Optical sensor

US6668104B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Robert Bosch GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Roland Mueller-Fiedler · Leonberg, DE
• Helmut Sautter · Ditzingen, DE
• Winfried Bernhard · Gerlingen, DE
• Andre Mueller · Hilzingen, DE
• Lutz Mueller · Altadena, US
• Rainer Schink · Leonberg, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 24, 2000
• Grant date: Dec 23, 2003
• Expiry date: Jul 24, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B60S1/0888
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An optical sensor for detecting wetting of a surface (11), In particular of a vehicle window, has at least one transmitter (13) and at least one receiver (15) for electromagnetic waves, the surface being located in a sensor region (16) between the at least one transmitter (13) and the at least one receiver (15). The development of wetting on the sensor region (16) of the surface (11) causes a signal change. The optical sensor has a light-carrying element (18), in which the electromagnetic waves are guided bidirectionally into the sensor region (16) and out of the sensor region (16), and a retroreflector (10) is disposed in the sensor region (16) in such a way that it returns the electromagnetic waves, reflected before the surface (11), back to the surface (11) and from there to the light-carrying element (18).