Mounting arrangement for an environmental sensor device of a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a holding arrangement (100) for an environmental sensor means (1) of a motor vehicle, comprising - a holding device (2) comprising at least one holding arm (20, 21) at the free end of which the environmental sensor means (1) is attached, a pendulum arm (22) to which the holding arm (20, 21) is attached or with which the holding arm (20, 21) is integrally formed, and a pivot axis (23) about which the pendulum arm (22) can be pivoted from a rest position to a deflected position when subjected to an external impact force, - a base support (4), - a return spring element (6) which is attached to the base support (4) and to the pendulum arm (22) and is designed to exert a return force on the holding device (1) in the deflected position, as well as - two corresponding connecting means attached to the base support (4) and to the pendulum arm (22) and designed to hold the holding device (2) in its rest position until the impact force (F) acting on the environmental sensor means (1) reaches a limit force (F Grenz ) exceeds.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a holding arrangement for an environmental sensor means of a motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Modern vehicles are equipped with environmental sensors located at the front or rear of the vehicle to detect objects in its vicinity. These sensors are often integrated into the front or rear fairing. Examples of such sensors include ultrasonic sensors that can detect obstacles in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle, radar sensors, lidar sensors, or cameras.

[0003] The ambient light sensors must be installed in the vehicle in such a way that they are not damaged in a minor parking collision, where the impact forces on the sensor and adjacent vehicle structures are considerably lower than in a typical accident. Otherwise, even minor parking collisions with low external impact forces would require the damaged sensor to be replaced by qualified personnel in a workshop. Therefore, the sensors are often recessed significantly into the vehicle, particularly in the front or rear fascia. However, this placement has a significant impact on the sensor's field of view, which can lead to a loss of performance, and also affects the vehicle's visual appearance.

[0004] EP 3 615 385 B1 relates to an electronics housing, which can, for example, be designed to accommodate a sensor. It includes a linkage system that can move the electronics housing into two different positions. The linkage system has two arms by which the electronics housing can be folded down.

[0005] From DE 10 2018 213 794 A1, a holding arrangement for an environmental sensor of a motor vehicle of the type mentioned above is known. The problem arises that, depending on the weight of the sensor to be mounted and the spring strength of the return spring, even slight vibrations can cause the sensor to fold over unintentionally due to the leverage of the holding arm.

[0006] DE 10 2018 213 798 A1 discloses a holding arrangement for an environmental sensor means of a motor vehicle, which has two connecting elements that are pre-tensioned by a further spring.

[0007] The invention therefore aims to provide a holding arrangement for an environmental sensor device of a motor vehicle, which makes it possible to install the environmental sensor device not as far back as before, but further forward.

[0008] The solution to this problem is provided by a generic holding arrangement for an environmental sensor means having the features of the characterizing part of claim 1. The dependent claims relate to advantageous further developments of the invention.

[0009] A mounting arrangement for an environmental sensor device of a motor vehicle is provided, comprising - a holding device comprising at least one holding arm, at the free end of which the environmental sensor means is attached, a pendulum arm to which the holding arm is attached or with which the holding arm is integrally formed, and an axis of rotation about which the pendulum arm can be pivoted from a rest position to a deflected position when subjected to an external impact force, - a base support, as well as - a return spring element attached to the base support and the pendulum arm, designed to exert a return force on the holding device in the deflected position. According to the invention, the holding arrangement has two corresponding connecting elements attached to the base support and the pendulum arm, designed to hold the holding device in its rest position until the impact force F acting on the environmental sensor element exceeds a limit force F.Grenz exceeds, and that a rib structure is arranged or formed on the base support on a side facing the pendulum arm.

