WO2007091247A1

WO2007091247A1 - Window mounting arrangement

Info

Publication number: WO2007091247A1
Application number: PCT/IL2007/000149
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yefim Kereth
Original assignee: Yefim Kereth
Priority date: 2006-02-06
Filing date: 2007-02-06
Publication date: 2007-08-16

Abstract

There is provided a window mounting arrangement including a structure having a front end, walls and a rear end, the front end being constituted by a rim sealable by flexible and bendable sealing lips to a window, and the rear end having an aperture and coupling means for coupling an instrument therewith.

Description

WINDOW MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to window mounting arrangements, in particular arrangements for mounting electro-optical devices on the windows of vehicles and/or structures, such as buildings. Background of the Invention

There is a growing need for electro-optical instruments such as cameras, laser scanners, etc., communication devices and the like, to be mounted on the interior side of the windows of vehicles and/or structures in a cost effective way. Inter-alia, the effectiveness of the information and data gathered or applied by such instruments and devices, is dependent on the optical and radiation transparency of the window or windscreen, hereinafter 'windows' through which such devices view or radiate. In particular, contaminated windows and windows covered by vapor, moisture and other transparency influencing substances accumulated on the window, greatly detract from the effectiveness of the instruments and disrupts proper operation.

The growing need for electro-optical devices to be mounted on windows also results with reduction of the occupants' visual field-of-view through the windows, especially where the occupants' field-of-view is limited in the first place, such as in the case of sports cars. Summary of the Invention

It is therefore a broad object of the present invention to improve the sealing level of the mounting, thus preventing contaminants from penetration and to keep the window's interior surface area on which the mounting arrangement is attached, clean.

It is a further object of the present invention to reduce the air/gas exchange between the interior of the mounting arrangement and the ambient air, by equalizing the interior and ambient pressures while minimizing the diffusion of the water vapors into the interior of the mounting arrangement.

In accordance with the present invention there is therefore provided a window mounting arrangement comprising a structure having a front end, walls and a rear end, said front end being constituted by a rim sealable by flexible and bendable sealing lips to a window, and said rear end having an aperture and coupling means for coupling an instrument therewith. Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments with reference to the following illustrative figures so that it may be more fully understood.

With specific reference now to the figures in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice.

In the drawings:

Figs. IA and IB are isometric front and rear views of an embodiment of a window mounting arrangement, according to the present invention;

Figs. 2A and 2B are isometric front and rear views of the arrangement of Fig. 1 with a housing attached thereto;

Figs. 3A and 3B are isometric views of the housing of Figs. 2A and 2B;

Fig. 4 is a top view of the arrangement with the housing of Figs. 2 A and 2B;

Fig. 5 is a side view of Fig. 4, including a fluid capacitor;

Fig. 6 is an isometric view of the arrangement according to the present invention, carrying a display;

Figs. 7A, 7B, 1C, IO, 7E and 7F are schematic views of mounting arrangements for different window angles and different housing sizes and geometries;

Fig. 8A is an isometric view of a further embodiment of a mounting arrangement according to the present invention; Fig. 8B is an exploded view of the arrangement of Fig. 8 A;

Figs. 8C to 8G are further views of the mounting arrangement of Fig. 8A;

Fig. 9A is a perspective view and Figs. 9B and 9C are two exploded views of a further embodiment of mounting arrangement schematically shown in Figs. 7D and Fig. 7E;

Figs. 1OA and 1OB are top and bottom perspective views, and 1OC is an exploded view of the mounting arrangement schematically shown in Fig. 7F;

Fig. 1OD is a cross-sectional perspective view of a sphere element with periscope arrangement shown in Figs. 1OA to 1OC and schematically shown in Fig. 7F₅ and

Fig. 1OE is a sphere element with an electro-optic device and an inside mirror, as schematically shown in Figs. 7D and 7E. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

