JP2009133674A - Optical scanning device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical scanning device for a vehicle which emits light of appropriate size and can perform high-accuracy detection. <P>SOLUTION: In the optical scanning device for the vehicle, light emitted from a laser diode 55 is guided with lenses 34, 35, 36, and is swung in first direction with a lens holder 61 and a wire spring 108 and scanned. As for the shape of the laser light 260 emitted from the laser diode 55, its dimension in the first direction is changeable. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicular optical scanning device that scans light provided in an in-vehicle ranging device that irradiates a laser beam and detects an obstacle from reflected light.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an infrared light scanning in-vehicle radar device that scans ahead of a running vehicle and warns a driver of the presence of an obstacle has been put into practical use.

  For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a vehicular optical radar device that can quickly change the spread angle of beam light from a light source by moving a light-emitting convex lens with a coil and a magnet. In this apparatus, there is no mechanism for changing the position of the light beam, the light beam is narrowed when looking far and the light beam is widened when looking wide. In this case, it can be seen that there is an obstacle in the front, and the distance to the obstacle is also known from the time until the reflected light returns, but there is a disadvantage that the position is unknown.

Therefore, it is desirable to combine with a mechanism for changing the position of the light beam. Thereby, in addition to the distance to an obstacle, the position of an obstacle can be known. By narrowing and strengthening the beam light, and changing the position and scanning, it is possible to detect a wider range than the size of the beam light even when looking at a distance, and a high-performance optical radar device can be obtained.
JP-A-6-308239

  However, by simply changing the beam divergence angle, if the beam light is narrowed, the beam light becomes smaller in the vertical and horizontal directions, and even if the narrowness of the detection range is compensated by scanning, the scan movement range becomes large, Problems such as a reduction in the number of scans per unit time occur.

  Further, when the beam light is spread, the beam light spreads in the vertical and horizontal directions, and there is a problem that unnecessary things such as a signboard on the top are detected.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an optical scanning device for a vehicle that can irradiate light of an appropriate size and can perform highly accurate detection.

  That is, the invention described in claim 1 is a light emitting element that emits light, a first optical element that guides the light emitted from the light emitting element, and the emitted light is shaken in a predetermined first direction. In the vehicular optical scanning apparatus including at least a scanning member that scans, the shape of the irradiated light can change the dimension in the first direction.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the accuracy of the detection device including the present scanning device can be increased by changing the dimension of the irradiation light in the scanning direction to an appropriate size.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the shape of the irradiated light has a dimension in the first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. It is characterized in that the dimensions of can be changed independently.

  According to the invention described in claim 2, high performance can be achieved.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, the light emitting element is a laser diode, and the direction of the vertical divergence angle of the laser diode is the first direction. Features.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, the configuration can be simplified and the price can be reduced.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the light emitting element is moved in the optical axis direction to change the size of the irradiated light. It is characterized by that.

  According to the invention described in claim 4, it is possible to reduce the price.

  The invention described in claim 5 is the invention described in any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a second optical element capable of changing the size of the irradiated light, The second optical element is moved in the optical axis direction to change the size of the irradiated light.

  According to the invention described in claim 5, it is possible to achieve high performance.

  The invention according to claim 6 is the invention according to claim 5, further comprising a third optical element that expands and contracts light emitted from the light emitting element in the second direction. By moving the optical element in the optical axis direction, the size of the irradiated light is changed in the second direction.

  According to the sixth aspect of the invention, the configuration can be simplified and the price can be reduced.

  The invention described in claim 7 is the invention described in claim 6, wherein the third optical element is a polarizer.

  According to the invention described in claim 7, high performance can be achieved.

  The invention described in claim 8 is the invention described in claim 7, wherein the polarizer is a Wollaston prism.

  According to the invention described in claim 8, it is possible to reduce the price.

  The invention described in claim 9 is the invention described in claim 6, wherein the third optical element is a diffraction grating.

  According to the ninth aspect of the invention, it is possible to reduce the size.

  According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the fifth to ninth aspects, the scanning member transmits the light emitted from the light emitting element in the first direction and the second direction. The scanning for obtaining information using the reflected light of the light from the light emitting element is performed by shaking in the first direction.

  According to the tenth aspect of the invention, high performance can be achieved.

  According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the fifth to tenth aspects, the magnitude of the light cancels a change in the magnitude of the irradiated light due to a temperature change. It is characterized by being changed.

  According to the invention described in claim 11, it is possible to achieve high performance.

  A twelfth aspect of the invention is the invention according to any one of the fifth to eleventh aspects, wherein the magnitude of the light cancels a change in magnitude depending on a position where the irradiated light is shaken. It is characterized by being changed.

  According to the twelfth aspect of the invention, high performance can be achieved.

  According to a thirteenth aspect of the invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to twelfth aspects, the scanning member includes a lens, and the lens is irradiated with the light by moving the lens. The light is shaken in the first direction.

  According to the invention of the thirteenth aspect, high performance can be achieved.

  The invention described in claim 14 is the invention described in claim 13, wherein the lens is made of a synthetic resin, and cancels the change in the size of the irradiated light due to the temperature change of the lens made of the synthetic resin. As described above, the magnitude of the light is changed.

  According to the invention of the fourteenth aspect, high performance can be achieved.

  According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to twelfth aspects, the optical element has a lens made of a synthetic resin, and the temperature of the lens made of the synthetic resin is changed. The present invention is characterized in that the magnitude of the light emitted from the light emitting element is changed so as to cancel the change in the magnitude of the irradiated light.

  According to the fifteenth aspect of the invention, high performance can be achieved.

  The invention described in claim 16 is the invention described in any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the first direction is a direction horizontal to the ground.

  According to the invention of the sixteenth aspect, the effect can be enjoyed better.

  The invention described in claim 17 includes at least a light emitting element that emits light and a first optical element that scans the light emitted from the light emitting element in a predetermined first direction, and the light is the first element. In the vehicular optical scanning device that scans in the direction of 1, the shape of the irradiated light is such that the dimension in the first direction is A, and the dimension in the second direction orthogonal to the first direction. Is B, and Δa and Δb are the dimensional changes in the first and second directions, so that Δa / A> 0.25 and Δb / B <0.2 are satisfied. It is characterized by being changeable.

  According to the seventeenth aspect of the present invention, the accuracy of the detection apparatus including the present scanning apparatus can be increased by changing the dimension of the irradiation light in the scanning direction to an appropriate size.

  The invention described in claim 18 is characterized in that, in the invention described in claim 17, the dimension B in the first direction is not less than three times the dimension A in the first direction.

  According to the invention of claim 18, the effect can be enjoyed better.

  The invention according to claim 19 is the invention according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the light emitting element is a laser diode, and the direction of the vertical divergence angle of the laser diode is the first direction. Features.

  According to the nineteenth aspect of the present invention, the configuration can be simplified and the price can be reduced.

  The invention according to claim 20 is the invention according to any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein the light emitting element is moved in the optical axis direction to change the magnitude of the irradiated light. It is characterized by that.

  According to the invention described in claim 20, it is possible to reduce the price.

  The invention described in claim 21 is the invention described in any one of claims 17 to 20, further comprising a second optical element capable of changing the size of the irradiated light, The second optical element is moved in the optical axis direction to change the size of the irradiated light.

  According to the invention as set forth in claim 21, high performance can be achieved.

  The invention described in claim 22 is the invention described in claim 21, further comprising a third optical element that expands and contracts the light emitted from the light emitting element in the second direction. By moving the optical element in the optical axis direction, the size of the irradiated light is changed in the second direction.

  According to the twenty-second aspect of the present invention, the configuration can be simplified and the price can be reduced.

  The invention described in claim 23 is the invention described in claim 22, wherein the third optical element is a polarizer.

  According to the invention of claim 23, it is possible to reduce the price.

  The invention described in claim 24 is the invention described in claim 23, wherein the polarizer is a Wollaston prism.

  According to the twenty-fourth aspect of the invention, high performance can be achieved.

  The invention described in claim 25 is the invention described in claim 22, wherein the third optical element is a diffraction grating.

  According to the invention as set forth in claim 25, the size can be reduced.

  According to a twenty-sixth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the twenty-first to twenty-fifth aspects, the scanning member transmits light emitted from the light emitting element in the first direction and the second direction. The scanning for obtaining information using the reflected light of the light from the light emitting element is performed by shaking in the first direction.

  According to the invention of claim 26, high performance can be achieved.

  A twenty-seventh aspect of the invention is the invention according to any one of the twenty-first to twenty-sixth aspects, wherein the magnitude of the light cancels a change in the magnitude of the irradiated light due to a temperature change. It is characterized by being changed.

  According to the twenty-seventh aspect, high performance can be achieved.

  A twenty-eighth aspect of the invention is the invention according to any one of the twenty-first to twenty-seventh aspects, wherein the magnitude of the light cancels a change in magnitude depending on a position where the irradiated light is shaken. It is characterized by being changed.

