A rotating mirror motor, lidar, and mobile platform

Abstract

This utility model discloses a rotating mirror motor, a lidar, and a movable platform. The rotating mirror motor includes a motor stator, a motor rotor, a rotating mirror structure, a drive plate, and a motor base. The drive plate and the motor stator are both mounted on the motor base. The motor rotor rotates coaxially with the motor stator. The rotating mirror structure is connected to the motor rotor by riveting or is integrally formed with the motor rotor to rotate synchronously with it. This utility model's rotating mirror motor eliminates the need for screws and threaded holes in the connection between the rotating mirror structure and the motor rotor by riveting the rotating mirror structure to the motor rotor or by making the rotating mirror structure integrally formed with the motor rotor. This reduces the number of parts in the overall structure and improves assembly accuracy and reliability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of lidar technology, and in particular to a rotating mirror motor, lidar, and a mobile platform. Background Technology

[0002] As a core sensor for smart devices, the performance of the rotating mirror motor in LiDAR directly affects scanning accuracy, reliability, and cost. Current technical characteristics of LiDAR rotating mirror motors are as follows: 1. High-speed drive requirement: Traditional rotating mirror motors are generally designed with speeds of several thousand revolutions per minute (e.g., 3000-10000 RPM) to achieve high-frequency scanning, using high-speed rotation to drive the rotating mirror to complete laser reflection scanning. 2. High structural design complexity: The motor needs to be integrated with multiple components such as the rotating mirror, sensor module, and drive circuit. Typical structures include: a separate stator and base (assembled with screws), a rotor and rotating mirror bracket connected by fasteners (such as miniature screws), and independent optocoupler detection modules and drive boards assembled in modules. The industry's core requirements for rotating mirror motors are: miniaturization, low cost, high reliability, and low noise, to adapt to space- and environment-sensitive scenarios such as automotive and mobile robots.

[0003] Currently, the various performance requirements of rotating mirror motors have led to numerous design challenges. For example, the high-speed drive requirements of rotating mirror motors result in extremely stringent dynamic balance requirements: at speeds of several thousand revolutions per minute, even a slight mass eccentricity of the rotor can cause significant vibration (e.g., vibration acceleration > 5g), necessitating precise dynamic balancing adjustments (such as milling to remove weights and attaching counterweights), which are complex and costly. Furthermore, NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness) issues are prominent: high-speed rotation leads to aerodynamic noise (> 65dB) and bearing wear, affecting the applicability of LiDAR in quiet environments (such as indoor service robots) and shortening motor lifespan. Under the high-speed drive requirements, rotating mirror motors have low design redundancy: high-speed motors require high-strength materials (such as titanium alloy shafts) and high-precision bearings (such as ceramic bearings), increasing component costs and imposing strict requirements on the assembly environment (such as cleanliness and temperature). Simultaneously, the numerous components in each part of the motor make it easy for errors to accumulate during assembly or design, affecting scanning accuracy. Furthermore, the lack of modular design in existing rotating mirror motors leads to integration challenges. Utility Model Content

[0004] This utility model provides a rotating mirror motor, a lidar, and a movable platform to solve at least one of the problems of the rotating mirror motor in the prior art.

[0005] According to a first aspect of this utility model, a rotating mirror motor is provided, comprising a motor stator, a motor rotor, a rotating mirror structure, a drive plate, and a motor base.

[0006] Both the drive plate and the motor stator are mounted on the motor base. The motor rotor is coaxially rotatable with the motor stator. The rotating mirror structure is connected to the motor rotor by riveting or is integrally formed with the motor rotor so as to rotate synchronously with the motor rotor.

[0007] The rotating mirror motor of this utility model eliminates the need for screws and threaded holes when connecting the rotating mirror structure and the motor rotor by riveting the rotating mirror structure to the motor rotor or by making the rotating mirror structure integrally formed with the motor rotor. This reduces the number of parts in the overall structure and improves the assembly accuracy and reliability.

[0008] In some embodiments, a stator bracket is provided on the motor base, the motor stator is mounted and fixed on the stator bracket, the motor rotor is coaxially rotatably sleeved outside the motor stator, the motor shaft of the motor rotor passes through the stator bracket, and a bearing is provided between the motor shaft and the stator bracket.

[0009] Therefore, this configuration allows for the compression of the overall structure of the rotating mirror motor, reducing its size and improving its applicability.

[0010] In some embodiments, the rotating mirror structure is fitted over the outside of the motor rotor.

[0011] Therefore, this configuration can further reduce the overall structural dimensions of the rotating mirror motor, decrease its overall size, and improve its applicability.

[0012] In some embodiments, the stator support and the motor base are integrally formed.