[0010] The mounting arrangement according to the invention for an environmental sensor of a motor vehicle enables a pendulum movement of the mounting device with the environmental sensor attached to it when an impact force F acts on the environmental sensor. The connecting means provided according to the invention fix the environmental sensor in a rest position. In order to prevent the pendulum mechanism from failing to trigger under forces that typically occur during driving (e.g., wind load or driving on an uneven road surface), but only when larger forces such as a parking bump are involved, the corresponding connecting means are provided, which fix the mounting device in its rest position.When the impact force F ceases, the holding device returns to its rest position due to the restoring force of the return spring. In this position, the connecting elements interact again, thus holding the environmental sensor in its rest position. It is understood that the holding arrangement is designed only for forces occurring during a typical parking bump. In a typical accident with correspondingly high impact forces, the holding arrangement will be more severely damaged. To enable precise repositioning of the holding device after the external impact force ceases, the invention further provides for a rib structure on the base support on a side facing the pendulum arm.

[0011] Preferably, the return spring element can be designed as a tension spring element.

[0012] In a suitable embodiment, the fasteners are designed as clip fasteners. Such clip fasteners can be manufactured very simply and cost-effectively.

[0013] To increase the mechanical stability of the holding device, an advantageous embodiment may provide that the holding device has two holding arms, at the free ends of which the environmental sensor is attached. Preferably, the two holding arms can be arranged so that they extend parallel to each other.

[0014] To further improve the repositioning of the holding device after the removal of the external force, one embodiment allows the rib structure to have one or more leading-in chamfers.

[0015] The position of the axis of rotation is crucial for the movement range of the ambient sensor, since the sensor moves along the circular path defined by the axis during its pendulum motion. In an advantageous embodiment, the position of the axis of rotation is chosen such that, during a deflection of the holding device, any displacement of the ambient sensor in a longitudinal direction x of the vehicle is minimized. The further the axis of rotation is from the ambient sensor and the smaller the displacement of the axis of rotation in the longitudinal direction x from the sensor, the more the movement of the ambient sensor exhibits a translational character.

[0016] In one embodiment, the mounting arrangement may have a rigid, vehicle-mounted connection structure designed to prevent deformation under low impact forces, with the base support being attached to this connection structure. "Low impact forces" here refers to external forces typically encountered in minor parking collisions.

[0017] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the enclosed Fig. Figure 1, which schematically shows a greatly simplified holding arrangement 100 for an environmental sensor device 1 of a motor vehicle.

[0018] The environmental sensor 1 is located in the front or rear of the vehicle to detect objects in its vicinity. The environmental sensor 1 can, for example, be located in the front or rear fairing of the vehicle. The environmental sensor 1 can be, for example, an ultrasonic sensor capable of detecting obstacles in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle, or a radar sensor, a lidar sensor, or a camera system.

[0019] The holding arrangement 100 has a holding device 2 which comprises at least one holding arm 20, 21, wherein the environmental sensor means 1 is attached to a free end of the holding arm 20, 21. To increase stability, the holding device 2 in the embodiment shown here has two holding arms 20, 21 which extend parallel to each other and at whose free end the environmental sensor means 1 is attached.

[0020] The holding device 2 further comprises a pendulum arm 22 to which the two holding arms 20, 21 are attached. In an alternative embodiment, the holding arms 20, 21 can also be integrally formed with the pendulum arm 22. The holding device 2 further comprises a pivot axis 23 on which the pendulum arm 22 is rotatably mounted.

[0021] The mounting assembly 100 further comprises a base support 4 and a vehicle-mounted, rigid connection structure 5, which is designed such that it does not deform in minor parking collisions with relatively small impact forces, but only in the case of larger impact forces such as those occurring in typical accidents. The connection structure 5 is preferably part of a crash management system of the vehicle, which, in addition to the vehicle-mounted connection structure 5, may also include crash cross members and crash boxes for absorbing the impact energy. In this embodiment, the base support 4 is bolted to the connection structure 5. In another embodiment, the base support 4 and the connection structure 5 can also be designed as a single component.

