Sensor module with environmental sensor and cooling unit

Abstract

A sensor module (18) comprising a one- or multi-part cover (20), at least one environment sensor (22) for detecting a vehicle environment is proposed, which is arranged under the one- or multi-part cover (20) and is configured to detect the vehicle environment via a sensor viewing area (24) of the cover (20) and / or through an opening in the cover (20), as well as a cooling device (28) which is at least partially arranged in a wet area, the cooling device (28) comprising at least one fan (32).The sensor module (18) has at least one air inlet opening (34) and the cooling device (28) has at least one air outlet opening (36), wherein the fan (32) for cooling the environment sensor (22) is configured to draw outside air (A) into the wet area via the at least one air inlet opening (34), to direct the drawn-in outside air (A) into the cooling device (28) and to discharge it to the outside via the at least one air outlet opening (36).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a sensor module, in particular a roof sensor module (RSM) for a passenger car, comprising an environmental sensor for detecting the vehicle's surroundings, which is arranged under a cover, and a cooling device for cooling the environmental sensor. The invention further relates to a vehicle roof with such a sensor module. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle with such a sensor module and / or such a vehicle roof.

[0002] Vehicle roofs are a familiar concept in practice. A vehicle roof can, for example, be designed as a roof sensor module, which can be mounted as a separate unit onto the body shell of a passenger car. The vehicle body includes roof rails, which can be longitudinal and / or transverse, serving as the interface to the roof and forming a support structure within the body shell. The vehicle roof comprises a roof skin that forms an outer viewing surface and has sensor viewing areas through which environmental sensors, located beneath the roof skin, can detect the vehicle's surroundings.

[0003] Autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles incorporate, for example, a roof designed as a sensor roof module (RSM), which is equipped with a variety of environmental sensors. These sensors, integrated into the vehicle roof in a dry area, and which may include lidar sensors, radar sensors, and / or cameras, detect the surroundings and provide corresponding measurement signals to the vehicle's control electronics. This allows the system to determine the current traffic situation and adapt the vehicle's driving behavior accordingly. To ensure the continuous availability of the environmental sensors, they must be kept within a specific temperature range, for which a thermal cooling system is used.The cooling system includes, for example, heat pipes connected to the environmental sensors located in the dry area. Separating the vehicle roof into dry and wet areas places high demands on the sealing system to be integrated. Therefore, the design of cooling systems, which have previously been used to cool the environmental sensors on vehicle roofs, is complex.

[0004] The continuous development of sensor technologies leads to increasingly demanding requirements for their performance and / or operational reliability. A crucial challenge is efficiently dissipating the generated heat to ensure the accuracy and / or reliability of environmental sensors. A common method for cooling environmental sensors is the targeted airflow onto the connected heat sink, often using heat pipes, within a closed cooling channel. While this approach is effective to some extent, it faces the challenge of forced-air cooling, which is less efficient compared to direct cooling of the heat sink.

[0005] Current solutions often use outside air and heat sinks to dissipate heat. However, these approaches suffer from the problem that, especially in warm and / or hot environments, heat buildup under the cover is not effectively dissipated. Until now, closed cooling channels were primarily known for use in dry environments, which meant that heat generation in the area of ​​the cover was not optimally addressed.

[0006] In cooling concepts where the fan is located in a closed duct, the problem arises that the fan may come into contact with water if it is unintentionally drawn into the air intake and / or exhaust opening. This approach therefore presents challenges, particularly regarding the required IP rating of the fan. The need for a higher IP rating leads to additional costs and technical requirements. Current approaches have not yet achieved the desired reduction of water ingress, even in dry areas, to specifically protect the fan from being flooded with water.

[0007] One objective of the invention is to provide a sensor module with an improved cooling concept.

[0008] The problem is solved according to the invention by a sensor module with the features of claim 1.

[0009] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims. The scope of the invention encompasses all combinations of at least two features disclosed in the description, the claims, and / or the figures. It is understood in particular that linguistic transformations and / or the meaningful substitution of respective terms within the framework 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.

[0010] According to the invention, a sensor module, particularly for a passenger car, is proposed. The sensor module has a one- or multi-part cover. The sensor module further comprises at least one environmental sensor for detecting the vehicle's surroundings, which is arranged under the one- or multi-part cover and is configured to detect the vehicle's surroundings via a sensor viewing area in the cover and / or through an opening or penetration in the cover. The sensor module has a cooling device that is at least partially located in a wet area. The environmental sensor is preferably also located in the wet area. The wet area is formed inside the sensor module and is at least partially bounded by the one- or multi-part cover. The cooling device has at least one fan.The sensor module also has at least one air inlet opening, and the cooling unit has at least one air outlet opening. The fan is designed to draw outside air into the wet area through the at least one air inlet opening to cool the environmental sensor, direct the drawn-in outside air at least into part of the cooling unit, and discharge it to the outside through the at least one air outlet opening.

