Vehicle structure

Abstract

When ventilation holes are provided around the sensor support portion of the sensor support member, the displacement around the sensor support portion is suppressed while ensuring airflow. [Solution] The vehicle structure 10 includes a sensor support member 1 disposed on the inside of the exterior member 2 that constitutes the design surface on the outside of the vehicle. The sensor support member 1 has a sensor support portion 11 that supports a sensor device for detecting the external environment, and an air guide portion 12 that is disposed adjacent to the sensor support portion 11 in the direction adjacent to it and forms a flow path that guides air from one direction in the vehicle interior-exterior direction to the other direction in the vehicle interior-exterior direction. The air guide portion 12 bulges out in at least one direction in the vehicle interior and vehicle exterior, and extends in a cross direction that intersects the direction adjacent to the sensor support portion 11.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle structure including a member that supports a sensor device for detecting an external environment of the vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Sensor devices for detecting the external environment of the vehicle are provided at the front and rear of vehicles such as automobiles. Examples of the sensor device include a millimeter-wave radar that uses electromagnetic waves in the millimeter-wave band as detection waves, an acoustic sensor (ultrasonic sensor / sonar) that uses sound waves as detection waves, a camera (imaging device), and the like. The sensor device is disposed on the back side of an exterior member such as a bumper or a grille that constitutes the design surface outside the vehicle.

[0003] As an example of a conventional vehicle structure having a structure for disposing a sensor device on the back side of an exterior member, Patent Document 1 discloses a structure in which a radar antenna is fixed to a frame member that reinforces a panel member of a front grille. The panel member is provided with an emission region that transmits radio waves from the radar antenna. The radar antenna is attached to the peripheral edge of an opening in the frame member, and is thereby supported by the frame member so as to be located on the back side of the emission region.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Sensor support members, such as the frame material described in Patent Document 1, may be provided with intake or exhaust vents. When vents are provided around the sensor support portion that supports the sensor device, the rigidity around the sensor support portion decreases, making it more susceptible to deformation due to vibrations during driving. If the area around the sensor support portion deforms, the sensor device may be displaced from its predetermined position, potentially reducing the detection accuracy of the sensor device. In particular, thin sensor support members in the inward and outward directions of the vehicle are prone to deformation in those directions, potentially causing the sensor device to be displaced in those directions.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle structure that can suppress displacement around the sensor support portion while ensuring ventilation, when ventilation holes are provided around the sensor support portion of the sensor support member. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is a vehicle structure comprising a sensor support member disposed on the inside of an exterior member constituting the design surface of the outside of the vehicle, wherein the sensor support member has a sensor support portion for supporting a sensor device that detects the external environment. In this vehicle structure, the sensor support member further has an air guide portion disposed adjacent to the sensor support portion and forming a flow path for guiding air from one direction in the vehicle-inside-outside direction to the other direction in the vehicle-inside-outside direction. The air guide portion bulges outward in at least one direction inward and outward of the vehicle, and extends in an intersecting direction relative to the sensor support portion, with respect to the sensor support portion, the air guide portion intersecting the adjacent direction adjacent to the sensor support portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, when ventilation holes are provided around the sensor support portion of the sensor support member, a vehicle structure can be provided that can suppress displacement around the sensor support portion while ensuring ventilation. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1]This is an exploded perspective view of the front of a vehicle to which a vehicle structure according to one embodiment of the present invention is applied. [Figure 2] This is a front view of the sensor support member as seen from the front of the vehicle. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the sensor support member as seen from the front of the vehicle. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of the sensor support member and exterior member as seen from the rear of the vehicle. [Figure 5] This is a front view of the exterior components and sensor support members as seen from the front of the vehicle. [Figure 6] Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vehicle structure on Line AA. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view of a modified sensor support member as seen from the rear of the vehicle. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the direction of arrow Fr indicates the front of the vehicle in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. The direction of arrow L indicates the left side in the vehicle's width direction when the vehicle is viewed from the rear towards the front, the direction of arrow R indicates the right side in the vehicle's width direction when the vehicle is viewed from the rear towards the front, and the direction of arrow U indicates the top of the vehicle in the vehicle's vertical direction (hereinafter referred to as the vertical direction). In the following description, "front" and "rear" correspond to the front and rear in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, respectively, and "up" and "down" correspond to the top and bottom in the vehicle's vertical direction, respectively. "Left" and "right" correspond to the left and right in the vehicle's width direction when the vehicle is viewed from the rear towards the front.

[0011] As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle structure 10 according to this embodiment includes a sensor support member 1 that supports a sensor device S for detecting the external environment. In this embodiment, the vehicle structure 10 is applied to the front of a vehicle such as an automobile. The front of the vehicle is provided with an exterior member 2 and a vehicle body structure member 3. The sensor support member 1 is located on the rear side (inside the vehicle) of the exterior member 2 and is a member for positioning the sensor device S in a predetermined position relative to the exterior member 2.

[0012] The sensor device S is, for example, a millimeter-wave radar that uses millimeter-wave electromagnetic waves as detection waves. The sensor device S transmits (irradiates) and receives (detects) detection waves. The exterior member 2 is provided with a detection wave passing section 24 located in front of the vehicle (outside the vehicle) of the sensor device S, through which detection waves can pass. The detection wave passing section 24 is, for example, a thin plate-like portion facing generally in front of the vehicle, and is made of a material that has properties that allow detection waves to pass through, such as synthetic resin. The sensor device S may also be an ultrasonic sensor (sonar) that uses sound waves as detection waves, or a camera (imaging device) that uses electromagnetic waves in the visible light band or infrared band as detection waves, in which case the detection wave passing section 24 may have a through hole (opening). The detection wave may be sunlight, or it may be transmitted from a detection wave transmitting device provided separately from the sensor device S, in which case the sensor device S does not have to transmit detection waves.

[0013] The exterior member 2 is a component that constitutes the exterior design surface of the vehicle, and in the illustrated example, it includes an exterior panel 21 that extends in the vehicle width direction and vertical direction, and a decorative part 22 and an emblem support part 23 that are attached to the exterior panel 21 from the front side (outside of the vehicle). The exterior member 2 has a detection wave passing part 24 as described above, and in the illustrated example, the detection wave passing part 24 is provided on the exterior panel 21. The decorative part 22 includes an upper decorative part 22a and a lower decorative part 22b, which are elongated members that extend in the vehicle width direction, and the upper decorative part 22a and the lower decorative part 22b are positioned above and below the detection wave passing part 24, respectively. The emblem support part 23 is a component to which an emblem (not shown) is connected from the front side of the vehicle and supports the emblem, and is positioned above the detection wave passing part 24.

[0014] The vehicle body structural member 3 is a highly rigid member made of steel plate or the like that constitutes the vehicle's frame. The vehicle body structural member 3 is positioned at the rear of the vehicle relative to the sensor support member 1 and the exterior member 2. The sensor support member 1 and the exterior member 2 are fixed to the vehicle body structural member 3 and supported from the rear of the vehicle by the vehicle body structural member 3.

