Attaching a glass mirror to a rotating metal motor frame

1. A rotatable optical reflector device of a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) scanning system used in a motor vehicle, comprising:

a glass-based optical reflector including a plurality of reflective surfaces and a flange;

a metal-based motor rotor body at least partially disposed in an inner opening of the glass-based optical reflector, wherein:

the flange extends from an inner sidewall of the glass-based optical reflector towards the metal-based motor rotor body, wherein the flange is not in contact with a motor shaft,

the flange includes a first mounting surface that is in contact with a reference surface of the metal-based motor rotor body, wherein an axis along a longitudinal direction of the motor shaft is substantially perpendicular to the reference surface of the metal-based motor rotor body;

an elastomer piece having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of the elastomer piece being in contact with a second mounting surface of the flange, wherein the elastomer piece is not in contact with the motor shaft, and the elastomer piece is on top of the flange; and

a clamping mechanism compressing the elastomer piece at the second surface of the elastomer piece, wherein movement of the metal-based motor rotor body causes the glass-based optical reflector to optically scan light in a field-of-view of the LiDAR scanning system.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the glass-based optical reflector comprises a polygon-shaped bottom surface, the polygon-shaped bottom surface including an opening.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the polygon-shaped bottom surface comprises five or more edges.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of reflective surfaces comprises a plurality of mirrors disposed at, or formed as an integral part of, outer sider surfaces of the glass-based optical reflector.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the movement of the metal-based motor rotor body causes the glass-based optical reflector to rotate at a speed in a range of about 2000-9000 revolutions per minute (rpm).

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the flange is an integral part of the glass-based optical reflector.

7. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a gap disposed between an inner diameter of the flange and the metal-based motor rotor body, wherein the gap has a pre-configured dimension to at least partially accommodate a mismatch of coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) between the glass-based optical reflector and the metal-based motor rotor body.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the gap is in the range of about 25-45 μm.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein:

the motor shaft is disposed in one or more bearings, wherein the one or more bearings are disposed in the metal-based motor rotor body.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the glass-based optical reflector and the metal-based motor rotor body are substantially concentric with respect to the axis along the longitudinal direction of the motor shaft.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the metal-based motor rotor body comprises at least one of aluminum, iron, copper, steel, or a metal alloy.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the elastomer piece comprises an elastomer ring disposed between the clamping mechanism and the flange.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the elastomer piece has a hardness in the range of about 40 A-75 A durometer; and wherein the elastomer piece has an inner diameter of about 32 mm, an outer diameter of about 44 mm, and a thickness of about 1.3-3 mm.

14. The device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of a type or dimensions of the elastomer piece is selected to reduce the likelihood of glass fracturing caused by a mismatch of coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) between the glass-based optical reflector and the metal-based motor rotor body.

15. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first surface of the elastomer piece comprises a substantially flat surface.

16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second surface of the elastomer piece comprises a rugged surface.

17. The device of claim 1 , wherein the elastomer piece comprises at least one of a polymer-based piece or a rubber-based piece.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the elastomer piece comprises an ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) based rubber.

19. The device of claim 1 , wherein the clamping mechanism comprises a plurality of screws and a plurality of lock washers.

20. The device of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable optical reflector device is operable in a temperature range of about −40° C. to 85° C.

21. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a fairing disposed around the glass-based optical reflector, wherein the fairing comprises an opening and at least a portion of a cylinder or a cone; and wherein an axial direction of the fairing is substantially parallel to an axial direction of the glass-based optical reflector.

22. The device of claim 21 , wherein the fairing is concentric with the glass-based optical reflector.

23. The device of claim 21 , wherein the fairing is eccentric with the glass-based optical reflector.

24. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:

an index encoder attached to the clamping mechanism; and

at least one of a Hall-effect sensor and motor windings.

25. A Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) system comprising a rotatable optical reflector device, the device comprising:

a glass-based optical reflector including a plurality of reflective surfaces and a flange;

a metal-based motor rotor body at least partially disposed in an inner opening of the glass-based optical reflector, wherein:

the flange extends from an inner sidewall of the glass-based optical reflector towards the metal-based motor rotor body, wherein the flange is not in contact with a motor shaft,

the flange includes a first mounting surface that is in contact with a reference surface of the metal-based motor rotor body, wherein an axis along a longitudinal direction of the motor shaft is substantially perpendicular to the reference surface of the metal-based motor rotor body;

an elastomer piece having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of the elastomer piece being in contact with a second mounting surface of the flange, wherein the elastomer piece is not in contact with the motor shaft, and the elastomer piece is on top of the flange; and

a clamping mechanism compressing the elastomer piece at the second surface of the elastomer piece, wherein movement of the metal-based motor rotor body causes the glass-based optical reflector to optically scan light in a field-of-view of the LiDAR scanning system.

26. A motor vehicle comprising a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) system, the LiDAR system comprising a rotatable optical reflector device, the device comprising:

a glass-based optical reflector including a plurality of reflective surfaces and a flange;

a metal-based motor rotor body at least partially disposed in an inner opening of the glass-based optical reflector, wherein:

the flange extends from an inner sidewall of the glass-based optical reflector towards the metal-based motor rotor body, wherein the flange is not in contact with a motor shaft,

the flange includes a first mounting surface that is in contact with a reference surface of the metal-based motor rotor body, wherein an axis along a longitudinal direction of the motor shaft is substantially perpendicular to the reference surface of the metal-based motor rotor body;

an elastomer piece having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of the elastomer piece being in contact with a second mounting surface of the flange, wherein the elastomer piece is not in contact with the motor shaft, and the elastomer piece is on top of the flange; and

a clamping mechanism compressing the elastomer piece at the second surface of the elastomer piece, wherein movement of the metal-based motor rotor body causes the glass-based optical reflector to optically scan light in a field-of-view of the LiDAR scanning system.