Measuring equipment

Abstract

To prevent vibration of a substrate fixed to a holder that holds a sensor unit and an optical unit moving relative to each other.SOLUTION: A measuring device according to the present disclosure has: a sensor unit that has a light emitting device emitting light and a light receiving device receiving reflected light; an optical unit that irradiates an object with the light emitted from the light emitting device and causes the light receiving device to receive the reflected light; a holder that holds the sensor unit and the optical unit in a relatively movable manner; a substrate that is fixed to the holder; and a deformable support member that supports an end of the substrate from the holder.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a measurement device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a scanning device that scans with laser light by moving a light emitting element, a light receiving element, and an optical system relative to each other. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2021-500554 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When a sensor unit having a light emitting element and a light receiving element and an optical unit are held by a holder so as to be movable relative to each other, there is a risk that the substrate will vibrate if it is fixed to the holder.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to suppress vibrations of a substrate fixed to a holder that holds a sensor unit and an optical unit that move relatively. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object includes a sensor unit having a light-emitting element that emits light and a light-receiving element that receives reflected light, an optical unit that irradiates an object with the light emitted from the light-emitting element and causes the light-receiving element to receive the reflected light, a holder that holds the sensor unit and the optical unit so that they can move relative to each other, and a light-receiving element fixed to the holder. The light emitting timing of the light emitting element is controlled, and the distance to the object is calculated based on the light receiving signal of the light receiving element. The measuring device has a substrate and a deformable support member that supports an edge of the substrate from the holder.

[0007] Other problems and solutions disclosed in the present application will be made clear in the detailed description and drawings. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress vibrations of the substrate fixed to the holder that holds the sensor unit and the optical unit that move relatively. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] Fig. 1A is a perspective view of the measuring device 1. Fig. 1B is a perspective view of the measuring device 1 with a vehicle body mounting member 100 removed from a main body part 3. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory diagram of the main body 3. As shown in FIG. [Figure 3] Figure 3A is an explanatory diagram of two-dimensional scanning of laser light, Figure 3B is an explanatory diagram of two-dimensional scanning in a certain frame, and Figure 3C is an explanatory diagram of two-dimensional scanning by multiple channels. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the housing 30 is removed. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the holder 40 and the processing substrate 50 are removed. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the spring member 60. As shown in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a processing substrate 50 fixed on a holder 40. As shown in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the processing substrate 50 (and the shield member 91) is removed from the holder 40. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing how the support member 80 supports the processing substrate 50. As shown in FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the support member 80. As shown in FIG. [Figure 11] Fig. 11A is an explanatory diagram of the inner wall surface of upper housing 32. Fig. 11B is an explanatory cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the protrusion amount of convex portion 32B of upper housing 32 and the height of tip 55. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the main body 3 as viewed from a different angle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, identical or similar components may be designated by common reference numerals, and redundant description may be omitted.

[0011] <Overall structure> Fig. 1A is a perspective view of the measuring device 1. Fig. 1B is a perspective view of the measuring device 1 in a state where a vehicle body mounting member 100 has been removed from a main body part 3. Fig. 2 is a schematic explanatory view of the main body part 3.

[0012] In the following description, directions are defined as shown in FIG. 1A. The direction parallel to the optical axis (axis of rotational symmetry of the lens) of the optical system (light projecting optical system 21 or light receiving optical system 22) is defined as the Z direction. The object to be measured by measurement device 1 is separated from measurement device 1 in the Z direction. The direction perpendicular to the Z direction, in which light projecting optical system 21 and light receiving optical system 22 are aligned, is defined as the X direction. The direction perpendicular to the Z and X directions is defined as the Y direction. The side of the object to be measured as seen from the measuring device 1 (positive side in the Z direction) is sometimes called the "front," and the opposite side (negative side in the Z direction) is sometimes called the "rear." When looking at the front from the rear, the right side is sometimes called the "right," and the left side is sometimes called the "left." The upper side in the vertical direction (positive side in the Y direction) is sometimes called the "top," and the opposite side (negative side in the Y direction) is sometimes called the "bottom."

[0013] The measuring device 1 is a device that measures the distance to an object. The measuring device 1 emits laser light, detects the light reflected from the surface of the object, and calculates the distance to the object based on the detection result. Specifically, the measuring device 1 measures the distance to the object using a time-of-flight (TOF) method by measuring the time from when a pulsed laser light is emitted from a light-emitting element 11 to when the reflected light is received by a light-receiving element 12. The measuring device 1 has a main body 3 and a vehicle body mounting member 100.

[0014] The main body 3 is a member that constitutes the main body of the measurement device 1. The main body 3 has a sensor unit 10 and an optical unit 20. The main body 3 also has a housing, a holder, a processing board, a spring member, a vibration member, and a drive unit.

[0015] The sensor unit 10 has a light-emitting element 11, a light-receiving element 12, and a sensor substrate 13. The light-emitting element 11 is an element that emits laser light. The light-receiving element 12 is an element that converts an optical signal into an electrical signal. The sensor substrate 13 is a substrate on which the light-emitting element 11 and the light-receiving element 12 are mounted. The sensor unit 10 is configured by mounting the light-emitting element 11 and the light-receiving element 12 on the same substrate. Here, the sensor substrate 13 has a plurality of light-emitting elements 11 and a plurality of light-receiving elements 12. However, the sensor substrate 13 may have only one light-emitting element 11 and one light-receiving element 12.

