Lidar motor and lidar

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a laser radar motor. The laser radar motor comprises a rotating body having a plurality of side surfaces for redirecting light beams, a stator assembly comprising a central shaft connected to one end of the rotating body, the stator assembly driving the rotating body to rotate through the central shaft, and a bearing assembly comprising at least one bearing sleeved on one end of the central shaft. The laser radar motor according to the embodiment of the present disclosure uses the rotating body to replace the mirror inner core and the motor shell in the related art, thereby reducing the number of parts in the laser radar motor. In addition, the laser radar motor according to the embodiment of the present disclosure also reduces the total runout error of the outer edge of the motor, and reduces the assembly cost and the overall cost of the laser radar motor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of lidar technology, and more particularly to a lidar motor and a lidar. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of technologies such as intelligent driving, LiDAR is receiving increasing attention, and its applications are showing an explosive growth trend. Currently, the rotation of the optical reflector in LiDAR is usually driven by an external rotor motor. This is achieved by fixing the inner core of the lens to the motor housing through a cover and pressing rubber, so that the optical reflector rotates synchronously with the external rotor of the motor.

[0003] However, lidar motors in related technologies often suffer from problems such as complex design, numerous parts, large cumulative tolerances making it difficult to guarantee accuracy, and high cost.

[0004] The methods described in this section are not necessarily methods that had been previously conceived or adopted. Unless otherwise specified, no method described in this section should be assumed to be prior art simply because it is included in this section. Similarly, unless otherwise specified, the issues mentioned in this section should not be considered to be accepted in any prior art. Utility Model Content

[0005] This disclosure aims to at least address one of the technical problems existing in the background art. Therefore, the object of this disclosure is to provide a lidar motor and a lidar.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a lidar motor is provided. The lidar motor includes: a rotating body having a plurality of side surfaces for redirecting a beam; a stator assembly including a central shaft connected at one end to the rotating body, the stator assembly driving the rotating body to rotate via the central shaft; and a bearing assembly including at least one bearing sleeved on one end of the central shaft.

[0007] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a lidar is provided. The lidar includes a lidar motor according to the first aspect described above.

[0008] The lidar motor according to embodiments of this disclosure uses a rotating body to replace the lens core and motor housing in related technologies, reducing the number of parts in the lidar motor. Furthermore, the lidar motor according to embodiments of this disclosure also reduces the total runout error of the motor's outer edge and lowers the assembly cost and overall cost of the lidar motor. Attached Figure Description

[0009] The accompanying drawings exemplify embodiments and form part of the specification, serving to illustrate exemplary implementations of the embodiments together with the textual description. The illustrated embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of the claims. Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements or similar but not necessarily identical elements.

[0010] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a lidar motor in related technologies is shown;

[0011] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a lidar motor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; and

[0012] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a lidar motor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0013] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0014] 110 Lens core, 120 Housing, 130 Rubber flat washer, 140 Locking ring, 150 Pressure cap;

[0015] 210 Rotating body, 220 Stator assembly, 230 Bearing assembly, 240 Substrate, 250 Washer, 260 Snap ring, 270 Integrated flexible circuit board;

[0016] 212 Side surface, 214 Weight reduction ring groove, 216 Bottom surface, 222 Central shaft, 232 Lower bearing, 234 Upper bearing. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The present disclosure will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts relevant to the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0018] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this disclosure can be combined with each other. Unless the context explicitly indicates otherwise, an element may be one or more unless the number of elements is not specifically limited. Furthermore, the numbering of steps or functional modules used in this disclosure is only for identifying each step or functional module and is not used to limit the execution order of the steps or the connection relationship between the functional modules.

[0019] In this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, the use of terms such as "first," "second," etc., to describe various elements is not intended to limit the positional, temporal, or importance relationships of these elements; such terms are merely used to distinguish one element from another. In some examples, the first element and the second element may refer to the same instance of that element, while in other cases, based on the context, they may refer to different instances.

[0020] In this disclosure, the terminology used in the description of the various examples is for the purpose of describing particular examples only and is not intended to be limiting. Unless the context explicitly indicates otherwise, an element may be one or more unless the number of elements is specifically limited. Furthermore, the term "and / or" as used in this disclosure covers any one of the listed items and all possible combinations thereof.