[0015] In the illustrated example, the vehicle body structural member 3 includes a first transverse member 31, a second transverse member 32, left and right first vertical members 33, 33, and a second vertical member 34. The first transverse member 31 and the second transverse member 32 each extend in the vehicle width direction and are arranged with a gap between them in the vertical direction, with the second transverse member 32 positioned below the first transverse member 31. The first transverse member 31 is also called a hood lock member if it is provided with a hood lock mechanism for locking the opening and closing of a hood panel (not shown). The second transverse member 32 is, for example, a radiator support member to which a radiator located at the rear of the vehicle body structural member 3 is connected. The left and right first vertical members 33, 33 each extend in the vertical direction, and both ends of the first transverse member 31 and the second transverse member 32 in the vehicle width direction are fixed to the left and right first vertical members 33, 33 by welding or the like.

[0016] The second vertical member 34 connects the first horizontal member 31 and the second horizontal member 32 in the vertical direction. Specifically, the second vertical member 34 extends downward from the center of the first horizontal member 31 in the vehicle width direction, beyond the second horizontal member 32. The upper end of the second vertical member 34 is fixed to the center of the first horizontal member 31 in the vehicle width direction by welding or the like, and the lower rear surface of the second vertical member 34 is fixed to the front surface of the center of the second horizontal member 32 in the vehicle width direction by welding or the like. The second vertical member 34 has an extension portion 34a located below the second horizontal member 32, and a projection portion 341 provided on the extension portion 34a. The projection portion 341 protrudes forward from the front surface of the extension portion 34a. In the illustrated example, the projection portion 341 is made of a separate member of the second vertical member 34 from the main body having the extension portion 34a. The protruding portion 341 is formed in a hat shape that protrudes towards the front of the vehicle when viewed from one side in the vertical direction, and a pair of left and right flange portions on the rear side of the vehicle are fixed to the front surface of the extension portion 34a by welding or the like.

[0017] The sensor support member 1 extends in the vehicle width direction and the vertical direction and is arranged to face the front of the vehicle. In the illustrated example, the sensor support member 1 is generally rectangular and long in the vehicle width direction in a plan view seen from one side in the vehicle longitudinal direction. As will be described later, the sensor support member 1 is connected (fixed) to the first transverse member 31 and the second longitudinal member 34 of the vehicle body structure member 3 at the upper vehicle body connection portion 141 and the back side vehicle body connection portion 142. Further, the sensor support member 1 is connected to the exterior member 2 at the exterior connection portion 15 and is positioned with respect to the exterior member 2 at the exterior positioning portion 16. Thereby, the exterior member 2 is supported by the vehicle body structure member 3 via the sensor support member 1. That is, the sensor support member 1 also functions as a panel support member for supporting the exterior member 2 (specifically, the exterior panel 21) on the vehicle body structure member 3. The sensor support member 1 may have a rigidity higher than that of the exterior panel 21 and may be configured to reinforce the exterior panel 21.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the sensor support member 1 has a sensor support portion 11 that supports the sensor device S and an air guide portion 12 that guides air from the front of the vehicle of the sensor support member 1 to the rear of the vehicle of the sensor support member 1. The sensor support member 1 is, for example, an injection molded product made of resin, and the elements including the sensor support portion 11 and the air guide portion 12 that constitute the sensor support member 1 are integrally formed.

[0019] The sensor support portion 11 is arranged behind the detection wave passing portion 24 in the vehicle rearward direction, and supports the sensor device S such that the sensor surface of the sensor device S faces the detection wave passing portion 24 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. In the present embodiment, the sensor support portion 11 is provided at the lower side and the vehicle width direction central portion of the sensor support member 1. The sensor support portion 11 has a plurality of sensor fixing portions 112 to which the sensor device S is fixed. The sensor device S is attached to the sensor support portion 11 by being fixed to the plurality of sensor fixing portions 112 with screws or the like and is supported by the sensor support portion 11.

[0020] In the illustrated example, the sensor support portion 11 has a frame portion 111 that protrudes forward of the vehicle and surrounds the sensor device S, and the frame portion 111 and the peripheral portion of the frame portion 111 constitute the sensor support portion 11. The frame portion 111 has a generally annular or cylindrical shape corresponding to the outer shape of the sensor device S, and the sensor device S is disposed inside the frame portion 111. The frame portion 111 is generally rectangular in a plan view seen from one direction in the vehicle front-rear direction, and three sensor fixing portions 112 are provided on the upper side, left side, and right side of the frame portion 111.

[0021] The air guide portion 12 is disposed adjacent to the sensor support portion 11 in the vehicle width direction, and in the illustrated example, is adjacent to the left side of the sensor support portion 11. Further, the air guide portion 12 forms a flow path V that guides air from the front of the vehicle to the rear of the vehicle. Specifically, the flow path V includes, as a part thereof, a ventilation hole V1 (described later) that penetrates the sensor support member 1 in the vehicle front-rear direction, and the front side and the rear side of the sensor support member 1 in the vehicle front-rear direction communicate with each other in the vehicle front-rear direction through the flow path V. Openings (26, 27) through which air passes in the vehicle front-rear direction are formed in a portion of the exterior member 2 corresponding to the air guide portion 12, and air flows into the flow path V from the front of the vehicle through the openings (26, 27) in the exterior member 2 (see FIGS. 1 and 5). For example, a duct 4 (see FIGS. 1 and 4) disposed on the rear side (inside the vehicle) of the sensor support member 1 is connected to the rear end of the flow path V (specifically, the rear end portion of the ventilation portion 121 described later) from the rear side of the vehicle. An in-vehicle component 5 (see FIG. 1) is disposed behind the air guide portion 12, and the duct 4 sends air to a desired location of the in-vehicle component 5. The in-vehicle component 5 is, for example, an intercooler, a power source of the vehicle such as an internal combustion engine or a traveling motor, or a power unit provided with a power transmission mechanism or the like thereto. The duct 4 extends rearward from the rear end portion of the ventilation portion 121, and the rear end portion thereof is disposed in the vicinity of an intake port (not shown) of the in-vehicle component 5.

[0022] The air guide section 12 bulges out at least one of the rear (inward) and front (inward) sides of the vehicle, and extends vertically relative to the sensor support section 11. Specifically, the air guide section 12 bulges out either to the rear of the vehicle, to the front of the vehicle, or both to the rear and front of the vehicle. In the illustrated example, the air guide section 12 as a whole bulges out to the rear of the vehicle. Furthermore, the air guide section 12 has dimensions larger than the sensor support section 11 in the vertical direction, and a portion of the air guide section 12 is positioned above or below the sensor support section 11 in the vertical direction. As the air guide section 12 expands vertically, the flow path V also expands vertically. In the illustrated example, the air guide section 12 and the flow path V expand upward relative to the sensor support section 11.

[0023] In this embodiment, the vehicle's longitudinal direction corresponds to the "vehicle interior / exterior direction" according to the present invention, which is the direction connecting the inside of the sensor support member 1 to the outside of the vehicle. In other words, it is the normal direction of the sensor surface of the sensor device S that faces outward from the vehicle and is opposite to the detection wave passing section 24. Also, in this embodiment, the front of the vehicle corresponds to "one of the vehicle interior / exterior directions" according to the present invention, the rear of the vehicle corresponds to "the other of the vehicle interior / exterior directions" according to the present invention, the vehicle width direction corresponds to "adjacent direction" according to the present invention, and the vertical direction corresponds to "crossing direction" according to the present invention.

