Lidar driving device and lidar device

Abstract

A lidar driving device according to an embodiment comprises: a base; a first circuit board disposed on the base; a stator housing disposed on the first circuit board; and a rotating part which includes a rotor housing disposed on the stator housing and a second circuit board disposed on the rotor housing and rotates with respect to the stator housing, wherein the rotor housing protrudes toward the first circuit board and includes a shaft disposed in the innermost part of the stator housing and having a hollow, and at least one of the first circuit board or the second circuit board may include an optical communication part for performing optical communication through the hollow of the shaft.

Description

Lidar drive unit and lidar device

[0001] The invention relates to a lidar driving device and a lidar device. The invention relates to a vehicle having a lidar device having a rotatable sensor unit and a fixed fixing unit.

[0002] Autonomous vehicles (AVs) use multiple sensors to achieve situational awareness. Sensors that form part of an AV's self-driving system (SDS) may include one or more cameras, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), and inertial measurement units (IMUs). Sensors such as cameras and LiDAR are used to capture and analyze the surrounding scene of the vehicle. The captured scene is then used to detect objects, including static objects such as fixed structures and dynamic objects such as pedestrians and other vehicles. Data collected from these sensors can also be used to detect conditions such as road markings, lane curvature, traffic lights, and signs. Furthermore, a scene representation, such as a 3D point cloud acquired from the vehicle's LiDAR, can be combined with one or more images acquired from cameras to provide additional insight into the scene or situation surrounding the vehicle.

[0003] Additionally, a LiDAR transceiver may include a transmitter that transmits light in the ultraviolet (UV), visible, and infrared spectral regions, and one or more photodetectors that convert other electromagnetic radiation into electrical signals. To provide high-fidelity object detection and tracking, optical sensors such as LiDAR require sufficient space for rigidly mounted optical components, one or more transceiver assemblies, processing and driver circuitry, cooling elements, cleaning elements, wiring, and motor assemblies. LiDARs may also have transceiver components rigidly mounted to each other to withstand automotive-grade vibrations, high-speed rotation of the mechanical LiDAR assembly, and balance and weight considerations. LiDARs also require sufficient accommodating packaging and must also take aesthetic considerations into account.

[0004] Embodiments of the invention can provide a lidar driving device and a lidar device having a transceiver, a wireless power transmission module, a wireless data communication module, and a motor.

[0005] Embodiments of the invention may provide a lidar driving device and a lidar device having a rotating part that rotates together with a transceiver that irradiates and senses a laser beam and a fixed part that supports the rotation of the rotating part. Embodiments of the invention may provide a lidar driving device and a lidar device that combine a rotatable rotor housing having a hollow shaft inside a fixed stator housing, and combine communication parts on both sides of the hollow shaft.

[0006] An embodiment of the invention can provide a lidar driving device and a lidar device in which a plurality of bearing members are arranged in a vertical direction on the outside of a hollow shaft of a rotatable rotor housing, and an outer ring of the plurality of bearing members can be supported on an inner wall of the stator housing.

[0007] An embodiment of the invention can provide a lidar drive device and a lidar device having a plurality of bearing members arranged vertically on the outside of a hollow shaft of a rotatable rotor housing, and an elastic member providing elasticity to at least one of the plurality of bearing members.

[0008] According to an embodiment of the invention, a lidar driving device includes a base; a first circuit board disposed on the base; a stator housing disposed on the first circuit board; and a rotor housing disposed on the stator housing and a second circuit board disposed on the rotor housing, and includes a rotating part that rotates with respect to the stator housing, wherein the rotor housing includes a shaft that protrudes toward the first circuit board and is disposed at the innermost side of the stator housing and has a hollow portion, and at least one of the first circuit board and the second circuit board may include an optical communication part that performs optical communication through the hollow portion of the shaft.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the invention, the optical communication unit includes a first communication unit having a first light-emitting unit and a second light sensor disposed on the first circuit board and disposed at a lower portion of the shaft, and a second communication unit having a second light-emitting unit and a second light sensor disposed on the second circuit board and disposed within a hollow portion of the shaft, wherein the first light sensor can receive an optical signal from the second light-emitting unit, and the second light sensor can receive an optical signal from the first light-emitting unit.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the invention, at least one of the first light emitting portion and the first light sensor may overlap at least a portion of the hollow portion of the shaft in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the shaft protrudes.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the invention, the rotor housing can rotate about a virtual rotational axis disposed within the hollow portion of the shaft.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the invention, a bearing member is provided between the stator housing and the rotor housing, and the shaft, the bearing member, and the stator housing can be sequentially arranged in an outward direction from the rotational axis.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the invention, the bearing member includes a first bearing member and a second bearing member sequentially arranged from the outer upper end of the shaft toward the first circuit board, and the width of the first bearing member may be greater than the width of the second bearing member.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the invention, the outer surface of the shaft may include a groove for accommodating the bearing member. The bearing member may be disposed between the shaft and the stator housing.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the invention, the device may include an encoder disk coupled to a lower circumference of the shaft; and a sensor disposed on the first circuit board and facing the encoder disk, the sensor sensing an azimuth.

[0016] According to an embodiment of the invention, the lower end of the shaft is spaced apart from the upper surface of the first circuit board, and the gap between the first circuit board and the lower end of the shaft may be smaller than the maximum thickness of the communication unit.

[0017] According to an embodiment of the invention, the rotational axis of the rotor housing may coincide with the central axis of the shaft. The second circuit board is disposed on the rotor housing and may rotate together with the rotor housing. The stator housing and the rotor housing may include a motor coupled to the stator housing and rotating the rotor housing about an axis.