[0021] As mentioned earlier, in the lidar motor of the relevant technology, by fixing the inner core of the lens to the motor housing, the synchronous rotation of the optical reflector and the outer rotor of the motor can be achieved.

[0022] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a lidar motor in related technologies is shown. (Reference) Figure 1 The typical process steps for a lidar motor in related technologies are as follows: First, the housing 120, the inner core 110 of the optical reflector, the rubber flat washer 130, and the locking ring 140 are assembled together. Then, a servo press is used to press the cover 150 and the locking ring 140 to fix the housing 120 and the inner core 110. Finally, the product process is completed by laser welding.

[0023] Due to the large number of assembled components, lidar motors in related technologies typically present the following problems: the cumulative manufacturing errors of individual components and assembly errors between them lead to an increase in the total runout (i.e., the maximum deviation of the motor's outer edge during rotation) error, thus affecting the lidar's accuracy; assembly costs and the overall cost of the lidar motor also increase. Furthermore, since the lens core and motor housing in related technologies are usually made of steel, this also results in an overall heavier motor, making dynamic balance adjustment difficult.

[0024] To at least solve or alleviate one of the technical problems existing in the aforementioned related technologies, a first aspect of this disclosure provides a lidar motor. (Reference) Figures 2-3 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a lidar motor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0025] The lidar motor includes a rotating body 210, a stator assembly 220, and a bearing assembly 230. The rotating body 210 has multiple side surfaces 212 for redirecting the beam; the stator assembly 220 includes a central shaft 222 connected at one end to the rotating body 210, which drives the rotating body 210 to rotate via the central shaft 222; the bearing assembly 230 includes at least one bearing 234, which is sleeved on one end of the central shaft 222.

[0026] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the lidar motor is directly driven by the stator assembly 220 to rotate the rotating body 210, and the plurality of side surfaces 212 of the rotating body 210 can be guided towards the lidar motor for light redirection during rotation.

[0027] Unlike related technologies that achieve synchronous rotation of the optical reflector and the motor's outer rotor by fixing the motor housing and the inner core of the lens, the lidar motor according to the embodiments of this disclosure integrates the motor housing and the inner core of the lens into a single rotating body. This design not only eliminates components such as rubber flat washers, locking rings, and pressure caps, but also reduces the total runout error of the motor's outer edge and lowers the assembly cost and overall cost of the lidar motor.

[0028] In some embodiments, the rotating body 210 may be formed in the shape of a frustum pyramid and includes a top surface (not shown), a bottom surface 216, and a plurality of side surfaces 212. The rotating body 210 may have a polygonal top and bottom surface (e.g., a pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, etc.) and a plurality of wedge-shaped (e.g., trapezoidal) side surfaces 212. The side surfaces may have a first tilt angle, in this disclosure, "tilt angle" refers to the angle between the normal direction of the side surface and the rotation axis of the rotating body. The first tilt angle may be, for example, 30 degrees, 45 degrees, or 60 degrees, depending on the actual requirements, such as the relative positional relationship between the lidar motor and other optical redirection components in the lidar, or the mounting position of the lidar motor, etc., and is not intended to be limiting.

[0029] In some embodiments, the side surface 212 may be a coated surface. For example, a coating process (e.g., an aluminum film) can be used to coat the side surface 212 of the rotating body 210 to give the rotating body a reflective surface. In other embodiments, reflective lenses may also be bonded to the side surface 212. Thus, when the rotating body 210 is driven to rotate by the central axis, each side surface 212 of the rotating body 210 will reflect light in turn, thereby achieving a scanning of the light beam in one dimension (e.g., the horizontal dimension).

[0030] In some embodiments, the bearing assembly 230 may include at least one bearing 232. It should be understood that the number of bearings may depend on actual requirements. Reference Figure 2In the example shown, the bearing assembly 230 may include two bearings, namely a lower bearing 232 and an upper bearing 234. The lower bearing 232 and the upper bearing 234 are sequentially sleeved on one end of the central shaft 222, for example, on one end of the central shaft 222 near the bottom surface 216 of the rotating body 210.

[0031] In some embodiments, the lidar motor further includes a base plate 240 fixedly connected to the other end of the central shaft 222 via fasteners 280 (e.g., screws). The other end of the central shaft 222 may be one end near the top surface of the rotating body 210.

