shell are snap-fitted and fixed, and there is a gap between the front shell and the cover; a groove is provided at a position of the rear shell corresponding to the gap.

[0034] Optionally, both ends of the upper edge of the front shell are bent or folded toward the top surface of the main body structure, and the angle between the bent or folded part of the upper edge of the front shell and the top surface of the main body structure is not less than 120°.

[0035] Optionally, the rear shell includes an upper end face, and an installation portion is provided on the upper end face, and the installation portion is configured to be connected to the vehicle.

[0036] Optionally, the lidar includes the lidar as described above.

[0037] Compared with the prior art, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a housing for a lidar, wherein the combination of the rear housing and the front housing can provide a first accommodation space for the transmitter and detector of the lidar. The extension part extends outward from one or both sides of the window frame, which can provide support for the front housing. While ensuring structural stability, it is beneficial to improve the shape freedom of the lidar housing, and optimize the appearance and performance of the lidar and the bearing structure on which the lidar is installed.

[0038] The present disclosure also includes an embodiment of a lidar that applies the aforementioned lidar housing.

[0039] The present disclosure also includes an embodiment of a sensor assembly, which includes a first sensor and a second sensor. The first sensor includes the aforementioned lidar, and the second sensor includes an image acquisition device.

[0040] The present disclosure also includes an embodiment of a vehicle, which includes a main structure and a lidar. The circumferential edge of the front housing in the lidar housing is conformal with the top surface of the main structure of the vehicle, which is beneficial to maintaining the consistency of the appearance of the main structure of the vehicle, and optimizing the structural shape of the lidar housing, which is beneficial to improving structural stability and reducing the resistance during the movement of the vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the following will give an exemplary introduction to the drawings used in the description of the embodiments. The drawings below are only the embodiments of the present disclosure. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained according to the provided drawings. The drawings are used to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure and constitute a part of the specification. Together with the embodiments of the present disclosure, they are used to explain the present disclosure and do not constitute a limitation to the present disclosure. In the drawings:

[0042] Figure 1 Shows an exploded view of the housing of the lidar in some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0043] Figure 2A and Figure 2B Shows a schematic structural view of the rear housing in some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0044] Figure 3A and Figure 3B Shows a schematic structural view of the front housing in some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0045] Figure 4 Shows an exploded view of the lidar in some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0046] Figure 5 Shows a schematic view of the sensor assembly in some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0047] Figure 6A and Figure 6B shows a schematic diagram of the cooperation between the detection window and the front housing in some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0048] Figure 7 shows a schematic diagram of the cooperation between the outer cover and the rear housing in some embodiments of the present disclosure. Detailed implementation manners

[0049] In the following, only certain exemplary embodiments are described illustratively. As those skilled in the art can recognize, the described embodiments can be modified in various different ways without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the drawings and the description are considered to be exemplary in nature rather than restrictive.

[0050] In the description of the present disclosure, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", etc. indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the present disclosure 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. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations to the present disclosure. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the described features. In the description of the present disclosure, "a plurality" means two or more unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0051] In the description of the present disclosure, it should be noted that unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "mounted", "connected", and "coupled" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection: it can be a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or can communicate with each other; it can be directly connected, or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it can be the internal communication of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present disclosure can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0052] In this disclosure, unless otherwise clearly specified and defined, the first feature being "on" or "under" the second feature may include direct contact between the first and second features, or may include contact between the first and second features not directly but through additional features therebetween. Moreover, the first feature being "above", "over" and "on top of" the second feature includes the first feature being directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or merely indicating that the horizontal height of the first feature is higher than that of the second feature. The first feature being "under", "below" and "beneath" the second feature includes the first feature being directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or merely indicating that the horizontal height of the first feature is lower than that of the second feature.

[0053] The following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing different structures of the present disclosure. To simplify the disclosure of the present disclosure, components and settings of specific examples are described below. Of course, they are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. In addition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and / or reference letters in different examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplification and clarity, and does not itself indicate the relationship between the various embodiments and / or settings discussed. In addition, the present disclosure provides examples of various specific processes and materials, but those of ordinary skill in the art can be aware of the application of other processes and / or the use of other materials.

[0054] The embodiments of the present disclosure are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the embodiments described herein are only used to illustrate and explain the present disclosure and are not used to limit the present disclosure.

