Flow control device for a motor vehicle

Abstract

Flow guiding device for a motor vehicle with at least one flow guiding element (17) by which the airstream (W) can be deflected in a predetermined manner, characterized in that the at least one flow guiding element (17) has at least one cleaning device (26) which comprises at least one cleaning nozzle (28), at least one electrical and / or electronic and / or electromagnetic component (16', 16") designed as a lidar sensor and / or a radar sensor and / or a camera sensor (16") and / or a multi-camera sensor and / or an ultrasonic sensor, at least one see-through area (20) through which the at least one component (16', 16") can send and / or receive electromagnetic signals for detecting the vehicle's surroundings, and at least one thermal management device (24) with which one of at least one electrical and / or electronic and / or electromagnetic component (16, 16',16") and / or heat introduced from outside can be dissipated and / or with which the at least one component (16, 16', 16") can be tempered to a predetermined operating temperature.,

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a flow guidance device for a motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1. Furthermore, the invention relates to a motor vehicle and / or a roof module for forming a vehicle roof on a motor vehicle with such a flow guidance device.

[0002] Aerodynamic devices, such as spoilers or wind deflectors, are widely used in vehicle construction to deflect airflow away from the vehicle body in a predetermined direction. For example, these devices are used in convertibles and sunroofs and, viewed from the front, are positioned at least in front of the roof opening. Such a device redirects the airflow so that it cannot enter the vehicle interior when the sunroof is open. This prevents the occupants from being disturbed by the wind while driving. These devices can be rigidly mounted on the outer surface of a roof panel or other body panel.Alternatively, the known flow guide devices can also be arranged to be retractable, which has the advantage that the flow guide devices are only extended when the roof opening is open.

[0003] Alternatively or additionally, flow guide devices are also known as front and / or rear spoilers on motor vehicles. Such an arrangement is chosen primarily for aerodynamic reasons, for example, to increase the vehicle's downforce on the road. It is known that such flow guide devices are deployed, for example, from a predetermined speed limit in order to continue providing the driver with controlled handling.

[0004] Development in the automotive sector is increasingly focused on roof modules that can be prefabricated as separate functional modules and delivered to the assembly line during vehicle production. Such a roof module forms, at least in part, a roof skin on its outer surface, preventing moisture and air currents from penetrating the vehicle interior. This roof skin is formed by one or more surface components, which can be made of a robust material, such as painted sheet metal or painted / colored plastic. A roof module of this type can be part of a fixed vehicle roof or part of an openable roof assembly (for example, a panoramic roof, a sunroof, or a sliding roof).

[0005] Furthermore, particular attention is paid to the development of autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles. To enable autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle control, a variety of electrical, electronic, and / or electromagnetic components are used, such as environmental sensors (e.g., lidar sensors, radar sensors, (multi-)cameras, etc., along with other (electrical) components). These are integrated, for example, into the roof module, which detects the environment around the vehicle and uses the collected environmental data to determine, for example, the current traffic situation. Roof modules equipped with a variety of environmental sensors are also known as Roof Sensor Modules (RSMs). These environmental sensors transmit or...They receive corresponding electromagnetic signals, such as laser beams or radar beams, and a data model of the vehicle's surroundings is generated through signal analysis and used for vehicle control. The environmental sensors for monitoring and recording the vehicle's surroundings are usually mounted as a separate unit on the vehicle roof, since the roof is generally the highest point on a vehicle from which the surroundings are clearly visible.

[0006] To ensure the most trouble-free operation of the vehicle and its electrical, electronic, and / or electromagnetic components, a thermal management system is necessary. This system effectively dissipates heat generated by the component and / or external heat from the surrounding environment, thus cooling the component, for example, at high ambient temperatures. Similarly, at low ambient temperatures, such a thermal management system may be required to heat the component to a predetermined operating temperature and / or maintain it at that temperature to ensure trouble-free operation.

[0007] Although the provision of supervised, semi-autonomous, or autonomous driving offers significant advantages for driver comfort, the increasing technological advancement and / or automation of motor vehicles presents a disadvantage: the multitude of electrical, electronic, and / or electromagnetic components already require considerable installation space, which is a scarce resource in vehicle manufacturing. Furthermore, these components require additional technical equipment, such as the aforementioned thermal management system and / or cleaning systems for cleaning the component(s) when contaminated, which in turn require additional installation space. Therefore, with the increasing technological advancement of motor vehicles, the creation of a space-saving or...Space utilization concepts are becoming increasingly challenging for engineers, designers, and assembly workers, as more and more technical components have to be accommodated in a virtually unchanged amount of installation space. For this reason, there is a need to optimize space utilization in vehicle manufacturing.

