A sensor of intensity and a direction of a light source

The present invention relates to light source intensity and direction sensors, namely those where the source coordinates relative to the sensor need to be evaluated and the light intensity. Can be used in multichannel light intensity converters to electrical signals, especially in automated control systems of automotive air conditioning systems.

A known solar radiation intensity sensor for a car air conditioning system (JP, No. 6160181, TPK G OIJ 1/02, B 60H 1/00) consists of a photodetector, a lens that covers the photosensitive side of the photodetector, an electrical signal output and a housing.

The disadvantage of this unit is that it cannot determine the direction of the light source relative to the transducer.

The closest to patentable is a car air conditioning sensor (US, no. 5117744, TPK G OIJ 1/20), consisting of a measuring head with solar cells arranged one on top of the upper and lateral surfaces of the measuring head housing, a control unit for the air conditioning system above the measuring head, which transmits thermal rays and covers all solar cells control, depending on the measured solar intensity of the solar cells, and means for connecting the solar cells to the control unit and the fasteners, locking the sensor in a predetermined position relative to the vehicle so that the solar cells can determine the vertical and azimuth angles of the sun.

The sensor constructively consists of two parts perpendicular to each other. The top, vertical, has a measuring head with solar cells under a hood made of colored plastic, which protrudes from the dashboard of the vehicle and means for connecting the solar cells to a second, horizontal portion of the control unit with outputs connected to the central air conditioning system controller.

In one embodiment of the patent, the body of the measuring head is cube-shaped with one solar cell attached to its upper and lateral surfaces, the anodes and cathodes of which are wired to the inputs of the control unit.

The sensor mountings consist of a coupling means in the sensor and a receiving means in the vehicle dashboard, and a spring that locks the sensor in a predetermined position.

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Light source position and intensity sensor according to US Pat. 5117744 is for controlling the air conditioning system in a car and is installed in the upper horizontal part of the car's front panel near the windscreen.

This sensor also has its drawbacks. Because solar cells are isolated from each other, each of them may have different temperatures and associated measurement errors. In addition, the sensor has a complicated construction, many connecting wires.

The object of the invention is to increase the accuracy of the sensor and to simplify its construction.

This problem is solved by a light source intensity and direction sensor consisting of a probe with at least two solar cells attached to the probe body in a defined manner, a hood, a thermal conductor that covers the probe, a control unit, means connecting the control unit to solar cells, and fasteners to lock the sensor in that position, so that the solar cells can determine the vertical and azimuth angles of the light source with respect to it by the fact that the probe housing, to which the solar anodes are attached, is electrically and heat conductive and that one control unit input is directly connected to the probe housing the solar cells of the head housing are anodized on their entire surface by electrically and thermally conductive material, that the lower surface of the probe housing has a longitudinal groove for direct connection of a single inlet of the control unit to the probe housing.

The benefits of a patented light source intensity and orientation transducer include the fact that attaching the solar cells to the conductive electrode and heat probe body anodes the entire surface of the solar cells, which eliminates the measurement error due to possible differences in individual solar cell temperatures. In addition, the measuring head housing performs a common electrical contact function for all solar cells, which reduces the amount of connecting wires.

Simplification of the sensor design is achieved by directly connecting the probe housing to one of the control unit inputs by rotating the control unit vertically and under the hood, while shortening the wires connecting the solar cell cathodes to the other control unit inputs. Reducing the number and length of connecting wires reduces the negative influence of external electromagnetic fields on the sensor accuracy.

FIG. 1 - design of the light source intensity and direction sensor;

FIG. 2 is a transducer shown in FIG. 1, assembly drawing;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the sensor probe and control unit;

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FIG. 4 - Side view of sensor probe and control unit.

Light source intensity and direction sensor (fig. 1) consists of a hood 1 with protrusions 2 in the form of protrusions on its sides, a spring 3, a measuring head 4 under the hood with solar cells 5 attached to its housing, a control unit 6 directly connected to the housing of the measuring head 4. a groove 7, and wires 8 connecting the cathodes of the solar cells 5 to the other inputs of the control unit 6, wherein said control unit 6 has outputs 9, connecting the sensor to the central air conditioning system controller. Cover 10 seals the sensor from below.

The light source intensity and orientation transducer is installed at the workstation by inserting it into a holder (not shown) and interacting with transducer mountings 2. Spring 3 locks the transducer in a position that allows the solar cells to determine the vertical and azimuth angles of the light source.

Hood 1, e.g. made of colored acrylic, covers the measuring head 4 with solar cells 5 and transmits thermal rays thereon. In this particular case, the housing of the measuring head 4 is a cube made of a conductive and heat conductive material, e.g. tin-iron, with one solar cell 5 attached to its upper and lateral surfaces by an electrically conductive and heat-conducting material (eg solder paste). The solar cells 5 are attached by anodes to the body of the probe 4 on their entire surface, and the cathodes are connected to the inputs of the control unit 6.

The lower surface of the housing of the measuring head 4 (Fig. 1) has a longitudinal groove 7 into which the metallized edge of the plate of the control unit 6 is inserted and soldered. In this way, one inlet of the control unit 6 is directly connected to the housing of the probe.

The light source intensity and direction sensor works this way. Through the enclosure 1, the thermal radiation of light enters the solar cells 5 disposed on the upper and lateral surfaces of the housing 4 of the probe head. Their measured data is transmitted to the control board 6, where the output signals of the solar cells 5 are processed and fed to the system control devices via the output 9 in the form of electrical signals, e.g. to the central air conditioning system controller.

Multichannel light source intensity and direction sensors have the greatest effect by eliminating errors due to the scattering of many solar cell temperatures.