[0055] The present disclosure provides a housing for a lidar. The housing includes: a rear housing and a front housing. The rear housing and the front housing are connected to form a first accommodation space, and the transmitter and the detector of the lidar are arranged in the first accommodation space. The rear housing includes a front end face, and the front end face includes a light passing area, a window frame and an extension part. The detection light emitted by the transmitter is emitted into the environment through the light passing area. The detection light generates an echo after being reflected by an object in the environment, and the echo enters the detector through the light passing area. The shape of the window frame matches the shape of the light passing area. The extension part is arranged on one side or both sides of the window frame. The extension part is connected to the front housing and is configured to provide support to the front housing. The front housing includes a first light transmission area, and the position of the first light transmission area corresponds to that of the light passing area.

[0056] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the front end face of the rear housing includes a window frame and an extension portion. The position of the window frame corresponds to that of the light passing area, without affecting the detection range of the lidar. The extension portion is located on one or both sides of the window frame, and the extension portion is connected to the front housing, which can provide support for the front housing and improve the structural stability of the lidar housing. Moreover, the shape and size of the extension portion are not limited by the detection range of the lidar and can be optimized according to the application scenario, which is beneficial to maintaining the consistency of the appearance of the load-bearing structure of the lidar or reducing the influence of the external shape structure of the lidar on the performance of the load-bearing structure.

[0057] Figure 1 FIG. shows the structure of the housing 10 of a lidar according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The following will describe the housing 10 of the lidar in conjunction with Figure 1 the housing 10 of the lidar will be described.

[0058] In some embodiments, the housing 10 includes a rear housing 11 and a front housing 12, wherein the rear housing 11 and the front housing 12 are connected to form a first accommodation space 13, and the transmitter and receiver of the lidar are disposed in the first accommodation space 13. An optical element of the lidar, such as one or more of a lens, a mirror, a filter, and a scanning mirror, may also be disposed in the first accommodation space 13. In some embodiments, a light-shielding and sealing structure may be disposed in the first accommodation space 13 to block stray light and ambient light. The influence of the external environment on the lidar can be reduced. Those skilled in the art can easily understand that the "front" and "rear" in the present disclosure are relative to the detection direction of the lidar. For example, in Figure 1 the lidar emits a detection beam in a generally leftward direction, and the front housing 12 and the rear housing 11 are defined along this direction.

[0059] As Figure 1 shown, the rear housing 11 includes a front end face 111, and the front end face 111 includes a light passing area 1111, a window frame 1112, and an extension portion 1113.

[0060] The transmitter of the lidar can emit detection light, and the detection light exits through the light passing area 1111 into the surrounding environment. After the detection light is reflected by an object in the environment to generate an echo, the echo enters the detector through the light passing area 1111 and is converted into an electrical signal by the detector.

[0061] The light-transmitting area 1111 can be set as a hollow structure, or can be set as a light-transmitting structure through which the detection light and the echo can penetrate, so that the detection light and the echo can pass through the light-transmitting area 1111. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the shape of the light-transmitting area 1111 can correspond to the detection range of the lidar, and the shape of the light-transmitting area 1111 is such that the detection light and the echo are basically not blocked under the maximum detection field of view angle of the lidar and can pass through the light-transmitting area 1111. The light-transmitting area 1111 is, for example, set as a rectangle. In some embodiments, the front end face 111 can be set as a curved surface, and the light-transmitting area 1111 can be arranged along the curved surface of the front end face 111.

[0062] In some embodiments, the shape of the window frame 1112 is set to match the shape of the light-transmitting area 1111. For example, the window frame 1112 is set to be circumferentially surrounded and closed, and the space defined at the hollow position of the window frame 1112 is used as the light-transmitting area 1111. In some other embodiments, the light-transmitting area 1111 can be set as a sheet-shaped light-transmitting structure, and the window frame 1112 can be arranged around the periphery of the sheet-shaped light-transmitting structure.

[0063] The extension part 1113 is arranged on one or both sides of the window frame 1112. The extension part 1113 is connected to the front shell 12, and the extension part 1113 is arranged to provide support for the front shell 12. In some embodiments, the window frame 1112 and the extension part 1113 can be integrally formed. This is beneficial to improving the structural stability, reducing the number of parts, and lowering the assembly difficulty. Figure 1 In the embodiment shown, the extension parts 1113 are arranged on both sides in the transverse direction of the window frame 1112. In some embodiments, the extension part 1113 can also be arranged only on one side of the window frame 1112. The size and shape of the extension part 1113 are not limited by the detection range of the lidar, and the design freedom is higher. It can be optimized according to the application scenario of the lidar and the bearing structure on which the lidar is installed, so that the appearance of the lidar and the bearing structure is unified, or the influence of the lidar on the performance of the bearing structure is reduced.

