Support and cleaning system for laser radar

Abstract

The utility model provides a support for a laser radar and a cleaning system, and relates to the technical field of laser radar ranging. The support for the laser radar comprises a support body and a nozzle. The support body is provided with a containing cavity used for containing the laser radar. The nozzle is arranged on the support body and faces the containing cavity, and a window of the laser radar is located in a spraying area of the nozzle. And if dirty marks appear on the window of the laser radar, the nozzle sprays cleaning liquid to wash the window of the laser radar, the dirty marks on the window are removed, and normal operation of the laser radar is guaranteed. Therefore, the bracket for the laser radar can realize automatic cleaning of the window of the laser radar, manual operation is not needed, the cleaning is more timely, the cleaning difficulty is lower, the cost can be saved, and the reliability is high.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of lidar ranging technology, and in particular to a bracket and cleaning system for lidar. Background Technology

[0002] Over long-term use, outdoor LiDAR systems often accumulate dust and dirt on their viewing windows. Insects may also die on the windows, leaving stains. Thin stains can cause light to refract, leading to errors in signal reception and consequently, incorrect LiDAR scans. Thick stains prevent light from passing through the window, preventing the transmitted signal from reaching the sensing area and causing the LiDAR to malfunction.

[0003] To prevent dirt residue on the viewing window from severely affecting transmitted and received signals, the common practice is to manually clean the window periodically. However, for lidar systems installed at distant or high locations, cleaning personnel are not easily accessible, making timely cleaning difficult, costly, and unreliable. Utility Model Content

[0004] In order to solve the problems existing in the prior art, one of the objectives of this utility model is to provide a bracket for lidar.

[0005] This utility model provides the following technical solution:

[0006] A bracket for a lidar system includes:

[0007] The support body has a housing cavity for housing the lidar; and

[0008] A nozzle is disposed on the bracket body, the nozzle is oriented toward the receiving cavity, and the viewing window of the lidar is located within the spray area of ​​the nozzle.

[0009] As a further alternative to the bracket for the lidar, the accommodating cavity is provided with an inclined mounting surface, the side of the mounting surface near the opening of the accommodating cavity being lower than the other side of the mounting surface away from the opening of the accommodating cavity, the mounting surface being used to mount the lidar.

[0010] As a further alternative to the bracket for the lidar, the nozzles are provided in a plurality of locations, which are evenly arranged along a first direction parallel to the length direction of the viewing window.

[0011] As a further alternative to the bracket for the lidar, the bracket body is provided with a buckle, and the nozzle engages with the buckle.

[0012] As a further alternative to the bracket for the lidar, the buckle is provided with a mounting hole, the nozzle passes through the mounting hole, and the nozzle is provided with a supporting part and an elastic locking part, the supporting part and the elastic locking part respectively abutting against both sides of the buckle.

[0013] As a further alternative to the bracket for the lidar, the mounting hole has a positioning groove in its wall, and the nozzle has a positioning part that is embedded in the positioning groove.

[0014] Another objective of this invention is to provide a cleaning system.

[0015] This utility model provides the following technical solution:

[0016] A cleaning system includes a liquid supply assembly and the aforementioned bracket for lidar, the liquid supply assembly being connected to the nozzle and used to supply cleaning fluid to the nozzle.

[0017] As a further optional embodiment of the cleaning system, the liquid supply assembly includes a liquid storage container, a liquid delivery line, and a pump. The liquid storage container is used to store cleaning liquid, and the liquid storage container is connected to the nozzle through the liquid delivery line. The pump is located in the liquid delivery line.

[0018] As a further optional feature of the cleaning system, a protective cover is provided on the support body, which covers the nozzle and the infusion pipeline.

[0019] The embodiments of this utility model have the following beneficial effects:

[0020] When using the aforementioned bracket for LiDAR, the LiDAR is housed within the receiving cavity of the bracket body. If the LiDAR's viewing window becomes dirty, cleaning fluid is sprayed from the nozzle. Since the nozzle is oriented towards the receiving cavity and the LiDAR's viewing window is located within the spray area of ​​the nozzle, the cleaning fluid sprayed from the nozzle can effectively rinse the LiDAR's viewing window, removing dirt and ensuring the normal operation of the LiDAR. Therefore, the aforementioned bracket for LiDAR enables automatic cleaning of the LiDAR's viewing window, eliminating the need for manual operation, providing more timely cleaning, reducing cleaning difficulty, saving costs, and offering high reliability.