  According to the invention as set forth in claim 28, high performance can be achieved.

  According to a twenty-ninth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the seventeenth to twenty-eighth aspects, the scanning member includes a lens, and the lens is irradiated with the light by moving the lens. The light is shaken in the first direction.

  According to the 29th aspect of the invention, high performance can be achieved.

  The invention described in claim 30 is the invention described in claim 29, wherein the lens is made of a synthetic resin, and cancels the change in the size of the irradiated light due to the temperature change of the lens made of the synthetic resin. As described above, the magnitude of the light is changed.

  According to the invention of claim 30, high performance can be achieved.

  The invention according to claim 31 is the invention according to any one of claims 17 to 28, wherein the optical element has a lens made of a synthetic resin, and the temperature of the lens made of the synthetic resin is changed. The present invention is characterized in that the magnitude of the light emitted from the light emitting element is changed so as to cancel the change in the magnitude of the irradiated light.

  According to the invention of claim 31, high performance can be achieved.

  A thirty-second aspect of the invention is the invention according to any one of the seventeenth to thirty-first aspects, wherein the first direction is a direction horizontal to the ground.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the light scanning apparatus for vehicles which irradiates the light of a suitable magnitude | size and can detect with high precision can be provided.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
1 to 16 show a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicular optical scanning device, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vehicular optical scanning device viewed from the side opposite to FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the vehicle optical scanning device cut along the YZ plane on the optical axis of the laser light of the laser diode, and FIG. 4 is cut along the YZ plane on the optical axis of the light of the position detection light-emitting diode. 5 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the optical scanning device for a vehicle, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the optical scanning device for the vehicle cut along the ZX plane on the optical axis of the laser light of the laser diode, and FIG. 7 is a partially exploded perspective view, FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a lens portion fixed to the yoke, FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view with the yoke of the biaxial actuator constituting the vehicle optical scanning device removed, and FIG. FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view in which the lens holder unit set is further removed from the biaxial actuator of FIG. 9, FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the lens holder unit set, and FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a laser unit set constituting the optical scanning device for a vehicle. 13 and 14 are exploded perspective views of the laser unit set, FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram of a usage example of the optical scanning device for a vehicle, and FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the usage example.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicular optical scanning device 25 of this embodiment has a base 30 that is a main body, a biaxial actuator 125 including a spring receiver 31, yokes 32 and 33, and a lens 36. The holder 37 and the like are mounted.

  First, the structure of the lens holder part set 60 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 11.

  An opening 62 is formed at the center of the lens holder 61 made of glass fiber-containing polyphenylene sulfide resin, and the lens 34 is bonded and fixed to a stepped portion provided in the opening 62.

  In FIG. 11, a plurality of convex portions 63 a to 63 c are formed on the left and right ends of the opening 62 of the lens holder 61 in the vertical direction (Y-axis). Of these, the protrusions 63a and 63b are adhesively fixed by inserting openings inside the elevation coils 81a and 81b of air-core coils wound with copper clad aluminum wires. Similarly, an opening inside the azimuth coil 80 of an air-core coil wound with a copper clad aluminum wire is fitted and fixed to the convex portion 63c.

  Furthermore, openings 64a, 64b, 64c, and 64d for passing wire springs 108a to 108e, 108f to 108j, 108k to 108o, and 108p to 108t, which will be described later, are provided on the left and right sides of the convex portions 63a and 63b, respectively. ing. In addition, around the opening 62, a plurality of column portions 65a to 65d having a circular cross section for mounting the holder 85 via the substrate 70 are provided. In FIG. 11, a groove 140 is provided on the right side of the lens holder 61, that is, the side where the convex portions 63a to 63c are not provided, as shown in FIG. 5, and a brass balancer is provided there. 67 is adhered and fixed. This is balanced by the balancer 67 because the center of gravity in the X-axis direction is shifted by the azimuth coil 80 arranged on one side in the X-axis direction. Therefore, the center of gravity of the lens holder set 60 is set to be the center position of the elevation coils 81a and 81b in the X-axis direction.

  The substrate 70 is also bonded and fixed to the lens holder 61. Positioning is performed by inserting holes 72 a to 72 d formed in the substrate 70 into the plurality of column portions 65 a to 65 d provided in the lens holder 61. However, it is difficult to make the sizes and intervals of the column portions 65a to 65d and the holes 72a to 72d coincide with each other because of tolerances. Therefore, the hole 72c has a slightly larger diameter than the column portion 65c, the hole 72b is a long hole having a straight portion parallel to the direction connecting the holes 72c and 72b, and the distance between the straight portions is slightly larger than the column portion 65b. The substrate 70 is positioned with respect to the lens holder 61 in the X-axis and Y-axis directions at these two locations.

  The holes 72a and 72d are made larger than the column portions 65a and 65d so as not to hinder positioning. Although the column portions 65a and 65d are not involved in positioning, they are bonded and fixed at the insertion portions into the holes 72a and 72d, and have a role of increasing the rigidity of the lens holder portion set 60. The column portions 65b and 65c and the holes 72b and 72c are similarly bonded and fixed. An opening 71 is provided at the center of the substrate 70 to avoid the lens 34.

  The substrate 70 also has a plurality of holes 73a to 73e, 73f to 73j, 73k to 73o, and 73p to 73t through which wire springs 108a to 108e, 108f to 108j, 108k to 108o, and 108p to 108t described later pass. Each is provided. Furthermore, light emitting diodes (LEDs) 76a and 76b and a thermistor 77 are fixed to the substrate 70 by soldering. The light emitting diodes 76 a and 76 b are fixed to the lens holder 61 side of the substrate 70 in a state where the light emitting portions are exposed in the openings 74 a and 74 b formed in the substrate 70. The light emitted from the light emitting diodes 76a and 76b is emitted to the holder 85 side in FIG.

  The thermistor 77 is fixed to the lens holder 61 side of the substrate 70. As shown in FIG. 9, an opening 110 is provided in a corresponding portion of the lens holder 61, and the thermistor 77 detects the temperature around the lens holder 61. Although not shown, the ends of the azimuth coil 80 and the elevation coils 81 a and 81 are soldered to the substrate 70.

  In FIG. 11, a holder 85 made of a liquid crystal polymer containing carbon fiber is bonded and fixed to the opposite side of the substrate 70 from the lens holder 61. A group consisting of the lens holder 61, the holder 85, the substrate 70 and the like is referred to as a lens holder group 60. An opening 86 is formed at the center of the holder 85, and a plurality of holes 87 a to 87 d are provided around the opening 86. These holes 87 a to 87 d are passed through column portions 65 a to 65 d formed in the lens holder 61. The relationship between the holes 87 a to 87 d and the column portions 65 a to 65 d is the same as the relationship between the holes 72 a to 72 d of the substrate 70, and the holder 85 is positioned on the lens holder 61 at this portion. The lens 34 and the substrate 70 are not only bonded and fixed to the lens holder 61 but also sandwiched between the lens holder 61 and the holder 85 and are more firmly fixed.

  Further, the lens holder 61, the holder 85, and the substrate 70 are overlapped with a planar structure extending in the XY plane at a distance in the Z-axis direction, whereby the rigidity of the lens holder assembly 60 can be increased while being lightweight. .

  The holder 85 is provided with slits 87a and 87b at positions corresponding to the light emitting diodes 76a and 76b of the substrate 70 so as to transmit the respective lights. The longitudinal direction of the slits 87a and 87b is such that the slit 87a is in the Y-axis direction and the slit 87b is in the X-axis direction.

  On the outer edge portion of the holder 85, azimuth convex portions 88a to 88d are formed in the X-axis direction, and elevation convex portions 89a to 89d are formed in the Y-axis direction. These form a movement amount stopper of the lens holder part set 60 in cooperation with a yoke described later.

  Next, the spring receiving portion set 41 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5 and FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 4, lenses 155 and 156 are bonded and fixed to the hole 150a of the spring receiver 31 made of glass-filled polyphenylene sulfide resin, and lenses 157 and 158 are bonded and fixed to the hole 150b, respectively. .

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 10, the yoke 32 to which the magnets 92 a, 93 a, and 93 b are bonded and fixed is also fixed to the spring receiver 31. The yoke 32 is screwed by screws 170a to 170d shown in FIG. 2 with the spring receiver 31 sandwiched therebetween. The screws 170 a to 170 d are configured to be screwed into the screw holes 95 a to 95 d of the yoke 32. The yoke 32 is positioned by a notch 99 and a hole 100 provided in the yoke 32, and convex portions 142 a and 142 b of the spring receiver 31.