[0011] In the vehicle roof according to the invention, the ambient light sensor is located in a wet area where water can penetrate from the outside. Since the ambient light sensor is located below the cover, which acts as a trim panel, heat can build up in the sensor's area due to sensor operation and / or external heat input. Therefore, the cooling device is also located, at least partially, in this wet area. This device allows outside air to be drawn in, particularly through an air inlet opening, for active cooling of the ambient light sensor. The outside air is first directed into the interior of the sensor module before being drawn into the cooling device by the fan. The fan preferably creates a negative pressure inside the sensor module relative to the surrounding environment. Due to pressure equalization, outside air is drawn in through the air inlet opening.The initial supply of outside air allows heat buildup in the sensor module to be dissipated during operation, as it is gradually displaced by the outside air. This heat is then expelled through the air outlet provided on the cooling unit. Therefore, this is not a closed cooling system where the air inlet and outlet are integrated into the cooling unit. Instead, the air inlet is separate from or spaced apart from the cooling unit. This allows for a simple design approach to maintain the operating temperature of the ambient sensor below a critical threshold, such as 85 °C, or to quickly lower the sensor's temperature below this threshold. Heat buildup caused by ambient temperature, solar radiation, or even waste heat from the sensor itself can be effectively dissipated.This improves uninterrupted sensor availability.

[0012] Despite the presence of an environmental sensor beneath the cover, it is possible to dissipate heat buildup through targeted air circulation. Passive cooling via the sensor's outer surface is thus enabled. Furthermore, for increased efficiency, active cooling can optionally be achieved by directing airflow to a heat sink.

[0013] This provides an efficient cooling concept for an environmental sensor in wet areas.

[0014] The vehicle roof's environmental sensor can be designed in a variety of ways, utilize electromagnetic radiation and / or acoustic waves, and may include, for example, a lidar sensor, a radar sensor, an optical sensor such as a camera, an ultrasonic sensor, an antenna system and / or the like.

[0015] If the environmental sensor is a lidar sensor, it preferably operates in a wavelength range of approximately 905 nm or approximately 1550 nm. A camera used as an environmental sensor can operate in the visible light wavelength range and / or in the infrared range.

[0016] The cover is designed in one or more parts and preferably overlaps the environmental sensor at least partially. Furthermore, the cover includes the sensor viewing area, which is preferably window-like and transparent to the wavelength range used by the environmental sensor. The sensor viewing area can be solid. The sensor viewing area can form an integral part of the cover or an insert thereof. The sensor viewing area can also be a recess into which the environmental sensor engages with a housing or the like. In this case, the environmental sensor itself forms an externally visible part of the cover, located within the recess.

[0017] The sensor's transparency area is particularly transparent for wavelengths between 300 nm and 2000 nm. It is also advantageous if the sensor's transparency area is transparent to radar beams.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment, the fan is designed to draw in outside air in such a way that it flows at least partially directly around the at least one environmental sensor located in the wet area, thereby cooling it. The outside air can, for example, flow directly around at least part of a sensor housing. In contrast to the prior art, where cooling of the environmental sensor is achieved solely through heat dissipation via heat-conducting elements, active cooling of the environmental sensor is also possible in this embodiment. The fan is designed to draw in the surrounding outside air in a specific manner. This drawn-in outside air is directed so that it flows at least partially directly around the at least one environmental sensor located in the wet area.The purpose of this airflow is to actively cool at least one environmental sensor by using the cooling effect of the moving air on the sensor surface in the wet area. This is intended to achieve effective cooling of the environmental sensor, ensuring an optimal operating temperature and thus reliable sensor function. A radial or axial fan, for example, can be used.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the cooling device comprises at least one air duct in which the at least one fan is arranged, and into which outside air can be introduced via the fan, wherein the at least one air outlet opening is provided in an end region of the at least one air duct or cooling duct. The fan first draws fresh outside air into the interior of the sensor housing before this outside air and / or any stagnant air displaced by the outside air is introduced into the air duct. The fan then blows the air introduced into the air duct out again via the air outlet opening. The air duct is located in the wet area of ​​the vehicle roof. The fan, which is arranged in the air duct, is therefore also located in the wet area.