[0021] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of this utility model more apparent and understandable, preferred embodiments are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this utility model and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 A front view of a bracket for a lidar provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0024] Figure 2 A rear view of a bracket for a lidar provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0025] Figure 3 A left view of a bracket for a lidar provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0026] Figure 4 The image shows a right view of a bracket for a lidar provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 5 A top view of a bracket for a lidar provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0028] Figure 6 A bottom view of a bracket for a lidar provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0029] Figure 7 A perspective view of a bracket for a lidar provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0030] Figure 8 This illustration shows a perspective view of a bracket for a lidar provided in an embodiment of the present invention from another angle.

[0031] Figure 9 This illustration shows a structural diagram of the support body and nozzle in a support for lidar provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 10 This illustration shows a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the support body and nozzle in a support for lidar provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 11 This diagram illustrates the connection relationship between the nozzle and the buckle in a bracket for a lidar according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 12 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of a cleaning system provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0035] Explanation of key component symbols:

[0036] 10-Lidar; 11-Viewing window; 100-Bracket body; 110-Accommodation cavity; 120-Protective cover; 130-Snap-on; 131-Mounting hole; 132-Positioning groove; 200-Nozzle; 210-Supporting part; 220-Elastic snap-fit ​​part; 230-Positioning part; 300-Liquid supply assembly; 310-Liquid storage container; 320-Liquid delivery line; 330-Pump; X-First direction. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The embodiments of this utility model are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this utility model, and should not be construed as limiting this utility model.

[0038] It should be noted that when an element is said to be "fixed" to another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is said to be "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. Conversely, when an element is said to be "directly" on another element, there is no intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this document are for illustrative purposes only.

[0039] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0040] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this utility model, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0041] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein in the template description is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0042] Example

[0043] Please refer to the following: Figures 1 to 8 This embodiment provides a bracket (hereinafter referred to as "bracket") for a lidar system, which is particularly suitable for lidar systems 10 installed at remote or high locations outdoors (such as highways, railways, and airports), and is also suitable for lidar systems 10 mounted on vehicles. The bracket includes a bracket body 100 and a nozzle 200.

[0044] Please combine Figure 9 The bracket body 100 has a receiving cavity 110 for accommodating the lidar 10.

[0045] In use, the lidar 10 is housed in the housing cavity 110, with the viewing window 11 of the lidar 10 facing the opening of the housing cavity 110, and emits and receives lasers through the opening of the housing cavity 110.

[0046] In addition, the nozzle 200 is disposed on the support body 100. The nozzle 200 is disposed toward the receiving cavity 110, and the viewing window 11 of the lidar 10 is located within the spray area of ​​the nozzle 200.

[0047] If the window 11 of the lidar 10 becomes dirty, the nozzle 200 sprays cleaning fluid. Since the nozzle 200 is positioned towards the receiving cavity 110 and the window 11 of the lidar 10 is located within the spray area of ​​the nozzle 200, the cleaning fluid sprayed from the nozzle 200 can rinse the window 11 of the lidar 10, remove the dirt from the window 11, and ensure the normal operation of the lidar 10.

[0048] Therefore, the bracket used for the lidar 10 described above can automatically clean the window 11 of the lidar 10 without manual operation, which is more timely, easier to clean, saves costs, and has high reliability.

[0049] Furthermore, the laser emitting module in the lidar 10 generates a significant amount of heat when producing laser pulses. Since lidar 10 typically employs a dustproof design to prevent dust contamination, heat dissipation is difficult, resulting in the lidar 10's temperature reaching 70-80℃ under outdoor conditions. At this point, periodically spraying cleaning fluid through nozzle 200 onto the viewing window 11 and parts of the lidar 10's outer casing absorbs the heat from the lidar 10, lowering its operating temperature and promoting its normal operation. During this process, the cleaning fluid remaining on the viewing window 11 evaporates rapidly due to heat absorption, without affecting the transmitted or received signals.

[0050] Understandably, the window 11 of the lidar 10 is waterproofed, so that cleaning fluid will not penetrate into the interior of the lidar 10 when sprayed onto the window 11.

