EP1140581A1

EP1140581A1 - Detector of stains on a transparent plate surface

Info

Publication number: EP1140581A1
Application number: EP99959487A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Loanmy Le Ba; Jacques Sabater
Original assignee: Valeo Systemes dEssuyage SAS
Current assignee: Valeo Systemes dEssuyage SAS
Priority date: 1998-12-30
Filing date: 1999-12-15
Publication date: 2001-10-10
Also published as: US6614015B1; FR2788131B1; WO2000040443A1; JP2002534662A; FR2788131A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a detector of stains on a transparent plate (1) surface (3). Said detector, arranged on the plate (1) internal surface (2), comprises means emitting (4) a modulated light signal (S) towards the plate (1) inside and means receiving (5) said signal, after it has been reflected on the plate (1) external surface (3). An optical unit (9), made with a material having an index substantially higher than (1), is arranged on the plate (1) internal surface (2). It is made up of at least three faces returning the light signal (14, 15, 18) and an interface (16) with the plate (1) internal surface (2) through optical coupling means (7). Means for deflecting (L1, L2, R1, R2) the signal (S) direct the signal (S) from the emitting means (4) towards the plate (1) and from the unit (9) towards the receiving means (5). At least two reflections (10 to 12), on the plate (1) external surface (1) are produced through the optical coupling means (7) without reflection on said plate (1) internal surface (2).

Description

Detector of dirt on the surface of a transparent plate

The invention relates to a device for detecting dirt on the surface of a plate transparent to visible radiation, in particular of the window of a motor vehicle.

The invention relates more particularly to a dirt detector, for example a liquid detector, on the surface of a transparent plate which has two opposite faces which are substantially parallel, an internal face and an external face, defining an internal volume.

In this type of detector, a transmitter is arranged on the internal face of the plate and emits a signal of modulated light in direction of the interior of the plate so that the signal penetrates into the plate . When the signal strikes one of the faces of the plate, the signal is reflected towards the inside of the plate if this face is in contact with air or altered - that is to say refracted, focused, absorbed, diffused, etc. - in the case where the face is in contact with dirt to be detected. Soiling is understood to mean any deposit having an aqueous component, such as rain, snow, frost, mud, etc. This type of device also includes a receiver arranged on a target area of one face of the plate so that the signal which moves in the plate, when it strikes the target area, is reflected and is received by the receiver.

Such detection devices allow for example to control the triggering of the vehicle wipers when drops of water appear on the windshield.

Depending on the material of the windshield and the wavelength of the electromagnetic signal, the angle of incidence of the modulated light signal is chosen in such a way that the ray is reflected towards the internal face of the windscreen. breaks if the outer face is in contact with air at the level of the signal impact zone and in such a way that the ray is at least partially refracted towards the outside if water or dirt covers the impact zone of the external face.

If the ray is reflected, it will have to continue its way inside the windshield, in the thickness of the glass, so as to be reflected several times by the internal and external faces of it. At a point on the internal face which is on the path of the signal, optical coupling means have been arranged whose refractive index is such that the signal is refracted through the internal face of the windshield to be transmitted to a suitable receiver.

In this way, if the receiver picks up a signal above a determined threshold, no soiling at the level of the zones of impact of the signal against the external face of the windshield is detected. On the contrary, if the receiver no longer receives a signal (for example due to absorption, scattering or refraction), or if it receives a signal of significantly higher level (for example due to focusing), the presence dirt, for example drops of water, is present on the outside of the windshield.

However, it has been found that in such a set the signal received by the receiver was low. To increase the level of detection, in particular the detection of fine droplets in limited number, the number of signal reflections on the external face of the plate has been multiplied by detecting the modulated light after having been reflected several times and alternately on the external face and on the internal face of the plate.

This method has the drawbacks of being particularly sensitive to fogging deposits on the internal face of the plate, of imposing a precise relative positioning of the transmitter and receiver parts, and of being sensitive to variations and imperfections in thickness of the plate. The invention aims to eliminate these drawbacks by proposing a detector which is both compact and capable of providing an adapted number of reflections on the face to be monitored, by exploiting the principle of total reflection.

