Exterior equipment for vehicle

Abstract

To suppress disconnection of a heater wire.SOLUTION: A millimeter wave transmission cover 12 as exterior equipment for vehicle comprises a body part 14, a heater sheet 21 and a connector 31. The heater sheet 21 comprises a sheet base material 22 laminated on the body part 14, and a heater wire 24 wired for the sheet base material 22 from the body part 14 side. The connector 31 comprises a connector housing 32 fixed to the body part 14, and a pair of connector pins 36 fixed to the connector housing 32. Each connector pin 36 comprises a first connection part 37 to which equipment 5 for power supply is coupled, and a second connection part 38 to which a terminal part 24t of the heater wire 24 is electrically connected outside the connector housing 32. In the heater wire 24, a part of a portion wired in the sheet base material 22 in a thickness direction of the body part 14 and 50% or more of the whole in the same direction are embedded in the sheet base material 22.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an exterior product for a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Various vehicle exterior parts, such as emblems arranged at the front end of a vehicle, have been considered that have a snow-melting function (see, for example, Patent Document 1). One embodiment of this vehicle exterior accessory includes a plate-shaped main body 100 made of a resin molded product, and a heater sheet 102 and a connector 106 provided on the main body 100, as shown in Figs. 11 and 12. The heater sheet 102 includes a sheet base material 103 laminated on the main body 100, and a heater wire 104 that generates heat when electricity is applied and has a pair of terminal portions 105 at its ends. A portion of the heater wire 104 that is different from the terminal portions 105 is wired from the main body 100 side to the sheet base material 103. A portion of the heater wire 104 that is wired on the sheet base material 103 is wired on the surface on the main body 100 side in a state exposed from the sheet base material 103.

[0003] The connector 106 includes a connector housing 107 fixed to the main body 100, and at least a pair of connector pins 108 fixed to the connector housing 107. The connector housing 107 protrudes from the main body 100 in one direction in the thickness direction of the main body 100. Each connector pin 108 includes a first connection portion 111 to which a device for supplying power is coupled, and a second connection portion 112 connected to the first connection portion 111 and electrically connected to each terminal portion 105 outside the connector housing 107.

[0004] Here, of the outer surface of the connector housing 107, both side surfaces in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction (hereinafter simply referred to as the "perpendicular direction") are referred to as end surfaces 107a. Of each second connection portion 112, an end portion 112a farther from the first connection portion 111 is located between both end surfaces 107a. The sheet base material 103 is spaced apart from the connector housing 107 in the perpendicular direction. Each terminal portion 105 extends from the sheet base material 103 in the perpendicular direction and is electrically connected to the corresponding second connection portion 112.

[0005] The main body 100 has as a part thereof a support portion 101 that supports the connector housing 107. If the end of the connector housing 107 on the main body 100 side is defined as a base end portion 107b, the support portion 101 is provided in a region Z1 that includes at least the base end portion 107b in the protruding direction of the connector housing 107 and surrounds the connector housing 107. The support portion 101 extends along the connector housing 107 in the protruding direction of the connector housing 107 at a location adjacent to the connector housing 107.

[0006] 11 shows the positional relationship between the connector 106 and the pair of terminal portions 105. In FIG. 11, the main body portion 100 and the sheet base material 103 are omitted from the illustration. In manufacturing the conventional vehicle exterior accessory having the above-mentioned configuration, the main body 100 is insert-molded using the connector 106 and the heater sheet 102 as inserts. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6719506 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, in the conventional vehicle exterior accessory described above, there is a risk of the heater wire 104 breaking. For example, when the main body 100 is insert-molded, a shear force is applied to the heater wire 104 by the flow pressure (molding pressure) of the molten resin supplied to the cavity of the mold device. Parts of the heater wire 104 that are not supported by other members, such as the sheet base material 103, the connector housing 107, and the connector pin 108, may be deformed by the shear force and may break. The affected parts include the parts exposed from the sheet base material 103.

[0009] In addition, an overload is likely to be applied to the boundary portion of the heater wire 104 between a portion in contact with the sheet base material 103 and a portion not in contact with the sheet base material 103 due to shear force. In the heater wire 104, an overload is likely to be applied to the boundary portion of the heater wire 104 between a portion in contact with the connector housing 107 and a portion not in contact with the connector housing 107 due to shear force, as described above. Furthermore, in the heater wire 104, an overload is likely to be applied to the boundary portion of the heater wire 104 between a portion in contact with each second connection portion 112 and a portion not in contact with the connector housing 107 due to shear force, as described above. These overloads may cause the heater wire to break. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] Various aspects of vehicle exterior parts for solving the above problems will be described below. a first connection portion to which a device for supplying power is coupled, and a second connection portion to which the terminal portion of the heater wire is electrically connected, the second connection portion being connected to the first connection portion and being electrically connected outside the connector housing; and a portion of the heater wire that is connected to the sheet base material is a portion in a thickness direction of the main body portion, and at least 50% of the entire portion in the thickness direction of the heater wire is embedded in the sheet base material.

[0011] Here, if the heater wire is disposed on the surface of the sheet base material, when the main body is insert-molded using the connector and the heater sheet as inserts in the manufacture of a vehicle exterior part, the following concern arises: The flow pressure of the molten resin supplied to the cavity of the mold device applies a shear force to the heater wire, for example, in a direction along the surface of the sheet base material. This shear force may drag the heater wire in the direction along the surface of the sheet base material, causing deformation and resulting in breakage.

[0012] In this respect, according to the above configuration, a part of the heater wire that is wired in the sheet base material is embedded in the sheet base material. The embedded portion reduces the portion (protruding portion) of the heater wire that is exposed from the sheet base material. The shear force due to the flow pressure of the molten resin is not directly applied to the portion of the heater wire that is embedded in the sheet base material. The shear force is directly applied to the portion (protruding portion) of the heater wire that is exposed from the sheet base material. The number of portions of the heater wire that are subject to the shear force is smaller than when the entire heater wire is exposed from the sheet base material. Therefore, the shear force applied to the heater wire by the flow pressure of the molten resin is smaller than when the entire heater wire is exposed from the sheet base material. In addition, the portion of the heater wire that is embedded in the sheet base material is held at the embedded portion. Therefore, the phenomenon in which the heater wire is dragged in a direction along the surface of the sheet base material and deformed is less likely to occur.

[0013] This effect is preferably achieved when 50% or more of the heater wire in the thickness direction of the main body of the heater wire that is wired in the sheet base material is embedded in the sheet base material. [Aspect 2] The second connection portion of each connector pin has a protrusion that protrudes away from the connector housing in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction, and the sheet base material and each terminal portion extend to a position on the opposite side of the main body portion in the thickness direction, across the protrusion. This is the vehicle exterior part described in [Aspect 1].