[0064] In different embodiments, the front end face 111 can be integrally set as a plane, or can be integrally set as a curved surface, or part of the area is a plane and part of the area is a curved surface. For example, the window frame 1112 can be set as a plane, the extension part 1113 is curved relative to the window frame 1112, or both the window frame 1112 and the extension part 1113 are set as curved surfaces, and the curvatures of the window frame 1112 and the extension part 1113 can be the same or different. The curvature of the window frame 1112 (and the light-transmitting area 1111) can be determined according to the detection range of the lidar, the internal structure design, and the optical requirements, etc. The curvature of the extension part 1113 can be determined according to the bearing structure on which the lidar is installed.

[0065] AsFigure 1 As shown, the front housing 12 includes a first light-transmitting area 121. The position of the first light-transmitting area 121 corresponds to that of the light-transmitting area 1111. For example, the first light-transmitting area 121 covers the front of the light-transmitting area 1111 (the outgoing direction of the detection light). The first light-transmitting area 121 can allow light within the first wavelength range to pass through. For example, it can allow light with the operating wavelength of the lidar to pass through, such as light with a wavelength near 905 nm, 940 nm, 1310 nm, or 1550 nm. The first light-transmitting area 121 can also at least partially block the light in the visible light band from passing through. The detection light and the echo can pass through the first light-transmitting area 121. In some embodiments, the shapes of the first light-transmitting area 121 and the light-transmitting area 1111 can be substantially the same. For example, the size, length, width, and curvature can be substantially the same. In some embodiments, the size of the first light-transmitting area 121 can also be slightly larger or slightly smaller than the size of the light-transmitting area 1111.

[0066] Figure 2A and Figure 2B shows the structure of the rear housing 11 in some embodiments according to the present disclosure. As shown, a stop structure 1114 is provided on the extension portion 1113. When the front housing 12 is mounted on the rear housing 11, there is a gap between the inner surface of the front housing 12 (the surface facing the first accommodation space 13) and the stop structure 1114. The stop structure 1114 is configured to limit the inward deformation of the front housing 12, which will be described in detail below. Alternatively or additionally, the stop structure 1114 can also be provided on the window frame 1112.

[0067] In the actual use scenario of the lidar, the front housing 12 may undergo a certain amount of deformation. For example, when the lidar is installed on a vehicle, the front housing 12 may be deformed due to the air pressure during the movement of the vehicle, or the front housing 12 may be deformed due to the influence of the ambient temperature. Excessive deformation of the front housing 12 may affect the performance of the lidar. For example, excessive deformation of the first light-transmitting area 121 in the front housing 12 may affect the direction of the detection light and the echo, or cause unexpected optical distortion, and it will also reduce the service life of the front housing 12. The stop structure 1114 can form a support pad on the inner surface side of the front housing 12. When the front housing 12 is deformed and the amount of deformation of the front housing 12 increases to make the inner surface of the front housing 12 abut against the stop structure 1114, the stop structure 1114 can prevent the amount of deformation of the front housing 12 from further increasing. The stop structure 1114 can play a role in limiting the further expansion of the deformation of the front housing 12.

[0068] In this embodiment, there is a gap between the front housing 12 and the stop structure 1114. For example, the gap between the front housing 12 and the stop structure 1114 is 0.1 - 0.5 mm, such as 0.2 mm or 0.3 mm. The gap between the front housing 12 and the stop structure 1114 can be determined according to processing precision requirements, or factors such as the material and deformation amount of the front housing 12.

[0069] When the front housing 12 deforms due to force or external environment changes, internal interacting stresses will be generated in the front housing 12 to resist the external factors causing the deformation of the front housing 12. In some embodiments, when the front housing 12 is not deformed, the inner surface of the front housing 12 and the front end face 111 do not abut against each other, and the gap between the front housing 12 and the stop structure 1114 can absorb the deformation of the front housing 12. When the front housing 12 deforms, the gap between the front housing 12 and the stop structure 1114 allows a certain amount of deformation of the front housing 12, which can prevent excessive stress concentration inside the front housing 12 and affect the service life of the front housing 12.

