Radome for on-vehicle radar device and manufacturing method of the same

Abstract

To easily and surely join a connection end of a heater wire to a wire harness connection terminal and reduce a manufacturing cost.SOLUTION: There is provided a radome 1 for on-vehicle radar device in which a base body 2 is constituted by arranging a first resin substrate 3 and a second resin substrate 4 in lamination and fixing them, a heater wire 5 that is wired along a groove 31 is buried between the first resin substrate 3 and the second resin substrate 4, connection ends 51, 52 of the heater wire 5 are constituted by a proximity wiring region 53 wired such that the heater wire 5 is proximate, wire harness connection terminals 61, 62 are placed on the connection ends 51, 52 and fixed by joint parts 71, 72 made of a conductive joint material, and the joint parts 71, 72 are buried in the base body 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0005] ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a radome for an in-vehicle radar device provided on the front side of the in-vehicle radar device, and particularly to a radome for an in-vehicle radar device having a snow melting function and a method for manufacturing the same.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a radome for an in-vehicle radar device having a snow melting function, a radome in which a heater wire is arranged so as to suppress a decrease in the transmission performance of millimeter waves is known, and there is a radome disclosed in Patent Document 1 as such a radome.

[0003] This radome is composed of a front base material made of resin and a rear base material made of resin. Grooves are formed on the surface of the front base material, and the heater wire is fitted into these grooves and wired so that the entire heater wire is housed in the grooves. And a transparent film is provided on the surface of the front base material so as to cover the heater wire housed in the grooves and is pressure-bonded to the front base material. By covering the heater wire with this transparent film, the weather resistance, corrosion resistance, and scratch resistance of the heater wire are enhanced (see FIG. 6, paragraphs

[0042] ,

[0044] to

[0046] of Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Incidentally, as an alternative structure to ensure weather resistance, corrosion resistance, and scratch resistance of the heater wires when routing them along grooves formed in the resin substrate of a radome for an in-vehicle radar system, one can be considered in which the heater wires are routed along grooves formed in one resin substrate, the other resin substrate is laminated and fixed to the surface of the first resin substrate on the side where the heater wires are routed, and the heater wires are embedded between the first and second resin substrates.

[0006] When constructing a radome of this structure, it is necessary to connect the end of the heater wire wired to one resin substrate to the wire harness connection terminal to establish electrical contact before fixing the other resin substrate. Ideally, this radome should have a structure that allows for easy and reliable connection between the heater wire end and the wire harness connection terminal.

[0007] In view of the above problems, the present invention is proposed to provide a radome for an in-vehicle radar device and a method for manufacturing the same, in a radome structure in which one resin substrate is laminated and fixed to the surface of one resin substrate on the heater wire wiring side, the connection end of the heater wire and the wire harness connection terminal can be easily and reliably joined, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention provides a radome for an in-vehicle radar device, comprising a heater wire routed in the planar direction of an electromagnetic wave-transmissive substrate, wherein the substrate is formed by laminating and fixing a first resin substrate and a second resin substrate, the heater wire is embedded between the first resin substrate and the second resin substrate so as to be routed along a groove, at least one connection end of the heater wire is located in a proximity wiring region where the heater wire is routed in close proximity, a wire harness connection terminal is placed on one connection end of the heater wire, the connection end of the heater wire and the wire harness connection terminal are fixed together by a joint made of a conductive bonding material, and the joint is embedded in the substrate. According to this, when joining and electrically connecting the connection end of a heater wire wired to the first or second resin substrate and the wire harness connection terminal before fixing the second or first resin substrate, the wire harness connection terminal can be placed and joined in a close-proximity wiring area where the heater wire is wired close together to widen the electrical connection range, making it easy and reliable to join and electrically connect the connection end of the heater wire and the wire harness connection terminal. Furthermore, since the connection end of the heater wire and the wire harness connection terminal can be electrically joined without using a separate component such as a metal plate to widen the electrical connection range of the heater wire, manufacturing costs can be reduced. In addition, since the wired heater wire, the connection end of the heater wire, and the wire harness connection terminal are sealed inside the base body composed of the first and second resin substrates, the waterproofness, weather resistance, corrosion resistance, and scratch resistance of the wired heater wire and the connection portion of the heater wire can be ensured.

