Object detection device

Abstract

To improve assembly workability and stably detect an obstacle.SOLUTION: An object detection device 200 that is mounted on a vehicle V including a front door part 100 as a door for opening and closing an opening part of a vehicle body and detects an obstacle OB existing outside of the vehicle V. The object detection device includes: a door outer panel 110 forming the outside in the vehicle width direction of the front door part 100, as a door external member having a surface in the inside in the vehicle width direction formed with an uneven part IR; an ultrasonic sensor part 210 installed in the door outer panel 110 and capable of transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave; and a bonding member 300 having a plate thickness PT thicker than a depth of the uneven part IR and provided between the door outer panel 110 and the ultrasonic sensor part 210. The bonding member 300 is installed between the uneven part IR and the ultrasonic sensor part 210.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an object detection device. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, some vehicles have been equipped with an automatic opening and closing device that automatically opens and closes swing doors, which are hinged at the base of the doors and open and close in a fan-like manner.

[0003] When a swing door is automatically opened and closed, the swing door is opened and closed toward the outside in the vehicle width direction, so the automatic opening and closing device needs to detect obstacles within the swing door's operating range to prevent collision between the swing door and the obstacles.

[0004] A known technique for detecting an obstacle is, for example, a technique for detecting an obstacle by transmitting ultrasonic waves toward the obstacle and receiving the ultrasonic waves reflected from the obstacle using an ultrasonic sensor.

[0005] As a technology for detecting obstacles using ultrasonic waves as described above, a technology has been disclosed that includes an ultrasonic sensor having an emission surface, a mounting surface having an attachment portion to which the emission surface of the ultrasonic sensor is attached, and a wall member that has a rigidity-changing portion that is provided on the mounting surface and is provided in an area sandwiched between two directions extending from the attachment portion (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] WO 2017 / 141402 A1 publication Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a technology that prevents, for example, false detection of reflected waves from the road surface by adjusting the direction of ultrasonic radiation without providing a hole for an ultrasonic sensor in the door, which is an exterior panel part.

[0008] However, in the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, no consideration is given to the gap that occurs between the emitting surface of the ultrasonic sensor and the mounting surface having the mounting part, which may cause unevenness in the intensity of the transmitted signal from the ultrasonic sensor and the reflected wave from the obstacle, making it difficult to stably detect the obstacle.In addition, there is a risk that no consideration is given to the ease of attaching the ultrasonic sensor to the mounting part or the rigidity changing part.

[0009] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has as its object to provide an object detection device that improves assembly workability and stably detects obstacles. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] One or more embodiments of the present invention are an object detection device that is mounted on a vehicle having a door that opens and closes an opening in the vehicle body and detects obstacles present outside the vehicle, the object detection device including: an outer door member that forms the outer side of the door in the vehicle width direction and has an uneven portion formed on its inner surface in the vehicle width direction; an ultrasonic sensor unit that is disposed on the outer door member and is capable of transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves; and an adhesive member that has a plate thickness greater than the depth of the uneven portion and is disposed between the outer door member and the ultrasonic sensor, the adhesive member being an object detection device that is disposed between the uneven portion and the ultrasonic sensor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the object detection device having the above configuration, the assembly workability can be improved and obstacles can be detected stably. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1]1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an object detection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a side view of the configuration of an object detection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, seen from the inside in the vehicle width direction, with the door trim and door inner panel removed from the front door portion. [Figure 3] 3 is an enlarged front view of the object detection device as viewed from the vehicle travel direction side, showing a portion A in FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 4] 3A and 3B are cross-sectional views of the object detection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention taken along the line B-B in FIG. 2 as viewed from the direction of the arrow, where (a) shows a case where an intended recess is provided in the door inner panel, (b) shows a case where unintended dents, scratches and distortions exist in the door inner panel, and (c) shows an enlarged view of a case where the door inner panel has surface roughness. [Figure 5] 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 2 as viewed from the arrow direction, showing the behavior of a transmission wave when a signal is transmitted from an ultrasonic sensor toward an obstacle in the object detection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a side view of the configuration of an object detection device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, seen from the inside in the vehicle width direction with the door trim and door inner panel removed from the front door portion. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are detailed views of an object detection device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a front view seen from the vehicle traveling direction, (b) is a side view seen from the inside in the vehicle width direction, and (c) is a plan view seen from above the vehicle. [Figure 8] 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD in FIG. 6, showing the behavior of a transmission wave when a signal is transmitted from an ultrasonic sensor toward an obstacle, in an object detection device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] 1 to 8, object detection device 200 and object detection device 200A according to this embodiment will be described. Note that arrow FR, shown as appropriate in the drawings, indicates the vehicle travel direction (front side) of vehicle V to which object detection device 200 and object detection device 200A are applied, arrow UP indicates the upper side of vehicle V, and arrow RH indicates the right side when facing the vehicle travel direction. Furthermore, in the following description, when up / down, front / rear, and left / right directions are used, these directions will indicate the up / down direction when facing the vehicle travel direction, the front / rear direction with the vehicle travel direction as the front, and the left / right direction when facing the vehicle travel direction, unless otherwise specified.