[0070] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the front end face 111 of the rear housing 11 and the front housing 12 are adhesively connected. For example, a glue injection groove 1115 is provided at the circumferential edge of at least one of the window frame 1112 and the extension part 1113, and the front housing 12 can be adhesively connected to the rear housing 11 at the position of the glue injection groove 1115. As Figure 2A and Figure 2B shown, glue injection grooves 1115 can be provided at the circumferential edges of the extension part 1113 to improve the bonding strength between the front housing 12 and the rear housing 11.

[0071] In some embodiments, the front housing 12 and the window frame 1112 are adhesively connected. For example, glue injection grooves 1115 are provided at the circumferential edges of the window frame 1112, which not only helps to define the position of the front housing 12, but also can use the adhesive to seal the connection position between the front housing 12 and the window frame 1112, reducing the influence of the environment on the lidar.

[0072] As Figure 3A shown, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a positioning structure 122 can be provided on the inner surface of the front housing 12. As Figure 2A and Figure 2B shown, a mating structure 1116 that matches the positioning structure 122 can be provided on at least one of the window frame 1112 and the extension part 1113. The position of the positioning structure 122 corresponds to the position of the mating structure 1116. The alignment of the positioning structure 122 and the mating structure 1116 is beneficial for positioning between the rear housing 11 and the front housing 12, reducing the assembly difficulty of the housing 10 and improving the assembly accuracy. The positioning structure 122 is in the form of a boss, and correspondingly, the mating structure 1116 can be a recess or a hole. Vice versa.

[0073] In some embodiments, the inner surface of the front housing 12 may not be provided with a positioning structure 122. For example, the front housing 12 is configured to have a shape without protrusions or depressions, which is beneficial to simplifying the structure of the front housing 12. In the embodiments where the positioning structure 122 is not provided on the inner surface of the front housing 12, the positioning between the front housing 12 and the rear housing 11 can be achieved by other means. For example, a clamping device is used to fix the rear housing 11 and the front housing 12 and perform positioning and assembly.

[0074] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the front housing 12 can be integrally formed. For example, the front housing 12 is made of an organic polymer material, such as polycarbonate (PC) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The light transmission capabilities at different positions of the front housing 12 can be set to be the same, or can be made to have different light transmission capabilities at different positions of the front housing 12 through film coating or surface treatment. For example, the first light-transmitting region 121 can be set to allow light within a first wavelength range to pass through. For example, it has a relatively high light transmittance for the light of the working wavelength of the lidar and a relatively low light transmittance for the light outside the working wavelength range of the lidar. Optionally, other regions of the front housing 12 (regions outside the first light-transmitting region 121 on the front housing 12) can have a relatively low light transmittance for the light of the working wavelength of the lidar. For example, the first light-transmitting region 121 can also filter ambient light, such as reducing the transmittance of visible light. The influence of ambient light on the detection accuracy of the lidar can be reduced. Optionally, other regions of the front housing 12 can be set to allow light within a second wavelength range to pass through. The second wavelength range can be different from the first wavelength range. The second wavelength range is, for example, the visible light band, the millimeter wave band, the infrared light band, etc.

[0075] In some embodiments, the front housing 12 has curvatures in a first direction and a second direction. The front housing having curvatures in the first direction and the second direction means that the front housing 12 can be bent in different directions. For example Figure 1 the dotted lines shown in [FIGURE] respectively represent the first direction and the second direction. Two mutually perpendicular directions can be selected in the plane of the origin as the first direction and the second direction with the center of the shape of the front housing 12 as the origin. The curvatures of the front housing 12 in the first direction and the second direction can be optimized according to actual applications. For example, the curvature at the position of the first light-transmitting region 121 in the front housing 12 can be set to match the performance requirements of the lidar. The curvatures of the front housing 12 in the first direction and the second direction can be uniform or can vary in the corresponding directions.

[0076] The curvature of the front housing 12 in the first direction and the second direction can also be set according to the shape of the bearing structure for installing the lidar or the usage requirements. For example, when the lidar is installed on a vehicle, the curvature of the front housing 12 in the first direction and the second direction can be set to match the appearance shape of the vehicle or to reduce the air resistance during the movement of the vehicle. As Figure 1 shown, in some embodiments, the width of the extension portion 1113 in the first direction can be set to gradually decrease along the direction away from the window frame 1112. For example, the shape of the extension portion 1113 is generally triangular. This can not only improve the structural strength of the extension portion 1113, but also facilitate optimizing the shape of the housing 10 so that the position near the edge of the housing 10 gradually approaches the bearing structure for installing the lidar. In some embodiments, the shape of the front housing 12 is set to be substantially the same as the shape of the front end face 111.

