Radar device for a vehicle and method for mounting a radar device for a vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a radar device (2) for a vehicle (1). The radar device (2) has a housing (5) with a rear part (6) and a front part (7) which, in an assembled state of the radar device (2), form a receiving space (8) in which an antenna element (9) of the radar device (2) is located. The rear part (6) has at least one pin (10) that projects into the receiving space (8) and to which the antenna element (9) is attached by means of a rivet connection. The invention also relates to a method for mounting the radar device (2) for the vehicle (1).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a radar device for a vehicle. Furthermore, the invention relates to a vehicle with such a radar device and a method for mounting a radar device for a vehicle.

[0002] A vehicle, such as a motor vehicle, may have at least one radar device. The radar device is configured to acquire radar data describing at least part of the vehicle's surroundings. The radar device typically includes radar electronics, in particular at least one antenna element. The radar device also includes a housing, which, for example, has a rear part for protection and heat dissipation and a front part that is permeable to radar echoes. Mounting the radar device with the housing and radar electronics may involve multiple assembly steps. It can therefore be time-consuming and complex.

[0003] The object of the invention is to simplify the installation of the radar device for a vehicle.

[0004] The independent claims solve the problem.

[0005] A first aspect of the invention relates to a radar device for a vehicle. The radar device comprises a housing with a rear part and a front part. The rear part can alternatively be referred to as a rear cover. The front part can alternatively be referred to as a front cover. In an assembled state of the housing, the rear part and the front part form a receiving space in which an antenna element of the radar device is located. The assembled state of the housing can alternatively be referred to as an assembled state of the radar device. The antenna element can alternatively be referred to as an antenna. The antenna element has, for example, at least one transmitting antenna and at least one receiving antenna.

[0006] The rear part of the housing has at least one pin. The at least one pin projects into the receiving space. The antenna element is attached to the at least one pin by means of a rivet connection. This means that the rear part has at least one projection, which here is the at least one pin, to fix the antenna element to the rear part. However, the fixation is achieved by riveting, which means that the rivet connection locates the antenna element with respect to the rear part of the housing. Preferably, the rear part has a plurality of pins. The number and arrangement of the plurality of pins can depend on a size and / or shape of the antenna element. The larger the antenna element, the more pins the rear part can contain.

[0007] The at least one pin is shaped, for example, such that a length of the pin when viewed in a longitudinal direction is greater than a diameter of the pin when viewed in a transverse or depth direction. The longitudinal direction is oriented perpendicular to a surface of the back part, wherein this surface of the back part is at least partially opposite the front part of the housing. The at least one pin and the back part are typically manufactured as a single piece. The back part can be made of plastic and / or metal. When the antenna element is placed on the at least one pin and riveting techniques are used, the antenna element is quickly and easily attached to the pin and thus to the housing. This simplifies the assembly of the radar device.

[0008] One embodiment includes the pin having a head that protrudes in the radial direction of the pin. The head is a part of the pin that has a larger diameter (viewed in the transverse and depth directions) than the rest of the pin. The radial direction of the pin is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the back part. The head is formed by riveting the pin. In particular, it is formed by thermal contact riveting and / or ultrasonic riveting. The head contributes at least to the attachment of the antenna element to the back part. However, the head is created during an assembly process of the radar device. This means that the pin is originally shaped, for example, as a rod or a cylinder, but part of the pin is reshaped as the head by riveting. In the case of thermal contact rivets, the pin can be made of plastic.The plastic material of the pin is deformed during the riveting process using heat and force for a predetermined duration. The connection between the pin and the antenna element is created by partially deforming the plastic part to secure the antenna element. Alternatively or in addition to thermal contact riveting, ultrasonic riveting can be used to create the riveted connection. In this case, the pin can also be made of plastic. During ultrasonic riveting, melt deformation occurs and at least part of the pin is plasticized. This makes it possible to join the pin to the antenna element, which can be another plastic part or a non-plastic component of the radar device. Due to the protruding head created during riveting, the antenna element cannot be moved away from the pin without destroying the pin and is thus attached to the back part.

[0009] According to a further embodiment, the radar device comprises at least one head positioned above the antenna element on the at least one pin. The head and pin can be riveted together. In other words, it is possible to add the head as an additional component. Here, the head is thus not created by riveting, but rather the riveting is used to attach two individual parts, i.e., the head and pin, so that the antenna element is fixed with respect to the rear part. The riveted connection can be realized by applying a predetermined force to the head and pin. The head and / or pin can be made of metal and / or plastic. It is thus possible to rely on various riveting techniques to attach the antenna element to the rear part of the housing by means of the riveted connection.

