Exterior trim assembly for a vehicle with an exterior trim part made of at least two plastic materials and with at least one optical sensor unit

Abstract

The invention relates to an exterior trim assembly for a vehicle, comprising an exterior trim part (1) made of at least two plastic materials and at least one optical sensor unit (2), wherein the exterior trim part (1) comprises a thin-walled trim element (3) having a designated visible side (S) and a rear side (I) opposite the visible side (S), wherein the trim element (3) comprises a carrier substrate (4) made of a first plastic material and a cover substrate (5) made of a second plastic material on or above the carrier substrate (4), wherein the optical sensor unit (2) is arranged, facing the rear side (I), behind a partial region (6) of the trim element (3), wherein at least the partial region (6) is penetrable by at least one wavelength of the visible or infrared light spectrum, which wavelength is emitted by the optical sensor unit (2) and / or is irradiated onto the optical sensor unit (2),wherein at least one of the two substrates (4, 5) is formed in the partial region (6) such that the partial region (6) functions as an optical lens.,

Description

The present invention relates to an outer cladding arrangement for a vehicle having an outer cladding part made of at least two plastic materials and having at least one optical sensor unit, wherein the outer cladding part comprises a cladding element of thin-wall design having an intended viewing side and a rear side opposite the viewing side, wherein the cladding element comprises a carrier substrate made of a first plastic material and a cover substrate made of a second plastic material on or above the carrier substrate, wherein the optical sensor unit is arranged behind a partial region of the cladding element facing the rear side, wherein at least the partial region can be penetrated for at least one wavelength of the visible or infrared light spectrum which is emitted by the optical sensor unit and / or which is emitted onto the optical sensor unit.A disadvantage of known exterior cladding arrangements is that the optical sensor unit must be equipped with relatively large camera lenses for a high light yield.It is therefore the object of the present invention to specify an outer cladding arrangement which, with more compact sensor units, enables an identical or even a higher light yield.This object is achieved in the present case by an outer cladding arrangement for a vehicle having an outer cladding part made of at least two plastic materials and having at least one optical sensor unit, wherein the outer cladding part comprises a cladding element of thin-walled design having an intended viewing side and a rear side opposite the viewing side, wherein the cladding element comprises a carrier substrate made of a first plastic material and a cover substrate made of a second plastic material on or above the carrier substrate, wherein the optical sensor unit is arranged behind a partial region of the cladding element facing the rear side, wherein at least the partial region can be penetrated for at least one wavelength of the visible or infrared light spectrum, which is emitted by the optical sensor unit and / or which is emitted onto the optical sensor unit, wherein at least one of the two substrates is designed in the partial region such that the partial region functions as an optical lens.Advantageously, in an outer cladding arrangement according to the invention, a partial region of the cladding element arranged in front of the optical sensor unit takes over the function of an optical lens and, as it were, displaces a part of the optical components of the sensor unit into the cladding element. As a result, more compact optical sensor units can be used, which require less installation space and have a lower weight. An "optical lens" is an object that deflects light of a particular spectrum of light in its path.The infrared light spectrum refers to the region of the electromagnetic spectrum between visible light and the longer wave terahertz radiation. It comprises light having a wavelength between 780 nm and 1 mm. The visible light spectrum, also referred to as light or color spectrum, is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that the human eye can perceive. It ranges from red (about 760 nm) to violet (about 380 nm).The cladding element can additionally be designed to be locally translucent when illuminated from the inside in at least one lighting region.As a variant, both substrates in the sub-region can be formed such that the sub-region functions as an optical lens.For further optimization, as a variant of the invention, the respective optical density of the two plastic materials for which at least one wavelength is different from one another. The varying refractive indices can further enhance the optical effect of the subregion.The carrier substrate can be formed in the partial region in a convex or concave manner or in a bi-convex or bi-concave manner. The cover substrate can be formed in the partial region in a convex or concave manner or in a bi-convex or bi-concave manner. These details each relate to a cross section through the subregion.At least one additional protective layer can be provided on the cover substrate, in particular a protective layer comprising a silane or a silane compound. The protective layer can in particular reduce damage due to stone blows or abrasive media.The first plastic material can preferably be a transparent or translucent plastic material for forming a transparent or translucent carrier substrate. The transparent or translucent plastic material may comprise polypropylene and / or polycarbonate and / or polyethylene terephthalate and / or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and / or polymethyl methacrylate and / or polyamide.The second plastic material may comprise polyurethane or polyurea to form the cover substrate.The cover substrate can preferably be applied to the carrier substrate by the reaction injection moulding method (RIM).The exterior trim part may be a bumper trim or a door exterior trim or a tailgate exterior trim or a fender trim or a front mask or a radiator trim. A front mask is that part of a vehicle in place of which the grille has been located in combustion vehicles. In particular in electric vehicles, this front mask is no longer designed as an air inlet to the radiator (which is no longer present here), but rather is provided as a design element in the vehicle center.The optical sensor unit can be, in particular, a surroundings observation camera or a lidar sensor unit. A lidar sensor (abbreviation for light detection and ranging or light imaging, detection and ranging) serves for optical distance and speed measurement. Instead of the radio waves as in the radar, laser beams are used. The technology is also used in the control and navigation of autonomous vehicles. A typical lidar sensor emits pulsed light waves into the environment. These pulses bounce off surrounding objects and return to the sensor. The sensor uses the time each pulse has taken to return to the sensor to calculate the distance travelled, for example. Typical wavelengths are between 905 nm and 1800 nm, but depending on the application, can also be outside this range.Exemplary EmbodimentsThe invention is explained below with reference to drawings which merely represent exemplary embodiments. They show schematically: FIG. 1 is a front view of an exterior trim assembly; FIGS. 2 a- 2 e show cross-sectional representations along the section line A-A from FIG. 1 in different variants.In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference numerals.FIG. 1 shows a front view of an exterior trim part arrangement for a vehicle according to the invention. The exterior cladding arrangement for a vehicle is formed with an exterior cladding part 1 made of at least two plastic materials and with at least one optical sensor unit 2 (schematically indicated here, since the exterior cladding part 1 covers the sensor unit). The cladding element is additionally designed to be locally translucent when illuminated from the inside in at least one lighting region 8.The outer cladding part 1 comprises a cladding element 3 of thin-walled design with an intended visible side S and a rear side I opposite the visible side S (cf. also FIGS. 2 a- 2 e).The cladding element 3 comprises a carrier substrate 4 made of a first plastic material and a cover substrate 5 made of a second plastic material on or above the carrier substrate 4. carrier substrate 4 and cover substrate 5 together thus form a layer structure.The optical sensor unit 2, facing the rear side I, is arranged behind a partial region 6 of the cladding element 3 (cf. FIGS. 1 and 2 a).At least the subregion 6 can be penetrated for at least one wavelength of the visible or infrared light spectrum which is emitted by the optical sensor unit 2 and / or which is emitted by the optical sensor unit 2 (for example the reflection of lidar radiation from an object when using a lidar sensor unit).At least one of the two substrates 4, 5 is formed in the sub-region 6 such that the sub-region 6 functions as an optical lens (cf. FIGS. 2 a- 2 e).Even both substrates 4, 5 may be formed in the partial region 6 such that the partial region 6 functions as an optical lens. Examples of this are FIG. 2 a(the carrier substrate 4 is convex in the subregion 6 and the cover substrate is convex in the subregion 6), FIG. 2 b(the carrier substrate 4 is concave in the subregion 6 and the cover substrate is bi-convex in the subregion 6), FIG. 2 c(the carrier substrate 4 is bi-concave in the subregion 6 and the cover substrate is bi-convex in the subregion 6) and FIG. 2 e(the carrier substrate 4 is convex in the subregion 6 and the cover substrate is convex in the subregion 6).FIG. 2 ashows that at least one additional protective layer 7, in particular a protective layer 7 comprising a silane or a silane compound, can be provided on the cover substrate 5. The variants shown in the further figures can of course also be provided with such a protective layer 7. Merely for reasons of better clarity, the protective layer 7 is not explicitly shown here.The first plastic material is a transparent or translucent plastic material for forming a transparent or translucent carrier substrate 4.The second plastic material for forming the cover substrate 5 comprises polyurethane or polyurea.The exterior trim part 1 in this exemplary embodiment is a bumper trim, wherein the trim element 3 is formed as a front mask which is accommodated in the bumper trim.The cover substrate 5 can be applied to the carrier substrate 4 in particular by the reaction injection moulding method (RIM).