[0077] As Figure 3B shown, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the front housing 12 further includes a second light-transmitting area 123, and the position of the second light-transmitting area 123 corresponds to that of the extension portion 1113. The second light-transmitting area 123 is located outside the corresponding range of the light-transmitting area 1111, for example, on one or both sides of the first light-transmitting area 121. In some embodiments, a second accommodating space can be provided at the position corresponding to the second light-transmitting area 123 (for example, inside the front housing 12 at the position corresponding to the second light-transmitting area 123). Other sensors can be accommodated in the second accommodating space. The second light-transmitting area 123 can be set to cooperate with other sensors in the second accommodating space. The sensors in the second accommodating space can be visible light sensors, infrared sensors, ultrasonic sensors, millimeter wave sensors, etc. In some embodiments, the sensor in the second accommodating space can be a lidar.

[0078] For example, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the first light-transmitting area 121 can allow light of a first wavelength band to pass through, where the first wavelength band is, for example, the wavelength band of the detection light emitted by the lidar. The second light-transmitting area 123 can allow light of a second wavelength band to pass through. The second wavelength band can be selected according to the sensor corresponding to the second light-transmitting area 123. For example, if the sensor corresponding to the second light-transmitting area 123 is an image sensor, the second wavelength band can be the visible light wavelength band; if the sensor corresponding to the second light-transmitting area 123 is an infrared sensor, the second wavelength band can be the infrared wavelength band. In other embodiments, the first wavelength band and the second wavelength band can also be set to be the same or similar. For example, another lidar can be provided at the position corresponding to the second light-transmitting area 123. The two lidars can correspond to different field of view ranges.

[0079] The present disclosure also relates to a lidar. Figure 4 shows the structure of the lidar 1 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Below, in conjunction with Figure 4Describe the lidar 1.

[0080] The lidar 1 includes a housing 10, an optomechanical component 20, and a circuit board 30 as in the foregoing embodiments. The housing 10 includes a rear housing 11 and a front housing 12. The rear housing 11 and the front housing 12 are connected to form a first accommodation space 13, and the optomechanical component 20 is disposed inside the first accommodation space 13. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, as Figure 4 shown, the rear housing 11 includes an upper housing 112 and a lower housing 113. The upper housing 112 and the lower housing 113 are snap-fitted to each other, and the front end face 111 may be provided on the upper housing 112 or the lower housing 113.

[0081] A transmitter and a detector (not shown in the figure) may be provided on the circuit board 30. The circuit board 30 can drive the transmitter to emit detection light, and the circuit board 30 can receive the electrical signal output by the detector. The detector receives the echo generated after the detection light is reflected by an object and converts the echo into an electrical signal. The circuit board 30 receives the electrical signal output by the detector and determines the sensing data of the lidar 1 according to the electrical signal. The sensing data of the lidar 1 includes distance information and / or reflectivity information of the object reflecting the detection light. For example, the distance of the object relative to the lidar 1 and the reflectivity of the object are calculated based on the flight time of the detection light and the echo. The laser includes, for example, a semiconductor laser, a fiber laser, or other types of lasers. The semiconductor laser includes, for example, a laser emission circuit, a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL), an edge emitting laser (EEL), a distributed feedback laser (DFB), or a similar device. The above are only examples, and the embodiments of the present disclosure do not limit the type of the laser. The detector includes, for example: a photoelectric detection circuit, a p-i-n photo diode (PINPD), an avalanche photo diode (APD), a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD), a Silicon photomultiplier (SiPM), or a similar device. The above are only examples, and the embodiments of the present disclosure do not limit the type of the detector.

[0082] In this embodiment, the optomechanical component 20 includes a transmitting lens and a receiving lens (not shown in the figure). The transmitting lens may be disposed downstream of the optical path of the transmitter to shape the detection light emitted by the transmitter, for example, collimate it. The receiving lens is disposed upstream of the detector to shape the echo, for example, converge the echo onto the detector.