[0022] As in Fig.As can be seen in Figure 1, when subjected to an external impact force F, the holding device 2 rotates from the rest position, designated “I”, to the deflected position, designated “II”. To allow the holding device 2 to return to rest position I after the external impact force F ceases, the holding arrangement 100 has a return spring 6, which is attached to the base support 4 and the pendulum arm 22. Preferably, the return spring 6 is designed as a tension spring. The deflection movement of the holding device 2 tensions the return spring 6, so that it provides a restoring force to force the holding device 2 back to rest position I after the impact force F ceases.

[0023] To prevent the pendulum mechanism described above from failing to trigger under forces that typically occur during driving (e.g., wind load or driving on an uneven road surface), but only when larger forces such as those involved in a parking bump are at work, two corresponding clip fasteners 7a, 7b are provided on the pendulum arm 22 and the base support 4. These fasteners fix the holding device 2 with the attached sensor 1 in the rest position I. Only when the externally acting impact force F exceeds a limit force F Grenz If the limit is exceeded, the clip connection provided by the clip connecting means 7a, 7b is released, so that the pendulum mechanism of the holding device 2 is triggered.

[0024] In order to enable precise guidance of the holding device 2 into its rest position I when swinging back from the deflection position II, a rib structure 8 is provided on the base support 4 on a side facing the pendulum arm 22, which preferably has lead-in chamfers and enables precise repositioning of the holding device 2 into the rest position I, in which the clip connecting means 7a, 7b interact with each other and fix the holding device 2 back to the base support 4.

[0025] The position of the axis of rotation 23 is crucial for the movement range of the ambient sensor 1, since the ambient sensor 1 moves along a circular path defined by the pendulum motion of the holding device 2. Preferably, the position of the axis of rotation 23 is chosen such that, during a deflection movement of the holding device 2, any displacement of the ambient sensor 1 in a longitudinal direction x of the vehicle is minimized. The further the axis of rotation 23 is from the ambient sensor 1 and the smaller the displacement of the axis of rotation 23 in the longitudinal direction x from the ambient sensor 1, the more translational the movement of the ambient sensor 1 becomes.

Claims

[1] Holding arrangement (100) for an environmental sensor means (1) of a motor vehicle, comprising - a holding device (2) comprising at least one holding arm (20, 21) at the free end of which the environmental sensor means (1) is attached, a pendulum arm (22) to which the holding arm (20, 21) is attached or with which the holding arm (20, 21) is integrally formed, and a pivot axis (23) about which the pendulum arm (22) can be pivoted from a rest position to a deflected position when subjected to an external impact force, - a base support (4), as well as - a return spring element (6) which is attached to the base support (4) and to the pendulum arm (22) and is designed to exert a return force on the holding device (2) in the deflected position, characterized by, that the holding arrangement (100) has two corresponding connecting means which are attached to the base support (4) and to the pendulum arm (22) and are designed to hold the holding device (2) in its rest position until the impact force (F) acting on the environmental sensor means (1) reaches a limit force (F Grenz ) exceeds, and that a rib structure (8) is arranged or formed on the base support (4) on a side facing the pendulum arm (22). [2] Holding arrangement (100) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the return spring means (6) is designed as a tension spring means. [3] Holding arrangement (100) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized by that the fasteners are designed as clip fasteners (7a, 7b). [4] Holding arrangement (100) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by, that the holding device (2) has two holding arms (20, 21) at the free ends of which the environmental sensor means (1) is attached. [5] Holding arrangement (100) according to claim 4, characterized by , that the two retaining arms (20, 21) are arranged so that they extend parallel to each other. [6] Holding arrangement (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by that the rib structure (8) has one or more leading-in chamfers. [7] Holding arrangement (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by , that the position of the axis of rotation (23) is chosen such that, in the event of a deflection movement of the holding device (2), an offset of the environmental sensor means (1) in a longitudinal direction (x) of the motor vehicle is minimized. [8] Holding arrangement (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by, that the holding arrangement (100) has a vehicle-fixed, rigid connection structure (5) which is designed so that it does not deform under low impact forces, wherein the base carrier (4) is attached to the connection structure (5).

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