Sliding door of vehicle

Abstract

To accurately detect approach of an object by transmitting an electromagnetic wave through a slide door even when the slide door 2 mounted on a vehicle 1 overlaps a radio wave irradiation area w of a millimeter wave radar 3 for detecting the periphery of a rear side portion of the vehicle in an open state of the slide door.SOLUTION: In a slide door mounted in a vehicle, a portion 2a of the slide door overlapping an area irradiated with electromagnetic waves of a millimeter wave radar arranged in a rear side portion of the vehicle in a state where the slide door is opened is formed of material transmitting the electromagnetic waves.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a sliding door of a vehicle such as an automobile, and more particularly to a structure of a sliding door of a vehicle equipped with a millimeter wave radar for detecting surroundings on the rear side thereof. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, vehicles equipped with sliding doors have become widespread due to their convenience, and various technologies related to such sliding doors have been proposed. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a configuration that includes a perimeter monitoring sensor that detects an object passing by the side of the vehicle, a door opening detection sensor that detects the open / closed state of the sliding door on the side of the vehicle, a door alarm control device that notifies vehicle occupants of the presence of an object passing by the side of the vehicle when the perimeter monitoring sensor detects an object passing by the side of the vehicle while the sliding door is closed, and a door opening / closing control device that suppresses the opening operation of the sliding door, and that restricts occupants from getting out of the vehicle when the perimeter monitoring sensor detects an object passing by the side of the vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2007-138457 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, vehicle doors are made of metal materials such as steel, and if the doors are sliding doors as described above, when the doors are open, they may overlap the radio wave irradiation area of ​​the millimeter-wave radar for perimeter detection on the rear side of the vehicle, which may interfere with perimeter detection by the radar. More specifically, as schematically illustrated in Figure 2(A), the millimeter-wave radars 3 for perimeter detection, which are provided on both sides of the rear of the vehicle 1, irradiate electromagnetic waves w to the rear side of the vehicle, and when an object 4, such as another vehicle, approaches from the rear side of the vehicle, the electromagnetic waves w hit the object, are reflected, and return to the radar 3, thereby detecting the presence of the approaching object 4. In such a configuration, for example, as shown in Fig. 2(B), if the sliding door 2 on the side of the vehicle 1 facing the approaching object 4 is open and overlaps with the radio wave irradiation area of ​​the radar 3 arranged on the side of the object 4, the electromagnetic waves w may be blocked by the sliding door 2 because the sliding door 2 is made of a metal material, which may result in a case where the object 4 cannot be accurately detected. Also, as shown in Fig. 2(C), if the sliding door 2 on the side opposite the side facing the approaching object 4 is open and overlaps with the radio wave irradiation area of ​​the radar 3 arranged on the side opposite the object 4, the electromagnetic waves w may be reflected by the sliding door 2 and hit the object 4, which may result in a false detection that the object 4 is approaching from the side opposite the object 4. If such a failure to detect an object 4 or a false detection of the approaching object 4 occurs, it may affect various controls that are executed in response to the approach of the object 4, such as issuing an alarm when the object 4 approaches or controlling the doors to prevent occupants from getting out of the vehicle.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, the main object of the present invention is to enable electromagnetic waves to pass through a sliding door mounted on a vehicle, even when the sliding door is open and overlaps with the radio wave irradiation area of ​​a millimeter wave radar for perimeter detection at the rear side of the vehicle, so that the approach of an object can be detected accurately. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to the present invention, the above-mentioned object is achieved by a sliding door mounted on a vehicle, in which a portion of the sliding door that overlaps an area irradiated with electromagnetic waves from a millimeter-wave radar located on the rear side of the vehicle when the sliding door is in an open state is made of a material that is transparent to the electromagnetic waves.

[0007] In the above configuration, the millimeter-wave radar may be a radar commonly used in this field, and may be provided on both sides of the rear of the vehicle (near both corners of the rear end of the vehicle) and configured to irradiate electromagnetic waves to the rear sides of the vehicle. The sliding door may be formed in a normal manner and mounted on a vehicle, except for the improvements made according to the teachings of the present invention, and may be formed of a normal metal material except for the portion that transmits electromagnetic waves.