More specifically, the invention relates to a dirt detector on the surface of a transparent plate which has two opposite faces which are substantially parallel, an internal face and an external face. Such a detector, arranged on the internal face of the plate, comprises means emitting a light signal modulated in the direction of the interior of the plate, means receiving this signal after having been reflected on the external face of the plate. eu, and a block optics made of material with an index substantially greater than 1 and transparent to the radiation of the modulated light signal. The optic unit is arranged on the internal face of the plate and composed of at least two faces for returning the light signal, to form a path comprised between the transmission means and the reception means, and an interface for bottom with the internal face of the plate through optical coupling means. There are also provided: means for deflecting the signal from the transmission means, so that this signal is reflected a first time on the external face of the plate in a direction included in an initial plane of incidence, and means for deviation of the signal to the reception means; the return faces then successively orient the signal towards the external face in at least one plane of incidence substantially not parallel to the initial plane of incidence so that the path of the light signal between the transmission and reception means achieves at least two reflections on the external face of the plate through the optical coupling means without reflection on the internal face of this plate.

Thus, the path of the signal, between the transmission and reflection means, is confined substantially in the optical unit and in the volume of plate located opposite the unit.

According to particular embodiments of the invention: the optiq ue block is generally cut out according to a rectangular parallelepiped having mainly a front face, an upper face, a rear face, two lateral faces and a bottom face of interface with the plate ;

- The return faces are formed by the rear face, the upper face and the front face, or by the front face and the rear face, these two faces being inclined to return the signal to the plate; the light signal enters the optical block after deflection by an input face situated on the front face of the optical block, and leaves the optical block before deviation on the receiving means by an output face situated on the front face when the number of reflections on the external face of the plate is even, and on the rear face when this number of reflections is odd; - The inlet and outlet faces of the block form lenses, which can be coupled to an optical reference to constitute the deflection means;

- at least one of the lenses is a convex lens comprising at least one aspherical or spherical surface, or is a lens of

Fresnel, the lenses being able to form an integral part of the optical unit;

- The optical coupling means are formed by a flexible layer of material transparent to the light signal, for example silicone, the layer being compressed between the bottom face of the optical unit and the internal face of the plate;

- An interference filter is provided between the output face and the reception means tuned to the spectral band of the signal to eliminate stray light;

- the optiq ue block and the optiq ue coupling means are colored in the mass to eliminate stray light;

- A heating element is arranged near or against one of the faces of the optiq ue block to eliminate fogging; thanks to the compactness of the detector, the mist is eliminated quickly and efficiently;

the emitting means can be constituted by a light-emitting diode or by a photodiode, and the receiving means by a silicon photodetector cell, the emitting iodine and the receiving cell being able to be placed close to each other;

the transmitting and receiving means are connected to a processing unit formed on a printed circuit card to provide amplitude modulation for the signal of the transmitting iodine and synchronous detection of the signal received by the photodetector cell;

- The return faces undergo a treatment reflecting the light signal, for example aluminization, or are coated with a layer of material reflecting the light signal; - the faces of the optical unit, other than the deflection and interface faces, are covered with a material absorbing the light signal.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the description of an embodiment which follows, given with reference to the appended figures which represent respectively: - Figures 1a and 1b, a schematic view from above and from above of an example detector according to the teachings of the invention;

- Figures 2a and 2b, a schematic perspective view of another embodiment of the detector according to the invention; and

FIG. 3, a schematic perspective view of a variant of the optic block of the detector according to FIG. 2.

Is illustrated in Figure 1 has a plate 1 of transparent material which has two opposite faces internal 2 and external 3 substantially parallel. In the illustrated embodiment, the plate 1 is substantially planar, but the invention can be applied in the case of a plate having curved shapes, as is for example the case for the windows of a motor vehicle , and in particular for windshields. According to the invention, the plate 1 carries a dirt detector composed of an optical block 9, disposed on the side of the internal face 2 of the plate 1, and which is intended to detect the presence of dirt, for example of drops of water, on the external face 3 thereof. The optical unit according to this nonlimiting exemplary embodiment has a central axis of symmetry X'X.

The detector also includes a transmitter 4 and a receiver 5. The transmitter r is a light emitting diode which emits a light signal S in modulated light, near infrared in the embodiment, but which could be in visible light in d other examples. The receptor is a silicon cell.