  When the yoke 32 is fixed, the hoods 101a and 101b made of polyphenylene sulfide resin are also fixed in a form sandwiched between the yoke 32 and the spring receiver 31.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the substrates 171 and 175 are also screwed to the spring receiver 31 with screws 181a and 181b. The screws 181 a and 181 b are screwed into the screw holes 96 a and 96 b of the yoke 32. Although the female screw portion may be provided in the spring receiver 31, since the spring receiver 31 is made of resin, long-term reliability such as durability of the female screw portion is inferior to that of metal. There is a method of embedding a metallic female screw member by insert molding or the like, but the spring receiver becomes expensive.

  Therefore, by using a yoke that must be made of metal in order to form a magnetic circuit as in this embodiment, a highly reliable structure can be achieved at low cost. The substrates 171 and 175 are positioned by holes 172a, 172b and 176a and 176b provided in the respective substrates, and convex portions 173a, 173b and 177a and 177b of the spring receiver 31.

  As described above, a part composed of the spring receiver 31, the yoke 32, the substrates 171, 175 and the like is referred to as a spring receiver part set 41.

  As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the substrate 70 is provided with a plurality of holes 73 a to 73 t. Twenty beryllium copper (metal) wire springs 108a to 108t are inserted into these holes 73a to 73t, and ends thereof are soldered (however, solder is not shown). The soldering operation is performed from the openings 64 a to 64 d formed in the lens holder 61. Thereby, after the lens holder part set 60 is completed, the wire springs 108a to 108t can be soldered.

  The wire springs 108 a to 108 t are connected to the azimuth coil 80, the elevation coils 81 a and 81 b, the light emitting diodes 76 a and 76 b, and the thermistor 77 through the substrate 70. The elevation coils 81a and 81b are connected in series on the substrate 70, and two cathodes of the light emitting diodes 76a and 76b are wired in common, so that there are nine wires from the substrate 70 to the outside.

  Since there are 20 wire springs 108a to 108t, two wire springs are associated with each wiring, and the resistance value of the wire springs is lowered by connecting the two wire springs in parallel. Further, 2 × 9 = 18, which is two more, but the azimuth coil 80 having a large current value is wired with three wire springs, and the resistance value is further lowered. The opposite sides of the wire springs 108a to 108t soldered to the lens holder part set 60 are inserted into the holes 105a to 105d of the spring receiver 31 through the holes 94a to 94d of the yoke 32.

  Here, the inside of the holes 105a to 105d of the spring receiver 31 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The hole 105d has a slender shape with a slope 152a provided on the substrate 175 side. Although not shown in the drawing, five narrow holes having a diameter slightly larger than the wire springs 108p to 108t are further formed on the substrate 175 side. Five wire springs 108p to 108t are inserted into the holes 152b and 105d, but the number of the holes 152b and 105d is one. The holes 152b are filled with ultraviolet curable silicone gel. This filling is performed through a gap 152 c formed between the spring receiver 31 and the yoke 32.

  The holes 105c and 105d are filled through these gaps. However, since there is no notch portion of the spring receiver 31 on the holes 105a and 105b side, the hole 105b has a hole 152d provided in the spring receiver 31. Filling is performed. The hole 105a is similarly provided with a hole.

  The filling operation is performed with the Z + side up, and the silicon gel is guided to the hole 152b by the slope 152a. Then, when the hole 152b is full and protrudes from the slope 152a, the work is finished. At this time, the silicon gel flows accurately through the five thin holes on the substrate 175 side of the hole 152b (not shown), but the silicon gel has a high viscosity even before curing, and hardly flows into the narrow gap.

  Therefore, the silicon gel can be prevented from flowing into the five thin holes on the substrate 175 side of the hole 152b by quickly working and curing with ultraviolet rays. Damping of vibration of the wire springs 108a to 108t is taken by this silicon gel. As shown in FIG. 2, the wire springs 108 p to 108 t protrude from the spring receiver 31 in the negative direction of the Z axis, and are inserted into the holes 180 p to 180 t of the substrates 171 and 175 and soldered. The boards 171 and 175 are connected to a control board 45 not shown in FIG.

  The azimuth coil 80, the elevation coils 81a and 81b, the light emitting diodes 76a and 76b, and the thermistor 77 are connected to the control board 45 via wire springs 108p to 108t. The lens holder part set 60 is supported by the wire springs 108p to 108t so as to be movable in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. Here, if the lens holder part set 60 is simply supported so as to be movable in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, four wire springs are sufficient. The reason why there are 20 in this embodiment is to wire the azimuth coil 80, the elevation coils 81a and 81b, the light emitting diodes 76a and 76b, and the thermistor 77 as described above. Furthermore, the number of the two wire springs is increased in order to reduce the resistance value.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 8, the iron yoke 33 to which the magnets 92b, 93c, and 93d are bonded so as to cover the lens holder portion set 60 from the + side direction of the Z axis as shown in FIG. In this manner, the spring receiving portion set 41 is fixed.

  Although not shown, the surface on the base 30 side of the spring receiver 31 is provided with two convex portions separated in the X-axis direction, and the bent portion 114a on the base 30 side of the yoke 33 enters between them. Positioned in form. The yoke 33 is attracted to the yoke 32 only by the attractive force of the magnets 92b, 93c, and 93d, but as shown in FIG. 8, the spring receiver 31 is secured by screws 120a and 120b so as not to be detached due to vibration or the like. It is screwed to. The screws 120 a and 120 b are inserted into holes provided in the spring receiver 31 and are tightened into screw holes 117 a and 117 b formed in the yoke 33.

  The yoke 33 is also provided with bent portions 115a to 115d. The movement in the X-axis direction of the lens holder part set 60 is referred to as movement in the azimuth direction. When moving greatly in the azimuth direction, the azimuth convex portions 88a to 88d provided on the holder 85 collide with the bent portions 115a to 115d. The lens holder part set 60 cannot move beyond that, and these serve as stoppers in the azimuth direction.

  On the other hand, the movement of the lens holder part set 60 in the Y-axis direction is referred to as the movement in the elevation direction. When moving greatly in the elevation direction, the elevation convex portions 89a to 89d provided on the holder 85 collide with the bent portions 114a and 114b. Beyond that, the lens holder part set 60 cannot move, and these serve as a stopper in the elevation direction.

  The stopper portion of the yoke 33 in the azimuth direction is the bent portions 115a to 115 having only a role as a stopper. However, in the elevation direction, the bent portions 114a and 114b of the yoke 32 are connected to the stopper and spring receiving portion set 41. It also serves as a structural part for fixing.

  As a driving means for supporting and moving the lens holder part set 60 configured as described above on the spring receiving part set 41, a part set including magnets 92a, 92b, 93a to 93d and the like is provided. This is referred to as a shaft actuator 125.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the substrate 56 is screwed to the spring receiver 41 by screws 57 a and 57 b. The screws 57a, 57b are screwed into the screw holes 98a, 98b of the yoke 32 (not shown because the screw holes 98a are shaded). Position sensors 153a and 153b whose output current changes depending on the position of the center of gravity of light are soldered to the substrate 56. Although not shown, the substrate 56 is connected to the control substrate 45 via electric wires, and the position sensors 153a and 153b are connected to the control substrate 45.

  As is clear from FIG. 4, the light from the light emitting diode 76a passes through the slit 87a and enters the position sensor 153a through the lenses 156 and 155. The position sensor 153a is a one-dimensional sensor that detects a position in one direction, and in order to detect movement in the X-axis direction, an internal rectangular detection element is attached so that the longitudinal direction is the X-axis direction. Yes.

  The light from the slit 87a moves in the X-axis direction when the lens holder unit set 60 moves in the azimuth direction, but the lenses 156 and 155 have a role of reducing the movement amount in the X-axis direction to be small. ing. There is no lens action in the Y-axis direction. The amount of movement of the lens holder part set 60 in the azimuth direction is large, and if the light from the slit 87a is directly incident on the position sensor 153a, a position sensor with a long detection range is required. The price of the position sensor is higher as the length of the detection range is longer, and is generally not proportional to the length, and the price increases at a rate higher than that.

  By using the lenses 156 and 155 to reduce the amount of movement, an inexpensive position sensor with a short detection range can be used.

  As described above, since the price greatly increases as the detection range becomes longer, it is cheaper to use an optical system that reduces the amount of movement even if the cost of creating lenses 156 and 155 and a fixed portion is added. Become. The light from the light emitting diode 76b passes through the slit 87b and enters the position sensor 153b through the lenses 158 and 157. Since the position sensor 153b detects the movement in the Y-axis direction, the internal rectangular detection element is attached so that the longitudinal direction is the Y-axis direction. The light from the slit 87b moves in the Y-axis direction when the lens holder set 60 moves in the elevation direction, and the position is detected by the position sensor 153b.

  On the other hand, when the lens holder part set 60 moves in the azimuth direction, the light from the slit 87b moves in the X-axis direction by the position sensor 153b. The detection element in the position sensor 153b has a rectangular shape with a short length in the X-axis direction. If the detection element moves greatly in the X-axis direction, the light deviates from the detection element, and the position cannot be detected.