[0020] The fan is preferably oriented in a vehicle height direction to effectively draw out any heat buildup located beneath the cover. Furthermore, a fan oriented in this way is better protected from drawing in water that may accumulate on a mounting frame. The fan is preferably oriented such that one axis of rotation of a fan rotor is parallel or substantially parallel (with a tolerance of ± 20%) to the vehicle height direction.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment, the at least one air inlet opening is provided at an outer edge region of the one- or multi-part cover, particularly in the area of ​​a transition between the one- or multi-part cover and another surface component of a vehicle roof or body panel. The outer edge region is preferably located at a transition between the cover and another component. If the sensor module is arranged on a vehicle roof, the edge region can preferably be located at a transition between the cover, which forms part of the roof skin, and a surface component of the vehicle roof. By placing the air inlet opening in the outer edge region, direct ingress of water from the outside can be prevented. Instead, water only penetrates if it is carried by the outside air.By positioning the air intake opening, damage to the fan from water flowing in on the air intake side is prevented.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment, the at least one air inlet opening is spaced apart from the at least one air duct on the one- or multi-part cover. The air inlet opening is thus not directly part of the cooling device, as is the case in the prior art. Rather, outside air can flow through the air inlet opening into an interior space of the sensor module, bounded to the outside by the cover, in which the cooling device is located. This interior space preferably defines at least part of the wet area.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, at least one air inlet opening is provided in an edge region of the sensor's viewing area, and the fan is configured to draw in outside air through the at least one air inlet opening in such a way that it is guided at least partially along an inner surface of the sensor's viewing area. The drawn-in outside air can thus also be directed and / or selectively guided over the sensor's viewing area, for example, to remove condensation and / or dissolve it.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment, the sensor module has a cleaning device with at least one cleaning nozzle and at least one nozzle cover, wherein at least one gap is formed between the nozzle cover and an edge region of the sensor's viewing area, through which outside air can be introduced into the wet area via the at least one air inlet opening. The gap preferably acts as a barrier against water ingress, thus preventing direct water penetration into the wet area.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, at least one heat sink is arranged in or on the air duct, particularly downstream of the at least one fan. This heat sink is thermally connected to at least a portion of the ambient sensor via at least one thermal conductor. This provides supplementary cooling. With this combined cooling, more effective temperature control of the ambient sensor can be achieved. In this embodiment, at least one heat sink is arranged in the air duct, exposed to an airflow within the duct, and connected to the ambient sensor via at least one thermal conductor, which may be designed as a so-called heat pipe. The thermal conductor can be located in a dry area of ​​the vehicle roof that is sealed off from the wet area.For more efficient cooling, a heat sink, thermally connected to the ambient sensor, is preferably installed after the fan. This heat sink is initially cooled by "stuck" air at the start of a cooling cycle, but shortly thereafter cooled by outside air at ambient temperature. This ensures effective cooling of the ambient sensor.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the at least one thermocouple is connected to a sensor housing of the at least one environmental sensor and / or to a base of the at least one environmental sensor, wherein the base is preferably inserted into a cutout of a support structure spanned by the cover and preferably formed by a sensor module frame. For example, the base of the environmental sensor is inserted into a cutout of a support structure of the sensor module, which is spanned and / or overlapped by the cover and preferably formed by a module frame. The thermocouple can be effectively connected to the environmental sensor located in the wet area via the cutout. The environmental sensor is preferably arranged directly or indirectly, in particular via a holder, on the support structure.The arrangement is preferably such that a circumferential seal is arranged at the base of the environmental sensor, which interacts with the support device and encompasses the cutout.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment, air guide ribs are formed on an inner surface of the one- or multi-part cover. These air guide ribs are designed to direct the flow of outside air into the interior of the sensor module, specifically into an interior space that at least partially defines the wet area. The air guide ribs allow the outside air to be guided and / or directed, for example, directly along the environmental sensor, particularly a sensor housing, to actively cool the sensor. The air guide ribs can project inwards from the one- or multi-part cover. The airflow can be influenced by shaping the air guide ribs. The air guide ribs can be integrally formed with the cover, which is made primarily of plastic. This represents a cost-effective and robust embodiment that is also easy to install and replace.Only a few components are required for high cooling efficiency.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment, the cooling device has a water shut-off valve in the area of ​​the at least one air outlet opening, designed to prevent water from entering the cooling device from the outside. It is therefore possible to provide a water shut-off valve on the air outlet side of the cooling device. The water shut-off valve can have a movable surface element, for example, a rubber mat or a sealing plate. The surface element can be movable and / or rotatable, for example, via a hinge, etc., within the air duct. The water shut-off valve is designed to block the ingress of water into the air outlet opening. This prevents unwanted flooding of the closed air duct.Individual water droplets present in the cooling unit, which may be formed, for example, by condensation, can preferably be drained to the outside via a water drain in the air duct. This prevents the fan from coming into contact with water. Thus, this design provides an advantageous solution for protecting the fan from water ingress through the air inlet and / or outlet openings.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment, the water shut-off valve has at least one movable flap and / or sealing plate and / or rubber mat by which the air outlet opening can be closed, at least temporarily and / or partially. The water shut-off valve thus preferably has certain movable parts such as a flap, a sealing plate, and / or a rubber mat. These movable elements preferably have the function of temporarily or partially closing the air outlet opening. This allows the opening to be opened or closed in a controlled manner, depending on the requirements and conditions. The opening and closing of the water shut-off valve can be active or at least partially passive. Passive preferably means that an overpressure generated by the fan is used to open the valve, or that it causes the valve to open.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment, the cooling device has at least one water outlet. This outlet allows water accumulating in the cooling device, for example condensation from the outside air, to be removed without damaging the fan.

