IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,313,778
Granted Patent B2
US 12,313,778 · App. 17/284,983 · Granted May 27, 2025

Vehicle window with integrated sensor module

Inventors: Sebastian Schmidt (Stuttgart, DE); Laurent Friocourt (Stuttgart, DE); Uwe Weissenberger (Würzburg, DE); Luc-Henry Blanche (Hagen, DE)
Assignee: FREEGLASS GmbH & Co. KG
G01S7/4813B60R11/00B61D49/00G01S17/931B60R2011/0026
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,313,778
App. No.
17/284,983
Granted
May 27, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle window with an integrated sensor module, includes a pane main body having a cutout, a sensor module designed as a prefabricated assembly with a module housing, which forms a hollow space, in which at least one sensor is accommodated, wherein the module housing forming the hollow space is inserted into the cutout and is fastened on the pane main body, wherein, together, an outer surface of the module housing and an outer surface of the pane main body form an outer surface of the vehicle window.

Claims (40)

1. A vehicle window with an integrated sensor module, which comprises:

a pane main body with a cutout,

a sensor module designed as a prefabricated assembly with a module housing, which forms a hollow space, in which at least one sensor is accommodated,

wherein the module housing forming the hollow space is inserted into the cutout and is fastened on the pane main body, wherein, together, an outer surface of the module housing and an outer surface of the pane main body form an outer surface of the vehicle window, and

wherein the module housing has a bulge shaped such that a housing section is situated in a field of view of the sensor, on which housing section a signal emitted by the sensor strikes with a deviation of a maximum of 10° from a perpendicular to the housing section.

2. The vehicle window according to claim 1 , wherein the cutout is formed at an edge of the pane main body.

3. The vehicle window according to claim 1 , wherein the cutout is formed in an inner region of the pane main body.

4. The vehicle window according to claim 1 , wherein the module housing has a cover and a base fastened to the cover, which, together, form the hollow space for the sensor.

5. A vehicle window with an integrated sensor module, which comprises:

a pane main body with a cutout,

a sensor module designed as a prefabricated assembly with a module housing, which forms a hollow space, in which at least one sensor is accommodated,

wherein the module housing forming the hollow space is inserted into the cutout and is fastened on the pane main body, wherein, together, an outer surface of the module housing and an outer surface of the pane main body form an outer surface of the vehicle window,

wherein the module housing has a cover and a base fastened to the cover, which, together, form the hollow space for the sensor, and

wherein the cover comprises an outer part and an inner part designed in the form of an inner lining of the outer part, wherein the outer part and the inner part are made of different materials, and wherein the inner part has an opening situated in the field of view of the sensor.

6. A vehicle window with an integrated sensor module, which comprises:

a pane main body with a cutout,

a sensor module designed as a prefabricated assembly with a module housing, which forms a hollow space, in which at least one sensor is accommodated,

wherein the module housing forming the hollow space is inserted into the cutout and is fastened on the pane main body, wherein, together, an outer surface of the module housing and an outer surface of the pane main body form an outer surface of the vehicle window,

wherein the module housing has a cover and a base fastened to the cover, which, together, form the hollow space for the sensor, and

wherein the cover is formed in one piece and has, in a field of view of the sensor, a thinner wall thickness than outside the field of view of the sensor.

7. The vehicle window according to claim 4 , wherein the cover is designed in the form of a roof rim.

8. A vehicle window with an integrated sensor module, which comprises:

a pane main body with a cutout,

a sensor module designed as a prefabricated assembly with a module housing, which forms a hollow space, in which at least one sensor is accommodated,

wherein the module housing forming the hollow space is inserted into the cutout and is fastened on the pane main body, wherein, together, an outer surface of the module housing and an outer surface of the pane main body form an outer surface of the vehicle window, and

wherein the pane main body comprises at least one outer pane and one inner pane that are joined to one another via at least one thermoplastic intermediate layer, wherein adjacent the cutout, the outer pane is set back relative to the inner pane, as a result of which a support surface is formed by the inner pane, wherein the module housing is fastened to the pane main body at the support surface.

9. The vehicle window according to claim 1 , wherein the pane main body consists of a single pane, wherein the module housing is fastened to an inner surface of the single pane adjacent the cutout.

10. The vehicle window according to claim 1 , wherein an intermediate space formed between the module housing and the pane main body is at least partially filled with a thermoplastic material.

11. A method for producing a vehicle window according to claim 1 , comprising:

providing a pane main body having a cutout,

inserting the sensor module into the cutout and fastening the sensor module on the pane main body.

12. A method comprising utilizing the vehicle window according to claim 1 as a vehicle window in means of transportation for travel on land, in the air, or on water.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the vehicle window is a window pane in a rail vehicle or a motor vehicle.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the vehicle window is a windshield, a rear window, a side window, or a roof panel of a passenger car.

15. The vehicle window according to claim 5 , wherein the cutout is formed at an edge of the pane main body.

16. The vehicle window according to claim 5 , wherein the cutout is formed in an inner region of the pane main body.

17. The vehicle window according to claim 6 , wherein the cutout is formed at an edge of the pane main body.

18. The vehicle window according to claim 6 , wherein the cutout is formed in an inner region of the pane main body.

19. The vehicle window according to claim 8 , wherein the cutout is formed at an edge of the pane main body.

20. The vehicle window according to claim 8 , wherein the cutout is formed in an inner region of the pane main body.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 27, 2025
From: SAINT GOBAIN GLASS FRANCE
To: FREEGLASS GMBH & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 070353/0945 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 13, 2021
From: SCHMIDT, SEBASTIAN; FRIOCOURT, LAURENT; WEISSENBERGER, UWE; BLANCHE, LUC-HENRY
To: SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS FRANCE
Reel/Frame 055905/0240 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 19151818 · Jan 15, 2019 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210293933A1 · Sep 23, 2021
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Cited By (1)
US 12,629,993