[0014] Here, if the second connection parts and the sheet base material are spaced apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction, the following concern arises when the main body part is insert-molded as described above during the manufacture of a vehicle exterior part. That is, the portion of each terminal part that is located between each second connection part and the sheet base material is not supported by either the second connection part or the sheet base material. Therefore, when a shear force is applied to each terminal part due to the flow pressure of the molten resin, the terminal part may be deformed and may break.

[0015] In this regard, according to the above configuration, each terminal portion is sandwiched from both sides in the thickness direction by the corresponding protrusion portion and the sheet base material. Therefore, the shear force due to the flow pressure of the molten resin is received by at least the protrusion portion of the corresponding protrusion portion and the sheet base material. The shear force due to the flow pressure of the molten resin is unlikely to be directly applied to each terminal portion. As a result, the phenomenon of each terminal portion deforming and breaking is unlikely to occur.

[0016] [Aspect 3] The vehicle exterior part according to [Aspect 2], wherein each protrusion has a groove portion that originates from the end face farther from the first connection portion and extends toward the first connection portion while being open on the surface facing the sheet base material in the thickness direction.

[0017] According to the above configuration, a part of each terminal portion contacts a corner portion of the end portion of each protrusion farther from the corresponding first connection portion. Therefore, when manufacturing an exterior part for a vehicle, if the main body portion is insert-molded as described above, the following concerns arise. That is, each terminal portion is sandwiched from both sides in the thickness direction by the corresponding protrusion portion and the sheet base material. The heater sheet is fixed to a mold device. Therefore, when a force is applied to each protrusion portion against the sheet base material due to the flow pressure of the molten resin, a shear force is applied from the corner portion of each protrusion and the sheet base material to the portion of each terminal portion that contacts the corner portion, and each terminal portion may be broken.

[0018] In this regard, according to the above-mentioned configuration, the portions of each terminal portion that come into contact with the corners are fitted into the grooves, so that the shear force acting on the portions is alleviated, making breakage less likely to occur. [Aspect 4] The vehicle exterior part according to [Aspect 3], wherein the heater wire has a circular cross section, and where a dimension in the thickness direction of a portion where the heater wire is embedded in the sheet base material is A1, a diameter of the heater wire is B1, and a depth of the groove is D1, the dimension A1, the diameter B1, and the depth D1 are set to values ​​that satisfy the relationship A1+D1>B1.

[0019] When the dimension A1, the diameter B1, and the depth D1 are set to satisfy the relationship A1+D1>B1 as in the above configuration, the shear force is less likely to be applied to each terminal portion from each protrusion and the sheet base material, and the phenomenon in which each terminal portion is broken due to the shear force is further suppressed.

[0020] [Aspect 5] The connector housing protrudes from the main body portion in one direction in the thickness direction, and when an end of the connector housing on the main body portion side is defined as a base end, the main body portion includes at least the base end in the protruding direction of the connector housing, and has a support portion that supports the connector housing as a part of itself in a part of the area surrounding the connector housing, and when an area of ​​the area surrounding the connector housing that is on the opposite side of the sheet base material from each protruding portion in the thickness direction is defined as a seat back area, the support portion is provided in an area of ​​the area surrounding the connector housing that is different from the seat back area.

[0021] If the support portion that supports the connector housing on the main body is provided in the seat back region, the following concern arises when the main body is insert-molded as described above during the manufacture of the vehicle exterior part. That is, when a part of the molten resin flows in the seat back region, the flow pressure of the molten resin applies a shear force to each terminal portion directly or via the sheet base material. This shear force may cause the terminal portions to deform and break.

[0022] In this regard, according to the above configuration, the support portion is provided in a region surrounding the connector housing that is different from the sheet back region. The support portion is not provided in the sheet back region. Therefore, during the insert molding, the molten resin does not flow in the sheet back region. The flow pressure of the molten resin is unlikely to cause a shear force to be applied to each terminal portion directly or via the sheet base material. As a result, the phenomenon of each terminal portion deforming and breaking is unlikely to occur.

[0023] [Aspect 6] The vehicle exterior part according to [Aspect 1], wherein a surface of each second connection portion facing the main body portion in the thickness direction and a surface of the sheet base material facing the main body portion in the thickness direction are adjacent to each other on the same plane perpendicular to the thickness direction, each terminal portion extends from the sheet base material toward the first connection portion while contacting the surface of each second connection portion facing the main body portion in the thickness direction and is electrically connected to each second connection portion, and each second connection portion has a groove portion formed therein, the groove portion starting from an end face on the side farther from the first connection portion and extending toward the first connection portion while being open on the surface facing the main body portion in the thickness direction.

[0024] Here, a part of the heater wire in the thickness direction is embedded in the sheet base material. In contrast, in each of the second connection parts, the entire terminal part is located on the surface of the second connection part on the main body side in the thickness direction. Each terminal part protrudes from the sheet base material and rides on the surface of the corresponding second connection part.

[0025] Therefore, the portion of the heater wire embedded in the sheet base material (wiring portion) and the portion of the heater wire located on the surface of the second connection portion (terminal portion) are positioned at positions offset from each other in the thickness direction. A part of each terminal portion contacts a corner of an end portion of each second connection portion that is farther from the corresponding first connection portion. At the boundary between each second connection portion and the sheet base material, each terminal portion is inclined with respect to the surface of each second connection portion and the sheet base material on the main body side in the thickness direction.

[0026] Therefore, a shear force is applied from the corners of each second connection portion to the portions of each terminal portion that are in contact with the same corners, which may cause the terminal portion to break. In this regard, according to the above configuration, the portions of each terminal portion that contact the corners of the ends of each second connection portion are inserted into the grooves, so that at the boundaries between each second connection portion and the sheet base material, each terminal portion is inclined more gently with respect to the surfaces of each second connection portion and the sheet base material that face the main body portion in the thickness direction. This reduces the shear force applied to each terminal portion, making breaks less likely to occur.

[0027] [Aspect 7] The vehicle exterior part according to [Aspect 6], wherein the heater wire has a circular cross section, and when a dimension in the thickness direction of a portion where the heater wire is embedded in the sheet base material is A1 and a depth of the groove is D2, the dimension A1 and the depth D2 are set to values ​​that satisfy the relationship D2>A1.

[0028] With the above configuration, when the depth D2 is greater than the dimension A1, the corners of the ends of the second connection parts are less likely to receive shear force from the corners of the ends of the terminal parts, which further reduces the possibility of the terminal parts being broken by shear force.