[0016] The optical unit 20 is an optical system that irradiates the laser light emitted from the light-emitting element 11 toward an object and receives the light reflected from the object at the light-receiving element 12. The light-emitting element 11 and the light-receiving element 12 are respectively arranged at conjugate positions of the optical system constituted by the optical unit 20. The optical unit 20 has a light-projecting optical system 21 and a light-receiving optical system 22. The light-projecting optical system 21 is an optical system that irradiates the laser light emitted from the light-emitting element 11 toward the object. The light-emitting surface of the light-emitting element 11 is arranged within the focal plane of the light-projecting optical system 21. The light-projecting optical system 21 irradiates the laser light emitted from the light-emitting element 11 as collimated light toward the object. The light-receiving optical system 22 is an optical system that focuses the reflected light onto the light-receiving element 12. The light-receiving surface of the light-receiving element 12 is arranged within the focal plane of the light-receiving optical system 22. The light-projecting optical system 21 and the light-receiving optical system 22 are integrally configured to constitute the optical unit 20. Here, the light projecting optical system 21 and the light receiving optical system 22 are each made up of a group of lenses. However, the light projecting optical system 21 and the light receiving optical system 22 may each be made up of a single lens.

[0017] The sensor unit 10 and the optical unit 20 move relative to each other in directions perpendicular to the Z direction (X and Y directions). This relative movement between the sensor unit 10 and the optical unit 20 changes the positional relationship of the light emitting element 11 with respect to the optical unit 20, and as a result, the angle at which the laser light is emitted changes. In other words, the relative movement between the sensor unit 10 and the optical unit 20 allows the laser light to scan. The sensor unit 10 moves relative to the optical unit 20 by vibrating in the X and Y directions at predetermined resonance frequencies, respectively.

[0018] 3A is an explanatory diagram of two-dimensional scanning of laser light. When the sensor unit 10 vibrates at a predetermined resonance frequency in the X and Y directions relative to the optical unit 20, the laser light is emitted so as to draw a Lissajous curve as shown in FIG. 3A. 3B is an explanatory diagram of two-dimensional scanning in a certain frame. For each measurement of a frame (one three-dimensional image), the measurement device 1 measures the distance (Z coordinate) to the surface of the object at multiple points on the Lissajous curve. This allows coordinates to be measured with increased resolution. 3C is an explanatory diagram of two-dimensional scanning using multiple channels. By providing the sensor substrate 13 with multiple light-emitting elements 11 and multiple light-receiving elements 12, it is possible to perform two-dimensional scanning over a different range for each channel, as shown in the figure. This enables measurement over a wide range in the X and Y directions, achieving a wide FOV (field of view).

[0019] It should be noted that the two-dimensional scanning does not have to follow a Lissajous curve. For example, two-dimensional scanning may be performed by performing a line scan in the X direction (or Y direction) multiple times while shifting the line scan in the Y direction (or X direction). Also, instead of two-dimensional scanning, one-dimensional scanning (scanning in one direction, either the X direction or the Y direction) may be performed.

[0020] 4 is an explanatory diagram of the state where the housing 30 is removed. The housing 30 is a member (enclosure) that houses the optical unit 20 and the sensor unit 10. The housing 30 has a rear housing 31, an upper housing 32, and a lower housing 33.

[0021] The rear housing 31 is a portion that covers the rear portion of the main body 3. The rear housing 31 has a connector 311 and a coil substrate 312. The connector 311 is a portion (connection portion) for electrically connecting to an external power source and a vehicle ECU. The coil substrate 312 is a substrate for driving the coil 71 (see FIG. 2) of the drive unit 70.

[0022] The upper housing 32 is a part that covers the upper part of the main body 3. The lower housing 33 is a part that covers the lower part of the main body 3. A gap is formed between the upper housing 32 and the lower housing 33 on the side of the housing 30, and the protrusion 41 of the holder 40 is inserted into this gap. The gap between the housing 30 (upper housing 32 and lower housing 33) and the holder 40 is sealed by a gasket 35.

[0023] The gasket 35 is a member that seals the gap between the housing 30 (upper housing 32 and lower housing 33) and the holder 40. The gasket 35 is sandwiched between the upper housing 32 and the lower housing 33 on the side of the main body 3. The gasket 35 has an insertion portion 35A through which the protrusion 41 of the holder 40 is inserted. The gasket 35 is made of rubber so that it can easily seal the gap between the housing 30 and the holder 40.

[0024] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the holder 40 and the processing substrate 50 are removed.

[0025] The holder 40 is a member that holds the sensor unit 10 and the optical unit 20. Here, the holder 40 is fixed to a spring member 60 that is fixed to the optical unit 20, and indirectly holds the optical unit 20 via the spring member 60. The sensor unit 10 is attached to the spring member 60, and the holder 40 holds the sensor unit 10 and the optical unit 20 so that they can move relative to each other. The holder 40 is made up of a right holder 40A and a left holder 40B. Instead of being made up of two parts, the holder 40 may be made up of one part. However, by making the holder 40 up of two parts, the right holder 40A and the left holder 40B, the holder 40 can be made smaller.