[0018] According to an embodiment of the invention, the stator housing includes an extension extending from an outer wall toward a shaft of the rotor housing, a first fixed side wall protruding from the extension toward the rotor housing or an upper portion, and a second fixed side wall protruding from the first fixed side wall toward the base, the rotor housing having a disk shape around an upper portion of the hollow shaft and including a rotational side wall around a lower portion, and the motor can be disposed between the first fixed side wall and the rotational side wall.

[0019] According to an embodiment of the invention, the wireless power transmission module is coupled to the stator housing and the rotor housing, and the wireless power transmission module may include a wireless power transmitter disposed on the outer periphery of an extension of the stator housing, and a wireless power receiver disposed on the outer lower portion of the rotor housing.

[0020] According to an embodiment of the invention, the bearing member may include a first bearing member coupled between the first fixed side wall and the hollow shaft, and a second bearing member coupled between the second fixed side wall and the hollow shaft.

[0021] According to an embodiment of the invention, a lidar device comprises: a transceiver including a light emitting unit that emits an optical signal and a light receiving unit that receives the optical signal reflected by an object; and a driving device that controls rotation of the transceiver, wherein the driving device comprises: a first circuit board including a first light emitting unit that emits a first optical signal and a first optical sensor that receives a second optical signal; a second circuit board including a second optical sensor that receives the first optical signal and a second optical sensor that emits the second optical signal, and electrically connected to the transceiver; and a shaft that is disposed between the first circuit board and the second circuit board, is fixed to the second circuit board, and is spaced apart from the first circuit board; a stator housing having the first circuit board; a rotor housing having the shaft and supporting the second circuit board; And it includes a bearing member, a wireless power transmission module and a motor respectively disposed between the stator housing and the rotor housing, the shaft has a hollow portion, the first light emitting portion and the first light sensor are disposed at the lower portion of the shaft, and the second light emitting portion and the second light sensor can be disposed within the hollow portion of the shaft.

[0022] According to an embodiment of the invention, by providing a projection that engages with a bearing member in a rotating housing integrally having a hollow shaft, a structure that does not engage a separate shaft can be provided, and the composition of parts can be reduced and assembly between parts can be facilitated.

[0023] According to an embodiment of the invention, by providing a rotating housing integrally having a hollow shaft, an assembly error between the shaft and the rotating housing can be reduced, a dispersion of the center of rotation can be reduced, and a deterioration in lidar performance can be prevented.

[0024] According to an embodiment of the invention, a guide wall is provided in the vertical direction of the fixed housing to separate heat-generating components and provide a heat dissipation path. This prevents degradation of the performance of the lidar device and improves its operational reliability at high temperatures.

[0025] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle having a lidar system according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0026] FIG. 2 is an example of a block diagram of a vehicle system having the lidar system of FIG. 1.

[0027] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a lidar driving device according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0028] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the lower configuration of the lidar driving device of Fig. 3, showing the combination of the stator housing and the rotor housing.

[0029] Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the lower components of the lidar driving device of Fig. 4.

[0030] Fig. 6 is an example of a side cross-sectional view of the lower components of the lidar driving device of Fig. 4.

[0031] Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a cross-section of the rotor housing and the second substrate of Fig. 5.

[0032] Fig. 8 is a drawing showing the detailed configuration of the base and the components arranged inside the stator housing of Fig. 5.

[0033] Fig. 9 is an example of a side cross-sectional view of the lower configuration of the lidar driving device of Fig. 4.

[0034] Fig. 10 is another cross-sectional view of the lower configuration of the lidar driving device of Fig. 4.

[0035] Fig. 11 is an enlarged view showing the combined state of the stator housing, rotor housing, hollow shaft, second substrate, second communication unit, and first and second bearing members of Fig. 4.

[0036] Fig. 12 is an enlarged view showing the combined state of the stator housing, rotor housing, hollow shaft, first substrate, first communication unit, and second bearing member of Fig. 4.

[0037] Figure 13 is an exploded perspective view of Figure 7.

[0038] Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the stator housing of Fig. 5.

[0039] Figure 15 is a perspective view of the base of Figure 5.

[0040] Figure 16 is a drawing showing another example of Figure 9.

[0041] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate similar components. However, the present invention may be embodied in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided as examples so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the features and functions of the present invention to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, processes, elements, and techniques that are not necessary for those skilled in the art to fully understand the features and functions of the present invention may not be described. Unless specifically stated otherwise, like reference numerals designate similar components in the accompanying drawings and written description, and therefore, the description thereof will not be repeated.

[0042] A LiDAR system may be referred to as a depth sensing system, a laser ranging system, a laser radar system, a LIDAR system, or a laser / light detection and ranging (LADAR) system. LiDAR is a type of distance measuring sensor characterized by a long detection range, high resolution, and minimal interference from the environment. LiDAR has been widely applied in the fields of intelligent robots, unmanned aerial vehicles, and autonomous or self-driving vehicles. LiDAR operates by estimating distance based on the round-trip time (e.g., time of flight or latency) of electromagnetic waves between a source and a target. A LiDAR system emits a light pulse (e.g., a laser pulse) toward an object and measures the time it takes for the light pulse to reflect from the object and be detected by a sensor in the LiDAR system, thereby measuring the distance to the object (e.g., depth).

[0043] The above-described aspects and features of embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle having a lidar system according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0044] Referring to FIG. 1, a moving object such as a vehicle (500) may include a lidar system (100), a camera unit (101), a vehicle recognition sensor (102, 104), a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor (103), a vehicle control module (107), and an ultrasonic sensor (105).