[0031] To ensure easy access to the ambient sensor for installation or maintenance, the cover can include at least one removable dome under which the sensor is located and which also encompasses the sensor's viewing area. This dome, which can be removed, can be snapped, bonded, and / or screwed to adjacent areas of the cover. A cooling fan can also be located under the dome, thus placing it in the wet area along with the ambient sensor. This purely wet-area cooling solution eliminates the need for sealing interfaces facing the vehicle interior.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, the cooling device includes a water barrier element that is movably arranged between the water outlet and the at least one fan. The inclusion of this water barrier element provides a simple and cost-effective solution for efficiently preventing water ingress into the area of ​​the cooling device where the at least one fan is located. The water barrier element offers an inexpensive and structurally simple solution that requires minimal installation effort and is robust and low-maintenance in operation. This eliminates the need for a fan with a high IP protection rating, thus saving costs. Consequently, ambient air-based cooling of the components of a sensor module is possible even with less expensive fans.

[0033] In one embodiment, the water shut-off element is arranged in a downpipe of the air duct, which is particularly vertical. The downpipe opens into the water outlet at one end and into an air inlet to the at least one fan at the opposite end. The air inlet has a smaller cross-section than the water shut-off element. The present solution retains the "siphon" geometry in the air inlet area. This siphon geometry includes, for example, a wall to prevent water from entering directly, particularly horizontally. The siphon geometry also includes the downpipe, which can be an integral or additional part of the air duct, and which opens into the water outlet with a drain nozzle at the lowest point of the downpipe to drain the water entering the cooling device from the sensor module.The water shut-off element can be understood as a type of floating valve or float located between the water outlet or drain nozzle and the at least one fan. The water shut-off element is preferably a closed, watertight structure, filled in particular with air or another gas or gas mixture. The water shut-off element can be in the form of a sphere, an elliptical body, a disc, etc. The water shut-off element is located in the downpipe, which is a vertical pipe channel. A starting or resting position for the water shut-off element is preferably located at the lower end of the downpipe. The air supply to the at least one fan is preferably located at the upper end of the downpipe. An opening or cross-section of the air supply or the upper end of the downpipe is preferably smaller than the water shut-off element.

[0034] In one embodiment, the water shut-off element is arranged in a rest position at the end of the downpipe where it opens into the water outlet. When water enters the downpipe, the water shut-off element moves towards the air inlet, particularly to create a watertight seal. As water enters, the water shut-off element rises with the water and inserts itself into the upper opening of the downpipe, thus sealing the downpipe and / or the air inlet. When the water flow subsides or the water level in the downpipe drops, the water shut-off element also descends and returns to its rest position at the lower end of the downpipe.

[0035] In one embodiment, the water barrier is connected to an inner wall of the downpipe by flexible and / or movable elements. This is preferred to prevent or reduce rattling of the water barrier within the downpipe. For this purpose, the water barrier is connected to the surrounding surfaces / geometries by flexible or movable elements. Examples of such elements include rubber bands, at least one spring, etc. These elements ensure that, when externally stimulated by movement from the road surface, the water barrier moves only to a limited extent or not at all, thereby preventing unwanted noise.