[0026] The holder 40 has a protrusion 41. The protrusion 41 is a portion that protrudes outward to the left and right from the main body of the holder 40. The protrusion 41 is inserted into the gap between the upper housing 32 and the lower housing 33, causing an end of the protrusion 41 to protrude outside the housing 30. The end of the protrusion 41 that protrudes outside the housing 30 is held by the vehicle body mounting member 100. In other words, the protrusion 41 is a portion that is attached to the vehicle body mounting member 100.

[0027] The processing board 50 is a board that performs various processes such as control processing and signal processing (arithmetic processing) of the sensor unit 10. The processing board 50 is mounted with chips (not shown in FIG. 5) that control the light emission timing of the light-emitting element 11 and calculate the distance to an object based on the light-receiving signal of the light-receiving element 12. The processing board 50 is fixed onto the holder 40. One end of the processing board 50 is supported by the holder 40 via a support member 80. A shield member 91 is disposed between the processing board 50 and the optical unit 20. As shown in FIG. 4, a heat-transfer sheet 92 is disposed between the processing board 50 and the upper housing 32.

[0028] The spring member 60 is a member that holds the optical unit 20 and the sensor unit 10 so that they can move relative to each other. The spring member 60 holds the sensor unit 10 relative to the optical unit 20 so that the sensor unit 10 can vibrate in the X direction and the Y direction at predetermined resonance frequencies.

[0029] FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the spring member 60. As shown in FIG.

[0030] The spring member 60 has a fixed portion 61 and a pair of vibrating portions 62 . The fixed portion 61 is a portion that is fixed to the optical unit 20. The fixed portion 61 is also a portion that is fixed to the holder 40. The fixed portion 61 is a strip-shaped (plate-shaped) portion that extends along the front-rear direction, and is disposed in the center of the spring member 60 in the up-down direction. The vibrating section 62 is a vibrating section. The vibrating section 62 is a U-shaped (tuning fork-shaped) section and has a branching section 621, a first bent section 62A, and a second bent section 62B. The branching section 621 is a section between the fixed section 61 and the first bent section 62A and the second bent section 62B, and is a section where the first bent section 62A and the second bent section 62B branch off from the fixed section 61. The first bent section 62A and the second bent section 62B are cantilever-shaped sections extending from the branching section 621 and are sections that bend at a predetermined natural frequency. The base end (front end) of the first bent section 62A is connected to the branching section 621, and the opposite end (rear end; tip) is connected to the sensor unit 10. The base end (front end) of the second bent section 62B is connected to the branching section 621, and the opposite end (rear end; tip) is connected to the vibrating member 65. When the vibration part 62 including the first bending part 62A and the second bending part 62B vibrates in a predetermined vibration mode, the sensor unit 10 vibrates at a predetermined resonant frequency in the X direction and the Y direction relative to the optical unit 20.

[0031] The fixed portion 61 of the spring member 60 is disposed between the pair of vibrating portions 62. Therefore, the vibrations of the pair of vibrating portions 62 are canceled out in the fixed portion 61, and the fixed portion 61 is less likely to vibrate even during relative movement between the optical unit 20 and the sensor unit 10.

[0032] The vibrating member 65 is a member for resonating the sensor unit 10. The vibrating member 65 is held by the spring member 60. The second bent portions 62B of the spring member 60 are connected to the left and right edges of the vibrating member 65. When the vibrating member 65 receives forces in the X and Y directions from the drive unit 70, the sensor unit 10 resonates via the spring member 60, and as a result, the sensor unit 10 moves relative to the optical unit 20 in the X and Y directions.

[0033] The drive unit 70 is a member (motor) that generates a drive force for moving the optical unit 20 and the sensor unit 10 relative to each other. The drive unit 70 has a coil 71 and a magnet 72 (see FIG. 2). Here, the coil 71 is fixed to the housing 30 (rear housing 31) and forms a stator. The magnet 72 is fixed to the vibration member 65 and forms a mover. The magnet 72 may be the stator and the coil 71 may be the mover. However, when the coil 71 is used as the stator, wiring to the coil 71 is easier than when the coil 71 is used as the mover. Furthermore, the drive unit 70 is not limited to a motor composed of the coil 71 and the magnet 72, and may be another actuator, such as a piezoelectric transducer.

[0034] The vehicle body mounting member 100 is a member that mounts the main body 3 to the vehicle body (see FIGS. 1A and 1B). A pair of vehicle body mounting members 100 are arranged on the left and right sides of the main body 3. The pair of vehicle body mounting members 100 respectively hold the protruding portions 41 of the holder 40 that protrude from the left and right side surfaces of the main body 3. The vehicle body mounting member 100 has a first mounting member 110 and a second mounting member 120. The main body 3 is held by the vehicle body mounting member 100 by sandwiching the protruding portion 41 of the holder 40 between the first mounting member 110 and the second mounting member 120. In addition, a damper member 130 is arranged between the first mounting member 110 and the second mounting member 120 and the holder 40. The damper member 130 is a rubber member that absorbs vibrations. By the vehicle body mounting member 100 holding the holder 40 via the damper member 130, it is possible to suppress transmission of vibrations of the main body 3 to the vehicle body.