[0009] The radome for an in-vehicle radar device of the present invention is characterized in that one connection end and the other connection end of the heater wire are each configured as a proximity wiring area where the heater wire is wired in close proximity, one wire harness connection terminal is placed on one connection end of the heater wire, another wire harness connection terminal is placed on the other connection end of the heater wire, one connection end of the heater wire and the first wire harness connection terminal are fixed together by a first joint made of a conductive bonding material, the other connection end of the heater wire and the other wire harness connection terminal are fixed together by a second joint made of a conductive bonding material, and the first joint and the second joint are embedded in the base body. This method allows for easy and reliable connection of one end of a heater wire to one wire harness terminal, and also to the other end of a heater wire to another wire harness terminal. Furthermore, since both ends of the heater wire can be electrically connected to the wire harness terminals, manufacturing costs can be further reduced. In addition, the waterproof, weather-resistant, corrosion-resistant, and scratch-resistant properties of the wired heater wire and the connection points of both heater wires can be ensured.

[0010] The radome for an in-vehicle radar device of the present invention is characterized in that the proximity wiring region is formed by routing the heater wire in a meandering manner or by routing the heater wire in a spiral manner. According to this, the electrical connection range of the proximity wiring area, which is composed of proximity wiring areas where heater wires are wired in close proximity, can be more reliably expanded, and the connection and electrical connection between the connection end of the heater wire and the wire harness connection terminal can be made more reliable.

[0011] The radome for an in-vehicle radar device of the present invention is characterized in that a covering resin is formed to cover the joint portion, and the covering resin is embedded in the base body. According to this, when forming a second resin substrate or a first resin substrate with a heater wire wired on it, for example by injection molding, the joint can be protected with a coating resin, preventing peeling or wire breakage at the joint due to the resin pressure during injection molding.

[0012] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a radome for an in-vehicle radar device, comprising: a first step of forming grooves in a predetermined pattern on the surface of the first resin substrate on which the second resin substrate is laminated, thereby forming grooves adjacent to the location corresponding to the proximity wiring region; a second step of wiring a heater wire along the groove, thereby forming one connection end and the other connection end of the heater wire, which are formed in the proximity wiring region where the heater wire is wired in close proximity; and placing a wire harness connection terminal on one connection end of the heater wire, thereby connecting the one connection end and the one wire The invention is characterized by comprising: a third step of forming a first joint by fixing the harness connection terminal with a conductive bonding material, and placing another wire harness connection terminal on the other connection end of the heater wire, and fixing the other connection end and the other wire harness connection terminal with a conductive bonding material to form a second joint; and a fourth step of forming the second resin substrate by injection molding and fixing it to the first resin substrate, and embedding the heater wire, the first wire harness connection terminal, the first joint, the other wire harness connection terminal, and the second joint between the first resin substrate and the second resin substrate. According to this, by forming grooves of a predetermined pattern on the surface of the first resin substrate, having grooves adjacent to the area corresponding to the adjacent wiring region, and wiring the heater wire along these grooves, one connection end and the other connection end of the heater wire that constitute the adjacent wiring region can be easily formed.