[0029] [Embodiment 8] A device comprising: a plate-shaped main body made of a resin molded product; and a heater sheet and a connector respectively provided on the main body, the heater sheet comprising a sheet base material laminated on the main body, and a heater wire that generates heat when electricity is passed through it and has a pair of terminal portions at its ends, a portion of the heater wire including at least a portion different from both terminal portions is wired from the main body side to the sheet base material, the connector comprising a connector housing fixed to the main body, and a pair of connector pins fixed to the connector housing, each connector pin comprising a first connection portion to which a device for supplying power is connected, and a first connection portion connected to the first connection portion and a front connection portion connected to the front connection portion. and a second connection portion to which the terminal portion of the heater wire is electrically connected outside the connector housing, wherein the second connection portion for each connector pin has a protrusion that protrudes toward a side away from the connector housing in a direction perpendicular to a thickness direction of the main body portion, the sheet base material and each terminal portion extend to a position on the opposite side to the main body portion in the thickness direction, with the protrusion between them, and each protrusion has a groove portion formed in the end face on the side remote from the first connection portion and extending toward the first connection portion while being open on a surface on the sheet base material side in the thickness direction.

[0030] Here, if the second connection parts and the sheet base material are spaced apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the main body part, the following concern arises when the main body part is insert-molded using the connector and the heater sheet as inserts in the manufacture of a vehicle exterior part: That is, among the terminal parts of the heater wire, the part located between each second connection part and the sheet base material is not supported by either the second connection parts or the sheet base material. Therefore, when a shear force is applied to each terminal part due to the flow pressure of the molten resin flowing through the cavity of the mold device, each terminal part may be deformed and may break.

[0031] Also, a part of each terminal portion contacts a corner of the end of each protrusion farther from each first connection portion. Therefore, when the main body portion is insert molded as described above, the following concerns arise. That is, each terminal portion is sandwiched from both sides in the thickness direction by each protrusion portion and the sheet base material. The heater sheet is fixed to a mold device. Therefore, when a force is applied to each protrusion portion against the sheet base material due to the flow pressure of the molten resin, a shear force is applied from the corners of each protrusion portion and the sheet base material to the points of each terminal portion that contact the same corners, and each terminal portion may be broken.

[0032] In this regard, according to the above configuration, each terminal portion is sandwiched from both sides in the thickness direction by each protrusion and the sheet base material. Therefore, the shear force due to the flow pressure of the molten resin is received by at least each protrusion among each protrusion and the sheet base material. It is difficult for the shear force due to the flow pressure of the molten resin to be directly applied to each terminal portion. As a result, the phenomenon of each terminal portion deforming and breaking is less likely to occur.

[0033] In addition, by fitting the portions of each terminal that come into contact with the corners into the grooves, the shear force applied to those portions is mitigated, making breaks less likely to occur. Effect of the Invention

[0034] According to the present invention, breakage of the heater wire can be suppressed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0035] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a part of a millimeter wave transparent cover together with a millimeter wave radar device and the like in a first embodiment in which an exterior accessory for a vehicle is embodied in a millimeter wave transparent cover. [Diagram 2] 2 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of a part of the millimeter wave transmitting cover of FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a heater sheet in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a partial rear view showing a state in which a heater wire is joined to a connector pin in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the connector pin in the first embodiment. [Figure 7] 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 in FIG. 6. [Figure 8] 13 is a partial cross-sectional view of a millimeter wave transmitting cover when a groove is not provided in a connector pin. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a main body is insert-molded using a mold device in the first embodiment. [Figure 10] 11 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of a part of the millimeter wave transmitting cover of the second embodiment. FIG. [Figure 11] 11 is a partial perspective view illustrating a positional relationship between a connector in a conventional vehicle exterior accessory and a pair of terminal portions of a heater wire. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a partial cross-sectional view of a conventional vehicle exterior part. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0036] (First embodiment) Hereinafter, a first embodiment in which an exterior accessory for a vehicle is embodied as a millimeter wave transmitting cover will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 9.

[0037] In the following description, the forward direction of the vehicle 10 is referred to as the front, and the backward direction is referred to as the rear. The up-down direction refers to the up-down direction of the vehicle 10. The left-right direction refers to the vehicle width direction, and coincides with the left-right direction when the vehicle 10 is moving forward. In each drawing, the scale of each part of the millimeter wave transmitting cover 12 is appropriately changed so that each part is of a recognizable size.

[0038] 1, a millimeter-wave radar device 11 for monitoring the forward direction is disposed as a sensor device that transmits and receives electromagnetic waves for detecting objects outside the vehicle in a central portion in the left-right direction of the front part of the vehicle 10. The millimeter-wave radar device 11 has a function of transmitting millimeter waves, which are electromagnetic waves, toward the front outside the vehicle, and receiving millimeter waves reflected by objects outside the vehicle.

[0039] As described above, the millimeter wave radar device 11 transmits millimeter waves toward the front of the vehicle 10, and therefore the transmission direction of millimeter waves by the millimeter wave radar device 11 is a direction from the rear to the front of the vehicle 10. The front in the transmission direction of millimeter waves generally coincides with the front of the vehicle 10. The rear in the transmission direction of millimeter waves generally coincides with the rear of the vehicle 10. For this reason, in the following description, the front in the transmission direction of millimeter waves will be simply referred to as "front", "front", etc. Additionally, the rear in the transmission direction of millimeter waves will be simply referred to as "rear", "rear", etc.

[0040] A millimeter wave transparent cover 12 is disposed in front of the millimeter wave radar device 11. The millimeter wave transparent cover 12 is disposed in an upright state with its front surface facing the front of the vehicle 10 and its rear surface facing the rear of the vehicle 10.

[0041] The millimeter wave transmitting cover 12 includes a main body 14 made of a resin molded product, and a heater sheet 21 and a connector 31 provided on the main body 14. Next, the basic configuration of each member constituting the millimeter wave transmitting cover 12 will be described.

[0042] <Main body 14> As shown in Fig. 2, the main body 14 has millimeter wave transmissibility. The main body 14 is formed into a plate shape by resin molding using a resin material. The millimeter wave transmissive cover 12 is attached to the vehicle 10 in a state in which the thickness direction of the main body 14 coincides with the front-rear direction. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the thickness direction of the main body 14 coincides with the front-rear direction.

[0043] Examples of the resin material of the main body 14 include PP (polypropylene) resin, PC (polycarbonate) resin, ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer) resin, AES (acrylonitrile-ethylene-styrene copolymer) resin, etc. In addition, PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate) resin, ASA (acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate copolymer) resin, PMMA resin containing ASA resin, etc. In the first embodiment, the main body 14 is formed of ABS resin.

[0044] <Heater Sheet 21> As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the heater sheet 21 includes a sheet substrate 22 having millimeter wave transparency and a heater wire 24 that generates heat when electricity is applied.

[0045] The sheet base material 22 is formed into a plate shape from a resin material. The same resin material as that of the main body 14 can be used as the resin material of the sheet base material 22. This ensures adhesion between the sheet base material 22 and the main body 14. Furthermore, when the sheet base material 22 is formed from ABS resin like the main body 14, the saturated water absorption amount can be reduced. Since the expansion of the sheet base material 22 in the thickness direction due to the moisture contained in the sheet base material 22 can be suppressed, the millimeter wave transmittance of the sheet base material 22 can be appropriately maintained.