[0008] Further state of the art can be found in DE 43 14 435 A1, US 2021 / 0 387 684 A1, WO 2022 / 017 685 A1 and DE 35 31 045 C2. Flow guide elements or wind deflectors for motor vehicles are known from each of these publications.

[0009] A roof module for a motor vehicle is known from publication DE 10 2019 122 190 A1. This roof module comprises an environmental sensor and a cooling device for the environmental sensor.

[0010] One of the problems underlying the invention is therefore to reduce the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art and, in particular, to optimize the use of installation space in a motor vehicle.

[0011] This problem is solved by a flow guidance device according to claim 1. Furthermore, the problem is solved by a motor vehicle with at least one flow guidance device according to the invention. The problem is also solved by a roof module comprising at least one flow guidance device according to the invention.

[0012] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims. The scope of the invention also includes all combinations of at least two features disclosed in the description, the claims, and / or the figures. It is understood that the embodiments described for the flow-guiding device apply equivalently to the motor vehicle according to the invention, without being specifically mentioned for that vehicle. It is understood in particular that common linguistic transformations and / or the meaningful substitution of respective terms within the scope of usual linguistic practice, especially the use of synonyms supported by generally accepted linguistic literature, are included in the present disclosure without being explicitly mentioned in their respective formulations.

[0013] The flow guidance device comprises at least one flow guidance element by which the airflow (especially while driving a motor vehicle) can be deflected in a predetermined manner.The flow guidance device is characterized in that the at least one flow guidance element comprises at least one cleaning device with at least one cleaning nozzle, at least one environment sensor designed as a lidar sensor and / or a radar sensor and / or a camera sensor and / or a multi-camera sensor and / or an ultrasonic sensor, at least one viewing area through which the environment sensor can send and / or receive electromagnetic signals to detect the vehicle environment, and at least one thermal management device with which waste heat dissipated by at least one electrical and / or electronic and / or electromagnetic component and / or heat introduced from outside can be dissipated and / or with which the at least one component can be tempered to a predetermined operating temperature.

[0014] Particularly preferably, the flow guide element further comprises at least one light source and / or at least one tank and / or at least one pump for a liquid and / or at least one compressor and / or at least one reservoir for air and / or at least one control unit.

[0015] The invention particularly preferably relates to a motor vehicle comprising at least one surface component, at least one electrical and / or electronic and / or electromagnetic component, and at least one flow guide device according to the invention, which is arranged on the surface component and is preferably configured to dissipate the waste heat of the at least one component from the motor vehicle and / or to supply it to an air conditioning circuit of the motor vehicle. Dissipation preferably occurs through at least one outlet opening, which is provided, for example, on the flow guide element and from which exhaust air from the thermal management system can be discharged into the vehicle environment.Alternatively or additionally, the thermal management unit can also be connected to the vehicle's air conditioning system, which is used, for example, to cool the passenger compartment. This allows the exhaust air from the thermal management unit to be fed into the air conditioning system, preheating, for example, an airflow introduced into the passenger compartment. Such a connection to the air conditioning system can be achieved, for example, via a bypass. Alternatively, thermal coupling, for example via a heat exchanger, between the air conditioning system and the thermal management unit is also possible.

[0016] The invention particularly preferably relates to a roof module for forming a vehicle roof on a motor vehicle, comprising a surface component that forms at least a portion of the vehicle roof skin, which functions as an outer sealing surface of the roof module, preferably with a roof opening system comprising a cover element that can be moved to selectively open or close a roof opening, and with a flow guide device according to the invention that forms a wind deflector and / or a wind spoiler. The roof module or roof skin can include a roof opening that can either be covered by a movable roof surface element designed to selectively open or close the roof opening, and / or that is filled by a fixed roof element that has an at least partially transparent viewing area.An advantage of this embodiment is that the thermal management device is integrated into the flow guide element, which is arranged on the roof module. Thus, the roof module also includes the thermal management device, which can cool, for example, a multitude of environmental sensors provided in the roof module (preferably designed as a roof sensor module) and / or other components, such as antennas and / or communication modules. This allows for a very compact design of the roof module, since the installation space provided by the flow guide element can be effectively used for the thermal management device.