The light signal is emitted in direction of the optical block 9 which is produced in the form of a body made of transparent plastic material for the light signal used, for example in PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) with an average index equal to 1 , 48 of generally parallelepiped shape with a rectangle, and of dimensions approximately equal to 25 X 25 X 5 mm ³ . The block can be made of another plastic material (poly carbonate, polyethylene, etc.) or glass.

This block has dedicated flat cutting faces, namely: - A front face 18 and a rear face 15, in which the inclined input 6 and output 17 faces of the light signal S are respectively cut; these inlet and outlet faces are cut to form, with respect to the axis X'X normal to the plate 1, an angle substantially equal to 45 °,

- An upper face 14 and a bottom face 16 of interface with the plate 1 via a layer of silicone 7;

- two lateral faces F1 and F2, which complete the cutting of the block. Between the bottom face 16 of the block and the internal face 2 of the plate

1, the silicone layer 7, cut along the perimeter of the bottom face 16, ensures optical continuity of the path of the light signal by achieving total refraction at the interface 16-2 or 2-16 - that is to say - say respectively: bottom face 16 on internal face 2, or internal face 2 on bottom face 16 - whatever the direction of travel of the signal S. The silicone layer forms an adequate optical coupling means because its index of refraction is close to that of block 9 and that of plate 1: the possibilities of reflection of the signal are thus considerably reduced when the signal crosses the interface 16-2 or 2-16.

The reflection of the signal on the deflection faces is called total reflection insofar as the angle of incidence on these faces, conditioned by the initial value of the angle of penetration into the block after deviation, remains greater than the refractive limit angle. Attached respectively to the input and output faces, 6 and

17, optical references R1 and R2 coupled to deflection lenses L1 and L2 make it possible to orient the signal S in the optical unit from the emitting diode 4 and to the receiving cell 5 at the end of the unit. L1 or L2 lenses form aspherical surfaces of revolution. The lenses can be bonded to the inlet and outlet faces of the block or to the optical references, or be an integral part of the optical block by molding the block, references and lenses assembly.

The signal S follows an optical path oriented to produce an odd number of reflections on the external face of the plate 1, three reflections 10, 11 and 12, in the embodiment, with four references in the optical unit 9 between the emitting diode 4 and the photoreceptor cell 5, ie on the rear faces 1 5, upper 14 and front 1 8.

After deviation by the optical means L 1 and R1, the signal S is oriented in a direction D 1 forming an angle approximately equal to 45 ° with the normal X'X, this direction being included in an initial plane of incidence P1 perpendicular to plate 1.

The trace of the plane P 1 is visible on the top view illustrated in FIG. 1 b. Compared to a normal N'N at the entry and exit faces, 1 8 and 1 5, the plane P1 forms a suitable angle θ, approximately equal to 3 ° to achieve the desired number of reflections on the external face of the plate and references in the optical unit, respectively three and q ure in the exemplary embodiment between the transmission and reception means. The signal S then follows the following optical path: - after crossing the interface 16-2 and a first reflection on the external face 3 of the plate 1, in an elementary zone referenced 1 0, followed by a crossing of the interface 2-1 6, it is returned by the rear faces 1 5 and upper 14, to be oriented towards the external face (3) in an incidence plane P2, forming an ang the substantially equal to 2Θ with the initial incidence plan P 1; - after the second crossing of the interface 1 6-2 and reflection on the external face 3 in an elementary area 1 1, and crossing again of the interface 2-1 6, it is successively subjected to two references on the upper face 14 and on the front face 1 8 and is reoriented in an incidence plane P '1, substantially parallel to P 1; - after the third crossing of the interface 1 6-2, the signal then undergoes a reflection on an elementary zone 1 2 of the external face 3 of the plate 1, a crossing of the interface 2-1 6, and leaves block 9 by the output face 1 7 before being deflected using the optical reference R2 and the lens L2 towards the receiving cell 5. The deflection means make it possible to orient the signal S so as to have easily the transmission and reception means on the same support using known means.

There is also provided a heating element 8 disposed on the upper face 14 of the optic block to eliminate any fogging that may form. Due to the compactness of the optic unit, the fogging disappears quickly and the heating time is reduced accordingly.