[0013] The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a radome for an in-vehicle radar device, characterized in that, in the third step, the insulating coating of one connection end and the insulating coating of the other connection end of the heater wire are removed with a heated and molten conductive bonding material, the one connection end and the one wire harness connection terminal are fixed with the cooled conductive bonding material, and the other connection end and the other wire harness connection terminal are fixed. According to this method, even when using insulated heater wires for wiring, the insulating coating on the connection end of the heater wire can be removed with a molten conductive bonding material. This allows for joining and electrical connection between the connection end of the heater wire and the wire harness connection terminal without having to remove the insulating coating beforehand. Therefore, the manufacturing process for radomes for automotive radar systems can be made more efficient. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, in a radome for an in-vehicle radar device in which one resin substrate is laminated and fixed to the heater wire wiring side of one resin substrate, the connection end of the heater wire and the wire harness connection terminal can be easily and reliably joined, and manufacturing costs can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] A front view of a radome for an in-vehicle radar system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] A partially enlarged front view of Figure 1. [Figure 3] Enlarged view of the area surrounding the proximity wiring region in Figure 2. [Figure 4] A partially enlarged front view showing the area around the first resin substrate and the proximity wiring region of the heater wire in a radome for an in-vehicle radar device according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] A longitudinal cross-sectional view of a radome for an in-vehicle radar system according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] (a) to (d) are diagrams illustrating the process of joining the connection end of the heater wire to the wire harness connection terminal in the radome for the vehicle-mounted radar device of the embodiment. [Figure 7] This diagram illustrates the arrangement of the first resin substrate, heater wire, wire harness connection terminal, and joint in the radome for an in-vehicle radar device according to the embodiment, inside the mold. [Figure 8] (a) to (c) are diagrams illustrating the process of joining the connection end of a heater wire to a wire harness connection terminal in a modified example using an insulated heater wire. [Figure 9] (a) and (b) are process explanatory diagrams for explaining the manufacturing process of a modified example of insulating the joint portion that joins the connection end of the heater wire and the wire harness connection terminal. [Figure 10] Partial enlarged front view of a radome for an in-vehicle radar device having a proximity wiring region of a modified example.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0016] 〔Radome for In-Vehicle Radar Device of Embodiment〕 The radome 1 for an in-vehicle radar device according to an embodiment of the present invention is used, for example, as a bumper cover or the like attached to a bumper of a vehicle, and as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, includes an electromagnetic wave transmissive substrate 2. The substrate 2 is composed of, for example, a first resin base material 3 disposed on the side opposite to the visual recognition side and a second resin base material 4 disposed on the visual recognition side, which is the front side of the first resin base material 3. The first resin base material 3 and the second resin base material 4 are laminated and fixed. Incidentally, if necessary, the second resin base material 4 may be disposed on the side opposite to the visual recognition side, and the first resin base material 3 may be disposed on the visual recognition side. The first resin base material 3 and the second resin base material 4 are each formed of an insulating and electromagnetic wave transmissive synthetic resin.

[0017] For the first resin base material 3 and the second resin base material 4, different synthetic resins or the same synthetic resin can be used. When the refractive index n defined based on the complex dielectric constant matches each other, or the refractive index n is substantially the same or close, forming the first resin base material 3 and the second resin base material 4 with such materials is preferable from the viewpoint of improving the transmission performance of electromagnetic waves. As the numerical range of the refractive indices of the first resin base material 3 and the second resin base material 4 that are close to each other, it is good if the difference in the refractive indices of the first resin base material 3 and the second resin base material 4 is within the range of 0 to 10%.

[0018] Here, the refractive index n is a quantity defined by Equation 1, which is derived from the real part εr' and the imaginary part εr'' of the relative permittivity. From the viewpoint of transmittance, it is preferable that the magnitude of the dielectric loss tangent tanδ, defined by Equation 2 from the ratio of the imaginary and real parts at the applicable frequency, be 0.1 or less. It is also preferable that the magnitude of the real part of the relative permittivity be 3 or less. By keeping the magnitudes of the dielectric loss tangent and the real part of the non-dielectric constant below these values, it is possible to reliably reduce the reflectivity and internal loss required for the radome.

[0019]

number

[0020]

number

[0021] The synthetic resin of the first resin substrate 3 and the synthetic resin of the second resin substrate 4 can be any synthetic resin appropriate within the scope of the present invention. For example, it is preferable to use one or more of the following: acrylic resins such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS), acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate copolymer (ASA), acrylonitrile-ethylenepropyl rubber-styrene copolymer (AES), polypropylene (PP), etc., either alone or in combination of two or more. Additives may also be included. Furthermore, foamed synthetic resins may be used. Furthermore, regarding the thickness of the first resin substrate 3 and the second resin substrate 4 in the electromagnetic wave transmission direction, the ratio of the thickness of the first resin substrate 3 to the thickness of the second resin substrate 4, the thickness of the first substrate resin 3, the thickness of the second resin substrate 4, and the total thickness of the base body 2 composed of the first resin substrate 3 and the second resin substrate 4 are appropriate within a range that ensures the required electromagnetic wave transmission for the radome 1 for an in-vehicle radar device.

[0022] In the radome 1 for the vehicle-mounted radar device, a heater wire 5 is routed in the planar direction of an electromagnetic wave-transparent substrate 2. The conductive material constituting the heater wire 3 can be any conductive material suitable within the scope of the present invention. For example, copper, silver, silver-plated copper, copper-silver alloy, copper-nickel alloy, nickel-chromium alloy, iron-chromium alloy, transparent conductive films such as ITO film, or carbon fiber are suitable. Furthermore, the form of the heater wire is not limited; wire, conductive ink, conductive filler, etc., can be used.