[0045] The above lidar system (100) is a device having a rotating imaging unit or sensor unit, which is attached to a portion of a vehicle (500), rotates 360 degrees, senses the distance between the vehicle and an object (static object, dynamic object), the surrounding environment, and the shape, and controls driving using the measured data. Using this sensing technology, a 3D point cloud can be used to collect and analyze objects or the environment surrounding the vehicle, and sensed data that provides information on objects located within an appropriate proximity range can be generated.

[0046] The above lidar system (100) can communicate with the vehicle control module (107) and transmit / receive information according to the driving of the vehicle. The vehicle control module (107) can communicate with various systems or sensors inside the vehicle and perform various controls. The vehicle control module (107) is a device that controls and monitors various systems of the vehicle and may include a control device such as an electronic control unit (ECU). The vehicle control module (107) can communicate with an external mobile device and be electrically connected to a removable storage device.

[0047]

[0048] The above camera unit (101) may be mounted one or more times inside and / or outside the vehicle, and may capture images of the front and / or rear of the moving vehicle and provide or store the captured images through a display device (not shown). The captured image data may optionally include audio data. As another example, the camera unit (101) may be mounted on the front, rear, each corner, or each side of the vehicle (500), and may capture images of the surroundings of the vehicle and provide the captured images through a display device (not shown). The vehicle control module (107) or another processor may identify traffic lights, vehicles, pedestrians, etc. based on the data captured by the camera unit (101), and provide the acquired information to the driver. The camera unit (101) may be used as a driving assistance device.

[0049] Front radars (102) are installed in multiple numbers at the front of the vehicle (500) and detect the distance between the vehicle (500) and a front object. Rear radars (104) are installed in multiple numbers at the rear of the vehicle (500) and detect the distance between the vehicle (500) and a rear object. When there is object information detected through these radars (102, 104), the driver is notified of surrounding objects or obstacles by an alarm or warning message. The GPS sensor (103) can receive signals from satellites and provide them to devices such as the vehicle control module (107), the lidar system (100), and the camera unit (101), and the devices can provide or calculate information such as the vehicle's location, speed, and time based on the GPS location signal. The ultrasonic sensor (105) can sense the distance to a nearby vehicle or obstacle, thereby providing convenience so that the vehicle can be safely parked in a parking space. In addition, the ultrasonic sensor (105) can prevent accidents that may occur while driving. These ultrasonic sensors (105) can be installed on the rear or side of the vehicle or on the wheels, etc.

[0050]

[0051] As shown in Fig. 2, a vehicle system (200) having a lidar system (100) and a vehicle control module (107) receives input from a user or driver or provides information to the user or driver through a user interface (211). The user interface (211) may include a display device, a touch panel, a button, voice recognition, a wired or wireless input device, and is connected wired or wirelessly to enable communication between the driver and various devices.

[0052] The vehicle system (200) communicates with a remote device (213), and the remote device (213) can remotely communicate with a user or an external device or receive an external control signal. The communication unit (215) can support wired or wireless communication and can be, for example, a wired or wireless module. The storage unit (220) can include one or more sub-memories (221) therein. In addition, the storage unit (220) can include a portable or removable storage device (222). The lidar system (100) can communicate with a user interface (211) and a camera unit (101).

[0053]

[0054] The above lidar system (100) includes a driving unit (115) such as a motor, and the driving unit (115) can rotate part or all of the lidar system (100) 360 degrees by a control signal. The driving unit (115) includes a part (e.g., a stator) fixed to a moving body such as a vehicle, and a part (e.g., a rotor) that rotates together with a sensor device, and communicates with an internal configuration of the lidar system (100), for example, a measurement system (110), and enables the lidar system (100) to rotate along an axis. The lidar system (100) may include a measurement system (110) and at least one transceiver (120). The driving unit (115) is coupled to the measurement system (110) and the transceiver (120) so that the measurement system (110) and the transceiver (120) can rotate, and can transmit a driving force.

[0055] The measurement system (110) may include a main processor (111) and a main memory (112), wherein the main processor (111) may be implemented as a general purpose processor, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), one or more Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), a group of processing components, or other suitable electronic processing components. The main memory (e.g., memory, memory unit, storage device, etc.) (112) may include one or more devices (e.g., RAM, ROM, flash memory, hard disk storage, etc.) for storing data and / or computer code to complete or facilitate the various processes described herein. The main memory (112) may be or include volatile memory or non-volatile memory. The main memory (112) may include a database component, an object code component, a script component, or any other type of information structure to support the various activities and information structures described herein. In an embodiment, the main memory (112) may be communicatively coupled to the main processor (111).

[0056] The measurement system (110) may include one or more processors (also referred to as central processing units or CPUs). The one or more processors may be connected to a communications infrastructure or bus. Additionally, each of the one or more processors may be a graphics processing unit (GPU). In some examples, a GPU (graphics processing unit) may include a processor, which is a specialized electronic circuit designed to process mathematically intensive applications. The GPU may have a parallel architecture that is efficient for parallel processing of large blocks of data, such as mathematically intensive data commonly used in computer graphics applications, images, videos, etc. The measurement system (110) may be a computer system and may be connected to one or more user input / output devices, such as a monitor, keyboard, pointing device, etc., that communicate with the communications infrastructure via a user input / output interface.