[0032] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The lidar motor may also include an integrated flexible circuit board 270. The integrated flexible circuit board 270 can be attached to the substrate 240 to provide electrical connections for devices such as sensors and controllers in the lidar motor. Sensors may be, for example, position encoders (e.g., rotary encoders or Hall effect sensors) for detecting the angular position of a rotating body. In some embodiments, the integrated flexible circuit board 270 may also integrate UVW three-phase lines for driving the motor; for example, the output positions of the UVW three-phase lines and the output positions of the position encoder can be integrated into the integrated flexible circuit board 270.

[0033] By using integrated flexible circuit boards, the wiring complexity inside the motor can be reduced and the assembly process simplified. Furthermore, the integrated layout reduces the number of connectors and wiring, lowering the risk of failure due to poor contact or connection breakdown.

[0034] In some embodiments, reference Figure 2 The lidar motor also includes a washer 250. The washer 250 is located on one side of the inner ring end face of the bearing 234 and contacts the inner ring end face to provide axial preload to the bearing assembly 230. The washer 250 may be, for example, a wave spring washer.

[0035] In some embodiments, a groove (not shown) is provided on the side of the central axis 222 away from the substrate 240. (Continue referring to...) Figure 2 The lidar motor also includes a retaining ring 260, which is installed in a groove and contacts the inner ring end face of the bearing 232.

[0036] In some embodiments, the central shaft 222 can be a two-step shaft, and there is a gap between the lower bearing 232 and the upper bearing 234 and the central shaft 222. Due to the presence of washers 250 and retaining rings 260, the friction between the bearing inner rings and the central shaft can prevent shaft movement. Even if the lower bearing 232 and the upper bearing 234 are not fixed to the central shaft 222 by means of adhesive dispensing, the axial preload will not be affected.

[0037] By using washers and retaining rings, and ensuring a loose fit between the bearing and the central shaft, the assembly process of the lidar motor can be simplified. The structural design of the lidar motor according to this disclosure is easier to assemble and disassemble than the servo press and laser welding methods used in related technologies, thus increasing the reusability of motor components. During production, assembly, or use, motors that do not meet quality standards or have defects can be easily replaced after inspection, without scrapping the entire unit.

[0038] In some embodiments, the lower bearing 232 and the upper bearing 234 can be tightly fitted with the rotating body 210, and the side surface 212 of the rotating body 210 can be tightly fitted with the reflective mirror arranged thereon by adhesive bonding (e.g., by dispensing glue), thereby better managing and controlling noise, vibration and acoustic roughness, etc.

[0039] In some embodiments, reference Figure 3 Weight-reducing ring grooves 214 can be provided on the top and / or bottom of the rotating body 210. An unbalanced rotor will cause motor vibration when rotating at high speed, which will affect the scanning accuracy of the lidar and will also transmit the vibration to the motor housing and surrounding structures, generating noise. Therefore, by using methods such as laser weight reduction to set weight-reducing ring grooves on the rotating body, the lidar motor can be balanced, thereby effectively reducing vibration and noise and improving motor performance and lifespan.

[0040] In some embodiments, the rotating body 210 may be manufactured as a single piece of metal. For example, aluminum can be used by injection molding, or by turning, milling, or other methods. Using aluminum can reduce the overall weight of the motor and improve its dynamic balance adjustment capability.

[0041] This disclosure also provides a lidar, including a lidar motor according to any of the above embodiments.

[0042] Since the lidar includes a lidar motor according to any of the above embodiments, the lidar has the technical effects of the lidar motor described above, which will not be repeated here.

[0043] The following describes some exemplary solutions of this disclosure.

[0044] Option 1: A lidar motor, comprising:

[0045] A rotating body having multiple side surfaces for redirecting the beam.

[0046] A stator assembly, including a central axis connected at one end to the rotating body, the stator assembly driving the rotating body to rotate via the central axis, and...

[0047] A bearing assembly, comprising at least one bearing, said at least one bearing being sleeved on one end of the central shaft.

[0048] Option 2, the lidar motor according to Option 1, further includes:

[0049] A substrate, which is fixedly connected to the other end of the central shaft via fasteners.

