Radome for vehicle-mounted radar device and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

To easily and surely join a connection end of a heater wire to a wire harness connection terminal and reduce a manufacturing cost.SOLUTION: There is provided a radome 1 for on-vehicle radar device in which a base body 2 is constituted by arranging a first resin substrate 3 and a second resin substrate 4 in lamination and fixing them, a heater wire 5 that is wired along a groove 31 is buried between the first resin substrate 3 and the second resin substrate 4, connection ends 51, 52 of the heater wire 5 are constituted by a proximity wiring region 53 wired such that the heater wire 5 is proximate, wire harness connection terminals 61, 62 are placed on the connection ends 51, 52 and fixed by joint parts 71, 72 made of a conductive joint material, and the joint parts 71, 72 are buried in the base body 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a radome for an in-vehicle radar device that is provided in front of the in-vehicle radar device, and more particularly to a radome for an in-vehicle radar device that has a snow-melting function and a method for manufacturing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, as a radome for an onboard radar device having a snow-melting function, a radome in which a heater wire is arranged to suppress a decrease in the transmission performance of millimeter waves has been known, and an example of such a radome is the radome disclosed in Patent Document 1.

[0003] This radome is composed of a resin front substrate and a resin rear substrate, a groove is formed on the surface of the front substrate, and a heater wire is fitted into this groove and wired so that the entire heater wire is housed in the groove. A transparent film is provided on the surface of the front substrate so as to cover the heater wire housed in the groove and is pressure-bonded to the front substrate, and by covering the heater wire with this transparent film, the weather resistance, corrosion resistance, and scratch resistance of the heater wire are improved (see Figure 6 and paragraphs

[0042] ,

[0044] to

[0046] of Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-139860 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Incidentally, another possible structure for wiring the heater wire along a groove formed in a resin substrate of a radome for an in-vehicle radar device and ensuring the weather resistance, corrosion resistance, and scratch resistance of the heater wire is to wire the heater wire along a groove formed in one of the resin substrates, laminate and fix the other resin substrate to the surface of the one resin substrate on which the heater wire is wired, and embed the heater wire between the one resin substrate and the other resin substrate.

[0006] When a radome having this structure is made, it is necessary to electrically connect the connection end of the heater wire wired in one resin base material to a wire harness connection terminal by joining it before fixing the other resin base material, and it is desirable that this radome has a structure that allows the connection end of the heater wire to be joined to the wire harness connection terminal easily and reliably.

[0007] The present invention has been proposed in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a radome for an on-vehicle radar device and a manufacturing method thereof, in which a radome structure is formed in which one resin base material is laminated and fixed to the surface of the other resin base material on the heater wire wiring side, and in which the connection end of the heater wire and the wire harness connection terminal can be joined easily and reliably and manufacturing costs can be reduced. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The radome for an on-vehicle radar device of the present invention includes a heater wire wired in a surface direction of an electromagnetic wave-transmitting base, the base being formed by stacking and fixing a first resin base material and a second resin base material, the heater wire wired along a groove is embedded between the first resin base material and the second resin base material, and at least one connection end of the heater wire is formed in a proximity wiring region where the heater wire is wired so as to be close to the first resin base material and the second resin base material, The electrical connection range was expanded by wiring the heater wires in close proximity. A wire harness connection terminal is placed on one connection end of the heater wire, and the one connection end of the heater wire and the wire harness connection terminal are fixed together with a joint made of a conductive bonding material, and the joint is embedded in the base. According to this, when the connection end of the heater wire wired on the first resin base material or the second resin base material is joined and electrically connected to the wire harness connection terminal before the second resin base material or the first resin base material is fixed, the wire harness connection terminal can be placed and joined in the adjacent wiring area where the heater wires are wired close to each other and the electrical connection range is expanded, thereby easily and reliably joining and electrically connecting the connection end of the heater wire to the wire harness connection terminal. Furthermore, since the connection end of the heater wire can be electrically joined to the wire harness connection terminal without using a separate member such as a metal plate to expand the electrical connection range of the heater wire, manufacturing costs can be reduced. Furthermore, since the wired heater wire, the connection end of the heater wire, and the wire harness connection terminal are sealed inside the base composed of the first resin base material and the second resin base material, waterproofness, weather resistance, corrosion resistance, and scratch resistance of the wired heater wire and the connection portion of the heater wire can be ensured.

