Sensor unit for vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12070988-B2
Application number	US-202017602609-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2020
Priority date	Apr 11, 2019
Publication date	Aug 27, 2024
Grant date	Aug 27, 2024

Abstract

A sensor unit for vehicles for detecting at least the moisture and/or the temperature on the inside of a vehicle window by a sensor is disclosed. The sensor unit is mounted adjacent to the inside of the vehicle window, the sensor unit comprises a housing within which it is partially enclosed, the housing has at least one opening in the direction of the vehicle window through which the sensor unit is pressed against the vehicle window. The sensor unit has a printed circuit board (PCB) that is pressed against the inside of the vehicle window when the sensor unit is in the mounted state, and is arranged between the sensor and the vehicle window. The PCB is a rigid-flexible PCB comprising a bend at least in a partial region, the bend of the rigid-flexible PCB being set up in such a way as to generate an elastic restoring force, which presses the rigid-flexible PCB against the vehicle window. The rigid-flexible PCB has at least one recess for receiving a fixing means and these together are designed to hold the rigid-flexible PCB in a specific shape.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sensor unit for vehicles for detecting at least a moisture and/or a temperature on an inside of a vehicle window by at least one sensor, the sensor unit configured to be mounted in contact with the inside of the vehicle window, the sensor unit comprising:
a housing, the sensor unit being partially enclosed by the housing, the housing comprising at least one opening in a direction of the vehicle window through which the sensor unit is pressed against the vehicle window;
a printed circuit board that is pressed against the inside of the vehicle window when the sensor unit is in a mounted state, the printed circuit board being arranged between the at least one sensor and the vehicle window, the printed circuit board being a rigid-flexible printed circuit board comprising a bend at least in a partial region, the bend of the rigid-flexible printed circuit board being set up in such a way as to generate an elastic restoring force, which presses the rigid-flexible printed circuit board against the vehicle window,
wherein the rigid-flexible printed circuit board comprises at least one recess for receiving a fixing means,
wherein the rigid-flexible printed circuit board has a substantially elongate shape,
wherein the at least one recess and the fixing means are collectively configured to hold the rigid-flexible printed circuit board in a specific shape, and
wherein the at least one recess has an elongate shape which extends substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the rigid-flexible printed circuit board and is configured to adjust a height of the rigid-flexible printed circuit board.

2. The sensor unit according to claim 1 , wherein the rigid-flexible printed circuit board is bent at least in one partial region by at least two bends of approximately 90° by a total of 180º.

3. The sensor unit according to claim 1 , wherein the rigid-flexible printed circuit board comprises an electrical plug connection for electrical coupling with further electrical components.

4. The sensor unit according to claim 1 , wherein the housing of the sensor unit comprises the fixing means.

5. The sensor unit according to claim 1 , wherein the rigid-flexible printed circuit board comprises the fixing means.

6. The sensor unit according to claim 5 , wherein the fixing means is formed from at least one part of the rigid-flexible printed circuit board itself.

7. The sensor unit according to claim 6 , wherein the fixing means is a hook.

8. The sensor unit according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is a humidity sensor and/or a temperature sensor.

9. A driver assistance system with the sensor unit according to claim 1 .

10. A vehicle with the sensor unit according to claim 1 .

11. The sensor unit of claim 1 , wherein the sensor unit is used in an optoelectronic sensor unit for detecting a wetting of the vehicle window and/or for detecting an ambient light of a vehicle.

Assignees

• Valeo Schalter & Sensoren Gmbh

Inventors

• Coufal Bohuslav
• Suchansky Ivan
• Klepac Marian

Classifications

• H05K2201/1034

  Edge terminals, i.e. separate pieces of metal attached to the edge of the printed circuit board [PCB] · CPC title

• H05K2201/10151

  Sensor · CPC title

• H05K2201/10121

  Optical component, e.g. opto-electronic component · CPC title

• H05K2201/057

  Shape retainable · CPC title

• H05K1/0278

  Rigid circuit boards or rigid supports of circuit boards locally made bendable, e.g. by removal or replacement of material · CPC title