[0013] Therefore, this design eliminates the need for screws and threaded holes when connecting the stator support to the motor base, thereby reducing the number of parts in the overall structure and improving assembly accuracy and reliability.

[0014] In some embodiments, the bearing includes a first bearing, the inner ring of which rotates synchronously with the motor shaft, and the outer ring which is fixed relative to the stator support. A preload assembly is provided on the side of the first bearing away from the motor rotor.

[0015] Therefore, by using this setup, the preload assembly can be used to preload the first bearing at a constant pressure, maintain the bearing preload force, and improve the reliability of the assembly.

[0016] In some embodiments, the preload assembly includes an elastic element sleeved on the outside of the motor shaft and a preload nut threaded onto the motor shaft, one end of the elastic element abutting against the first bearing and the other end abutting against the preload nut.

[0017] In some implementations, the rotation speed of the mirror motor is set to 150 RPM to 600 RPM.

[0018] Therefore, by using finer enameled wire with more turns, the overall rotational speed of the rotating mirror motor can be reduced. This decrease in motor speed reduces the difficulty of motor design, assembly processes (dynamic balancing), and motor NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness). Furthermore, the reduction in motor speed can be achieved by combining optics and algorithms while maintaining overall performance.

[0019] In some embodiments, the driver board is provided with an optocoupler, and the optocoupler is integrated with the driver board.

[0020] Thus, by setting it up in this way, the optocoupler and the driver board are integrated together and mounted on the motor base, realizing modular design and assembly, making each module structure compact, improving assembly accuracy, and facilitating the testing of each module and the assembly of the whole machine.

[0021] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a lidar is provided, which is provided with the rotating mirror motor described in the first aspect above.

[0022] According to a third aspect of the present invention, a mobile platform is provided, which is equipped with the lidar described in the second aspect above. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall assembly structure of the rotating mirror motor according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the rotating mirror motor in the overall assembly state according to one embodiment of the present utility model.

[0026] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the overall structure of the rotating mirror motor according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Motor stator; 2. Motor rotor; 21. Motor shaft; 22. Motor magnetic ring; 23. Grating; 3. Rotating mirror structure; 31. Rotating mirror bracket; 32. Rotating mirror lens; 4. Drive plate; 5. Motor base; 51. Stator bracket; 61. First bearing; 62. Second bearing; 7. Preload assembly; 71. Elastic element; 72. Preload nut. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0029] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other.

[0030] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the use of terms such as "center," "middle," "longitudinal," "transverse," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" to indicate orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings is solely for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application. Features defined with "first" and "second" are used to distinguish feature names and do not have special meanings. Furthermore, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" means two or more.

[0031] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; 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; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0032] It should also be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising" or "including" include not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Unless otherwise specified, an element defined by the phrase "comprising..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element. The terminology used herein is generally that commonly used by those skilled in the art; in case of any discrepancy with commonly used terminology, the terminology used herein shall prevail.

[0033] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0034] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] Figures 1 to 3 The schematic diagram illustrates the overall structural composition of a rotating mirror motor according to one embodiment of this utility model, with reference to... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the rotating mirror motor of this utility model includes a motor stator 1, a motor rotor 2, a rotating mirror structure 3, a drive plate 4, and a motor base 5. The drive plate 4 and the motor stator 1 are both mounted on the motor base 5. The motor rotor 2 is coaxially rotatable with the motor stator 1, and the rotating mirror structure 3 rotates synchronously with the motor rotor 2, so that when the entire rotating mirror motor is working, the rotating mirror structure 3 rotates relative to the motor base 5. Specifically, refer to... Figure 1 As shown, the rotating mirror structure 3 may include a rotating mirror bracket 31 and rotating mirror lenses 32. The rotating mirror lenses 32 are evenly distributed circumferentially on the side of the rotating mirror bracket 31 with the central axis of the rotating mirror bracket 31 as the center. The number of rotating mirror lenses 32 can be three, forming a three-mirror rotating mirror. The number of rotating mirror lenses 32 can also be increased, such as forming a four-mirror rotating mirror, a five-mirror rotating mirror, or other multi-mirror rotating mirrors. The rotating mirror bracket 31 and the motor rotor 2 can be connected by riveting, thus eliminating the need for additional structures such as openings, screws, and washers required for the connection between the rotating mirror bracket 31 and the motor rotor 2. Alternatively, the rotating mirror bracket 31 and the motor rotor 2 can be integrally formed, further eliminating the riveting process.