[0024] Thus, according to the vehicle structure 10 of this embodiment, the air guide portion 12 that forms the flow path V expands vertically relative to the sensor support portion 11, thereby expanding the flow path V in the vertical direction. This increases the airflow rate through the flow path V and improves air permeability. Furthermore, while it is difficult to expand the air guide portion 12 in the vehicle width direction, which is the adjacent direction between the air guide portion 12 and the sensor support portion 11, due to the design of the sensor support member 1, expanding the air guide portion 12 in the vertical direction intersecting the adjacent direction simplifies the design of the air guide portion 12.

[0025] Furthermore, the air guide portion 12 bulges out at least one of the rear and front of the vehicle, increasing its rigidity. By positioning such an air guide portion 12 adjacent to the sensor support portion 11, the rigidity around the sensor support portion 11 is increased, suppressing deformation and displacement around the sensor support portion 11 caused by vibrations during driving. For example, even when ventilation holes V1 are provided around the sensor support portion 11, the bulging air guide portion 12 suppresses a decrease in the rigidity around the sensor support portion 11, allowing sufficient rigidity around the sensor support portion 11 to be obtained. In particular, since the air guide portion 12 increases the rigidity in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the rigidity around the sensor support portion 11 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle can be effectively increased, and deformation and displacement around the sensor support portion 11 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle can be effectively suppressed.

[0026] Thus, according to this embodiment, even when ventilation holes V1 are provided around the sensor support portion 11 of the sensor support member 1, it is possible to suppress displacement around the sensor support portion 11 while ensuring airflow.

[0027] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the displacement of the sensor support portion 11 is suppressed, the displacement of the sensor device S is also suppressed. As a result, changes in the relative positional relationship (relative distance and relative angle) between the detection wave passing portion 24 of the exterior member 2 and the sensor device S are suppressed, and the relative positional relationship is maintained. This suppresses a decrease in the detection accuracy of the sensor device S and makes it possible to maintain the desired detection accuracy. This is particularly advantageous in the case of a sensor device S such as a millimeter-wave radar that uses detection waves with high directivity, because maintaining the relative positional relationship with high precision is necessary to maintain the detection accuracy of the sensor device S.

[0028] Furthermore, since the relative positional relationship between the sensor device S and the detection wave passing section 24 is maintained with high precision, there is no need to make the detection wave passing section 24 unnecessarily large to account for the displacement of the relative positional relationship, and an increase in the area of ​​the detection wave passing section 24 can be suppressed. The detection wave passing section 24 is subject to design constraints in order to be configured so that detection waves can pass through (transmit). For example, it is difficult to create irregularities or apply decorative paint to the outer surface of the detection wave passing section 24 of the vehicle. By reducing the area of ​​the detection wave passing section 24, it becomes easier to improve the design of the exterior member 2.

[0029] Next, the vehicle structure 10 of this embodiment will be described in detail. As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the air guide section 12 has a ventilation section 121 that forms a ventilation hole V1 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and an expansion section 122 that forms a ventilation space V2 that extends vertically from the ventilation hole V1. The ventilation section 121 and the ventilation space V2 form a flow path V. The expansion section 122 is arranged adjacent to the ventilation section 121 in the vertical direction. In the illustrated example, the expansion section 122 is adjacent to the upper side of the ventilation section 121, the ventilation section 121 is arranged to the left of the sensor support section 11 so as to be in a line with the sensor support section 11 in the vehicle width direction, and the expansion section 122 is arranged diagonally to the upper left of the sensor support section 11.

[0030] The ventilation section 121 has a cylindrical peripheral wall 121a that protrudes toward the rear of the vehicle and defines a ventilation hole V1. The front and rear ends of the peripheral wall 121a are open, and a ventilation hole V1 that penetrates the sensor support member 1 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is formed inside the peripheral wall 121a. In the illustrated example, the peripheral wall 121a is a rectangular tube with a roughly rectangular cross-section that is long in the vehicle width direction when viewed in a plan view in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and is composed of an upper wall, lower wall, left wall, and right wall that define the upper, lower, left, and right sides of the ventilation hole V1, respectively. Furthermore, the dimensions of the peripheral wall 121a decrease in the width direction and vertical direction as it approaches the rear of the vehicle, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the ventilation hole V1 decreases as it approaches the rear of the vehicle. Note that the shape of the peripheral wall 121a is not limited to a rectangular tube, but may be other shapes such as a cylindrical shape or other polygonal tube shape.

[0031] The expansion portion 122 bulges outwards at least one of the vehicle's front and rear ends to form a ventilation space V2 inside it that extends upward from the ventilation hole V1. Specifically, the expansion portion 122 has a rear wall 122a facing the front of the vehicle and a circumferential wall 122b that extends along the periphery of the rear wall 122a and projects forward, bulging outwards towards the rear of the vehicle. The rear wall 122a defines the rear side of the ventilation space V2 and extends downward to the ventilation hole V1. The circumferential wall 122b defines the upper, left, and right sides of the ventilation space V2. As a result, a ventilation space V2 is formed inside the expansion portion 122 that is open to the front and downward of the vehicle and continuous with the ventilation hole V1. In the illustrated example, the rear wall 122a is inclined towards the rear of the vehicle as it moves downward toward the ventilation hole V1 side.

[0032] More specifically, the rear wall 122a is positioned offset to the rear of the vehicle relative to the surrounding portion of the extended portion 122 of the sensor support member 1, and the peripheral wall 122b connects the surrounding portion and the rear wall 122a in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The peripheral wall 122b is composed of an upper wall, a left wall, and a right wall that define the upper, left, and right sides of the ventilation space V2, respectively. The upper wall of the peripheral wall 121a of the ventilation section 121 extends to the rear of the vehicle from the lower edge of the rear wall 122a, and the front end of the upper wall of the peripheral wall 121a is positioned offset to the rear of the vehicle relative to the front ends of the lower wall, left wall, and right wall of the peripheral wall 121a. As a result, the ventilation space V2 is continuous with the front portion of the ventilation hole V1. The front part of the ventilation hole V1 and the ventilation space V2 form the front part of the flow path V, and the rear part of the ventilation hole V1 forms the rear part of the flow path V.

[0033] With this structure, the rigidity of the air guide section 12 is increased by the presence of the rear wall 122a, which in turn increases the rigidity around the sensor support section 11. As a result, the support rigidity of the sensor device S by the sensor support member 1 is increased, and the displacement of the sensor device S can be suppressed more reliably. In addition, air flowing into the expansion section 122 from the front of the vehicle flows downward along the rear wall 122a towards the ventilation hole V1, and airflow in other directions is blocked by the peripheral wall 122b. In this way, air flowing into the ventilation space V2 can be efficiently guided into the ventilation space V2, thereby improving airflow. Furthermore, because the rear wall 122a is inclined as described above, air from the front of the vehicle is guided more reliably along the rear wall 122a to the ventilation hole V1. As a result, airflow can be further improved.