[0010] A further embodiment includes that the antenna element has at least one hole through which the at least one pin is passed. If the back part has more than one pin, the antenna element has more than one hole. A diameter of the hole is at least as large as the diameter of the pin so that the pin can be passed through the hole. Preferably, the diameter of the hole is at least partially smaller than the diameter of the head. The hole extends through the entire antenna element, which means, for example, from an upper side to an opposite lower side of the antenna element. This explains how the pin can connect the antenna element to the back part through the pin by means of the rivet connection, since the head protrudes in the radial direction and cannot pass through the hole.In addition, the head is created after the antenna element is placed on the pin by thermal contact riveting and / or ultrasonic riveting, or the head is added after the pin has been passed through the antenna element and then riveted to the pin. This shows in more detail how the radar device is mounted.

[0011] A preferred embodiment includes a countersink formed at one end of the hole so that the head of the pin is flush with the surface of the antenna element. The end is the end of the hole facing away from the back part. The end can thus protrude the furthest into the receiving space compared to other subsections of the back part. The countersink is a part of the hole that has a larger diameter than other parts of the hole. Furthermore, the countersink can have a conical shape. The countersink can be shaped such that it can completely accommodate the head of the pin. At least the part of the hole adjacent to the countersink has a smaller diameter than the countersink.

[0012] As described, the pin does not protrude from the surface of the antenna element, for example, toward the front of the housing. The top surface of the head and the surface of the antenna element can thus lie in the same plane. Therefore, no part of the pin can shield electromagnetic waves transmitted or received by the antenna element. It is particularly useful to use the recess for the head to prevent any influence of the head and / or pin on the radar device's measurement performance.

[0013] Furthermore, one embodiment includes the antenna element being a waveguide antenna. The antenna element used for the radar device is thus of a specific antenna type. The waveguide antenna can alternatively be referred to as a metallized plastic antenna. This means that the antenna element is at least partially made of plastic coated with a metal layer. This design of the antenna element is particularly cost-effective and, compared to other antenna types, offers high performance and / or a wide field of view for the radar device.

[0014] For example, the waveguide antenna may require additional electronic components, such as a circuit board for power and / or data connections and / or a wave generator to generate the electromagnetic wave to be transmitted from the antenna element.

[0015] Thus, another embodiment includes the radar device having a printed circuit board (PCB). The PCB is located between the back part and the antenna element. During the assembly process of the radar device, the PCB is positioned, for example, on the at least one pin before the antenna element is positioned thereon. The PCB has at least one hole through which the at least one pin is guided. The PCB and the antenna element are placed one above the other with their holes opposite each other, when viewed in a height direction of the radar device, which corresponds to the length direction of the pin. This means that the pin passes not only through the at least one hole of the antenna element, but also through the at least one hole of the PCB. The PCB is configured, for example, to provide power, for example, to at least one electronic component of the radar device.The electronic component may be required for data processing and / or radar control. It is therefore useful to add the PCB to the radar. However, the PCB's position along the pin also secures it to the back panel, ensuring the radar remains robust while in motion.

[0016] A further embodiment includes the back part having at least one protrusion. The protrusion at least partially supports the PCB so that it is held at a specific height in the longitudinal direction of the pin. The PCB is thus not placed anywhere with respect to the pin and the antenna element, but rather at a specific position predetermined by the position and / or shape of the at least one protrusion. The protrusion provides a local surface of the back part that is at a greater height, viewed in the longitudinal direction of the pin, for example, with respect to a height of a subsection of the back part surrounding the pin. This makes it possible to predetermine a position of the PCB in the receiving space without adding additional parts to the radar device, in particular without an additional rivet connection.

[0017] According to another embodiment, the radar device comprises a wave generator. The wave generator is, in particular, a radio frequency chip. The wave generator is configured to generate an electromagnetic wave to be transmitted by the antenna element. The wave generator is connected to a wave input of the antenna element. This is based on the observation that a waveguide antenna typically has a wave input through which it can receive an electromagnetic wave, in particular a radio wave or a microwave. The waveguide antenna can transmit the received wave toward an environment of the radar device. The received wave can therefore first pass through tubes and pipes of the waveguide antenna toward a wave output of the waveguide antenna.

