JP7702904B2 - Moving object detection device - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a moving object detection device.

Automatic toll payment systems equipped with toll gates that automatically collect tolls using wireless communication are used on expressways, toll roads, parking lots, etc. Such automatic toll payment systems are equipped with a moving object detection device that detects the entrance of a vehicle to the toll gate. Some moving object detection devices of this type have a light emitting unit that irradiates sensor light and a light receiving unit that receives the sensor light, arranged opposite each other across the vehicle path.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a moving object detection device having a transparent portion through which sensor light can pass and a cover provided on the outside of the transparent portion. In such a configuration, if ice and snow adhere to the transparent portion or cover during snowfall, the sensor light may be blocked by the adhered ice and snow. For this reason, the moving object detection device of this configuration has a heater main body having a heating element, and a conductive member sandwiched between the heater main body and the cover to conduct heat from the heater main body to the cover. With this configuration, the heat generated by the heater main body is conducted to the transparent portion and the cover, melting ice and snow that has adhered due to snowfall, thereby suppressing the adhesion of ice and snow.

JP 2014-135182 A

However, in the configuration described in Patent Document 1, the heater body is disposed between the transparent portion through which the sensor light can pass and a cover provided on the outside of the transparent portion. In other words, the heater body is disposed on the outside of the transparent portion. Specifically, a rubber heater is used as the heater body. A rubber heater includes a heating wire and a sheet-like rubber portion made of silicone rubber or the like that covers the heating wire. When such a rubber heater is used for a long period of time, the rubber portion may deteriorate due to the effects of snow-melting agents that are spread when it snows, which may lead to a decrease in the insulating performance of the rubber portion.

The present disclosure has been made to solve the above problems, and aims to provide a moving object detection device with an efficient heater that is less likely to deteriorate.

In order to solve the above problem, the moving body detection device according to the present disclosure includes a storage section that stores a light emitting section that emits sensor light or a light receiving section that receives the sensor light and has an opening end that opens toward a first side in the optical axis direction of the sensor light, a cover that is disposed on the first side in the optical axis direction relative to the storage section and has an opening through which the sensor light can pass, a transparent member that is disposed between the cover and the storage section and transmits the sensor light, and a heater unit that is disposed on a second side of the transparent member that is opposite to the first side in the optical axis direction, relative to the transparent member, and heats the transparent member.

The moving object detection device disclosed herein can provide a moving object detection device with an efficient heater that is less susceptible to deterioration.

1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of an appearance of a moving object detection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 1 is a perspective development view showing main components constituting a moving object detection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 1 is a plan cross-sectional view of a moving object detection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

(Configuration of moving object detection device)
Hereinafter, a moving object detection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG.
A vehicle detection unit 1 as a moving object detection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure shown in FIG. 1 detects the passage of a vehicle (moving object) such as an automobile.
The vehicle detection unit 1 constitutes, for example, a part of an automatic toll payment system (not shown) that automatically pays tolls at toll gates on toll roads, parking lots, etc., using wireless communication. The automatic toll payment system needs to detect the entry of a vehicle into the toll gate in order to time communication between a roadside antenna installed on the roadside and a vehicle-side antenna of an on-board device mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile. The vehicle detection unit 1 detects the entry of a vehicle into the toll gate.

The vehicle detection unit 1 includes a first unit 2 and a second unit 3 .
The first unit 2 and the second unit 3 are arranged on either side of a vehicle path S.

One of the first unit 2 and the second unit 3 includes a light-emitting portion 4 .
The other of the first unit 2 and the second unit 3 includes a light receiving unit 5 .
In this embodiment, the first unit 2 includes a light-emitting unit 4 , and the second unit 3 includes a light-receiving unit 5 .

The light-emitting unit 4 outputs sensor light B, such as infrared light, toward the light-receiving unit 5. Meanwhile, the light-receiving unit 5 detects whether or not it is receiving the sensor light B output from the light-emitting unit 4. For example, if the sensor light B is blocked by a vehicle traveling on the roadway S and the light-receiving unit 5 does not detect the reception of the sensor light B for a preset period of time or longer, the vehicle detection unit 1 detects the passage of a vehicle and outputs the detection information to the control unit of the electronic toll payment system, etc. When the detection information of the vehicle passage is input, the control unit of the electronic toll payment system starts communication between the roadside antenna arranged on the roadway S side and the vehicle-side antenna of the vehicle-mounted unit, etc.

In the following description, the direction of irradiation of the sensor light B between the light-emitting unit 4 and the light-receiving unit 5 is referred to as the optical axis direction Db. The optical axis direction Db is along the path width direction Da of the passage S, where the first unit 2 and the second unit 3, which are arranged on either side of the passage S, face each other. The direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction Db in the horizontal plane is referred to as the width direction Dw. The direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction Db and the width direction Dw is referred to as the up-down direction Dv.