[0034] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, in this embodiment, the air guide section 12 has a constriction section 123 that narrows the flow path width of the flow path V in the vehicle width direction (adjacent direction). The constriction section 123 is provided in the expansion section 122 and is formed by curving a part of the circumferential wall 122b (specifically the left wall and the right wall of the circumferential wall 122b) in the vertical direction so as to be convex toward the ventilation space V2 side. The flow path width is the distance between the parts of the circumferential wall 122b on both sides in the vehicle width direction (i.e., the distance in the vehicle width direction between the left wall and the right wall of the circumferential wall 122b). The flow path width in the constriction section 123 is narrower in the vehicle width direction than the flow path width in the parts of the expansion section 122 other than the constriction section 123. The constriction section 123 is provided at a position spaced below the upper edge of the expansion section 122, and in the illustrated example, it is provided in the vertical center of the expansion section 122.

[0035] With this structure, the flow area of ​​the expanded section 122 narrows at the constricted section 123, increasing the airflow velocity of the air flowing from top to bottom along the back wall 122a. This improves ventilation efficiency (airflow efficiency). In addition, by providing the constricted section 123 in the expanded section 122, the length of the peripheral wall 122b (specifically the left and right walls) increases, increasing the rigidity of the expanded section 122 and, consequently, the rigidity of the sensor support section 11. This further ensures that the displacement of the sensor device S is suppressed more reliably.

[0036] In the illustrated example, the constricted portion 123 is configured to restrict air along the arc-shaped peripheral wall 122b. Specifically, a portion of the left and right walls of the peripheral wall 122b forming the constricted portion 123 is formed in an arc shape extending downward from the upper end. This suppresses local deformation of the left and right walls. The shape of the constricted portion 123 is not limited to this and may be other shapes. For example, a portion of the left and right walls may be bent so that a rectangular constricted portion 123 is formed. Alternatively, instead of the constricted portion 123, a portion that widens outward in the vehicle width direction may be provided.

[0037] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the sensor support member 1 is positioned adjacent to the constricted portion 123 and has a recess 13 that is recessed in the vehicle's longitudinal direction (vehicle inward / outward direction). In the illustrated example, the recess 13 is provided on both sides (left and right) of the constricted portion 123 in the vehicle width direction and is positioned adjacent to the constricted portion 123 in the vehicle width direction (adjacent direction). The recess 13 is recessed towards the rear of the vehicle (inward), and the bottom of the recess 13 constitutes a seating surface for fixing harnesses extending from on-board equipment such as the sensor device S. The recess 13 may also be recessed towards the front of the vehicle (outward).

[0038] With this structure, the rigidity around the aperture portion 123 is increased, which in turn further increases the rigidity of the expansion portion 122 and, consequently, the rigidity of the sensor support portion 11. This makes it possible to more reliably suppress displacement around the sensor support portion 11 and the sensor device S.

[0039] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the sensor support member 1 has an upper body connecting portion 141 and a rear body connecting portion 142, which are respectively connected to the vehicle body structural member 3. The upper body connecting portion 141 is provided on the upper edge of the sensor support member 1 and is connected (fixed) to the first transverse member 31 by a connecting member such as a bolt. In the illustrated example, the upper body connecting portion 141 is flange-shaped, protruding to the rear of the vehicle and extending in the vehicle width direction, and has a fixing hole that penetrates in the vertical direction. The upper body connecting portion 141 is superimposed on the first transverse member 31 from above in the vertical direction and is connected to the first transverse member 31 from above in the vertical direction by a connecting member inserted into the fixing hole.

[0040] The rear body connecting portion 142 is provided on the rear side (inside the vehicle) of the sensor support portion 11, and is configured so that the rear side (back side) of the sensor support portion 11 is connected to the vehicle body structural member 3. The rear body connecting portion 142 is connected (fixed) to the protruding portion 341 of the second vertical member 34 from the front side of the vehicle by a connecting member such as a bolt. In the illustrated example, the rear body connecting portion 142 is provided on the lower right part of the sensor support portion 11 and is located to the lower right relative to the frame portion 111. The rear body connecting portion 142 has a connecting hole formed therein that penetrates the sensor support member 1 in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and also has a positioning projection that protrudes from the rear surface of the sensor support portion 11 toward the rear of the vehicle (see Figure 4). The rear body connecting portion 142 is connected (fixed) to the protruding portion 341 in the vehicle longitudinal direction by a connecting member inserted into the connecting hole. Furthermore, the rear body connecting portion 142 is positioned relative to the protruding portion 341 by inserting a positioning projection into the positioning hole of the protruding portion 341 from the front of the vehicle.

[0041] In this embodiment, two upper body connecting portions 141 are provided, spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction, with the left upper body connecting portion 141 positioned above the air guide portion 12. The extension portion 122 extends upward to the vicinity of the upper edge of the sensor support member 1, and the left upper body connecting portion 141 is positioned adjacent to the air guide portion 12 in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the left upper body connecting portion 141 corresponds to the "body connecting portion" according to the present invention.

[0042] The upper body connecting portion 141, which is connected to the highly rigid body structural member 3, has high rigidity. Because such a highly rigid upper body connecting portion 141 is adjacent to the air guide portion 12, the rigidity of the air guide portion 12, in particular the rigidity on the upper body connecting portion 141 side of the air guide portion 12, is increased. As a result, the rigidity of the sensor support portion 11, and consequently the support rigidity of the sensor device S, can be further increased.

[0043] As shown in Figure 4, a first bulge 171 is provided between the left and right upper body connecting portions 141 and the sensor support portion 11, and a second bulge 172 is provided between the right upper body connecting portion 141 and the rear body connecting portion 142, both bulging toward the rear of the vehicle.

[0044] The first bulge 171 extends vertically between the sensor support 11 and the left and right upper body connecting parts 141. The upper end of the first bulge 171 is connected to the left and right upper body connecting parts 141, and the lower end of the first bulge 171 is connected to the upper sensor fixing part 112a, which is a sensor fixing part 112 provided on the upper side of the frame 111. With this structure, the upper sensor fixing part 112a is connected to both the left and right upper body connecting parts 141 via the rigid first bulge 171, thereby increasing the rigidity of the upper sensor fixing part 112a and its surroundings. This further increases the support rigidity of the sensor device S.

[0045] The second bulge 172 extends vertically between the upper body connecting portion 141 and the rear body connecting portion 142. The upper end of the second bulge 172 is connected to the right upper body connecting portion 141, and the lower end of the second bulge 172 is connected to the rear body connecting portion 142. With this structure, the rear body connecting portion 142 of the sensor support portion 11 is connected to the right upper body connecting portion 141 via the second bulge 172, which has increased rigidity, thus increasing the rigidity of the sensor support portion 11. This further increases the support rigidity of the sensor device S.

[0046] As shown in Figures 2 and 4, in this embodiment, the sensor support member 1 has a plurality of exterior connecting parts 15 that are connected to the exterior member 2, and a plurality of exterior positioning parts 16 that are positioned on the exterior member 2. In the illustrated example, 13 exterior connecting parts 15 and 9 exterior positioning parts 16 are provided.

