JPH11125671A - Laser irradiation angle controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve looking and simplify fixing to vehicles and the like, by moving back and forth screw members inside a housing recess, and constituting so as to control the angle of a laser unit energized with an energizing member. SOLUTION: An emission angle controller of a laser radar device used for vehicular gap measurement and the like is provided with a housing 1, a line spring 15 and an angle adjustment screw 17. In an upper case 3 forming the housing 1, a recess 3f is provided, and at the bottom of boss surrounding the lower part of the recess 3f, a screw thread coupling with the adjustment screw 17 is provided. the adjustment screw 17 touches the rear of a laser unit 7 rotatably fixed to the housing 1, and, when the adjustment screw 17 is inserted, the unit 7 faces up opposing to the energized force of the spring 15, and, when the adjustment screw 17 is withdrawn, the unit 7 faces down due to the energized force of the spring 17. By fitting a cap on the recess 3f, the adjustment screw 17 is completely hidden.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a laser irradiation angle adjusting device of a laser radar device for measuring a distance between vehicles.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional laser irradiation angle adjusting device is described in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 63-200181.

In this method, a front part of a laser radar head is rotatably mounted on a fixed object, and a rear part of the laser radar head is connected to the fixed object by a height-adjustable rod.
Further, there is disclosed a device provided with a spring that exerts a biasing force in a height direction.

Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 63-17483 discloses a spring for connecting the rear portion of a laser radar head to a fixed object via two links, and for urging the laser radar head rearward at a front portion, and a laser. A radar head in which a screw member whose length can be adjusted in the front-rear direction is mounted is disclosed.

[0005] In the laser irradiation angle adjusting device of the prior art, the angle adjusting mechanism of the laser radar head is located at an externally visible portion, which involves design problems.

[0006] In addition, when mounting to a vehicle or the like, the mounting work must be performed via an angle adjusting mechanism, and workability is poor.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a laser housing, a laser light emitting element and a laser light receiving element pivotally supported in the laser housing. And a laser unit including the laser housing, and the laser unit, which is installed on one side of the laser unit, and
By abutting the other side of the laser unit, an urging member for urging the laser unit in one direction, and being screwed to the laser housing, abutting on the laser unit, and contacting the laser unit. A laser irradiation angle adjusting device comprising a screw member for rotating the laser unit in another direction against the urging force of the urging member by entering the inside thereof.

According to the laser irradiation angle adjusting device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the screw member is rotated to adjust the length to enter the inside of the laser housing, thereby being pivotally supported inside the laser housing. The angle of the laser unit can be adjusted.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the laser housing is provided with a concave portion for rotating the screw member, and further provided with a cap member for embedding the concave portion. The laser irradiation angle adjusting device according to claim 1.

According to the laser irradiation angle adjusting device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the screw member is not visible from the outside because the cap member for embedding the concave portion for rotating the screw member is provided. Thus, the laser irradiation angle adjusting device with good appearance can be obtained.

[0012]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a laser irradiation angle adjusting device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cut model of the laser irradiation angle adjusting device of FIG.

The resin upper case 3 is mounted on a resin lower case 5 to form the housing 1. The upper case 3 and the lower case 5 each include a plurality of heat radiating holes 3a, 5a for promoting heat radiation inside the housing 1.
It has.

The sensor unit 7 includes a light receiving surface 9 and a light emitting surface 1
And optical filters 9a and 11a, respectively.
When these are removed, as shown in FIG.
A light receiving section 9b having a photodiode and a light emitting section 11b having a laser diode appear.

The laser driver 13 shown in FIG. 2 is connected to the light emitting section 11b, generates a pulsed current, and supplies the pulsed current to a laser diode (not shown) of the light emitting section 11b. Electronic circuit board 1 for controlling laser driver 13
A power supply line 13b including a signal line is connected to 3a.

As shown in FIG. 3, a cylindrical projection 3b is provided on the upper inner peripheral surface of the upper case 3, and a substantially U-shaped reinforce member 3c having a hole at the center is provided.
And the holder member 3d which also has a hole in the center part,
After penetrating the holes through the projections 3b, the tips of the projections 3b are fixed to the upper part of the upper case 3 by heat staking.

Rotation holes 3d2 are provided in both side surfaces 3d1 (only one side is shown in FIG. 2) of the holder member 3d, and both side surfaces of the laser unit 7 (only one side is shown in FIG. 2).
The laser unit 7 is rotatably fixed to the housing 1 by being fitted with a projection 7a serving as a rotation shaft installed in the housing 1.