[0057] Within the lidar system (100), one or more transceivers (120) may be arranged. When multiple transceivers are arranged, laser beams can be irradiated and sensed in different directions based on the rotation axis. Here, the different directions can range from 10 degrees to 180 degrees with respect to each other, and for example, the transceivers can be arranged in any one of 30 degrees, 60 degrees, 90 degrees, 120 degrees, 150 degrees, and 180 degrees, and preferably, they can be arranged at an angle of 180 degrees. The multiple transceivers can have different divergence angles or field of view. The multiple transceivers can scan an object at different altitudes.

[0058] The transceiver (120) includes a transmission module (121) and a sensing module (123). The transmission module (121) transmits a laser beam, and the sensing module (123) senses the laser beam transmitted by the transmission module (121). The transmission module (121) may include a light source array (not shown), and the sensing module (123) may include a receiving optical system (not shown) and a sensor array (not shown). The transmission module (121) may include a processor or control module such as a general-purpose processor, ASIC, or FPGA that can control the driving of the light source array and the transmission of an optical signal, and may also have an internal memory in which a code for controlling the generation of a laser beam is stored.

[0059] The light source array may include a plurality of light sources that generate laser beams or light pulses. The light sources may include light sources such as a laser diode (LD), an edge emitting laser, a vertical-cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL), a distributed feedback laser, a light emitting diode (LED), or a super luminescent diode (SLD). However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The sensing module (123) may convert a raw histogram based on a signal sensed through a receiving optical system, and may include a processor having a matching filter, a peak detection circuit, and a SPAD saturation and quenching circuit. Such a processor may be implemented as a general-purpose processor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), a group of processing components, or other suitable electronic processing components. The sensing module (123) may include a memory (not shown) having one or more devices (e.g., RAM, ROM, flash memory, hard disk storage, etc.) for storing the optical signal detected therein.

[0060]

[0061] Hereinafter, a lidar device having a lidar system will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a lidar driving device according to an embodiment of the invention, Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a lower configuration of the lidar driving device of Fig. 3, in which a stator housing (150) and a rotor housing (160) are combined, Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of lower configurations of the lidar driving device of Fig. 4, Fig. 6 is an example of a side cross-sectional view of lower configurations of the lidar driving device of Fig. 4, Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a combined cross-section of the rotor housing and the second substrate of Fig. 5, and Fig. 8 is a drawing showing detailed configurations of components arranged inside the stator housing of Fig. 5 and a base.

[0062] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the lidar driving device (100A) may include a fixed part (1), a rotating part (2), and a cover (140). The fixed part (1) is coupled to a part of a moving body such as a vehicle, and may be embedded in the moving body or protrude from the moving body. The fixed part (1) may include a base (20), a stator housing (150), and a first circuit board (19). The stator housing (150) and the base (20) may be separated from each other or formed integrally, and the base (20) may be fastened to the moving body using a fastening means such as a screw.

[0063]

[0064] The above-described rotating part (2) can be rotated by the driving force of the motor (M2) on the moving body. The rotation of the above-described rotating part (2) can be axial rotation. The above-described rotating part (2) can include the transceiver (120), the rotatable rotor housing (160), and the second circuit board (170) disclosed above. The transceiver (120) can rotate about its axis together with the rotor housing (160). The second circuit board (170) is electrically connected to the transceiver (120) and can be wirelessly connected to the first circuit board (19). The second circuit board (170) can be disposed on the rotor housing (160) and disposed below the transceiver (120). The rotation axis of the rotor housing (160) can coincide with the central axis of the shaft (161). The hollow (60) of the above shaft (161) may be a virtual axis of rotation. Accordingly, the rotor housing (160) rotates around the shaft (161) as the axis of rotation.

[0065]

[0066] The lower part of the cover (140) is coupled to the upper periphery of the fixed part (1) and covers the upper and outer periphery of the rotating part (2). The cover (140) has a columnar shape with an open lower part and includes an upper cover (141) and a lower cover (142). The upper cover (141) has an opaque material and protects the upper part of the rotating part (2). The lower cover (142) covers the periphery of the transceiver (120) and may include a transparent material for transmitting / receiving a laser beam. The cover (140) is coupled to the stator housing (150) and may be provided with a non-rotating structure. As another example, the cover (140) or the lower cover (142) may be coupled to the rotor housing (160) and may be rotatable. In this case, the lower cover (142) may include a window or an open area for transmitting / receiving a laser beam of the transceiver (120). In this case, the window or the open area may correspond to the transmission / reception direction of light transmitted / received from the transceiver (120), and the other area may be formed of an opaque material. The cover (140) may be made of a metal, a non-metallic material such as resin or plastic, or may include a waterproof material.

[0067] As shown in Fig. 4, the upper portion of the rotor housing (160) is provided with a fastening protrusion (169) so that it can be coupled with a part of the transceiver (120). The second circuit board (170) can be coupled to the upper portion of the rotor housing (160), and the diameter of the second circuit board (170) can be smaller than the diameter of the rotor housing (160). The diameter of the rotor housing (160) can be smaller than the diameter of the stator housing (150). The outer shape of the stator housing (150) can be a cylindrical shape, or as another example, a polygonal shape.

[0068] As shown in FIGS. 5 to 10, the lidar device may include a base (20), a first circuit board (19), an encoder module (18, 18A), a fixed ring (17), a first sub-board (16), a stator housing (150), first and second ferrite cores (14, 3), first and second coils (13, 4), a second sub-board (12), a motor core (11), first and second bearing members (7, 10), first and second elastic members (8, 9), a magnet (6), a yoke (5), a rotor housing (160), and a second circuit board (170). The rotor housing (160) has a disc shape and supports the lower portion of the second circuit board (170). The base (20) has a disc shape and supports the lower portion of the first circuit board (19).

