# US 12,761,322 B2 · Sensor assembly comprising a cover element, and method for producing a cover element of a sensor assembly of a motor vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,761,322 B2 - Document ID: US12761322B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/187,080 - Filed: 2023-03-21 - Published: 2023-09-28 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2022-03-22 - Assignees: Webasto SE - Applicants: Webasto SE - Inventors: Thomas Podolski - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12761322B2 ## CPC - G01S 7/4813: {Housing arrangements} - G01S 17/86: Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders - G01S 17/931: of land vehicles - B62D 25/06: Fixed roofs (non-fixed roofs or like shelters B60J7/00; roof liners B60R13/02; insulating elements B60R13/08) - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract A vehicle sensor assembly having at least one sensor element emitting and/or detecting electromagnetic radiation in at least one measuring direction to determine a measuring signal, a cover element in front of the sensor element in the at least one measuring direction being an injection-molded plastic part having at least one layer transparent to the electromagnetic radiation, and a heating feature having a plurality of conductor paths applied to a backing film molded to the cover element, the backing film including the conductor paths thus forming an insert of the injection-molded cover element, the conductor paths being at least partially located on the side of the backing film facing the sensor element. The conductor paths are connected together by at least two bus bars that each at least partially form an electrical connecting element protruding from the cover element and being exposed for electrical contact with the electrical connecting elements. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sensor assembly of a motor vehicle, the sensor assembly comprising: at least one sensor element emitting and/or detecting electromagnetic radiation in at least one measuring direction to determine a measuring signal, a cover element disposed in front of the sensor element in the at least one measuring direction and being an injection-molded plastic part which has at least one layer and is transparent to the electromagnetic radiation, and a heating feature comprising a plurality of conductor paths applied to a backing film molded to the cover element, the backing film including the conductor paths thus forming an insert of the injection-molded cover element, the conductor paths being at least partially located on the side of the backing film facing the sensor element, wherein the conductor paths are connected to each other in an electrically conductive manner by at least two bus bars and the at least two bus bars each at least partially form an electrical connecting element protruding from the cover element and being exposed so that electrical contact can be made with the electrical connecting elements. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sensor assembly according to claim 1, wherein after the injection-molding process, the backing film, together with the conductor paths, has been molded to the cover element in such a manner that the electrical connecting elements, which are at least partially formed by the at least two bus bars, are formed in an end portion of respective leg areas of the cover element and at least part of the leg areas forms a mechanical contact. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The sensor assembly according to claim 2, wherein the two leg areas of the cover element protrude from the latter against the measuring direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The sensor assembly according to claim 2, wherein the bus bars are at least partially disposed in the respective leg areas of the cover element and are overmolded with the injection-molding plastic and the electrical connecting elements formed at the end portions are exposed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The sensor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cover element comprises an outer side, which faces the vehicle environment, and an inner side, which faces the sensor element, and the backing film is disposed on the outer side. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The sensor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plastic of the cover element is made of at least one polycarbonate material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The sensor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the backing film comprises at least one polycarbonate material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The sensor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cover element is provided with a protective coating at its outer side. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The sensor assembly according to claim 8, wherein the protective coating has a lower refractive index than the plastic material of the cover element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The sensor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cover element at least partially comprises a first plastic component, which is non-transparent to the human eye and transparent to the at least one sensor element and/or that the cover element at least partially comprises a second plastic component, which is transparent to the human eye and the at least one sensor element. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The sensor assembly according to claim 10, wherein the at least one sensor is at least one of a lidar sensor and a camera. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The sensor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the backing film is at least partially in-mold laminated and/or overmolded with a first plastic component, which is non-transparent to the human eye and transparent to the at least one sensor element and/or that the backing film is at least partially in-mold laminated and/or overmolded with a second plastic component, which is transparent to the human eye and to the at least one sensor element. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The sensor assembly according to claim 12, wherein the at least one sensor is at least one of a lidar sensor and a camera. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The sensor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cover element is an outer skin element of a vehicle roof. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The sensor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cover element is an outer skin element of a vehicle front end or a vehicle rear end. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A roof module for forming a vehicle roof on a motor vehicle comprising a panel component at least partially forming a roof skin of the vehicle roof, the roof skin serving as an outer sealing surface of the roof module, and at least one sensor assembly according to claim 1. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A motor vehicle comprising a vehicle body and a roof module according to claim 16, the roof module being disposed on the vehicle body as a structural unit. ### Claim 18 A method for producing a cover element of a sensor assembly of a motor vehicle, the method comprising the following steps: providing a backing film having a first side and a second side; applying, a plurality of conductor paths and at least two bus bars to the first side of the film; introducing, the backing film with the conductor paths into a cavity of an injection mold in such a manner that the two bus bars protrude over the conductor paths; filling the cavity of the injection mold with at least one plastic material in such a manner that the two bus bars each form an electrical connecting element which remains free from the plastic material; hardening the plastic material in the cavity for forming the cover element having the backing film molded thereto; and demolding the cover element with the backing film molded thereto. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method for producing a cover element of a sensor assembly of a motor vehicle of claim 16, wherein the step of the applying a plurality of conductor paths and at least two bus bars to the first side of the film is by screen printing; wherein the step of introducing the backing film is by inserting the backing film with the conductor paths into a cavity of an injection mold; and wherein the step of filling the cavity of the injection mold with at least one plastic material is by filing a first plastic component and/or a second plastic component. ### Claim 20 A sensor assembly of a motor vehicle, the sensor assembly comprising: at least one sensor element emitting and/or detecting electromagnetic radiation in at least one measuring direction to determine a measuring signal, a cover element disposed in front of the sensor element in the at least one measuring direction and being an injection-molded plastic part which has at least one layer and is transparent to the electromagnetic radiation, and a heating feature comprising a plurality of conductor paths applied to a backing film molded to the cover element, the backing film including the conductor paths thus forming an insert of the injection-molded cover element, the conductor paths being located on the side of the backing film facing the sensor element, wherein the conductor paths are connected to each other in an electrically conductive manner by at least two bus bars and the at least two bus bars each at least partially form an electrical connecting element protruding from the cover element and being exposed so that electrical contact can be made with the electrical connecting elements, and wherein each of the electrical connecting elements is formed by a portion of a respective bus bar that remains free of the injection-molding plastic of the cover element.