[0047] Each exterior connecting portion 15 is connected to either an exterior panel 21 of the exterior member 2, or to both the exterior panel 21 and the decorative portion 22 of the exterior member 2. Connecting members such as bolts or clips are used to connect each exterior connecting portion 15 to the exterior member 2. For example, a boss 21a with a screw hole is provided on the rear surface of the exterior panel 21 at a position corresponding to each exterior connecting portion 15, and a bolt hole is formed in each exterior connecting portion 15 into which a bolt is inserted (see Figure 6). The exterior connecting portion 15 is connected to the exterior member 2 by screwing a bolt (not shown) from the rear of the vehicle through the bolt hole into the screw hole of the boss 21a.

[0048] Each exterior positioning section 16 is positioned relative to the exterior panel 21 of the exterior member 2. For example, a positioning projection 21b that protrudes toward the rear of the vehicle is provided at the position of each exterior positioning section 16 on the exterior panel 21, and each exterior positioning section 16 has a positioning hole into which the positioning projection 21b is inserted from the front of the vehicle (see Figure 6).

[0049] Some of the exterior connecting parts 15 are arranged around the end of the expansion part 122 on the ventilation part 121 side (i.e., the lower end). In the illustrated example, a pair of exterior connecting parts 15 and exterior positioning parts 16 are arranged on each side in the vehicle width direction of the lower end of the expansion part 122. With this structure, the rigidity of the expansion part 122 is increased by connecting the perimeter of the expansion part 122 to the exterior member 2, and thereby the rigidity of the sensor support part 11 is further increased.

[0050] In the illustrated example, two recesses 18 are provided on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the end (i.e., lower end) of the first bulge 171 on the sensor support portion 11 side, recessing toward the rear of the vehicle. The two recesses 18 are positioned on both sides (left and right) of the upper sensor fixing portion 112a in the vehicle width direction. Each recess 18 is provided with a pair of exterior connecting portions 15 and exterior positioning portions 16. With this structure, the strength of the connection and positioning to the exterior member 2 by the exterior connecting portions 15 and exterior positioning portions 16 is increased, further increasing the rigidity of the sensor support portion 11 and the support rigidity of the sensor support portion 11 by the exterior member 2, thereby further increasing the support rigidity of the sensor device S. In the illustrated example, each recess 18 is shallower than the first bulge 171 in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and the bottom of the recess 18 is positioned offset forward of the vehicle relative to the bottom of the first bulge 171.

[0051] The pair of exterior connecting parts 15 and exterior positioning parts 16 in the left recess 18 are the same pair of exterior connecting parts 15 and exterior positioning parts 16 that are located around the lower end (right side) of the expansion part 122 as described above, and are sandwiched between the air guide part 12 and the first bulge part 171. As a result, the strength of the connection and positioning by the exterior connecting parts 15 and exterior positioning parts 16 is further increased, and the support rigidity of the sensor device S is further increased.

[0052] In the illustrated example, four pairs of exterior connecting parts 15 and exterior positioning parts 16 are arranged around the frame 111. The four pairs of exterior connecting parts 15 and exterior positioning parts 16 are arranged to be located at the vertices of a virtual rectangle surrounding the frame 111, and are positioned near the four corners of the roughly rectangular (or rectangular in the illustrated example) detection wave passing section 24. With this arrangement, relative displacement between the detection wave passing section 24 and the frame 111 is suppressed, thereby more reliably suppressing changes in the relative positional relationship (relative distance and relative angle) between the detection wave passing section 24 and the sensor device S. Therefore, the detection accuracy of the sensor device S can be maintained more reliably.

[0053] As shown in Figures 1 and 5, in this embodiment, the vehicle structure 10 further comprises an exterior member 2, the exterior member 2 having an expansion-side opening 26 that connects a part of the ventilation space V2 to the outside of the vehicle, a covering portion 25 that covers the other part of the ventilation space V2, and a ventilation-side opening 27 that connects the ventilation holes V1 to the outside of the vehicle.

[0054] The expansion-side opening 26 is provided in the area of ​​the exterior member 2 that corresponds to the portion of the expansion 122 opposite to the ventilation portion 121 (i.e., the upper part of the expansion 122), and allows air to pass in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Specifically, the expansion-side opening 26 has an opening 26a that penetrates the exterior member 2 (specifically the exterior panel 21) in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the upper part of the ventilation space V2 communicates with the outside of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle through the opening 26a. The opening 26a is formed in a shape that corresponds to the outer shape of the upper part of the expansion 122. In the illustrated example, the opening 26a, which is formed as a rectangle long in the vehicle width direction, is divided into two regions by a single rib 26b that extends in the vehicle width direction, thereby forming two slits that are long in the vehicle width direction.

[0055] The covering portion 25 covers the portion of the expansion portion 122 that is on the ventilation portion 121 side (i.e., the lower part of the expansion portion 122) from the front side (outside of the vehicle). Specifically, the covering portion 25 is formed from the portion of the exterior member 2 that faces the expansion portion 122 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In the illustrated example, the covering portion 25 is provided on both the exterior panel 21 and the decorative portion 22, and specifically includes an inner covering portion 25a which is part of the exterior panel 21 and an outer covering portion 25b which is part of the upper decorative portion 22a. The covering portion 25 may be provided on only one of the exterior panel 21 and the decorative portion 22.

[0056] The ventilation-side opening 27 is provided in the area of ​​the exterior member 2 corresponding to the ventilation section 121, and allows air to pass through in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Specifically, the ventilation-side opening 27 has an opening 27a that penetrates the exterior member 2 (specifically the exterior panel 21) in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the ventilation hole V1 communicates with the outside of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle through the opening 27a. The opening 27a is formed in a shape corresponding to the outer shape of the ventilation hole V1. In the illustrated example, the opening 27a, which is formed as a rectangle long in the vehicle width direction, is divided into three areas by two ribs 27b extending in the vehicle width direction, thereby forming three slits that are long in the vehicle width direction.

[0057] With this structure, air flows from outside the vehicle through the expansion-side opening 26 into the ventilation space V2, and also flows from outside the vehicle through the ventilation-side opening 27 into the ventilation hole V1. This increases the airflow rate through the flow path V, improving the airflow through the air guide section 12. Furthermore, the air flows into the upper part of the ventilation space V2 through the expansion-side opening 26, then flows downward towards the ventilation hole V1 through the lower part of the ventilation space V2 covered by the covering section 25, and merges with the air that flowed in through the ventilation-side opening 27 before flowing through the ventilation hole V1 towards the rear of the vehicle. In this way, the presence of the covering section 25 creates an airflow in the ventilation space V2 of the expansion section 122 that flows from top to bottom towards the ventilation hole V1. This promotes the airflow from the expansion section 122 to the ventilation section 121, improving airflow.

[0058] As shown in Figure 5, the ventilation opening 27 has the aforementioned rib 27b. The rib 27b extends in the vehicle width direction from the outer edge 24a of the detection wave passage section 24 in the vehicle width direction (adjacent direction), and divides the opening 27a into multiple regions. Specifically, the ventilation section 121 is positioned adjacent to the sensor support section 11 in the vehicle width direction, and correspondingly, the ventilation opening 27 is positioned adjacent to the detection wave passage section 24 in the vehicle width direction (adjacent direction). The rib 27b extends to the left from the left edge, which is the outer edge 24a of the detection wave passage section 24, and traverses the opening 27a across its entire width. In the illustrated example, there are two ribs 27b, but there may be one or three or more.