The linear spring 15 has a holder 3d and a reinforcement 3c at its center.
The laser unit 7 is biased counterclockwise in FIG. 3 around the protrusion 7a by abutting the front surface of the laser unit 7 at both ends 15a.

Further, a recess 3f is provided at the center of the upper surface 3e of the upper case 3. The recess 3 f is formed integrally with the upper case 3, and the upper surface 3 e of the upper case 3 is formed.
Boss portion 3g projecting downward from the boss portion. A female thread is formed on the bottom 3h of the boss 3g, and an angle adjusting screw 17 is screwed thereto.

The angle adjusting screw 17 is connected to the bottom 3 of the boss 3g.
h penetrates through the reinforcement member 3c located below, and is rotatable with respect to the bottom 3h. By rotating the reinforcement member 3c, the amount of protrusion below the reinforcement member 3c can be made variable. The tip of the angle adjusting screw 17 can contact the rear part of the laser unit 7,
While maintaining the angle of the laser unit 7 against the urging force of the linear spring 15, the reinforce member 3
By changing the amount of protrusion below c, the light reception and emission angles of the laser unit 7 can be changed in the vertical direction.

The cap 19 is provided in the recess 3 of the upper case 3.
The projection 19a provided on the foot of the cap 19 engages with the slit 3g1 of the boss 3g and is fixed to the recess 3f. By attaching the cap 19, the concave portion 3f of the upper case 3 and the angle adjusting screw 17 arranged therein are completely hidden, and the appearance of the upper surface of the upper case 3 is improved.

An angle adjusting method of the laser irradiation angle adjusting apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 shows a state in which the laser irradiation direction is horizontal in the laser irradiation angle adjusting device according to the present invention. In this state, the sensor unit 7
As described above, when the angle adjusting screw 17 comes into contact with the rear of the laser unit 7, the laser unit 7 receives from the linear spring 15 about the projection 7a which is the center of rotation in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. The horizontal angle is maintained against the power.

FIG. 4 shows a state in which the irradiation direction of the laser unit 7 is directed upward. In the state of FIG. 3, when the angle adjustment screw 17 is rotated clockwise as viewed from above, the angle adjustment screw 17 enters the inside of the housing 1 as it rotates, and the amount of protrusion downward from the reinforcement member 3c. Increase. Accordingly, the laser unit 7 rotates clockwise in FIG. 4 against the urging force received from the linear spring 15, and the irradiation direction is upward.

FIG. 5 shows a state in which the irradiation direction of the laser unit 7 is directed downward. In the state shown in FIG. 3, when the angle adjusting screw 17 is rotated counterclockwise when viewed from above, the angle adjusting screw 17 retreats from the inside of the housing 1 as it rotates, and the amount of protrusion below the reinforcement member 3c decreases. I do. Thereby, the laser unit 7 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 5 by the urging force received from the linear spring 15, and its irradiation direction is directed downward.

[0026]

As described above, according to the laser irradiation angle adjusting device of the present invention, the appearance from the outside is improved, and the attachment to a vehicle or the like is simplified, so that the laser irradiation angle adjusting device can be manufactured at low cost. It can be.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a laser irradiation angle adjusting device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cut model of the laser irradiation angle adjusting device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the laser irradiation angle adjustment device according to the present invention in a state where the irradiation angle is horizontal.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the laser irradiation angle adjusting device according to the present invention in a state where the irradiation angle is upward.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the laser irradiation angle adjustment device according to the present invention in a state where the irradiation angle is downward.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Housing 7 Laser unit 9b Light receiving part 11b Light emitting part 15 Linear spring 17 Angle adjusting screw 19
cap

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A laser unit including a laser housing, a laser light emitting element and a laser light receiving element pivotally supported in the laser housing, and one of the laser housing and the laser unit. Installed on the side, the laser housing, and an abutting member that biases the laser unit in one direction by contacting the other side of the laser unit, and screwed into the laser housing, A laser irradiation device comprising: a screw member that contacts the laser unit and enters the inside of the laser housing to rotate the laser unit in the other direction against the urging force of the urging member. Angle adjustment device. 2. The laser according to claim 1, wherein a recess for rotating the screw member is provided in the laser housing, and a cap member for embedding the recess is provided. Irradiation angle adjustment device.