[0035] <Fixing structure of processing substrate 50> 7 is an explanatory diagram of the processing substrate 50 fixed on the holder 40. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the processing substrate 50 (and the shield member 91) removed from the holder 40.

[0036] The holder 40 has a fixing portion 42, an alignment pin 43, and an attachment portion 44. The processing substrate 50 has a fixing hole 51 and an alignment hole 52.

[0037] The fixing portion 42 is a portion for fixing the processing substrate 50. In this example, the fixing portion 42 is configured with a screw hole. The processing substrate 50 is fixed to the fixing portion 42 by fastening a fixing screw 941 inserted into a hole 51 of the processing substrate 50 to the fixing portion 42. The fixing portion 42 also serves as a portion for fixing the shield member 91.

[0038] The holder 40 has three fixing portions 42. Here, one fixing portion 42 is provided on the right holder 40A, and two fixing portions 42 are provided on the left holder 40B. However, two fixing portions 42 may be provided on the right holder 40A, and one fixing portion 42 may be provided on the left holder 40B. Fixing holes 51 are arranged at the four corners of the process substrate 50, and three of the four corners are fixed to the holder 40. Note that if the four corners of the process substrate 50 are fixed to the holder 40, there is a risk that excessive load will be applied to the process substrate 50 due to the influence of dimensional tolerances due to the large number of fixing points. For this reason, in this embodiment, the process substrate 50 is fixed to the holder 40 at three points.

[0039] The alignment pins 43 are used to align the holder 40 with respect to the process substrate 50. By fitting the alignment pins 43 of the holder 40 into the alignment holes 52 of the process substrate 50, the holder 40 and the process substrate 50 can be aligned, and the process substrate 50 can be fixed at a predetermined position with respect to the holder 40. Here, one alignment pin 43 is provided on each of the right holder 40A and the left holder 40B. When the holder 40 is composed of two parts like this, it is desirable to provide an alignment pin 43 on each of the parts that make up the holder 40. However, the alignment pin 43 may be provided on only one of the holders 40. Also, the holder 40 does not need to have an alignment pin 43. The alignment pin 43 also serves to align the shield member 91.

[0040] The mounting portion 44 is a portion for fixing a support member 80 (described later). Here, the mounting portion 44 is configured as a screw hole. The mounting portion 44, together with the fixing portion 42, is also a portion for fixing the shield member 91.

[0041] As already explained, since the processing substrate 50 is fixed to the holder 40 that holds the sensor unit 10 and the optical unit 20, which move relative to each other, there is a risk that the processing substrate 50 will vibrate. Furthermore, as mentioned above, simply fixing the three corners of the processing substrate 50 to the holder 40 may cause the unfixed corners to vibrate, and the vibration of the processing substrate 50 may cause abnormal noise. Therefore, in this embodiment, the unfixed parts of the processing substrate 50 are supported by the support members 80, thereby suppressing the vibration of the processing substrate 50.

[0042] Fig. 9 is an explanatory diagram of the state in which the support member 80 supports the processing substrate 50. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the support member 80. For the sake of explanation, the support member 80 in Fig. 9 is hatched.

[0043] The support member 80 is a member that supports the processing substrate 50. The support member 80 is an elastically deformable portion. The support member 80 deforms while supporting the end portion of the processing substrate 50, whereby the support member 80 absorbs vibrations of the processing substrate 50 and can suppress the vibrations of the processing substrate 50.

[0044] The support member 80 is made of resin. However, it may be made of a material other than resin (for example, metal) as long as it is elastically deformable. The support member 80 is made of a material that is softer than the processing substrate 50. In other words, the support member 80 is made of a material that is more easily elastically deformed in the vertical direction than the processing substrate 50. This makes it easier for the support member 80 to deform when a load (especially a load in the vertical direction) is applied to the processing substrate 50, thereby preventing excessive load from being applied to the processing substrate 50.

[0045] The support member 80 has a first fixing portion 81, a second fixing portion 82, and a connecting portion 83.

[0046] The first fixing portion 81 is a portion for fixing the support member 80 to the holder 40. Here, the first fixing portion 81 is configured as a through hole. The support member 80 is fixed to the holder 40 by fastening a first fixing screw 951 inserted into the first fixing portion 81 to the attachment portion 44 of the holder 40.

[0047] The second fixing portion 82 is a portion for fixing the support member 80 to the processing substrate 50. Here, the second fixing portion 82 is configured as a screw hole. The processing substrate 50 is fixed to the support member 80 by fastening a second fixing screw 952 inserted into a hole 51 of the processing substrate 50 (a hole provided in a corner portion not fixed to the holder 40) to the second fixing portion 82.

[0048] The connecting portion 83 is a portion that connects the first fixing portion 81 and the second fixing portion 82. The connecting portion 83 is an elastically deformable portion. The connecting portion 83 elastically deforms between the first fixing portion 81 and the second fixing portion 82. The elastic deformation of the connecting portion 83 allows the processing substrate 50 to be displaced relative to the holder 40. This enables the support member 80 to absorb vibrations of the processing substrate 50, and makes it possible to suppress vibrations of the processing substrate 50.

