Radar attachment structure

Abstract

To provide a radar attachment structure that can suppress a performance of a side radar of a vehicle front part from being affected by snow.SOLUTION: A protector 40 has: an upper eaves part 42 that is provided extendingly toward an exterior component 103 through an upper position of a radar front surface 31 from a base part 41; and a lower eaves part 43 that is provided extendingly toward the exterior component 103 through a lower position of the radar front surface 31 from the base part 41. Thus, even when a radar is located at a height around a center of an upper part convection part 107 in which snow entering into an interior of a front compartment 102 from a vent port 104 in front of a vehicle while the vehicle travels convects in an upper part, and a lower part convection part 108 in which the snow convects in a lower part, the protector can suppress the snow from flowing toward the radar 30 from upperly and lowerly, which in turn a performance of the radar 30 can be less affected by the snow.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a mounting structure for a radar mounted on a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there are side radars that are mounted on both the front and rear sides of a vehicle to detect the situation around the vehicle. Among them, the side radar mounted on the rear of the vehicle may be provided with a protector (cover) that covers the radar from below to prevent snow (including rainwater, the same applies below) kicked up by the tires from covering the radar and affecting the performance of the radar (see, for example, Patent Document 1). However, the side radar mounted on the front of the vehicle is not provided with a protector (cover) because it is not affected by snow kicked up by the tires. In addition, the side radar is covered by an exterior part of the vehicle such as a bumper, and when mounted on the front of the vehicle, for example, it may be attached to a panel extending from a lamp unit or to the lamp unit via a bracket (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0003] When a front side radar (FSR) is attached to the lamp section via a bracket, the radar is located in the vertical center of the front compartment. For some vehicles, the radar may be located at a height near the center of the upper convection area where snow that enters the front compartment from the vent at the front of the vehicle while the vehicle is moving convects at the upper part of the front compartment and the lower convection area where snow convects at the lower part. In that case, when viewed from the front of the radar, snow flows toward the radar from above, below, left and right, and there is no way for the snow to escape, so the snow may concentrate on the radar. As a result, the performance of the radar may be affected by snow. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-064417 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2020-038181 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a radar mounting structure that can suppress the performance of a radar at the front of a vehicle from being affected by snow. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention which achieves the above object is as follows. (1) A vehicle body side member consisting of a vehicle body or a member attached to the vehicle body; a radar that is disposed on an inner side of an exterior part of a vehicle and has a radar front surface that faces the exterior part and is attached to the vehicle body side member; a protector attached to the radar; having the protector has a base portion having a claw portion that engages with the radar, an upper eaves portion extending from the base portion toward the exterior part through an upper position of the front surface of the radar, and a lower eaves portion extending from the base portion toward the exterior part through a lower position of the front surface of the radar, The upper eaves portion is inclined downward as it goes left and right when viewed from the front of the radar, and has a flange at a tip end in the extension direction that bends upward and extends, in a radar mounting structure. (2) The radar is arranged in the front compartment of the vehicle, and is arranged at a position below an upper convection section where snow that has entered the front compartment from the front of the vehicle convects in the upper part of the front compartment, and above a lower convection section where snow that has entered the front compartment from the front of the vehicle convects in the lower part of the front compartment. (3) The radar mounting structure according to (1), wherein the upper eaves portion and the lower eaves portion each have a tip portion in an extension direction that has a shape that conforms to an inner vehicle surface of the exterior part. (4) The radar mounting structure described in (1), wherein the protector further has a right eaves portion extending from the base portion toward the exterior part through a right position of the radar in a front view of the radar, and a left eaves portion extending from the base portion toward the exterior part through a left position of the radar in a front view of the radar. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the radar mounting structure described above in (1)-(4), the following effects can be obtained. Since the protector has an upper eaves portion extending from the base portion toward the exterior part through a position above the front surface of the radar, and a lower eaves portion extending from the base portion toward the exterior part through a position below the front surface of the radar, even if the radar is located at a height near the center of the upper convection portion where snow that has entered the front compartment from the vent at the front of the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling convects at the upper part of the front compartment and the lower convection portion where snow convects at the lower part, snow can be prevented from flowing toward the radar from above and below. This makes it possible to prevent snow from affecting the performance of the radar. In addition, the upper eaves portion slopes downward as it goes to the left and right when viewed from the front of the radar, and has a flange that bends and extends upward at the tip of the extension direction, which prevents snow from accumulating on the upper eaves portion and causing icicles to form or water to drip from the upper eaves portion onto the front of the radar.