[0050] Option 3, the lidar motor according to Option 2, further includes:

[0051] A washer located on one side of the bearing inner ring end face of one of the at least one bearings, near the base plate, and in contact with the bearing inner ring end face.

[0052] Option 4: The lidar motor according to Option 2, wherein a groove is provided on the side of the central shaft away from the substrate, and the lidar motor further includes a retaining ring, which is installed in the groove and contacts the inner ring end face of one of the at least one bearings.

[0053] Option 5: The lidar motor according to Option 2 further includes an integrated flexible circuit board, which is attached to the substrate and is used to provide electrical connections for the sensors and controllers in the lidar motor.

[0054] Option 6: A lidar motor according to any one of Options 1 to 5, wherein the rotating body is formed in the shape of a frustum pyramid, and the side surface has a first tilt angle; wherein the first tilt angle is the angle between the normal direction of the side surface and the rotation axis of the rotating body.

[0055] Option 7: A lidar motor according to any one of Options 1 to 6, wherein,

[0056] The side surface is a coated surface, or

[0057] The side surface includes a reflector.

[0058] Option 8: A lidar motor according to any one of Options 1 to 7, wherein there is a gap between the at least one bearing and the central shaft, and the at least one bearing is bonded and fixed to the rotating body.

[0059] Option 9: A lidar motor according to any one of Options 1 to 8, wherein the central axis is a two-stage stepped axis.

[0060] Option 10: A lidar motor according to any one of Options 1 to 9, wherein the top and / or bottom of the rotating body are provided with weight-reducing ring grooves.

[0061] Option 11: The lidar motor according to any one of Options 1 to 10, wherein the rotating body is manufactured as a single piece of metal.

[0062] Option 12: A lidar motor according to any one of Options 1 to 11, wherein the metal includes aluminum.

[0063] Option 13: A lidar, comprising: a lidar motor according to any one of Options 1 to 12.

[0064] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this disclosure and an explanation of the technical principles employed. Those skilled in the art should understand that the scope of the invention involved in the embodiments of this disclosure is not limited to technical solutions formed by specific combinations of the above-described technical features, but should also cover other technical solutions formed by arbitrary combinations of the above-described technical features or their equivalents without departing from the above-described inventive concept. For example, technical solutions formed by substituting the above-described features with (but not limited to) technical features with similar functions disclosed in the embodiments of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A lidar motor, characterized in that, include: A rotating body having multiple side surfaces for redirecting the beam. A stator assembly, including a central axis connected at one end to the rotating body, the stator assembly driving the rotating body to rotate via the central axis, and... A bearing assembly, comprising at least one bearing, said at least one bearing being sleeved on one end of the central shaft.

2. The lidar motor according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A substrate, which is fixedly connected to the other end of the central shaft via fasteners.

3. The lidar motor according to claim 2, characterized in that, Also includes: A washer located on one side of the bearing inner ring end face of one of the at least one bearings, near the base plate, and in contact with the bearing inner ring end face.

4. The lidar motor according to claim 2, characterized in that, The central shaft has a groove on the side away from the substrate, and the lidar motor also includes a retaining ring, which is installed in the groove and contacts the inner ring end face of one of the at least one bearings.

5. The lidar motor according to claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes an integrated flexible circuit board attached to the substrate for providing electrical connections to the sensors and controllers in the lidar motor.

6. The lidar motor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The rotating body is formed in the shape of a frustum pyramid, and the side surface has a first tilt angle; Wherein, the first tilt angle is the angle between the normal direction of the side surface and the rotation axis of the rotating body.

7. The lidar motor according to claim 6, characterized in that, The side surface is a coated surface, or The side surface includes a reflector.

8. The lidar motor according to any one of claims 1 to 5 and 7, characterized in that, There is a gap between the at least one bearing and the central shaft, and the at least one bearing is bonded and fixed to the rotating body.

9. The lidar motor according to claim 8, characterized in that, The central axis is a two-step axis.

10. The lidar motor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, 7 and 9, characterized in that, The top and / or bottom of the rotating body are provided with weight-reducing ring grooves.

11. The lidar motor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, 7 and 9, characterized in that, The rotating body is manufactured from a single piece of metal.

12. The lidar motor according to claim 11, characterized in that, The metal includes aluminum.

13. A lidar, characterized in that, include: The lidar motor according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

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