An embodiment of the window mounting arrangement 2, also describing the principle according to the present invention, is illustrated in Figs. IA and IB. There is seen a structure 4, optionally in a form of a truncated cone, defining the boundaries of a field-of-view of an electro-optical device, which is attachable thereto. While the conical structure 4 has advantages over other configurations, e.g., it captures minimum volume as its shape follows the field-of-view boundaries, it should be understood that square, rectangular or other configurations are also practical. The front end of the structure 4 constituted by a rim 6 is made of flexible sealing lips 8, 10, 12, 14, wherein, advantageously lips 12, 14 have curved bendable edges. The lips 8, 10, 12, 14 are adapted to be glued or otherwise attached to a window, e.g., a window of a vehicle or of a building, also, and especially, to fit the concave surface of the window, so as to prevent moisture and other matter regarded as contaminants, to enter the interior of the structure 4. For this purpose, at least two oppositely disposed lips are made with curved edges, e.g., lips 12 and 14, as seen in the Figure, which are suitable for vertical attachment of the arrangement 2 on a window. The arrangement 2 can also be attached, i.e., horizontally on a curved vehicle window, in which case, the other two oppositely disposed lips 8 and 10, will be provided with bendable curved edges. At the rear end of the structure 4, there is made an aperture 16. Onto the rear end of the structure 4 there is attached or integrally made with the structure e.g., by moulding, a carrier 18 having an opening (not shown) aligned with the aperture 16 of the structure 4. Also provided are holes 22, 24 for attaching and adjusting an instrument or, at least the housing 26 thereof, as illustrated in Figs. 2A and 2B, by means of a spring, nut and bolt unit 28. The carrier 18, when not integrally made with the structure 4, is rotatable around the center of the aperture 16, for adjusting its roll angle, and correspondingly, the housing 26 roll angle. Molded onto the outer wall surface of the structure 4, or otherwise attached, are elements 32 for fixing the decorative cover 34 (Fig. 6), enclosing the structure 4 and housing 26, after affixing it onto elements 36.

The structure of the housing 26 is illustrated in Figs. 3A and 3B. There is provided a semi-spherical joint 38 having an aperture 40 and semi-spherical holes 42, 44, which are concentrically located on a line 46. The spherical joint 38 is configured to be adjustably seated in the aperture 16 of the structure 4, while forming a sealing line with aperture 16 of the structure 4. Advantageously, the joint 38 can be made of elastic material allowing improved sealing with the aperture 16 of the structure 4. Housing 26, when hermetically sealed, can be internally interconnected with the functional space of the structure 4, without increasing the risk of moisture and/or contaminators penetrating into the functional space of the optical transmission. Otherwise, if the housing 26 is not hermetically sealed, the opening 40 would be a transparent pressure barrier that hermetically seals the rear end of the structure 4. Whenever a high level of sealing between the semi-spherical joint 38 and the aperture 16 is required, the semi-spherical joint 38 can be made of elastic material, attached to the housing 26.

Inside the housing 26 there is placed or affixed an instrument (not shown), for example, a sensor, a laser scanner, a camera, an electro-optical instrument or another electro-magnetic instrument, all of which require a clear view through the window screen delimited by the rim 6 of the structure 4. In order to achieve such a view, the housing 26 containing the instrument is attached with the semi-spherical joint 38 and its opening 40 with respect to aperture 16 of the structure 4, by means of the unit 28 and the nut and bolt unit 48, as illustrated in Figs. 2A and 4. The units 28 and 48 include bolts having semi-spherical heads (not shown) sized to fit the semi-spherical holes 42, 44. Once the heads of the bolts are in place, the bolts are respectively threaded through the holes 22, 24 of the carrier 18 and then closed by the nuts. By adjusting unit 48, the yaw angle of the instrument is set with respect to the corresponding angular field-of-view of the structure 4, while the housing 26 is swiveled with the semi-spherical joint 38 in the aperture 16 attached by the preloaded force of the spring of unit 28, as adjusted by the nut of the unit. The center points of semi-spherical joint 38 and of the holes 42, 44 are located on the same center line 46, which is the pitch angle axis. The unstressed adjustment of the housing 26, carrying the instrument relative to the carrier 18, facilitates the housing 26 to remain stationary at any point.

The nominal fastening force is built by first screwing the yaw adjustment nut of unit 48 to its nominal position where the adjustable housing 26 is perpendicular to the longitude axis (the axis of symmetry) of the structure 4 and the bolt thereof is under some degree of tension. Then, by screwing the nut of unit 28, the fastening spring is preloaded up to the length where it builds the adequate fastening force. Subsequently, the fine adjustment of the housing 26 yaw angle, is selected by the clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of the nut of unit 48.

The pitch angle of the instrument inside the housing 26 can be simply adjusted within the corresponding angular field-of-view of the structure 4 by manually rotating the housing 26 about the pitch angle axis. The housing 26 can then be secured, to avoid incidental rotation, by its connection to a stationary part (not shown) of the arrangement 2.

