Vehicle radar

Abstract

The invention provides a vehicle radar, which comprises a sensor, a shell and a decoupling piece, and is characterized in that the shell is used for accommodating at least one part of the sensor; the decoupling member abuts against the sensor and forms at least one drainage channel, and the drainage channel is communicated with the outside of the housing. According to the radar for the vehicle, accumulated water, accumulated snow or soil between the sensor and the decoupling piece can be discharged out of the shell through the drainage channel of the decoupling piece, and therefore the effect of preventing external substances such as rainwater or snow water from damaging the sensor is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention provides a vehicle radar, and in particular provides a vehicle radar with a drainage channel. Background Art

[0002] Cars are an indispensable means of transportation in our lives. Generally speaking, to avoid collisions with other vehicles or obstacles while driving or reversing, vehicles are often equipped with radars that can detect the distance between the vehicle and other vehicles or obstacles. Using non-contact detection technologies such as ultrasound and light sensing, these radars instantly inform the driver of the safe distance when driving or reversing, thereby preventing damage to the vehicle and any associated safety issues. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Taking ultrasonic automotive radar as an example, during radar operation, the internal sensor vibrates to transmit or receive signals. To prevent the vehicle's bumper from contacting the sensor or resonating with it, potentially affecting the signal, designers incorporate decoupling elements or rings within the radar. However, conventional decoupling rings only cover the edges of the sensor, making them susceptible to deformation and warping as the component ages. Furthermore, when used in harsh weather conditions (such as winter or rainy seasons), rain, snow, and frost can easily accumulate on the sensor surface, distorting the sensing results.

[0004] The inventors then devoted their minds to careful research and developed a vehicle radar with a drainage channel to prevent external substances such as rain or snow from damaging the sensor.

[0005] The present invention provides a vehicle radar, comprising a sensor, a housing, and a decoupling component, wherein the housing accommodates at least a portion of the sensor; the decoupling component abuts against the sensor and forms at least one drainage channel, and the drainage channel is connected to the outside of the housing.

[0006] In one embodiment, the housing includes a front portion, the sensor protrudes relative to the front portion, and the decoupling element covers another portion of the sensor and the front portion.

[0007] In one embodiment, the decoupling member further forms a flow storage tank, which is disposed between the sensor and the drainage channel and communicates with the drainage channel.

[0008] In one embodiment, the decoupling member is sleeved on the sensor and includes an inner wall. The flow storage tank is formed on the inner wall, and a gap is formed between the inner wall and the sensor.

[0009] In one embodiment, the decoupling member defines a circumference, and the flow storage tank extends along the circumference and is in a closed ring shape.

[0010] In one embodiment, there are a plurality of drainage channels, the decoupling member defines a circumferential direction, and the drainage channels are arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction.

[0011] In one embodiment, the drainage channel has a first end and a second end, and the first end is disposed between the sensor and the second end. When the vehicle radar is disposed in a vehicle, the height of the first end is higher than or equal to that of the second end.

[0012] In one embodiment, the housing includes a plurality of decoupling latch portions, the decoupling member includes a plurality of housing latch portions, and the decoupling latch portions are latched to the housing latch portions.

[0013] In one embodiment, the decoupling member defines a circumferential direction, and the housing latching portions are arranged at unequal intervals along the circumferential direction.

[0014] In one embodiment, the decoupling member is a rubber sleeve.

[0015] In this way, the automotive radar of the present invention can discharge the accumulated water, snow or mud between the sensor and the decoupling component to the outside of the shell through the drainage channel of the decoupling component, thereby preventing external substances such as rainwater or snow from damaging the sensor.

[0016] In order to make the above features and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, embodiments are given below and described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a front view schematic diagram of an embodiment of a vehicle radar according to the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Explosion diagram.

[0019] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the right side of the shell.

[0020] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Schematic front view of .

[0021] Figure 5 for Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the right side of the base.

[0022] Figure 6 for Figure 5 Schematic front view of .