[0008] According to the radar mounting structure described above in (3), the following effects can be obtained. Since both the upper eaves portion and the lower eaves portion have a shape in which the tip portions in the extension direction follow the vehicle interior side surface of the exterior part, snow can be effectively prevented from flowing toward the radar between the upper eaves portion and the exterior part, and between the lower eaves portion and the exterior part.

[0009] According to the radar mounting structure described above in (4), the following effects can be obtained. The protector further includes a right eaves portion extending from the base portion toward the exterior component through a position to the right of the radar in a front view of the radar, and a left eaves portion extending from the base portion toward the exterior component through a position to the left of the radar in a front view of the radar, so that snow can be prevented from flowing toward the radar from the left and right sides of the radar in a front view of the radar, thereby preventing snow from affecting the performance of the radar. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a radar mounting structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. [Diagram 2] 1 is a partial plan view of a vehicle on which a radar mounting structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention is mounted. [Diagram 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 1 is a partial cross-sectional view, as seen from below, of a vehicle on which a radar mounting structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention is mounted. [Diagram 5] 1A is a front view, (b) an AA cross-sectional view, (c) a BB cross-sectional view, (d) a CC cross-sectional view, (e) a DD cross-sectional view, and (f) an EE cross-sectional view of the radar mounting structure of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 11A is a perspective view of a radar mounting structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 11B is a perspective view of only the protector from the front side, and FIG. 11C is a perspective view of only the protector from the back side. [Figure 7] (a) front view, (b) FF cross-sectional view, (c) GG cross-sectional view, (d) HH cross-sectional view, (e) JJ cross-sectional view, (f) KK cross-sectional view, (g) LL cross-sectional view, (h) MM cross-sectional view, (i) NN cross-sectional view, (j) PP cross-sectional view, (k) QQ cross-sectional view, and (l) RR cross-sectional view of the radar mounting structure of Example 1 of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, a radar mounting structure 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, UP indicates the upper side of the vehicle, FR indicates the front side of the vehicle, and RH indicates the right side of the vehicle.

[0012] 1 to 5 show a radar mounting structure 10A according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 6 and 7 show a radar mounting structure 10B according to a second embodiment of the present invention. First, the parts common to all the embodiments of the present invention will be described.

[0013] 2, the radar mounting structure 10 is mounted on both sides of the front 101 of the vehicle 100 in order to detect the situation around the vehicle 100. Therefore, the radar 30, which is a component of the radar mounting structure 10, may be called a front side radar (FSR) for the front of the vehicle. Note that the illustrated example shows only the structure mounted on the right side of the vehicle 100.

[0014] The radar mounting structure 10 is disposed inside a front compartment 102 of a vehicle 100. The front compartment 102 is a space located rearward of an exterior part 103 such as a bumper (bumper cover) of the vehicle in the vehicle longitudinal direction, located forward of a dash panel (not shown) that separates the vehicle from the cabin, located downward of a bonnet (not shown) in the vehicle vertical direction, and located upward of an undercover 104 ( FIG. 3 ) that covers at least a part of a front part 101 of the vehicle 100 from below.