The first unit 2 includes a support housing 10 and a unit body 20A including a light emitting section 4 .
The second unit 3 includes a support housing 10 and a unit body 20B including a light receiving section 5 .
The unit body 20A and the unit body 20B differ only in configuration in that the unit body 20A includes a light-emitting unit 4, whereas the unit body 20B includes a light-receiving unit 5. Therefore, in the following description of the unit bodies 20A and 20B, except in cases where it is necessary to distinguish between the light-emitting unit 4 and the light-receiving unit 5, the unit bodies 20A and 20B will be simply referred to as the unit body 20, and the description will be common to both.

The support housing 10 is erected on the ground via anchor bolts or the like.
The unit body 20 is supported by the supporting housing 10 by being joined to the supporting housing 10 via bolts or the like.
The unit body 20 extends in the up-down direction Dv and is formed, for example, to be longer than the height of a typical vehicle (for example, a passenger car).
A box 13 for accommodating a power supply circuit, an interface circuit, etc. is integrally attached to the support housing 10 on the second unit 3 side.

2 and 3, the unit body 20 mainly includes a chassis 21, a heater unit 23, a second heat transfer body 26, a transparent member 27, and a cover 29. The cover 29, the transparent member 27, the second heat transfer body 26, the heater unit 23, and the chassis 21 are sequentially arranged in this order from a first side Db1 to a second side Db2 in the optical axis direction Db.
The first unit 2 and the second unit 3 are disposed opposite to each other. Therefore, the first side Db1 and the second side Db2 in the optical axis direction Db of the unit body 20A of the first unit 2 and the first side Db1 and the second side Db2 in the optical axis direction Db of the unit body 20B of the second unit 3 face in opposite directions to each other.
In each unit body 20, the cover 29 on the first side Db1 in the optical axis direction Db is disposed on the passageway S side, and the chassis 21 on the second side Db2 in the optical axis direction Db is disposed on the side away from the passageway S.

As shown in FIG. 3, the chassis 21 integrally includes a back plate 21a, a pair of side plates 21b, a pair of end plates 21c, and a pair of outer plates 21d.
The chassis 21 is formed by bending a metal plate made of, for example, stainless steel into a predetermined shape.
The chassis 21 is formed to be elongated and extend in the up-down direction Dv.

The chassis 21 has the following cross-sectional shape when viewed in the up-down direction Dv.
The back plate 21a is disposed on the chassis 21 at the most second side Db2 in the optical axis direction Db.
The back plate 21a extends along a plane perpendicular to the optical axis direction Db when viewed in the up-down direction Dv.
The pair of side plates 21b each extend from an outer end of the back plate 21a in the width direction Dw toward a first side Db1 in the optical axis direction Db.
The pair of end plates 21c each extend outward in the width direction Dw from a front edge of a first side Db1 in the optical axis direction Db of the pair of side plates 21b.
The pair of outer plates 21d extend from the outer ends of the pair of end plates 21c in the width direction Dw toward a second side Db2 in the optical axis direction Db.

The chassis 21 includes a housing portion 21s that is surrounded by a back plate 21a and a pair of side plates 21b and has a U-shaped cross section when viewed in the up-down direction Dv.
The housing portion 21s has an opening end 21e that opens toward a first side Db1 in the optical axis direction Db.
The pair of end plates 21c form part of the peripheral edge of the open end 21e.

The housing portion 21s of the unit body 20A houses a board 22 and a light emitting portion 4.
The housing portion 21s of the unit body 20B houses a substrate 22 and a light receiving portion 5.
When viewed in the vertical direction Dv, the substrate 22 extends in the vertical direction Dv along a plane perpendicular to the optical axis direction Db.
The light-emitting units 4 are arranged on the substrate 22 at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction Dv.
The light emitting unit 4 includes a light emitting element, such as an infrared LED (Light Emitting Diode), that emits, for example, infrared light as the sensor light B.
The light receiving sections 5 are arranged on the substrate 22 at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction Dv.
The light receiving section 5 includes a light receiving element that receives the sensor light B.
In this embodiment, the light-emitting unit 4 and the light-receiving unit 5 are arranged so that the installation interval in the vertical direction Dv at the lower part of the unit body 20 is smaller than the installation interval in the vertical direction Dv at the upper part of the unit body 20.

The heater unit 23 is disposed on a first side Db1 of the chassis 21 in the optical axis direction Db.
The heater unit 23 is disposed on the second side Db2 in the optical axis direction Db with respect to the transmitting member 27.
The heater unit 23 heats the transmitting member 27 and the cover 29 .
The heater unit 23 includes a first heat transfer body 25 and a heater 24 .

