Bumper cover structure

Abstract

The present invention provides a bumper cover structure that can suppress the degradation of radar functionality of radar equipment when its shape is restored. [Solution] In the bumper cover 12 of the front bumper 10, a radar unit 22 is positioned between the left and right grille sections within the grille opening 14, and a radar cover 24 is positioned on the front side of the radar unit 22. The radar unit 22 is attached to the base portion 42 of the radar cover 24, and the base portion 42 is attached to the bumper cover 12 by locking the upper locking portion 44 and the lower locking portion 46, respectively, to the upper and lower sides of the grille opening 14. As a result, when the bumper cover 12 deformed by a light impact restores its shape, the relative position of the radar unit 22 with respect to the grille opening 14 returns to normal, thereby suppressing a decrease in the radar function of the radar unit 22.

Description

Technical Field

[0004] ,

[0005] , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a bumper cover structure of a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a front grille of a vehicle. This front grille is provided in front of a front member, and a millimeter-wave radar is attached to the front member via a bracket. In the front grille, a dome holding portion is fitted into an opening formed at the center in the vehicle width direction, and a dome composed of a member capable of transmitting radio waves is fitted into the dome holding portion. The millimeter-wave radar is protected from disturbances such as wind, rain, snow, sand, and flying stones by being covered with the dome at the front.

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

[0003] <​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

[0006] From this point onward, in vehicles, elastic materials are used for bumper covers, etc., and performance is guaranteed so that even if the bumper cover deforms due to an impact that does not meet a predetermined impact level (a light impact), it will return to its original shape after the impact is released. Such performance guarantees for bumpers are tested using methods such as the so-called pendulum test.

[0007] However, with millimeter-wave radar, there is a concern that when bumper covers and other components restore their shape, the relative position of the radar to these components changes, potentially preventing the maintenance of the required radar functionality.

[0008] This invention was made in view of the above facts, and aims to provide a bumper cover structure that can suppress the degradation of radar function in radar equipment when the shape is restored. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A bumper cover structure according to a first aspect of the present invention for achieving the above objective includes: a bumper cover body having a grille opening formed through the vehicle in the front-rear direction; a grille component disposed in the grille opening; a radar device disposed in the center of the grille component in the vehicle width direction on the rear side of the grille opening, which radiates radar waves toward the front of the vehicle and receives reflected waves of the radar waves; and a cover member disposed in the grille opening, which covers the front side of the radar device, to which the radar device is mounted, and whose upper and lower portions are each attached to the bumper cover body, through which the radar waves and reflected waves can pass.

[0010] In the bumper cover structure according to the first embodiment, a grille opening is formed in the bumper cover body, and the grille opening is formed to penetrate the bumper cover body in the vehicle's front-rear direction. Grille components are arranged on both sides in the vehicle width direction in the grille opening, and radar equipment is arranged in the center in the vehicle width direction. The radar equipment emits radar waves toward the front of the vehicle from the rear side of the grille opening and receives reflected waves of said radar waves.

[0011] Furthermore, a cover member is placed in the grille opening to cover the front side of the radar equipment, allowing radar waves and reflected waves to pass through, and the radar equipment is mounted on the cover member.

[0012] Here, the cover member is attached to the bumper cover body, with both the upper and lower portions being attached. Therefore, even if the bumper cover body deforms and the grille opening deforms, the shape is restored, which suppresses a change in the relative position of the radar equipment with respect to the grille opening. This prevents a decrease in radar function in the radar equipment when the deformed bumper cover body restores its shape.

[0013] The bumper cover structure according to the second embodiment includes the fact that, in the first embodiment, the cover member is attached to the bumper cover body on both sides in the vehicle width direction in each of the upper and lower portions of the vehicle.