[0018] The wave generator is also connected to the PCB. The PCB provides, for example, power and / or control commands for the wave generator. The wave generator can be connected directly to the wave input and / or indirectly through the PCB, for example, via a connector. The connector can be part of the PCB. Thus, the radar device contains all the components required for the antenna element to function reliably.

[0019] Furthermore, an embodiment includes one side of the wave generator facing at least a portion of the back part. A heat-conducting element is positioned on this side to conduct heat from the wave generator to the back part. The reason for this is that the wave generator is typically a part or component of the radar device that can produce heat during operation. It is therefore useful to add the heat-conducting element to conduct the generated heat further, so that, for example, the heat from other parts of the radar device is conducted away through the back part. The heat-conducting element is in particular a thermal paste, which is positioned, for example, in a gap between the back part and the wave generator. The back part can have a further protrusion so that the gap for the heat-conducting element is particularly small compared to a back part without the further protrusion.Preferably, the further projection of the back part and the at least one pin of the back part are spatially separated from each other. The addition of the heat-conducting element is particularly useful when the back part is made of a heat-conducting material, such as metal, to achieve heat dissipation.

[0020] A further embodiment includes one side of the wave generator facing at least a portion of the back part. An air gap is provided on this side to thermally insulate the wave generator from the back part. In the case of a back part made, for example, of plastic or a material with lower thermal conductivity than metal, it may be useful to prevent heat dissipation from the wave generator to the back part. Instead, the back part is at least partially thermally insulated from the wave generator by the air gap. Therefore, the gap between the back part, in particular the projection of the back part, and the wave generator remains free of an additional component, such as the heat-conducting element. The air gap is, for example, part of the receiving space of the housing.

[0021] Whether the air gap or the heat-conducting element is part of the radar device may depend on the choice of material for the rear part of the housing and thus on the need for heat dissipation or thermal insulation.

[0022] Another embodiment includes the front part being designed as a radar dome. The front part is thus made of a material through which electromagnetic waves can pass. The electromagnetic waves are at least radio waves and / or microwaves. The front part is made, for example, of a specific plastic designed for the front covers of radar devices. The front part and the rear part are fixed to one another when the radar device is assembled. They can be fixed by an adhesive, ultrasonic welding, laser welding, and / or by at least one screw. Alternatively or additionally, the connection between the front part and the rear part can also be based on a rivet connection. Other fixing techniques may be possible if they are suitable for a radar device.

[0023] Another aspect of the invention relates to a vehicle with a radar device as described above. The vehicle can have at least one radar device in a front area, a rear area, and / or a side area of ​​the vehicle. The vehicle is, for example, a motor vehicle, such as a passenger car, a truck, a bus, a motorcycle, and / or a moped.

[0024] A further aspect of the invention relates to a method for mounting a radar device for a vehicle. The radar device has a housing with a rear part and a front part. The method includes positioning at least one antenna element on the rear part such that at least one pin protruding from the rear part passes through the antenna element. Therefore, the antenna element can have at least one hole such that the pin passes through it. The method includes attaching the antenna element to the at least one pin by means of a rivet connection. This is done in particular by thermal contact riveting and / or ultrasonic riveting. Furthermore, the method includes attaching the front part to the rear part such that the housing forms a receiving space in which the antenna element is located.After attaching the antenna element to the pin by means of the rivet connection, it is thus possible to close the housing, for example by fixing an edge of the front part to an edge of the rear part.

[0025] One embodiment of the method according to the invention involves positioning a printed circuit board (PCB) between the back part and the antenna element such that the at least one pin also extends through the PCB. The PCB can therefore also have at least one hole through which the pin passes.

[0026] In summary, when viewed vertically from bottom to top, the radar device first has the rear part with at least one pin on which the PCB can be located. The antenna element is located on top of the PCB. The antenna element is then held in position, for example, by a pin head and thus by the rivet connection. The front part of the housing is positioned on top of the antenna element. The front part of the housing can only be directly connected to the rear part and not to the antenna element.

[0027] The embodiments described in connection with the radar device according to the invention apply in each case individually as well as in combination with one another, if appropriate, to the vehicle according to the invention and the method according to the invention. The invention includes combinations of the described embodiments.