In another exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2a, the inlet 6 ′ and outlet 1 7 ′ faces are arranged on the front face 1 8 ′ of the optical unit 9 ′. The inlet faces 6 'and outlet 1 7' are cut in the front face 1 8 'and are limited by a pentagon. The other elements correspond to those described with reference to FIG. 1 a: the emission 4 and detection 5, optical coupling 7 means, the rear faces 1 5 ′, bottom 16 ′, upper 14 ′ and lateral F 1 and F2, the optical deflection means L1 and L2, and the heating element 8 '.

The signal S follows an optical path initially oriented to carry out an even number of reflections on the external face of the plate 1, four reflections 1 0 ′, 1 1 ′, 12 ′, and 1 3 in the embodiment example, with six references in the optical unit 9 'between the emitting diode 4 and the photoreceptor cell 5, on the rear faces 1 5', upper 14 'and before 1 8'.

As visible in the top view of FIG. 2b, the initial plane of incidence Q 1 of the signal S in the optical unit, makes an angle θ of approximately 10 ° with a normal N'N on the front or rear faces, 18 or

1 5, in order to obtain the desired number of reflections on the external face of the plate and of reflections in the optical unit, respectively four and six in the embodiment, between the emitting diode and the receiving cell.

The path of the optical signal S then follows the round trip twice between the front 1 8 'and rear 1 5' of the block 9 ', each time reflecting on the external face of the plate, and total reflections on the rear, upper and front faces, following directions parallel to the planes Q 1 and Q2, the plane Q2 being that of the exit direction.

The signal S is finally received by the photoreceptor cell 5 in a reception direction D2 of the plane Q2 forming with the plate 1 an angle substantially equal to that of the incident direction.

To obtain an even more compact block, the distance between the lateral faces F1 and F2 can be reduced, as illustrated in FIG. 3, by reducing the front face 1 8 "of the block 9" to the minimum, with an edge common to the faces d 'inlet 6' and outlet 1 7 '. Under these conditions, the signal path S undergoes two reflections, at 1 0 "and 1 1", on the plate 1 and two references, on the rear face 1 5 "and on the upper face 14". The heating element 8 "is also of reduced surface.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown. For example, the entry and exit faces may be formed from several spherical or aspherical surfaces according to the desired angle of incidence and exit, associated with one or more transmitters and receivers. In another example, the lenses are Fresnel lenses, which can be associated with optical references. In other examples, an aspherical lens and a Fresnel lens can serve as optical input and / or output means. Spherical lenses of revolution can also be used.

In order to eliminate any parasitic refraction, the faces of the optical block, other than the total reflection faces and the bottom interface, are covered with a material which is absorbent for the light signal. In addition, to perfect the optiq ue efficiency, the total reflection faces can also be coated with a layer of reflective material for the light signal, or can be coated with a metalliq ue layer, for example by aluminization. In addition, in order to eliminate stray light from other light sources which can illuminate the block, for example solar radiation, which can disturb the reception of the signal, an interference filter tuned to the spectral band of the signal is disposed between the output face and the signal receiving means. To achieve the same goal, it is also possible to color in the mass with a dye tuned on the spectral band of the emission means.

Furthermore, thanks to the optical deflection means, the transmitter and the receiver, as well as the heating resistor, can be placed on the same support, which in particular facilitates their connection to common electronic processing circuits necessary for their operation. These electronic circuits can thus easily be produced on a processing unit formed on a printed circuit board of reduced dimensions. Such a unit provides amplitude modulation for the signal from the emitting diode and detection synchronous signal received by the photodetector cell. Furthermore, it is possible to exchange transmitter and receiver due to the reversible nature of the light path.

In addition, the front and rear deflection faces can be inclined to direct the signal back to the plate without reflecting on the upper face.