[0017] The flow guide device according to the invention, in its intended use, i.e., when it is arranged on a motor vehicle to function, for example, as a spoiler or wind deflector, is arranged on a part or component of the motor vehicle. It is understood that the flow guide device according to the invention can be manufactured and distributed independently of the at least one component, and that the at least one component therefore need not be part of the flow guide device. The flow guide device, in particular the thermal management device, should be suitable for temperature control of the at least one component in its intended use, i.e., when arranged on the motor vehicle. For this purpose, it is advantageous if the thermal management device is in a heat-transferring or heat-conducting connection with the at least one component.

[0018] The inventors have recognized that arranging the thermal management device in or on the at least one flow guide element is particularly advantageous in terms of installation space, since the installation space available through the flow guide element, especially if the flow guide element is hollow, can be used effectively. Thus, the inventive arrangement of the thermal management device in or on the flow guide element not only leads to an optimization of installation space, but also to a harmonization of the overall design of a roof module and / or a vehicle, since its integration results in fewer disruptive contours. At the same time, the inventive flow guide device, when used as intended, leads to an improvement in vehicle aerodynamics and thus to lower energy consumption.The at least one flow guide element itself is already aerodynamically optimized in its shape due to its function, which can be used synergistically for the thermal management device included therein. Overall, this allows for the optimization of the vehicle layout and the vehicle installation space, particularly with regard to the placement of otherwise space-intensive components. The flow guide device according to the invention thus leads to cost optimization for the required components and reduces the overall costs for the motor vehicle.

[0019] Furthermore, by implementing and / or arranging the thermal management system within at least one flow guide element, it is possible to increase sensor availability and / or the availability of electrical, electronic, and / or electromagnetic components, thus significantly improving their usability. For example, effective thermal management of an environmental sensor and / or its cleanliness can ensure the sensor's continuous availability and thus the detection of the vehicle's surroundings within the entire sensor field of view (FOV), improve its resolution, and significantly reduce its susceptibility to errors and / or malfunctions. This improved availability and / orBy increasing reliability, it is possible to enable fully autonomous driving of a motor vehicle (so-called Level 4 or Level 5 vehicles) where no interaction and / or readiness of the driver is required.

[0020] In the case of the roof modules according to the invention, it is also possible to provide a fully autonomous or self-sufficient complete module in which all necessary functions and / or technical components are integrated in a space-optimized manner. This increases the functional and component integration in the overall vehicle, thereby enabling weight and cost savings. Furthermore, it increases modularity and flexibility, particularly in the design of the overall vehicle.

[0021] The at least one (especially aerodynamically shaped) flow-guiding element can, in principle, have any geometric form, preferably designed to guide a flow (in this case, airflow) along a predetermined contour of the flow-guiding element such that the flow is guided along the contour and leaves the contour at a predetermined separation zone in a tangential direction (relative to the contour in the separation zone). The deflection of the airflow by the flow-guiding element is determined by its geometric design. In this context, a flow-guiding element is understood to be any type of body designed to guide a flow in a specific direction. The flow-guiding element can, for example, be understood as a spoiler.Preferably, the flow guide element is shaped as a hollow shell, open on one side, so that its interior provides space for at least the thermal management system. In other words, the flow guide element is preferably designed as a hollow shell component. A motor vehicle or a surface component of a motor vehicle can, in principle, have one or more flow guide elements. The flow guide element can be made, for example, of plastic or metal, preferably sheet metal, and thus provide a housing for the components of the thermal management system. The flow guide element can be manufactured, for example, by injection molding or as a deep-drawn component, particularly with a shell-shaped design, and thus form a space in which components of the thermal management system can be arranged.

[0022] According to the invention, the thermal management device can be operated as a cooling device and / or as a heating device and is preferably designed to maintain the temperature of at least one component at a predetermined operating temperature. For this purpose, the thermal management device can, for example, heat the component via a flow of hot air when, for instance, cold ambient temperatures prevail. Alternatively, the thermal management device can cool the component, for example, via a flow of cooling air when, for instance, hot ambient temperatures prevail. Particularly preferably, the temperature of the component is monitored by at least one temperature sensor in such a way that the thermal management device is controlled based on the measured temperature to maintain the component at a predetermined operating temperature.The operating temperature fluctuates only within a predetermined temperature range. If a temperature above the upper limit of this range is measured, the component is actively cooled by the thermal management system. If a temperature below the lower limit of this range is measured, the component is actively heated by the thermal management system.

[0023] The term "at least one" means that one or more of the components in question may be present. For example, "at least one component" can be understood to mean that one or more components are present.