[0023] In the illustrated example, the heater wire 5 is formed in a continuous line by being wired in a meandering manner along the direction in which the base body 2 expands, and folding back along the main part of the plate-shaped base body 2. The straight sections of the heater wire 5 are arranged side by side with spacing along the plane direction of the base body 2 in the electromagnetic wave irradiation area R of the vehicle-mounted radar device and outside of it, and the direction of the current flowing through the straight sections of adjacent heater wires 5 is set to be approximately antiparallel or antiparallel to each other.

[0024] Furthermore, the heater wire 5 is embedded between the first resin substrate 3 and the second resin substrate 4, and is embedded and sealed in the base body 2 composed of the first resin substrate 3 and the second resin substrate 4, so as to be sandwiched between the first resin substrate 3 and the second resin substrate 4. In this embodiment, a groove 31 is formed on the side of the first resin substrate 3 that is fixed to the second resin substrate 4, and another groove 41 is formed on the side of the second resin substrate 4 that is fixed to the first resin substrate 3, opposite to the groove 31. The heater wire 5 is fitted into the groove 31 of the first resin substrate 3 and the other groove 41 of the second resin substrate 4 and wired along the grooves 31 and 41 (see Figure 5). Alternatively, the heater wire 5 may be wired only along the groove 31 of the first resin substrate 3 or the groove 41 of the second resin substrate 4, and no groove for wiring the heater wire may be formed in the second resin substrate 4 or the first resin substrate 3.

[0025] Furthermore, in the region of the substrate 2 other than the electromagnetic wave transmission region R, and in this embodiment the region of the tab 21 which is formed to protrude laterally, both ends of the heater wire 5 are extended, and one connection end 51 and the other connection end 52 of the heater wire 5 are provided. Each of the one connection end 51 and the other connection end 52 of the heater wire 5 is composed of a proximity wiring region 53 in which the heater wire 5 is wired in close proximity, and in this embodiment the proximity wiring region 53 is formed by wiring the heater wire 5 in a meandering manner. The heater wire 5 in the proximity wiring region 53 is also fitted into the groove 31 of the first resin substrate 3 and another groove 41 of the second resin substrate 4 and wired along grooves 31 and 41.

[0026] A wire harness connection terminal 61 is placed on one connection end 51 of the heater wire 5, and is positioned so that the conductive connection end 51 of the heater wire 5 and the wire harness connection terminal 61 are in contact. The connection end 51 of the heater wire 5 and the wire harness connection terminal 61 are fixed together by a first joint 71 made of a conductive bonding material, so that the connection end 51 of the heater wire 5, the wire harness connection terminal 61 and the first joint 71 are joined in a uniform manner, and the conductive connection end 51 of the heater wire 5 and the wire harness connection terminal 61 are electrically connected. The conductive bonding material constituting the first joint 71 is preferably solder, brazing material, conductive adhesive (ECA), or anisotropic conductive paste (ACP).

[0027] A wire harness connection terminal 62 is placed on the other connection end 52 of the heater wire 5, and is positioned so that the conductive other connection end 52 of the heater wire 5 and the other wire harness connection terminal 62 are in contact. The other connection end 52 of the heater wire 5 and the other wire harness connection terminal 62 are then fixed together by a second joint 72 made of a conductive bonding material, so that the other connection end 52 of the heater wire 5, the other wire harness connection terminal 62 and the second joint 72 are joined in a uniform manner, and the conductive other connection end 52 of the heater wire 5 and the other wire harness connection terminal 62 are electrically connected. It is preferable to use solder, brazing material, conductive adhesive (ECA), or anisotropic conductive paste (ACP) for the conductive bonding material constituting the second joint 72.