[0028] The figures show: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a vehicle with several radar devices, Fig. 2 shows a schematic cross-section of a radar device for a vehicle, and Fig. 3 a schematic plan view of an antenna element for a radar device.

[0029] In the figures, functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference numerals.

[0030] Fig. 1 shows a vehicle 1 having multiple radar devices 2. Here, it has three radar devices 2 at the front, three radar devices 2 at the rear, and at least one radar device 2 on each side of the vehicle 1. The respective radar device 2 is configured to describe at least part of an environment 3 of the vehicle 1. In addition, the vehicle 1 can have a control unit 4 to provide control commands for the respective radar device 2. The control unit 4 is, for example, an on-board computer of the vehicle 1. The vehicle 1 is preferably a motor vehicle. Additional or alternative positions of the radar devices 2 in the vehicle 1 are possible.

[0031] Fig. Figure 2 shows a cross-section of the radar device 2 for the vehicle 1. The radar device 2 has a housing 5 with a rear part 6 and a front part 7. In an assembled state, such as the state shown here, the housing 5 forms a receiving space 8 in which an antenna element 9 of the radar device 2 is located. The receiving space 8 can contain other components of the radar device 2 in addition to the antenna element 9. The antenna element 9 here is a waveguide antenna, which can alternatively be referred to as a metallized plastic antenna.

[0032] The rear part 6 has at least one pin 10 that projects into the receiving space 8. Here, it has two pins 10. The number and arrangement of the pins 10 can depend on the size and / or shape of the antenna element 9. The larger the antenna element 9, the more pins 10 can be included in the rear part 6. The antenna element 9 is attached to the pin 10 by means of a rivet connection. In detail, the pin 10 can have a head 11. The head 11 protrudes from the pin 10 in the radial direction. The radial direction here is the x-direction and the y-direction. The radial direction is thus perpendicular to a height direction of the radar device 2 and a longitudinal direction of the pin 10 (z-direction). The head 11 can be formed by riveting the pin 10. In particular, it can be produced by thermal contact riveting and / or ultrasonic riveting. Alternatively, the radar device 2 has at least one head 11 which is designed as a single component.The head 11 is positioned over the antenna element 9 on at least one pin 10, and the head 11 and the pin 10 are then riveted together. Thus, there are two ways to create a riveted connection.

[0033] Another component of the radar device 2 may be a printed circuit board (PCB) 12 located between the back part 6 and the antenna element 9. Furthermore, the radar device 2 may include at least one protrusion 13 that at least partially supports the PCB 12, so that it is held in a predetermined position in the length direction of the pin 10 (here, the z-direction).

[0034] The radar device 2 can have a wave generator 14. The wave generator 14 is, in particular, a radio frequency chip. The wave generator 14 is configured to generate an electromagnetic wave to be transmitted from the antenna element 9 toward the environment 3 of the radar device 2. The generated wave can be a radio wave or a microwave. The wave generator 14 is connected here to a wave input 15 of the antenna element 9 and to the PCB 12. The PCB 12 can provide power and / or control commands for the wave generator 14.

[0035] The radar device 2 can have a heat-conducting element 16. It is located on a side of the wave generator 14 that faces at least a portion of the rear part 6. It is positioned between the wave generator 14 and, for example, another projection 13 of the rear part 6. The heat-conducting element 16 is designed to dissipate heat from the wave generator 14 to the rear part 6. The heat-conducting element 16 can be a thermally conductive paste. Alternatively to the heat-conducting element 16, there can be an air gap between the wave generator 14 and the rear part 6 to thermally insulate the wave generator 14 from the rear part 6.

[0036] The front part 7 is designed as a radar dome. The front part 7 and the rear part 6 can be fixed to each other to form the housing 5. The rear part 6 and the front part 7 can therefore be connected with adhesive, at least one screw, and / or by welding.

[0037] Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the antenna element 9 to illustrate how the pin 10 can pass through the antenna element 9. The antenna element 9 can have at least one hole 17. Here, it comprises two holes 17, one for each of the two pins 10. The at least one pin 10 is guided through the at least one hole 17. At one end of the hole 17, which is facing away from the rear part 6, a countersink 18 can be formed so that the head 11 of the pin 10 is flush with a surface 19 of the antenna element 9. The PCB 12 can also have at least one hole 17 through which the at least one pin 10 is guided. This explains how the arrangement of Fig. 2 can be achieved.