The first heat transfer body 25 is formed in a plate shape along a plane perpendicular to the optical axis direction Db when viewed in the up-down direction Dv.
The first heat transfer body 25 is formed to be elongated and extend in the vertical direction Dv.
The first heat transfer body 25 is disposed so as to straddle both sides of the opening end 21e of the accommodation portion 21s in the width direction Dw when viewed in the up-down direction Dv.
Both ends of the first heat transfer body 25 in the width direction Dw face a pair of end plates 21c of the chassis 21 in the optical axis direction Db when viewed in the up-down direction Dv.
The first heat transfer body 25 is heated by the heater 24 .
The first heat transfer body 25 is formed of a material, such as an aluminum alloy, that has a higher thermal conductivity than the transparent member 27, which will be described later.
The first heat transfer body 25 has a constant thickness in the optical axis direction Db so as to have a constant or greater heat capacity.

The first heat transfer body 25 has a plurality of through holes 25h, a pair of upper and lower extending portions 25s, and a plurality of connecting portions 25m.
As shown in FIG. 2, the plurality of through holes 25h are formed in the first heat transfer body 25 at intervals in the up-down direction Dv.
Each through hole 25h penetrates the plate-shaped first heat transfer body 25 in the optical axis direction Db, which is the plate thickness direction.
Each through hole 25h is formed, for example, in a rectangular shape when viewed from the optical axis direction Db. Each through hole 25h may be formed, for example, in a circular shape or an elliptical shape when viewed from the optical axis direction Db.

As shown in FIG. 3, each through hole 25h is formed inside the opening end 21e of the storage portion 21s so as to communicate with the inside of the storage portion 21s.
Each through hole 25h is disposed at a position facing the light-emitting portion 4 or the light-receiving portion 5 in the optical axis direction Db.
Each through hole 25h is formed to allow the sensor light B emitted from the light-emitting unit 4 or the sensor light B received by the light-receiving unit 5 to pass therethrough.
Each through hole 25h corresponds to the installation spacing in the vertical direction Dv of the light-emitting unit 4 and the light-receiving unit 5, and is arranged so that the installation spacing in the vertical direction Dv at the lower part of the unit main body 20 is smaller than the installation spacing in the vertical direction Dv at the upper part of the unit main body 20.

The pair of vertical extension portions 25s are formed on both sides of the multiple through holes 25h in the width direction Dw.
Each vertical extension portion 25s extends in the vertical direction Dv.
Each of the vertical extensions 25s faces a pair of end plates 21c of the chassis 21 in the optical axis direction Db.

The connecting portions 25m are formed above and below each of the through holes 25h.
The connecting portion 25m is formed between the through holes 25h adjacent to each other in the up-down direction Dv.
The connecting portion 25m extends in the width direction Dw and connects the upper and lower extending portions 25s on both sides in the width direction Dw to each other.
The connecting portion 25m is integrally formed with the pair of upper and lower extending portions 25s.
The first heat transfer body 25 is configured by forming a plurality of through holes 25h in a rectangular metal plate whose longer sides extend in the up-down direction Dv when viewed from the optical axis direction Db.

A packing 31 p is sandwiched between the chassis 21 and the first heat transfer body 25 as a first water blocking member 31 .
The packings 31p are sandwiched between the upper and lower extending portions 25s and the end plates 21c on both sides of the opening end 21e in the width direction Dw.
The packings 31p extend in the up-down direction Dv on both sides of the opening end 21e in the width direction Dw.
The packing 31p is disposed over substantially the entire length of the vertical extension portion 25s and the end plate 21c in the vertical direction Dv.
The packings 31p on both sides in the width direction Dw are connected to each other at their lower ends.
The packing 31p is made of a rubber material such as chloroprene rubber.
The first waterproofing member 31 is not limited to the packing 31p, and a sealant material or the like may also be used.
By sandwiching a gasket 31p between a pair of upper and lower extension portions 25s of the first heat transfer body 25 and a pair of end plates 21c of the chassis 21, the intrusion of rainwater and the like from the outside into the accommodating portion 21s on the second side Db2 in the optical axis direction Db relative to the first heat transfer body 25 is suppressed.

The heater 24 generates heat by power supplied from an external source.
The heater 24 is disposed on the second side Db2 in the optical axis direction Db with respect to the transmitting member 27 and the first heat transfer body 25.
The heater 24 is disposed along a surface 25f of the first heat transfer body 25 facing the second side Db2 in the optical axis direction Db.
The heaters 24 extend along the vertical extension portions 25s on both sides of each through hole 25h of the first heat transfer body 25 in the width direction Dw.
The heaters 24 on both sides in the width direction Dw are connected to each other at their lower ends.
As the heater 24, for example, an electric heating wire 24w such as a cord heater is used.
The heating wire 24w is disposed between the pair of side plates 21b in the width direction Dw.
The heating wire 24w is housed inside the housing portion 21s.
The heating wire 24w sandwiches a pair of upper and lower extending portions 25s of the first heat transfer body 25 and faces the transmitting member 27 in the optical axis direction Db.
The heating wire 24 w generates heat when power is supplied from the outside, and heats the first heat transfer body 25 .