[0024] The particularly preferred roof module can form a unit in which devices for autonomous or semi-autonomous driving supported by driver assistance systems are integrated and which can be mounted as a unit onto a vehicle body shell by a vehicle manufacturer. Furthermore, the preferred roof module can be designed as a fixed roof only or as a roof including a roof opening system. In addition, the roof module can be designed for use in a passenger car or a commercial vehicle. The roof module can preferably be provided as a unit in the form of a roof sensor module (RSM) in which at least one environmental sensor is provided, in order to be arranged as a deliverable unit on a roof frame or roof frame structure of a vehicle body.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, the at least one flow guide element is rigidly, and in particular immovably, arranged on the surface component. It is also possible for the flow guide element to be integrally or integrally formed on a relevant surface component of the vehicle. Alternatively or additionally, the at least one flow guide element is adjustable between a retracted position and at least one extended position. It may also be preferred that the flow guide element can be extended into several positions, ranging from a retracted position, in which the flow guide element preferably sits flush with a surrounding surface component, to a maximum possible extended position.To provide mobility, the flow guide device preferably includes a drive unit configured to adjust the at least one flow guide element between a retracted position and at least one extended position. The drive unit can be arranged, for example, on a vehicle body and / or a body roof frame. In a preferred embodiment, the drive unit comprises a hydraulic and / or pneumatic and / or electric and / or mechanical drive. The drive can therefore include, for example, an electric motor and / or a hydraulic and / or pneumatic drive and / or a mechanical drive. The drive can also include a Bowden cable and / or a pull cable and / or one or more lever elements and / or a single- or multi-stage gearbox and / or a return spring and / or similar components.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the thermal management device is at least partially integrated into or arranged on the at least one flow guide element. It is understood that parts of the thermal management device can also be arranged outside the installation space provided by the flow guide element. For example, parts of the thermal management device can be arranged in a region of the at least one component in order to dissipate the heat generated by it as directly as possible at its point of origin. The technical components of the thermal management device are preferably rigidly, i.e., immovably, arranged within the installation space of the flow guide element.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment, the thermal management device comprises at least one flow channel and / or at least one air inlet opening and / or at least one air outlet opening and / or at least one fan and / or at least one heat sink and / or at least one heat exchanger and / or at least one heat pump and / or at least one heat guide tube. For example, the aerodynamic shape of the flow guide element can be used to generate an airflow within a flow channel of the thermal management device without the need for a fan or any other component. For example, the flow guide element can include at least one air inlet through which ambient air can flow through the flow channel into the interior of the flow guide element.The thermal management device is preferably provided inside the flow guide element, utilizing such an airflow to temperature-control the at least one component. The at least one component can be thermally connected to the thermal management device integrated into the flow guide element, for example, via a heat exchanger or a heat pipe. Particularly preferably, at least one heat sink, especially one with a plurality of cooling fins, is provided in the flow channel, over which an airflow flows, allowing the heat emitted by the component to be effectively transferred to the airflow by the heat sink. Preferably, the thermal management device forms a wet zone at least partially inside the flow guide element, through which humid air can also flow without causing corrosion problems. This is advantageous because humid air has a higher heat storage capacity than dehumidified air.It is also advantageous if the thermal management device includes a heating element with which air entering the at least one flow channel can be heated, for example, to heat the at least one component to a predetermined operating temperature. It can also be advantageous if the at least one flow channel is connected to other flow channels in the vehicle in such a way that an airflow can pass through all flow channels, particularly without interruption.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment, the thermal management device is designed to dissipate waste heat from several electrical, electronic, and / or electromagnetic components, particularly by means of a heat exchanger and / or a heat guide tube. For example, the thermal management device can comprise one or more heat exchangers and / or heat guide tubes through which the waste heat from various components can be collected and fed to the flow channel in a concentrated form. This is advantageous because it allows waste heat from the electrical, electronic, and / or electromagnetic components to be cumulatively and centrally discharged from the vehicle.The thermal management device preferably comprises at least one temperature sensor, which preferably detects the temperature of the at least one component or in a periphery of the at least one component at predetermined time intervals or in real time and transmits this information to a control unit. Based on this temperature, the control unit can regulate an airflow of the thermal management device so that the at least one component operates at a predetermined operating temperature. This significantly increases the reliability of the at least one component.