[0038] It is possible to assemble the radar device 2 in a particularly quick and easy way. Therefore, the PCB 12 can initially be positioned on top of the rear part 6 with at least one pin 10, so that at least one pin 10 passes through the hole 17 in the PCB 12. The PCB 12 is then held in position by means of the projection 13 of the rear part 6. After that, the antenna element 9 is positioned on the rear part 6 so that the at least one pin 10 passes through the hole 17 in the antenna element 9. The antenna element 9 is then attached to the respective pin 10 by means of the rivet connection. Finally, the front part 7 is attached to the rear part 6, so that the receiving space 8 is formed and closed.

[0039] In summary, the assembly and stacking of the radar device 2 by using the housing 5 to fix a waveguide antenna as the antenna element 9 and a PCB 12 by thermal riveting has been described. Here, the idea is to simplify the stacking arrangement of the radar device 2 by using pins 10 from the back panel 6 to fix the PCB 12 and the antenna element 9 by thermal riveting these pins 10. The PCB 12 and the antenna element 9 are placed over the pins 10 on the back panel 6 of the housing 5. The back panel 6 supports the PCB 12. Finally, the pins 10 are riveted by thermal riveting.

Claims

[1] Radar device (2) for a vehicle (1), which has a housing (5) with a rear part (6) and a front part (7), which, in an assembled state of the radar device (2), form a receiving space (8) in which an antenna element (9) of the radar device (2) is located, characterized by that the rear part (6) has at least one pin (10) which projects into the receiving space (8) and to which the antenna element (9) is attached by means of a rivet connection. [2] Radar device (2) according to claim 1, characterized by in that the at least one pin (10) has a head (11) which projects in the radial direction of the pin (10), wherein the head (11) is formed by riveting the pin (10), in particular by thermal contact riveting and / or ultrasonic riveting. [3] Radar device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the radar device (2) has at least one head (11) which is positioned above the antenna element (9) on the at least one pin (10), wherein the head (11) and the pin (10) are riveted together. [4] Radar device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the antenna element (9) has at least one hole (17) through which the at least one pin (10) is passed. [5] Radar device (2) according to claim 4 and one of claims 2 or 3, characterized by that at one end of the at least one hole (17) facing away from the rear part (6), a countersink (18) is formed, so that the head (11) of the at least one pin (10) is flush with a surface of the antenna element (9). [6] Radar device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the antenna element (9) is a waveguide antenna. [7] Radar device (2) according to claim 6, characterized bythat the radar device (2) has a printed circuit board (12) which is located between the rear part (6) and the antenna element (9) and which has at least one hole (17) through which at least one pin (10) is passed. [8] Radar device (2) according to claim 7, characterized by that the rear part (6) has at least one projection (13) which at least partially supports the printed circuit board (12) so that it is held at a predetermined height in a longitudinal direction of the pin (10). [9] Radar device (2) according to claim 7 or 8, characterized by that the radar device (2) has a wave generator (14), in particular a radio frequency chip, which is designed to generate an electromagnetic wave to be emitted by the antenna element (9), wherein the wave generator (14) is connected to a wave input (15) of the antenna element (9) and the printed circuit board (12). [10] Radar device (2) according to claim 9, characterized bythat one side of the wave generator (14) faces at least a portion of the rear part (6) and on this side a heat-conducting element (16), in particular a heat-conducting paste, is positioned in order to dissipate heat from the heat generator (14) to the rear part (6). [11] Radar device (2) according to claim 9, characterized by that one side of the wave generator (14) faces at least a portion of the rear part (6) and an air gap is located on this side in order to thermally insulate the wave generator (14) from the rear part (6). [12] Radar device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the front part (7) is designed as a radar dome. [13] Vehicle (1) with a radar device (2) according to one of the preceding claims. [14] Method for mounting a radar device (2) for a vehicle (1), wherein the radar device (2) has a housing (5) with a rear part (6) and a front part (7), characterized bythat the procedure includes: - positioning an antenna element (9) on the rear part (6) such that at least one pin (10) protruding from the rear part (6) passes through the antenna element (9); - attaching the antenna element (9) to the pin (10) by means of a rivet connection; - Attaching the front part (7) to the rear part (6) so that the housing (5) forms a receiving space (8) in which the antenna element (9) is located. [15] Method according to claim 14, characterized by positioning a printed circuit board (12) between the rear part (6) and the antenna element (9) such that the at least one pin (10) also passes through the printed circuit board (12).

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