[0046] The sheet base material 22 is a region of the main body portion 14 that includes, for example, a region that transmits millimeter waves, and is laminated in contact with the main body portion 14 at one side in the thickness direction of the main body portion 14, in this case the rear side.

[0047] The heater wire 24 is formed of a resistance wire, that is, a conductor such as a nichrome wire that is generally considered to have a high electrical resistance. The heater wire 24 has a circular cross section (see FIG. 4). The heater wire 24 has a pair of terminal portions 24t at its ends. In the first embodiment, both terminal portions 24t are located at the bottom of the heater wire 24 and extend in the vertical direction.

[0048] A portion of the heater wire 24 including at least a portion different from both terminal portions 24t, in the first embodiment, the entire heater wire 24, is wired from the main body portion 14 side in the thickness direction, that is, the front side here, to the sheet substrate 22. The portion of the heater wire 24 different from both terminal portions 24t is wired in a predetermined wiring pattern. There are no particular restrictions on the wiring pattern, but for example, a wiring pattern having a plurality of straight portions extending parallel to each other and a plurality of connecting portions connecting ends of adjacent straight portions can be used.

[0049] <Connector 31> As shown in FIG. 2, the connector 31 includes a connector housing 32 fixed to the main body 14, and a pair of connector pins 36 fixed to the connector housing 32 (only one of which is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2).

[0050] [Connector housing 32] The connector housing 32 is made of an electrically insulating material, for example, a resin material such as AES resin.

[0051] The connector housing 32 is provided in a region of the main body 14 that is outside the region through which millimeter waves pass, for example, and is provided on one side of the main body 14 in the thickness direction, which is the rear side here. In the first embodiment, the connector housing 32 is disposed in a position on the heater wire 24 that is lower than a position different from both terminal portions 24t.

[0052] The connector housing 32 protrudes to one side in the thickness direction, here, rearward, from the main body 14. The connector housing 32 has a recess 33 formed in its rear surface that is open and recessed forward.

[0053] The connector housing 32 may be formed from ASA resin, PC resin, a polymer alloy of PC resin and ABS resin, or the like, instead of the AES resin. [Connector pin 36] As shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 6, both connector pins 36 are formed in the same shape from a conductive material such as metal. Each connector pin 36 has a plate-shaped first connection portion 37 extending rearward from the front end of the connector housing 32, and a plate-shaped second connection portion 38 extending upward from the front end of the first connection portion 37. In each connector pin 36, the first connection portion 37 and the second connection portion 38 are connected. Each connector pin 36 having such a configuration is L-shaped. Each connector pin 36 is formed, for example, by punching a metal plate into a predetermined shape and bending it into an L shape.

[0054] At least a portion of the first connection portion 37 of each connector pin 36 is fixed in an embedded state in the connector housing 32. Although not shown in Fig. 2, a portion of the first connection portion 37 including a rear end portion is exposed in the recess 33. Then, as shown in Fig. 1, when the connector 6 of the device 5 for supplying power is coupled to the connector housing 32 in the recess 33, the device 5 is electrically connected to the connector pin 36.

[0055] 2 and 5, the second connection portion 38 of each connector pin 36 is exposed to the outside of the connector housing 32. A corresponding terminal portion 24t of the heater wire 24 is brought into contact with each second connection portion 38. Each terminal portion 24t is joined to the corresponding second connection portion 38 in an electrically connected state by a joining method such as fusing joining. Fusing joining is a joining method in which the coating of each terminal portion 24t is peeled off by resistance heating of an electrode, and then thermocompression welding is performed to the corresponding second connection portion 38.

[0056] <Support structure of connector housing 32 by main body 14> 2, the front end of the connector housing 32 is referred to as the base end 32a. The main body 14 has, as a part thereof, a support portion 15 that supports the connector housing 32. The support portion 15 includes at least the base end 32a in the protruding direction of the connector housing 32, and is provided in a part of an area Z1 that surrounds the connector housing 32. The support portion 15 extends in the protruding direction of the connector housing 32, that is, rearward here, along the connector housing 32 at a location adjacent to the connector housing 32.

[0057] In addition to the above-mentioned configuration, the millimeter wave transmitting cover 12 includes an attachment portion (not shown) for attaching the main body portion 14 and the like to the front portion of the vehicle 10. The attachment portion is configured by a clip, a screw, an engagement claw, or the like.

[0058] When manufacturing the millimeter wave transmitting cover 12 having the above-mentioned configuration, the main body 14 is insert-molded using the connector 31 and the heater sheet 21 as inserts (see FIG. 9). The above is the basic structure of the millimeter wave transmitting cover 12. Next, the features of the first embodiment will be described.

[0059] <Feature 1> 2 and 4, the portion of the heater wire 24 that is wired in the sheet base material 22 is referred to as the wiring portion 24a. A part of the wiring portion 24a in the thickness direction (front-rear direction) is embedded in the sheet base material 22. The embedded portion accounts for 50% or more of the entire portion in the thickness direction (front-rear direction). The remaining portion of the wiring portion 24a in the thickness direction (front-rear direction) is exposed from the sheet base material 22 toward the main body portion 14, in this case, the front side. The more the portion that is embedded in the sheet base material 22, the more effective it is in preventing breakage of the heater wire 24. However, as long as the embedded portion is at least 50%, the effect of preventing breakage of the heater wire 24 can be sufficiently obtained.

[0060] As a method for embedding a part of the wiring portion 24a in the thickness direction (front-rear direction) in the sheet base material 22, for example, there is a method in which the heater wire 24 formed in a predetermined wiring pattern is pressed against the sheet base material 22 while being heated. However, this method is merely one example, and other methods may be adopted.

[0061] <Feature 2> 2 and 5, the second connection portion 38 of each connector pin 36 has a protrusion 38a. Each protrusion 38a protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction (front-rear direction) (hereinafter simply referred to as the "orthogonal direction") and away from the connector housing 32. In the first embodiment, each protrusion 38a protrudes upward from the connector housing 32. Here, the vertical direction is the orthogonal direction.

[0062] The sheet base material 22 and each terminal portion 24t extend in the thickness direction (front-rear direction) to a position on the rear side, opposite the main body portion 14, across the protruding portion 38a. With this configuration, the sheet base material 22 and each terminal portion 24t overlap the protruding portion 38a in the orthogonal direction (up-down direction).

[0063] The sheet base material 22 and the ends of each terminal portion 24t on the connector housing 32 side, here the lower ends, are in contact with the connector housing 32 or are located in close proximity thereto. Each of the terminal portions 24t is in contact with a rear surface 38r of the corresponding protruding portion 38a. As described above, each of the terminal portions 24t is joined to a flat portion of each of the protruding portions 38a with few projections and recesses by a joining method such as fusing joining in a state of being electrically connected thereto.