Claims

1. Detector of dirt on the surface of a transparent plate (1) which has two substantially parallel opposite faces, an internal face (2) and an external face (3), such a detector, arranged on the internal face (2) of the plate (1), comprising means transmitting (4) a modulated light signal (S) towards the interior of the plate (1) and means receiving (5) this signal after having been reflected on the external face (3) of the plate, characterized in that it also comprises an optical unit (9) made of material of index substantially greater than 1, transparent to the radiation of the modulated light signal, arranged on the internal face (2 ) of the plate (1) and composed of at least two deflection faces (14, 15, 18; 14 ', 15', 18 '; 14 ", 15") of the light signal (S) to form a path included between the transmission means (4) and the reception means (5), and a bottom interface (16, 16 ') with the internal face (2) of the plate (1) through optical coupling means (7), and in that means are provided for deflecting (L1, R1) the signal from the emission means (4), so that this signal is reflected for the first time ( 10.10 ', 10 ") on the external face (3) of the plate (1) in a direction (D1) included in an initial plane of incidence (P1, Q1) and deflection means (L2, R2) from the signal (S) to the reception means (5), the return faces (14, 15, 18; 14 ', 15', 18 '; 14 ", 15") then successively directing the signal towards the external face (3) in at least one plane of incidence (P2, Q2) substantially not parallel to the initial plane of incidence (P1, Q1) so that the trajectory of the light signal (S) between the transmission (4) and reception (5) means carries out at least two reflections on the external face (3) of the plate (1) through the optical coupling means (7) without reflection on the internal face (2) of this plate (1).

2. Soil detector according to claim 1, characterized in that the optical unit (9) is generally cut out according to a rectangular parallelepiped having mainly a front face (18, 18 '), an upper face (14, 14', 14 " ), one rear face (15, 15 ', 15 "), two lateral faces (F1, F2) and a bottom face (16, 16 ') of interface with the plate (1).

3. Soil detector according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the return faces are constituted by the rear face (15, 15 '), the upper face (14, 14') and the front face ( 18, 18 ').

4. Soil detector according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the return faces are constituted by the front face and the rear face, these two faces being inclined to effect a direct return of the signal (S) to the plate (1).

5. Soil detector according to claim 2, characterized in that the light signal (S) enters the optical unit (9) by an input face (6, 6 ') located on the front face (18, 18') of the optical unit (9), and leaves the optical unit by an exit face (17, 17 ') located on the front face (18', 18 ") when the number of reflections on the external face (3) of the plate ( 1) is even and on the rear face (15) when the number of reflections is odd.

6. Soil detector according to claim 5, characterized in that the inlet and outlet faces of the block form lenses (L1, L2).

7. Soil detector according to claim 6, characterized in that the lenses (L1, L2) are coupled to an optical reference (R1, R2) to constitute the deflection means.

8. Soil detector according to claim 6, characterized in that at least one of the lenses (L1, L2) is a convex lens comprising at least one aspherical surface.

9. Soil detector according to claim 6, characterized in that at least one of the lenses (L1, L2) is a convex lens comprising at least one spherical surface.

10. Soil detector according to claim 6, characterized in that at least one of the lenses (L1, L2) is a

Fresnel.

11. Soil detector according to any one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that the lenses (L1, L2) are an integral part of the optical unit (9).

12. Soil detector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the optical coupling means (7) are formed by a flexible layer of material transparent to the light signal, the layer being compressed between the bottom face (1 6) of the optic block and the internal face (2) of the plate (1).

1 3. Soil detector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the optical coupling means (7) are made of silicone.

14. Soil detector according to any one of claims 5 to 13, characterized in that there is provided between the outlet face (1 7, 1 7 ') and the receiving means (5) an interference filter tuned to the spectral band of the signal (S) to eliminate stray light.

1 5. Soil detector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the optic unit (9) and the optic coupling means (7) are colored in the mass to eliminate stray light.

16. Soil detector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a heating element (8, 8 ', 8 ") is disposed near or against one of the faces (14, 14', 14 ") of the optic block (9,9 ', 9") to eliminate fogging.

1 7. Soil detector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transmitting means (4) and the receiving means (5) are arranged close to each other.

18. Soil detector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the emitting means (4) and receivers (5) are connected to a processing unit formed on a printed circuit board to provide amplitude modulation for the signal from the emitting diode and synchronous detection of the signal received by the photodetector cell.

1 9. Soil detector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the return faces (14, 1 5, 1 8; 14 ', 1 5', 1 8 '; 14 ", 1 5" ) undergo a treatment reflecting the light signal (S).

20. Soil detector according to claim 17, characterized in that the return faces undergo aluminization.

21. Soil detector according to claim 17, characterized in that the return faces are coated with a layer of material reflecting the light signal (S).

22. Soil detector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the faces of the optical unit, other than the return faces (14, 15, 18; 14 ', 15', 18 '; 14 ", 15 ") and interface (16, 16 '), are covered with a material absorbing the light signal (S).