[0069] Here, the wireless power transmission module (M1) wirelessly transmits power from the fixed part (1) to the rotating part (2). The wireless power transmission module (M1) is coupled to the interior of the stator housing (150) and the rotor housing (160) and may face each other. The wireless power transmission module (M1) may include first and second ferrite cores (14, 3) and first and second coils (13, 4). The first ferrite core (14) and the first coil (13) function as a wireless power transmitter, and the second ferrite core (3) and the second coil (4) function as a wireless power receiver. The wireless power transmitter (13, 14) of the wireless power transmission module (M1) wirelessly transmits power within the fixed part (1), and the wireless power receiver (3, 4) wirelessly receives power within the rotating part (2) and provides power to each component within the rotating part (2). The above wireless power transmission module (M1) can enable the operation of the transceiver (120) and the substrate and system connected thereto. The wireless power transmission unit (13, 14) can be coupled within the stator housing (150), and the wireless power reception unit (3, 4) can be coupled to the rotor housing (160). The wireless power transmission module (M1) is arranged on the outer periphery of the area of ​​the stator housing (150) and the rotor housing (160), transmits and receives power wirelessly, and can reduce electrical influence on other components (e.g., motor) or parts.

[0070]

[0071] The above lidar driving device (100A) has a motor (M2) therein for rotating the rotating part (2). The motor (M2) may include a plurality of magnets (6), a yoke (5), and a motor core (11). The yoke (5) of the motor (M2) is arranged along the outer side of the plurality of magnets (6) and shields electromagnetic force. The yoke (5) functions as a back yoke. The yoke (5) and the plurality of magnets (6) are arranged in a circumferential direction, and the motor core (11) faces the plurality of magnets (6). When power is supplied to the coil of the motor core (11), an electromagnetic force is generated between the magnets (6) and the motor core (11). The yoke (5) and the plurality of magnets (6) may rotate about an axis together with the rotor housing (160).

[0072]

[0073] A first circuit board (19) is coupled to the base (20), and the first circuit board (19) has a first communication unit (71). The base (20) is coupled to the lower periphery of the stator housing (150). Inside the stator housing (150), a first sub-board (16) fixed to the stator housing (150) is provided, and at least one of the first circuit board (19) and the first sub-board (16) is electrically connected to a power connector (190) and can receive power.

[0074] The second circuit board (170) has a second communication unit (72) at the lower center and communicates with the first communication unit (71). The first and second communication units (71, 72) face each other in the vertical or axial direction at the lower and upper portions of the hollow shaft (161) and communicate with each other. The first and second communication units (71, 72) can be defined as optical communication units that communicate wirelessly. As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the first communication unit (71) includes a first light-emitting unit (T1) and a first optical sensor (R1), and the second communication unit (72) can include a second light-emitting unit (T2) and a second optical sensor (R2). At least one of the first light-emitting unit (T1) and the first optical sensor (R1) can overlap with the shaft (161) and the hollow shaft (60) in a direction in which the shaft (161) protrudes. In addition, at least one or both of the first light emitting portion (T1) and the first light sensor (R1) may overlap in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the hollow (60) of the shaft (161) and the shaft (161) protrude, at least a portion of at least one or both of the second light emitting portion (T2) and the second light sensor (R2) may overlap in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the hollow (60) of the shaft (161) and the shaft (161) protrude, at least a portion ... pro

[0075] The shaft (161) may be integrally formed or bent at the lower inner side of the center of the rotor housing (160). The vertical length of the shaft (161) may be greater than the sum of the thicknesses of the first and second bearing members (7, 10). The vertical length of the shaft (161) may be greater than the maximum gap between the first and second bearing members (7, 10) (the gap between the upper surface of the first bearing member and the lower surface of the second bearing member). Accordingly, the lower end of the shaft (161) may protrude further below the lower surface of the second bearing (10) or may be disposed adjacent to the first circuit board (19).

[0076] As shown in Fig. 8, the stator housing (150) is a first frame with a fixed position and includes a metal material, for example, aluminum or an alloy thereof. The outer wall of the stator housing (150) includes an upper outer wall (SW1) and a lower outer wall (SW2) for guiding the insertion of internal components. The upper outer wall (SW1) and the lower outer wall (SW2) have first and second receiving areas (150A, 150B) at the upper and lower portions, and the first receiving area (150A) can receive components inward from the upper direction, and the second receiving area (150B) can receive components inward from the lower direction.

[0077] The stator housing (150) is a rotating second frame and includes an extension (151) extending from an outer wall toward a hollow shaft (161) of the rotor housing (160), a first fixed side wall (152) protruding from the extension (151) toward a second circuit board (170), and a second fixed side wall (153) protruding from an inner end of the extension (151) toward the first circuit board (19).

[0078] The first fixed side wall (152) has a ring shape, and a first receiving area (150A) with an open upper portion is provided between the first fixed side wall (152) and the outer wall of the stator housing (150). The second fixed side wall (153) has a ring shape, and a second receiving area (150B) with an open lower portion is provided between the second fixed side wall (153) and the outer wall of the stator housing (150). An inner end (154) of the second fixed side wall (153) protrudes toward the hollow shaft (161). A second sub-substrate (12) is disposed on the extension portion (151) of the stator housing (150), and the second sub-substrate (12) can be disposed in the receiving area between the first fixed side wall (152) and the outer wall of the stator housing (150). The second sub-board (12) can be electrically connected to the wireless power transmitter (13, 14) and the motor core (11). The extension portion (151) of the stator housing (150) extends inward from the outer wall of the stator housing (150), and a support protrusion (51) is arranged on the outer periphery of the first fixed side wall (152), and the support protrusion (51) supports the inner lower end of the motor core (11). The extension portion (151) of the stator housing (150) can extend in a direction orthogonal to the extension direction of the hollow shaft (151).