[0049] Furthermore, the connecting portion 83 has a plate-like portion extending from the first fixing portion 81 in a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction (horizontal direction), and allows the second fixing portion 82 to be displaced in the up-down direction relative to the first fixing portion 81. This makes it possible to absorb up-down vibrations of the unfixed end portion of the processing substrate 50 and suppress up-down vibrations of the end portion of the processing substrate 50.

[0050] The support member 80 also has alignment pins 84 (84A, 84B). The alignment pins 84 are used to align the position of the support member 80 with respect to the processing substrate 50. By fitting the alignment pins 84 of the support member 80 into alignment portions 53 (reference holes 53A and elongated holes 53B, described below) of the processing substrate 50, the positions of the support member 80 and the processing substrate 50 can be aligned, and the support member 80 can be fixed at a predetermined position with respect to the processing substrate 50.

[0051] The support member 80 has a first pin 84A and a second pin 84B as alignment pins 84. The processing substrate 50 has a reference hole 53A and an elongated hole 53B as alignment portions 53.

[0052] The first pin 84A is an alignment pin that fits into the reference hole 53A of the process substrate 50. The second pin 84B is an alignment pin that fits into the elongated hole 53B of the process substrate 50. The reference hole 53A is a hole into which the first pin 84A fits. The reference hole 53A is a hole with a circular cross section. The elongated hole 53B is a hole into which the second pin 84B fits. The elongated hole 53B is a hole that extends in a direction connecting the elongated hole 53B and the reference hole 53A. By making the hole that fits into one of the two alignment pins 84 (first pin 84A and second pin 84B) the elongated hole 53B, the two alignment pins 84 (84A, 84B) can each be fitted into the alignment portion 53 even if there is a tolerance.

[0053] Here, the elongated holes 53B are provided on the periphery of the processing substrate 50. Therefore, the elongated holes 53B are configured as recesses (notches) recessed from the periphery of the processing substrate 50. In other words, the elongated holes 53B have an open shape at the periphery of the processing substrate 50. This allows the processing substrate 50 to be more compact than when the elongated holes 53B are positioned inside the periphery of the processing substrate 50 (when the elongated holes 53B have a closed shape). However, the elongated holes 53B may be positioned inside the periphery of the processing substrate 50 and have a closed shape. Furthermore, the support member 80 does not have to have the alignment pins 84, and the processing substrate 50 does not have to have the alignment portions 53 (reference holes 53A and elongated holes 53B).

[0054] The second fixing portion 82 of the support member 80 is disposed between two alignment pins 84 (first pin 84A and second pin 84B). This makes it difficult for the two alignment pins 84 (first pin 84A and second pin 84B) to come off the alignment portion 53 of the process substrate 50 when the support member 80 is fixed to the process substrate 50 by the second fixing portion 82. However, the second fixing portion 82 does not have to be disposed between the two alignment pins 84.

[0055] A rib 85 is provided between the second fixing portion 82 and the alignment pin 84 (more specifically, the second pin 84B). Since the rib 85 integrates the second fixing portion 82 and the alignment pin 84, the positional relationship between the second fixing portion 82 and the alignment pin 84 is less likely to change even if the support member 80 (more specifically, the connecting portion 83) elastically deforms. This makes it less likely that the alignment pin 84 will come off the alignment portion 53 of the processing substrate 50 even if the support member 80 (more specifically, the connecting portion 83) elastically deforms. However, the rib 85 does not necessarily have to be provided between the second fixing portion 82 and the alignment pin 84.

[0056] <About shield member 91> The shielding member 91 is an electromagnetic wave shield (electromagnetic shielding member) made of a conductive material. Here, the shielding member 91 is made by bending a metal plate, but it may be made of other materials.

[0057] The shielding member 91 is disposed between the processing substrate 50 and the optical unit 20. The shielding member 91 prevents electromagnetic waves generated in the processing substrate 50 from leaking to the outside, or prevents the processing substrate 50 from being affected by external electromagnetic waves. In order to irradiate light from the optical unit 20 and to receive reflected light from the optical unit 20, the housing 30 of the measuring device 1 houses the sensor unit 10, the optical unit 20, and the processing substrate 50 while exposing the light entrance and exit surfaces of the optical unit 20. Due to the structure of this measuring device 1, there is a risk that electromagnetic waves may leak or enter via the optical unit 20. For this reason, it is effective to dispose the shielding member 91 between the processing substrate 50 and the optical unit 20.

[0058] The shield member 91 is fixed to the holder 40 together with the process substrate 50 and the support member 80. Like the process substrate 50, the shield member 91 has fixing holes. The shield member 91 is fixed to the process substrate 50 by fastening fixing screws 941 inserted through the holes in the shield member 91 to the fixing portions 42 of the holder 40. The shield member 91 is fixed to the process substrate 50 by fastening first fixing screws 951 inserted through the holes in the shield member 91 to the mounting portions 44 of the holder 40. In this way, the fixing portions 42 and the mounting portions 44 of the holder 40 function not only to fix the process substrate 50 but also to fix the shield member 91. This allows the shield member 91 to be fixed without increasing the number of fixing portions 42 of the holder 40, thereby enabling the holder 40 and the measuring device 1 to be miniaturized. However, a portion for fixing the process substrate 50 and a portion for fixing the shield member 91 may be provided separately.