The transparent member 27 is disposed on a first side Db1 in the optical axis direction Db with respect to the heater unit 23.
The transparent member 27 is disposed on the second side Db2 in the optical axis direction Db with respect to the cover 29.
The transparent member 27 is disposed between the cover 29 and the housing portion 21s in the optical axis direction Db.
The transparent member 27 extends along a plane perpendicular to the optical axis direction Db when viewed in the up-down direction Dv.
The transparent member 27 extends in the up-down direction Dv.
The transparent member 27 is disposed so as to cover the multiple through holes 25h formed in the first heat transfer body 25 from the first side Db1 in the optical axis direction Db.
The transparent member 27 is made of a material that transmits the sensor light B passing through each through hole 25h.
The transparent member 27 is made of, for example, glass. The transparent member 27 may be made of, for example, a resin-based material such as polycarbonate.

The transparent member 27 is formed so as to extend on both sides of the through hole 25h in the width direction Dw when viewed in the up-down direction Dv.
Both end portions 27a of the transparent member 27 in the width direction Dw face the pair of upper and lower extending portions 25s of the first heat transfer body 25 from a first side Db1 in the optical axis direction Db. In other words, the first heat transfer body 25 is disposed along the transparent member 27 from a second side Db2 in the optical axis direction Db.

Both end portions 27a of the transmissive member 27 in the width direction Dw and the pair of upper and lower extending portions 25s are respectively attached by double-sided tape 32p as second waterproofing members 32.
As a result, the second water-stopping member 32 is sandwiched between the permeable member 27 and the first heat transfer body 25 .
The double-sided tape 32p is a so-called waterproof tape that uses a resin material such as an acrylic foam base material. The double-sided tape 32p as the second water-stopping member 32 maintains a certain degree of water-stopping ability between both ends 27a of the transparent member 27 in the width direction Dw and the pair of upper and lower extension parts 25s.
As the second waterproofing member 32, for example, a sponge, a packing, a sealant material, or the like can be used in addition to the double-sided tape 32p.

The cover 29 is disposed on a first side Db1 in the optical axis direction Db with respect to the housing portion 21s, the heater unit 23, and the transmitting member 27.
The cover 29 has a front plate portion 29a and a pair of side plate portions 29b.
The front plate portion 29a extends along a plane perpendicular to the optical axis direction Db when viewed in the up-down direction Dv.
The front plate portion 29a extends in the up-down direction Dv.
The front plate portion 29a extends on both sides in the width direction Dw beyond the transmissive member 27.
The pair of side plate portions 29b extend from both ends of the front plate portion 29a in the width direction Dw toward a second side Db2 in the optical axis direction Db.
The pair of side plate portions 29b are disposed along the outer sides of the pair of outer plates 21d of the chassis 21 in the width direction Dw.

An opening 29h is formed in the center of the front plate portion 29a in the width direction Dw.
The opening 29h penetrates the front plate portion 29a in the optical axis direction Db.
The opening 29h extends in the vertical direction.
A transparent member 27 is disposed on the second side in the optical axis direction Db with respect to the opening 29h.
When viewed from the optical axis direction Db, the transmissive member 27 is exposed on the inside of the opening 29h.
The opening 29h is formed to allow the sensor light B that transmits through the transmitting member 27 to pass therethrough.

A third water-stopping member 33 is sandwiched between both end portions 27a of the transparent member 27 in the width direction Dw and both side portions of the opening 29h in the width direction Dw of the front plate portion 29a of the cover 29.
A sponge 33s made of a rubber-based material such as chloroprene rubber is used as the third water-stopping member 33. The sponge 33s is sandwiched in a compressed state in the optical axis direction Db between both end portions 27a of the transparent member 27 in the width direction Dw and both side portions of the opening 29h of the cover 29 in the width direction Dw.
As the third waterproofing member 33, in addition to the sponge 33s, for example, a double-sided tape using a resin-based material, a packing, a sealant material, or the like can be used.
This third water-stopping member 33 maintains a certain degree of water-stopping ability between both end portions 27a of the transparent member 27 in the width direction Dw and both side portions of the opening 29h in the width direction Dw of the front plate portion 29a of the cover 29.