[0014] In the bumper cover structure according to the second embodiment, the cover member is attached to the bumper cover body on both sides in the vehicle width direction in both the upper and lower parts of the vehicle. This suppresses twisting of the cover member when the deformed bumper cover body restores its shape, thereby effectively suppressing a decrease in radar function in radar equipment caused by twisting of the cover member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to an aspect of the present invention, the cover member to which the radar equipment is mounted is attached to the bumper cover body at the grille opening of the bumper cover body, with the upper and lower portions respectively attached to the bumper cover body. Therefore, when the bumper cover body receives a light impact, it recovers its shape due to its elasticity, and the mounting position of the cover member returns to its original position. This suppresses changes in the relative position of the radar equipment, and thus has the effect of suppressing a decrease in the radar function of the radar equipment. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing a schematic of the main part of the bumper according to this embodiment. [Figure 2A] This is a perspective view showing the main parts of the bumper. [Figure 2B] This is an exploded perspective view of the main part of the bumper. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view in the vehicle width direction, showing an outline of the main part of the bumper. [Figure 4] This is a top-view cross-sectional view showing an outline of the main part of the bumper. [Figure 5A] This is a schematic diagram showing the radar cover from a forward-looking vehicle perspective. [Figure 5B] This is a schematic diagram showing the radar cover from a rearward view of the vehicle. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0017] The disclosed bumper cover structure will be described below with reference to the drawings, using the front bumper 10 according to the embodiment as an example. The front bumper 10 is installed on the front of a vehicle (not shown). FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of the front bumper 10 according to the present embodiment in a perspective view from the left front obliquely. Further, FIG. 2A shows a disassembled perspective view of the main part of the front bumper 10 in a perspective view from the left front obliquely, and FIG. 2B shows a perspective view of the main part of the front bumper 10 in a perspective view from the left front obliquely. Furthermore, FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the main part of the front bumper 10 in a view from the left in the width direction, and FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the main part of the front bumper 10 in a top view. In the drawings, the front of the vehicle is indicated by an arrow FR, the left side in the vehicle width direction is indicated by an arrow LH, and the upper side is indicated by an arrow UP.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B, the front bumper 10 is composed of a bumper cover (front bumper cover) 12 as a bumper cover body and a bumper reinforcement (front bumper reinforcement, not shown) constituting the vehicle body. In the front bumper 10, the bumper cover 12 extends in the vehicle width direction on the vehicle front side of the bumper reinforcement, and the bumper cover 12 is attached to the bumper reinforcement to cover the front part of the vehicle including the bumper reinforcement.

[0019] On the vehicle, a front bumper 10 is arranged in front of each of a hood covering an engine room where a driving source for running such as an engine or an electric motor is arranged, and fenders on both the left and right sides (both not shown). The bumper cover 12 is continuous with the hood and the fenders on both the left and right sides to form an outer plate (exterior) of the vehicle body and decorate the front part of the vehicle body.

[0020] A member having elasticity is used for the bumper cover 12, and the bumper cover 12 can be deformed by receiving an impact. At this time, when the bumper cover 12 receives an impact less than a preset impact (hereinafter referred to as a light impact), it deforms while absorbing the impact energy (load due to the impact), and can be restored to its original shape when the impact energy (load) is removed.

[0021] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the bumper cover 12 has a grille opening 14 formed in the middle of the vehicle width direction. The grille opening 14 is an elongated hole that is long in the vehicle width direction and is formed by penetrating the bumper cover 12 in the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0022] The bumper cover 12 includes a grille member 20 as a decorative member and grille component, a radar unit 22 as radar equipment, and a radar cover 24 as a cover member and decorative member.

[0023] The grille member 20 comprises a left grille section 20L on the left side in the vehicle width direction, a right grille section 20R on the right side in the vehicle width direction, and a connecting section 26 in the center in the vehicle width direction, with the left grille section 20L and the right grille section 20R being connected by the connecting section 26.

[0024] The left grille section 20L and the right grille section 20R are each elongated and roughly box-shaped, and the front surfaces of each are decorated with a mesh or grid pattern. The connecting section 26 is equipped with an upper top plate 26A, a lower bottom plate 26B, and a rear back plate 26C, and each of the top plate 26A, bottom plate 26B, and back plate 26C is made of an electromagnetic wave-shielding material (resin or metal).

[0025] The grille member 20 is connected to its left grille section 20L and right grille section 20R by a connecting section 26 consisting of a top plate 26A, a bottom plate 26B, and a back plate 26C. As a result, the grille member 20 has an opening 28 facing forward of the vehicle, formed by the connecting section 26 that connects the left grille section 20L and the right grille section 20R. The connecting section 26 may also include side plates made of absorbent material that are attached to the right side of the left grille section 20L (the side facing the right grille section 20R) and the left side of the right grille section 20R (the side facing the left grille section 20L).

[0026] The radar unit 22 employs millimeter-wave radar, which uses radio waves (electromagnetic waves) with wavelengths of, for example, 1 mm to 10 mm (frequency of 30 GHz to 300 GHz) as radar waves. The radar unit 22 (millimeter-wave radar) can detect positional information such as the distance to an object and its horizontal angle, which are used for applications such as adaptive cruise control (ACC), by receiving reflected waves that are reflected off an object from the transmitted radar wave.