[0029] According to the invention, the flow guide element comprises at least one electrical and / or electronic and / or electromagnetic component designed as an environmental sensor and at least one viewing area through which the environmental sensor can send and / or receive electromagnetic signals to detect the vehicle's surroundings. In other words, according to this embodiment, the flow guide element provides, in addition to the installation space for the thermal management device, installation space for the at least one component. This allows for the saving of installation space in other areas of the vehicle and / or the roof module.

[0030] In principle, the environmental sensor of the roof module according to the invention can be configured in various ways and may, in particular, comprise a lidar sensor and / or a radar sensor and / or a camera sensor and / or a multi-camera sensor and / or an ultrasonic sensor and / or the like. Lidar sensors, for example, operate in a wavelength range of 905 nm or approximately 1550 nm. The material of the roof membrane in the transparent area should be transparent to the wavelength range used by the environmental sensor and should therefore be selected according to the wavelength(s) used by the environmental sensor. The field of view of the environmental sensor preferably extends symmetrically around the optical axis of the environmental sensor in the form of a cone with a sensor-specific cone opening angle.

[0031] Additionally, it may include at least one electrical, electronic and / or electromagnetic component, an antenna and / or a measuring sensor and / or a communication device and / or a lighting device.

[0032] Alternatively or additionally (i.e., and / or) to the thermal management device specified above, the at least one flow guide element includes at least one cleaning device with at least one cleaning nozzle and / or at least one light source and / or at least one tank and / or at least one pump for a (cleaning) fluid and / or at least one compressor and / or at least one reservoir for air and / or at least one control unit.

[0033] The flow guide element can therefore also provide installation space in which further technical components are arranged that are required for trouble-free operation in a supervised and / or semi-autonomous and / or autonomous vehicle. This is particularly advantageous because a completely self-contained module can be realized in this way. In particular, the flow guide device according to the invention can thus be installed as a self-contained power module in a vehicle and, as a self-contained power unit, provides various functions for supervised and / or semi-autonomous and / or autonomous driving. This is advantageous for vehicle design because only the flow guide device itself needs to be included in the space utilization concept. If this is mounted externally and rigidly on the vehicle, the flow guide device does not affect the vehicle's installation space. This leads to optimized space utilization.

[0034] These components can, for example, include the cleaning device for cleaning the viewing area of ​​the environmental sensor. The at least one cleaning nozzle is preferably configured to clean a viewing area of ​​the environmental sensor, which is preferably provided on the flow guide element. A gaseous or liquid cleaning fluid can be used for this purpose. The flow guide element can further comprise one or more cleaning lines and / or valves and / or a tank. All these components can preferably be arranged in an installation space provided by the flow guide element, since the latter is preferably designed as a shell-shaped component. The at least one cleaning nozzle can be movable translationally along an axis or rotationally about an axis relative to the flow guide element.The cleaning device may also have a wiper that allows the viewing area to be cleaned in the manner of a windshield wiper.

[0035] Such a light source can be part of a system with lights for indicating autonomous driving operation and is intended, for example, to show other road users the current status of the autonomous vehicle, e.g., whether it will stop at a pedestrian crossing. This arrangement of the light source is advantageous because it saves installation space.

[0036] The inclusion of a tank, for example to store a cleaning fluid, especially in conjunction with a pump, can also be advantageous for making the flow guide system self-sufficient. It can also be beneficial to include a compressor to provide compressed air for cleaning and / or temperature control of at least one component. Alternatively or additionally, a reservoir for (compressed) air can be provided. The integration of a control unit within the flow guide element's installation space is particularly advantageous, as it enables control of the thermal management system, the cleaning system, and / or the at least one component. This allows the flow guide system to operate completely autonomously.

[0037] The at least one flow-guiding element preferably forms a wind spoiler, in particular a front spoiler, a rear spoiler, a side spoiler, a tailgate spoiler, a wind deflector for a sunroof, a wind deflector for a convertible, or a wind deflector for a sliding roof. Other arrangements of the at least one flow-guiding element, not mentioned here, are also conceivable and are not to be considered exhaustive.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment, a motor vehicle comprises a roof frame structure and one of the aforementioned roof modules. The roof module is preferably arranged as a unit on the roof frame structure, preferably bonded and / or bolted and / or welded to it. The roof module can thus be attached to the roof frame structure of the vehicle body in a single, captive piece.

[0039] It is understood that the aforementioned and subsequently explained embodiments and exemplary embodiments can be implemented not only individually, but also in any combination with one another, without departing from the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, all embodiments and exemplary embodiments of the flow guide device relate fully and in equivalent form to a motor vehicle that incorporates such a flow guide device. Moreover, all embodiments and exemplary embodiments of the flow guide device relate fully and in equivalent form to a roof module that incorporates such a flow guide device.