[0059] Furthermore, the shield member 91 has alignment holes, similar to the process substrate 50. By fitting the alignment pins 43 of the holder 40 into the alignment holes of the shield member 91, the shield member 91 can be aligned with the holder 40 together with the process substrate 50. In this way, the alignment pins 43 of the holder 40 not only function to align the process substrate 50, but also function to align the shield member 91. This allows the shield member 91 to be aligned without increasing the number of alignment pins 43 of the holder 40, thereby enabling the holder 40 and the measuring device 1 to be made smaller. However, a portion for aligning the process substrate 50 and a portion for aligning the shield member 91 may be provided separately.

[0060] When the shield member 91 is fixed to the holder 40 together with the processing substrate 50, it is desirable that the shield member 91 have a recess 91A (see FIG. 8). The recess 91A is a concave portion for avoiding contact with the support member 80. By providing the recess 91A in the shield member 91, it is possible to prevent the deformed support member 80 from coming into contact with the shield member 91. However, the shield member does not have to have the recess 91A.

[0061] <Heat dissipation> The heat transfer sheet 92 (see FIG. 4) is a sheet-like member for promoting heat dissipation from the processing substrate 50. The heat transfer sheet 92 is disposed between the processing substrate 50 and the upper housing 32. The heat transfer sheet 92 transfers heat from the processing substrate 50 to the upper housing 32. The heat transfer sheet 92 is sandwiched between the processing substrate 50 and the upper housing 32 and is compressed in the thickness direction. The more compressed the portion of the heat transfer sheet 92, the higher the thermal conductivity. However, if compressive stress is applied to the heat transfer sheet 92, a load will be applied to the processing substrate 50.

[0062] Fig. 11A is an explanatory diagram of the inner wall surface of upper housing 32. Fig. 11B is an explanatory cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the protrusion amount of convex portion 32B of upper housing 32 and the height of tip 55.

[0063] 11A, the housing 30 (here, the upper housing 32) has a plurality of protrusions 32B. The protrusions 32B are portions that compress the heat transfer sheet 92. The protrusions 32B are convex portions provided on the inner wall surface of the housing 30, and are portions that protrude toward the board. In other words, the protrusions 32B are portions that protrude downward from the inner wall surface of the housing 30. The compression rate of the heat transfer sheet 92 is higher in the portions where the protrusions 32B are provided.

[0064] The protrusions 32B are arranged to face the chip 55 (semiconductor element) mounted on the substrate. By arranging the protrusions 32B to face the chip 55, the compressibility of the heat transfer sheet 92 can be increased in the area that comes into contact with the chip 55. This makes it easier to dissipate heat from the chip 55.

[0065] 11B, the heat transfer sheet 92 is sandwiched between the chip 55 of the processing substrate 50 and the protrusion 32B of the upper housing 32. The heat transfer sheet 92 is compressed in the thickness direction between the chip 55 and the protrusion 32B.

[0066] 11A and 11B, the protrusion amounts of the plurality of protrusions 32B are different. The protrusion amounts of the protrusions 32B vary depending on the height of the opposing chip 55. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 11B, the protrusion amount of the protrusions 32B is set to be greater the lower the opposing chip 55. In other words, the sum of the protrusion amounts of the protrusions 32B and the height of the chip 55 is set to be approximately constant. This makes it possible to make the compression rate of the heat transfer sheet 92 uniform for all chips 55.

[0067] Instead of varying the protrusion amounts of the plurality of protrusions 32B, it is possible to increase the protrusion amounts of all of the protrusions 32B to match the chip 55 with the shortest height, thereby improving the heat dissipation of all of the chips 55 (or to lower the inner wall surface of the upper housing 32). In this case, however, the compression rate of the heat transfer sheet 92 increases between the tall chip 55 and the protrusions 32B, and as a result, a pressing force is applied to the processing substrate 50 at the position of the tall chip 55, which may place a load on the processing substrate 50. On the other hand, in order to reduce the load on the processing substrate 50, it is conceivable to set the protrusion amounts of all the convex portions 32B small to match the tallest chip 55 (or to make the inner wall surface of the upper housing 32 taller). However, in this case, the compression rate of the heat transfer sheet 92 decreases between the short chip 55 and the convex portions 32B, which may result in insufficient heat dissipation from the short chip 55. In contrast, in this embodiment, the amount of protrusion of the convex portion 32B is set to be larger the lower the height of the opposing chip 55, so it is possible to achieve both reducing the pressing force on the chip 55 and thereby reducing the load on the processing substrate 50, and improving the heat dissipation properties of the chip 55.