  In order to prevent this, the length of the slit 87b in the X-axis direction may be increased. However, since the light from the light emitting diode 76b spreads at a certain angle, if the length of the slit 87b in the X-axis direction is increased, the light emitting diode The distance between 76b and the slit 87b must be increased, and the lens holder part set 60 is increased in size.

  Therefore, the lens 158 has a role of condensing near the center of the position sensor 153b in the X-axis direction regardless of the position of the slit 87b in the X-axis direction. Thereby, even if the lens holder part set 60 moves largely in the azimuth direction, the light hits the position sensor 153b. There is no lens action in the Y-axis direction.

  By the way, the light emitting diode 76b that has passed through the slit 87b spreads as it is, and the spread light only moves in the position sensor 153b portion, so that accurate position detection cannot be performed. Therefore, the light spread in the Y-axis direction is collected by the lens 157, and an image of the slit 87b having an appropriate size is projected onto the position sensor 153b. The lens 157 has a lens action only in the Y-axis direction and has no lens action in the X-axis direction.

  The hoods 101a and 101b are attached between the lenses 156 and 158 and the slits 87a and 87b, but these are contrary to preventing light from the light emitting diodes 76a and 76b from leaking out as much as possible. This is to prevent light other than the light emitting diodes 76a and 76b, such as light from the laser diode 55, from entering the position sensors 153a and 153b. Therefore, the optical path passes through holes 150 a, 150 b, 151 provided in the spring receiver 31 to block the outside.

  Further, in order to prevent the light from the slits 87a and 87b from interfering with each other, the two optical paths such as the holes 150a and 150b and the hoods 101a and 101b are also provided as separate spaces. The irradiation position of the light from the laser diode 55 is moved by moving the lens 34 mounted on the lens holder unit set 60, but the irradiation position is at a position where the inclination is 0 degree with respect to the optical axis of the laser diode 55. The position of the substrate 56 is adjusted and fixed in the XY plane so that the outputs of the position sensors 153a and 153b indicate the 0 position when the desired position is reached. For this reason, the portion of the substrate 56 through which the screws 57a and 57b pass is large in view of the adjustment allowance.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 5, and 7, a holder 135 made of glass-filled polyphenylene sulfide resin to which a lens 35 is bonded is fixed to the yoke 33 by screws 136a and 136b. Yes. The screws 136 a and 136 b are passed through holes formed in the holder 135 and screwed into the screw holes 131 b and 131 c of the yoke 33. As shown in FIG. 5, the holder 135 is provided with convex portions 141 a and 141 b and is positioned so as to be fitted into the holes 132 a and 132 b of the yoke 33.

  Further, a holder 37 made of polyphenylene sulfide resin containing glass fiber to which a lens 36 is bonded is fixed to the yoke 33 by screws 138a and 138b. The screws 138 a and 138 b are passed through holes provided in the holder 37 and the holder 135 and screwed into the screw holes 131 a and 131 d of the yoke 33. The holder 37 is configured to be fixed to the yoke 33 with the holder 135 interposed therebetween. Further, the holder 37 is provided with a convex portion (not shown), and is positioned so as to be fitted into the holes 133 a and 133 b of the yoke 33.

  As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 6, a laser unit set 50 is fixed to the spring receiving unit set 41 with screws 53 a and 53 b. The screws 53 a and 53 b are passed through holes formed in the holder 201 made of carbon fiber-containing polyphenylene sulfide resin, and are screwed into the screw holes 97 a and 97 b of the yoke 32.

  Here, the hole of the holder 201 is large, and the position can be adjusted in the XY plane. That is, when the lens 34 is set to a predetermined position, the light emitted from the laser diode 55 is adjusted and screwed so as to go straight without bending in the Z-axis direction.

  Next, the laser assembly 50 will be described in detail.

  As shown in FIGS. 3, 13 and 14, the laser diode 55 was lightly press-fitted into a hole 212 formed in a holder (change means, support member) 51 made of polyphenylene sulfide resin containing glass fiber. Bonded and fixed on top. The laser diode 55 is fixed so that the direction of the vertical divergence angle is the X-axis direction. In the Z-axis direction, a hole 213 for passing a laser beam is formed at the tip of the hole 212 (on the lens 34 side). A substrate 54 is also fixed to the holder 51, and a laser diode 55 is connected thereto. Here, the substrate 54 is only schematically illustrated and has an outer shape here, but actually includes a substrate and components mounted on the substrate.

  A holder 218 made of glass fiber-containing polyphenylene sulfide resin is bonded and fixed to the holder 51. A light emitting diode 217 is fixed inside the holder 218. In FIG. 3, a slit 223 through which light from the light emitting diode 217 passes is formed on the lower side of the holder 218 in the Y-axis direction. The slit 223 has a vertically long shape in the X-axis direction.

  The holder 51 is formed with flange portions 214a to 214c, and a coil 215 is wound between the flange portion 214b and the flange portion 214c. The holder 51 is fixed after the coil 215 is wound. Further, the ends of stainless plate springs 233a and 233b, which are elastic support members, are bonded and fixed to the flange portions 214a and 214c, respectively.

  Unlike the biaxial actuator 125, the coil 215 and the light emitting diode 217 are wired together with the laser diode 55 instead of a spring, using a flexible substrate (not shown). The leaf springs 233a and 233b have the longitudinal direction in the Y-axis direction, and the other end is fixedly bonded to the rising portion 202 of the holder 201 made of polyphenylene sulfide resin containing glass fiber.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 12, the holder 51 is supported by the holder 201 so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction by leaf springs 233a and 233b. Like the biaxial actuator 125, it is supported not by a wire spring but by a leaf spring, so that it does not move in the X-axis direction other than the Z-axis direction. In order to improve reliability, the plate springs 233a and 233b may be fixed by a method such as ultrasonic welding instead of adhesion.

  An iron yoke 206 is inserted into the recess 236 of the holder 201 and is fixedly bonded. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, in a state where the laser unit set 50 is fixed to the spring support unit set 41, the yoke 206 is sandwiched between the spring support 31 and the holder 201, so that the bonding is unlikely. Even if it is removed, it will not fall out.

  Magnets 211 a and 211 b are bonded to the bent portions 240 a and 240 b of the yoke 206. Further, the substrate 220 to which the position sensor 219 is attached is fixed to the bent portion 242 of the yoke 206 by screws 221. The yoke 206 is fixed to the holder 201 after the holders 201 and 51 and the leaf springs 233a and 233b are bonded in a state where the magnets 211a and 211b and the substrate 220 are fixed. At this time, the bent portions 240a and 240b of the magnets 211a and 211b and the yoke 206 are assembled so as to pass through the holes 235a and 235b formed in the holder 201.

  The bent portion 240b of the yoke 206 is formed with a hole 241 for avoiding the head portion of the screw 53b when the laser portion set 50 is fixed to the spring receiving portion set 41. The yoke 206 is also formed with a hole 208 through which light from the laser diode 55 passes, and the holder 201 is similarly formed with a hole 205.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the position sensor 219 is in a positional relationship facing the slit 223, and light from the light emitting diode 217 enters through the slit 223. The position of the substrate 220 is adjusted so that when the holder 51 is at a predetermined position, the output of the position sensor 219 is an output when it is at the 0 position. This adjustment is performed before the laser unit set 50 is fixed to the spring receiving unit set 41.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the laser light emitted from the laser diode 55 passes through lenses 34, 35, and 36 and is irradiated to the outside. The wavelength of the laser diode 55 is 870 nm, which is infrared, and the light cannot actually be visually observed.

  In FIG. 6, a base 30 made of aluminum die casting is fixed to the lower side of the yoke 33. The yoke 33 and the base 30 are positioned in such a manner that the protrusions 30a and 30b formed on the base 30 are inserted into the notches 122 and the holes 123 of the yoke 33 shown in FIG.

  Further, the yoke 33 is in contact with the three bases 42a to 42c provided on the base 30 in the Z-axis direction, and the accuracy of the base 30 can be obtained only by these bases 42a to 42c. ing. Further, the yoke 33 is fixed to the base 30 by screwing screws 43 a to 43 c into the screw holes 118 a to 118 c through the holes of the base 30.

  Inside the base 30, a control board 45 is fixed by screws 46a to 46d. At this time, the electric element that generates a large amount of heat on the control board 45 is brought into contact with the base 30 via a gel-like sheet having good thermal conductivity and is radiated to the base 30. The base 30 is provided with holes 44a to 44d for attaching the apparatus.

  Next, the operation of the optical scanning device for a vehicle according to the first embodiment configured as described above will be described.