[0014] First Embodiment An object detection device 200 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0015] As shown in Fig. 1, a vehicle V is provided with a driver's seat S1 and a passenger seat S2 behind a front panel portion FP, where an occupant P sits. In this embodiment, a case will be described in which the driver's seat S1 is provided on the left side of the vehicle V, and the object detection device 200 is provided in a front door portion 100 on the right side. The object detection device 200 may be provided in each of the opening and closing doors provided in the vehicle V. Furthermore, for example, the object detection device 200 may be provided in the front door portion FD on the driver's seat S1 side, or may be provided only in some doors, such as a rear door RD provided at the rear seat.

[0016] (Regarding the automatic opening and closing device 10) The front door section 100 is provided with an automatic opening / closing device 10 that automatically opens and closes the front door section 100. The automatic opening / closing device 10 automatically opens and closes the front door section 100 by extending and retracting a rod provided in the automatic opening / closing device 10 in accordance with an operation request, for example, by an occupant P operating a switch.

[0017] (Regarding the front door section 100) The front door section 100 is provided as a swing door that is fixed at the base of the door on the front side by a hinge HG and that opens and closes in a fan shape as indicated by arrow AR1. As shown in Fig. 2, the front door section 100 is configured to include a door outer panel 110 as an exterior door member, a door trim 120, a door inner panel 130, and an object detection device 200. A door window glass DW and a door frame DF are provided above the front door section 100, and a door mirror DM is provided in front of the front door section 100.

[0018] The door outer panel 110 is provided as an exterior of the front door portion 100, which is formed by molding a metal plate using a mold or the like. A door frame DF is fixed to the door outer panel 110 by welding or the like, and a door inner panel 130 is fixed to the inner side of the door outer panel 110 in the vehicle width direction by welding or the like.

[0019] An uneven portion IR is formed on the surface of the door outer panel 110. The uneven portion IR here includes unevenness that is intentionally formed by molding using a mold or the like, as well as unevenness that is unintentionally formed due to dents, scratches, distortions, etc. It also includes unevenness due to the surface roughness of the metal plate material that forms the door outer panel 110.

[0020] The door trim 120 is provided on the vehicle inner side of the front door portion 100 so as not to expose the door inner panel 130. The door trim 120 is fixed to the vehicle inner side of the door inner panel 130.

[0021] The door inner panel 130 is formed by molding a metal plate using a mold, etc. The door inner panel 130 is joined to the door outer panel 110 by welding, etc.

[0022] (Regarding the object detection device 200) The object detection device 200 is provided in the front door section 100 of the vehicle V. When the front door section 100 is opened or closed by the automatic opening / closing device 10, the object detection device 200 detects an obstacle OB that exists outside the vehicle V so that the front door section 100 does not collide with the obstacle OB that exists within the operation range of the front door section 100. The object detection device 200 may be provided in multiple locations, and in this embodiment, two object detection devices 200 (object detection device 200a and object detection device 200b) are provided in the front door section 100.