[0083] The present disclosure also relates to a sensor assembly. Figure 5 The structure of the sensor assembly 2 in some embodiments according to the present disclosure is shown. The sensor assembly 2 includes a first sensor 21 and a second sensor 22. The first sensor 21 may include the lidar 1 as in the foregoing embodiments. The second sensor 22 may include an image acquisition device, such as a visible light sensor, an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a millimeter wave sensor, etc.

[0084] In some embodiments, the position of the image acquisition device in the second sensor 22 corresponds to the position of the extension portion 1113. For example, it is disposed on the side of the extension portion 1113 away from the front housing 12. The image acquisition device can acquire image information of the external environment of the sensor assembly. For example, external ambient light can pass through the region in the front housing 12 corresponding to the position of the extension portion 1113 (such as the second light-transmitting region 123 in the foregoing embodiments), and as Figure 5 shown, the extension portion 1113 can be provided as a hollow light-transmitting structure to enable ambient light to be incident on the image acquisition device. In some embodiments, the image acquisition device can be disposed at the corresponding position of the extension portion 1113 on one side or both sides of the window frame 1112. The second sensor may include a plurality of image acquisition devices, for example, to implement different functions or correspond to different fields of view.

[0085] The present disclosure also relates to a vehicle 3. The vehicle 3 includes a main body structure 31 and a lidar 1. Figure 6A and Figure 6B shows a part of the main body structure 31 in the vehicle 3 and the lidar 1 (a part of the structure of the lidar 1 is blocked by the main body structure 31, Figure 6A and Figure 6B only the front housing 12 of the lidar 1 is shown), and the vehicle 3 will be described below in conjunction with Figure 6A and Figure 6B

[0086] In this embodiment, the vehicle 3 may be a transportation vehicle or a transport vehicle for transporting people or goods. For example, it may be a vehicle controlled by a driver or automatically controlled, or a drone, a robot, a floor sweeper, a lawn mower, etc. The lidar 1 can be used as one of the sensors of the vehicle 3 to acquire environmental information outside the vehicle 3.

[0087] The main body structure 31 may be the frame or a part of the frame of the vehicle 3. As Figure 6A and Figure 6B ​As shown, the top surface of the main body structure 31 has a detection window 311. For example, the detection window 311 includes a through hole or a counterbore formed on the top surface of the main body structure 31. For example, if the vehicle 3 is a car, the main body structure 31 can be a body structure or a part of the body structure. The top surface of the main body structure 31 can be the top surface of the body structure, such as the outer side of the roof of the vehicle, or the main body structure 31 represents a part of the body structure, such as the part corresponding to the roof in the body structure, such as Figure 6A and Figure 6B the generally sheet-like structure shown in

[0088] The lidar 1 is disposed on the top surface of the main body structure 31, and the lidar 1 can detect the external environment of the vehicle 3 through the detection window 311. For example, the detection window 311 in the main body structure 31 is a through hole, and the lidar 1 is disposed on the side of the main body structure 31 facing the inside of the vehicle 3. The detection light emitted by the lidar 1 can pass through the detection window 311, irradiate an object outside the vehicle 3 and be reflected, and the echo generated by the reflection passes through the detection window 311 and is received by the lidar 1.

[0089] The lidar 1 in this embodiment includes a housing, and the housing includes a rear housing and a front housing. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the lidar 1 can be the lidar 1 in the foregoing embodiments, or the housing can be the housing 10 in the foregoing embodiments.

[0090] In some embodiments, the housing 10 is as Figure 1 shown. The rear housing 11 includes a front end face 111, and the front end face 111 includes a light-passing area 1111. The front housing 12 includes a first light-transmitting area 121, and the position of the first light-transmitting area 121 corresponds to the position of the light-passing area 1111. The detection light emitted by the lidar 1 and the echo generated by the reflection of the detection light can be configured to pass through the light-passing area 1111 and the first light-transmitting area 121.