[0015] The exterior part 103 is made of, for example, resin, and is arranged to extend in the left-right direction of the vehicle. The center of the exterior part 103 in the left-right direction of the vehicle is located closer to the front of the vehicle than both ends in the left-right direction of the vehicle, and the center is convex toward the front of the vehicle in a plan view. A vent 105 is provided in the center of the exterior part 103 in the left-right direction of the vehicle, and a front grill 106 made of, for example, resin is disposed in the vent 105. Since the vent 105 is provided, wind, snow, etc. in the outer space S in front of the vehicle 100 enters the front compartment 102 while the vehicle is traveling. When snow enters the front compartment 102, the snow may convect at the upper or lower part of the front compartment 102. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the part where the snow convects at the upper part is called the upper convection part 107, and the part where the snow convects at the lower part is called the lower convection part 108.

[0016] The radar mounting structure 10 includes a vehicle body side member 20, a radar 30, and a protector 40.

[0017] The vehicle body side member 20 is made up of a vehicle body or a member attached to the vehicle body, and in this embodiment and the illustrated example, a case will be described in which it is made up of a lamp device 20a. The lamp device 20a is a lamp that is attached to both sides of the front part 101 of the vehicle 100 and is an integrated unit including a headlight, a width lamp, a direction indicator lamp, etc. The lamp device 20a is attached to a vehicle body (not shown).

[0018] The radar 30 is disposed on the inner side of an exterior part 103 of the vehicle 100, and has a radar front surface 31 that faces (faces) the exterior part 103. The radar 30 is a millimeter wave radar, and the radar front surface 31 is a transmitting / receiving surface of the radar 30. Note that reference numeral 32 in the drawing denotes a connector of the radar 30.

[0019] The radar 30 is attached to the lamp device 20a via a bracket 20b extending downward from the lamp device 20a. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 1, the radar 30 is attached to the bracket 20b by inserting stud bolts 20c of the bracket 20b into mounting holes 33 provided above and on both the left and right sides of the radar 30 when viewed from the front of the radar 30, and fastening nuts 34 to the stud bolts 20c. The bracket 20b is formed separately from the lamp device 20a, and is fixed and attached to the lamp device 20a using fastening members 20d.

[0020] 3, the radar 30 is disposed in the vertical middle of the front compartment 102, and is disposed below the upper convection section 107 and above the lower convection section 108, such as near the center height between the upper convection section 107 and the lower convection section 108. Therefore, when viewed from the front of the radar 30, snow flows toward the radar from above, below, left and right of the radar 30, and since there is no escape route for the snow, there is a risk that the snow will concentrate on the radar 30. As a result, there is a risk that the performance of the radar 30 will be affected by the snow. Therefore, the protector 40 is provided.

[0021] The protector 40 may be called a cover. The protector 40 is preferably made of one part in order to reduce the number of parts. The protector 40 is not attached to the lamp device 20a (the vehicle body side member 20) but is attached to the radar 30. The protector 40 is preferably made of resin, but may be made of metal.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1, the protector 40 has a base portion 41, an upper eaves portion 42 formed integrally with the base portion 41 and extending from an upper end portion of the base portion 41 through an upper position of the radar front surface 31 toward the exterior part 103, and a lower eaves portion 43 formed integrally with the base portion 41 and extending from a lower end portion of the base portion 41 through a lower position of the radar front surface 31 toward the exterior part 103.

[0023] The protector 40 further has a right overhanging portion 44 extending from the base portion 41 toward the exterior part 103 through a right position of the radar 30 in a front view of the radar 30, and a left overhanging portion 45 extending from the base portion 41 toward the exterior part 103 through a left position of the radar 30 in a front view of the radar 30. However, the right overhanging portion 44 and the left overhanging portion 45 do not have to be provided in a case where the shape of the vehicle interior side surface of the exterior part 103 or the gap between the radar 30 and the exterior part 103 is small and there is no or only a small risk of snow entering the radar front surface 31.