[0059] With this structure, the rigidity of the detection wave passage section 24, particularly in the vehicle width direction, is increased by the provision of ribs 27b extending in the vehicle width direction from the detection wave passage section 24. This further reliably suppresses the displacement of the detection wave passage section 24, especially the displacement in the vehicle width direction, and more reliably maintains the detection accuracy of the sensor device S.

[0060] In the illustrated example, a rib 29b extending in the vehicle width direction is also provided on the right side of the detection wave passage section 24. Specifically, the sensor support member 1 has another ventilation section 19, separate from the ventilation section 121, on the opposite side (i.e., the right side) from the air guide section 12 relative to the sensor support section 11. The other ventilation section 19 is, for example, for the radiator. The exterior panel 21 is provided in the region corresponding to the other ventilation section 19 and has another opening 29 that allows air to pass in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. The right rib 29b extends to the right from the right edge of the detection wave passage section 24 so as to divide the opening 29a of the opening 29 into multiple regions. With this structure, the rigidity of the detection wave passage section 24, especially in the vehicle width direction, is further increased, so that the displacement of the detection wave passage section 24, especially the displacement in the vehicle width direction, can be suppressed even more reliably. In the illustrated example, the opening edge of the ventilation section 19 on the front side of the vehicle bulges forward of the vehicle. The opening edge of the air guide section 12 at the front of the vehicle may also bulge forward, similar to the opening edge of the ventilation section 19 (i.e., the air guide section 12 may bulge both to the rear and front of the vehicle).

[0061] As shown in Figures 1 and 5, in this embodiment, the exterior member 2 has a detection wave passing section 24 located in front of the vehicle (outside the vehicle) of the sensor support section 11, as described above, and further has a reinforcing member 28. The reinforcing member 28 is positioned adjacent to both the detection wave passing section 24 and the covering section 25. In the illustrated example, the emblem support section 23 functions as the reinforcing member 28, and is adjacent to the upper side of the detection wave passing section 24 and adjacent to the right side of the covering section 25. That is, in this embodiment, the emblem support section 23 corresponds to the "reinforcing member" according to the present invention.

[0062] The emblem support portion 23 is made more rigid, particularly in the vehicle's longitudinal direction (vehicle's interior-exterior direction), by being connected to the emblem (not shown). Therefore, because the emblem support portion 23, which is a reinforcing member 28, is adjacent to both the detection wave passing portion 24 and the covering portion 25, the rigidity of both the detection wave passing portion 24 and the extension portion 122 is increased, suppressing deformation and displacement of the detection wave passing portion 24 and increasing the rigidity of the sensor support portion 11. As a result, changes in the relative position of the sensor device S with respect to the detection wave passing portion 24 are suppressed, and the detection accuracy of the sensor device S is maintained more reliably.

[0063] Specifically, the connection of the highly rigid emblem support portion 23 to the exterior panel 21 increases the rigidity of the region of the exterior panel 21 corresponding to the emblem support portion 23 and the detection wave passing portion 24 arranged around it. The rigidity of the inner covering portion 25a, which is arranged around the region corresponding to the emblem support portion 23, is also increased. As mentioned above, the periphery of the inner covering portion 25a and the periphery of the lower end of the extension portion 122 are connected at the exterior connecting portion 15, so the rigidity of the extension portion 122 is also increased.

[0064] Figure 6 schematically shows a cross-section of the vehicle structure 10 along line AA in Figure 4. As shown in Figure 6, when viewed from one side in the vertical direction, the exterior member 2 and the air guide section 12 form a closed structure (a closed annular structure). Specifically, the exterior panel 21 and the rear wall 122a of the extension section 122 face each other in the vehicle longitudinal direction with a gap between them, and a pair of exterior connecting sections 15 and exterior positioning sections 16 are positioned on the right and left sides of the rear wall 122a, respectively. The right and left sides of the rear wall 122a are connected to the exterior panel 21 in the vehicle longitudinal direction by bolts (not shown) that are screwed into bosses 21a through bolt holes in the exterior connecting sections 15 and positioning projections 21b that pass through positioning holes in the exterior positioning sections 16. With such a closed structure, the rigidity of both the exterior panel 21 and the air guide section 12 is increased. Furthermore, since the decorative section 22 is attached to the front side of the exterior panel 21, the rigidity of the exterior panel 21 and the air guide section 12 is further increased.

[0065] In this specification, "bulging" can also be expressed as "recessed" when viewed from the opposite side of the bulging direction. That is, "bulging inward" means recessing inward beyond the surrounding area when viewed from the outside of the vehicle, and "bulging outward" means recessing outward beyond the surrounding area when viewed from the inside of the vehicle. Furthermore, recesses that recess inward or outward include recesses that have ventilation holes.

[0066] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and further modifications and changes are possible based on the technical concept of the present invention.

[0067] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the left upper vehicle body connecting portion 141, which is the "vehicle body connecting portion" according to the present invention, is positioned adjacent to the air guide portion 12. However, the position of the left upper vehicle body connecting portion 141 relative to the air guide portion 12 is not limited to this, and it may be positioned at a location away from the air guide portion 12. Figure 7 shows a modified sensor support member 1, illustrating another embodiment of the present invention. In this modified sensor support member 1, the air guide portion 12 extends upward to an intermediate position between the sensor support portion 11 and the upper edge of the sensor support member 1 in the vertical direction, and the left upper vehicle body connecting portion 141 is positioned at a location away from the upper edge of the air guide portion 12. In such a case, it is preferable that the left upper vehicle body connecting portion 141 is positioned on the expansion portion 122 side (upper side in the illustrated example) relative to the air guide portion 12. With such a structure, the highly rigid air guide portion 12 is positioned between the sensor support portion 11 and the left upper vehicle body connecting portion 141, thereby increasing the support rigidity of the sensor device S by the vehicle body structural member 3.

[0068] As shown in Figure 7, the sensor support member 1 may have a plurality (in this case, three) of ventilation sections 19. The plurality of ventilation sections 19 are provided on the opposite side of the sensor support section 11 from the air guide section 12 in the vehicle width direction (adjacent direction), and bulge out in at least one direction: rear of the vehicle (inward) and front of the vehicle (outward). In the illustrated example, each ventilation section 19 has a frame-shaped or cylindrical peripheral wall 19a that protrudes to the rear of the vehicle and bulges out to the rear of the vehicle. The plurality of ventilation sections 19 each have a shape that is long in the vehicle width direction (adjacent direction) and are arranged in the vertical direction (intersecting direction). The uppermost ventilation section 19 is positioned above the sensor device S. With such a structure, the rigidity of the area around the sensor support section 11 is further increased by arranging the plurality of ventilation sections 19, each with increased rigidity, around the sensor support section 11, thereby more reliably suppressing deformation and displacement around the sensor support section 11. In the embodiment shown in Figure 7, the vehicle width direction corresponds to "one of the adjacent direction and the intersecting direction" according to the present invention, and the vertical direction corresponds to "the other of the adjacent direction and the intersecting direction" according to the present invention. Alternatively, "one of the adjacent direction and the intersecting direction" according to the present invention may be the vertical direction, and "the other of the adjacent direction and the intersecting direction" according to the present invention may be the vehicle width direction. That is, the multiple ventilation sections 19 may each have a shape that is long in the vertical direction (intersecting direction) and be arranged in the vehicle width direction (adjacent direction).

