Mounting structure of vehicle periphery monitoring device

Abstract

A vehicle periphery monitoring device mounting structure includes a front bumper extending in a vehicle width direction and disposed at a front side end portion of a vehicle body, a support member disposed at a vehicle width direction outer side end portion of the front bumper, and a vehicle periphery monitoring device fixed to the support member and capable of detecting an object present at least on the vehicle width direction outer side of the vehicle, wherein the support member has a housing portion that houses the vehicle periphery monitoring device, and inclined surfaces disposed on both sides of the housing portion in a plan view and inclined in a manner that protrudes from a virtual straight line along a detection surface of the vehicle periphery monitoring device housed in the housing portion as it moves away from the housing portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a mounting structure for a vehicle perimeter monitoring device. Background Technology

[0002] The technology of mounting radar (vehicle perimeter monitoring device) that detects objects present around a vehicle on the inside of a resin front bumper is known to the public (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-106199). Summary of the Invention

[0003] In the radar (vehicle perimeter monitoring device) mounting structure described above, there is still room for improvement in the structure to enhance radar-based detection performance.

[0004] Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to obtain a mounting structure for a vehicle perimeter monitoring device that can improve the detection performance of the vehicle perimeter monitoring device.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the vehicle perimeter monitoring device mounting structure according to the first aspect of the present invention comprises: a front bumper extending in the vehicle width direction and disposed at the front side end of the vehicle body; a support member disposed at the outer end of the front bumper in the vehicle width direction; and a vehicle perimeter monitoring device fixed to the support member and capable of detecting objects existing at least outside the vehicle width direction, wherein the support member has: a receiving portion for receiving the vehicle perimeter monitoring device; and inclined surfaces disposed on both sides of the receiving portion in a planar view, and inclined in such a way that they protrude from a virtual straight line along the detection surface of the vehicle perimeter monitoring device received in the receiving portion as they move away from the receiving portion.

[0006] According to the invention of the first aspect, a front bumper extending in the vehicle width direction is disposed at the front side end of the vehicle body, and a support member is disposed at the outer end of the front bumper in the vehicle width direction. Furthermore, a vehicle perimeter monitoring device capable of detecting objects existing at least outside the vehicle width direction is fixed on the support member.

[0007] Here, the support member has: a receiving portion that houses the vehicle perimeter monitoring device; and inclined surfaces that, in a planar view, are disposed on both sides of the receiving portion and are inclined in such a way that they protrude from a virtual straight line along the detection surface of the vehicle perimeter monitoring device housed in the receiving portion as they move away from the receiving portion. Therefore, the inclined surfaces improve the directivity of radio wave transmission and reception of the detection surface of the vehicle perimeter monitoring device. That is, they improve the detection performance based on the vehicle perimeter monitoring device.

[0008] Furthermore, the mounting structure of the vehicle perimeter monitoring device according to the second aspect of the present invention is the mounting structure of the vehicle perimeter monitoring device according to the first aspect, wherein the supporting member has a wall portion that fills the gap between it and the adjacent member.

[0009] According to the invention of the second aspect, the supporting member has a wall portion that fills the gap between it and adjacent members. Therefore, abnormal noise caused by airflow into the gap can be suppressed.

[0010] As described above, the detection performance of vehicle perimeter monitoring devices can be improved according to the present invention. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, the features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described, in which the same reference numerals denote the same elements, and wherein:

[0012] Figure 1 This is a schematic perspective view showing the front right side of a vehicle equipped with the mounting structure described in this embodiment.

[0013] Figure 2 This is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of the side support involved in this embodiment.

[0014] Figure 3 This indicates the structure of the side support involved in this embodiment along... Figure 1 A rough cross-sectional view showing the direction of the arrow along the XX line.

[0015] Figure 4 This indicates the structure of the side support involved in this embodiment. Figure 1 A rough cross-sectional view showing the direction of the YY line arrows. Detailed Implementation

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. For ease of explanation, in each figure, arrow UP is shown as the upward direction of the vehicle, arrow FR as the forward direction of the vehicle, and arrow RH as the rightward direction of the vehicle. Furthermore, in the following description, unless otherwise specified, the directions of up / down, front / back, and left / right refer to the up / down, front / back, and left / right directions within the vehicle. The left / right direction has the same meaning as the vehicle width direction.