[0064] The above-mentioned bonding is performed at a window portion 23 provided in the sheet base material 22. A water stop portion 25 that prevents water from entering the bonded portion is provided in the window portion 23. The water stop portion 25 is formed by filling the window portion 23 with a potting material, for example.

[0065] <Feature 3> 2 and 7, each protrusion 38a has a groove 41 formed therein, which starts from an end face farther from the corresponding first connection portion 37 and extends toward the first connection portion 37 while being open on the face on the sheet base material 22 side in the thickness direction (front-rear direction). In the first embodiment, the groove 41 starts from an upper end face 38t of the second connection portion 38 and extends downward while being open on a rear face 38r of the second connection portion 38.

[0066] A part of each terminal portion 24t fits into the groove portion 41. The part of each terminal portion 24t refers to the end portion farther from the corresponding first connection portion 37, in this case, the portion in contact with the corner portion 38c at the upper end portion of the second connection portion 38 and the portion in the vicinity thereof.

[0067] <Feature 4> 4 and 7, the dimension of the heater wire 24 embedded in the sheet base material 22 in the thickness direction (front-rear direction) is denoted as A1. The diameter of the heater wire 24 is denoted as B1, and the depth of the groove portion 41 is denoted as D1.

[0068] It is preferable that the dimension A1, the diameter B1 and the depth D1 are set to values ​​that satisfy the relationship of formula (1). A1+D1>B1...Formula (1) <Feature 5> 2, in the region Z1 surrounding the connector housing 32, the region on the opposite side to the protruding portion 38a in the thickness direction (front-rear direction) across the sheet base material 22 is referred to as a seat back region Z1a. The support portion 15 is provided in a region of the region Z1 different from the seat back region Z1a.

[0069] Next, the operation of the first embodiment configured as above will be described. <Installation of millimeter wave transmission cover 12> When attaching the millimeter wave transparent cover 12 to the vehicle 10, as shown in Fig. 1, the millimeter wave transparent cover 12 is placed in an upright state at the front of the vehicle 10, in front of the millimeter wave radar device 11. The millimeter wave transparent cover 12 is attached to the vehicle 10 at an attachment portion.

[0070] The connector 6 of the device 5 is attached to the connector 31 of the millimeter wave transmitting cover 12. The heater wire 24 is electrically connected to the device 5 via each connector pin . <Function of the millimeter wave transmitting cover 12> When millimeter waves are transmitted forward from the millimeter-wave radar device 11, the millimeter waves pass through each portion in the transmission region of the millimeter-wave transparent cover 12. The transmitted millimeter waves are reflected by an object in front of the vehicle 10, such as a leading vehicle or a pedestrian, and then pass again through each portion of the millimeter-wave transparent cover 12 before being received by the millimeter-wave radar device 11. Based on the transmitted and received millimeter waves, the millimeter-wave radar device 11 recognizes the object and detects the distance and relative speed between the object and the vehicle 10.

[0071] Incidentally, when ice and snow adhere to the millimeter-wave transparent cover 12, the millimeter waves are attenuated, and the detection performance of the millimeter-wave radar device 11 may be degraded. In this case, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, power from the device 5 is supplied to the heater wire 24 via the connector 6 of the device 5 and each connector pin 36 of the connector 31 of the millimeter-wave transparent cover 12. When the heater wire 24 generates heat by energizing it, part of the heat is transferred to each part of the millimeter-wave transparent cover 12. This heat melts the ice and snow adhering to the millimeter-wave transparent cover 12 and the ice and snow adhering thereto, thereby suppressing the attenuation of the millimeter waves caused by the adhesion of ice and snow.

[0072] <Effect of Embedding the Heater Wire 24 in the Sheet Base Material 22> Here, if the entire wiring portion 24a in the thickness direction is disposed on the sheet base material 22, when the millimeter wave transmission cover 12 is manufactured by insert molding the main body 14 with the connector 31 and the heater sheet 21 as inserts, the following concern arises: That is, a shear force in a direction along the front surface 22f of the sheet base material 22 is applied to the heater wire 24 by the flow pressure (molding pressure) of the molten resin supplied to the cavity 52 (see FIG. 9 ) of the mold device 51. This shear force drags the heater wire 24 in a direction along the front surface 22f, which may cause deformation and disconnection.

[0073] In this regard, as shown in Figs. 4 and 9, in the first embodiment, a part of the wiring portion 24a in the thickness direction (front-rear direction) of the main body 14, and 50% or more of the whole wiring portion 24a, is embedded in the sheet base material 22. The embedded portion reduces the portion (protruding portion) of the wiring portion 24a exposed from the sheet base material 22. The shear force due to the flow pressure of the molten resin is not directly applied to the portion of the wiring portion 24a embedded in the sheet base material 22. The shear force is directly applied to the portion (protruding portion) of the wiring portion 24a exposed from the sheet base material 22. The number of portions of the heater wire 24 to which the shear force is applied is smaller than that in the case where the entire wiring portion 24a is exposed from the sheet base material 22 and is not supported by the sheet base material 22. Therefore, the shear force applied to the wiring portion 24a by the flow pressure of the molten resin is smaller than that in the case where the entire wiring portion 24a is exposed from the sheet base material 22. Furthermore, the portion of the wiring portion 24a that is embedded in the sheet base material 22 is held at the location where it is embedded.

[0074] Therefore, even if a shear force is applied to the protruding portion in a direction along the front surface 22f of the sheet base material 22, the wiring portion 24a maintains its wired shape. The phenomenon in which the wiring portion 24a is dragged in the direction along the front surface 22f and deformed is less likely to occur.

[0075] <Function due to overlapping of connector pin 36 and sheet base material 22> Here, if each of the protrusions 38a and the sheet base material 22 are spaced apart from each other in the orthogonal direction (up-down direction), when the main body 14 is insert-molded as described above in manufacturing the millimeter wave transmission cover 12, the following concern arises: That is, of each of the terminals 24t, a portion located between the corresponding protrusion 38a and the sheet base material 22 is not supported by either the protrusion 38a or the sheet base material 22. Therefore, when a shear force is applied to each of the terminals 24t due to the flow pressure of the molten resin, each of the terminals 24t may be deformed and broken.

[0076] In this regard, in the first embodiment, each terminal portion 24t overlaps the corresponding protruding portion 38a in the up-down direction. As shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 9, each terminal portion 24t is sandwiched from both sides in the thickness direction (front-rear direction) by the corresponding protruding portion 38a and the sheet base material 22. Therefore, the shear force due to the flow pressure of the molten resin is received by at least each protruding portion 38a among each protruding portion 38a and the sheet base material 22. It is difficult for the shear force due to the flow pressure of the molten resin to be directly applied to each terminal portion 24t. As a result, the phenomenon of deformation of each terminal portion 24t is difficult to occur.