[0079]

[0080] A second sub-substrate (12) is mounted on the inner side between the first fixed side wall (152) and the upper outer wall (SW1) in the upper surface area of ​​the extension portion (151) of the stator housing (150), and a wireless power transmission unit (13, 14) of a wireless power transmission module (M1) is coupled to the outer side.

[0081]

[0082] One or more bearing members (7, 10) are coupled to the area between the hollow shaft (161) of the rotor housing (160) and the fixed side wall (152, 153). The bearing members (7, 10) may include a first bearing member (7) arranged between the hollow shaft (161) and the first fixed side wall (152), and a second bearing member (10) arranged between the hollow shaft (161) and the second fixed side wall (153). The first and second bearing members (7, 10) support and guide the axial rotation of the hollow shaft (161) located inside the fixed side wall (152, 153) of the stator housing (150).

[0083] A first bearing member (7) is coupled to the inner circumference of the first fixed side wall (152) of the stator housing (150), and a second bearing member (10) is coupled to the inner circumference of the second fixed side wall (153) of the stator housing (150). The inner diameter of the first fixed side wall (152) may be larger than the inner diameter of the second fixed side wall (153). That is, the size of the first bearing member (7) may be larger than the size of the second bearing member (10), thereby stably guiding the rotation of the hollow shaft (161).

[0084]

[0085] As shown in FIGS. 8 and 14, the upper periphery of the stator housing (150) includes a first molded portion (55) and a second molded portion (56) on the lower periphery, and the first molded portion (55) can be molded with the lower periphery of the cover (140). The second molded portion (56) can be molded with the molded projection (21) of the base (20).

[0086] The above stator housing (150) separates the storage components by using the internal extension (151) and fixed side walls (152, 153), thereby separating the regions of the heat-generating components, such as coils, wireless power transmission coils, and substrates, centered on the extension (151) and side walls, and effectively dissipates the heat generated inside to the outside. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent performance degradation due to heat in the lidar device and to prevent reliability degradation due to high-temperature operation.

[0087] As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the first bearing member (7) includes a first outer ring (K1), a first inner ring (K2), and a plurality of first bearings (K3), and the plurality of first bearings (K3) are arranged along an area between the first outer ring (K1) and the first inner ring (K2). The second bearing member (10) includes a second outer ring (K4), a second inner ring (K5), and a plurality of second bearings (K6), and the plurality of second bearings (K6) are arranged along an area between the second outer ring (K4) and the second inner ring (K5). The inner end (52) of the second fixed side wall (153) of the stator housing (150) supports the second outer ring (K5) of the second bearing member (10).

[0088] The inner diameter of the second bearing member (10) may be smaller than the inner diameter of the first bearing member (7). Between the first outer ring (K2) of the first bearing member (7) and the first fixed side wall (152), a means (B1, B2) such as a projection or groove for coupling or a bushing may be arranged. Two or three or more of these bearing members (7, 10) may be coupled around the axial circumference of the hollow shaft (161).

[0089]

[0090] The encoder module (18, 18A) includes an encoder disk (18) and a sensor (18A), wherein the sensor (18A) is an optical sensor that senses an azimuth and is disposed on a first circuit board (19), and the inside of the encoder disk (18) is coupled to the lower circumference of the hollow shaft (161), and the encoder disk (18) may have a diameter facing the sensor (18A). The encoder module (18, 18A) may detect a rotational direction and a position value according to a signal detected by the sensor (18A) as the encoder disk (18) rotates. The fixed ring (17) may be disposed between the inside of the encoder disk (18) and the second inner ring (K4) of the second bearing member (10).

[0091]

[0092] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the rotor housing (160) is a rotating frame and may include a metal material, for example, aluminum. The rotor housing (160) includes a hollow shaft (161) extending vertically from the inner center toward the base (20), and the hollow shaft (161) has a hollow (60) that vertically penetrates through the interior. The rotor housing (160) includes a rotating side wall (162) extending between the motor (M2) and the wireless power transmission module (M1). A magnet (5) and a yoke (6), which are rotors, are coupled to the inner side of the rotating side wall (162), and the wireless power receiving unit (13, 14) may be coupled to the outer side of the rotating side wall (162) or the outer lower surface of the rotor housing (160).

[0093] The hollow upper part (61) and the hollow lower part (62) of the hollow shaft (161) may be wider than the inner diameter of the area between the hollow upper part (61) and the hollow lower part (62). The first communication part (71) of the first circuit board (19) may be inserted into the hollow lower part (62) of the hollow shaft (161), and the second communication part (72) of the second circuit board (170) may be inserted into the hollow upper part (61) of the hollow shaft (161). The first communication part (71) may include a transmitter or a light-emitting part for wirelessly transmitting and receiving data and a receiver or a light sensor, and the second communication part (72) may include a transmitter or a light-emitting part for transmitting and receiving data and a receiver or a light sensor for communicating with the first communication part (71).

[0094]

[0095] Since the hollow shaft (161) is integrally formed with the rotor housing (160), a separate process of combining or assembling the hollow shaft may not be necessary, and errors resulting from assembly may be reduced. In addition, by forming the hollow shaft (161) integrally with the rotor housing (160), center dispersion due to shaft rotation can be reduced, and performance degradation of the lidar device can be prevented.