[0023] Figure 7 for Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the right side of the sensor.

[0024] Figure 8 for Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the right side view of the decoupling component.

[0025] Figure 9 for Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the rear view.

[0026] Figure 10 for Figure 9 Schematic cross-sectional view along section YY.

[0027] Figure 11 for Figure 10 Schematic diagram of the enlarged area A in the middle.

[0028] Figure 12 for Figure 1 Schematic cross-sectional view along section XX.

[0029] Figure 13 for Figure 12 Schematic diagram of the enlarged area B.

[0030] Reference numerals

[0031] 1: Automotive radar

[0032] 100: Shell

[0033] 110: front

[0034] 116: Front opening

[0035] 120: Body

[0036] 122: Body outer wall

[0037] 122a: Decoupling latch

[0038] 130: rear

[0039] 132: Rear outer wall

[0040] 132a: snap-on structure

[0041] 136: Rear opening

[0042] 200: Base

[0043] 210: Base body

[0044] 212: latch part

[0045] 214: Accommodation

[0046] 216: Limiting Department

[0047] 218: Buckle slot

[0048] 220: Extension

[0049] 260: Through hole

[0050] 300: Sensor

[0051] 310: Sensing body

[0052] 312: Limit feature

[0053] 320: Insulation

[0054] 330: Terminal

[0055] 400: Decoupling

[0056] 410: Decoupling ontology

[0057] 412: First inner wall

[0058] 412a: Housing latch portion 420: Connecting portion

[0059] 422: Second inner wall

[0060] 430: Neck section

[0061] 432: The third inner wall

[0062] 460: Drainage channel

[0063] 462: First End

[0064] 464: Second end

[0065] 470: Reservoir 500: Connection terminals A, B: Area L: Longitudinal XX, YY: Cross-section DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0066] The aforementioned and other technical aspects, features, and effects of the present invention are clearly presented in the following detailed description of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is worth noting that directional terms such as up, down, left, right, front, and back, used in the following embodiments, refer only to the directions in the accompanying drawings. Therefore, the directional terms used are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the present invention. Furthermore, in the following embodiments, identical or similar components will be referenced using the same or similar reference numerals.

[0067] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 ,in Figure 1 is a front view schematic diagram of an embodiment of the vehicle radar of the present invention, and Figure 2 for Figure 1Explosion diagram. The vehicle radar 1 of this embodiment can be applied to general vehicles, large vehicles or industrial vehicles, and includes a shell 100, a base 200, a sensor 300 and a decoupling part 400, wherein the shell 100 is, for example, a plastic component made by injection molding; the base 200 is generally disc-shaped and made of plastic with relatively low hardness; the sensor 300 is, for example, a directional ultrasonic sensor, which is arranged on the base 200 and assembled to the shell 100 through the base 200; the decoupling part 400 is, for example, a soft rubber sleeve, which abuts against the sensor 300 to prevent resonance between the sensor 300 and the vehicle. In this way, when the sensor 300 receives an ultrasonic signal reflected by an obstacle or other vehicle, the ultrasonic signal can be converted into an electrical signal and transmitted to a control element for processing the signal through the connection terminal inside the shell 100, thereby prompting the user of the precise distance between the current driving vehicle and the obstacle or other vehicle. These elements can be assembled along a longitudinal direction L to form Figure 1 The automotive radar 1 in.

[0068] Please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 ,in Figure 3 for Figure 2 The right side view of the housing in FIG. Figure 4 for Figure 3 . Specifically, the housing 100 is a hollow structure and includes a front portion 110, a body portion 120, and a rear portion 130. The front portion 110 defines a front opening 116; the body portion 120 is disposed between the front portion 110 and the rear portion 130; and the rear portion 130 defines a rear opening 136. The front opening 116 communicates with the rear opening 136. The front portion 110, the body portion 120, and the rear portion 130 are arranged in sequence along the longitudinal direction L.