[0023] 3, the object detection device 200 includes an ultrasonic sensor unit 210 (ultrasonic sensor unit 210a and ultrasonic sensor unit 210b) and an adhesive member 300. The adhesive member 300 has a first adhesive surface 310 and a second adhesive surface 320.

[0024] The ultrasonic sensor unit 210 is capable of transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves, and is provided on the door outer panel 110 that constitutes the vehicle outer side of the door. The ultrasonic sensor unit 210 transmits a transmission wave Tx toward the outer side in the vehicle width direction (the outer side of the door outer panel 110 of the front door unit 100). The ultrasonic sensor unit 210 also receives a reflected wave Rx that is generated when an obstacle OB or the like is present outside the front door unit 100 in the vehicle width direction, and detects the obstacle OB or the like.

[0025] (Regarding adhesive member 300) The adhesive member 300 has a plate thickness PT greater than the depth DE of the uneven portion IR and is provided between the door outer panel 110 and the ultrasonic sensor unit 210. One side of the adhesive member 300 forms a first adhesive surface 310 as a first adhesive surface that is flexible and plastically deformable, and the other side forms a second adhesive surface 320 as a second adhesive surface that is harder than the first adhesive surface 310 and can maintain a flat surface. The adhesive member 300 is formed into a substantially circular shape that conforms to the end face shape of the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 using an adhesive material such as double-sided tape or silicone bond attached to a urethane member. The adhesive member 300 fixes the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 and the door outer panel 110 and also closes the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 and the door outer panel 110 by filling any gaps that may occur between the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 and the door outer panel 110.

[0026] The first adhesive surface 310 is provided on the door outer panel 110 side. The first adhesive surface 310 is formed of a flexible, plastically deformable material such as a urethane material, thereby filling in the unevenness IR that exists as a gap between the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 and the door outer panel 110 and bringing them into close contact with each other. The unevenness IR here refers to a gap caused by the uneven shape formed on the surface of the door outer panel 110. The unevenness IR, of various sizes as shown above, exists on the surface of the door outer panel 110.

[0027] The unevenness IR formed on the surface of the door outer panel 110 can represent, for example, an intentionally formed depression DP, as shown in Fig. 4(a). In this case, the thickness PT1a of the first adhesive surface 310 in the thickness PTa of the adhesive member 300 is formed to be thicker than the depth DEa of the depression DP. For example, the thickness PT1a of the first adhesive surface 310 is formed to be 0.1 mm thicker than the depth DEa of the depression DP.

[0028] 4(b), examples of the uneven portion IR include dents DT, scratches SR, or distortions DS that are not intentionally formed. In this case, the thickness PT1b of the first adhesive surface 310 of the adhesive member 300 only needs to be greater than the depth DEb of the deepest uneven portion IR.

[0029] 4(c), the uneven portion IR also has the surface roughness PR of the metal plate used in the door outer panel 110. In this case, the plate thickness PT1c of the first adhesive surface 310 of the adhesive member 300 only needs to be formed to be thicker than the depth DEc of the surface roughness PR.

[0030] The second adhesive surface 320 is provided on the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 side. The second adhesive surface 320 is formed of a material that is harder than the first adhesive surface 310, such as a resin, and thus the second adhesive surface 320 is in close contact with the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 while maintaining a flat surface without being affected by the uneven portion IR of the door outer panel 110.

[0031] (Action and effect) The operation of the object detection device 200 according to this embodiment configured as described above when the object detection device 200 is activated will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0032] (About obstacle detection) For example, when an occupant P requests that the front door unit 100 be opened by operating a switch, the object detection device 200 activates the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 to detect whether or not an obstacle OB is present within the operation range of the front door unit 100. As shown in FIG. 5 , the object detection device 200 causes the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 to transmit a transmission wave Tx toward the outside in the vehicle width direction. If an obstacle OB is present within the operation range, a reflected wave Rx reflected by the obstacle OB is generated. If no obstacle OB is present within the operation range, no reflected wave Rx is generated. When the reflected wave Rx is generated, the reflected wave Rx travels straight toward the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 and is received by the ultrasonic sensor unit 210. As a result, the object detection device 200 detects that an obstacle OB is present within the operation range of the front door unit 100. At this time, the object detection device 200 transmits, for example, information to the automatic opening / closing device 10 indicating that an obstacle OB is present within the operation range of the front door unit 100. Therefore, the automatic opening and closing device 10 stops the operation of opening the front door portion 100.