[0024] The base portion 41 has a plate-shaped main body portion 41a, a positioning guide 41b that determines the position of the protector 40 relative to the radar 30, and a claw portion 41c that engages with the radar 30 by elastically deforming and then restoring to its original shape.

[0025] The positioning guide 41b and the claw portion 41c may be provided so as to protrude from the main body portion 41a to the front side, i.e., the side of the exterior part 103, when viewed from the front of the radar 30 (Example 1), or may be provided so as to protrude to the back side, i.e., the side opposite the exterior part 103 (Example 2).

[0026] By the positioning guide 41b and the claw portion 41c, the protector 40 is positioned in the up-down and left-right directions with respect to the radar 30 when viewed from the front of the radar 30, and is attached (stably fixed) to the radar 30. The up-down and left-right positions at which the positioning guide 41b and the claw portion 41c are provided with respect to the radar 30 are not particularly limited as long as the protector 40 can be stably fixed to the radar 30.

[0027] The upper eaves portion 42 is provided so as to extend from the main body portion 41a of the base portion 41 toward the exterior component 103. The upper eaves portion 42 is inclined upward in the direction of extension. The upper eaves portion 42 is inclined downward from left to right when viewed from the front of the radar 30. Therefore, the upper surface of the upper eaves portion 42 has an inverted V shape that is convex upward. The upper eaves portion 42 further has a flange 42a that bends upward and extends at the end portion on the exterior component 103 side, which is the tip portion in the direction of extension. The flange 42a is provided continuously over the entire tip portion in the direction of extension of the upper eaves portion 42.

[0028] The lower eaves portion 43 is provided extending from the main body portion 41a of the base portion 41 toward the exterior component 103. The lower eaves portion 43 is inclined downward in the extending direction. A connector insertion portion 43a is formed in the lower eaves portion 43, which penetrates the lower eaves portion 43 in the up-down direction. The connector insertion portion 43a may be a through hole penetrating the lower eaves portion 43, or may be a recess recessed from the edge of the lower eaves portion 43.

[0029] 2, the upper eaves portion 42 and the lower eaves portion 43 each have an end portion on the exterior part 103 side, which is a tip portion in the extension direction, that has a shape that conforms to the vehicle inner side surface of the exterior part 103. This is to make the gap between the exterior part 103 and both eaves portions 42, 43 and the exterior part 103 zero or small, thereby suppressing the intrusion of snow toward the radar 30 through the gap.

[0030] 1, both the right overhanging portion 44 and the left overhanging portion 45 are provided to extend from the main body portion 41a of the base portion 41 toward the exterior part 103. Both the right overhanging portion 44 and the left overhanging portion 45 may have a shape in which the end portion on the exterior part 103 side, which is the tip portion in the extension direction, conforms to the vehicle inner side surface of the exterior part 103. This is to make the gap between the left and right overhanging portions 44, 45 and the exterior part 103 zero or small, thereby suppressing the intrusion of snow through the gap toward the radar 30.

[0031] Here, the effects of the embodiment of the present invention will be described. (A) The protector 40 has an upper eaves portion 42 extending from the base portion 41 through an upper position of the radar front surface 31 toward the exterior part 103, and a lower eaves portion 43 extending from the base portion 41 through a lower position of the radar front surface 31 toward the exterior part 103. Therefore, even if the radar 30 is located at a height near the center of the upper convection portion 107 where snow that has entered the front compartment 102 from the air vent 105 at the front of the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling convects at the upper part of the front compartment 102 and the lower convection portion 108 where snow convects at the lower part, it is possible to prevent snow from flowing toward the radar 30 from above and below. 3, snow in the upper convection section 107 moves toward the radar mounting structure 10 through a path between the lamp device 20a and the washer tank device 110 disposed inside the vehicle and extending in the vertical direction, while snow in the lower convection section 108 moves toward the radar mounting structure 10 through a path outside the vehicle of the washer tank device 110, as shown by arrow Y2. However, since the protector 40 has upper and lower eaves portions 42, 43, snow can be prevented from flowing toward the radar 30 from above and below. Therefore, the performance of the radar 30 can be prevented from being affected by snow.