[0096] In the hollow shaft (161), the hollow lower portion (62) may include a lower portion having a larger diameter than the inner diameter of the hollow shaft (161), and an inclined portion or an area with a gradually narrower inner diameter above the lower portion. Accordingly, the insertion of the first communication unit (71) into the hollow lower portion (62) may be facilitated, and interference of signals may be reduced. The hollow upper portion (61) may include an upper portion having a larger diameter than the inner diameter of the hollow shaft (161), and an inclined portion or an area with a gradually narrower inner diameter below the upper portion. Accordingly, the insertion of the second communication unit (72) into the hollow upper portion (61) may be facilitated, and interference of communication signals may be reduced. Here, the first circuit board (19) may be spaced apart from the shaft (161) in the protruding direction of the shaft (161). The gap between the lower end of the shaft (161) and the upper surface of the first circuit board (19) may be smaller than the maximum thickness of each of the first and second communication units (71, 72).

[0097] The hollow shaft (161) of the rotor housing (160) passes through the through holes (H1, H2) of the bearing member (7, 10) and the through hole (H3) of the encoder disk (18) and is placed on the first circuit board (19) placed on the base (20). At this time, the first communication unit (71) placed on the first circuit board (19) is inserted into the hollow lower portion (62) of the hollow shaft (161).

[0098]

[0099] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 10, the hollow shaft (161) of the rotor housing (160) has a first stop protrusion (65) for spacing out the upper end of the first bearing member (7) and the inner lower surface (160A) of the rotor housing (160). The first stop protrusion (65) can prevent the first inner ring (K2) of the first bearing member (7) from moving upward. The first stop protrusion (65) can prevent the first inner ring (K2) of the first bearing member (7) from coming into close contact with the inner lower surface (160A) of the rotor housing (160) at the upper periphery of the hollow shaft (161). The first stop protrusion (65) can be arranged on the periphery of the hollow upper portion (61).

[0100]

[0101] The hollow shaft (161) of the rotor housing (160) includes a second stop protrusion (66), and the second stop protrusion (66) can prevent the upper end of the second bearing member (10) from moving upward. The second stop protrusion (66) has a structure in which the outer surface of the hollow shaft (161) is stepped inward, and the second bearing member (10) is arranged below the second stop protrusion (66). Due to this stepped structure, the inner diameter of the second bearing member (10) can be smaller than the inner diameter of the first bearing member (7).

[0102] An elastic member (8, 9) may be coupled to a region between the upper surface of the inner end (52) of the extension (151) of the stator housing (150) and the first outer ring (K1) of the first bearing member (7). The inner diameter of the elastic member (8, 9) may be smaller than the outer diameter of the first bearing member (7), and the elastic member (8, 9) may vertically overlap the first outer ring (K1) of the first bearing member (7). The elastic member (8, 9) may support the first bearing member (7) to prevent its lower part from coming off. The outer circumferential surface of the shaft (161) may include a groove, i.e., a stepped groove, for accommodating at least one or both of the first and second bearing members (7, 10). The above elastic member (8,9) includes first and second elastic members (8,9), and the first elastic member (8) is disposed between the circumference of the first outer ring (K1) of the first bearing member (7) and the second elastic member (9) and can maintain frictional force and distribute a load. The second elastic member (9) is made of an elastic material that maintains a preload on the first bearing member (7), and can be disposed between the first elastic member (8) and the upper surface of the inner end (52) of the extension (151) of the stator housing (150). The first and second elastic members (8,9) may include a ring shape, and the first elastic member (8) may be made of a different material from the second elastic member (9) or may be a washer.

[0103]

[0104] A second bearing member (10) is arranged in the area between the second fixed side wall (153) of the stator housing (150) and the hollow shaft (161), and the lower portion of the second outer ring (K5) of the second bearing member (10) can be hung on the hook portion (154) of the second fixed side wall (153). A fixed ring (17) is coupled between the inner upper portion of the encoder disk (18) and the second bearing member (10). The fixed ring (17) can be fitted into a groove (69) at the lower portion of the outer periphery of the hollow shaft (161) and may include a snap ring.

[0105] The first and second bearing members (7, 10) may be sequentially stacked from the outer upper portion of the shaft (161) toward the first circuit board (19). The width of the first bearing member (7) may be larger than the width of the second bearing member (10). The inner diameter of the first bearing member (7) may be larger than the inner diameter of the second bearing member (10). The outer diameter of the first bearing member (7) may be larger than the outer diameter of the second bearing member (10).

[0106] A third stop protrusion (67) is arranged on the inner periphery of the rotor housing (160), and the third stop protrusion (67) can prevent the upper end of the yoke (5) from coming into close contact with the inner upper surface of the rotor housing (160). The yoke (5) is coupled to the inner surface of the rotation side wall (162) of the rotor housing (160), and the receiving unit (3, 4) of the wireless power transmission module (M1) is spaced apart from the rotation side wall (162) and can be coupled to the outer lower surface (165) of the rotor housing (160). As shown in Fig. 13, the upper portion of the rotor housing (160) has a plurality of ribs (167) arranged in a radial shape, which guide the mounting of the second circuit board (170) and can prevent the second circuit board (170) from coming into close contact with the upper surface of the rotor housing (160).

[0107]

[0108] As shown in FIGS. 6, 10 and 15, the base (20) is coupled to the lower periphery of the stator housing (150) and can be coupled to the moving body and / or the stator housing (150) by a fastening means such as a screw. The outer periphery of the base (20) has a molded projection (21) and is coupled with a second molded portion (56) of the lower periphery of the stator housing (150). The base (20) has a plurality of spacers (22) on the inner side, and the plurality of spacers (22) separate the lower surface of the first circuit board (19) from the upper surface of the base (20). The base (20) has a plurality of fastening holes (23), and a fastening means such as a screw can fix the first circuit board (19). A portion of the above base (20) is provided with a connector insertion hole (26), into which the upper portion of the power connector (190) can be inserted. As another example, as shown in Fig. 16, the power connector (190) can be coupled to the side wall of the stator housing (150).