  FIG. 15 is a diagram schematically illustrating an in-vehicle distance measuring device including the vehicle optical scanning device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In the figure, the laser light emitted from the laser diode 55 is transmitted in the left-right direction as indicated by an arrow 250 by the lens 34 of the lens holder 61 supported by a wire spring (represented as 108 here representatively) 108. By being moved, it is shaken in the left-right direction as shown by the arrow 251 in the figure. Further, the light is irradiated by the lens 35 and 36 with the fluctuation width enlarged as shown by the arrow 252 in the figure. Light 255 reflected by the irradiated light 253 impinging on the obstacle (object) 254 reaches the photodetector 257 via the light receiving lens 256, and the distance to the obstacle 254 is calculated by an electric circuit (not shown). Actually, the lens 34 is swung not only in the left-right direction but also in the up-down direction, and the light is swung in the up-down direction.

  Here, the shape of the irradiated laser beam will be described.

  The shape of the laser beam 260 is the laser beam that hits the predetermined position 263 of the obstacle 254 as viewed from the direction of the arrow 264 (however, the size is enlarged for explanation). That is, the dimension 261 is the dimension in the X-axis direction, and the dimension 262 is the dimension in the Y-axis direction. The shape of the laser beam 260 to be irradiated is a rectangular (rectangular) shape whose longitudinal direction is the Y-axis direction as shown in the figure. For example, the dimension 261 is expressed as an angle of 0.3 degrees, and the dimension 262 is 1.5. It is a degree. In this case, the dimensional relationship in the shape of the laser beam 260 is five times greater in the Y-axis direction than in the X-axis direction.

  Here, the laser diode 55 fixed to the holder 51 is moved in the Z-axis direction as shown by the arrow 258 in the figure, thereby changing the size 261 of the irradiated laser beam in the range of 0.1 to 0.5 degrees. Can be made. At this time, the dimension 262 also changes somewhat, but it is a change of about ± 0.1 degrees, and since the dimension 262 is originally as large as 1.5 degrees, it can be seen that there is substantially no change.

  Next, a mechanism for moving the lens 34 in the vertical and horizontal directions will be described in more detail.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the azimuth coil 80 is sandwiched between a magnet 92 a fixed to the yoke 32 and a magnet 92 b fixed to the yoke 33. The polarities of the magnets 92a and 92b are as shown in FIG. Note that the boundaries of the magnetic poles are indicated by broken lines for easy understanding. The boundary portion of the actual magnet is a neutral region having a width of 0.2 to 0.4 mm and no magnetic pole.

  The sides 143a and 143b of the azimuth coil 80 are subjected to magnetic fields in the directions of the arrows 144a and 144b shown in the drawing. The magnetic flux emitted from the magnet 92a as shown in the arrow 144a enters the magnet 92b and advances in the yoke 33 as shown in the arrow 145b. Then, it enters the magnet 92b again, exits the magnet 92b as shown by the arrow 144b, and reaches the magnet 92a. Further, it advances in the yoke 32 as shown by an arrow 145a and returns to the original part of the magnet 92a.

  Since the direction of the current flowing through the sides 143a and 143b of the azimuth coil 80 is opposite and the direction of the magnetic field 144a and 144b reaching is also opposite, the direction of the generated force is the same. The direction of the force is the X-axis direction perpendicular to the direction of the current and the direction of the magnetic field. A force in the Y-axis direction is generated on the remaining side of the azimuth coil 80, but the direction of the force received from the magnetic field indicated by the arrows 144a and 144b is reversed and cancels, so that the azimuth coil 80 does not move in the Y-axis direction.

  As described above, by passing a current through the azimuth coil 80, the lens holder part set 60 and the lens 34 attached thereto can be moved in the azimuth direction (X-axis direction).

  In addition, about the elevation coils 81a and 81b, the direction of the side which generate | occur | produces force changes 90 degree | times so that the force of a Y-axis direction may generate | occur | produce, and the magnetic pole of the magnets 93a-93d also changes 90 degree | times correspondingly. The basics are the same. They are connected in series so that the forces in the Y-axis direction generated by the elevation coils 81a and 81b are in the same direction. Thereby, by passing an electric current through the elevation coils 81a and 81b, the lens holder part set 60 and the lens 34 attached thereto can be moved in the elevation direction (Y-axis direction).

  As described above, the position of the lens holder part set 60 is performed by receiving the light passing through the slits 87a and 87b formed in the lens holder part set 60 with the position sensors 153a and 153b. Then, based on the position information, the lens holder part set 60 is moved.

  Next, a mechanism for moving the holder 51 to which the laser diode 55 is fixed in the Z-axis direction will be described in detail.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the coil 215 is sandwiched between magnets 211 a and 211 b fixed to the yoke 206. The polarities of the magnets 211a and 211b are as shown in FIG. 5 and are opposite to each other with the N poles facing each other. The sides 227a and 227b of the coil 215 are subjected to a magnetic field in the directions indicated by the arrows 228a and 228b.

  As shown by the arrow 228a in the figure, the magnetic flux emitted from the magnet 211a has the same polarity as the opposing magnet 211b, and therefore spreads in the Z-axis direction as shown by the arrows 229a and 229b and enters the yoke 206. And it returns to the magnet 211a again through the yoke 206. Similarly, with respect to the magnet 211b, the magnetic flux output as indicated by the arrow 228b is directed to the yoke 206 and returned to the magnet 211b as indicated by the arrows 229c and 229d.

  Since the direction of the current flowing through the sides 227a and 227b of the coil 215 is opposite and the direction of the magnetic field 228a and 228b reaching is opposite, the direction of the generated force is the same. The direction of the force is the Z-axis direction perpendicular to the direction of the current and the direction of the magnetic field.

  The remaining side of the coil 215 crosses when a part of the magnetic flux emitted from the magnets 211a and 211b returns as shown by the arrows 228a and 228b in the drawing. This transverse direction is outward from the inside of the coil 215, and the direction in which the force acts is the Z-axis direction, but is opposite to the direction of the force acting on the sides 227a and 227b. However, most of the magnetic flux emitted from the magnets 211a and 211b as shown by the arrows 228a and 228b spreads in the Z-axis direction and returns to the magnets 211a and 211b without crossing the coil 215. Therefore, the magnetic flux crossing the sides of the coil 215 other than the sides 227a and 227b is small, the magnitude of the force is small, and there is no problem in driving in the Z-axis direction.

  Note that the Z-axis direction dimensions of the bent portions 240a and 240b of the yoke 206 are larger than the Z-axis direction dimensions of the magnets 211a and 211b so that most of the magnetic flux emitted from the magnets 211a and 211b spreads in the Z-axis direction. . In order to reduce the magnetic flux returning across the sides of the coil 215 other than the sides 227a and 227b, the Y-axis direction dimension of the yoke 206 is the same as that of the magnets 211a and 211b and is not increased.

  As described above, by passing a current through the coil 215, the holder 51 and the laser diode 55 attached thereto can be moved in the optical axis direction (Z-axis direction). The position of the holder 51 is determined by receiving light passing through the slit 223 of the holder 218 provided with the light emitting diode 217 by the position sensor 219, and the holder 51 is moved based on the position information.

  As shown in FIG. 15, an optical path polarizing prism 248 may be inserted between the laser diode 55 and the lens 34 in order to spread the beam in the X-axis direction.

  When the present apparatus is mounted on a vehicle, the apparatus is mounted so that the X-axis direction is horizontal with respect to the ground and the Y-axis direction is perpendicular to the ground. The beam emitted from the light emitting diode 55 has a vertically long shape with a narrow X-axis direction and a wide Y-axis direction. At this time, the main light scanning is performed in the X-axis direction horizontal to the ground.

  Here, with reference to FIG. 16, the laser irradiation of the vehicle optical scanning device in the first embodiment will be described.

  When the optical axis of the lens 34 coincides with the optical axis of the laser diode 55, the light is not bent and the center is irradiated with the laser light 260. The lens 34 is greatly shifted in the negative X direction (left side in FIG. 16) and slightly shifted in the negative Y direction (lower side in FIG. 16), and the light 267 is irradiated. By moving the lens 34 in the + side direction (right side in FIG. 16) of the X axis without changing the position in the Y axis direction, the light is scanned to the position 268 in the figure as shown by the arrow 271 in the figure. Next, the lens 34 is enlarged in the negative X direction (left side in FIG. 16) and slightly shifted in the positive Y direction (upward in FIG. 16), and the light 269 is irradiated.

  During the movement from the light 268 to 269, the laser diode 55 is not emitted and no light is irradiated. By moving the lens 34 in the + direction of the X axis (right side in FIG. 16) without changing the position in the Y axis direction from the position of the light 269, the light is positioned at the position 270 as shown by the arrow 272 in the figure. Scan until When the light reaches 270, the lens 34 is moved again to the position where the light 267 is irradiated. During the movement from the light 270 to 267, the laser diode 55 is not emitted and no light is irradiated. In this manner, the light is scanned twice in the X-axis direction from 267 to 268 and from 269 to 270 while shifting the position in the Y-axis direction. This set is repeated once and repeated 10 times per second.