[0017] like Figure 1As shown, the radar 30 mounting structure 10, which is the vehicle perimeter monitoring device according to this embodiment, includes a resin front bumper 14 extending in the vehicle width direction and disposed at the front end of the vehicle body 12. External lenses 16A of headlights 16 are provided at the left and right ends of the vehicle 12, which are located above the front bumper 14. Furthermore, the outer end 14A of the front bumper 14 in the vehicle width direction extends rearward, and a side bracket 20 serving as a support member is provided on the inner side of this outer end 14A.

[0018] like Figure 2 As shown, the side bracket 20 is made of resin, for example, and is formed in the same shape as the outer end 14A of the front bumper 14 in the vehicle width direction, so as to support and fix the outer end 14A of the front bumper 14 from the inside (see reference). Figure 1 That is, the side bracket 20 has: a main body 22, which is formed into a generally rectangular flat plate shape when viewed from the side in the vehicle width direction; and an extension 23, which is a generally flat plate shape that extends integrally along the fender liner 18 from the upper rear end of the main body 22 to the upper rear side.

[0019] like Figures 2-4 As shown, a generally rectangular frame-shaped receiving portion 24 is formed at the lower center of the outer surface of the main body 22 in the front-rear direction. A generally rectangular box-shaped radar 30 is housed and fixed in the receiving portion 24. The radar 30 is constructed by housing the radar body (not shown) inside the generally rectangular box-shaped resin cover 32, with its detection surface 34 facing outward in the general width direction of the vehicle 12.

[0020] In detail, such as Figure 3 As shown, the detection surface 34 of the radar 30 faces the obliquely forward side, including the outer side of the vehicle 12 in the vehicle width direction, from a planar view. Therefore, the radar 30 is able to detect the steering movable area (in the area beyond the front wheels) of the vehicle. Figure 3 The object (at least an object existing on the outside of the vehicle width direction) is located further outside the vehicle width direction of vehicle 12 and extends from the outside of its vehicle width direction to the diagonally front side.

[0021] Furthermore, the outermost end 14A of the front bumper 14 in the vehicle width direction is naturally configured to allow the transmission of radio waves received and transmitted from the detection surface 34 of the radar 30. Moreover, in a planar view, the distance G between the outermost end 14A of the front bumper 14 in the vehicle width direction and the detection surface 34 of the radar 30 is, for example, set to 10mm or less, and the outermost end 14A of the front bumper 14 in the vehicle width direction is supported and fixed by the side bracket 20 in a manner that minimizes this distance G as much as possible.

[0022] Furthermore, inclined portions 26 are provided at both ends of the lower part of the main body 22 in the front-rear direction (on both sides of the receiving portion 24 in a planar view). Each inclined portion 26 has an inclined surface 26A, which, in a planar view, extends from a virtual straight line K1 (reference line K1) along the detection surface 34 of the radar 30 housed in the receiving portion 24 as it moves away from the receiving portion 24. Figure 3 It tilts in a way that protrudes outwards.

[0023] In other words, such as Figure 3 The structure, represented by the virtual curve K2, is composed of inclined surfaces 26A and the detection surface 34 of the radar 30, forming a roughly concave curved surface shape (directional guidance shape) from a planar view. Thus, as... Figure 3 As shown, this structure ensures the transmission and reception area E1 of radio waves from a planar perspective. Furthermore, as... Figure 4 As shown, this is a structure that ensures the transmission and reception area E2 of radio waves when viewed from the front.

[0024] And, as Figure 2 , Figure 4 As shown, a wall portion 28 is integrally formed at the upper end of the main body 22 to fill the gap between it and adjacent components. The wall portion 28 is generally rectangular in plan view and is plate-shaped with a predetermined thickness in the vertical direction. This wall portion 28 extends inward and abuts (or is as close as possible to) adjacent components, thereby forming a structure that fills (shields) the gap between it and adjacent components. Examples of adjacent components include, for instance, the lamp housing 16B of the headlight 16 or the portion of the fender liner 18 opposite to the front wheel side.

[0025] The function of the radar 30 mounting structure 10 according to this embodiment, which has the structure described above, will be explained next.

[0026] As described above, a front bumper 14 extending in the vehicle width direction is disposed at the front end of the vehicle body 12, and a side bracket 20 is disposed on the inner side of the outer end 14A in the vehicle width direction of the front bumper 14. Furthermore, a radar 30 capable of detecting objects (e.g., side vehicles traveling to the side of the vehicle 12) existing at least outside the vehicle width direction of the vehicle 12 is fixed on the side bracket 20, and the detection surface 34 of the radar 30 is configured to face from the outer side in the vehicle width direction toward the oblique front side in a planar view.