[0033] When the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 transmits the transmission wave Tx outward in the vehicle width direction, the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 vibrates the door outer panel 110. Since the door outer panel 110 is formed of a flat plate such as a metal plate, the vibration of the transmission wave Tx efficiently vibrates the door outer panel 110 and propagates as a larger signal outward in the vehicle width direction.

[0034] At this time, the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 is securely in close contact with the door outer panel 110 with the adhesive member 300 filling in the unevenness IR occurring in the door outer panel 110, as shown in FIG.

[0035] The first adhesive surface 310 of the adhesive member 300 is provided on the door outer panel 110 side. The first adhesive surface 310 is flexible and can be plastically deformed to fill in any irregularities IR that occur in the door outer panel 110 while providing close contact. Furthermore, the second adhesive surface 320 is provided on the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 side. The second adhesive surface 320 is harder than the first adhesive surface 310, and therefore is not affected by the irregularities IR in the door outer panel 110, and therefore can be in close contact with the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 while maintaining a flat surface. As a result, the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 and the door outer panel 110 are kept in close contact with each other without any gaps by the adhesive member 300. The ultrasonic sensor unit 210 reliably vibrates the door outer panel 110, so that the transmission wave Tx is propagated toward a wider range outside in the vehicle width direction without attenuation of the transmission strength.

[0036] When the transmitted wave Tx is reflected by an obstacle OB to generate a reflected wave Rx, the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 receives the reflected wave Rx via the door outer panel 110 as shown in FIG.

[0037] Because the door outer panel 110 is formed from a flat plate such as a metal plate, the vibration of the reflected wave Rx efficiently vibrates the door outer panel 110 and is propagated to the ultrasonic sensor unit 210. Furthermore, because the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 and the door outer panel 110 are reliably and closely attached by the adhesive member 300, the reflected wave Rx is propagated to the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 without being lost in the door outer panel 110.

[0038] The ultrasonic sensor unit 210 receives the reflected wave Rx propagated from the door outer panel 110, and the object detection device 200 detects an obstacle OB that exists on the outside in the vehicle width direction.

[0039] (About assembly) The assembly process of the object detection device 200 is a process of fixing the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 and the adhesive member 300 to the door outer panel 110. Specifically, for example, the assembly process of the object detection device 200 is a process of attaching the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 to the second adhesive surface 320 side of the adhesive member 300, and fixing the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 to the door outer panel 110 via the first adhesive surface 310. As described above, the object detection device 200 has a small number of components and is assembled through an easy assembly process.

[0040] Furthermore, because the first adhesive surface 310 is flexible and can be plastically deformed, the adhesive member 300 adheres tightly to the door outer panel 110 while filling in the unevenness IR that occurs in the door outer panel 110. Therefore, the assembly process of the object detection device 200 is a process of fixing the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 to the door outer panel 110 without performing any surface treatment on the door outer panel 110 in advance. In addition, the assembly process of the object detection device 200 is a process in which the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 is fixed to the door outer panel 110 without being limited to a strict installation position by disposing an adhesive member 300 having a plate thickness PT that is thicker than the depth DE of the uneven portion IR.

[0041] Furthermore, because the door outer panel 110 is formed from a flat plate such as a metal plate, the vibrations of the transmitted wave Tx and the reflected wave Rx efficiently vibrate the door outer panel 110. Therefore, the assembly process of the object detection device 200 is a process that can be performed without considering processing such as drilling holes in the door outer panel 110 to allow ultrasonic waves to pass through.