[0040] Embodiments of the invention are schematically depicted in the drawing and are explained below by way of example. They show: Fig. 1 a perspective view of a vehicle roof with a roof module according to the invention; Fig. 2 a first embodiment of a flow guidance device according to the invention; Fig. 3 a second embodiment of a flow guidance device according to the invention; Fig. 4 a bottom view of the second embodiment; Fig. 5 a one-sided detailed view of the second embodiment; Fig. 6 a detailed view of a third embodiment; and Fig. 7 a detailed view of a fourth embodiment.

[0041] In Fig. Figure 1 shows a vehicle roof 100 of a motor vehicle (not shown in its entirety), comprising a roof module 10. The roof module 10 is integrated as a unit into a roof frame structure 104 of the vehicle or mounted on at least two cross members 102 and at least two longitudinal members 106 of the vehicle body, which form the roof frame structure 104. In the case shown, the roof module 10 includes a roof opening 108. Furthermore, the roof module 10 includes a roof opening system with a cover element 110, which can be moved, for example, along guide rails (not shown) to selectively open or close the roof opening 108. For opening and / or closing the roof opening 108 or for moving the cover element 110, the roof opening system includes a sliding roof mechanism, which is not specified in detail. The front cross member 102 forms a roof-side cowl that connects to a windshield 112 of the vehicle.

[0042] The roof module 10 comprises a surface component 12 for forming a roof skin 14 of the vehicle roof 100. In principle, however, the surface component can also be another part of the vehicle body. A flow guide device 15 is arranged symmetrically to the vehicle's longitudinal axis x in a frontal area of ​​the vehicle roof 100 or the roof module 10 (viewed in a longitudinal direction x of the vehicle, corresponding to a direction of travel x).

[0043] The flow guide device 15 optionally includes an electrical and / or electronic and / or electromagnetic component 16, which in this case is an environmental sensor 16'. The environmental sensor 16' is optionally arranged in a space provided by a flow guide element 17. The space is provided by the flow guide element 17, as it is designed as a hollow shell-shaped component. The flow guide element 17 serves, in the case of Fig. 1 as a wind deflector to prevent the airflow W from entering the roof opening 108 when it is in an open state. The flow guide element 17 is, in the case of the Fig. 1 to 4 are adjustably arranged on the surface component 12 immediately behind the front cross member 102. In this case, the at least one flow guide element 17 is adjustable between a retracted position and at least one extended position by means of a drive unit 18. The drive unit 18 can comprise at least one hydraulic and / or pneumatic and / or electric and / or mechanical drive (not shown in detail).

[0044] The environmental sensor 16' is integrated, along with its sensor housing, into the flow guide element 17. The sensor housing forms a dry zone in which the at least one environmental sensor 16' is protected from moisture. The flow guide element 17 optimally includes a viewing area 20 through which the environmental sensor 16' can send and / or receive electromagnetic signals. The environmental sensor 16' is a lidar sensor. The viewing area 20 is a window or lens, preferably made of a shatterproof plastic, glass, or other (partially) transparent material. The environmental sensor 16' is aligned along an optical axis 22, which in the case of Fig. 1 is aligned parallel to the vehicle's longitudinal direction x. A cone-shaped field of view of the environment sensor 16' extends around the optical axis 22, within which the environment sensor 16' can send and / or receive electromagnetic signals to detect the vehicle's surroundings.

[0045] It is understood that, according to the illustrated embodiment, the environmental sensor 16' is only included in the installation space of the flow guide element 17 by way of example. In other embodiments, the environmental sensor 16' or the at least one component 16 can also be spaced apart, i.e., arranged outside the flow guide device 15 on the motor vehicle, since the at least one component 16 does not define a necessary part of the flow guide device 15 according to the invention.

[0046] According to the invention, the flow guide device 15 comprises a thermal management device 24, which may include several technical components, which will be discussed in more detail below. The individual components of the thermal management device 24 are made up of the Fig. Further details can be found in sections 2 to 6. In this example, the flow guide element 17 also includes a cleaning device 26 with at least one cleaning nozzle 28. The cleaning nozzle 28 is designed to clean the viewing area 20 so that the environmental sensor 16' always has an unobstructed view of the vehicle's surroundings.

[0047] In the following, further embodiments of the flow guidance device 15 according to the invention, in particular exemplary configurations of the thermal management device 24 included therein, will be discussed in detail.