  Here, two scans in the X-axis direction are set as one set. However, in some cases, the position in the Y-axis direction may be changed, and three scans may be set as one set. Conversely, the position in the Y-axis direction is not changed. You may scan. Further, the number of repetitions per second is not limited to 10, and the number may be increased or decreased depending on the required detection performance. Light scanning is performed in the X-axis direction to detect obstacles. The operation in the Y-axis direction is for shifting the scanning position in the X-axis direction, and an operation for detecting an obstacle by scanning light in the Y-axis direction is not performed.

  In the Y-axis direction, it can move more widely as in the range of 275, but the X-axis direction horizontal to the ground needs to be scanned widely for obstacle detection, but the Y-axis direction perpendicular to the ground is Even if the vehicle advances, there is an effect of changing the viewing position in the Y-axis direction, and it is not necessary to see a wider range than necessary. For example, when the speed of the vehicle changes, the distance of the scanning range (how far away from the vehicle) is changed, as in 276 to 277, for example. This is for offsetting the position in the Y-axis direction for scanning light with one set. The scanning method of light within the range of 277 is the same as that of 176.

  By the way, it is assumed that an obstacle is found near 278 as a result of scanning light. At this time, the light is moved to the position 279 and at the same time the holder 51 is moved in the Z-axis direction, so that the X-axis direction dimension of the light is reduced from 0.3 degree to 0.1 degree. The light 279 whose X-axis direction dimension is 0.1 degrees is scanned up to 280 as shown by the arrow 283 in the figure.

  Next, the light is scanned from the light 281 to 282 as shown by the arrow 284 while the dimension in the X-axis direction remains 0.1 degrees. This is repeated several times in the same manner as in FIG. Since the size of the light in the X-axis direction is reduced, the resolution is increased. As a result, the range shown in FIG. 285 can be scanned more precisely and the type of obstacle can be known with higher accuracy.

  According to the present embodiment, the resolution during scanning can be increased by reducing the light width in the same direction as the scanning direction. At this time, since the dimension in the direction orthogonal to the scanning direction is not changed, the resolution in the scanning direction is increased, but the scanning range is not narrowed.

  However, when the dimensions of both the scanning direction and the direction orthogonal to the scanning direction change, the resolution increases, but there is a portion where light does not strike in the orthogonal direction, so that an undetectable range occurs. With respect to the scanning direction, even if the size is reduced, the light reaches by scanning, so that a portion that cannot be detected does not occur. When the dimension is reduced in the orthogonal direction so that a portion that cannot be detected does not occur, the position shifted in the orthogonal direction can be newly scanned. However, this scanning is not preferable because the number of times of scanning in the X-axis direction is increased, and a problem that the time during which light is applied at a certain place is reduced accordingly.

  The range is not limited to 285 shown in FIG. 16, but the dimension in the X-axis direction may be made small as shown in FIG. At this time, the dimension in the X-axis direction is normally set to 0.3 degrees. However, if the other scanning conditions are the same as compared with the case where the dimension in the X-axis direction is always set to 0.1 degrees, the position is set at each position. In this case, it is easier to find an obstacle, for example, when the light is shining three times as long and the obstacle is moving. Conversely, if a resolution of about 0.3 degrees is sufficient, it is usually larger and the dimension in the X-axis direction may be 0.5 degrees. Even in this case, since the size in the orthogonal Y-axis direction does not change, there is no inconvenience that the light becomes too large to see an extra thing.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the accuracy of the detection apparatus including the present scanning apparatus can be increased by changing the dimension of the irradiation light in the scanning direction to an appropriate size. When changing the dimension of the irradiated light in the X-axis direction, it is ideal that the dimensional change in the Y-axis direction is zero. At this time, if the change ratio is large in the X-axis direction and the change ratio is small in the Y-axis direction, the same effect can be obtained. For example, when the dimension in the X-axis direction is x, the change is Δx, the dimension in the Y-axis direction is y, and the change is Δy, if Δx / x> 0.25 and Δy / y <0.2, the Y-axis The dimensional change in the direction is negligible, and the effects described above can be obtained by the dimensional change in the X-axis direction.

  The irradiated light is more easily obtained when the X-axis direction of scanning is narrower and the Y-axis direction is wider as in the present embodiment, and it is desirable that y is 3 or more times x.

  In the scanning device of the present embodiment, the direction of the vertical divergence angle of the laser diode 55 is the X-axis direction. As a result, as in this embodiment, only the dimension in the X-axis direction can be changed with a simple configuration such as moving the laser diode 55 in the Z-axis direction without using a special optical element. Can be priced.

  If the method is to move the laser diode 55 in the Z-axis direction as in this embodiment, it is not necessary to add a new optical element, and the cost can be reduced. A new lens may be added between the laser diode 55 and the lens 34 and moved in the Z-axis direction. In this way, by providing a separate lens, it is easier to optically optimize than moving the laser diode 55, the light quantity distribution when the size is changed, etc., and the performance can be improved.

  In this embodiment, the laser diode 55 and the substrate 54 are moved as a set. In general, a circuit for driving a laser diode needs to be disposed in the vicinity of the laser diode. For performance, the substrate 54 is disposed in a fixed portion, separated from the laser diode 55, and both are connected by lead wires. It is difficult to connect. This is because the mass of the movable part increases because the substrate 54 is also moved together. Therefore, when a lens is separately provided, the characteristics of the drive mechanism can be improved, for example, by optimizing the lens including the mass and reducing the mass of the movable part, thereby improving the response of the movable part.

  By the way, when the temperature of the place where the scanning device is installed changes, there arises a problem that the shape of the irradiated light changes due to the temperature characteristics of the lens or the like. In particular, if the dimension in the X-axis direction changes, it affects the resolution at the time of detecting an obstacle, resulting in inconvenience such as misidentification due to a resolution different from that assumed.

  Therefore, in the scanning apparatus according to the present embodiment, the correction amount with respect to the change due to the temperature is measured in advance, and this change can be canceled by correcting the holder 51 of the laser unit 50 according to the temperature. Will not change. At this time, the temperature is measured by the thermistor 77 attached to the lens holder part set 60. Thus, a high-performance scanning device that is not affected by temperature can be obtained.

  In addition, the influence by temperature is larger in synthetic resin than glass, and the influence of temperature mentioned above can be made small by comprising a lens with glass. However, glass lenses have a small degree of freedom in shape. When the shape of the irradiated light is a rectangular shape as in the present embodiment, it is desirable to shape the light with a lens having different curved shapes in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and such a lens is made of glass. It is difficult to make and becomes a lens made of synthetic resin.

  By canceling the influence of temperature, a high-performance scanning apparatus having excellent optical performance can be obtained using a synthetic resin lens having a high degree of freedom. Further, the glass lens has a larger mass than the synthetic resin lens, and when this is used for the lens 34 of the lens holder unit set 60 which is a movable part, a driving mechanism made of a coil or a magnet is used to move the large mass. Need to be enlarged.

  However, if the change due to temperature is canceled by moving the laser assembly 50 as in the present embodiment, a synthetic resin lens having a small mass can be used, and the drive mechanism can be reduced in size and weight. .

  As described with reference to FIG. 16, the lens holder unit 60 operates 10 times per second with two scans in the X-axis direction as one set, and therefore the operation in the X-axis direction is 20 Hz. Further, when the number of scans is set as one set, the frequency reaches 30 Hz. When the frequency is high, a larger driving force is required, and when the mass of the movable part is large, the size of the driving mechanism becomes unrealistic as a scanning device. However, as in this embodiment, moving the laser unit 50 cancels the temperature change and reduces the size of the drive mechanism by using a synthetic resin lens with a small mass. Thus, it is possible to provide a high-performance apparatus with a high scanning frequency.

  As described above, the change in the shape of the irradiated light due to the temperature has been described. However, the shape of the light changes depending on the aberration of the lens depending on the position where the light is irradiated, and the same disadvantage as the temperature change occurs. For this reason, in the apparatus of this embodiment, the change amount with respect to the change by the irradiation position of light is measured in advance, and this change can be canceled by correcting the holder 51 of the laser unit set 50 according to the position. As a result, a high-performance scanning device that is not affected by the irradiation position can be obtained.

  In the scanning device of this embodiment, the lens can be moved to move the light to a free position. Some scanning devices scan light using a rotating polygon mirror. However, the polygon mirror cannot irradiate light at a free position, and only scans a predetermined position. On the other hand, in this embodiment, light can be scanned at a free position and width, and further, the dimension of the irradiated light in the X-axis direction can be changed, so that an obstacle at a certain position can be confirmed in detail. Thus, a high-performance scanning device can be obtained.

