Sensor assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12529580-B2
Application number	US-202318489282-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2023
Priority date	Oct 18, 2023
Publication date	Jan 20, 2026
Grant date	Jan 20, 2026

Abstract

A sensor assembly includes a carrier plate, a mounting plate, and a sensor on or over the mounting plate. The assembly can additionally include two ball studs attaching the mounting plate to the carrier plate, the ball studs defining a first axis passing through center points of the ball studs. A first adjustable screw can be positioned to tilt the mounting plate about the first axis, and a second adjustable screw can be positioned to rotate the mounting plate about a vertically oriented second axis, in which the second axis is spaced from the ball studs.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A sensor assembly, comprising:
a carrier plate; a mounting plate; a sensor on the mounting plate; two ball studs attaching the mounting plate to the carrier plate, the ball studs defining a first axis passing through center points of the ball studs; a first adjustable screw positioned to tilt the mounting plate about the first axis; and a second adjustable screw positioned to rotate the mounting plate about a vertically oriented second axis, the second axis being spaced from the ball studs.

2 . The sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first axis extends along a lateral dimension with respect to a vehicle that includes the sensor assembly.

3 . The sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the carrier plate is fixed to a reinforcing beam having a first lateral endpoint that is connected to a first structural component at a first side of a vehicle that includes the sensor assembly.

4 . The sensor assembly of claim 3 , wherein the reinforcing beam includes a second lateral endpoint, opposite the first lateral endpoint, connected to a second structural component at a second side of the vehicle.

5 . The sensor assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an adjustable spacer that extends from the mounting plate to the carrier plate.

6 . The sensor assembly of claim 5 , wherein the adjustable spacer includes a downward facing surface that makes frictional contact with a surface of the carrier plate.

7 . The sensor assembly of claim 5 , wherein the adjustable spacer is spaced from the second axis.

8 . The sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the carrier plate includes a horizontally oriented first slot, the ball studs include a first ball stud, the mounting plate includes a first opening positionable above the first slot, and the first ball stud extends through the first opening and through the first slot.

9 . The sensor assembly of claim 8 , wherein the carrier plate includes a horizontally oriented second slot, the ball studs include a second ball stud, the mounting plate includes a second opening, and the second ball stud extends through the second opening and through the second slot.

10 . The sensor assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first slot and the second slot are elongated in circumferential directions relative to the second axis.

11 . The sensor assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a bushing fixed relative to the mounting plate, the bushing accepting a surface of the second adjustable screw.

12 . The sensor assembly of claim 11 , wherein the bushing is movable with respect to the carrier plate responsive to adjustment of the second adjustable screw.

13 . The sensor assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a first torque nut, wherein the ball studs include a first ball stud, the first ball stud is elongated from a first end to a second end, the first ball stud includes a rounded surface at the first end, and the second end of the first ball stud is engaged with the first torque nut.

14 . The sensor assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first torque nut makes frictional contact with the carrier plate.

15 . The sensor assembly of claim 13 , further comprising a second torque nut, wherein the ball studs include a second ball stud, the second ball stud is elongated from a first end to a second end, the second ball stud includes a rounded surface at the first end, and wherein the second end of the second ball stud is engaged with the second torque nut.

16 . The sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first axis is horizontally oriented.

17 . The sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first adjustable screw is fixed to the carrier plate.

18 . The sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second adjustable screw is fixed to the carrier plate.

19 . The sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first adjustable screw includes a receiver shaped to accept an adjustment tool, the receiver of the first adjustable screw being positioned on a surface accessible from inside a vehicle on which the sensor assembly is mounted.

20 . The sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the carrier plate is mounted on a roof of a vehicle, the sensor assembly further including a fluid channel positioned to channel fluid incident on the sensor assembly in a direction away from a windshield of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Robertson Jr Michael
• Krishnan Venkatesh
• Baldovino Segundo
• Lopez Martin D

Classifications

• B60R2011/004

  outside the vehicle · CPC title

• B60R2011/0085

  with adjustment by rotation in their operational position · CPC title

• G01D11/30 Primary

  Supports specially adapted for an instrument; Supports specially adapted for a set of instruments · CPC title

• B60R11/04 Primary

  Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle · CPC title