[0032] (B) The upper eaves portion 42 slopes downward as it goes left and right when viewed from the front of the radar 30, and has a flange 42a that bends and extends upward at the tip of the extension direction, thereby preventing snow from accumulating on the upper eaves portion 42 and causing icicles to form or water to drip from the upper eaves portion 42 onto the radar front surface 31.

[0033] (C) Since both the upper eaves portion 42 and the lower eaves portion 43 have a shape in which the tip portion in the extension direction follows the vehicle inner side surface of the exterior part 103, snow can be effectively prevented from flowing toward the radar 30 from between the upper eaves portion 42 and the exterior part 103, and between the lower eaves portion 43 and the exterior part 103.

[0034] 4, the protector 40 further includes a right overhang portion 44 extending from the base portion 41 toward the exterior part 103 through a right position of the radar 30 in a front view of the radar 30, and a left overhang portion 45 extending from the base portion 41 toward the exterior part 103 through a left position of the radar 30 in a front view of the radar 30, so that it is possible to prevent snow from flowing toward the radar 30 from the left and right sides of the radar 30 in a front view of the radar 30. Therefore, not only can snow from the upper convection portion 107 and the lower convection portion 108 be prevented from flowing toward the radar 30, but also, even if a front convection portion 109 through which snow convects is present on the vehicle front side of the radar 30, snow from the front convection portion 109 can be prevented from flowing toward the radar 30.

[0035] (E) Since the protector 40 is attached to the radar 30 rather than to the vehicle body side member 20, it is advantageous in suppressing misalignment relative to the radar 30 compared to when the protector 40 is attached to the vehicle body side member 20, and the upper eaves portion 42 and the lower eaves portion 43 can be positioned above and below the radar front surface 31 with high positional accuracy.

[0036] Next, the specific features of each embodiment of the present invention will be described. [Example 1] (Figs. 1 to 5) In the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figures 1 and 5, the positioning guide 41b and the claw portion 41c of the protector 40 are provided protruding from the main body portion 41a to the front side of the radar 30 when viewed from the front, i.e., the exterior part 103 side.

[0037] The positioning guide 41b and the claw portion 41c are provided to extend (hang vertically) from the main body portion 41a of the base portion 41 toward the exterior component 103, similar to the top, bottom, left and right eaves portions 42-45.

[0038] In the first embodiment, the protector 40 is attached to the radar 30 in the following manner. (a1) First, the protector 40 is brought close to the radar 30 from the rear side of the radar 30, and the connector 32 of the radar 30 is passed through the connector insertion portion 43a of the protector 40. (a2) Next, when the protector 40 is brought close to the radar 30 from the rear side of the radar 30, the left and right claws 41c and the upper and left and right positioning guides 41b of the protector 40 start to come into contact with the top surface and the left and right surfaces of the radar 30. (a3) When the protector 40 is further brought closer to the radar 30, the positioning guides (which may be called holding claws) 41b on the underside of the radar 30 come into contact with the underside of the radar 30, and all of the positioning guides 41b come into contact with the radar 30 on all four sides, top, bottom, left and right, of the radar 30, and the left and right claw portions 41c elastically deform and then return to their original shape and engage with the radar 30, thereby fixing the protector 40 to the radar 30.

[0039] After the above (a3), the stud bolt 20c of the bracket 20b is inserted into the mounting hole 33 of the radar 30 to which the protector 40 is fixed, and the nut 34 is fastened to the stud bolt 20c, thereby mounting the radar 30 to the bracket 20b. In this state, the protector 40 is located between the radar 30 and the bracket 20b.

[0040] In the first embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the above-mentioned effects (A) to (E) that have been explained in the parts common to all the embodiments, the following effect can be obtained. (F) When the radar 30 is attached to the bracket 20b, the protector 40 is sandwiched between the radar 30 and the bracket 20b, so that the protector 40 is structured not to easily fall off.