Referring now to Fig. 5, as the structure 4 is hermetically and completely sealed, the pressure gradient driven by thermal and/or ambient pressure may stress its connection to the window surface (especially in case of overpressure). To avoid the overstressing of the connection as a result of pressure gradient buildup, the fastening force of fastening mechanism may be adjusted to enable the joint 38 and aperture 16 to act as a one-directional release valve 50.

Sealed structure 4 reduces the air exchange in the functional space therein, and therefore, reduces the risk of optical transmission degradation caused by the contamination of contaminators entering therein. To prevent condensation of residual moisture, which could be captured during installation and/or as a result of diffusion into the functional space over time, small amounts of desiccant (not shown) are stored inside the structure 4 or inside an auxiliary aperture chamber 52 or elsewhere. The interior of the structure in this case is provided with a hole 54 (Fig. IA), enabling circulation with the interior of the chamber 52 with the structure 4.

Whenever the exchange of fluid between the functional space of the mounting and the ambient is not allowed, i.e., under extreme high ambient humidity, a fluid capacitor, based on a pressure equalization device, may be applied as a complimentary aid. In this case, a fluid impermeable expandable/retractable-volume, body, folded inside the auxiliary chamber 52, or elsewhere, and hermetically connected with its interior to the functional space of the structure 4 via the hole 54, equalizes the pressure and brings the pressure gradient practically to the zero value, therefore eliminating the conditions for contaminants' penetration. The unidirectional release valve 50 should then be adjusted to pressure gradient that will not exceed the maximum allowed pressure gradient for the expandable/retractable- volume, body. Alternatively, the expandable/retractable-volume, body interior may be hermetically connected to the ambient air. In this case, hole 54 communicates between the functional space of the structure 4 and the interior of auxiliary chamber 52, and the exterior of the expandable/retractable-volume, body could be considered as a "clean" side of the body. Both of the above-described installation configurations (the body interiorly connected to the ambient air or to the structure functional space) can be implemented by installing the expandable/retractable- volume, body externally to the device, e.g., the ceiling of a vehicle cabin, and by connecting it to the device by an fluid impermeable small cross-section tube. Whenever the expandable/retractable-volume, body is made of flexible material (e.g., rubber), which is diffusible to water vapor, the theory based on Ficke's Law can be applied. In general, the theory stipulates that moisture would not pass freely through tubes with lengths ten or more times their diameters. This statement is valid if there is no pressure differential between the two ends of the tube. Given that the pressure differential is eliminated by the expandable/retractable-volume, body, and that the hole 54 in the structure 4 (or a passage between the interior of structure 4 and the interior of the expandable/retractable- volume, body) is adapted to follow the above-mentioned length-diameter ratio, the diffusion of the water vapors from the interior of the body into the interior of the structure 4, can be stopped or at least reduced. In this configuration, a given amount of desiccant within the structure 4 will provide a longer moisture-free period.

After the completion of the adjustment process, a decorative cover 34 can be affixed to the structure 4 by fixing pins 36 and by a screw or bolt connecting the cover 34 to element 32. Ventilation slots 56 of cover 34 enable the air exchange to keep the internal temperature at the cabin/room temperature level.

Further seen in Fig. 6 is a display/mirror 58, e.g., a driver display or a rear view mirror, which may be a mirror and/or computer and/or video and/or any other displays, and control 60. The display/mirror 58 can be carried by the housing 26, or alternatively, by the cover 34 or directly by the structure 4 by means of a universal joint (not shown), to facilitate manual spatial adjustments. This arrangement allows minimizing the overall interference of windscreen mounting devices to the occupants' visual field-of-view, especially in cars with limited field of view.

Electrical wiring (not shown) between the instrument inside the housing 26 and the electronic or electrical system of the vehicle/structure to which the arrangement is attached and between the housing 26 and the display 58 and its controls 60, can be strung within the cover 34 and from within the cover to the nearest suitable location in the vehicle/structure.

Additional sensing and/or radiant devices e.g., photoelectric cells, signal bulbs, RFID, etc., can be placed on the walls of the structure 4 and/or on the rim 6, to utilize the optical transmission quality inside the structure 4 and the dielectric properties of the window attached thereto, and to reduce the interference to occupants' visual field- of-view.