[0008] In the configuration of the present invention, as described above, the portion of the sliding door that overlaps the electromagnetic wave irradiation area of ​​the millimeter-wave radar located at the rear of the vehicle when the sliding door is open is formed of a material that transmits electromagnetic waves. With this configuration, electromagnetic waves from the radar located at the rear of the vehicle are not blocked or reflected by the sliding door, but reach and are reflected by an approaching object at the rear of the vehicle, thereby enabling accurate detection of the approach of the object. The electromagnetic wave-transmitting material forming the sliding door may be any material that transmits electromagnetic waves, such as polypropylene resin (e.g., TSOP®), ABS resin, polycarbonate resin, or polymethyl methacrylate resin. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] Thus, according to the present invention, in a sliding door mounted on a vehicle, when the sliding door is in an open position, the portion overlapping the electromagnetic wave irradiation area of ​​the millimeter-wave radar is made of a material that transmits electromagnetic waves, so that even when the sliding door is in an open position, the electromagnetic waves from the millimeter-wave radar are not blocked or reflected but are irradiated toward the rear side of the vehicle, and when an object approaches, the object can be detected accurately without erroneously detecting the approaching side. The configuration of the present invention may be adopted for sliding doors of various vehicles.

[0010] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams of the rear and left sides of a vehicle to which this embodiment is applied, with the sliding doors open. The irradiation area of ​​electromagnetic waves from the millimeter-wave radar is indicated by dotted lines. [Figure 2] Fig. 2(A) is a top view of a vehicle illustrating the propagation path of electromagnetic waves from a millimeter-wave radar disposed on the rear side of the vehicle when the sliding door of the vehicle is closed. Fig. 2(B) is a top view of a vehicle illustrating the propagation path of electromagnetic waves from a millimeter-wave radar disposed on the rear side of the vehicle when the sliding door on the side where an object is approaching is open. Fig. 2(C) is a top view of a vehicle illustrating the propagation path of electromagnetic waves from a millimeter-wave radar disposed on the rear side of the vehicle when the sliding door on the side opposite to the side where an object is approaching is open. [Explanation of symbols]

[0012] 1...vehicle, 2...sliding door, 2a...electromagnetic wave transmitting part, 3...millimeter wave radar, 4...target object (other vehicle, etc.), 12...tire, w...electromagnetic wave or electromagnetic wave irradiated area BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0013] 1(A) and 1(B), a vehicle 1 to which this embodiment is applied is provided with millimeter-wave radars 3 at the rear sides of the vehicle, for example, at both corners of the rear end, for detecting objects such as other vehicles and pedestrians in the vicinity, as shown in Fig. 2. As already mentioned, the millimeter-wave radar 3 may be a type of millimeter-wave radar commonly used in this field, and for example, it irradiates electromagnetic waves of 24 to 77 GHz at the rear sides of the vehicle, and when an object is present at the rear sides of the vehicle, it detects the electromagnetic waves reflected therefrom and returned to the radar, thereby detecting the object.

[0014] The electromagnetic wave irradiation range w of the millimeter wave radar 3 described above is typically approximately ±30° vertically and ±80° horizontally. When the sliding door 2 is opened as shown in the figure and moves rearward on the side of the vehicle, overlapping with part of the electromagnetic wave irradiation range w, the sliding door 2 is usually made of a metal material such as steel and therefore does not transmit electromagnetic waves. As explained in relation to Figures 2(B) and (C), part of the electromagnetic waves are blocked or reflected by the sliding door 2, making it impossible for the radar 3 to accurately detect objects on the rear side of the vehicle.

[0015] 1(A) and 1(B), in the present embodiment, the portion 2a of the sliding door 2 that overlaps with the electromagnetic wave irradiation range w when the sliding door 2 is in the open state is formed of a material that transmits electromagnetic waves, such as resin, as already described. Specific examples of materials that can be used for the electromagnetic wave-transmitting portion 2a include polypropylene resins such as TSOP (registered trademark), ABS resins, polycarbonate resins, and polymethyl methacrylate resins. Note that the areas of the sliding door 2 other than the electromagnetic wave-transmitting portion 2a may be formed of a metal material, such as steel, as in the normal embodiment, to ensure the rigidity of the door.

[0016] Thus, according to this embodiment, when the sliding door 2 of the vehicle 1 is in the open state, the area that overlaps with the electromagnetic wave irradiation area w of the millimeter-wave radar 3 becomes the electromagnetic wave transparent portion 2a, and the electromagnetic waves from the millimeter-wave radar are irradiated to the rear side of the vehicle without being blocked or reflected, so that when an object approaches, the object can be detected accurately without erroneously detecting the approaching side.

[0017] The above description has been made in relation to the embodiments of the present invention, but it will be apparent that many modifications and changes will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described exemplary embodiments, but can be applied to various devices without departing from the concept of the present invention.

Claims

[Claim 1] A sliding door mounted on a vehicle, wherein a portion of the sliding door that overlaps an area irradiated with electromagnetic waves from a millimeter-wave radar disposed on the rear side of the vehicle when the sliding door is open is made of a material that transmits the electromagnetic waves.

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