WOBBLE ADJUSTMENT CAPABILITY FOR POLYGON MIRRORS
A motorized optical scanner device of a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) scanning system used in a motor vehicle is disclosed. The motorized optical scanner device comprises a glass-based optical reflector including a plurality of reflective surfaces and a flange. The rotatable optical reflector device further comprises an adjustment ring and a metal-based motor rotor body at least partially disposed in an inner opening of the glass-based optical reflector. The flange extends from an inner sidewall of the glass-based optical reflector towards the metal-based motor rotor body. The flange includes a first mounting surface that is in contact with the adjustment ring. The motorized optical scanner device further comprises a plurality of fastening mechanisms. The plurality of fastening mechanisms facilitates applying adjustment forces to the adjustment ring to reduce wobble associated with rotation of the glass-based optical reflector.
1 . A motorized optical scanner 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;
an adjustment ring;
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 toward the metal-based motor rotor body,
the flange includes a first mounting surface that is in contact with the adjustment ring; and
a plurality of fastening mechanisms configured to apply adjustment forces to the adjustment ring to reduce wobble associated with rotation of the glass-based optical reflector.
2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the glass-based optical reflector comprises a polygon-shaped bottom surface, the polygon-shaped bottom surface comprises four or more edges.
3 . 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.
4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein 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).
5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the flange is an integral part of the glass-based optical reflector.
6 . The device of claim 1 , where in the adjustment ring is configured to distribute the adjustment forces around the glass-based optical reflector.
7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein a quantity of the plurality of fastening mechanisms is the same as a quantity of the plurality of reflective surfaces of the glass-based optical reflector.
8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the plurality of fastening mechanisms are tightened such that the adjustment ring is supported by two of the plurality of fastening mechanisms and a portion of the glass-based optical reflector that is opposite to a mid-portion between the two fastening mechanisms.
9 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a motor shaft 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 9 , wherein the glass-based optical reflector and the metal-based motor rotor body are substantially concentric with respect to an axis along a longitudinal direction of the motor shaft.
11 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fastening mechanisms comprises a plurality of adjustment screws.
12 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the metal-based motor rotor body further comprises a plurality of threaded holes into which the plurality of fastening mechanisms is inserted.
13 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the metal-based motor rotor body further comprises a plurality of through holes into which adhesive materials are injected to secure the plurality of fastening mechanisms.
14 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
an elastomer piece; and
a clamping mechanism compressing the elastomer piece.
15 . 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.
16 . A Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) system comprising a motorized optical scanner device, the device comprising:
a glass-based optical reflector including a plurality of reflective surfaces and a flange;
an adjustment ring;
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 toward the metal-based motor rotor body,
the flange includes a first mounting surface that is in contact with the adjustment ring; and
a plurality of fastening mechanisms configured to apply adjustment forces to the adjustment ring to reduce wobble associated with rotation of the glass-based optical reflector.
17 . A motor vehicle comprising a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) system, the LiDAR system comprising a motorized optical scanner device, the device comprising:
a glass-based optical reflector including a plurality of reflective surfaces and a flange;
an adjustment ring;
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 toward the metal-based motor rotor body,
the flange includes a first mounting surface that is in contact with the adjustment ring; and
a plurality of fastening mechanisms configured to apply adjustment forces to the adjustment ring to reduce wobble associated with rotation of the glass-based optical reflector.
18 . A method for adjusting a motorized optical scanner device of a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) system for reducing wobble, comprising:
assembling a motorized optical scanner device, the device comprising:
a glass-based optical reflector including a plurality of reflective surfaces,
an adjustment ring, and
a metal-based motor rotor body at least partially disposed in an inner opening of the glass-based optical reflector;
measuring wobble of the motorized optical scanner device;
selecting at least two adjustment positions with respect to the adjustment ring based on the measured wobble; and
installing a plurality of fastening mechanisms to apply adjustment forces to the adjustment ring at the at least two selected adjustment positions.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein measuring the wobble of the motorized optical scanner device comprises identifying a low point of the glass-based optical reflector.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein selecting the at least two adjustment positions with respect to the adjustment ring based on the measured wobble comprises:
determining, based on the measured wobble, whether a position of the low point is between two adjacent reflective surfaces of the plurality of reflective surfaces; and
selecting two threaded holes of the plurality of threaded holes corresponding to the two adjacent reflective surfaces, in accordance with a determination that the low point is between the two adjacent reflective surfaces of plurality of reflective surfaces.
21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein selecting the at least two adjustment positions with respect to the adjustment ring based on the measured wobble comprises:
determining whether a position of the low point is within a threshold angle to a first threaded hole of a plurality of threaded holes; and
selecting two threaded holes of the plurality of threaded holes adjacent to the first threaded hole, in accordance with a determination that the low point is within a threshold angle to the first threaded hole.
22 . The method of claim 18 , wherein installing a plurality of fastening mechanisms to apply adjustment forces to the adjustment ring at the at least two adjustment positions comprises at least one of:
inserting the plurality of fastening mechanisms individually;
tuning the plurality of fastening mechanisms to apply predetermined adjustment forces; and
re-measuring wobble of the motorized optical scanner device before inserting additional fastening mechanisms.
23 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the motorized optical scanner device further comprises a plurality of through holes, the method further comprising:
injecting adhesive materials into a plurality of through holes to secure the adjustment ring.
24 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
injecting adhesive materials at the selected adjustment positions to secure the plurality of fastening mechanisms.