[0068] In addition, in a structure such as this embodiment in which the processing substrate 50 is fixed to the holder 40 but not to the upper housing 32, the dimensional tolerance of the gap between the processing substrate 50 and the upper housing 32 becomes large (because the dimensional tolerance of the gap between the processing substrate 50 and the upper housing 32 is the sum of the dimensional tolerances and installation errors of each component). Therefore, if all the protrusions 32B were made the same in length, when the gap between the processing substrate 50 and the upper housing 32 becomes the narrowest within the dimensional tolerance range, pressing force may be applied to the processing substrate 50 at the position of the tall chip 55, which may place a load on the processing substrate 50. Furthermore, if all the protrusions 32B were made the same in length, when the gap between the processing substrate 50 and the upper housing 32 becomes the widest within the dimensional tolerance range, heat dissipation from the short chip 55 may become insufficient. As such, if the protrusion amounts of all the convex portions 32B were made the same, it would be difficult to appropriately set the compression ratio of the heat transfer sheet 92 over the entire range of the dimensional tolerance of the gap between the processing substrate 50 and the upper housing 32. Therefore, the structure of this embodiment, in which the protrusion amount of the convex portions 32B increases as the height of the opposing chip 55 decreases, is particularly effective when the processing substrate 50 is fixed to the holder 40 but not to the upper housing 32 (in other words, when the dimensional tolerance of the gap between the processing substrate 50 and the upper housing 32 increases).

[0069] As described above, heat generated in the processing substrate 50 is transferred to the upper housing 32 via the heat transfer sheet 92. For this reason, it is desirable that the upper housing 32 have heat dissipation fins 32A. As shown in FIG. 11B, it is desirable that the heat dissipation fins 32A of the upper housing 32 be provided on the backside of the area of ​​the inner wall surface of the upper housing 32 that comes into contact with the heat transfer sheet 92. In particular, it is desirable that the heat dissipation fins 32A of the upper housing 32 be provided on the backside of the area where the protrusion 32B is provided. It is also possible to provide the heat dissipation fins 32A in other areas of the upper housing 32. It is also possible that the upper housing 32 does not have to have the heat dissipation fins 32A.

[0070] 12 is a perspective view of the main body 3 viewed from a different angle. As described above, it is desirable to provide heat dissipation fins (31A, 33A) not only on the upper housing 32 but also on the rear housing 31 and the lower housing 33. This makes it easier to dissipate heat from the internal space of the housing 30 and heat transferred from the upper housing 32 via the heat transfer sheet 92 to the outside. Note that heat dissipation fins may also be provided in other locations on the rear housing 31 and the lower housing 33. Also, the rear housing 31 and the lower housing 33 do not necessarily have to have heat dissipation fins (31A, 33A).

[0071] <Summary> As described above, the measuring device 1 includes the sensor unit 10, the optical unit 20, the holder 40, and the processing substrate 50. The sensor unit 10 includes the light-emitting element 11 that emits light and the light-receiving element 12 that receives reflected light. The optical unit 20 irradiates the object with light emitted from the light-emitting element 11 and causes the light-receiving element 12 to receive the reflected light. The holder 40 holds the sensor unit 10 and the optical unit 20 so that they can move relative to each other. The processing substrate 50 is a substrate fixed to the holder 40. In the measuring device 1 configured as described above, the processing substrate 50 is fixed to the holder 40, which holds the sensor unit 10 and the optical unit 20, which move relative to each other, and therefore there is a risk that the processing substrate 50 will vibrate. Therefore, the measuring device 1 of this embodiment includes a deformable support member 80 that supports an end of the processing substrate 50 from the holder 40. As a result, the support member 80 deforms while supporting the end portion of the processing substrate 50, and the support member 80 absorbs vibrations of the processing substrate 50, thereby suppressing the vibrations of the processing substrate 50.

[0072] Furthermore, it is desirable that the process substrate 50 be fixed to the holder 40 at three of its four corners. If the four corners of the process substrate 50 were fixed to the holder 40, there would be a risk that excessive load would be placed on the process substrate 50 due to the influence of dimensional tolerances due to the large number of fixing points. On the other hand, if the process substrate 50 were only fixed to the holder 40 at three points, there would be a risk that the unfixed corners would vibrate, and the vibration of the process substrate 50 would cause abnormal noise. Therefore, in this embodiment, the process substrate 50 is supported from the holder 40 by support members 80 at the corners of the process substrate 50 that are not fixed to the holder 40. This makes it possible to suppress the load on the process substrate 50 while also suppressing vibration of the process substrate 50.

[0073] The support member 80 has a first fixing portion 81 fixed to the holder 40, a second fixing portion 82 fixed to the substrate, and a connecting portion 83 that is deformable while connecting the first fixing portion 81 and the second fixing portion 82 (see FIG. 10). The elastic deformation of the connecting portion 83 allows the processing substrate 50 to be displaced relative to the holder 40, thereby making it possible to suppress vibration of the processing substrate 50. However, the support member 80 is not limited to the structure shown in FIG. 10, and may have any structure that is deformable while supporting the end of the processing substrate 50 from the holder 40.

[0074] The support member 80 preferably has alignment pins 84, and the process substrate 50 preferably has alignment portions 53 that align with the alignment pins 84 of the support member 80. This allows the support member 80 to be fixed at a predetermined position relative to the process substrate 50. Furthermore, it is desirable that the alignment portion 53 of the processing substrate 50 be a recessed portion on the periphery, which allows the processing substrate 50 to be made smaller than when the elongated hole 53B is positioned inside the periphery of the processing substrate 50 (when the elongated hole 53B has a closed shape).