[0109] The features, structures, effects, etc. described in the embodiments above are included in at least one embodiment of the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to just one embodiment. Furthermore, the features, structures, effects, etc. illustrated in each embodiment can be combined or modified and implemented in other embodiments by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the embodiments pertain. Therefore, the contents related to such combinations and modifications should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the present invention. In addition, although the embodiments have been described above, these are merely examples and do not limit the present invention. Those having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains will appreciate that various modifications and applications not illustrated above are possible without departing from the essential characteristics of the embodiments. For example, each component specifically shown in the embodiments can be modified and implemented. In addition, the differences related to such modifications and applications should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the present invention defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. Base; A first circuit board disposed on the above base; a stator housing disposed on the first circuit board; and A rotor housing disposed on the stator housing and a second circuit board disposed on the rotor housing, and a rotating part that rotates with respect to the stator housing, The rotor housing includes a shaft that protrudes toward the first circuit board and is positioned at the innermost side of the stator housing and has a hollow shape; A lidar driving device, wherein at least one of the first circuit board and the second circuit board includes an optical communication section that performs optical communication through the hollow portion of the shaft.

2. In paragraph 1, The optical communication unit includes a first communication unit having a first light emitting unit and a second light sensor arranged on the first circuit board and disposed at the lower portion of the shaft, and a second communication unit having a second light emitting unit and a second light sensor arranged on the second circuit board and disposed within the hollow portion of the shaft. A lidar driving device, wherein the first light sensor receives an optical signal from the second light emitting unit, and the second light sensor receives an optical signal from the first light emitting unit.

3. In paragraph 2, A lidar driving device in which at least one of the first light emitting portion and the first light sensor overlaps at least partially in a direction perpendicular to the hollow portion of the shaft and the direction in which the shaft protrudes.

4. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 3, The above rotor housing is a lidar driving device that rotates around a virtual rotation axis placed within the hollow of the above shaft.

5. In paragraph 4, Including a bearing member arranged between the stator housing and the rotor housing, A lidar driving device in which the shaft, the bearing member, and the stator housing are sequentially arranged in an outward direction from the rotation axis.

6. In paragraph 5, The bearing member includes a first bearing member and a second bearing member sequentially arranged from the outer upper side of the shaft toward the first circuit board, A lidar driving device wherein the width of the first bearing member is greater than the width of the second bearing member.

7. In paragraph 5, The outer surface of the above shaft includes a groove for accommodating the above bearing member, A lidar drive device in which the bearing member is disposed between the shaft and the stator housing.

8. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 3, an encoder disc coupled to the lower circumference of said shaft; and A lidar driving device including a sensor that is disposed on the first circuit board, faces the encoder disk, and senses an azimuth.

9. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 3, The lower end of the above shaft is spaced apart from the upper surface of the first circuit board, A lidar driving device wherein the gap between the first circuit board and the lower end of the shaft is smaller than the maximum thickness of the communication section.

10. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 3, A lidar drive device in which the rotation axis of the rotor housing coincides with the central axis of the shaft.

11. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 3, The second circuit board is placed on the rotor housing and rotates together with the rotor housing, A lidar driving device including a motor coupled to the stator housing and the rotor housing and rotating the rotor housing about an axis.

12. In paragraph 11, The stator housing includes an extension extending from an outer wall toward a shaft of the rotor housing, a first fixed side wall protruding from the extension toward the rotor housing or the upper portion, and a second fixed side wall protruding from the first fixed side wall toward the base. The above rotor housing has a disc shape on the upper periphery of the hollow shaft and includes a rotating side wall on the lower periphery, The above motor is a lidar driving device disposed between the first fixed side wall and the rotating side wall.

13. In paragraph 12, It includes a wireless power transmission module coupled to the stator housing and the rotor housing, The above wireless power transmission module is a lidar driving device including a wireless power transmitter arranged on the outer periphery of the extended portion of the stator housing, and a wireless power receiver arranged on the outer lower portion of the rotor housing.

14. In paragraph 5, The stator housing includes a first fixed side wall protruding toward the rotor housing or the upper portion, and a second fixed side wall protruding from the first fixed side wall toward the base, A lidar drive device, wherein the bearing member includes a first bearing member coupled between the first fixed side wall and the hollow shaft, and a second bearing member coupled between the second fixed side wall and the hollow shaft.

15. A transceiver including a light emitting unit that emits an optical signal and a light receiving unit that receives the optical signal reflected by an object; and Including a driving device that controls the rotation of the above transceiver, The above driving device, A first circuit board including a first light emitting portion emitting a first optical signal and a first optical sensor receiving a second optical signal; A second circuit board including a second optical sensor for receiving the first optical signal and a second light emitting unit for emitting the second optical signal, and electrically connected to the transceiver; A shaft disposed between the first circuit board and the second circuit board, fixed to the second circuit board, and spaced apart from the first circuit board; A stator housing having the first circuit board; a rotor housing having the shaft and supporting the second circuit board; and It includes a bearing member, a wireless power transmission module and a motor respectively arranged between the stator housing and the rotor housing, The above shaft has a hollow body, The first light emitting portion and the first light sensor are arranged at the lower portion of the shaft, A lidar device in which the second light emitting portion and the second light sensor are positioned within the hollow portion of the shaft.

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