Sensor arrangement

Abstract

A sensor arrangement is provided that can improve the sensing accuracy of a sensor tube and can make it easy to install a sensor cover. The sensor arrangement includes a bumper beam, a shock absorber provided in front of the bumper beam, a contact sensor including a sensor tube, wherein the sensor tube is provided between the bumper beam and the shock absorber, and a sensor cover covering the shock absorber from a rear surface of the shock absorber, wherein the sensor cover is provided along a side surface of an end portion of the bumper beam in the width direction of the vehicle, the sensor cover has a protruding portion at a position corresponding to the sensor tube, and the protruding portion protrudes toward the shock absorber.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a partial structure of a vehicle body, and more particularly to a sensor arrangement structure. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, efforts to provide access to sustainable transportation systems that also consider vulnerable groups such as the elderly and children among traffic participants have become increasingly active. To achieve this goal, research and development are being undertaken to further improve traffic safety and convenience through developments related to collision safety performance. In these collision safety performance developments, sensor tubes positioned between the bumper beam and the shock absorber are used to sense the impact force of the vehicle on an object (such as a pedestrian) at the shock absorber, serving as a basis for safe vehicle control. However, the sensor tube may float due to the gap between it and the sensor cover, reducing the sensor tube's sensing accuracy. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the design of the sensor arrangement structure to overcome this problem. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention provides a sensor arrangement structure that can improve the sensing accuracy of the sensor tube and make the sensor cover easy to install.

[0004] The present invention provides a sensor arrangement structure, including: a bumper beam; a shock absorber disposed in front of the bumper beam; a contact sensor including a sensor tube, wherein the sensor tube is disposed between the bumper beam and the shock absorber; and a sensor cover covering the shock absorber from the rear surface of the shock absorber, wherein the sensor cover is disposed along the side of the end of the bumper beam in the width direction of the vehicle, and the sensor cover has a protrusion at a position corresponding to the sensor tube, the protrusion protruding toward the shock absorber.

[0005] In one embodiment of the invention, the protrusion has a convex portion at a position corresponding to the curved portion of the sensor cover, the convex portion protruding toward the inside of the vehicle.

[0006] In one embodiment of the invention, the protrusion extends horizontally across the curved portion, the curved portion having a cut located at least one of the upper side and the lower side of the protrusion.

[0007] Based on the above, in the sensor arrangement structure of the present invention, the protrusion of the sensor cover protrudes towards the vibration damper, thereby confining the sensor tube between the sensor cover and the vibration damper to prevent the sensor tube from floating due to the gap between it and the sensor cover. Thus, the sensor arrangement structure of the present invention can improve the sensing accuracy of the sensor tube. Furthermore, during the installation of the sensor cover, the sensor cover can be temporarily positioned by its protrusion. Therefore, the sensor arrangement structure of the present invention makes the sensor cover easy to install.

[0008] To make the above features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figure 1 This is a top view schematic diagram of a sensor arrangement structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0010] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A partial 3D view of the sensor arrangement structure;

[0011] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A three-dimensional view of some components of the sensor arrangement structure;

[0012] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the sensor arrangement structure along line II.

[0013] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0014] 100: Sensor arrangement structure;

[0015] 110: Bumper crossbeam;

[0016] 112: end;

[0017] 1121: Side view;

[0018] 120: Shock absorber;

[0019] 122: Groove;

[0020] 130: Contact sensor;

[0021] 132: Sensor body;

[0022] 134: Sensor tube;

[0023] 140: Sensor cover;

[0024] 144: Protrusion;

[0025] 1441: Convex face;

[0026] 146: Curved section;

[0027] 1461: Incision;

[0028] X, Y, Z: Axial axes. Detailed Implementation

[0029] Figure 1 This is a top view of a sensor arrangement structure according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the axes X, Y, and Z. Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A partial 3D view of the sensor arrangement structure. Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A 3D view of some components of the sensor arrangement structure. Please refer to... Figures 1 to 3 The sensor arrangement structure 100 in this embodiment includes a bumper beam 110, a shock absorber 120, a contact sensor 130, and a sensor cover 140. The bumper beam 110 is, for example, the front bumper beam of a vehicle, and the shock absorber 120 is, for example, foam material and is disposed in front of the bumper beam 110 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (i.e., in the direction parallel to the axial direction Y) to provide a buffering effect in the event of a collision.