The second heat transfer body 26 is sandwiched between the first heat transfer body 25 and the cover 29 .
The second heat transfer bodies 26 are disposed on both sides of the transmitting member 27 in the width direction Dw.
The second heat transfer bodies 26 on both sides in the width direction Dw are connected to each other at their lower ends.
The second heat transfer body 26 is sandwiched between the vertical extension portion 25s of the first heat transfer body 25 and the front plate portion 29a of the cover 29 in the optical axis direction Db.
An inner end 25a of the second heat transfer body 26 on the inner side in the width direction Dw is in contact with or close to the transmitting member 27 in the width direction Dw.
The thickness of the second heat transfer body 26 in the optical axis direction Db is set to be equal to the thickness of the transmitting member 27 in the optical axis direction Db.
The second heat transfer body 26 is formed from a material, such as an aluminum alloy, that has a higher thermal conductivity than the transparent member 27, which will be described later.
The second heat transfer body 26 may be formed integrally with the first heat transfer body 25 .

The cover 29, the second heat transfer body 26, the first heat transfer body 25, the first water-stopping member 31, and the pair of end plates 21c of the chassis 21 are fastened by screws (not shown) on both sides of the opening 29h, the transparent member 27, and the through hole 25h in the width direction Dw.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a cover 28 is provided on the top of the unit body 20 .
The lid 28 covers the chassis 21 of the unit body 20, the heater unit 23, the second heat transfer body 26, the transparent member 27, the cover 29, etc. from above.

In such a vehicle detection unit 1, sensor light B is emitted from each of the multiple light-emitting elements 4 of the first unit 2. The sensor light B passes through the through-hole 25h, the transparent member 27, and the opening 29h of the first unit 2, and is irradiated toward the second unit 3. The sensor light B irradiated from the first unit 2 is received by the light-receiving element 5 through the opening 29h, the transparent member 27, and the through-hole 25h of the second unit 3. The vehicle detection unit 1 detects the passage of a vehicle or the like when at least a portion of the sensor light B emitted from the multiple light-emitting elements 4 is blocked by a vehicle passing through the roadway S.

When the heater 24 of the heater unit 23 of the first unit 2 and second unit 3 of the vehicle detection unit 1 generates heat, the heat is transferred to the transparent member 27 via the first heat transfer body 25. The heat of the heater 24 is also transferred to the transparent member 27 and cover 29 via the first heat transfer body 25 and second heat transfer body 26. The heat of the heater 24 is also transferred from the inner end 25a of the second heat transfer body 26 to the transparent member 27. This heats the transparent member 27 and cover 29, preventing ice and snow from adhering during snowfall, etc.

(Action and Effect)
In this embodiment, the heater unit 23 heats the transparent member 27, so that ice and snow adhering to the transparent member 27 can be melted during snowfall or the like. This prevents the adhesion of ice and snow from impeding the transmission of the sensor light B. The transparent member 27 is disposed between the cover 29 and the housing 21s. The heater unit 23 is disposed on the second side Db2, which is opposite to the first side Db1 in the optical axis direction Db, with respect to the transparent member 27. In other words, the heater unit 23 is disposed on the second side Db2 in the optical axis direction Db with respect to the cover 29 and the transparent member 27. This prevents water containing a snow-melting agent that is sprayed during snowfall from directly adhering to the heater unit 23. Therefore, it is possible to provide a moving body detection device in which the heater unit 23 is efficient and does not easily deteriorate.

The heater unit 23 also includes a heating wire 24w that is disposed on the second side Db2 in the optical axis direction Db with respect to the transparent member 27.
This allows the heat generated by the heating wire 24w to heat the transparent member 27. The heating wire 24w is inexpensive compared to rubber heaters and the like, and the layout and heater capacity thereof can be easily changed.

The heating wire 24w is housed inside the housing portion 21s.
This makes it possible to more effectively prevent water containing snow-melting agent from directly adhering to the heating wire 24w.

The heater unit 23 further includes a first heat transfer body 25 that is disposed along the transparent member 27 from the second side Db2 in the optical axis direction Db and is heated by the heating wire 24w.
As a result, the heat generated by the heating wire 24w is transferred to the transparent member 27 via the first heat transfer body 25. Since the first heat transfer body 25 has a higher thermal conductivity than the transparent member 27, the heat generated by the heating wire 24w is efficiently dispersed and transferred to the transparent member 27. Therefore, the transparent member 27 can be heated more uniformly and the adhesion of ice and snow can be suppressed.

The first heat transfer body 25 also includes connecting portions 25m that connect the upper and lower extending portions 25s on both sides in the width direction Dw above and below the through hole 25h.
The heat generated by the heating wire 24w is transferred to the upper and lower extending portions 25s on both sides of each through-hole 25h in the width direction Dw and to the upper and lower connecting portions 25m. This allows the first heat transfer body 25 to heat the transparent member 27 over the entire periphery of the through-hole 25h. This makes it possible to more effectively prevent ice and snow from adhering to the portion of the transparent member 27 corresponding to the through-hole 25h through which the sensor light B passes.