[0075] The measuring device 1 described above has a housing 30, which houses the sensor unit 10, the optical unit 20, and the processing substrate 50 while exposing the light incident and exit surfaces of the optical unit 20. Due to the structure of this measuring device 1, there is a risk of electromagnetic waves leaking or entering via the optical unit 20. Therefore, in the measuring device 1 of this embodiment, an electromagnetic shielding section is disposed between the processing substrate 50 and the optical unit 20. This can prevent electromagnetic waves generated in the processing substrate 50 from leaking to the outside, or can prevent the processing substrate 50 from being affected by electromagnetic waves from the outside. However, the measuring device 1 does not necessarily have to include the shielding member 91.

[0076] In the above-described measuring device 1, a heat transfer sheet 92 is sandwiched between the processing substrate 50 and the housing 30. This makes it easier for heat from the processing substrate 50 to be transferred to the housing 30. However, the measuring device 1 does not necessarily have to be provided with the heat transfer sheet 92.

[0077] Furthermore, in the above-described measuring device 1, the processing substrate 50 has a plurality of chips 55 of different heights, and the housing 30 has a plurality of protrusions 32B protruding toward the chips 55, with the protrusion amount of the protrusions 32B being set to be greater the lower the opposing chip 55, and the heat transfer sheet 92 is compressed in the thickness direction between the chips 55 and the protrusions 32B. This makes it possible to make the compression rate of the heat transfer sheet 92 uniform for all chips 55. However, the protrusion amounts of the plurality of protrusions 32B of the housing 30 may be the same, or the housing 30 may not be provided with protrusions 32B.

[0078] It is also desirable that the housing 30 has heat dissipation fins 32A on its outer surface. This provides a structure that facilitates heat dissipation to the outside. However, the housing 30 does not necessarily have to be provided with heat dissipation fins.

[0079] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and includes various modifications. Furthermore, the above embodiments have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to those including all of the described configurations. Furthermore, some of the configurations of the above embodiments can be added to, deleted from, or replaced with other configurations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 1 measuring device, 3 main body, 10 sensor unit, 11 light emitting element, 12 light receiving element, 13 sensor substrate, 20 optical unit, 21 light projection optical system, 22 light receiving optical system, 30 housing, 31 rear housing, 31A Heat sink, 311 Connector, 312 Coil board, 32 upper housing, 32A heat dissipation fin, 32B protrusion, 33 Lower housing, 33A Heat dissipation fin, 35 gasket, 35A insertion part, 40 holder, 40A right holder, 40B left holder, 41 protruding part, 42 fixed part, 43 alignment pin, 44 mounting portion, 50 processing board, 51 hole, 52 alignment hole, 53 Alignment part, 53A Reference hole, 53B Slot (recess), 55 chips, 60 spring member, 61 fixing portion, 62 vibration part, 621 branch part, 62A first bent part, 62B second bent part, 65 vibrating member, 70 drive unit, 71 coil, 72 magnet, 80 support member, 81 first fixing portion, 82 second fixing portion, 83 connecting part, 84 alignment pin, 84A 1st pin, 84B 2nd pin, 85 rib, 91 shield member, 91A recess, 92 Heat transfer sheet, 941 Fixing screw, 951 First fixing screw, 952 Second fixing screw, 100 vehicle body mounting member, 110 first mounting member, 120 second mounting member, 130 Damper member

Claims

1. a sensor unit having a light-emitting element that emits light and a light-receiving element that receives reflected light; an optical unit that irradiates the object with light emitted from the light-emitting element and causes the light-receiving element to receive reflected light; a holder that holds the sensor unit and the optical unit so that they can move relative to each other; a substrate fixed to the holder, for controlling the light emission timing of the light emitting element and calculating the distance to the object based on the light receiving signal of the light receiving element; a deformable support member that supports an edge of the substrate from the holder; A measuring device having:

2. 2. The measuring device according to claim 1, the substrate is fixed to the holder at three of the four corners of the substrate; the substrate is supported from the holder by the support member at a corner of the substrate that is not fixed to the holder; Measuring device.

3. 3. The measuring device according to claim 1 or 2, The support member is a first fixing portion fixed to the holder; a second fixing portion fixed to the substrate; a connecting portion that is deformable while connecting the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion; A measuring device having:

4. The measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The support member has an alignment pin; The substrate has a positioning portion that is aligned with the positioning pin. Measuring device.

5. 5. The measuring device according to claim 4, The measuring apparatus, wherein the alignment portion is a recess in the periphery of the substrate.

6. The measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, a housing that houses the sensor unit, the optical unit, and the substrate while exposing a light incident and exit surface of the optical unit; an electromagnetic shield member disposed between the substrate and the optical unit; The measuring device further comprises:

7. The measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, Housing and a heat transfer sheet sandwiched between the substrate and the housing; The measuring device further comprises:

8. 8. The measuring device according to claim 7, the substrate has a plurality of chips of different heights; the housing has a plurality of protrusions facing the chip and protruding toward the chip; The protrusion amount of the convex portion is set to be larger as the opposing tip is lower, the heat transfer sheet is compressed in the thickness direction between the chip and the protrusion. Measuring device.

9. 9. The measuring device according to claim 7 or 8, The housing has heat dissipation fins on its outer surface.

Images