[0042] As described above, the assembly process of the object detection device 200 is simple because it is configured with a small number of components and the processing of the door outer panel 110 is reduced.

[0043] As described above, the object detection device 200 according to this embodiment is an object detection device 200 that is mounted on a vehicle V having a front door section 100 as a door that opens and closes an opening in the vehicle body, and that detects an obstacle OB that is present outside the vehicle V, and is configured to include a door outer panel 110 as an outer door member that forms the outer side of the front door section 100 in the vehicle width direction and has an uneven portion IR formed on its inner surface in the vehicle width direction, an ultrasonic sensor section 210 that is arranged on the door outer panel 110 and is capable of transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves, and an adhesive member 300 that has a plate thickness PT that is thicker than the depth of the uneven portion IR and is arranged between the door outer panel 110 and the ultrasonic sensor section 210, and the adhesive member 300 is arranged between the uneven portion IR and the ultrasonic sensor section 210. That is, the adhesive member 300 is disposed between the uneven portion IR of the door outer panel 110 and the ultrasonic sensor unit 210, thereby bringing the door outer panel 110 and the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 into close contact with each other. In addition, the adhesive member 300 has a plate thickness PT that is greater than the depth of the uneven portion IR occurring in the door outer panel 110, thereby filling in the uneven portion IR occurring in the door outer panel 110 and bringing the door outer panel 110 into close contact with each other. Therefore, the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 and the door outer panel 110 can be kept in close contact with each other without any gaps due to the adhesive member 300. The ultrasonic sensor unit 210 reliably vibrates the door outer panel 110, so that the object detection device 200 can detect the obstacle OB without attenuating the transmission and reception strength of the transmitted wave Tx and the reflected wave Rx.

[0044] Furthermore, the object detection device 200 is configured with a small number of parts by including the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 and the adhesive member 300. Also, by disposing the adhesive member 300 having a thickness PT greater than the depth DE of the uneven portion IR in the door outer panel 110, the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 is fixed to the door outer panel 110 without surface treatment of the door outer panel 110. And, by disposing the adhesive member 300 having a thickness PT greater than the depth DE of the uneven portion IR in the door outer panel 110, the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 is fixed to the door outer panel 110 without being limited to a strict installation position. Therefore, the assembly process does not limit the exact placement position of the ultrasonic sensor unit 210, and does not take into account processing of the door outer panel 110, so the assembly process of the object detection device 200 can reduce the number of assembly work steps. This improves assembly workability and enables reliable detection of obstacles.

[0045] The adhesive member 300 in the object detection device 200 has a first adhesive surface 310 on one side that is flexible and plastically deforms, and a second adhesive surface 320 on the other side that is harder than the first adhesive surface 310 and can maintain a flat surface. That is, the first adhesive surface 310 of the adhesive member 300 is in close contact with the unevenness IR occurring in the door outer panel 110, and the second adhesive surface 320 is in close contact with the ultrasonic sensor unit 210. At this time, the first adhesive surface 310 is flexible and can undergo plastic deformation, thereby filling in the unevenness IR occurring in the door outer panel 110 and bringing the surface into close contact. The second adhesive surface 320 is harder than the first adhesive surface 310, and therefore is in close contact with the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 while maintaining a flat surface without being affected by the unevenness IR in the door outer panel 110. Therefore, the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 and the door outer panel 110 can be kept in close contact with each other without any gaps due to the adhesive member 300. The ultrasonic sensor unit 210 reliably vibrates the door outer panel 110, so that the object detection device 200 can detect the obstacle OB without attenuating the transmission and reception strength of the transmitted wave Tx and the reflected wave Rx.

[0046] Furthermore, the assembly work of the object detection device 200 involves fixing the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 to the door outer panel 110 without prior surface treatment of the door outer panel 110, and fixing the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 to the door outer panel 110 without being limited to a strict installation position. Therefore, by performing assembly work that does not limit the exact placement position of the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 and that does not take into account processing of the door outer panel 110, the object detection device 200 can reduce the number of assembly steps. This improves assembly workability and enables reliable detection of obstacles.