In addition, a second heat transfer body 26 made of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the transparent member 27 is further provided between the first heat transfer body 25 and the cover 29 .
This allows the heat generated by the heating wire 24w to be efficiently transferred from the first heat transfer body 25 through the second heat transfer body 26 to the cover 29. This effectively prevents ice and snow from adhering to the cover 29, and prevents the opening 29h from being blocked by ice and snow.

In addition, a first water-stopping member 31 is sandwiched between the first heat transfer body 25 and the peripheral edge of the opening end 21e of the storage portion 21s.
This makes it possible to prevent water from entering the inside of the storage portion 21s, and therefore, when the heating wire 24w is disposed inside the storage member, it is possible to more effectively prevent adverse effects on the heating wire 24w.

In addition, a second water-stopping member 32 is sandwiched between the transparent member 27 and the first heat transfer body 25. This makes it possible to prevent water from entering the heater unit 23 side.

In addition, a third water-stopping member 33 is sandwiched between the transparent member 27 and the cover 29. This also helps prevent water from entering the heater unit 23.

Although some embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the disclosure. These embodiments and their modifications are within the scope of the claims and their equivalents, as well as within the scope and gist of the disclosure.
For example, in the above embodiment, the vehicle detection unit 1 is configured to detect vehicles traveling on the road S, but the vehicles traveling on the road S may include, in addition to automobiles, tow vehicles towed by automobiles, motorcycles, mopeds, etc.
The moving object detection device may also be installed in a location other than the vehicle path S, and may be configured to detect, for example, bicycles, pedestrians, etc. Furthermore, the moving object detection device may be configured to detect, for example, an article being transported by a transport device.

<Additional Notes>
The moving object detection device according to the embodiment can be understood, for example, as follows.

(1) The moving body detection device 1 of the first aspect includes a storage section 21s that houses an emitter 4 that emits sensor light B or a light receiver 5 that receives the sensor light B, and has an opening end 21e that opens toward a first side Db1 in the optical axis direction Db of the sensor light B, a cover 29 that is arranged on the first side Db1 in the optical axis direction Db relative to the storage section 21s and has an opening through which the sensor light B can pass, a transparent member 27 that is arranged between the cover 29 and the storage section 21s and transmits the sensor light B, and a heater unit 23 that is arranged on a second side Db2 that is in the opposite direction to the first side Db1 in the optical axis direction Db relative to the transparent member 27 and heats the transparent member 27.
Examples of moving objects include automobiles, tow vehicles towed by automobiles, motorcycles, mopeds, bicycles, pedestrians, and items transported by transport devices.

According to this moving body detection device 1, the heater unit 23 heats the transparent member 27, and can melt ice and snow adhering to the transparent member 27 during snowfall, etc. This prevents the adhesion of ice and snow from impeding the transmission of the sensor light B. The transparent member 27 is disposed between the cover 29 and the housing 21s. The heater unit 23 is disposed on the second side Db2, which is opposite to the first side Db1 in the optical axis direction Db, with respect to the transparent member 27. In other words, the heater unit 23 is disposed on the second side Db2 in the optical axis direction Db with respect to the cover 29 and the transparent member 27. This prevents water containing snow-melting agent, which is sprayed during snowfall, from adhering directly to the heater unit 23. Therefore, it is possible to provide a moving body detection device in which the heater unit 23 is efficient and does not easily deteriorate.

(2) The moving body detection device 1 according to the second aspect is the moving body detection device 1 according to (1), in which the heater unit 23 includes a heating wire 24w arranged on the second side Db2 in the optical axis direction Db relative to the transparent member 27.

This allows the transparent member 27 to be heated by heat generated by the heating wire 24w arranged on the second side Db2 in the optical axis direction Db, i.e., on the housing section 21s side, relative to the transparent member 27. The heating wire 24w is inexpensive compared to rubber heaters and the like, and its layout and heater capacity can be easily changed.

(3) The moving body detection device 1 according to the third aspect is the moving body detection device 1 according to (2), in which the heating wire 24w is housed inside the housing portion 21s.

As a result, the heating wire 24w is housed inside the housing portion 21s, which more effectively prevents water containing snow-melting agents from directly adhering to the heating wire 24w.

(4) The moving body detection device 1 according to the fourth aspect is the moving body detection device 1 according to (2) or (3), and the heater unit 23 further includes a first heat transfer body 25 that is arranged along the transparent member 27 from the second side Db2 in the optical axis direction Db, is heated by the heating wire 24w, and is formed from a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the transparent member 27.

As a result, the heat generated by the heating wire 24w is transferred to the transparent member 27 via the first heat transfer body 25 arranged along the second side Db2 in the optical axis direction Db relative to the transparent member 27. Since the first heat transfer body 25 has a higher thermal conductivity than the transparent member 27, the heat generated by the heating wire 24w is efficiently dispersed and transferred to the transparent member 27. Therefore, the transparent member 27 can be heated more uniformly and the adhesion of ice and snow can be suppressed.