Claims

Exterior cladding arrangement for a vehicle, having an exterior cladding part (1) made of at least two plastic materials and having at least one optical sensor unit (2), wherein the exterior cladding part (1) comprises a cladding element (3) of thin-walled design having an intended viewing side (S) and a rear side (I) opposite the viewing side (S), wherein the cladding element (3) comprises a carrier substrate (4) made of a first plastic material and a cover substrate (5) made of a second plastic material on or above the carrier substrate (4), wherein the optical sensor unit (2) is arranged behind a partial region (6) of the cladding element (3) facing the rear side (I), wherein at least the partial region (6) can be penetrated for at least one wavelength of the visible or infrared light spectrum, which is emitted by the optical sensor unit (2) and / or which is emitted onto the optical sensor unit (2), characterized in that at least one of the two substrates (4, 5) in the subregion (6) is formed such that the subregion (6) functions as an optical lens.Exterior cladding arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that both substrates (4, 5) in the sub-region (6) are formed such that the sub-region (6) functions as an optical lens.Exterior cladding arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the respective optical density of the two plastic materials for the at least one wavelength differs from one another,Exterior cladding arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier substrate (4) is formed in the sub-region (6) in a convex or concave or bi-convex or bi-concave manner.Exterior cladding arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover substrate (5) is formed in the sub-region (6) in a convex or concave manner or in a bi-convex or bi-concave manner.Exterior cladding arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one additional protective layer (7), in particular a protective layer (7) comprising a silane or a silane compound, is provided on the cover substrate (5).Exterior cladding arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first plastic material is a transparent or translucent plastic material for forming a transparent or translucent carrier substrate (4).Exterior cladding arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transparent or translucent plastic material comprises polypropylene and / or polycarbonate and / or polyethylene terephthalate and / or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and / or polymethyl methacrylate and / or polyamide.Exterior cladding arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second plastic material for forming the cover substrate (5) comprises polyurethane or polyurea.Exterior cladding arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the exterior cladding part (1) is a bumper cladding or an exterior door cladding or an exterior tailgate cladding or a fender cladding or a front mask or a radiator cladding.Exterior cladding arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover substrate (5) is applied to the carrier substrate (4) by the reaction injection moulding method (RIM).

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