[0028] From the viewpoint of ensuring stable product quality and stable electrical connection between the connection ends 51, 52 of the heater wire 5 and the wire harness connection terminals 61, 62, it is preferable that the wire width of the heater wire 5 to be routed in the adjacent routing area 53 that constitutes one connection end 51 or the other connection end 52 of the heater wire 5 be preferably 0.03 mm to 3 mm, more preferably 0.03 mm to 0.5 mm, the spacing between the adjacent routing heater wires 5 to be routed in the adjacent routing area 53 is preferably 0 mm to 5 mm, or preferably less than or equal to the radius of the heater wire 5, and the surface occupancy rate of the adjacent routing heater wires 5 to be preferably 100% to 10%, more preferably 100% to 66%.

[0029] Furthermore, by increasing the wiring density by setting the surface occupancy of the heater wires 5 that are wired in close proximity as described above, the stability of the conductive connection between the connection ends 51, 52 of the heater wires 5 and the wire harness connection terminals 61, 62 can be improved. At the same time, when the joints 71, 72 are formed with the heated conductive bonding material, it is possible to suppress damage to the first resin substrate 3 (or second resin substrate 4) to which the heater wires 5 are already wired in the groove 31 due to heat.

[0030] One connection end 51 of the heater wire 5, one wire harness connection terminal 61, and a first joint 71 that fixes and electrically connects them, and the other connection end 52 of the heater wire 5, another wire harness connection terminal 62, and a second joint 72 that fixes and electrically connects them, are sandwiched between the first resin substrate 3 and the second resin substrate 4, and are embedded and sealed in a base body 2 composed of the first resin substrate 3 and the second resin substrate 4, thus forming the radome 1 for the vehicle-mounted radar device of this embodiment.

[0031] When manufacturing the radome 1 for the vehicle-mounted radar device of this embodiment, grooves 31 are formed in a predetermined pattern on the side of the first resin substrate 3 on which the second resin substrate 4 is laminated, and adjacent grooves 31 are formed in the area corresponding to the proximity wiring area 53 (see Figure 6(a)). The grooves 31 are preferably formed simultaneously with the formation of the first resin substrate 3 by injection molding, for example, by forming protrusions or ridges in the mold that correspond to the grooves 31. Alternatively, they may be formed on one side of the first resin substrate 3 that has already been formed by injection molding, etc., by cutting or other processes.

[0032] Then, the heater wire 5 is routed in a predetermined pattern along the groove 31 formed in the first resin substrate 3, and in areas corresponding to the proximity routing area 53, the heater wire 5 is routed in close proximity along the groove 31, forming one connection end 51 and the other connection end 52 of the heater wire 5 in the proximity routing area 53 where the heater wire 5 is routed in close proximity (see Figure 6(b)). In this embodiment, the heater wire 5 is fitted into the groove 31 so that a portion of it protrudes outside the groove 31, and is routed by fixing it to the first resin substrate 3, for example, by welding or adhesive.

[0033] Furthermore, a wire harness connection terminal 61 is placed on one connection end 51 of the heater wire 5, and the connection end 51 and the wire harness connection terminal 61 are fixed together with a conductive adhesive to form a first joint 71, thereby electrically connecting the connection end 51 and the wire harness connection terminal 61. Additionally, another wire harness connection terminal 62 is placed on the other connection end 52 of the heater wire 5, and the other connection end 52 and the other wire harness connection terminal 62 are fixed together with a conductive adhesive to form a second joint 72, thereby electrically connecting the other connection end 52 and the other wire harness connection terminal 62 (see Figures 6(c) and (d)).

[0034] Subsequently, as shown in Figure 7, the first resin substrate 3, to which the heater wire 5, wire harness connection terminals 61 and 62, and joints 71 and 72 are attached, is placed inside the mold 100, which is made up of a split mold. At this time, the wire harness connection portion 6, from which the wire harness connection terminals 61 and 62 are pulled out, is led out to the outside of the mold 100 through an outlet 102 formed in a part of the mold 100.

[0035] Then, molten resin MR is poured into the mold 100 from the injection port 101 to perform injection molding, and the second resin base material 4 is formed by injection molding on the side of the first resin base material 3 where the joints 71 and 72 are formed, and the second resin base material 4 is fixed to the first resin base material 3. The interface of the second resin base material 4 that is laminated by injection molding is molded and welded to the first resin base material 3, the heater wire 5, one connection end 51, one wire harness connection terminal 61, the first joint 71, the other connection end 52, the other wire harness connection terminal 62, and the second joint 72, and the heater wire 5, one connection end 51, one wire harness connection terminal 61, the first joint 71, the other connection end 52, the other wire harness connection terminal 62, and the second joint 72 are embedded between the first resin base material 3 and the second resin base material 4.