[0048] Fig. Figure 2 shows an embodiment of the flow guide device 15 according to the invention in a schematic, rear view. The flow guide device 15 can, for example, be attached to a surface component, particularly in the area of ​​a vehicle roof, by means of mounting components 30, which in this case project beyond the flow guide element 17 as mounting bases, so that the flow guide device 15 is rigidly mounted to the respective surface component (not shown). The flow guide element 17 comprises the thermal management device 24, which is largely concealed by an outer skin of the flow guide element 17. Only two air outlet openings 32 are visible from the outside as components of the thermal management device 24.

[0049] An airflow can preferably be directed through the two air outlet openings 32, for example via air inlet openings 34 (see for example Fig. 3) enters, escapes again from the flow guide element 17 or the thermal management device 24, after preferably having absorbed waste heat from the at least one component 16 (cooling case) or having transferred heat to it (heating case).

[0050] In the Fig. Figures 3 to 5 show a further embodiment of the flow guide device 15 according to the invention, in which the flow guide element 17 comprises, in addition to the thermal management device 24, several components 16 and the cleaning device 26 with several cleaning nozzles 28. It can be seen that the components 24, 16 and 26 are arranged on the right and left sides of the flow guide element 17 in a longitudinal direction, in particular in a mirror-symmetrical arrangement relative to each other. The installation space provided by the flow guide element 17 includes two cameras 16" (see Figure 3). Fig. 4 and Fig. 5), each of which detects the vehicle's surroundings through a lens 36. The lenses 36 are each integrated into and / or embedded in the outer skin of the flow guide element 17. The installation space provided by the flow guide element 17, in particular by its shell-shaped design, further comprises two environmental sensors 16', in particular lidar sensors, each of which looks through its own viewing area 20. Several cleaning nozzles 28 are arranged on the outer skin of the flow guide element 17 around both the two viewing areas 20 and the two lenses 36. In this case, each lens 36 is assigned two cleaning nozzles 28. Each viewing area 20 is assigned four cleaning nozzles 28. It is understood that the number of cleaning nozzles 28 is merely exemplary and in no way limiting.

[0051] From the Fig. 4 and Fig. Figure 5 shows in particular the shell-shaped design of the flow guide element 17. Furthermore, these figures show a view from below, so that the installation space, which is otherwise concealed by the outer skin of the flow guide element 17, is visible. Both the two cameras 16" and the environmental sensors 16' are each arranged in housings that protect them from moisture. Fig. Figure 4 shows the mirrored structure of the flow guide device 15, since all components are provided on both the right and left sides.

[0052] Each of the cleaning nozzles 28 is connected to a valve block 40 via a hose 38. Such a valve block 40 is provided on both the right and left sides of the flow guide element 17, viewed along its longitudinal extent. The valve block 40 allows for the control, in particular the opening and closing, of each of the cleaning nozzles 28, preferably individually. Each of the two valve blocks 40 is connected to a cleaning connection 42 via hoses 38. A cleaning fluid can preferably be supplied to the cleaning device 26 via each of the cleaning connections 42. The supply is centrally located via two connections, from which the cleaning fluid is routed via the hoses 38 to the respective valve block 40 and from there can be controlled and supplied to the cleaning nozzles 28 via the respective hoses 38.

[0053] The flow guide element 17 comprises, according to the Fig. Figures 3 to 5 also include two thermal management devices 24, arranged on the right and left sides of the installation space of the flow guide element 17, in order to regulate the temperature of the mirror-symmetrical structure of the sensors 16', 16". Each of the thermal management devices 24 comprises the air inlet opening 34, which is connected to the air outlet opening 32 via a flow channel 44. Thus, air can flow into the thermal management device 24 from the outside through each of the air inlet openings 34 and flow out again through the respective air outlet opening 32 via the respective flow channel 44. It is understood that the thermal management device 24 can also comprise several flow channels 44. In each flow channel 44, preferably at least one heat exchanger and / or a heat pipe and / or a heat sink 48 and / or a fan 46 can be provided (see Figure 3). Fig. 7, in which the flow channel 44 is shown in transparent form). The at least one heat exchanger and / or the at least one heat guide tube and / or the at least one heat sink 48 serves for the effective heat dissipation and / or heat transfer between the air flowing through the flow channel 44 and the at least one component 16' and / or 16". The fan 46 is preferably designed to force an airflow within the flow channel 44. In this case, for example, the housings of the respective environmental sensor 16' are in direct, heat-transferring contact with the respective flow channel 44, so that effective heat exchange (which is fundamentally possible in a bidirectional direction) is enabled (see Fig. 7) It is understood that the respective air inlet opening 34 and / or the respective air outlet opening 32 may include at least one grille and / or at least one air filter, so that the ingress of foreign bodies into the flow channel 44 can be effectively prevented.