[0077] <Function of Groove 41 on Connector Pin 36> A part of each terminal portion 24t comes into contact with a corner portion 38c at the end portion (upper end portion) farther from the first connection portion 37 of the corresponding protrusion portion 38a.

[0078] Therefore, when the main body 14 is insert-molded as described above in manufacturing the millimeter wave transmission cover 12, the following concern arises. That is, as shown in FIG. 8, each terminal 24t is sandwiched between the corresponding protrusion 38a and the sheet base material 22 from both sides in the thickness direction (front-rear direction). The heater sheet 21 is fixed to a mold device 51. Therefore, when a force is applied to press each protrusion 38a toward the sheet base material 22 due to the flow pressure of the molten resin, a shear force is applied from the corner 38c of each second connection portion 38 and the sheet base material 22 to a portion of each terminal 24t that is in contact with the corner 38c. This shear force may cause each terminal 24t to break.

[0079] 2 and 5, in the first embodiment, the shear force acting on each of the terminal portions 24t that contact the corners 38c is alleviated by fitting the terminal portions 24t into the grooves 41. This effect is significantly achieved when the dimension A1, the diameter B1, and the depth D1 are set to values ​​that satisfy the relationship of the above formula (1).

[0080] <Effects of the Shape of the Supporting Part 15 in the Main Body Part 14> 2, if the support portion 15 is also provided in the sheet rear region Z1a, the following concern arises when the main body portion 14 is insert-molded as described above in manufacturing the millimeter wave transmission cover 12. That is, when a part of the molten resin flows in the sheet rear region Z1a, a shear force is applied to each of the terminal portions 24t directly or via the sheet base material 22 due to the flow pressure of the molten resin. This shear force may cause each of the terminal portions 24t to deform and break.

[0081] In this regard, in the first embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 9, the support portion 15 is provided in a region different from the seat back region Z1a in the region Z1 surrounding the connector housing 32. The support portion 15 is not provided in the seat back region Z1a. Therefore, during the above-mentioned insert molding, the molten resin does not flow in the seat back region Z1a. The flow pressure of the molten resin is unlikely to cause a shear force to be applied to each terminal portion 24t directly or via the sheet base material 22. As a result, the phenomenon of deformation of each terminal portion 24t is unlikely to occur.

[0082] Next, the effects of the first embodiment will be described. (1-1) In the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, a portion of the heater wire 24 (wiring portion 24a) in the thickness direction (front-rear direction) is embedded in the sheet base material 22, and 50% or more of the entire heater wire 24 is embedded in the sheet base material 22.

[0083] Therefore, when the body portion 14 is resin-molded, the application of shear force to the wiring portion 24a due to the flow pressure of the molten resin can be suppressed, and disconnection of the wiring portion 24a can be suppressed. (1-2) In the first embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, a protrusion 38a is provided on each second connection portion 38, and a part of the sheet base material 22 and each terminal portion 24t are overlapped with the corresponding protrusion 38a in the orthogonal direction (up-down direction). Each terminal portion 24t is sandwiched between the corresponding protrusion 38a and the sheet base material 22 from both sides in the thickness direction (front-rear direction).

[0084] Therefore, during resin molding of the main body 14, the flow pressure of the molten resin can be received by at least the protruding portions 38a among the protruding portions 38a and the sheet base material 22. This can prevent the application of shear force to the terminal portions 24t due to the flow pressure of the molten resin, thereby preventing breakage of the terminal portions 24t.

[0085] (1-3) In the first embodiment, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, a groove portion 41 is formed in each protrusion 38a, starting from the upper end surface 38t of the second connection portion 38 and extending toward the first connection portion 37 (downward) with the groove portion 41 opening at the rear surface 38r.

[0086] Therefore, even if a force is applied to each protrusion 38a pressing it toward the sheet base material 22 (rear side) due to the flow pressure of the molten resin during insert molding of the main body 14, it is possible to prevent a shear force from being applied to each terminal portion 24t from the corner portion 38c and the sheet base material 22. In this respect, it is also possible to prevent breakage of each terminal portion 24t.

[0087] (1-4) In the first embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the sum of the dimension A1 of the embedded portion of the heater wire 24 and the depth D1 of the groove portion 41 is set to be larger than the diameter B1 of the heater wire 24.

[0088] Therefore, shear force is less likely to be applied to each terminal portion 24t from each protrusion 38a and the sheet base material 22. The groove portion 41 can have a significant effect of preventing breakage of the terminal portion 24t.

[0089] (1-5) In the first embodiment, the support portion 15 for supporting the connector housing 32 is provided in an area different from the sheet back surface area Z1a in the area Z1 surrounding the connector housing 32, as shown in Fig. 2. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a shear force from being applied to each terminal portion 24t directly or via the sheet base material 22 due to the flow pressure of the molten resin during the insert molding of the main body portion 14. It is possible to prevent each terminal portion 24t from being broken due to the shear force.

[0090] (1-6) In the first embodiment, each terminal portion 24t is joined to a portion of the protrusion 38a that is different from the groove portion 41, that is, a portion that has fewer projections and recesses than the groove portion 41. Therefore, when joining is performed by fusing joining, the joining work is easy.

[0091] Second embodiment Next, a second embodiment in which the vehicle exterior accessory is embodied as a millimeter wave transmitting cover will be described with reference to FIG.

[0092] In the second embodiment, the positional relationship between each second connection portion 38 and the sheet base material 22 differs from that in the first embodiment. More specifically, in the second embodiment, unlike feature 2 of the first embodiment, each second connection portion 38 does not have a protrusion 38a. The surface of the second connection portion 38 on the main body portion 14 side in the thickness direction (front-rear direction), here the front surface 38f, and the surface of the sheet base material 22 on the main body portion 14 side, here the front surface 22f, are adjacent to each other on the same plane perpendicular to the thickness direction.

[0093] Therefore, in the second embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, a part of the sheet base material 22 and each of the second connection portions do not overlap in the orthogonal direction (the up-down direction) of the main body portion . In the second embodiment, a portion of the heater wire 24 different from each terminal portion 24t (a portion above both terminal portions 24t) corresponds to the wiring portion 24a in the first embodiment. This is a portion of the wiring portion 24a in the thickness direction (front-rear direction), and 50% or more of the entire wiring portion 24a is embedded in the sheet base material 22, as in Feature 1 of the first embodiment.

[0094] Each terminal portion 24t extends from the sheet base material 22 toward the corresponding first connection portion 37, here downward, in a state of contacting a surface of the second connection portion 38 on the main body portion 14 side in the thickness direction (front-rear direction), here the front surface 38f. Each terminal portion 24t is joined to the corresponding second connection portion 38 by the same joining method as in the first embodiment. Each terminal portion 24t is electrically connected to the corresponding second connection portion 38 at least at the joint portion.