[0069] Furthermore, the front portion 110 may be slightly tapered, with an outer diameter gradually increasing along the longitudinal direction L. Thus, when the base 200 and the sensor 300 are assembled with the housing 100 through the rear opening 136 in a direction opposite to the longitudinal direction L, the position of the sensor 300 in the longitudinal direction L can be restricted by the dimensional relationship between the front portion 110 and the base 200 or the sensor 300.

[0070] In addition, the body 120 includes a body outer wall 122, and a plurality of decoupling latches 122a are formed on the body outer wall 122. These decoupling latches 122a are, for example, grooves extending along the longitudinal direction L for a certain length, and are suitable for latching with the decoupling member 400 when the decoupling member 400 is sleeved on the housing 100, thereby improving the bonding force between the two. Figure 4 As shown, the housing 100 may define a circumferential direction, and in this embodiment, the number of the decoupling latch portions 122a is, for example, three, and they are respectively disposed at Figure 4In other words, the decoupling latches 122a are arranged at unequal intervals in the circumferential direction. Thus, when the housing 100 and the decoupling component 400 are assembled together, the decoupling latches 122a can achieve a foolproofing effect, allowing the decoupling component 400 to be installed or inserted into the housing 100 only in a specific direction, thereby preventing component misalignment and improving assembly efficiency, yield, and reducing labor costs.

[0071] Please refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6 ,in Figure 5 for Figure 2 The right side view of the base in Figure 6 for Figure 5 . Specifically, the base 200 may include a base body 210 and an extension 220, wherein the base body 210 and the extension 220 are arranged in sequence along the longitudinal direction L, and the extension 220 protrudes relative to the rear end surface of the base body 210. In addition, the base body 210 includes a plurality of latching portions 212. These latching portions 212 may be radially inwardly recessed grooves. For example, there are three latching portions 212 disposed on the tapered side surface of the base body 210. The spacing between the latching portions 212 in the circumferential direction defined by the base 200 is different, thereby achieving a foolproof effect during assembly with the housing 100.

[0072] Furthermore, the base body 210 may further include a receiving portion 214 and at least one limiting portion 216, wherein the receiving portion 214 is, for example, a groove that is recessed inward along the longitudinal direction L; and the limiting portion 216 may be a stepped structure that protrudes relative to the bottom surface of the receiving portion 214, and the number is, for example, two and is disposed on the base body 210 at Figure 6 In order to fit with the sensor 300, the base 200 preferably has a through hole 260 formed therein, wherein the through hole 260 passes through the base body 210 and the extension portion 220 along the longitudinal direction L, allowing a portion of the sensor 300 to pass through and produce a limiting effect.

[0073] In some possible embodiments, the base body 210 is further formed with a snap-fit ​​groove 218, wherein the snap-fit ​​groove 218 is, for example, circumferentially arranged on the side surface of the base body 210, which can provide a more stable bonding force when an interference fit is formed between the shell 100 and the base 200, thereby avoiding longitudinal L and radial displacement between the shell 100 and the base 200. This will be further explained below.

[0074] Please refer to Figure 7 , Figure 7 for Figure 2Schematic diagram of the right side view of the sensor in the figure. As shown in the figure, the sensor 300 of this embodiment includes a sensing body 310, an insulating portion 320 and a terminal portion 330, wherein the sensing body 310 is, for example, a hollow shell made of aluminum metal, which can accommodate electronic components required for emitting and sensing ultrasonic waves; the insulating portion 320 is, for example, made of electrically insulating rubber or plastic, and is used to be embedded with the base 200; the terminal portion 330 is, for example, a metal contact pin, the number of which is two and electrically connected to the electronic components inside the sensing body 310, which can serve as a connection bridge between the sensor 300 and other circuits or electronic components, but in other possible embodiments, the terminal portion 330 can also be a wire formed by a twisted pair, and can be straight, curved or deflected in a specific area, and the present invention is not limited to this. In this embodiment, at least one limiting feature 312 is formed on the sensing body 310, wherein the limiting feature 312 is, for example, a recessed portion having a shape corresponding to the limiting portion 216, the number of which is, for example, two and respectively arranged on the sensing body 310 at Figure 7 The upper and lower sides of the .