[0047] In the object detection device 200, a door outer panel 110 serving as an outer door member is formed of a flat plate. That is, when the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 transmits and receives the transmission wave Tx and the reflected wave Rx to the outside in the vehicle width direction, the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 vibrates the door outer panel 110. Because the door outer panel 110 is formed of a flat plate such as a metal plate, the vibrations of the transmission wave Tx and the reflected wave Rx efficiently vibrate the door outer panel 110 and are propagated as larger signals from the outside in the vehicle width direction toward the ultrasonic sensor unit 210. Therefore, since the door outer panel 110 is formed from a flat plate such as a metal plate, the object detection device 200 can transmit the transmission waves Tx from the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 toward the outside of the vehicle without attenuation while reliably maintaining transmission strength, and can also reliably receive the reflected waves Rx from the obstacle OB without loss. Furthermore, the object detection device 200 can be assembled without considering processing such as drilling holes in the door outer panel 110 to allow ultrasonic waves to pass through.

[0048] Furthermore, the door outer panel 110 in the object detection device 200 is not subjected to any prior surface treatment. Therefore, by performing assembly work that does not limit the exact placement position of the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 and that does not take into account processing of the door outer panel 110, the object detection device 200 can reduce the number of assembly steps. This improves assembly workability and enables reliable detection of obstacles.

[0049] <Second embodiment> An object detection device 200A according to a modified example will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0050] (Front door section 100A) 6, the front door section 100A is provided as a swing door that opens and closes in a fan shape, with the base of the door fixed by a hinge HG at the front side of the vehicle. The front door section 100A is configured to include a door outer panel 110, a door trim 120, the door outer panel 110, and an object detection device 200A.

[0051] (Regarding the object detection device 200A) The object detection device 200A is provided in the front door section 100A of the vehicle V. When the front door section 100 is opened or closed by the automatic opening / closing device 10, the object detection device 200 detects an obstacle OB that exists outside the vehicle V so as to prevent a collision between the front door section 100A and the obstacle OB that exists within the operating range of the front door section 100A.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 7, the object detection device 200A (object detection device 200Aa and object detection device 200Ab) includes an ultrasonic sensor unit 210, an adhesive member 300, and a fixed holder unit 400.

[0053] (Regarding the fixed holder part 400) The fixed holder portion 400 serving as a fixed holder abuts against the ultrasonic sensor portion 210 and is fixed to the door outer panel 110. The fixed holder portion 400 biases the ultrasonic sensor portion 210 toward the door outer panel 110. The fixed holder portion 400 is formed by bending a substantially rectangular flat plate made of a material such as metal or resin, with the longitudinal direction extending in the up-down direction. The fixed holder portion 400 is formed to include a sensor biasing portion 410 and a panel fixing portion 420. The fixed holder portion 400 is fixed to the door outer panel 110 at the panel fixing portion 420 by welding, double-sided tape, or the like.

[0054] The sensor biasing portion 410 abuts against the inside of the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 in the vehicle width direction. For example, as shown in Fig. 7(a), the sensor biasing portion 410 is bent in an M shape when viewed from the front. By abutting against the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 while being bent in an M shape, the sensor biasing portion 410 biases the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 toward the door outer panel 110, as shown by arrow AR2, while maintaining a constant pressing force on the ultrasonic sensor unit 210.

[0055] The panel fixing portion 420 is fixed to the door outer panel 110. The panel fixing portion 420 is bent, for example, into an L-shape when viewed from the front side. The panel fixing portion 420 is fixed by welding or the like with the L-shaped outer surface in the vehicle width direction abutting against the door outer panel 110. The fixed holder portion 400 may be fixed to the door outer panel 110 together with the ultrasonic sensor portion 210 by an adhesive member 300 whose shape is modified to be substantially rectangular with the vertical direction as the longitudinal direction. In this case, the fixing is not performed by welding.

[0056] (Action and effect) The operation of the object detection device 200A according to this embodiment configured as described above when the object detection device 200A is operated will be described with reference to FIG.