[0036] In some possible implementations, a stator bracket 51 can be provided on the motor base 5, which is used to mount and fix the motor stator 1. Specifically, the structure of the stator bracket 51 can be designed according to the structure of the motor stator 1, such as a cylindrical or cylindrical structure, so that the motor stator 1 can be sleeved on the stator bracket 51. The motor rotor 2 is coaxially rotatably sleeved on the outside of the motor stator 1. The motor rotor 2 is provided with a motor shaft 21, which passes through the middle of the motor stator 1 and through the stator bracket 51. A bearing is provided between the outer side of the motor shaft 21 and the stator bracket 51 to make the relative rotation between the motor shaft 21 and the stator bracket 51 smoother. The way the motor rotor 2 is sleeved on the outside of the motor stator 1 can compress the overall structural size of the rotating mirror motor, thereby reducing the overall size of the rotating mirror motor. The rotating mirror structure 3 is provided on the outside of the motor rotor 2 to cover the motor rotor 2, thereby further reducing the overall size of the rotating mirror motor. In addition, in the above embodiments, the stator support 51 and the motor base 5 can also be configured as an integral molding (e.g., manufactured by die casting), which can further eliminate the need for additional structures such as openings, screws, and washers when connecting the stator support 51 and the motor base 5, thereby reducing the number of parts in the overall structure and improving the assembly accuracy and reliability.

[0037] For example, refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, in Figure 2 and Figure 3In the illustrated embodiment, the motor base 5 includes a base plate structure, and a stator support 51 is integrally formed and mounted on the motor base 5. The stator support 51 has a cylindrical structure, and its axial direction is perpendicular to the base plate of the motor base 5. An opening is provided on the drive plate 4, allowing the stator support 51 to pass through and be mounted on the base plate of the motor base 5. The motor stator 1 is positioned above the drive plate 4 and sleeved on the outside of the stator support 51, fixedly mounted relative to it. The motor rotor 2 has a cover structure, and its lower part protrudes outward to form a stepped shape. A motor shaft 21 is provided in the middle of the inner side of the motor rotor 2, and the extension direction of the motor shaft 21 is consistent with the axial direction of the motor rotor 2. A motor magnetic ring 22 is also provided inside the motor rotor 2. A grating 23 is provided at the bottom of the motor rotor 2. The grating 23 is a circular structure, and its outer diameter matches the inner diameter of the outwardly protruding part at the bottom of the motor rotor 2, so as to be installed at the outwardly protruding position at the bottom of the motor rotor 2. During installation, the motor magnetic ring 22 is installed on the outside of the motor stator 1, and the motor rotor 2 is placed on top of the motor stator 1. The grating 23 is connected to the bottom of the motor rotor 2 to completely cover the inside of the motor stator 2. The rotating mirror structure 3 is installed above the motor rotor 2 by riveting, so as to rotate synchronously with the motor rotor 2. The motor shaft 21 passes through the middle of the motor stator 1 and passes through the stator bracket 51. A bearing is provided between the motor shaft 21 and the stator bracket 51. The inner ring of the bearing rotates synchronously with the motor shaft 21, and the outer ring is fixed relative to the inner sidewall of the stator bracket 51, so as to make the relative rotation between the motor shaft 21 and the stator bracket 51 smoother. The bearing includes a first bearing 61 and a second bearing 62, wherein the first bearing 61 is disposed on... Figure 2 The second bearing 62 is located at the lower part of the stator support 51 shown. Figure 2 The upper part of the stator bracket 51 shown. Stepped grooves are provided on both the upper and lower parts of the inner side of the stator bracket 51 for mounting the first bearing 61 and the second bearing 62.

[0038] In some other possible embodiments of the above-described implementation, a preload assembly 7 may be provided on the side of the first bearing 61 away from the motor rotor 2. The preload assembly 7 is used to apply constant pressure preload to the first bearing 61 and the second bearing 62, applying pressure to the first bearing 61 towards the bottom of the stepped groove to maintain the bearing preload force and improve the reliability of the assembly. Specifically, the preload assembly 7 may include an elastic element 71 sleeved on the outside of the motor shaft 21 and a preload nut 72 threaded onto the motor shaft 21. One end of the elastic element 71 abuts against the first bearing 61, and the other end abuts against the preload nut 72, so as to be clamped between the first bearing 61 and the preload nut 72. By tightening the preload nut 72, a preload force can be applied to the first bearing 61 based on the elastic properties of the elastic element 71 itself. Even if the preload nut 72 loosens, the preload force applied to the first bearing 61 can be maintained based on the deformation of the elastic element 71, improving the reliability of the assembly. For example, refer to... Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, in Figure 2 and Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the elastic element 71 is configured as a compression spring, the preload nut 72 is threadedly connected to the motor shaft 21, one side of the second bearing 62 rests against the stator bracket 51, and the other side of the second bearing 62 rests against the motor rotor 2. The inner ring of the first bearing 61 is preloaded by the compression spring, thereby achieving constant pressure preload on the first bearing 61 and the second bearing 62. Alternatively, the preload assembly 7 can also be configured as a compression spring plus screw structure, such as installing the screw to the end of the motor shaft 21 to apply pressure to the compression spring through the screw head.