[0075] Please refer to Figures 8 to 11 ,in Figure 8 for Figure 2 The right side view of the decoupling part in Figure 9 for Figure 8 Rear view schematic diagram, Figure 10 for Figure 9 The cross-sectional view along the YY section is as follows: Figure 11 for Figure 10 The decoupling member 400 of this embodiment is, for example, a hollow structure and includes a decoupling body 410, a connecting portion 420, and a necking portion 430, wherein the outer diameter of the decoupling body 410 is larger than the outer diameter of the necking portion 430, the connecting portion 420 is connected between the decoupling body 410 and the necking portion 430, and the outer diameter of the connecting portion 420 gradually increases along the longitudinal direction L. Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the decoupling body 410, the connecting portion 420, and the tapered portion 430 respectively include a first inner wall 412, a second inner wall 422, and a third inner wall 432. The first inner wall 412 is formed with a plurality of housing latches 412a. These housing latches 412a are, for example, three ribs protruding radially inward relative to the first inner wall 412, and their positions and shapes correspond to those of the decoupling latches 122a. Thus, when the housing 100, sensor 300, and decoupling element 400 are assembled, the decoupling body 410 can be attached to the surface of the housing 100, thereby preventing external contaminants from invading the interior of the automotive radar 1.

[0076] In some harsh environments, trace amounts of moisture between the sensor 300 and the decoupling element 400 can easily condense into small water droplets due to low ambient temperatures, or even freeze into frost, thereby affecting the sensing results of the sensor 300. To address this issue, the decoupling element 400 of this embodiment has at least one drainage channel 460 formed on the third inner wall 432, and the drainage channel 460 is connected to the exterior of the housing 100. When small water droplets condense on the surface of the sensor 300, they flow along the drainage channel 460, sequentially through the third inner wall 432, the second inner wall 422, and the first inner wall 412, ultimately flowing outside the housing 100, without being retained inside the automotive radar 1, thereby extending the service life of the automotive radar 1.

[0077] In addition, the decoupling member 400 can also have the effect of collecting water droplets from different areas for storage and then draining them centrally. Specifically, in this embodiment, the number of drainage channels 460 is, for example, four and they are evenly spaced along the circumference of the decoupling member 400, and Figure 11 The drainage channel 460 has a first end 462 and a second end 464. The first end 462 is positioned between the sensor 300 and the second end 464. When the automotive radar 1 is installed in a vehicle, the first end 462 is at a height higher than or equal to the second end 464. The decoupling element 400 also forms a reservoir 470, which is positioned between the sensor 300 and the drainage channel 460 and extends circumferentially to form a sealed, annular groove that connects all drainage channels 460. This arrangement allows small water droplets that condense on the upper surface or sides of the sensor 300 and are difficult to drain out of the housing by gravity alone to flow through adjacent drainage channels 460 and be collected and stored in the reservoir 470. When the liquid volume reaches a set threshold, it flows from the first end 462 to the second end 464 through the lower drainage channel 460, preventing small water droplets or frost from accumulating on specific areas of the sensor surface.

[0078] Please refer to Figure 12 and Figure 13 ,in Figure 12 for Figure 1 The schematic cross-sectional view along the XX section is as follows: Figure 13 for Figure 12An enlarged schematic diagram of area B in the middle. When assembling the automotive radar 1, the sensing body 310 is placed on the base body 210, and the insulating portion 320 and the terminal portion 330 are inserted into the through-hole 260. The stopper 216 and the stopper feature 312 align to ensure a tight fit between the base 200 and the sensor 300. The sensor 300 is then secured to the base 200 using adhesive or other fixing methods. The housing 100 and base 200 are then secured together using a latching structure. The base 200 is pressed against the front portion 110 of the housing 100, causing a portion of the sensing body 310 to protrude relative to the front portion 110. Pressure is then applied to create an interference fit between the housing 100 and the base 200, forcing a portion of the inner wall of the housing 100 into the snap-fit ​​groove 218, strengthening the bond. It is worth noting that in other embodiments, the sensor 300 can be completely contained within the housing, and this is not a limitation of the present invention.