[0036] Furthermore, since the second resin substrate 4 is formed to cover the portion of the heater wire 5 that protrudes outside the groove 31, the portion of the heater wire 5 that protrudes outside the groove 31 is molded and fixed to the second resin substrate 4 by insert molding, and the heater wire 5 is fitted into another groove 41 of the second resin substrate 4. Note that the second resin substrate 4 is not limited to being formed by injection molding, and may be fixed to the first resin substrate 3 by adhesive or other means as needed. After the formation of the second resin substrate 4, the mold 100 is demolded to obtain the radome 1 for the vehicle radar device of this embodiment.

[0037] According to this embodiment, when connecting the connection ends 51, 52 of the heater wire 5 wired to the first resin substrate 3 (or second resin substrate 4) with the wire harness connection terminals 61, 62 to establish electrical connection before fixing the second resin substrate 4 (or first resin substrate 3), the wire harness connection terminals 61, 62 can be placed and connected in a proximity wiring area 53 where the heater wire 5 is wired in close proximity to the wire harness connection terminals 61, 62, thereby easily and reliably connecting and electrically connecting the connection ends 51, 52 of the heater wire 5 with the wire harness connection terminals 61, 62.

[0038] Furthermore, since the connection ends 51 and 52 of the heater wire 5 and the wire harness connection terminals 61 and 62 can be electrically connected and joined without using separate components such as metal plates to widen the electrical connection range of the heater wire 5, manufacturing costs can be reduced. In addition, since the wired heater wire 5, the connection ends 51 and 52 of the heater wire 5, and the wire harness connection terminals 61 and 62 are sealed inside the base body 2 composed of the first resin base material 3 and the second resin base material 4, waterproofness, weather resistance, corrosion resistance, and scratch resistance of the wired heater wire 5 and the connection portion of the heater wire 5 can be ensured.

[0039] Furthermore, by forming the proximity wiring area 53 by routing the heater wire 5 in a meandering manner, the electrical connection range of the proximity wiring area 53 can be more reliably expanded, and the connection and electrical connection between the connection ends 51 and 52 of the heater wire 5 and the wire harness connection terminals 61 and 62 can be more reliably established.

[0040] Furthermore, when manufacturing the radome 1 for the vehicle-mounted radar device of this embodiment, grooves 31 of a predetermined pattern are formed on the surface of the first resin substrate 3, having grooves 51 adjacent to the location corresponding to the proximity wiring area 53. By wiring the heater wire 5 along these grooves 31, one connection end 51 and the other connection end 52 of the heater wire 5, which are composed of the proximity wiring area 53, can be easily formed.

[0041] [Scope of the invention disclosed herein] The inventions disclosed herein include, in addition to the inventions and embodiments listed herein, those specified by modifying some of these to the extent applicable, or by adding other to these, or by deleting some of these to the extent that some effects are obtained and defining them as broader concepts. Furthermore, the inventions disclosed herein also include the modifications and additions listed below.

[0042] For example, the heater wires wired in the radome for the vehicle radar device of the present invention are not limited to heater wires that are not insulated at all, but may be heater wires in which only the portion that is electrically connected to the wire harness connection terminal is insulated. In this modified example, as shown in Figure 8, for example, an insulated heater wire 5a is wired in a predetermined pattern along a groove 31 formed in the first resin substrate 3, and in the area corresponding to the proximity wiring area 53, the heater wire 5a is wired in proximity along the groove 31, forming one connection end 51i and the other connection end 52i in an insulated state, which are formed in the proximity wiring area 53 where the heater wire 5a is wired in close proximity (see Figure 8(a)).

[0043] Then, as shown in Figures 8(b) and (c), a wire harness connector 61 is placed on one of the insulated connection ends 51i of the heater wire 5a, the insulating coating of the connection end 51i is removed with the heated and molten conductive bonding material, and the one connection end 51a and the one wire harness connector 61 are fixed together with the cooled conductive bonding material, which now has the conductive material exposed from the insulating coating, to form a first joint 71, thereby electrically connecting the one connection end 51a and the one wire harness connector 61. Furthermore, another wire harness connection terminal 62 is placed on the other connection end 52i of the heater wire 5a, which is insulated, and the insulating coating of the other connection end 52i is removed with a heated and molten conductive bonding material. The conductive bonding material then cools down, and the other connection end 52a, where the conductive material is exposed from the insulating coating, is fixed to the other wire harness connection terminal 62 to form a second joint 72, thereby electrically connecting the other connection end 52a and the other wire harness connection terminal 62. After that, for example, a manufacturing process similar to that of the above embodiment is performed to obtain the radome 1 for the vehicle radar device.