[0039] In some possible implementations, the rotational speed of the overall rotating mirror motor can be set to 150 RPM to 600 RPM. In this implementation, reducing the rotational speed of the overall rotating mirror motor significantly improves the lifespan of the rotating shaft. Simultaneously, the reduced speed lowers the requirements for dynamic balancing, and the motor may even be exempt from dynamic balancing altogether. Furthermore, the vibration amplitudes at different frequencies caused by rotation are very low, thereby reducing the NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) risks of the rotating mirror module, improving module production yield, reducing friction loss and wind resistance loss, and improving motor efficiency. Specifically, in this implementation, reducing the rotational speed of the rotating mirror motor can be achieved by using finer enameled wire with more turns, thus increasing the number of motor turns to reduce the overall rotational speed of the rotating mirror motor. While reducing the motor speed, the overall performance of the product using the motor can be maintained by combining optical design and algorithm design. This allows for a significant reduction in the assembly precision and dynamic balancing requirements of the rotating mirror motor without compromising performance, thereby improving product yield and stability.

[0040] In some possible implementations, an optocoupler is provided on the driver board 4, and the optocoupler is integrated with the driver board 4. In existing rotating mirror motors, the optocoupler is assembled separately from the driver board 4. In this traditional solution, the independent installation of the optocoupler detection module requires additional wiring to connect to the driver board 4, which leads to signal delay (e.g., >10μs) and anti-interference issues (e.g., EMC risks). Furthermore, the assembly of the entire machine requires multiple alignment and debugging, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive, resulting in high testing and maintenance costs and low repair and replacement efficiency. Especially in automotive scenarios, this may affect the real-time performance and reliability of the LiDAR. In this implementation, integrating the optocoupler with the driver board 4 can effectively avoid signal delay and interference problems. At the same time, it can make the structure of each module compact, improve assembly accuracy, and facilitate the testing of each module and the assembly of the entire machine.

[0041] This utility model also provides a lidar, which is equipped with a rotating mirror motor as described in any of the embodiments above, thereby effectively improving the stability and service life of the lidar.

[0042] This invention also provides a mobile platform, wherein the aforementioned lidar is installed on the mobile platform. By installing the lidar, the stability of the overall mobile platform in environmental detection function can be effectively improved.

[0043] It should be noted that the mobile platform described in this embodiment of the present invention can be, for example, a mobile robot, model aircraft, drone, robotic arm, car, ship, etc. It should also be pointed out that the structure of the mobile platform is not limited to this; this embodiment is merely illustrative.

[0044] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A rotating mirror motor, characterized in that, Includes the motor stator, motor rotor, rotating mirror structure, drive plate, and motor base. Both the drive plate and the motor stator are mounted on the motor base. The motor rotor is coaxially rotatable with the motor stator. The rotating mirror structure is connected to the motor rotor by riveting or is integrally formed with the motor rotor so as to rotate synchronously with the motor rotor.

2. The rotating mirror motor according to claim 1, characterized in that, A stator bracket is provided on the motor base, the motor stator is mounted and fixed on the stator bracket, the motor rotor is coaxially rotatably sleeved on the outside of the motor stator, the motor shaft of the motor rotor passes through the stator bracket, and a bearing is provided between the motor shaft and the stator bracket.

3. The rotating mirror motor according to claim 2, characterized in that, The rotating mirror structure is fitted onto the outside of the motor rotor.

4. The rotating mirror motor according to claim 2, characterized in that, The stator bracket and the motor base are integrally formed.

5. The rotating mirror motor according to claim 2, characterized in that, The bearing includes a first bearing, the inner ring of which rotates synchronously with the motor shaft, and the outer ring which is fixed relative to the stator support. A preload assembly is provided on the side of the first bearing away from the motor rotor.

6. The rotating mirror motor according to claim 5, characterized in that, The preload assembly includes an elastic element sleeved on the outside of the motor shaft and a preload nut threaded onto the motor shaft. One end of the elastic element abuts against the first bearing, and the other end abuts against the preload nut.

7. The rotating mirror motor according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The rotation speed of the rotating mirror motor is set to 150 RPM~600 RPM.

8. The rotating mirror motor according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The driver board is equipped with an optocoupler, and the optocoupler is integrated with the driver board.

9. A lidar, characterized in that, The device is equipped with a rotating mirror motor as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A mobile platform, characterized in that, The device is equipped with the lidar described in claim 9.

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