[0091] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the front shell 12 is arranged such that its circumferential edge is conformal with the top surface of the main body structure 31. "Conformal" may mean that the outer surface of the front shell 12 and the contour of the top surface of the main body structure 31 have substantially the same or matching shapes, or form a part of the contour of the top surface of the main body structure 31, or the outer surface of the front shell 12 and the contour of the top surface of the main body structure 31 together form a streamlined design. When viewed from the outside, the lidar 1 is basically integrated into the top surface contour of the main body structure 31 without protruding externally. In this way, the visual effect during lidar installation can be improved. In some embodiments, the upper edge of the front shell 12 is arranged to be flush with the upper edge of the detection window 311, and the lower edge of the front shell 12 is arranged to be close to the lower edge of the detection window 311. For example, the lower edge of the front shell 12 is aligned with the lower edge of the detection window 311, or extends from the lower edge of the detection window 311 into the interior of the main body structure 31. In this embodiment, the shape of the front shell 12 is generally arranged to enclose the through hole or counterbore corresponding to the detection window 311. The front shell 12 can be a part of the outer contour of the vehicle 3. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the shape of the front shell 12 can also be arranged to be conformal with the shape of the main body structure 31 to maintain the consistency of the appearance. The shape of the front shell 12 can also be optimized. For example, the shape of the front shell 12 can be arranged to reduce the air resistance during the movement of the vehicle 3.

[0092] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the front shell 12 is generally arranged in a shape that gradually tapers at both ends. The two ends of the upper edge of the front shell 12 are bent or folded close to the top surface of the main body structure 31 and finally extend to the top surface of the main body structure 31. The front shell 12 and the top surface of the main body structure 31 are smoothly connected. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the angle ([ Figure 6A the angle shown by the dotted line in the figure) between the bent or folded part of the upper edge of the front shell 12 and the top surface of the main body structure 31 is set to be not less than 120°.

[0093] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the top surface of the main body structure 31 further includes an outer cover 312, and the outer cover 312 is arranged above the rear shell 11. As Figure 6A and Figure 6B shown, in this embodiment, the outer cover 312 constitutes at least a part of the upper edge of the detection window 311. For example, the outer cover 312 is buckled above the rear shell 11, and the edge of the outer cover 312 close to the front shell 12 constitutes at least a part of the upper edge of the detection window 311.

[0094] The curvature of the side of the front shell 12 close to the outer cover 312 is set to be substantially equal to the curvature of the side of the outer cover 312 close to the front shell 12, so as to form a substantially smooth shape between the front shell 12 and the outer cover 312. It is possible to prevent the front shell 12 or the outer cover 312 from having a protruding end face, reduce the influence of external forces on the end faces of the front shell 12 and the outer cover 312, and is beneficial to improving the structural stability.

[0095] As shown Figure 7 in, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the outer cover 312 and the rear housing 11 are snap-fitted and fixed. There may be a gap between the front housing 12 and the outer cover 312, and a groove 114 is provided at a position corresponding to the gap in the rear housing 11. In this embodiment, the outer cover 312 and the front housing 12 are spaced apart from each other, and the size of the gap is, for example, 0.5-5 mm, such as 1 mm, 1.5 mm, 2 mm, etc. It is possible to avoid extrusion between the end faces of the outer cover 312 and the front housing 12, prevent the influence of the external environment, and cause large deformation of the front housing 12. For example, since the thermal expansion coefficients of the outer cover 312 and the front housing 12 are different, the gap between the front housing 12 and the outer cover 312 can be used as a reserved space for expansion and contraction, reducing the probability of extrusion bulges between the front housing and the outer cover.

[0096] In this embodiment, the outer cover 312 is located on the top surface of the main body structure 31, and a groove 114 may be provided in the rear housing 11, and the position of the groove 114 corresponds to the gap between the outer cover 312 and the front housing 12. Debris, rainwater, etc. entering through the gap between the outer cover 312 and the front housing 12 can be discharged or cleaned through the groove 114, preventing the accumulation of debris from causing structural damage.

[0097] In some embodiments, as Figure 1 shown Figure 2A and Figure 2B in, the rear housing 11 further includes an upper end surface 115, and a mounting portion 116 is provided on the upper end surface 115. The mounting portion 116 is configured to be connected to the vehicle 3. The mounting portion 116 may be, for example, a threaded hole, a snap, a welding block, etc. The lidar 1 can be connected to the main body structure 31 through the mounting portion 116, and the position of the front housing 12 and the position of the detection window 311 are kept fixed.

[0098] Finally, it should be noted that the above are only embodiments of the present disclosure and are not used to limit the present disclosure. Although the present disclosure has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, for those skilled in the art, they can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or perform equivalent replacements for some of the technical features. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present disclosure shall be included in the protection scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A housing of a lidar, characterized in that, Comprising: A rear shell and a front shell; The rear shell is connected to the front shell to form a first accommodation space; The emitter and detector of the lidar are disposed within the first accommodation space; The rear shell includes a front end face, the front end face including a light-transmitting area, a window frame, and an extension portion; the detection light emitted by the emitter is emitted into the environment via the light-transmitting area, and the detection light generates an echo after being reflected by an object in the environment, and the echo is incident on the detector via the light-transmitting area; The shape of the window frame matches the shape of the light-transmitting area; The extension portion is disposed on one or both sides of the window frame, and the extension portion is connected to the front shell and is configured to provide support to the front shell; The front shell includes a first light-transmitting area, and the position of the first light-transmitting area corresponds to the position of the light-transmitting area.