[0036] In one embodiment, a particularly circumferential seal can be provided at the upper end of the downpipe in the area of ​​the air supply. In other words, a circumferential seal can be fitted in or in the area of ​​the upper opening of the downpipe that leads to the at least one fan to ensure a better seal when the water barrier is moved by water towards the upper opening.

[0037] The present claim also includes a vehicle roof of a motor vehicle, comprising at least one sensor module according to any embodiment.

[0038] A preferred embodiment of the vehicle roof is designed as a roof sensor module. Such a roof sensor module forms an integrated unit that incorporates components required for the autonomous or semi-autonomous driving of the vehicle in question. The roof sensor module, which can integrate a multitude of functional elements, thus represents a compact unit that is connected by the vehicle manufacturer to a vehicle body or body shell, which includes roof pillars such as side pillars and / or longitudinal pillars. The vehicle roof designed as a roof sensor module is therefore a roof sensor module (RSM) that enables autonomous or semi-autonomous driving of the vehicle in question.

[0039] A motor vehicle equipped with such a roof and designed as an autonomous vehicle drives independently in autonomous driving mode, at least without significant driver intervention. In a semi-autonomous driving mode, the vehicle roof, according to the invention, forms, for example, part of a driver assistance system.

[0040] The vehicle roof may be equipped with a transparent fixed roof section and / or a roof opening system for a roof opening.

[0041] In particular, the vehicle roof forms at least part of the roof of a passenger car. However, it can also be the roof of a commercial vehicle, such as a delivery van, a bus, an autonomous minibus (like a so-called people mover), or a truck tractor.

[0042] The present claim also includes a motor vehicle comprising a sensor module and / or a vehicle roof of the type described above. The vehicle roof preferably forms a roof sensor module (RSM) that can be arranged as a pre-assembled unit on the vehicle body. In other words, a vehicle body shell can be provided with a prefabricated or pre-assembled roof sensor module designed as a roof sensor module.

[0043] Further advantages and advantageous embodiments of the subject matter of the invention can be found in the description, the drawing and the patent claims.

[0044] Exemplary embodiments of a motor vehicle with a vehicle roof according to the invention are shown schematically simplified in the drawing and are explained in more detail in the following description. It shows: Fig. 1 a schematic view of a motor vehicle with a vehicle roof and an embodiment of a sensor module; Fig. 2 a schematic view of a vehicle roof with an embodiment of a sensor module; Fig. 3 a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of a sensor module; Fig. 4 a schematic view of an embodiment of a sensor module with a transparent cover; Fig. 5 the sensor module off Fig. 5 with a schematic representation of an internal cooling air circulation; Fig. 6 a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of a sensor module; Fig. 7 a top view of the in Fig. 6 sensor modules shown with cover; Fig. 8 a top view of the in Fig. 6 sensor modules shown without cover; Fig. 9 a top view of an embodiment of a sensor module without a cover; Fig. 10 a schematic view of the in Fig. 6 sensor module shown with a schematic representation of an internal cooling air circulation; Fig. 11 a sectional view of the in Fig. 6 sensor modules shown; Fig. 12 a sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a sensor module; Fig. 13 a detailed view of the in Fig. 12 shown sectional view; Fig. 14 another detailed view of the in Fig. Sectional view 12 shown, with a water shut-off valve in a different position; Fig. 15 another detailed view of the in Fig. Sectional view 12 shown, in which a blocking effect of the water shut-off valve is schematically depicted; Fig. 16 a schematic view of another embodiment of a sensor module with a transparent cover; Fig. 17 a schematic view of a cooling channel in an exemplary embodiment; Fig. 18 a schematic top view of the cooling channel according to Fig. 17; Fig. 19 a schematic sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a sensor module; and Fig. 20 another schematic sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a sensor module.

[0045] Fig. Figure 1 schematically shows a motor vehicle 1000, which has a vehicle body 1002. Furthermore, the motor vehicle 1000 has a roof sensor module 10, which is arranged as a unit on the vehicle body 1002 and forms at least part of the vehicle roof 100 of the motor vehicle 1000. The roof sensor module 10 can be provided as a pre-assembled unit.

[0046] In alternative versions, the vehicle roof 100 can also be a vehicle roof that is not designed as a roof sensor module, as is the case, for example, in Fig. Figure 2 is shown. Therefore, all statements also refer to such a vehicle roof 100.