(5) The moving body detection device 1 according to the fifth aspect is the moving body detection device 1 according to (4), in which the light-emitting unit 4 or the light-receiving unit 5 is provided in the storage unit 21s at intervals in the vertical direction Dv, the first heat transfer body 25 is formed at intervals in the vertical direction Dv, and is provided with a plurality of through holes 25h through which the sensor light B can pass, vertical extension portions 25s extending in the vertical direction Dv on both sides of the optical axis direction Db and the width direction Dw intersecting the vertical direction Dv for the plurality of through holes 25h, and connecting portions 25m extending in the width direction Dw above and below the through holes 25h and connecting the vertical extension portions 25s on both sides of the width direction Dw.

As a result, the sensor light B emitted by the light-emitting units 4 arranged at intervals in the vertical direction Dv in the storage unit 21s, or the sensor light B received by the light-receiving unit 5, passes through the through-holes 25h of the first heat transfer body 25. The first heat transfer body 25 has vertical extensions 25s arranged on both sides of the multiple through-holes 25h in the width direction Dw, as well as connecting parts 25m that connect the vertical extensions 25s on both sides of the width direction Dw above and below the through-holes 25h. Therefore, the heat generated by the heating wire 24w is transferred to the vertical extensions 25s on both sides of the width direction Dw of each through-hole 25h and the upper and lower connecting parts 25m. As a result, the first heat transfer body 25 can heat the transparent member 27 around the entire through-hole 25h. Therefore, the adhesion of ice and snow to the parts of the transparent member 27 corresponding to the through-holes 25h through which the sensor light B passes can be more effectively suppressed.

(6) The moving object detection device 1 according to the sixth aspect is the moving object detection device 1 according to (4) or (5), further comprising a second heat transfer body 26 sandwiched between the first heat transfer body 25 and the cover 29 to transfer heat from the first heat transfer body 25 to the cover 29, and formed of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the transparent member 27.

As a result, the second heat transfer body 26 is sandwiched between the first heat transfer body 25 and the cover 29, and the heat generated by the heating wire 24w can be efficiently transferred from the first heat transfer body 25 through the second heat transfer body 26 to the cover 29. This effectively prevents ice and snow from adhering to the cover 29, and prevents the opening 29h from being blocked by ice and snow.

(7) A moving body detection device 1 relating to a seventh aspect is any one of the moving body detection devices 1 of (4) to (6), and further includes a first water-stopping member 31 sandwiched between the first heat transfer body 25 and the peripheral portion of the opening end 21e of the accommodating portion 21s and formed from a material having water-stopping properties.
Examples of the first waterproofing member 31 include a packing and a sealant material.

As a result, the first water-stopping member 31 sandwiched between the first heat transfer body 25 and the peripheral edge of the open end 21e of the storage section 21s can prevent water from entering the inside of the storage section 21s. As a result, when the electric heating wire 24w is placed inside the storage section 21s, adverse effects on the electric heating wire 24w can be more effectively prevented.

(8) The moving body detection device 1 in the eighth aspect is any one of the moving body detection devices 1 of (4) to (7), and further includes a second water-stopping member 32 sandwiched between the transparent member 27 and the first heat transfer body 25 and formed from a material having water-stopping properties.
Examples of the second waterproofing member 32 include a double-sided tape using a resin-based material, a sponge, a packing, and a sealant material.

As a result, the second water-stopping member 32 sandwiched between the transparent member 27 and the first heat transfer body 25 can prevent water from entering the heater unit 23 side.

(9) A moving body detection device 1 in a ninth aspect is any one of the moving body detection devices 1 of (1) to (8), and further includes a third water-stopping member 33 sandwiched between the transparent member 27 and the cover 29 and formed from a material having water-stopping properties.
Examples of the third waterproofing member 33 include a double-sided tape using a resin-based material, a sponge, a packing, and a sealant material.

As a result, the third water-stopping member 33 sandwiched between the transparent member 27 and the cover 29 can prevent water from entering the heater unit 23.

1...Vehicle detection unit (moving object detection device)
2...First unit 3...Second unit 4...Light emitter 5...Light receiver 10...Support housing 13...Box 20, 20A, 20B...Unit body 21...Chassis 21a...Back plate 21b...Side plate 21c...End plate 21d...Outer plate 21e...Open end 21s...Accommodation section 22...Substrate 23...Heater unit 24...Heater 24w...Heating wire 25...First heat transfer body 25a...Inner end 25f...Surface 25h...Through hole 25m...Connecting section 25 s...upper and lower extensions 26...second heat transfer body 27...transparent member 27a...both ends 28...lid body 29...cover 29a...front plate portion 29b...side plate portion 29h...opening 31...first water-stopping member 31p...packing 32...second water-stopping member 32p...double-sided tape 33...third water-stopping member 33s...sponge B...sensor light Da...path width direction Db...optical axis direction Db1...first side Db2...second side Dv...upper and lower direction Dw...width direction S...passage path