2. The housing according to claim 1, wherein, At least one of the window frame and the extension portion is provided with a stop structure, and there is a gap between the inner surface of the front shell and the stop structure, and the stop structure is configured to limit the inward deformation of the front shell.

3. The housing according to claim 2, characterized in that, The gap between the inner surface of the front shell and the stop structure is 0.1 - 0.5 mm.

4. The housing according to claim 1, wherein At least one of the circumferential edges of the window frame and the extension portion is provided with a glue injection groove, and the front shell is adhesively connected to the rear shell at the position of the glue injection groove.

5. The housing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front shell is adhesively connected to the window frame.

6. The housing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner surface of the front shell is provided with a positioning structure, and at least one of the window frame and the extension portion is provided with a mating structure that mates with the positioning structure, and the positions of the positioning structure and the mating structure correspond.

7. The housing according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The front shell is integrally formed, and the front shell has a curvature in a first direction and a second direction.

8. The housing according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The front shell includes a second light-transmitting area, and the position of the second light-transmitting area corresponds to the position of the extension portion.

9. The housing according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first light-transmitting area is configured to allow light of a first wavelength band to pass through, and the second light-transmitting area is configured to allow light of a second wavelength band to pass through.

10. The housing according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The width of the extension portion gradually decreases in a direction away from the window frame.

11. A lidar, characterized in that, Comprising: The housing, optomechanical assembly, and circuit board according to any one of claims 1 - 10; The optomechanical assembly is disposed within the first accommodation space, and the optomechanical assembly includes a transmitting lens and a receiving lens, The circuit board is provided with an emitter and a detector, and the circuit board is configured to drive the emitter to emit detection light and receive the electrical signal output by the detector, and determine the sensing data of the lidar according to the electrical signal, and the sensing data includes the distance information of the object.

12. A sensor component, characterized in that, Comprising: A first sensor and a second sensor; The first sensor includes the lidar according to claim 11; The second sensor includes an image acquisition device.

13. The sensor assembly according to claim 12, wherein The position of the image acquisition device corresponds to the position of the extension portion, and the image acquisition device is configured to acquire image information of the external environment of the sensor assembly.

14. A vehicle, characterized in that, Comprising: A main body structure and a lidar; The top surface of the main body structure has a detection window; The lidar is disposed on the top surface of the main body structure, and the lidar is configured to be able to detect the external environment of the vehicle through the detection window. The lidar includes a housing, and the housing includes a rear housing and a front housing; The rear housing includes a front end face, and the front end face includes a light-transmitting area; The front housing includes a first light-transmitting area, and the position of the first light-transmitting area corresponds to that of the light-transmitting area; the front housing is configured such that the circumferential edge conforms to the top surface of the main body structure.

15. The vehicle according to claim 14, characterized in that, The upper edge of the front housing is flush with the upper edge of the detection window, and the lower edge of the front housing is close to the lower edge of the detection window.

16. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein, The top surface of the main body structure includes a cover, and the cover is disposed above the rear housing. The cover constitutes at least a part of the upper edge of the detection window; the curvature of the side of the front housing close to the cover is substantially equal to the curvature of the side of the cover close to the front housing.

17. The vehicle according to claim 16, characterized in that, The cover and the rear housing are snap-fitted and fixed, and there is a gap between the front housing and the cover; a groove is provided at a position of the rear housing corresponding to the gap.

18. The vehicle according to any one of claims 14-17, characterized in that Both ends of the upper edge of the front housing are bent or folded towards the top surface of the main body structure, and the angle between the bent or folded part of the upper edge of the front housing and the top surface of the main body structure is not less than 120°.

19. The vehicle according to any one of claims 14-17, characterized in that, The rear housing includes an upper end face, and a mounting portion is provided on the upper end face. The mounting portion is configured to be connected to the vehicle.

20. The vehicle according to any one of claims 14-17, characterized in that, The lidar includes the lidar according to claim 11.

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