[0047] The roof sensor module 10 comprises a surface component 12, which at least partially forms a roof skin 14 of the vehicle roof 100. The roof sensor module 10 comprises, according to Fig. 1. A fixed roof element 16, which forms at least a partially transparent viewing area of ​​the vehicle roof 100. The roof sensor module 10 may, in other or supplementary versions, have a roof opening system comprising a cover element that can be moved to selectively open or close a roof opening.

[0048] The roof sensor module 10 (see Fig. 1) or the vehicle roof 100 (see Fig. 2) comprises a sensor module 18. The sensor module 18 has a one- or multi-part cover 20. Furthermore, the sensor module 18 has at least one environmental sensor 22 for detecting the vehicle's surroundings, which is arranged under the one- or multi-part cover 20. The environmental sensor is configured to detect the vehicle's surroundings via a sensor viewing area 24 in the cover 20. The environmental sensor 22 can be a lidar sensor and / or a camera. Other sensors are also conceivable. The environmental sensor 22 is arranged in a sensor housing 26. The sensor housing 26 can preferably have a metallic material, at least in some areas, to enable efficient heat dissipation from the environmental sensor 22.

[0049] The sensor module 18 has a cooling device 28, which is at least partially located in a wet area. The cooling device 28 has at least one air duct 30 and at least one fan 32. The fan 32 is located in or on the air duct 30. The fan 32 is designed as a radial fan. The fan 32 is designed to draw in outside air A in such a way that it flows at least partially directly around the at least one environmental sensor 22 or the sensor housing 26 in the wet area in order to cool the at least one environmental sensor 22. The outside air A can be introduced into the air duct 30 via the fan 32.

[0050] The sensor module 18 further comprises at least one air inlet opening 34. In this case, the at least one air inlet opening 34 is spaced apart from the at least one air duct 30 on the one- or multi-part cover 20. The cooling device 28 comprises at least one air outlet opening 36. The at least one air outlet opening 36 is located in an end region of the at least one air duct 30. The fan 32 is designed to cool the environmental sensor 22 by drawing outside air A into the wet area via the at least one air inlet opening 34, directing the drawn-in outside air A into the cooling device 28, and expelling it to the outside via the at least one air outlet opening 36, as shown schematically in the Fig. 5, Fig. 10 and Fig. 11 is indicated by the air circulation arrows. As shown from Fig. As shown at least schematically in Figures 4 to 9, at least one air inlet opening 34 is provided at an outer edge region of the one- or multi-part cover 20. The air inlet opening 34 may preferably have a water barrier element 38, for example in the form of a stepped barrier, which prevents direct ingress of water from the outside into the interior of the sensor module 18.

[0051] In the Fig. 8 and Fig. The top view shown in Figure 9 for various sensor module variants shows that the water barrier element 38, for example, forms an inwardly closed barrier. Outside air can flow around the barrier, whereas water is prevented from entering by the barrier, at least up to a predetermined degree.

[0052] In one embodiment, the at least one air inlet opening 34 can be provided in an edge region of the sensor's viewing area 24, as shown in the Fig. 10 and Fig. 11 is shown. The air inlet opening 34 is preferably slot-shaped, as can be seen from the sectional view in Fig. 11. In a region of the air inlet opening 34, it may be preferred that a seal 40, otherwise provided in the outer edge region of the cover 20, is at least partially recessed to allow the introduction of outside air A. The fan 32 is designed to draw in the outside air A through the at least one air inlet opening 34 in such a way that the outside air A is at least partially directed over an inner surface 42 of the sensor viewing area 24.

[0053] Preferably independent of the arrangement of the air inlet opening 34, the sensor module 18 can have a cleaning device 44 with at least one cleaning nozzle 46 and with at least one nozzle cover 48, as is the case, for example, in the Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 shown schematically recognizable embodiment.

[0054] In some embodiments, at least one gap 50 can be formed between the nozzle cover 48 and an edge region of the sensor's viewing area 24, through which outside air A can be introduced into the wet area via the at least one air inlet opening 34. The gap 50 preferably serves as a water barrier.

[0055] In the present case, at least one heat sink 52 is arranged in or on the air duct 30, which is connected to at least a part of the environmental sensor 22 in a thermally conductive and / or heat-transferring manner via at least one thermocouple 54.

[0056] The at least one thermocouple 54 can be connected to the sensor housing 26 of the at least one environmental sensor 22 and / or to a base 56 of the at least one environmental sensor 22. The base 56 can be inserted into a cutout of a support structure 58, which is spanned by the cover 20 and which can be formed by a sensor module frame 60.