[0044] In a modified example where the insulated heater wire 5a is used for wiring, the above manufacturing process can be used to remove the insulation from the connection ends 51i and 52i of the heater wire 5a using a molten conductive bonding material. This allows the connection ends 51a and 52a of the heater wire 5a to be joined and electrically connected to the wire harness connection terminals 61 and 62 without having to remove the insulation beforehand. Therefore, the manufacturing process of the radome 1 for the vehicle radar device, in which the insulated heater wire 5a is wired, can be made more efficient.

[0045] Furthermore, as another modification of the radome 1 for the vehicle-mounted radar device, as shown in Figure 9, a first covering resin 81b is formed to protect the first joint 71 that connects one connection end 51 of the heater wire 5 to one wire harness connection terminal 61, and a second covering resin 82b is formed to protect the second joint 72 that connects the other connection end 52 of the heater wire 5 to another wire harness connection terminal 62, and the first covering resin 81b and the second covering resin 82b are embedded in the base body 2. In this configuration, the joints 71 and 72 formed on the first resin base material 3 are covered with the first covering resin 81b and the second covering resin 82b, and then the second resin base material 4 is provided by injection molding or adhesive bonding.

[0046] According to a modified example using these coating resins 81b and 82b, when forming the second resin substrate 4 (or the first resin substrate 3) on the first resin substrate 3 (or the second resin substrate 4) on which the heater wire 5 is wired, for example by injection molding, the coating resins 81b and 82b can protect the joint, preventing peeling or breakage at the joint due to the resin pressure during injection molding.

[0047] Furthermore, as another modification of the radome 1 for the vehicle-mounted radar device, instead of forming the proximity wiring region 53 of the above embodiment by routing the heater wire 5 in a meandering manner, it is also preferable to form the proximity wiring region 53c by routing the heater wire 5 in a spiral manner, as shown in Figure 10. In this modification, one connection end 51c and the other connection end 52c of the heater wire 5, which are composed of spiral proximity wiring regions 53c, are provided in the region of the tab 21 that protrudes laterally, which is a region of the base 2 other than the electromagnetic wave transmission region R.

[0048] In this modified example, one connection end 51c of the heater wire 5 and one wire harness connection terminal 61 are fixed and electrically connected at the first joint 71, and the other connection end 52c of the heater wire 5 and another wire harness connection terminal 62 are fixed and electrically connected at the second joint 72. In the proximity wiring area 53c, the wire width of the heater wires 5 to be wired in proximity, the spacing between the heater wires 5 to be wired in proximity, and the surface occupancy rate of the heater wires 5 to be wired in proximity are preferably set in the same way as the proximity wiring area 53 in the above embodiment. In addition, the spiral shape of the proximity wiring area 53c may be a spiral shape that is approximately circular overall, or a spiral shape that is approximately square overall, or a spiral shape that is approximately triangular overall.

[0049] Furthermore, the proximity wiring areas 53, 53c, etc., which constitute the connection ends 51, 52, etc., of the radome 1 for the vehicle radar device may be formed not only on the flat portion of the first resin substrate 3 (or second resin substrate 4), but also on the curved portion of the first resin substrate 3 (or second resin substrate 4), and even further, on the bent portion of the first resin substrate 3 (or second resin substrate 4).

[0050] Furthermore, the radome for an in-vehicle radar device of the present invention includes an appropriate configuration in which at least one connection end of a heater wire is configured as a proximity wiring area where the heater wire is routed in close proximity, a wire harness connection terminal is placed on one connection end of the heater wire, and the connection end of the heater wire and the wire harness connection terminal are fixed together by a joint made of a conductive bonding material. For example, the other connection end of the heater wire is simply formed in a linear shape, the other connection end and the other wire harness connection terminal are placed on a conductive metal plate, and the other connection end and the other wire harness connection terminal are fixed together by a joint made of a conductive bonding material on the metal plate, thereby creating an electrical connection.