[0027] The radar unit 22 is equipped with a rectangular box-shaped casing 22A, and one side of the casing 22A is the sensor surface 22B. The radar unit 22 has a transmitter and a receiver (not shown) located on the sensor surface 22B side. In the radar unit 22, radar waves are emitted from the transmitter and reflected waves are received by the receiver.

[0028] The grille member 20 has a radar unit 22 positioned in the arrangement section 28 between the left grille section 20L and the right grille section 20R, and a bracket 30 as a retaining member is also positioned there. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the bracket 30 is, for example, a roughly strip-shaped piece made of resin, with its longitudinal direction being the vehicle width direction, and is positioned between the left grille section 20L and the right grille section 20R (within the arrangement section 28).

[0029] The bracket 30 has a flat section 30A in the middle of its longitudinal direction, and legs 32 are formed on each of the longitudinal sides of the flat section 30A. The legs 32 protrude from the flat section 30A toward the front of the vehicle, and their tips are bent outward in the vehicle width direction, and a flange 34 is formed on the leg 32 which is flattened by bending outward in the vehicle width direction. A through hole 34A is formed in the flange 34 which penetrates in the front-rear direction.

[0030] The bracket 30 is positioned within the mounting section 28 with the flange 34 facing forward of the vehicle beyond the flat section 30A, and the radar unit 22 is attached to the front side of the flat section 30A between the flanges 34. As a result, the radar unit 22 is positioned in the mounting section 28 with the sensor surface 22B facing forward of the vehicle.

[0031] The radar unit 22 is located in the mounting section 28, which is positioned on the front side of the vehicle. The mounting section 28 is covered on the front side by the radar cover 24. Figure 5A shows a schematic of the radar cover 24 in a perspective view looking diagonally left from the front of the vehicle, and Figure 5B shows a schematic of the radar cover 24 in a perspective view looking diagonally right from the rear of the vehicle.

[0032] As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the radar cover 24 includes, for example, a substantially flat decorative portion 40 and a base portion 42 to which the decorative portion 40 is attached. The decorative portion 40 and the base portion 42 are made of materials that allow electromagnetic waves (radar waves and reflected waves) to pass through. In addition, one side of the decorative portion 40 is designated as the decorative surface 40A, and the decorative surface 40A is decorated with an emblem or the like.

[0033] The base portion 42 of the radar cover 24 has a flat central portion 42A and is generally rectangular in shape, with a decorative portion 40 attached to the front side of the flat portion 42A of the vehicle. The radar cover 24 is positioned with the base portion 42 between the left grill portion 20L and the right grill portion 20R, so that the decorative portion 40 covers the base portion 42 between the left grill portion 20L and the right grill portion 20R in the grill opening 14.

[0034] As a result, in the bumper cover 12, the grille opening 14 is covered by the left grille section 20L, the right grille section 20R, and the decorative section 40 of the radar cover 24, and is decorated by the left grille section 20L, the right grille section 20R, and the decorative section 40. In addition, the radar unit 22 is able to transmit and receive radar waves and reflected waves through the decorative section 40 of the grille opening 14 in the bumper cover 12.

[0035] The base portion 42 has a locking portion 44 formed on the upper edge of the grille opening 14, which is used to lock it to the bumper cover 12, and a locking portion 46 formed on the lower edge of the grille opening 14, which is also used to lock it to the bumper cover 12. In other words, the base portion 42 has a locking portion 44 formed on the upper part and a locking portion 46 formed on the lower part. In addition, the base portion 42 has locking portions 48 formed on the right and left sides in the vehicle width direction in the middle part in the vertical direction, and the locking portions 48 correspond to the flange 34 of the bracket 30.

[0036] The locking portion 44 at the top of the base portion 42 has locking holes 50 formed through it on the right and left sides in the vehicle width direction. In addition, the locking portion 46 at the bottom of the base portion 42 has a pair of locking plates 52 formed vertically, and each of the locking plates 52 protrudes toward the front of the vehicle at the lower end of the base portion 42 and extends in the vehicle width direction.

[0037] As shown in Figure 3, the bumper cover 12 has a bent portion 54 formed by bending the lower peripheral edge of the grille opening 14 toward the rear of the vehicle to form a roughly plate-like shape. The base portion 42 is locked to the bumper cover 12 by fitting the bent portion 54 of the bumper cover 12 between a pair of locking plates 52, thereby locking the roughly variable area in the vehicle width direction at the bottom of the base portion 42 to the bumper cover 12.