The above-mentioned principles of sealing, pressure equalizing, residual moisture removal and spatial orientation adjustability, are applied in some examples to illustrate the application of these principles to fit the sizes and geometries of a variety of window angles and electro-optic devices.

The first example, addressed to window angles of between, say, 60° and 90°, such as those of trucks, buses, buildings, etc., is illustrated in Fig. 7A. There is seen a schematic view of an arrangement where the electro-optical device line-of-sight is nearly perpendicular or at a significant angle relative to the window's surface 62. In this arrangement, the lens 64 of the electro-optical device can be in close proximity/contact with the interior of the window and the height of the electro-optical device housing 26 is not constrained by the window above the line-of-sight of the electro-optical devices. This arrangement allows a small internal volume of the structure 4, and therefore provides small captured air volume inside the structure 4, a smaller expandable/retractable-volume, body and smaller amount of desiccant, and a relatively short sealing line between the rim of the structure 4 and the window's surface 62.

An embodiment of this arrangement is shown in Figs. 8A to 8G. Because of the proximity of the housing 26 to the window, the spherical joints fastening mechanism is applied in a different way. The fastening of the spherical joint 38 to the aperture 16 in this mounting arrangement, is achieved by spherical heads 66 and 68 that are connected to, or integrally made with, the housing 26. These spherical heads are pushed by two bolts (not shown) at the back of the fastening tubes 70 and 72 that are connected with their front end to the carrier 18. Carrier 18 is rotatable about the center line of aperture 16, whilst guided by a track inside the structure 4. Thus, in order to adjust the roll angle of the housing 26 and the electro- optical device attached to, or contained in, the housing. The centers of the semi- spherical joint 38 and the spherical heads 66 and 68 are co-linear, as described with reference to Fig. 3 A, enabling pitch and yaw angle adjustments of the housing 26 and the electro-optical device attached to, or contained in, the said housing. Whenever the lens 64 is in close proximity to the window surface, structure 4 can be filled with transparent adhesive material (not shown). If there is no need for adjustability, the internal volume of the structure can be significantly smaller, thus to reduce the amount of the adhesive material inside the structure 4. Structure 4 and semi-spherical joint 38 in this case can be utilized as a molding device to contain an adhesive material during the injection and drying processes and to release the excess amount of the adhesive material away from the window by the release valve 50 or otherwise, at the coupling between the semi-spherical joint 38 and the aperture 16. Once the space in between the lens 64 and the window is full of transparent adhesive material, there is no longer a risk of contamination of the optical channel.

A further embodiment is addressed to a moderate angle of a window surface 74 (e.g., sport cars), as illustrated in Fig. 7B, 7C, 7D, 7E and 7F. In Fig. 7B there is seen a schematic view of an arrangement where the size of housing 26 of an electro-optical device is not constrained by the window while the lens 64 of the electro-optical device is in contact with, or in close proximity to, the interior of the window. This arrangement basically applies the same principles as the arrangement of Fig. 7A. Whenever the lens 64 of the electro-optical device cannot be in close proximity to the window surface 74 due to the contact at point 76, as illustrated in the Fig. 1C, the distance to the window, and therefore, the captured volume inside the structure 4, can be minimized by a mounting arrangement shown in Fig. 7D. In this arrangement, the electro-optical device faces upwards and it receives the information through a light-reflecting element 78, e.g., a mirror or a prism. The element 78 in this case is sloping forwards, in close proximity to the window surface 74. The pitch angle of the mirror 78 can be fixed in a constant position relative to the electro- optical device line-of-sight, or alternatively, its pitch angle can be dynamically controlled to fit a number of data-gathering modes of the electro-optical device. The relatively low mass of the mirror enables low power activation by a small size motor or actuator (not shown). The structure details for this arrangement are shown in Figs. 9A, 9B and 9C.

Another way to achieve proximity to a window is by providing at least two elements 78, 80 in a periscope arrangement, as illustrated in Fig. 7F. In this case, the line-of-sight of the electro-optical device is shifted up by a periscopic arrangement, including elements 78 and 80. The elements of the periscopic arrangement can be fixed relatively to the electro-optical line-of-sight or its angle can be dynamically controlled by a variety of commonly used mechanisms. The structure for this arrangement is shown in Figs. 1OA to 10D. In this embodiment three-dimensional angular adjustments, yaw, pitch and roll angles, are achieved by a single spherical element 82. If the size of an electro-optical device is small enough, the device can be contained inside the spherical element 82, with or without a light-reflecting element. An arrangement with both an electro-optical device facing upwards and with a single light-reflecting element contained inside the spherical element 82, is shown in Fig. 1OE.