[0057] (About obstacle detection) For example, when an occupant P requests that the front door unit 100A be opened by operating a switch, the object detection device 200A activates the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 to detect whether or not an obstacle OB is present within the operation range of the front door unit 100A. As shown in FIG. 5 , the object detection device 200A causes the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 to transmit a transmission wave Tx toward the outside in the vehicle width direction. If an obstacle OB is present within the operation range, a reflected wave Rx reflected by the obstacle OB is generated. If no obstacle OB is present within the operation range, no reflected wave Rx is generated. When the reflected wave Rx is generated, the reflected wave Rx travels straight toward the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 and is received by the ultrasonic sensor unit 210. As a result, the object detection device 200A detects that an obstacle OB is present within the operation range of the front door unit 100A. At this time, the object detection device 200A transmits, for example, information to the automatic opening / closing device 10 indicating that an obstacle OB is present within the operation range of the front door unit 100A. Therefore, the automatic opening and closing device 10 stops the operation of opening the front door portion 100A.

[0058] When the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 transmits a transmission wave Tx toward the outside in the vehicle width direction, or when a reflected wave Rx is generated by the transmission wave Tx being reflected by an obstacle OB, the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 transmits the transmission wave Tx or receives the reflected wave Rx via the door outer panel 110, as shown in FIG. 8.

[0059] At this time, the ultrasonic sensor portion 210 is in close contact with the door outer panel 110 by the adhesive member 300 and the fixed holder portion 400. The adhesive member 300 has a first adhesive surface 310 that fills in the unevenness IR, and a second adhesive surface 320 that remains flat and in close contact with the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 without being affected by the unevenness IR. Furthermore, the fixed holder unit 400 applies a constant pressing force to the ultrasonic sensor unit 210, urging the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 toward the door outer panel 110 via the adhesive member 300. As a result, the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 and the door outer panel 110 are stably maintained in close contact with each other without any gaps by the adhesive member 300 and the fixed holder unit 400. The ultrasonic sensor unit 210 reliably and stably vibrates the door outer panel 110, allowing the transmitted wave Tx or the reflected wave Rx to be propagated stably without attenuation of transmission strength.

[0060] Because the door outer panel 110 is formed from a flat plate such as a metal plate, the vibrations of the transmitted waves Tx and reflected waves Rx efficiently vibrate the door outer panel 110 and are propagated to the ultrasonic sensor unit 210. Furthermore, because the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 and the door outer panel 110 are securely and tightly attached by the adhesive member 300, the transmitted waves Tx and reflected waves Rx are propagated to the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 without loss in the door outer panel 110.

[0061] The ultrasonic sensor unit 210 transmits the transmission wave Tx or receives the reflected wave Rx, whereby the object detection device 200 detects an obstacle OB that exists on the outside in the vehicle width direction.

[0062] (About assembly) The assembly of the object detection device 200A involves a process of fixing the ultrasonic sensor unit 210, the adhesive member 300, and the fixed holder unit 400 to the door outer panel 110.

[0063] Specifically, for example, the first step in assembling the object detection device 200A is to attach the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 to the second adhesive surface 320 side of the adhesive member 300, and fix the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 to the door outer panel 110 via the first adhesive surface 310.

[0064] The second step in assembling the object detection device 200A is to fix the fixed holder part 400 to the door outer panel 110 by welding or the like while biasing the ultrasonic sensor part 210 toward the door outer panel 110. As described above, the object detection device 200A is assembled through the first and second steps, which are easy to assemble since the number of components is small.

[0065] Furthermore, because the first adhesive surface 310 is flexible and can be plastically deformed, the adhesive member 300 adheres tightly to the door outer panel 110 while filling in the unevenness IR that occurs in the door outer panel 110. Therefore, the assembly process of the object detection device 200A is a process of fixing the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 to the door outer panel 110 without performing any surface treatment on the door outer panel 110 in advance. In addition, the assembly process of the object detection device 200A is a process in which the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 is fixed to the door outer panel 110 without being limited to a strict installation position by arranging an adhesive member 300 having a plate thickness PT that is thicker than the depth DE of the uneven portion IR.

