Movable Contamination Test Unit for Windscreen Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laser scanners face challenges in effectively monitoring the contamination of their windscreen, which affects transmission capacity and can lead to misalignment or loss of range, especially in rough environments.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a multi-channel contamination measurement system within the laser scanner, utilizing a movable contamination test unit with multiple pollution control stations and recipients, allows for seamless monitoring of the windscreen by creating various light paths and effect points, thereby evaluating the contamination indirectly through windscreen reflex measurement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a multitude of independent optical test channels are distributed across the entire angular range of the windscreen, then the windscreen monitoring coverage is improved, but the device complexity and number of components increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple test light transmitters and test light receivers into a single integrated test unit that moves together with the deflection unit. This merging approach allows the system to monitor the entire windscreen angular range using one consolidated component set rather than multiple stationary test channels, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining comprehensive monitoring coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a dynamic test unit that moves along with the deflection unit during scanning operations. This dynamic configuration allows a single test unit to sequentially monitor different angular sections of the windscreen as the deflection unit rotates, replacing the need for multiple stationary test channels and reducing the total number of components required.
2Device complexity
If a rotating contamination measurement with a single transmitter-receiver pair is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but a reflector outside the windscreen is required and optical crosstalk to the actual measuring system occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the test light transmitters and test light receivers into a single integrated test unit that moves with the deflection unit. This integration eliminates the need for external reflectors by using the deflection unit itself as the moving reference surface, and the compact arrangement minimizes optical crosstalk between the test light paths and the actual measuring beams.
Solution Approach 2:
The deflection unit serves dual purposes: it performs the primary scanning function for object detection and simultaneously acts as the moving reference surface for contamination measurement. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate external reflectors and reduces the overall component count while maintaining measurement accuracy.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the entire measuring head rotates to achieve scanning movement, then the windscreen enclosure is improved, but the device complexity and hardware requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the test unit with the deflection unit, allowing both to move together as an integrated assembly. This merging approach maintains the benefit of the windscreen enclosing the entire measuring system while avoiding the need for a separate rotating measuring head, thereby reducing hardware complexity while preserving the enclosed design advantage.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables comprehensive monitoring of the windscreen in all positions of the movable distraction unit, ensuring that both the escaping and measuring light paths are checked, with minimal hardware requirements and no need for external components, thus maintaining the scanner's reliability and accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
evaluating the contamination indirectly through windscreen reflex measurement
Implementation Method 2
the distance of the object from the laser scanner is also determined from the light travel time, using the speed of light in a phase or pulse method
Data Source
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AI summary
An optoelectronic sensor (10) is described, comprising a windscreen (44), a measuring unit (22), a movable deflection unit (12, 50), and a contamination test unit (46) that moves with the deflection unit (12) for generating a contamination test reception signal from contamination test light (48) reflected from the windscreen (44). The contamination test unit (46) has at least two contamination test light transmitters (52) and/or at least two contamination test light receivers (54) to form multiple contamination test channels (56), and a control and evaluation unit (38) is configured to detect the object by evaluating a measurement reception signal from the measuring unit (22) and to assess the contamination of the windscreen (44) by evaluating the multiple contamination test reception signals from the multiple contamination test channels (56).