[0095] A groove 42 is formed in each second connection portion 38. Each groove 42 originates from an end face, here an upper end face 38t, on the side farther from the corresponding first connection portion 37. Each groove 42 opens on a face on the main body portion 14 side in the thickness direction (front-rear direction), here a front face 38f, and extends toward the first connection portion 37, here a downward side.

[0096] Of each terminal portion 24t, the portion that contacts the corner portion 38c of the upper end portion of the corresponding second connection portion 38 and the vicinity thereof fit into the groove portion 42. Here, similarly to the first embodiment, the dimension in the thickness direction of the portion where the heater wire 24 is embedded in the sheet base material 22 is designated as A1. The depth of the groove portion 42 is designated as D2. In the second embodiment, instead of feature 4 of the first embodiment, it is preferable that the dimension A1 and the depth D2 are set to values ​​that satisfy the relationship of the following formula (2).

[0097] D2>A1...Formula (2) The configuration other than the above is the same as that of the first embodiment. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the same elements as those described in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations are omitted. Note that the configuration similar to that of the first embodiment may or may not include the configuration of the above feature 5.

[0098] Next, the operation of the second embodiment will be described, focusing on the differences from the operation of the first embodiment. <Function of the Groove 42 in Each Connector Pin 36> A part of the wiring portion 24a in the thickness direction (front-rear direction) is embedded in the sheet base material 22. In contrast, in each of the second connection parts 38, the entire terminal portion 24t in the thickness direction is located on the front surface 38f. Each terminal portion 24t protrudes from the sheet base material 22 and rides up onto the corresponding front surface 38f.

[0099] Therefore, the portion (wiring portion 24a) of the heater wire 24 embedded in the sheet base material 22 and the portion (terminal portion 24t) located on the front surface 38f of each second connection portion 38 are positioned at positions offset from each other in the thickness direction (front-rear direction). A part of each terminal portion 24t contacts a corner portion 38c of the end portion (upper end portion) of the corresponding second connection portion 38 that is farther from the corresponding first connection portion 37. At the boundary portion between each second connection portion 38 and the sheet base material 22, the terminal portion 24t is inclined with respect to the same surface (front surfaces 38f, 22f).

[0100] Therefore, a shear force is applied from the corner 38c of each second connection portion 38 to a portion of each terminal portion 24t that is in contact with the corner 38c, which may result in disconnection of the terminal portion 24t. In this regard, in the second embodiment, the portion of each terminal portion 24t that contacts the corner portion 38c and the surrounding portion are inserted into the groove portion 42. In this way, the degree to which each terminal portion 24t inclines with respect to the same surface (front surfaces 38f, 22f) at the boundary portion between each second connection portion 38 and the sheet base material 22 becomes gentler. The shear force applied to each terminal portion 24t is mitigated, making breaks less likely to occur. This effect is greatly achieved when the dimension A1 and the depth D2 are set to values ​​that satisfy the relationship of the above formula (2).

[0101] Therefore, the second embodiment also provides the effect (1-1) corresponding to feature 1 in the first embodiment. In addition, the second embodiment also provides the effect (2-3) corresponding to feature 3 and the effect (2-4) corresponding to feature 4.

[0102] (2-3) In the millimeter wave transmitting cover 12 of the second embodiment, the front surface 38f of each second connection portion 38 and the front surface 22f of the sheet base material 22 are located on the same plane and are adjacent to each other. Each terminal portion 24t extends downward from the sheet base material 22 while being in contact with the front surface 38f of each second connection portion 38, and is electrically connected to each second connection portion 38.

[0103] Each second connection portion 38 has a groove portion 42 that starts from the end face (upper end face 38t) farther from the first connection portion 37 and extends toward the first connection portion 37 (downward) with an opening at the front face 38f, which is the face on the main body portion 14 side in the thickness direction.

[0104] Therefore, it is possible to prevent a shear force from being applied from the corners 38c of each second connection portion 38 to the portions of each terminal portion 24t that are in contact with the corners 38c, thereby preventing breakage of each terminal portion 24t.

[0105] (2-4) In the second embodiment, the depth D2 of the groove 42 is set to be larger than the dimension A1 of the embedded portion of the heater wire 24 in the thickness direction. Therefore, shear force is less likely to be applied from the corners 38c to the portions of each terminal portion 24t that come into contact with the corners 38c at the ends of each second connection portion 38. The grooves 42 can have a significant effect in preventing breakage of the terminal portions 24t.

[0106] The above embodiment can also be implemented as modified examples as follows: The above embodiment and the following modified examples can be implemented in combination with each other within a range that does not cause technical contradiction.

[0107] <About Heater Sheet 21> In the first embodiment, in the orthogonal direction (up-down direction), the ends (lower ends) of the sheet substrate 22 and the heater wire 24 on the connector 31 side may be in contact with the connector housing 32 or may be separated from the connector housing 32.

[0108] In each of the first and second embodiments, the sheet base material 22 of the heater sheet 21 may be laminated from the front side onto the main body portion 14. In this case, the sheet base material 22 is preferably made of a transparent resin material such as PC resin.

[0109] In the first and second embodiments, each end portion 24t of the heater wire 24 may be joined to the connector pin 36 in the grooves 41, 42. In the first and second embodiments, each terminal portion 24t of the heater wire 24 may be joined to the connector pin 36 by a joining method other than fusing. Examples of alternative joining methods include soldering and crimping.

[0110] In each of the first and second embodiments, the number of heater wires 24 in the heater sheet 21 may be changed to a plurality. In the first embodiment, the portion of the heater wire 24 that is embedded in the sheet base material 22 may be changed to less than 50% of the entire portion in the thickness direction. In an extreme case, the entire heater wire 24 in the thickness direction may be exposed from the sheet base material 22. According to these modified examples, the effect (1-1) above cannot be obtained or is difficult to obtain. However, other effects such as (1-2) to (1-5) can be obtained, and as a result, breakage of the heater wire 24 can be suppressed.

[0111] <About Connector 31> In the first embodiment, the effect of the groove 41 in suppressing breakage of each terminal portion 24t is maximized when the dimension A1, diameter B1, and depth D1 are set to values ​​that satisfy the relationship of the above formula (1). However, the depth D1 of the groove 41 may be set to a value smaller than the value that satisfies the relationship of the above formula (1). Even in this case, the effect of suppressing breakage can be obtained.

[0112] In the second embodiment, the effect of the groove 42 in suppressing breakage of each terminal portion 24t is greatly obtained when the dimension A1 and the depth D2 are set to values ​​that satisfy the relationship of the above formula (2). However, the depth D2 of the groove 42 may be set to a value smaller than the value that satisfies the relationship of the above formula (2). Even in this case, the effect of suppressing breakage can be obtained.