[0066] Furthermore, because the door outer panel 110 is formed from a flat plate such as a metal plate, the vibrations of the transmitted waves Tx and the reflected waves Rx efficiently vibrate the door outer panel 110. Therefore, the assembly process of the object detection device 200A is a process that can be performed without considering processing such as drilling holes in the door outer panel 110 to allow ultrasonic waves to pass through.

[0067] As described above, the assembly process of the object detection device 200 is simple because it is configured with a small number of components and the processing of the door outer panel 110 is reduced.

[0068] As described above, the object detection device 200A according to this embodiment further includes a fixed holder portion 400 as a fixed holder having a sensor biasing portion 410 as a biasing member that biases the ultrasonic sensor portion 210 toward the door outer panel 110, and the fixed holder portion 400 biases the ultrasonic sensor portion 210 toward the door outer panel 110. That is, the adhesive member 300 has a first adhesive surface 310 that fills in the uneven portion IR, and a second adhesive surface 320 that is not affected by the uneven portion IR and remains flat while being in close contact with the ultrasonic sensor unit 210. Furthermore, the fixed holder portion 400 applies a constant pressing force to the ultrasonic sensor unit 210, urging the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 toward the door outer panel 110. The ultrasonic sensor unit 210 and the door outer panel 110 are stably maintained in close contact with each other without any gaps by the adhesive member 300 and the fixed holder portion 400. Therefore, the object detection device 200A can stably propagate the transmitted wave Tx or reflected wave Rx without attenuation of the transmission strength, because the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 and the door outer panel 110 are stably and closely attached by the adhesive member 300 and the fixed holder unit 400.

[0069] Furthermore, the process of assembling the object detection device 200A involves attaching the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 with the adhesive member 300, and fixing the fixed holder unit 400 to the door outer panel 110 while forcing the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 against the door outer panel 110 with the fixed holder unit 400. Therefore, the assembly process for the object detection device 200 can reduce the number of assembly steps, as it is an assembly process that stably fixes the ultrasonic sensor unit 210 to the door outer panel 110 and does not require any processing of the door outer panel 110. This improves assembly workability and enables more stable detection of obstacles.

[0070] The above describes in detail an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings, but the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and includes designs within the scope of the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 10. Automatic opening and closing device 100;Front door section 100A; Front door 110: Door outer panel 120; door trim 130; Door inner panel 200;Object detection device 200A: Object detection device 210: Ultrasonic sensor unit 300: Adhesive material 310;1st adhesive surface 320;Second adhesive surface 400: Fixed holder part 410: Sensor energizing unit 420: Panel fixing part DE: Depth of uneven part DP; recess DT; dent DS;distortion IR; uneven part OB; Obstacle P; Crew PR: Surface roughness PT: Thickness of adhesive material PT1: Thickness of the first adhesive surface Rx; reflected wave Tx; transmission wave SR;Scar V; Vehicle

Claims

1. An object detection device that is mounted on a vehicle having a door that opens and closes an opening in a vehicle body and detects an obstacle present outside the vehicle, a door outer member that forms an outer side of the door in a vehicle width direction and has an uneven portion formed on an inner surface in the vehicle width direction; an ultrasonic sensor unit that is disposed on the outer door member and is capable of transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves; an adhesive member having a thickness greater than the depth of the concave-convex portion and provided between the door exterior member and the ultrasonic sensor unit; The invention comprises: The object detection device is characterized in that the adhesive member is disposed between the concave-convex portion and the ultrasonic sensor portion.

2. The object detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the adhesive member has a first adhesive surface on one side that is flexible and plastically deforms, and a second adhesive surface on the other side that is harder than the first adhesive surface and can maintain a flat surface.

3. 3. The object detection device according to claim 1, wherein the door outer member is formed of a flat plate.

4. a fixed holder that is in contact with the ultrasonic sensor unit and is fixed to the door exterior member; 4. The object detection device according to claim 3, wherein the fixed holder biases the ultrasonic sensor unit toward the outer door member.

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