[0027] Here, the side support 20 has: a receiving portion 24 that receives the radar 30; and inclined surfaces 26A, which are provided on both sides of the receiving portion 24 in a planar view, and are inclined outward from the virtual straight line K1 along the detection surface 34 of the radar 30 received in the receiving portion 24 as they move away from the receiving portion 24. That is, each inclined surface 26A and the detection surface 34 of the radar 30 form a generally concave curved surface shape in a planar view (refer to the virtual curve K2).

[0028] Therefore, the tilted surface 26A (which forms a roughly concave curved surface shape from a planar view) can improve the directivity of the radar 30's detection surface 34 for radio wave transmission and reception (see reference). Figure 3 The sending and receiving areas E1 and Figure 4 (E2, the transceiver area in the radar). That is, it can improve the detection performance based on radar 30. Thus, for example, it can effectively assist in lane changing while the vehicle 12 is in motion.

[0029] Furthermore, as existing technology, there are structures that fix the radar 30 to the side of the headlight 16 or to the back of the front bumper 14. In the former case, the distance between the detection surface 34 of the radar 30 and the front bumper 14 increases, thus posing a problem in terms of radio wave transmission performance. In the latter case, the distance between the detection surface 34 of the radar 30 and the front bumper 14 decreases, thus improving radio wave transmission performance, but the assembly precision of the front bumper 14 causes deviations in the installation precision (position or angle) of the radar 30.

[0030] In contrast, in the radar 30 mounting structure 10 of this embodiment, the distance G between the outer end 14A of the front bumper 14 in the vehicle width direction and the detection surface 34 of the radar 30 is minimized as much as possible from a planar view, thereby improving the radio wave transmission performance. Furthermore, since the radar 30 is fixed to the lower part of the side bracket 20 (main body 22) rather than the back of the front bumper 14, the installation accuracy (position or angle) of the radar 30 is not deviated, thus improving its installation accuracy.

[0031] That is, according to the radar 30 mounting structure 10 of this embodiment, the radar 30 can simultaneously improve both radio wave transmission performance and installation accuracy. In addition, since the radar 30 is mounted on the lower part of the side bracket 20 (main body 22), it is possible to prevent an increase in the number of parts compared to the case where the components mounting the radar 30 are separated from the side bracket 20.

[0032] Furthermore, from a planar perspective, the transceiver area E1 of radar 30 is designed to be an area that does not interfere with the steering movable area of ​​the front wheels, represented by the dashed line D. This prevents the front wheels from adversely affecting radar-based detection (preventing the front wheels from being mistakenly detected as objects by radar 30). Therefore, even in the case of vehicle 12, such as an autonomous vehicle, high-precision detection performance can be achieved, enabling the construction of a preventative safety system capable of handling various situations during operation.

[0033] Furthermore, the side bracket 20 has a wall portion 28 that fills the gap between itself and adjacent components (e.g., the lamp housing 16B of the headlight 16 or the portion of the fender liner 18 opposite to the front wheel side). Therefore, abnormal noise caused by wind flowing into this gap can be suppressed. That is, the transmitted sound generated by wind flowing from outside the vehicle into the engine compartment can be reduced.

[0034] The above description of the mounting structure 10 of the vehicle perimeter monitoring device (radar 30) according to this embodiment has been based on the accompanying drawings. However, the mounting structure 10 of the vehicle perimeter monitoring device (radar 30) according to this embodiment is not limited to the structure shown in the figure. Appropriate design changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0035] For example, the side bracket 20 that fixes the radar 30 (cover 32) to the receiving portion 24 is not limited to being made of resin, but may also be made of metal. Furthermore, there is no particular limitation on the method of fixing the radar 30 (cover 32) to the receiving portion 24 of the side bracket 20.

Claims

1. A mounting structure for a vehicle perimeter monitoring device, characterized in that, have: The front bumper extends along the width of the vehicle and is positioned at the front side end of the vehicle body; A support component, disposed at the outer end of the front bumper in the vehicle width direction; and A vehicle perimeter monitoring device, fixed to the supporting component, capable of detecting objects located at least outside the vehicle's width direction. The support component has: A housing that houses the vehicle perimeter monitoring device; and Inclined surfaces, which are disposed on both sides of the receiving portion in a planar view, and are inclined in such a way that they protrude from a virtual straight line along the detection surface of the vehicle perimeter monitoring device received in the receiving portion as they move away from the receiving portion.

2. The mounting structure of the vehicle perimeter monitoring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support member has a wall portion that fills the gap between it and adjacent members.

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