[0051] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the connection between the heater wire 5's connection ends 51, 52, etc. and the wire harness connection terminals 61, 62 is made in the region of the tab 21 that protrudes laterally when viewed from the front of the radome. However, in the case of a radome without the tab 21, for example, this configuration can be installed in any required region other than the electromagnetic wave transmission region R, even outside the region of the tab 21. [Industrial applicability]

[0052] This invention can be used in radomes for vehicle-mounted radar systems. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0053] 1…Radome for vehicle radar system 2…Base 21…Tab 3…First resin substrate 31…Groove 4…Second resin substrate 41…Groove 5, 5a…Heater wire 51, 51a, 51c…One connection end 52, 52a, 52c…Other connection end 53, 53c…Proximity wiring area 51i, 52i…Insulated connection end 6…Wire harness connection part 61…One wire harness connection terminal 62…Other wire harness connection terminal 71…First joint 72…Second joint 81b…First coating resin 82b…Second coating resin 100…Mold 101…Injection port 102…Outlet R…Electromagnetic wave irradiation area MR…Molten resin

Claims

1. A heater wire is provided which is wired in a surface direction of an electromagnetic wave-transmitting base, the base body is constructed by laminating and bonding a first resin base material and a second resin base material, the heater wire is embedded between the first resin base material and the second resin base material so as to be wired along a groove, At least one connection end of the heater wire is configured as a proximity wiring area in which the heater wires are wired so as to be close to each other, A wire harness connection terminal is placed on one connection end of the heater wire whose electrical connection range is expanded by the adjacent wiring of the heater wire, One connection end of the heater wire and the wire harness connection terminal are fixed to each other by a joint made of a conductive adhesive material, 2. A radome for an on-vehicle radar device, wherein the joint is embedded in the base.

2. one connection end and the other connection end of the heater wire are formed in a proximity wiring region in which the heater wires are wired so as to be adjacent to each other, A wire harness connection terminal is placed on one connection end of the heater wire, Another wire harness connection terminal is placed on the other connection end of the heater wire, one connection end of the heater wire and the one wire harness connection terminal are fixed to each other by a first joint made of a conductive joint material, the other connection end of the heater wire and the other wire harness connection terminal are fixed to each other by a second joint made of a conductive joint material, 2. The radome for an on-vehicle radar device according to claim 1, wherein the first joint portion and the second joint portion are embedded in the base body.

3. 3. The radome for an on-vehicle radar device according to claim 1, wherein the adjacent wiring region is formed by closely wiring the heater wire in a meandering shape or by closely wiring the heater wire in a spiral shape.

4. A coating resin is formed to cover the joint, 4. The radome for an on-vehicle radar device according to claim 1, wherein the coating resin is embedded in the base body.

5. A method for manufacturing a radome for an on-vehicle radar device according to claim 2, comprising the steps of: a first step of forming grooves in a predetermined pattern on a surface of the first resin base material on which the second resin base material is laminated, to form grooves adjacent to locations corresponding to the adjacent wiring regions; a second step of wiring a heater wire along the groove to form one connection end and the other connection end of the heater wire, the one connection end and the other connection end being configured in a proximity wiring region in which the heater wires are wired in proximity to each other; a third step of placing one wire harness connection terminal on one connection end of the heater wire and fixing the one connection end and the one wire harness connection terminal with a conductive bonding material to form a first joint, and placing another wire harness connection terminal on the other connection end of the heater wire and fixing the other connection end and the other wire harness connection terminal with a conductive bonding material to form a second joint; a fourth step of forming the second resin base material by injection molding and fixing it to the first resin base material, and embedding the heater wire, the one wire harness connection terminal, the first joint, the other wire harness connection terminal, and the second joint between the first resin base material and the second resin base material.

6. 6. The method for manufacturing a radome for an on-vehicle radar device according to claim 5, characterized in that in the third step, an insulating coating at one connection end of the heater wire and an insulating coating at the other connection end of the heater wire are removed with a heated and molten conductive bonding material, and the one connection end is fixed to the one wire harness connection terminal and the other connection end is fixed to the other wire harness connection terminal with the conductive bonding material whose temperature has been reduced.

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