Claims (6)

a housing portion that houses a light emitting portion that emits sensor light or a light receiving portion that receives the sensor light, and has an opening end that opens toward a first side in an optical axis direction of the sensor light;
a cover disposed on a first side in the optical axis direction with respect to the housing portion and having an opening through which the sensor light can pass;
a transparent member disposed between the cover and the housing portion and transmitting the sensor light;
a heater unit disposed on a second side of the transparent member, the second side being opposite to the first side in the optical axis direction, and configured to heat the transparent member ;
The heater unit includes:
a heating wire disposed on a second side in the optical axis direction with respect to the transparent member;
a first heat transfer body that is arranged along the transparent member from a second side in the optical axis direction, is heated by the heating wire, and is made of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the transparent member;
The light emitting unit or the light receiving unit is provided in a plurality of units at intervals in the vertical direction in the storage unit,
The first heat transfer body is
a plurality of through holes formed at intervals in the vertical direction and through which the sensor light can pass;
A vertical extension portion extending in the vertical direction on both sides of the through holes in a width direction intersecting the optical axis direction and the vertical direction;
A connecting portion extending in the width direction above and below the through hole and connecting the upper and lower extending portions on both sides in the width direction,
Mobile object detection device. The moving object detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the heating wire is accommodated inside the accommodation portion. a housing portion that houses a light emitting portion that emits sensor light or a light receiving portion that receives the sensor light, and has an opening end that opens toward a first side in an optical axis direction of the sensor light;
a cover disposed on a first side in the optical axis direction with respect to the housing portion and having an opening through which the sensor light can pass;
a transparent member disposed between the cover and the housing portion and transmitting the sensor light;
a heater unit disposed on a second side of the transparent member, the second side being opposite to the first side in the optical axis direction, and configured to heat the transparent member;
The heater unit includes:
a heating wire disposed on a second side in the optical axis direction with respect to the transparent member;
a first heat transfer body that is arranged along the transparent member from a second side in the optical axis direction, that is heated by the heating wire, and that is made of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the transparent member;
The heat exchanger further includes a second heat transfer body sandwiched between the first heat transfer body and the cover to transfer heat from the first heat transfer body to the cover, the second heat transfer body being made of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the transparent member .
Mobile object detection device. a housing portion that houses a light emitting portion that emits sensor light or a light receiving portion that receives the sensor light, and has an opening end that opens toward a first side in an optical axis direction of the sensor light;
a cover disposed on a first side in the optical axis direction with respect to the housing portion and having an opening through which the sensor light can pass;
a transparent member disposed between the cover and the housing portion and transmitting the sensor light;
a heater unit disposed on a second side of the transparent member, the second side being opposite to the first side in the optical axis direction, and configured to heat the transparent member;
The heater unit includes:
a heating wire disposed on a second side in the optical axis direction with respect to the transparent member;
a first heat transfer body that is arranged along the transparent member from a second side in the optical axis direction, that is heated by the heating wire, and that is made of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the transparent member;
a first water-stopping member sandwiched between the first heat transfer body and a peripheral portion of the opening end of the storage portion and made of a material having water-stopping properties ;
Mobile object detection device. a housing portion that houses a light emitting portion that emits sensor light or a light receiving portion that receives the sensor light, and has an opening end that opens toward a first side in an optical axis direction of the sensor light;
a cover disposed on a first side in the optical axis direction with respect to the housing portion and having an opening through which the sensor light can pass;
a transparent member disposed between the cover and the housing portion and transmitting the sensor light;
a heater unit disposed on a second side of the transparent member, the second side being opposite to the first side in the optical axis direction, and configured to heat the transparent member;
The heater unit includes:
a heating wire disposed on a second side in the optical axis direction with respect to the transparent member;
a first heat transfer body that is arranged along the transparent member from a second side in the optical axis direction, that is heated by the heating wire, and that is made of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the transparent member;
The heat transfer device further includes a second water-stopping member that is sandwiched between the transparent member and the first heat transfer body and is made of a material having water-stopping properties .
Mobile object detection device. a housing portion that houses a light emitting portion that emits sensor light or a light receiving portion that receives the sensor light, and has an opening end that opens toward a first side in an optical axis direction of the sensor light;
a cover disposed on a first side in the optical axis direction with respect to the housing portion and having an opening through which the sensor light can pass;
a transparent member disposed between the cover and the housing portion and transmitting the sensor light;
a heater unit disposed on a second side of the transparent member, the second side being opposite to the first side in the optical axis direction, and configured to heat the transparent member;
The third water-stopping member is sandwiched between the transparent member and the cover and is made of a material having water-stopping properties .
Mobile object detection device.

Images