[0038] Furthermore, the bumper cover 12 has a fastening portion 56 formed on the rear side of the vehicle above the grille opening 14, and the fastening portion 56 is roughly cylindrical with an opening on the rear side of the vehicle. In the bumper cover 12, the fastening portion 56 is formed opposite each of the locking portions 44 (locking holes 50) of the base portion 42. The upper part of the base portion 42 is locked to the bumper cover 12 by a locking member (for example, a screw 58) that is fitted or screwed into the locking holes 50 of the locking portions 44 being screwed (or fitted) into the fastening portion 56. In addition, the base portion 42 is locked to the bumper cover 12 on both sides in the vehicle width direction at the top, as locking holes 50 are provided on both sides in the vehicle width direction.

[0039] The radar cover 24 is secured to the bumper cover 12 at the lower peripheral edge of the grille opening 14 by the lower locking portion 46 of the base portion 42, while each of the locking portions 44 of the base portion 42 is secured to the bumper cover 12 at the upper side of the grille opening 14. As a result, the radar cover 24 is attached to the bumper cover 12 at the front side of the vehicle where the mounting portion 28 is located, and the decorative portion 40 is positioned inside the grille opening 14.

[0040] The locking portions 48 of the base portion 42 protrude toward the rear of the vehicle on both the left and right sides in the vehicle width direction, and the locking portions 48 face the flange 34 of the bracket 30. Each of the locking portions 48 has a locking hole 60 formed in its flat portion, and the locking hole 60 penetrates the flat portion of the locking portion 48 in the vehicle front-rear direction and is a substantially semicircular shape that opens inward in the vehicle width direction.

[0041] The bracket 30 is positioned so that each of the flanges 34 faces the locking portion 48 on the rear side of the base portion 42 of the vehicle. The bracket 30 is also attached to the base portion 42 by locking a locking member (e.g., a grommet 62) fitted into the through hole 34A of the flange 34, which is then fitted into the locking hole 60 of the locking portion 48. As a result, the radar unit 22, which is attached to the bracket 30, is attached to the base portion 42 of the radar cover 24.

[0042] In the front bumper 10 configured in this way, the left grille section 20L and the right grille section 20R are positioned in the grille opening 14 of the bumper cover 12, and the decorative section 40 of the radar cover 24 is positioned between the left grille section 20L and the right grille section 20R. As a result, the grille opening 14 of the bumper cover 12 is decorated by the left grille section 20L, the right grille section 20R and the decorative section 40.

[0043] Furthermore, a radar unit 22 is positioned on the bumper cover 12. The radar unit 22 transmits radar waves and receives reflected waves reflected from the target object, thereby detecting the presence or absence of the target object, the distance to the target object, and positional information such as the horizontal angle of the target object.

[0044] The radar unit 22 is mounted on the bracket 30, which is attached to the base portion 42 of the radar cover 24. The radar cover 24 also has a decorative portion 40 that is positioned within the grille opening 14. Therefore, in the bumper cover 12, the radar unit 22 can be positioned close to the opening of the grille opening 14 and the decorative portion 40 that is positioned within the opening of the grille opening 14.

[0045] Therefore, the bumper cover 12 makes it possible to expand the transmit / receive angular range of the radar unit 22 (the range shown by the dashed line in Figures 3 and 4) in the vertical and vehicle width directions, thereby expanding the detection range of the radar unit 22. As a result, the bumper cover 12 can improve the radar function by expanding the detection range of the radar unit 22.

[0046] Furthermore, electromagnetic waves are generated in the engine compartment of a vehicle, and these electromagnetic waves can affect the operation of the radar unit 22 as noise.

[0047] In the bumper cover 12, the placement area 28 where the radar unit 22 is located is surrounded by a metal top plate 26A, bottom plate 26B, and back plate 26C that form a connecting area 26. The top plate 26A, bottom plate 26B, and back plate 26C are grounded, which allows for shielding from electromagnetic waves. As a result, the bumper cover 12 can suppress electromagnetic waves in the engine compartment from affecting the radar unit 22 as noise, thereby suppressing detection errors in the radar unit 22 caused by electromagnetic waves generated in the engine compartment and preventing a decrease in radar function.

[0048] Incidentally, the front bumper 10 is required to have a performance guarantee that when subjected to a minor impact, the bumper cover 12 can deform while absorbing the impact energy, and that it will return to its original shape when the load from the minor impact is released. Also, the radar unit 22 will experience a decrease in radar function if there is a change in its relative position or orientation with respect to the grille opening 14.

[0049] From this, the front bumper 10 is required to restore its shape to that of the bumper cover 12 when subjected to a minor impact. Furthermore, the bumper cover 12 is required to maintain its shape so that the relative position of the radar unit 22 with respect to the grille opening 14 does not change when it restores its shape. In other words, the bumper cover 12 is required to restore its shape even when subjected to a minor impact, and it is also required that changes in the relative position and orientation of the radar unit 22 with respect to the grille opening 14 are suppressed when it restores its shape.