  In the present embodiment, the X-axis direction is set to be horizontal with respect to the ground. In this regard, the X-axis direction does not necessarily need to be horizontal with respect to the ground, but from the viewpoint of avoiding obstacles, the resolution can be detected in a horizontal direction on the ground that is lateral to the traveling direction of the vehicle. Is desirable. Therefore, the effect of the present embodiment can be obtained better when the direction is set as described above.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  FIGS. 17 and 18 show a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram of an example of use of the vehicle optical scanning device corresponding to FIG. 15, and FIG. FIG. 18 is a conceptual diagram viewed from the axial direction, FIG. 18B is a conceptual diagram illustrating only the vehicle scanning device viewed from the X-axis direction, and FIG.

  In the second embodiment described below, the basic configuration and operation of the optical scanning device for a vehicle are the same as those in the first embodiment described above. The same reference numerals are assigned to the parts, illustration and description thereof are omitted, and only different parts will be described.

  In the present embodiment, the lens 34 mounted on the lens holder 61 is different from the first embodiment described above. In the first embodiment described above, the Wollaston prism 290 is disposed between the laser diode 55 and the lens 34. In the Wollaston prism 290, the laser diode 55 is fixed to the holder 51 supported by the leaf springs 233 (233a, 233b) in the laser unit set 50, and the Wollaston prism 290 is configured to be movable in the Z-axis direction. It is fixed. That is, the Wollaston prism 290 is fixed to the holder 291, and the holder 291 is supported by the plate spring 293 and can move in the Z-axis direction.

  Although not shown in the conceptual diagram of FIG. 17, as in the laser unit 50, a driving mechanism including a coil, a magnet, and a yoke is used for driving, and a light emitting diode, A position detection mechanism including a slit and a position sensor is provided.

  Unlike the laser diode 55, the Wollaston prism 290 is fixed so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction with respect to the spring receiver 41, and does not have a position adjusting mechanism in the XY plane. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment described above.

  According to the second embodiment, the shape of the irradiated laser light is a vertically long rectangular shape in the Y-axis direction as shown in FIG. 260, and the dimension 261 is 0.3 degrees in terms of angle, and the dimension 262 is 2 It is a degree.

  Here, as in the first embodiment described above, the laser diode 55 fixed to the holder 31 is moved in the Z-axis direction as shown by the arrow 258 in the figure, so that the size 261 of the irradiated laser beam is It can be changed within a range of 0.1 to 0.5 degrees. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the Wollaston prism 290 fixed to the newly added holder 291 is moved in the Z-axis direction as shown by the arrow 295 in the figure, so that the size 262 of the irradiated laser light is 1.5. It can be varied in the range of ~ 2.5 degrees.

  The Wollaston prism 290 is a polarizer that can extract orthogonal linearly polarized light with an opening angle, and the randomly polarized light 300 emitted from the laser diode 55 becomes linearly polarized light 296 and 297 that are orthogonal to each other. . The opening angle is 298. The Wollaston prism 290 is installed in such a direction that the direction of the opening angle 298 is the Y-axis direction.

  One light 300 emitted from the laser diode 55 becomes two lights 296 and 297 at intervals 302, and the size of the light irradiated in this direction is extended. Here, when the position of the Wollaston prism 290 in the Z-axis direction is changed, the distance 301 from the position where the light is split into two to the lens 34 is changed. Since the light has an opening angle 298, when the distance 301 changes, the distance 302 between the two lights in the lens 34 changes, and the Y-axis direction dimension 261 of the irradiated light changes.

  Next, a scanning method of the scanner device according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  The lens 34 is largely shifted in the negative X direction, and the laser beam 305 is irradiated. At this time, the dimension of the laser beam 305 in the X-axis direction is 0.3 degrees, and the dimension in the Y-axis direction is 2.5 degrees. By moving the lens 34 in the + side of the X axis without changing the position of the laser beam 305 in the axis Y direction, the laser beam is scanned to the position 306 as shown by the arrow 307 in the drawing. When the light reaches the position 306, the light is returned to the position 305 again.

  During the movement from the light 306 to 305, the laser diode 55 does not emit light and is not irradiated with light.

  In the first embodiment described above, one set of scanning twice in the X-axis direction with the position in the Y-axis direction being shifted is one set, but in this embodiment, it is not shifted in the Y-axis direction. In the first embodiment, light is irradiated to a width of 3 degrees corresponding to two lights in the Y-axis direction by scanning twice, but in this embodiment, by increasing the size of the light in the Y-axis direction. It is possible to irradiate light by a single scan in a range of 2.5 degrees that is almost the same.

  In the method described in the first embodiment described above, the range is a maximum of 3 degrees corresponding to two light beams. However, in practice, the light is partially overlapped in the Y-axis direction so that no gap is generated due to an error or the like. Is about 2.5 to 2.7 degrees. Of course, it is also possible to increase the amount of movement of the Wollaston prism 290 and to set the dimension in the Y-axis direction to 3 degrees in this embodiment.

  By the way, it is assumed that an obstacle is found near 283 as a result of scanning light. At this time, the light is moved to the position 279 as in the first embodiment. At this time, by simultaneously moving the holder 31 in the Z-axis direction, the dimension of the light in the X-axis direction is reduced from 0.3 degree to 0.1 degree, and the holder 291 is further moved in the Z-axis direction to thereby move the Wollaston prism. By moving 290, the Y-axis direction dimension of the light is also reduced from 2.5 degrees to 1.5 degrees. The reduced light 279 is scanned up to 280 as shown by the arrow 283 in the figure. Next, while the magnitude of the light remains small, the light 281 to 282 is scanned as shown by the arrow 284 in the figure. Repeat this several times as a set.

  Since the X-axis direction dimension and the Y-axis direction dimension of the light are reduced, the resolution is increased, so that the range of 285 can be scanned more precisely and the type of obstacle can be known with higher accuracy. The accuracy at this time is the same as in the first embodiment.

  In the present embodiment, by making the Y-axis direction dimension and the X-axis direction dimension of light independently changeable, a high-performance apparatus that can obtain a resolution as required can be obtained. In the case of the above-mentioned usage, since the dimension in the Y-axis direction of the light is increased, the normal scanning is repeated 10 times per second with 2 times as one set in the first embodiment. The movement of the lens 34 in the X-axis direction is 20 Hz. However, in the second embodiment, the movement of the lens 34 in the X-axis direction is 10 Hz because two times are sufficient.

  In this way, the lower frequency reduces the driving force required for movement, and the driving mechanism composed of a coil and a magnet for moving the lens holder unit set can be reduced. The operation when viewing the obstacle with high resolution is the same as in the first embodiment described above. However, since the narrow range 285 is scanned at this time, the amount of movement of the lens 34 in the X-axis direction is small. For this reason, even if the frequency is high, the required driving force is small, and it is not necessary to enlarge the driving mechanism.

  In this embodiment, the Wollaston prism is used to change the dimension of the light in the Y-axis direction, but other methods may be used. However, as in this embodiment, an optical element that divides light at an angle is easy to use, and the size can be changed by moving the optical element in the optical axis direction, thus simplifying the mechanism. Is preferable. Alternatively, a polarizer that separates light other than the Wollaston prism by polarization may be used. Further, a Wollaston prism that divides light into three instead of two may be used.

  Further, the light may be separated by using a prism instead of the polarizer. Polarizers are generally expensive, and the cost of the optical path polarizing prism can be reduced.

  Further, the light may be separated using a diffraction grating instead of the optical path polarizing prism. Compared to polarizers and optical path polarizing prisms, the diffraction grating is thin, and therefore has the advantage of being easily miniaturized. On the other hand, since the polarizer has a higher light utilization efficiency than the diffraction grating, high performance can be achieved.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

  For example, various drive mechanisms and support mechanisms to be moved are conceivable.

  In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the arrangement of the magnet and the coil is such that the azimuth coil and the elevation coil are sandwiched between the magnets, but the magnet is disposed only on one side and the yoke is configured only on the opposite side. good.

  Furthermore, although the lens holder portion group is supported by the wire spring, it may be configured to be supported by the shaft and the bearing instead of the wire spring.

  The mechanism for moving the laser diode and the Wollaston prism may also be a structure that is supported by a shaft and a bearing. The drive mechanism may be composed of a stepper motor, an ultrasonic motor using a piezoelectric element, or the like.

  The optical system is not limited to the present configuration, and can be applied to various optical systems. The laser light emitted from the lens is received by another lens different from the emitted lens. However, the laser light is received again by the same lens, and the received light is separated and detected by, for example, an optical path dividing element. The present invention can also be applied to an optical scanning device and a light receiving device that are both optical systems.