[0009] The radome for an automotive radar device of the present invention is characterized in that one connection end and the other connection end of the heater wire are configured in a proximity wiring region in which the heater wires are wired close to each other, one wire harness connection terminal is placed on one connection end of the heater wire, another wire harness connection terminal is placed on the other connection end of the heater wire, one connection end of the heater wire and the one wire harness connection terminal are fixed to each other with a first joint made of a conductive bonding material, the other connection end of the heater wire and the other wire harness connection terminal are fixed to each other with a second joint made of a conductive bonding material, and the first joint and the second joint are embedded in the base. This allows easy and reliable joining of one connection end of the heater wire to one wire harness connection terminal and the other connection end of the heater wire to another wire harness connection terminal. Furthermore, since both connection ends of the heater wire can be electrically connected to the wire harness connection terminal, manufacturing costs can be further reduced. Furthermore, waterproofing, weather resistance, corrosion resistance, and scratch resistance can be ensured for the wired heater wire and the connection portion of both heater wires.

[0010] The radome for an on-vehicle radar device of the present invention is characterized in that the proximity wiring region is formed by closely wiring the heater wire in a meandering shape, or by closely wiring the heater wire in a spiral shape. Furthermore, the radome for an on-vehicle radar device of the present invention is characterized in that both the adjacent wiring region constituting one connection end of the heater wire and the adjacent wiring region constituting the other connection end of the heater wire are formed by closely wiring the heater wire in a meandering shape, or both the adjacent wiring region constituting one connection end of the heater wire and the adjacent wiring region constituting the other connection end of the heater wire are formed by closely wiring the heater wire in a spiral shape. This makes it possible to more reliably widen the electrical connection range of the adjacent wiring area, which is formed by wiring the heater wires close to each other, and to more reliably join and electrically connect the connection end of the heater wire to the wire harness connection terminal.

[0011] The radome for an on-vehicle radar device of the present invention is characterized in that a coating resin is formed so as to cover the joint, and the coating resin is embedded in the base. According to this, when the second resin base material or the first resin base material is formed by, for example, injection molding on the first resin base material or the second resin base material on which the heater wire is wired, the joint portion can be protected by the coating resin, and peeling or disconnection at the joint portion due to the resin pressure during injection molding can be prevented.

[0012] The method for manufacturing a radome for an on-vehicle radar device of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a radome for an on-vehicle radar device of the present invention, and includes a first step of forming grooves in a predetermined pattern on a surface of the first resin base material on which the second resin base material is laminated, thereby forming grooves adjacent to locations corresponding to the adjacent wiring regions; a second step of wiring a heater wire along the grooves, thereby forming one connection end and the other connection end of the heater wire constituted by the adjacent wiring regions where the heater wire is wired so as to be adjacent; and a second step of placing one wire harness connection terminal on one connection end of the heater wire, thereby connecting the one connection end and the one wire harness connection terminal. a third step of fixing the heater wire to a harness connecting terminal with a conductive adhesive material to form a first joint, placing another wire harness connecting terminal on the other connection end of the heater wire and fixing the other connection end to the other wire harness connecting terminal with a conductive adhesive material to form a second joint; and a fourth step of forming the second resin base material by injection molding and fixing it to the first resin base material, and embedding the heater wire, the one wire harness connecting terminal, the first joint, the other wire harness connecting terminal, and the second joint between the first resin base material and the second resin base material. According to this, grooves of a predetermined pattern are formed on the surface of the first resin base material, the grooves being adjacent to the locations corresponding to the adjacent wiring regions, and the heater wire is wired along these grooves, whereby one connection end and the other connection end of the heater wire configured in the adjacent wiring regions can be easily formed.