The auxiliary chamber 52 for an expandable/retractable-volume, body and/or desiccant can be attached to all configurations of a structure 4, either as a built-in chamber or as an independent chamber connected by a small diameter pipe.

It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the foregoing illustrated embodiments and that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A window mounting arrangement comprising: a structure having a front end, walls and a rear end; said front end being constituted by a rim sealable by flexible and bendable sealing lips to a window, and said rear end having an aperture and coupling means for coupling an instrument therewith.

2. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said structure at least indirectly communicates with the interior of a pressure-influenced member constituted by an expandable/retractable-volume, body, or a fluid capacitor.

3. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said structure communicates with the interior of said pressure-influenced member via a water vapor barrier formed by a passageway or a pipe having a predetermined geometry.

4. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said coupling means comprises a carrier having an opening affixed to the structure with said aperture in alignment with said opening for adjustably coupling said instrument therewith.

5. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rim comprises at least two oppositely disposed flexible and bendable lips having curved edges compensating for the window's non-linearity when sealed thereagainst.

6. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said instrument is at least partly enclosed in a housing attached to the rear end of the structure.

7. The arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein said housing includes a joint for coupling it to said structure's aperture.

8. The arrangement as claimed in claim 7, wherein said joint comprises an aperture.

9. The arrangement as claimed in claim 8, wherein said joint is spherical and said housing further includes semi-spherical holes or spherical heads co-linearly located with said joint and aperture.

10. The arrangement as claimed in claim 7, wherein said joint is sphere shape housing for an instrument therein.

11. The arrangement as claimed in claim 6, further comprising adjustable means for adjusting the yaw and the pitch angles of an instrument inside the housing.

12. The arrangement as claimed in claim 11, wherein said means comprise a pair of bolts and nuts or tubes and bolts, or single fastening carrier for a sphere-shaped housing.

13. The arrangement as claimed in claim 12, wherein at least one of said bolts and nuts or tubes and bolts or single fastening carrier includes a preloadable spring.

14. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a rear view mirror or a display unit having a screen, at least indirectly attached to, and carried by, said structure, said screen facing in a direction opposite to the direction of said front end.

15. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said instrument is selected from the group of instruments including sensors, electro-optical devices or communication devices.

16. The arrangement as claimed in claim 14, wherein said display unit is selected from the group of mirrors, video and/or computer displays associated with processors and controls.

17. The arrangement as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a cover for enclosing said structure, an expandable/retractable-volume, body and an instrument housing.

18. The arrangement as claimed in claim 13, wherein said joint, pair of bolts and nuts or tubes and bolts, or single fastening carrier and preloadable spring form a release valve to prevent captured air overpressure inside said structure, thereby adjusting average functional air space pressure within the structure.

19. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rim is glued to the window.

20. The arrangement as claimed in claim 7, wherein said joint is made of an elastic material allowing improved sealing with the aperture of said structure.

21. The arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein said carrier is rotatable about said aperture for adjusting the roll angle of instrument.

22. The arrangement as claimed in claim I₅ wherein said structure is utilized as a molding device containing transparent adhesive material.

23. An arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein said housing and instrument therewith face upwards, either vertically or with some deviation from the vertical.

24. An arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein said housing and instrument therewith face forwards either horizontally, or with some deviation from the horizon and shifted down.

25. The arrangement as claimed in claim 6, further comprising at least one light- reflecting element.

26. The arrangement as claimed in claim 25, wherein said light-reflecting element is affixed to a window or to a mount.

27. The arrangement as claimed in claim 25, wherein said light-reflecting element is affixed to said housing.

28. The arrangement as claimed in claim 25, wherein said light-reflecting element further comprises adjustable means for adjusting at least one of the pitch or yaw angles of said mirror.

29. The arrangement as claimed in claim I₅ wherein said structure is conical.

30. The arrangement as claimed in claim 25, wherein said light-reflecting element is a mirror or a prism.

31. The arrangement as claimed in claim 25, wherein said light-reflecting element is affixed on a periscope arrangement for allowing line-of-sight shifting.