  Further, the above-described embodiments include inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriately combining a plurality of disclosed constituent elements. For example, even if some constituent requirements are deleted from all the constituent requirements shown in the embodiment, the problem described in the column of the problem to be solved by the invention can be solved, and the effect described in the column of the effect of the invention Can be extracted as an invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an optical scanning device for a vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicular optical scanning device according to a first embodiment of the vehicular optical scanning device of the present invention, viewed from the side opposite to FIG. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional perspective view of an optical system driving device cut along a YZ plane on the optical axis of a laser beam of a laser diode according to a first embodiment of a vehicle optical scanning device of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a vehicular optical scanning device according to a first embodiment of the vehicular optical scanning device of the present invention, cut along a YZ plane on the optical axis of light of a position detection light emitting diode. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a vehicular optical scanning apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, taken along a ZX plane on the optical axis of laser light from a laser diode. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of an entire vehicle optical scanning device according to a first embodiment of the vehicle optical scanning device of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a lens portion fixed to a yoke, showing a first embodiment of a vehicle optical scanning device of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a first embodiment of a vehicular optical scanning device of the present invention, with a yoke of a biaxial actuator constituting the vehicular optical scanning device removed. FIG. 9 shows the first embodiment of the vehicle optical scanning device of the present invention, and is an exploded perspective view of the biaxial actuator excluding the yoke removed in FIG. 8. FIG. 10 shows the first embodiment of the vehicle optical scanning device of the present invention, and is an exploded perspective view in which a lens holder part set is further removed from the biaxial actuator of FIG. 9. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a lens holder set according to a first embodiment of a vehicle optical scanning device of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a laser unit set constituting a vehicular optical scanning device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a laser unit set according to a first embodiment of a vehicle optical scanning device of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a laser unit set according to a first embodiment of a vehicle optical scanning device of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of a vehicle optical scanning device according to the present invention, and is an explanatory diagram of an example of use of the vehicle optical scanning device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of an optical scanning device for a vehicle according to the present invention and is a diagram for explaining an operation of a usage example. FIG. 16 shows a second embodiment of the optical scanning device for a vehicle according to the present invention, and is an explanatory view of an example of use of the optical scanning device for a vehicle corresponding to FIG. 15, wherein (a) is the Y axis similarly to FIG. 15. The conceptual diagram seen from the direction, (b) is the conceptual diagram which looked at only the scanning device for vehicles from the X-axis direction. FIG. 17 shows a second embodiment of the optical scanning device for a vehicle according to the present invention, and is an explanatory view of the operation of the usage example corresponding to FIG. 16.

Explanation of symbols

  25 ... Optical scanning device for vehicle, 30 ... Base, 31 ... Spring receiver, 32, 33, 206 ... Yoke, 34, 35, 36, 155, 156, 157, 158 ... Lens, 37, 51, 85, 135, 201 ... Holder, 41 ... Spring receiving part set, 50 ... Laser part set, 54, 56, 70 ... Substrate, 55 ... Laser diode, 60 ... Lens holder part set, 61 ... Lens holder, 76a, 76b, 217 ... Light emitting diode ( LED), 77 ... thermistor, 80 ... azimuth coil, 81a, 81b ... elevation coil, 92a, 92b, 93a-93d, 211a, 211b ... magnet, 108, 108a-108t ... wire spring, 125 ... biaxial actuator, 153a, 153b, 219 ... Position sensor, 202 ... Rising section, 233, 233a, 233b ... Plate Ne, 240a, 240b ... bent portion, 260 ... laser light, 290 ... Wollaston prism.

Claims (32)

A light emitting element that emits light; a first optical element that guides the light emitted from the light emitting element; and a scanning member that scans the emitted light while oscillating the emitted light in a predetermined first direction. In the vehicle optical scanning device,
The vehicular optical scanning device characterized in that the shape of the irradiated light can change the dimension in the first direction.   2. The shape of the irradiated light can be independently changed between a dimension in the first direction and a dimension in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. Optical scanning device for vehicles.   3. The vehicular optical scanning device according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting element is a laser diode, and a direction of a vertical divergence angle of the laser diode is the first direction. 4.   4. The vehicular optical scanning device according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting element is moved in an optical axis direction thereof to change the magnitude of the irradiated light. 5. A second optical element capable of changing the size of the irradiated light,
5. The vehicular optical scanning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second optical element is moved in an optical axis direction to change the magnitude of the irradiated light. 6. A third optical element for expanding and contracting the light emitted from the light emitting element in the second direction;
6. The vehicular light according to claim 5, wherein the size of the irradiated light is changed in the second direction by moving the third optical element in the optical axis direction. Scanning device.   The vehicular optical scanning device according to claim 6, wherein the third optical element is a polarizer.   8. The vehicle optical scanning device according to claim 7, wherein the polarizer is a Wollaston prism.   The vehicular optical scanning device according to claim 6, wherein the third optical element is a diffraction grating.   The scanning member can swing light emitted from the light emitting element in the first direction and the second direction, and scans for obtaining information using reflected light of the light from the light emitting element. The vehicle optical scanning device according to claim 5, wherein the scanning is performed by shaking in the first direction.   11. The vehicular optical scanning device according to claim 5, wherein the magnitude of the light is changed so as to cancel the change in the magnitude of the irradiated light due to a temperature change.   12. The vehicular optical scanning device according to claim 5, wherein the magnitude of the light is changed so as to cancel a change in magnitude depending on a position where the irradiated light is shaken.   13. The scanning member according to claim 1, wherein the scanning member includes a lens, and the light irradiated from the light emitting element is swung in the first direction by moving the lens. Optical scanning device for vehicles.   14. The lens according to claim 13, wherein the lens is made of a synthetic resin, and the magnitude of the light is changed so as to cancel a change in the magnitude of the irradiated light due to a temperature change of the lens made of the synthetic resin. An optical scanning device for a vehicle as described in 1.   The optical element has a lens made of a synthetic resin, and changes the magnitude of light emitted from the light emitting element so as to cancel the change in the magnitude of the irradiated light due to the temperature change of the lens made of synthetic resin. The optical scanning device for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 12.   16. The vehicular optical scanning device according to claim 1, wherein the first direction is a direction horizontal to the ground. A vehicle that includes at least a light emitting element that emits light and a first optical element that scans light emitted from the light emitting element in a predetermined first direction, and scans the light while oscillating the light in the first direction. In the optical scanning device for
The shape of the irradiated light is such that the dimension in the first direction is A, the dimension in the second direction orthogonal to the first direction is B, and each of the first direction and the second direction is An optical scanning device for a vehicle, which is changeable so as to satisfy Δa / A> 0.25 and Δb / B <0.2, where Δa and Δb are dimensional changes.   18. The vehicular optical scanning device according to claim 17, wherein the dimension B in the first direction is three times or more the dimension A in the first direction.   The vehicle light scanning device according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the light emitting element is a laser diode, and a direction of a vertical divergence angle of the laser diode is the first direction.   The vehicular optical scanning device according to any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein the light emitting element is moved in an optical axis direction thereof to change a size of the irradiated light. A second optical element capable of changing the size of the irradiated light,
21. The vehicular optical scanning device according to claim 17, wherein the second optical element is moved in an optical axis direction to change the magnitude of the irradiated light. . A third optical element for expanding and contracting the light emitted from the light emitting element in the second direction;
The vehicle light according to claim 21, wherein the size of the irradiated light is changed in the second direction by moving the third optical element in the optical axis direction. Scanning device.   The vehicle optical scanning device according to claim 22, wherein the third optical element is a polarizer.   24. The vehicle optical scanning device according to claim 23, wherein the polarizer is a Wollaston prism.   The vehicle optical scanning device according to claim 22, wherein the third optical element is a diffraction grating.   The scanning member can swing light emitted from the light emitting element in the first direction and the second direction, and scans for obtaining information using reflected light of the light from the light emitting element. 26. The vehicular optical scanning device according to claim 21, wherein the scanning is performed by shaking in the first direction.   27. The vehicular optical scanning device according to claim 21, wherein the magnitude of the light is changed so as to cancel the change in the magnitude of the irradiated light due to a temperature change.   28. The vehicular optical scanning device according to claim 21, wherein the magnitude of the light is changed so as to cancel a change in magnitude depending on a position where the irradiated light is shaken.   The scanning member according to any one of claims 17 to 28, wherein the scanning member includes a lens, and the light irradiated from the light emitting element is swung in the first direction by moving the lens. Optical scanning device for vehicles.   30. The lens according to claim 29, wherein the lens is made of a synthetic resin, and the magnitude of the light is changed so as to cancel the change in the magnitude of the irradiated light due to a temperature change of the lens made of the synthetic resin. An optical scanning device for a vehicle as described in 1.   The optical element has a lens made of a synthetic resin, and changes the magnitude of light emitted from the light emitting element so as to cancel the change in the magnitude of the irradiated light due to the temperature change of the lens made of synthetic resin. The optical scanning device for a vehicle according to any one of claims 17 to 28, wherein:   32. The vehicular optical scanning device according to claim 17, wherein the first direction is a direction horizontal to the ground.

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