[0050] For performance quality testing of the bumper cover 12 to meet such requirements, a pendulum test is applied, for example. The performance quality of the bumper cover 12 has been confirmed to be that when a pendulum collides with it and it receives a light impact, it deforms while absorbing the impact energy, and then returns to its original shape when the pendulum separates and the impact (load) is released.

[0051] In the bumper cover 12, a bracket 30 is positioned in the arrangement section 28 between the left grille section 20L and the right grille section 20R, and the radar unit 22 is attached to this bracket 30. The bracket 30 is attached by each of the flanges 34 on both sides in the vehicle width direction being locked to a locking section 48 on the base section 42 of the radar cover 24. Furthermore, the upper locking section 44 of the base section 42 is locked to the bumper cover 12 above the grille opening 14, and the lower locking section 46 is locked to the bumper cover 12 below the grille opening 14.

[0052] In a bumper cover 12 that meets performance quality standards, the relative position of the radar unit 22 with respect to the grille opening 14 changes as the grille opening 14 deforms. However, as the grille opening 14 restores its shape, the position of the radar unit 22, which is attached to the base portion 42, is returned to its original position relative to the grille opening 14 and the decorative portion 40.

[0053] Therefore, when the bumper cover 12 receives a minor impact, the relative position of the radar unit 22 with respect to the grille opening 14 returns to its original position, thus preventing a decrease in the radar function of the radar unit 22.

[0054] Furthermore, the base portion 42 is secured to the bumper cover 12 at both ends in the vehicle width direction at the locking portions 44 and 46, respectively. As a result, when the bumper cover 12 returns to its original shape, twisting of the base portion 42 is suppressed in the radar cover 24, thereby suppressing changes in the horizontal angle range of the radar unit 22 caused by twisting of the base portion 42. Therefore, even when subjected to a minor impact, the bumper cover 12 can effectively suppress a decrease in the radar function of the radar unit 22.

[0055] Furthermore, in the bumper cover 12, both sides of the bracket 30 in the width direction are attached to the base portion 42. Therefore, when the bumper cover 12 returns to its original shape, the change in the horizontal angle range of the radar unit 22 is suppressed.

[0056] Therefore, the bumper cover 12 can suppress a decrease in radar function in the radar unit 22 when its shape is restored, enabling stable detection of object position information by the radar unit 22.

[0057] In the embodiment described above, a millimeter-wave radar was used as the radar unit 22. However, the radar equipment may also be LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), which uses laser light, considered to be an electromagnetic wave with an extremely short wavelength.

[0058] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a radar cover 24 is applied in which the decorative part 40 is attached to the flat part 42A of the base part 42. However, instead of the flat part 42A, an opening may be formed in the base part 42, and the decorative part 40 may be attached so as to cover this opening. Also, the cover member may be an integral part of the decorative part 40 and the base part 42.

[0059] Furthermore, although the front bumper 10 was described as an example in this embodiment, the bumper cover structure may also be applied to a rear bumper installed at the rear of the vehicle. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0060] 10 Front Bumper 12. Bumper cover (bumper cover body) 14 Grill opening 20 Grill components (grille parts) 20L Left Grille Section (Grille Part) 20R Right Grille Section (Grille Part) 22. Radar Unit (Radar Equipment) 24. Radar cover (cover component) 26 Connecting part 28 Placement section 30 Bracket (holding member) 40 Decorative parts 42 Base section 44. Locking mechanism (part on the upper side of the vehicle) 46. ​​Locking mechanism (part on the lower side of the vehicle) 50 locking holes 52 Locking plate 54 Bend part 56 Stopper

Claims

1. The bumper cover body has a grille opening formed to penetrate through the vehicle in the front-to-rear direction, Grill components arranged in the aforementioned grille opening, A radar device is positioned at the rear of the vehicle side of the grille opening, in the center of the grille component in the vehicle width direction, which emits radar waves toward the front of the vehicle and receives reflected waves of said radar waves. A cover member is positioned in the grille opening and covers the front side of the radar equipment, on which the radar equipment is mounted, and whose upper and lower portions are each attached to the bumper cover body, allowing the radar waves and reflected waves to pass through. A bumper cover structure that includes this.

2. The bumper cover structure according to claim 1, wherein the cover member is attached to the bumper cover body on both sides in the vehicle width direction in each of the upper and lower portions of the vehicle.

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