[0013] The manufacturing method of a radome for an automotive radar device of the present invention is characterized in that in the third step, the insulating coating of one connection end of the heater wire and the insulating coating of the other connection end are removed with a heated and molten conductive bonding material, and the one connection end is fixed to the one wire harness connection terminal and the other connection end is fixed to the other wire harness connection terminal with the cooled conductive bonding material. According to this, even when wiring is performed using an insulatingly coated heater wire, the insulating coating of the connection end of the heater wire can be removed with the molten conductive bonding material, and the connection end of the heater wire can be joined and electrically connected to the wire harness connection terminal without having to remove the insulating coating before wiring the heater wire. Therefore, the manufacturing process of the radome for the on-vehicle radar device can be made more efficient. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, in a radome for an automotive radar device in which one resin base material is laminated and fixed to the surface of the other resin base material on the heater wire wiring side, the connection end of the heater wire and the wire harness connection terminal can be joined easily and reliably, and manufacturing costs can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view of a radome for an on-vehicle radar device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged front view of FIG. [Figure 3] An enlarged view of the area surrounding the adjacent wiring region in Figure 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged front view showing the periphery of the first resin base material and the adjacent wiring region of the heater wire in the radome for the on-vehicle radar device according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a radome for an on-vehicle radar device according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] 5A to 5D are process explanatory diagrams illustrating a process of joining a connection end of a heater wire to a wire harness connection terminal in the radome for an in-vehicle radar device according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the first resin base material, the heater wire, the wire harness connection terminal, and the joint portion are arranged inside a mold in the radome for an automotive radar device according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] 10(a) to 10(c) are process explanatory views illustrating a process of joining a connection end of a heater wire to a wire harness connection terminal in a modified example using an insulation-coated heater wire. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are process explanatory views illustrating a manufacturing process of a modified example in which a joint portion where a connection end of a heater wire and a wiring harness connection terminal are joined is insulated. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged front view of a radome for an on-vehicle radar device having a proximity wiring region according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] [Radome for vehicle-mounted radar device according to embodiment] A radome 1 for an automotive radar device according to an embodiment of the present invention is used, for example, as a bumper cover attached to a vehicle bumper, and includes an electromagnetic wave-transmitting base 2 as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5. The base 2 is composed of, for example, a first resin base material 3 disposed on the side opposite to the viewing side and a second resin base material 4 disposed on the viewing side, i.e., in front of the first resin base material 3, and the first resin base material 3 and the second resin base material 4 are laminated and fixed together. If necessary, the second resin base material 4 may be disposed on the side opposite to the viewing side, and the first resin base material 3 may be disposed on the viewing side. The first resin base material 3 and the second resin base material 4 are each formed of an insulating, electromagnetic wave-transmitting synthetic resin.

[0017] The first resin base material 3 and the second resin base material 4 can be made of different or the same synthetic resin, and it is preferable from the viewpoint of improving electromagnetic wave transmission performance to form the first resin base material 3 and the second resin base material 4 from materials whose refractive indexes n, defined based on the complex dielectric constant, match each other or whose refractive indexes n are approximately the same or close to each other. As for the numerical range of close refractive indexes of the first resin base material 3 and the second resin base material 4, it is preferable for the difference in refractive index between the first resin base material 3 and the second resin base material 4 to be within a range of 0 to 10%.

[0018] Here, the refractive index n is a quantity defined by the real part of the relative dielectric constant εr' and the imaginary part of the relative dielectric constant εr" as in Equation 1. From the perspective of transparency, it is preferable that the magnitude of the dielectric loss tangent tanδ, defined by Equation 2 from the ratio of the imaginary part to the real part at the applicable frequency, be 0.1 or less. It is also preferable that the magnitude of the real part of the relative dielectric constant be 3 or less. By keeping the magnitudes of the dielectric loss tangent and the real part of the relative dielectric constant at these values ​​or less, it is possible to ensure the reduction of the reflectivity and internal loss required for the radome.

[0019]

number

[0020]

number

[0021] Any suitable synthetic resin can be used within the scope of the present invention for the synthetic resin of the first resin base material 3 and the synthetic resin of the second resin base material 4. For example, acrylic resins such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS), acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate copolymer (ASA), acrylonitrile-ethylenepropyl rubber-styrene copolymer (AES), polypropylene (PP), etc. can be used alone or in combination, and additives may be added. Foams may also be used for these synthetic resins. Furthermore, with regard to the thicknesses of the first resin base material 3 and the second resin base material 4 in the electromagnetic wave transmission direction, the ratio of the thickness of the first resin base material 3 to the thickness of the second resin base material 4, the thickness of the first base material resin 3, the thickness of the second resin base material 4, and the total thickness of the base 2 composed of the first resin base material 3 and the second resin base material 4 are appropriate within a range that can ensure the required electromagnetic wave transmission as a radome 1 for an automotive radar device.

[0022] In the radome 1 for an on-vehicle radar device, a heater wire 5 is wired in the surface direction of an electromagnetically transparent substrate 2. Any appropriate conductive material can be used for the heater wire 3 within the spirit and scope of the present invention, and preferable examples include copper, silver, silver-plated copper, copper-silver alloy, copper-nickel alloy, nickel-chromium alloy, iron-chromium alloy, transparent conductive film such as ITO film, and carbon fiber. Furthermore, the heater wire can be in any form, and wire rod, conductive ink, conductive filler, etc. can be used.

[0023] The heater wire 5 in the illustrated example is formed in a continuous line in the main part of the plate-shaped base 2, meandering and folding back along the direction in which the base 2 expands, and the straight portions of the heater wire 5 are arranged side by side at intervals along the surface direction of the base 2 in and outside the electromagnetic wave irradiation area R of the base 2 by the on-board radar device, and the directions of currents flowing in the straight portions of adjacent heater wires 5 are set to be approximately anti-parallel or anti-parallel to each other.