[0030] A contact sensor 130 is fixed to the shock absorber 120 and includes a sensor body 132 and a sensor tube 134. The sensor tube 134 is disposed between the bumper crossbeam 110 and the shock absorber 120 and connected to the sensor body 132. A sensor cover 140 is assembled to the shock absorber 120 by screws or other suitable means, covering the shock absorber 120 and the sensor tube 134 on the shock absorber 120 from the rear surface of the shock absorber 120, and clamping the contact sensor 130 between the sensor cover 140 and the shock absorber 120. The shock absorber 120 has a groove 122 for accommodating the sensor tube 134. When the vehicle experiences an impact force at the shock absorber 120, the impact force is transmitted to the sensor tube 134, causing a pressure change within the sensor tube 134. The sensor body 132 determines the impact force experienced by the vehicle at the shock absorber 120 by sensing the pressure change in the sensor tube 134.

[0031] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 The sensor arrangement structure is shown in a sectional view along line II, which depicts a portion of the bumper beam 110. Please refer to... Figures 2 to 4In this embodiment, the sensor cover 140 is disposed along the side 1121 of the end 112 of the bumper beam 110 in the width direction of the vehicle (i.e., parallel to the axial direction X). The sensor cover 140 has a protrusion 144 at a position corresponding to the sensor tube 134, the protrusion 144 protruding toward the shock absorber 120. By this configuration, the protrusion 144 of the sensor cover 140 protrudes toward the shock absorber 120, thereby confining the sensor tube 134 between the sensor cover 140 and the shock absorber 120, preventing the sensor tube 134 from floating due to the gap between it and the sensor cover 140. Thus, the sensor arrangement structure 100 of this embodiment can improve the sensing accuracy of the sensor tube 134. Furthermore, during the installation of the sensor cover 140, the sensor cover 140 can be temporarily positioned in the groove 122 of the shock absorber 120 by means of its protrusion 144. Therefore, the sensor arrangement structure 100 of this embodiment makes the sensor cover 140 easy to install.

[0032] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the protrusion 144 of the sensor cover 140 has a convex portion 1441 at a position corresponding to the curved portion 146 of the sensor cover 140, and the convex portion 1441 protrudes inward toward the vehicle. That is, the convex portion 1441 protrudes in a direction away from the sensor tube 134. Accordingly, the sensor cover 140 has lower structural strength at the convex portion 1441, and can moderately bend and deform when the sensor cover 140 is subjected to impact force and squeezed toward the bumper beam 110, avoiding excessive displacement of the protrusion 144 due to stretching of the sensor cover 140 caused by impact force, which would prevent the sensor tube 134 from being properly contained.

[0033] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the protrusion 144 of the sensor cover 140 extends horizontally (i.e., perpendicular to the Z-axis) across the bend 146 of the sensor cover 140. The bend 146 of the sensor cover 140 has a plurality of cuts 1461, which are located on the upper side and the lower side of the protrusion 144 and are positioned corresponding to the convex portion 1441. Accordingly, the sensor cover 140 further reduces its structural strength at the bend 146 by means of the cuts 1461, so as to promote bending deformation of the bend 146 and the convex portion 1441 when the sensor cover 140 is subjected to an impact force as described above, so as to reliably prevent the sensor cover 140 from being stretched by the impact force as described above. In other embodiments, the cuts 1461 may be formed only on the upper side of the protrusion 144 or only on the lower side of the protrusion 144, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0034] In summary, in the sensor arrangement structure of the present invention, the protrusion of the sensor cover protrudes towards the vibration damper, thereby confining the sensor tube between the sensor cover and the vibration damper to prevent the sensor tube from floating due to the gap between it and the sensor cover. Thus, the sensor arrangement structure of the present invention improves the sensing accuracy of the sensor tube. Furthermore, during the installation of the sensor cover, the sensor cover can be temporarily positioned by its protrusion. Therefore, the sensor arrangement structure of the present invention facilitates the installation of the sensor cover.

[0035] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sensor arrangement structure, characterized in that, include: Bumper crossbeam; The shock absorber is located in front of the bumper crossbeam; A contact sensor, including a sensor tube, wherein the sensor tube is disposed between the bumper crossbeam and the shock absorber; as well as A sensor cover covers the damper from its rear surface. The sensor cover is disposed along the side of the end of the bumper beam in the width direction of the vehicle, and the sensor cover has a protrusion at a position corresponding to the sensor tube, the protrusion protruding toward the shock absorber. The protrusion has a convex portion at a position corresponding to the curved portion of the sensor cover, and the convex portion protrudes toward the inside of the vehicle.

2. The sensor arrangement structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The protrusion extends horizontally across the bend, and the bend has a cut located at at least one of the upper and lower sides of the protrusion.

Images