[0069] The sensor support member 1 in Figure 7 has a connecting wall 20A that connects the ventilation section 121 and the other ventilation sections 19 in the vehicle width direction (adjacent direction). The connecting wall 20A is convex in shape that protrudes forward from the fixing surface of the sensor device S in the sensor support section 11, and extends in the vehicle width direction, straddling the upper sensor fixing section 112a. The left end of the connecting wall 20A is continuous with the upper surface of the peripheral wall 121a of the ventilation section 121 that protrudes in the vehicle longitudinal direction (vehicle inward / outward direction). The right end of the connecting wall 20A is continuous with the upper surface of the peripheral wall 19a of the middle ventilation section 19 of the three ventilation sections 19 that protrudes in the vehicle inward / outward direction (vehicle inward / outward direction). With this structure, the rigidity of each of the ventilation sections 121 and 19 is increased, and the rigidity of the area around the sensor support section 11 is further increased.

[0070] In the illustrated example, the connecting wall 20A further connects the first connecting portion 20B and the second connecting portion 20C, straddling the upper sensor fixing portion 112a. The first connecting portion 20B connects the rear body connecting portion 142, the right sensor fixing portion 112, and the upper sensor fixing portion 112a, while the second connecting portion 20C connects the upper sensor fixing portion 112a and the left sensor fixing portion 112. Specifically, the first connecting portion 20B and the second connecting portion 20C are convex shapes that protrude toward the rear of the vehicle from the fixing surface of the sensor device S in the sensor support portion 11, and have a predetermined thickness in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The first connecting portion 20B extends upward from the rear body connecting portion 142, passing to the right of the right sensor fixing portion 112, and then extends to the upper sensor fixing portion 112a while bending to the left. The second connection portion 20C extends to the left from the upper sensor fixing portion 112a, then bends downward to extend to the left sensor fixing portion 112. This structure allows for increased rigidity of both the upper sensor fixing portion 112a and the left and right sensor fixing portions 112. Furthermore, left and right vertical wall portions 20D are provided to connect the flange-shaped upper vehicle body connecting portion 141 and the connecting wall 20A. The vertical wall portions 20D have a predetermined width in the front-rear direction and extend in the vertical direction. The connection wall 20A is continuous with the upper vehicle body connecting portion 141 in this way, which increases the rigidity of the connecting wall 20A, and further increases the rigidity of the first and second connection portions 20B and 20C connected by the connecting wall 20A.

[0071] In the above-described embodiment, the air guide portion 12 bulges out towards the rear of the vehicle, but the air guide portion 12 may also bulge out towards the front of the vehicle, or it may bulge out both towards the rear and front of the vehicle. Even with such a structure, the rigidity of the air guide portion 12 is increased, so the rigidity of the sensor support portion 11 adjacent to the air guide portion 12 and its surrounding area can be increased.

[0072] In the above-described embodiment, the air guide portion 12 is adjacent to the sensor support portion 11 in the vehicle width direction. However, the arrangement of the air guide portion 12 relative to the sensor support portion 11 is not limited to this, and it may be arranged at other positions relative to the sensor support portion 11. For example, the air guide portion 12 may be arranged above or below the sensor support portion 11, and may be adjacent to the sensor support portion 11 in the vertical direction. In this case, the "adjacent direction" according to the present invention is the vertical direction, and the "crossing direction" according to the present invention is the vehicle width direction.

[0073] In the above-described embodiment, the air guide portion 12 extends upward relative to the sensor support portion 11, but it is not limited to this and may extend downward relative to the sensor support portion 11. Also, in the above-described embodiment, the ventilation portion 121 is located on the lower side of the air guide portion 12 and the expansion portion 122 is located on the upper side of the air guide portion 12, but the arrangement of the ventilation portion 121 and the expansion portion 122 is not limited to this and may be reversed. That is, the ventilation portion 121 may be located on the upper side of the air guide portion 12 and the expansion portion 122 may be located on the lower side of the air guide portion 12. In this case, the inclination direction of the rear wall 122a is also reversed, and the rear wall 122a is configured to inclinate towards the rear of the vehicle as it goes upward.

[0074] In the above-described embodiment, the air guide portion 12 forms a flow path V (i.e., an intake flow path) that guides air from the outside of the vehicle to the inside of the vehicle. However, instead, it may form a flow path V (i.e., an exhaust flow path) that guides air from the inside of the vehicle to the outside of the vehicle. That is, one of the "inside-outside directions of the vehicle" according to the present invention may be the inside of the vehicle, and the other of the "inside-outside directions of the vehicle" according to the present invention may be the outside of the vehicle. For example, the air guide portion 12 may form a flow path V that guides air from the rear of the vehicle to the front of the vehicle so that the air inside the vehicle is exhausted to the front of the vehicle through the sensor support member 1 and the exterior member 2. In this case, the air guide portion 12 is configured to bulge forward of the vehicle, the ventilation portion 121 protrudes forward of the vehicle, and the expansion portion 122 bulges forward of the vehicle.

[0075] In the above embodiment, the ventilation hole V1 of the ventilation section 121 opens to the rear wall 122a side (inside the vehicle), but the ventilation hole V1 may also be formed on the peripheral wall 121a side, in which case the ventilation hole V1 may be formed in the shape of a hole (tunnel) or groove that forms an air passage. Similarly, the ventilation holes of the other ventilation sections 19 may be formed on the peripheral wall 19a side instead of opening to the inside of the vehicle.

[0076] In the above-described embodiment, the emblem support portion 23 is used as a reinforcing member 28, but the exterior member 2 is not limited to this and may have a reinforcing member 28 other than the emblem support portion 23. Furthermore, although the emblem support portion 23 as a reinforcing member 28 is adjacent to the upper side of the detection wave passing portion 24 and adjacent to the right side of the covering portion 25, the arrangement of the reinforcing member 28 relative to the detection wave passing portion 24 and the covering portion 25 is not limited to this and can be changed according to the specific design of the detection wave passing portion 24 and the covering portion 25.

[0077] In the above-described embodiment, the back wall 122a is provided over the entire expansion portion 122 so as to completely block the passage of air. Alternatively, it may be provided on a part of the expansion portion 122 to partially allow the passage of air. For example, the portion of the expansion portion 122 corresponding to the constricted portion 123 or the portion above the constricted portion 123 may not have a back wall 122a and may be in communication in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Also, in the above-described embodiment, a ventilation portion such as a ventilation portion 19 may be provided in place of the expansion portion 122. In other words, the air guide portion 12 does not necessarily have to have an expansion portion 122.

[0078] In the above embodiment, one or more rectifying ribs extending in the vertical direction (adjacent direction) may be provided on the front side (outside the vehicle) of the rear wall 122a. This makes it possible to rectify the air flowing from the rear wall 122a to the ventilation hole V1 side while increasing the rigidity of the rear wall 122a.