[0051] Furthermore, an inclined mounting surface is provided inside the accommodating cavity 110. The side of the mounting surface near the opening of the accommodating cavity 110 is lower than the other side of the mounting surface away from the opening of the accommodating cavity 110. The mounting surface is used to mount the lidar 10.

[0052] After the lidar 10 is installed on the mounting surface, the end of the lidar 10 with the viewing window 11 is tilted downwards at a certain angle. When cleaning fluid is sprayed onto this end of the lidar 10, the cleaning fluid slides down the surface of the lidar 10 under the action of gravity, and will not flow to the wiring part at the other end of the lidar 10 and cause a short circuit.

[0053] Please see Figure 9 In some embodiments, multiple nozzles 200 are provided, and the multiple nozzles 200 are evenly arranged along the first direction X. The viewing window 11 is rectangular, and the first direction X is parallel to the length direction of the viewing window 11.

[0054] Using multiple evenly arranged nozzles 200 to clean the viewing window 11 ensures that the spraying area of ​​the nozzles 200 covers the entire viewing window 11, while ensuring that the cleaning liquid sprayed by the nozzles 200 is evenly distributed within the viewing window 11, thus guaranteeing the cleaning effect.

[0055] For example, three nozzles 200 are provided, and the three nozzles 200 are arranged laterally, with the first direction X being the horizontal direction.

[0056] Please refer to the following: Figure 10 and Figure 11 In some embodiments, the bracket body 100 is provided with a buckle 130, and the nozzle 200 is engaged with the buckle 130.

[0057] In use, staff can quickly install the nozzle 200 onto the bracket body 100 using the clip 130, or quickly remove the nozzle 200 for inspection or replacement.

[0058] Specifically, the buckle 130 is provided with a mounting hole 131. The nozzle 200 passes through the mounting hole 131 and is provided with a supporting part 210 and an elastic locking part 220, and the supporting part 210 and the elastic locking part 220 respectively support the two sides of the buckle 130.

[0059] During installation, the operator positions the nozzle 200 with the elastic locking portion 220 facing the buckle 130, and then inserts the nozzle 200 into the mounting hole 131 until the supporting portion 210 abuts against one side of the buckle 130. During this process, the elastic locking portion 220 undergoes elastic deformation, allowing it to pass smoothly through the mounting hole 131, and then returns to its original shape after passing through the mounting hole 131, abutting against the other side of the buckle 130. With the combined action of the supporting portion 210 and the elastic locking portion 220, the nozzle 200 is securely engaged with the buckle 130.

[0060] Conversely, if the operator presses the elastic locking part 220, causing the elastic locking part 220 to deform elastically again, the nozzle 200 can be removed from the mounting hole 131 in the reverse direction.

[0061] For example, the elastic locking portions 220 are provided in pairs and are made of elastic materials such as rubber or polyurethane. The elastic locking portions 220 are inclined relative to the axis of the nozzle 200. The end of the elastic locking portion 220 away from the abutment portion 210 is connected to the nozzle 200, and the end of the elastic locking portion 220 near the abutment portion 210 maintains a certain distance from the nozzle 200 in its natural state.

[0062] Furthermore, the mounting hole 131 has a positioning groove 132 on its wall. Correspondingly, the nozzle 200 has a positioning part 230, which is embedded in the positioning groove 132.

[0063] When the nozzle 200 is inserted into the mounting hole 131, the positioning part 230 is embedded in the positioning groove 132, which can position the nozzle 200 along the circumference of the mounting hole 131 and prevent the nozzle 200 from rotating.

[0064] For example, two positioning grooves 132 are provided, and the two positioning grooves 132 are symmetrical about the axis of the mounting hole 131. At the same time, positioning parts 230 are provided in pairs on the nozzle 200, and are respectively embedded in the corresponding positioning grooves 132.

[0065] When using the above-mentioned bracket, the lidar 10 is housed in the receiving cavity 110 of the bracket body 100. If the window 11 of the lidar 10 becomes dirty, the nozzle 200 sprays cleaning fluid to rinse the window 11 of the lidar 10, remove the dirt from the window 11, and ensure the normal operation of the lidar 10.