[0054] For the sake of clarity, in Fig. Figure 6 shows some components that are enclosed on one side in the installation space of the flow guide element 17, with the flow guide element 17 hidden in the illustration. Reference symbol list 10 roof module 12 Surface component 14 Roof membrane 15 Flow guide device 16 electrical and / or electronic and / or electromagnetic component 16' Environmental sensor 16" camera 17 Flow guide element 18 Drive unit 20 Viewing area 22 optical axis 24 Thermal management device 26 Cleaning equipment 28 Cleaning nozzle 30 Mounting component, mounting base 32 Air outlet opening 34 Air intake opening 36 lens 38 hose line 40 Valve block 42 Cleaning connection 44 Flow channel 46 fans 48 heat sinks 100 vehicle roof 102 Crossbeam 104 Roof frame structure 106 Longitudinal beam 108 Roof opening 110 lid element 112 Windscreen W Wind x Vehicle longitudinal direction, direction of travel, vehicle longitudinal axis y Vehicle width direction

Claims

[1] Flow guidance device for a motor vehicle with at least one flow guidance element (17) by which the airflow (W) can be deflected in a predetermined manner, characterized by, that the at least one flow guide element (17) comprises at least one cleaning device (26) comprising at least one cleaning nozzle (28), at least one electrical and / or electronic and / or electromagnetic component (16', 16") designed as a lidar sensor and / or a radar sensor and / or a camera sensor (16") and / or a multi-camera sensor and / or an ultrasonic sensor, at least one viewing area (20) through which the at least one component (16', 16") can send and / or receive electromagnetic signals for detecting the vehicle environment, and comprises at least one thermal management device (24) with which waste heat dissipated by at least one electrical and / or electronic and / or electromagnetic component (16, 16', 16") and / or heat introduced from outside can be dissipated and / or with which the at least one component (16, 16', 16") can be tempered to a predetermined operating temperature. [2] Flow guide device according to claim 1, characterized by , that the at least one flow guide element (17) is rigidly, in particular immovably, arranged on the surface component (12). [3] Flow guide device according to claim 1, characterized by , that the at least one flow guide element (17) is adjustable between a retracted position and at least one extended position. [4] Flow guide device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the thermal management device (24) includes at least one flow channel (44) and / or at least one air inlet opening (34) and / or at least one air outlet opening (32) and / or at least one fan (46) and / or at least one heat sink (48) and / or at least one heat exchanger and / or at least one heat pump and / or at least one heat guide tube. [5] Flow guide device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the thermal management device (24) is designed to dissipate waste heat from several components (16, 16', 16") in particular by means of a heat exchanger and / or a heat guide tube. [6] Flow guide device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the flow guide element (17) includes at least one light source and / or at least one tank and / or at least one pump for a liquid and / or at least one compressor and / or at least one reservoir for air and / or at least one control unit. [7] Flow guide device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the at least one electrical, electronic and / or electromagnetic component (16, 16', 16") includes an antenna and / or a measuring sensor and / or a communication device and / or a lighting device and / or the environmental sensor (16'). [8] Motor vehicle comprising at least one surface component (12), at least one electrical and / or electronic and / or electromagnetic component (16, 16', 16") and at least one flow guide device (17) according to one of claims 1 to 7, which is arranged on the surface component (12) and is preferably configured to dissipate the waste heat of the at least one component (16, 16', 16") from the motor vehicle and / or to supply it to a climate circuit of the motor vehicle. [9] Motor vehicle according to claim 8, characterized by , that the at least one flow guide element (17) forms a wind spoiler, in particular a front spoiler, a rear spoiler, a side spoiler, a tailgate spoiler, a sunroof wind deflector, a convertible wind deflector or a sunroof wind deflector. [10] Roof module for forming a vehicle roof (100) on a motor vehicle with a surface component (12) that forms at least partially a roof skin (14) of the vehicle roof (100) which functions as an outer sealing surface of the roof module (10), preferably with a roof opening system comprising a cover element (110) that can be moved to selectively open or close a roof opening (108), and with a flow guide device (17) according to one of claims 1 to 7, which forms a wind deflector and / or a driving wind spoiler.

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