[0079] In the above-described embodiment, one or more rectifying ribs extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction (vehicle inward / outward direction) may be provided on the inside of the peripheral wall 121a of the ventilation section 121. This makes it possible to rectify the air flowing along the peripheral wall 121a while increasing the rigidity of the peripheral wall 121a. The ventilation section 121 may have partition members such as ribs that divide the ventilation hole V1 into multiple regions as a structure to increase the rigidity of the ventilation section 121. Similarly, the ventilation section 19 may have partition members such as ribs that divide its internal space into multiple regions.

[0080] In the above embodiment, the sensor support portion 11 is provided at a position adjacent to the lower ventilation portion 121 of the air guide portion 12 in the vehicle width direction. Alternatively, it may be provided at a position adjacent to the upper extension portion 122 of the air guide portion 12 in the vehicle width direction. With such a structure, the sensor support portion 11 is closer to the left and right upper vehicle body connecting portions 141, thereby increasing the support rigidity of the sensor device S. In this case, the rear vehicle body connecting portion 142 may be omitted in some cases.

[0081] In the above-described embodiment, the sensor support member 1 has a rear body connecting portion 142, but it may also have a lower body connecting portion that supports the area below the sensor support portion 11. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the other ventilation portion 19 may have a structure similar to that of the air guide portion 12. That is, the sensor support member 1 may have two air guide portions 12.

[0082] In the above-described embodiment, the sensor support member 1 is located at the front of the vehicle, but the location of the sensor support member 1 in the vehicle is not limited to this, and it may be located at other locations such as the rear or side of the vehicle. When the sensor support member 1 is located at the rear of the vehicle, the "vehicle interior / exterior direction" according to the present invention is the vehicle's longitudinal direction. When the sensor support member 1 is located at the side of the vehicle, the "vehicle interior / exterior direction" according to the present invention is the vehicle's width direction. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0083] 1. Sensor support member 11 Sensor support section 111 Frame section 112 Sensor fixing part 112a Upper sensor fixing part 12 Air guide section 121 Ventilation section 121a Peripheral wall 122 Expansion section 122a Back wall 122b Peripheral wall 123 Aperture section 13 recess 141 Upper body coupling section (body coupling section) 142 Rear side of the car body coupling section 15 Exterior connection part 16. Exterior positioning section 171 First bulge 172 Second bulge 18. Indentation 19 Other ventilation parts 20A continuous wall 20B, 20C connection 20D standing wall section 2. Exterior components 21 Exterior Panels 22 Decorative parts 22a Upper decorative part 22b Lower decoration part 23 Emblem support 24 Detection wave passage section 24a Outer edge 25 Covering part 25a Inner covering 25b Outer covering part 26 Opening on the expansion side 26a opening 26b Rib 27 Ventilation side opening 27a aperture 27b Rib 28 Reinforcement members 29 Opening 29a aperture 29b Rib 3. Body structural members 31 1st horizontal member 32 Second horizontal member 33 First vertical member 34 Second vertical member 34a Extension 341 Protrusion 4 ducts 5. Automotive parts 10. Vehicle Structure S Sensor Device V channel V1 ventilation holes V2 Ventilated Space

Claims

1. A vehicle structure comprising a sensor support member positioned on the inside of an exterior member constituting the design surface of the vehicle's exterior, wherein the sensor support member has a sensor support portion for supporting a sensor device that detects the external environment, The sensor support member further has an air guide portion, which is positioned adjacent to the sensor support portion and forms a flow path that guides air from one direction in the vehicle interior / exterior direction to the other direction in the vehicle interior / exterior direction. The aforementioned air guide section is It bulges out in at least one direction, both inside and outside the vehicle, A vehicle structure in which the air guide portion extends in an intersecting direction that intersects with the sensor support portion in the adjacent direction.

2. The aforementioned air guide section is A ventilation section that forms ventilation holes extending in the direction of the vehicle's interior and exterior, The ventilation portion has an expanded portion that is positioned adjacent to the ventilation portion in the intersecting direction and bulges outwards in at least one direction from the vehicle to the vehicle, such that it forms a ventilation space inside which is expanded from the ventilation hole in the intersecting direction. The vehicle structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the extended portion defines the other side of the ventilation space and has a back wall that extends in the intersecting direction to the ventilation hole.

3. The vehicle structure according to claim 2, characterized in that the air guide portion is provided in the expansion portion and has a constricting portion that narrows the flow path width in the adjacent direction of the flow path.

4. The vehicle structure according to claim 3, characterized in that the sensor support member is arranged adjacent to the constricted portion and has a recess that is recessed in the direction inward and outward of the vehicle.

5. The sensor support member has a body connecting portion that is connected to the vehicle body structural member, The vehicle structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the vehicle body connecting portion is arranged adjacent to the air guide portion.

6. The sensor support member has a body connecting portion that is connected to the vehicle body structural member, The vehicle structure according to claim 2, characterized in that the vehicle body connecting portion is positioned on the expansion portion side with respect to the air guide portion in the intersecting direction.

7. The vehicle structure further comprises the exterior member, The sensor support member has an exterior connecting portion that is arranged around the end of the expanded portion on the ventilation portion side and is connected to the exterior member. The exterior member is, A covering portion that covers the portion of the expanded portion on the ventilation side from the outside of the vehicle, The vehicle structure according to claim 2, characterized in that it has an expansion-side opening provided in a region of the expansion portion that is opposite to the ventilation portion, which allows air to pass in the direction of the inside and outside of the vehicle.

8. The exterior member is, A detection wave passing section located outside the vehicle of the sensor support portion, through which the detection wave detected by the sensor device passes, The vehicle structure according to claim 7, further comprising a reinforcing member disposed adjacent to both the detection wave passing portion and the covering portion.

9. The ventilation portion is positioned adjacent to the sensor support portion in the adjacent direction. The exterior member is, A detection wave passing section located outside the vehicle of the sensor support portion, through which the detection wave detected by the sensor device passes, It has a ventilation-side opening provided in the region corresponding to the aforementioned ventilation section, which allows air to pass in the direction of the vehicle's interior and exterior, The vehicle structure according to claim 7, characterized in that the ventilation side opening has ribs that extend in the adjacent direction from the outer edge of the detection wave passing portion in the adjacent direction and divide the opening of the ventilation side opening into a plurality of regions.

10. The sensor support member is provided on the side of the sensor support portion opposite to the air guide portion in the adjacent direction, and has a plurality of ventilation portions that bulge out in at least one direction, either inward or outward from the vehicle. The vehicle structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of ventilation portions each have a shape that is elongated in one of the adjacent direction and the intersecting direction, and are arranged in the other of the adjacent direction and the intersecting direction.

11. The air guide portion has a ventilation portion that forms a ventilation hole extending in the direction of the inside and outside of the vehicle. The sensor support member is In the aforementioned adjacent direction, another ventilation portion is provided on the side of the sensor support portion opposite to the air guide portion, and bulges out in at least one direction towards the inside of the vehicle and the outside of the vehicle, A connecting wall that connects the aforementioned ventilation section and the other ventilation section in the adjacent direction, The vehicle structure according to claim 1, characterized by having the following:

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