[0066] Therefore, the aforementioned bracket enables automatic cleaning of the viewing window 11 of the LiDAR 10, allowing for immediate removal of dirt and debris from highways, railways, airports, and vehicles, preventing accidents and misjudgments caused by uncleaned dirt. Furthermore, the bracket eliminates the need for manual operation, making it particularly suitable for situations where the LiDAR 10 is installed in inaccessible locations or at high elevations, simplifying cleaning and saving labor costs. Finally, compared to manual cleaning, the bracket automatically activates, detects, and cleans the viewing window 11, ensuring greater safety and reliability.

[0067] Please see Figure 12 This embodiment also provides a cleaning system, including a liquid supply assembly 300 and the aforementioned bracket.

[0068] The liquid supply assembly 300 is connected to the nozzle 200 and is used to supply cleaning fluid to the nozzle 200, and the cleaning fluid is further sprayed out from the nozzle 200.

[0069] In some embodiments, the liquid supply assembly 300 includes a liquid storage container 310, a liquid delivery line 320, and a pump 330.

[0070] The liquid storage container 310 is used to store the cleaning solution. The liquid storage container 310 is connected to the nozzle 200 through the liquid delivery line 320, and the pump 330 is installed on the liquid delivery line 320.

[0071] In use, pump 330 pressurizes and delivers the cleaning fluid in storage container 310 to nozzle 200 through infusion line 320, and nozzle 200 further increases the flow rate of the cleaning fluid. The cleaning fluid is sprayed out in a fan shape to rinse the viewing window 11 of lidar 10 and remove dirt from the viewing window 11.

[0072] Understandably, for a lidar 10 installed at a distant or high outdoor location, the liquid storage container 310 and the pump 330 can be installed indoors, and a sufficiently long infusion pipeline 320 can be laid to connect the liquid storage container 310 to the nozzle 200, so that staff can replenish the cleaning fluid into the liquid storage container 310 and perform inspection and maintenance on the pump 330.

[0073] Furthermore, a protective cover 120 is provided on the support body 100. The protective cover 120 covers the nozzle 200 and the infusion line 320, protecting the nozzle 200 and the exposed infusion line 320, so that the nozzle 200 and the infusion line 320 are not prone to aging, corrosion or impact damage during long-term use, thus extending the service life of the nozzle 200 and the infusion line 320.

[0074] In all examples shown and described herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations; therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0075] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0076] The embodiments described above are merely examples of several implementations of this utility model, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of this utility model. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this utility model, and these modifications and improvements all fall within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A bracket for a lidar system, characterized in that, include: The support body has a housing cavity for housing the lidar; and A nozzle is disposed on the bracket body, the nozzle is oriented toward the receiving cavity, and the viewing window of the lidar is located within the spray area of ​​the nozzle.

2. The bracket for lidar according to claim 1, characterized in that, An inclined mounting surface is provided inside the accommodating cavity. The side of the mounting surface near the opening of the accommodating cavity is lower than the other side of the mounting surface away from the opening of the accommodating cavity. The mounting surface is used to mount the lidar.

3. The bracket for lidar according to claim 1, characterized in that, The nozzle is provided in multiple ways, and the multiple nozzles are evenly arranged along a first direction, which is parallel to the length direction of the viewing window.

4. The bracket for lidar according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that, The bracket body is provided with a buckle, and the nozzle is engaged with the buckle.

5. The bracket for lidar according to claim 4, characterized in that, The buckle is provided with an installation hole, the nozzle passes through the installation hole, and the nozzle is provided with a supporting part and an elastic locking part, the supporting part and the elastic locking part respectively supporting the two sides of the buckle.

6. The bracket for lidar according to claim 5, characterized in that, The mounting hole has a positioning groove in its wall, and the nozzle has a positioning part that is embedded in the positioning groove.

7. A cleaning system, characterized in that, The device includes a liquid supply assembly and a bracket for lidar according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein the liquid supply assembly is connected to the nozzle and is used to supply cleaning fluid to the nozzle.

8. The cleaning system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The liquid supply assembly includes a liquid storage container, a liquid delivery line, and a pump. The liquid storage container is used to store cleaning liquid. The liquid storage container is connected to the nozzle through the liquid delivery line, and the pump is located in the liquid delivery line.

9. The cleaning system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The support body is provided with a protective cover, which covers the nozzle and the infusion pipeline.

Images