[0113] The position of the connector 31 on the millimeter wave transmitting cover 12 may be changed to a position different from that in the first and second embodiments. In the first and second embodiments, the connector 31 is disposed below the heater sheet 21, but it may be disposed above, to the right, to the left, or the like.

[0114] In the first and second embodiments, a chamfer may be formed at a corner 38c at an end of each second connection portion 38 farther from the first connection portion 37, at a location where at least the terminal portion 24t comes into contact. This modification, like the grooves 41 and 42, can also reduce the shear force applied to each terminal portion 24t from the corner 38c of each second connection portion 38 and the sheet substrate 22, making it difficult for the heater wire 24 to break.

[0115] <Other> The main body 14 may or may not have a function of decorating the vehicle 10.

[0116] In the first embodiment, at least one of the configurations of Features 2, 3, and 5 may be omitted, provided that a portion (however, 50% or more) of the wiring portion 24a in the thickness direction is embedded in the sheet base material 22.

[0117] The vehicle exterior accessory is applicable as long as it is incorporated in a vehicle 10 equipped with a sensor device that transmits and receives electromagnetic waves to detect objects outside the vehicle and is an electromagnetic wave-transmitting vehicle exterior accessory. In this case, the electromagnetic waves transmitted and received by the sensor device include infrared rays and the like in addition to the millimeter waves.

[0118] The sensor device that transmits and receives electromagnetic waves to detect objects outside the vehicle may be a device for monitoring the rear, front side, or rear side in addition to the forward direction. In this case, the vehicle exterior accessory is disposed in front of the sensor device in the transmission direction of the electromagnetic waves.

[0119] The vehicle exterior accessory may be installed in a vehicle 10 that is not equipped with a sensor device that transmits and receives electromagnetic waves to detect objects outside the vehicle. In this case, the vehicle exterior accessory can be widely applied to vehicle exterior accessories that have a function of decorating the vehicle 10, such as emblems, ornaments, marks, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0120] 5…Equipment 12...Millimeter wave transparent cover (exterior part for vehicles) 14…Main body 15...Support part 21…Heated seat 22...Sheet base material 24…Heater wire 24t…Terminal section 31…Connector 32…Connector housing 32a...Proximal end 36…Connector pin 37…First connection part 38…Second connection part 38a...Protruding part 38t…Top end face (end face) 41, 42…Groove A1…Dimensions B1…Diameter D1, D2…Depth Z1…area Z1a…Seat back area

Claims

1. The heater includes a plate-shaped main body made of a resin molded product, and a heater sheet and a connector each provided on the main body. the heater sheet includes a sheet base material laminated on the main body portion, and a heater wire that generates heat when electricity is applied and has a pair of terminal portions at its ends, a portion of the heater wire including at least a portion different from both terminal portions is wired from the main body portion side to the sheet base material, The connector includes a connector housing fixed to the main body and a pair of connector pins fixed to the connector housing, each connector pin includes a first connection portion to which a device for supplying power is coupled, and a second connection portion connected to the first connection portion and to which the terminal portion of the heater wire is electrically connected outside the connector housing, A vehicle exterior part in which a portion of the heater wire that is wired in the seat base material is a portion in a thickness direction of the main body, and 50% or more of the entire portion in the thickness direction is embedded in the seat base material.

2. the second connection portion of each of the connector pins has a protruding portion protruding toward a side away from the connector housing in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction, The vehicle exterior part according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet base material and each of the terminal portions extend to a position on an opposite side of the main body portion with respect to the thickness direction, with the protruding portion being sandwiched therebetween.

3. 3. The vehicle exterior part according to claim 2, wherein each protrusion has a groove portion formed therein, the groove portion starting from an end face on the side farther from the first connection portion and extending toward the first connection portion while being open on a surface on the sheet base material side in the thickness direction.

4. the heater wire has a circular cross section, When the dimension in the thickness direction of the portion where the heater wire is embedded in the sheet base material is A1, the diameter of the heater wire is B1, and the depth of the groove portion is D1, 4. The vehicle exterior part according to claim 3, wherein the dimension A1, the diameter B1 and the depth D1 are set to values ​​that satisfy the relationship A1+D1>B1.

5. The connector housing protrudes from the main body in one direction in the thickness direction, When the end of the connector housing on the main body side is defined as a base end, the main body portion includes at least the base end portion in a protruding direction of the connector housing, and has a support portion that supports the connector housing in a portion of an area surrounding the connector housing, When the region surrounding the connector housing is a region on the opposite side of the sheet base material from each protrusion in the thickness direction, the region is defined as a sheet back surface region, The vehicle exterior part according to claim 2 , wherein the support portion is provided in a region surrounding the connector housing, the region being different from the seat back area.

6. a surface of each second connection portion on the side of the main body portion in the thickness direction and a surface of the sheet base material on the side of the main body portion in the thickness direction are adjacent to each other on the same plane perpendicular to the thickness direction, each terminal portion extends from the sheet base material toward the first connection portion while being in contact with a surface of each second connection portion on the main body portion side in the thickness direction, and is electrically connected to each second connection portion; 2. The vehicle exterior part according to claim 1, wherein each second connection portion has a groove portion formed therein, the groove portion having an opening on an end face thereof facing the main body portion in the thickness direction and extending toward the first connection portion.

7. the heater wire has a circular cross section, When the dimension of the portion where the heater wire is embedded in the sheet base material in the thickness direction is A1 and the depth of the groove portion is D2, 7. The vehicle exterior part according to claim 6, wherein the dimension A1 and the depth D2 are set to values ​​that satisfy the relationship D2>A1.

8. The heater includes a plate-shaped main body made of a resin molded product, and a heater sheet and a connector each provided on the main body. the heater sheet includes a sheet base material laminated on the main body portion, and a heater wire that generates heat when electricity is applied and has a pair of terminal portions at its ends, a portion of the heater wire including at least a portion different from both terminal portions is wired from the main body portion side to the sheet base material, The connector includes a connector housing fixed to the main body and a pair of connector pins fixed to the connector housing, each connector pin includes a first connection portion to which a device for supplying power is coupled, and a second connection portion connected to the first connection portion and to which the terminal portion of the heater wire is electrically connected outside the connector housing, the second connection portion for each of the connector pins has a protruding portion protruding toward a side away from the connector housing in a direction perpendicular to a thickness direction of the main body, The sheet base material and each terminal portion extend to a position on the opposite side of the main body portion with respect to the thickness direction, with the protruding portion being sandwiched therebetween, Each protrusion has a groove formed therein, the groove starting from the end face farther from the first connection portion and extending toward the first connection portion while being open on the surface facing the sheet base material in the thickness direction.

Images