[0041] [Example 2] (Figs. 6 and 7) In the second embodiment of the present invention, the positioning guide 41b and the claw portion 41c of the protector 40 are provided to protrude from the main body portion 41a to the rear side of the radar 30 in a front view, that is, to the side opposite the exterior part 103.

[0042] The positioning guide 41b and the claw portion 41c are provided to extend (hang vertically) from the main body portion 41a of the base portion 41 toward the opposite side to the exterior component 103, opposite to the top, bottom, left and right eaves portions 42-45.

[0043] In the second embodiment, the protector 40 is attached to the radar 30 in the following manner. (b1) The protector 40 is brought close to the radar 30 from the front (front surface) side of the radar 30, and the connector 32 of the radar 30 is passed through (positioned in) the connector insertion portion 43a of the protector 40. (b2) Next, when the protector 40 is brought close to the radar 30 from the front side of the radar 30, the claws 41c of the protector 40 start to come into contact with the left and right surfaces of the fastening seat 35 of the radar 30 in which the mounting hole 33 provided above the radar 30 is formed, and with the bottom surface of the radar 30 located on the left and right of the connector 32. In addition, the top side and the left and right positioning guides 41b of the protector 40 start to come into contact with the top surface and the left and right surfaces of the radar 30. (b3) When the protector 40 is further brought closer to the radar 30 from the front side of the radar 30, the claw portions 41c of the protector 40 elastically deform and then return to their original shape to engage with the radar 30, and the protector 40 is fixed to the radar 30.

[0044] The above steps (b1)-(b3) are performed in a state in which the radar 30 is attached to the bracket 20b by inserting the stud bolt 20c of the bracket 20b into the mounting hole 33 of the radar 30 and fastening the nut 34 to the stud bolt 20c.

[0045] In the second embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the above-mentioned effects (A) to (E) that have been explained in the parts common to all the embodiments, the following effect can be obtained. (G) Since the protector 40 is attached to the radar 30 after the radar 30 is attached to the bracket 20, if only the protector 40 and not the radar 30 is damaged, for example, due to a minor collision, it is possible to easily replace only the protector 40 without removing the radar 30 from the bracket 20.

[0046] Incidentally, although the embodiment of the present invention is directed to a side radar at the front of the vehicle, the protector 40 can also be applied to a radar 30 (millimeter wave radar) arranged in the center (central part) of the front of the vehicle near the front grille 106. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 10, 10A, 10B Radar mounting structure 20 Body side components 20a Lamp unit 20b bracket 20c stud bolt 20d Fastening members 30 Radar 31 Radar front 32 Connectors 40 Protector 41 Base 41a Main body 41b Positioning guide 41c Claw part 42 Upper eaves 42a flange 43 Lower eaves 43a Connector insertion part 44 Right eaves 45 Left eaves 100 vehicles 101 Front of vehicle 102 Front Compartment 103 Exterior parts 104 Undercover 105 Vent 106 Front Grill 107 Upper convection section 108 Lower convection section 109 Front Convection Section 110 Washer tank device S Outside the vehicle

Claims

[Claim 1] A vehicle body side member including a vehicle body or a member attached to the vehicle body; a radar that is disposed on an inner side of an exterior part of a vehicle and has a radar front surface that faces the exterior part and is attached to the vehicle body side member; a protector attached to the radar; having the protector has a base portion having a claw portion that engages with the radar, an upper eaves portion extending from the base portion toward the exterior part through an upper position of the front surface of the radar, and a lower eaves portion extending from the base portion toward the exterior part through a lower position of the front surface of the radar, The upper eaves portion is inclined downward as it goes left and right when viewed from the front of the radar, and has a flange at a tip end in the extension direction that bends upward and extends, in a radar mounting structure.

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