[0057] Particularly preferably, the sensor module 18 or the cooling device 28 has a water shut-off valve 62 in the area of ​​the at least one air outlet opening 36, which is designed to prevent or at least significantly reduce the ingress of water W or a water jet into the cooling device 28 or the air duct 30 from the outside. This is particularly evident from the Fig. 12 to 15 stand out. The water W can potentially enter, for example, during the cleaning of the motor vehicle 1000, as is evident from Fig. 15 schematically shows. The water shut-off valve 62 can have at least one movable flap and / or sealing plate and / or rubber mat by which the air outlet opening 36 can be closed at least temporarily and / or partially, as can be seen from a summary of the Fig. as shown in Figures 13 to 15. The water shut-off valve 62 can, for example, close when a certain external water pressure occurs, but can be at least partially opened by pressure from air flowing out of the air duct 30. The mobility of the water shut-off valve 62 can also be provided by a solid-state hinge or a film hinge.

[0058] If some water does get into the interior of the air duct 30, it is preferred if the cooling device 28 has at least one water outlet 64.

[0059] In the Fig. Figures 16 to 20 show further embodiments and details of a sensor module 18 as presented.

[0060] Fig. Figure 16 shows the sensor module 18 in an embodiment in which the cooling device 28 has an additional safety function that prevents water from entering the area where the fan 32 is located. This additional safety function is provided by the Fig. 19 and Fig. 20 explained in more detail. The environmental sensor 22 is connected to the air duct 30 via the heat sink 52 for heat dissipation. This connection can be made, for example, by screwing the heat sink 32 to a connection 66 of the air duct, as shown in the Fig. 17 and Fig. 18. The position of the air inlet 34 and the air outlet 36 is merely exemplary and can be interchanged. In the Fig. 17 and Fig. Figure 18 shows the air duct 30 in an isolated manner as an example. From the top view in Fig. 18 further indicates a mounting area 68 for the mounting of at least one fan 32.

[0061] In the Fig. 19 and Fig. Figure 20 shows a cross-sectional view through an exemplary air duct 30. The air duct 30 can be covered by the cover 20 when installed. An exemplary outside air flow inlet A is shown in Figure 20. Fig. Figure 19 shows that in the illustrated embodiment, the cooling device 28 has a water barrier 70, which is movably arranged between the water outlet 64 and the at least one fan 32 in a downpipe 72. The water barrier 70 is thus arranged in the downpipe 72 of the air duct 30, which is particularly vertical. The downpipe 72 opens at least indirectly, i.e., via further sections of the air duct 30, into the water outlet 64 at one end. In this case, the lower end of the downpipe 72 first opens into a bottom section of the air duct 30, which then ultimately leads into the water outlet 64. At the opposite end, the downpipe 72 opens into an air inlet 74 to the at least one fan 30. The air inlet 74 has a cross-sectional area Q smaller than that of the water barrier 70.

[0062] The water shut-off body 70 is in a rest position, which is in Fig. As shown in Figure 19, the water shut-off element 70 is located at the end of the downpipe 72 that at least indirectly leads into the water outlet 64. When water W enters the air duct 30 and thus also the downpipe 72 via the cooling air inlet 34, the water shut-off element 70 moves towards the air inlet 74 due to the rising water level in the air duct 30 and the downpipe 72, in order to seal it watertight. Fig. 20. In the area of ​​the air supply 74, a seal 76 is provided for better sealing. Reference symbol list 10 Roof sensor module 12 Surface component 14 Roof membrane 16 fixed roof elements 18 Sensor module 20 Cover 22 Environmental sensor 24 Sensor viewing area 26 sensor housings 28 Cooling unit 30 air duct 32 fans 34 Air intake opening 36 Air outlet opening 38 Water shut-off element 40 Seal 42 Inside 44 Cleaning equipment 46 Cleaning nozzle 48 nozzle cover 50 gap 52 heat sinks 54 Thermocouple 56 base 58 Supporting institution 60 sensor module frames 62 Water shut-off valve 64 Water drainage 66 Connection 68 Assembly area 70 water barrier bodies 72 Downpipe 74 Air supply 76 Seal 100 vehicle roof 1000 motor vehicles 1002 Vehicle body Outside air Q cross-section Water x Vehicle longitudinal direction y Vehicle width direction