[0079] Next, the decoupling element 400 is placed over the housing 100 and sensor 300, covering the portion of the sensor body 310 protruding from the front portion 110 and the front portion 110. Compared to previous decoupling elements that only covered the edge of the transducer, the decoupling element 400 of this embodiment covers the front portion 110 of the housing 100. Therefore, even if it deforms over time, it is less likely to warp. This improves shielding and prevents the formation of gaps between the housing 100 and the decoupling element 400, reducing the chance of moisture and other substances entering the interior.

[0080] On the other hand, Figure 13 As shown, when the decoupling member 400 abuts the sensor 300, a gap is formed between the third inner wall 432 and the sensor 300. This ensures that the decoupling member 400 does not tightly wrap around the sensor 300. This not only allows condensed water droplets to more easily pass through the drainage channel 460 and the reservoir 470, but also prevents significant vibrations from interfering with the vibrations generated by the sensor 300 transmitting and receiving signals. This configuration not only guides water droplets on the surface of the sensor 300 from the first end 462 to the second end 464 and out of the housing 100, but also reduces the negative pressure generated by the internal components of the automotive radar 1 during assembly, thereby improving the stability and convenience of automated installation.

[0081] The present invention has been disclosed above in terms of preferred embodiments. However, those skilled in the art should understand that the above embodiments are only used to describe the present invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should also be noted that any changes and substitutions equivalent to the above embodiments should be considered to be within the scope of the present invention. The technical features of the above embodiments may be appropriately combined, substituted, omitted, and modified without causing conceptual contradictions or structural conflicts. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention shall be based on the scope of the patent application.

Claims

1. A vehicle radar, characterized in that: include: a sensor; a housing for accommodating at least a portion of the sensor; as well as A decoupling member is in contact with the sensor and forms at least one drainage channel, and the at least one drainage channel is communicated with the outside of the shell.

2. The vehicle radar according to claim 1, characterized in that: The housing includes a front portion, the sensor protrudes relative to the front portion, and the decoupling member covers another portion of the sensor and the front portion.

3. The vehicle radar according to claim 1, characterized in that: The decoupling component further forms a flow storage tank, which is arranged between the sensor and the at least one drainage channel and communicates with the at least one drainage channel.

4. The vehicle radar according to claim 3, characterized in that: The decoupling piece is sleeved on the sensor and comprises an inner wall. The flow storage tank is formed on the inner wall, and a gap is formed between the inner wall and the sensor.

5. The vehicle radar according to claim 3, characterized in that: The decoupling member defines a circumferential direction, and the flow storage groove extends along the circumferential direction and is in a closed ring shape.

6. The vehicle radar according to claim 1, characterized in that: There are multiple drainage channels, the decoupling component defines a circumferential direction, and the multiple drainage channels are arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction.

7. The vehicle radar according to claim 1, characterized in that: The at least one drainage channel has a first end and a second end, and the first end is disposed between the sensor and the second end. When the vehicle radar is disposed in a vehicle, the height of the first end is higher than or equal to the second end.

8. The vehicle radar according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shell includes a plurality of decoupling latch portions, the decoupling member includes a plurality of shell latch portions, and the plurality of decoupling latch portions are latched on the plurality of shell latch portions.

9. The vehicle radar according to claim 8, characterized in that: The decoupling member defines a circumferential direction, and the plurality of housing latching portions are arranged at unequal intervals along the circumferential direction.

10. The vehicle radar according to claim 1, characterized in that: The decoupling component is a rubber sleeve.

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