Claims

[1] Sensor module (18) comprising a single-part or multi-part cover (20), at least one environment sensor (22) for detecting a vehicle environment, which is arranged under the single-part or multi-part cover (20) and is designed to detect the vehicle environment via a sensor viewing area (24) of the cover (20) and / or through an opening in the cover (20), and a cooling device (28) which is arranged at least partially in a wet area, the cooling device (28) comprising at least one fan (32), characterized byin that the sensor module (18) has at least one air inlet opening (34) and the cooling device (28) has at least one air outlet opening (36), wherein the fan (32) for cooling the environmental sensor (22) is designed to draw outside air (A) into the wet area via the at least one air inlet opening (34), to guide the drawn-in outside air (A) into the cooling device (28) and to discharge it to the outside via the at least one air outlet opening (36). [2] Sensor module according to claim 1, characterized by that the fan (32) is designed to draw in the outside air in such a way that it flows at least partially directly around the at least one environmental sensor (22) in the wet area in order to cool the at least one environmental sensor (22). [3] Sensor module according to claim 1 or 2, characterized bythat the cooling device (28) comprises at least one air duct (30) in or on which the at least one fan (32) is arranged, and into which the outside air (A) can be introduced via the fan (32), wherein the at least one air outlet opening (36) is provided in an end region of the at least one air duct (30). [4] Sensor module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the at least one air inlet opening (34) is arranged on an outer edge region of the single-part or multi-part cover (20). [5] Sensor module according to claims 2 and 3, characterized by that the at least one air inlet opening (34) is provided at a distance from the at least one air duct (30) on the single-part or multi-part cover (20). [6] Sensor module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized byin that the at least one air inlet opening (34) is provided in an edge region of the sensor viewing area (24), wherein the fan (32) is designed to draw in the outside air (A) via the at least one air inlet opening (34) in such a way that it is guided at least partially along an inner side (42) of the sensor viewing area (24). [7] Sensor module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the sensor module (18) has a cleaning device (44) with at least one cleaning nozzle (46) and with at least one nozzle cover (48), wherein at least one gap (50) is formed between the nozzle cover (48) and an edge region of the sensor see-through region (24), through which the outside air (A) can be introduced into the wet area via the at least one air inlet opening (34). [8] Sensor module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat at least one cooling body (52) is arranged in or on the air duct (30), which is connected in a heat-conducting and / or heat-transferring manner to at least part of the environment sensor (22) via at least one thermal line (54). [9] Sensor module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by in that the at least one thermal line (54) is connected to a sensor housing (26) of the at least one environmental sensor (22) and / or to a base (56) of the at least one environmental sensor (22), wherein the base (56) is preferably inserted into a cutout of a carrier device (58) which is spanned by the cover (20) and which is preferably formed by a sensor module frame (60). [10] Sensor module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat air guiding ribs are formed on an inner side of the single-part or multi-part cover (20), wherein the air guiding ribs are provided to effect a directed flow introduction of the outside air (A) into an interior of the sensor module (18). [11] Sensor module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the cooling device (28) has a water shut-off valve (62) in the region of the at least one air outlet opening (36), which is designed to prevent water from penetrating the cooling device (28) from the outside. [12] Sensor module according to claim 11, wherein the water shut-off valve (62) has at least one movable flap and / or sealing plate and / or rubber mat, by means of which the air outlet opening (36) can be closed at least temporarily and / or partially. [13] Sensor module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the cooling device (28) has at least one water outlet (64). [14] Sensor module according to claim 13, characterized by that the cooling device (28) has a water barrier body (70) which is movably arranged between the water outlet (64) and the at least one fan (32). [15] Sensor module according to claims 3 and 14, characterized by in that the water shut-off body (70) is arranged in a downpipe (72) of the air duct (30), in particular a vertically running downpipe (72), the downpipe (72) opening into the water outlet (64) at one end, the downpipe (72) opening into an air supply (74) to the at least one fan (32) at an opposite end, the air supply (74) being smaller in cross-section (Q) than the water shut-off body (70). [16] Sensor module according to claim 15, characterized bythat the water shut-off body (70) is arranged in a rest position at the end of the downpipe (72) opening into the water outlet (64) and, when water enters the downpipe (72), moves through the incoming water (W) in the direction of the air supply (74) in order to close it, in particular in a watertight manner. [17] Vehicle roof (100) of a motor vehicle, comprising at least one sensor module (18) according to one of claims 1 to 16. [18] Motor vehicle (1000), comprising a sensor module (18) according to one of claims 1 to 16 and / or a vehicle roof (100) according to claim 17, wherein the vehicle roof (100) forms a roof sensor module (10) which can be arranged as a pre-assembled unit on a vehicle body (1002) of the motor vehicle (1000).

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