[0024] The heater wire 5 is embedded between the first resin base material 3 and the second resin base material 4, and is sandwiched between the first resin base material 3 and the second resin base material 4, and is embedded and sealed in the base 2 composed of the first resin base material 3 and the second resin base material 4. In this embodiment, a groove 31 is formed in the first resin base material 3 on the surface thereof that is bonded to the second resin base material 4, and another groove 41 is formed in the second resin base material 4 on the surface thereof that is bonded to the first resin base material 3 so as to face the groove 31. The heater wire 5 is fitted into the groove 31 in the first resin base material 3 and the other groove 41 in the second resin base material 4, and is routed along the groove 31 and the groove 41 (see FIG. 5 ). Note that the heater wire 5 may be routed only along the groove 31 in the first resin base material 3 or the groove 41 in the second resin base material 4, and a groove for routing the heater wire may not be formed in the second resin base material 4 or the first resin base material 3.

[0025] In the region of the base 2 other than the electromagnetic wave transmitting region R, i.e., in the region of the tab 21 that protrudes laterally in this embodiment, both ends of the heater wire 5 are extended to provide one connection end 51 and the other connection end 52 of the heater wire 5. The one connection end 51 and the other connection end 52 of the heater wire 5 each constitute a proximity wiring region 53 in which the heater wire 5 is wired so as to be adjacent to each other, and in this embodiment, the proximity wiring region 53 is formed by wiring the heater wire 5 in a meandering proximity manner. The heater wire 5 in the proximity wiring region 53 is also fitted into a groove 31 in the first resin base material 3 and another groove 41 in the second resin base material 4, and is wired along the groove 31 and the groove 41.

[0026] One wire harness connection terminal 61 is placed on one connection end 51 of the heater wire 5, and is arranged so that the one conductive connection end 51 of the heater wire 5 and the one wire harness connection terminal 61 come into contact with each other. The one connection end 51 of the heater wire 5 and the one wire harness connection terminal 61 are then fixed together at a first joint 71 made of a conductive bonding material, so that the one connection end 51 of the heater wire 5, the one wire harness connection terminal 61, and the first joint 71 are joined together uniformly, and the one conductive connection end 51 of the heater wire 5 and the one wire harness connection terminal 61 are electrically connected together. The conductive bonding material that forms the first joint 71 is preferably solder, brazing material, an electrically conductive adhesive (ECA), an anisotropic conductive paste (ACP), or the like.

[0027] The other wire harness connection terminal 62 is placed on the other connection end 52 of the heater wire 5, and is arranged so that the other conductive connection end 52 of the heater wire 5 and the other wire harness connection terminal 62 come into contact with each other. The other connection end 52 of the heater wire 5 and the other wire harness connection terminal 62 are then fixed together at a second joint 72 made of a conductive bonding material, so that the other connection end 52 of the heater wire 5, the other wire harness connection terminal 62, and the second joint 72 are joined together uniformly, and the other conductive connection end 52 of the heater wire 5 and the other wire harness connection terminal 62 are electrically connected together. The conductive bonding material that forms the second joint 72 is preferably solder, brazing material, an electrically conductive adhesive (ECA), an anisotropic conductive paste (ACP), or the like.

[0028] From the viewpoint of ensuring stable product quality and stable conductive connection between the connection ends 51, 52 of the heater wire 5 and the wire harness connection terminals 61, 62, in the adjacent wiring region 53 constituting one connection end 51 or the other connection end 52 of the heater wire 5, the line width of the adjacently wired heater wires 5 is preferably 0.03 mm to 3 mm, more preferably 0.03 mm to 0.5 mm, the spacing between the adjacently wired heater wires 5 is preferably 0 mm to 5 mm, or the spacing between the adjacently wired heater wires 5 is preferably equal to or less than the radius of the heater wire 5, and the surface occupation rate of the adjacently wired heater wires 5 is preferably 100% to 10%, more preferably 100% to 66%.

[0029] Furthermore, by increasing the wiring density by, for example, setting the surface occupancy rate of the heater wires 5 wired in close proximity as described above, it is possible to increase the stability of the conductive connection between the connection ends 51, 52 of the heater wires 5 and the wire harness connection terminals 61, 62, and at the same time, it is possible to prevent the first resin base material 3 (or the second resin base material 4) in which the heater wires 5 have already been wired in the grooves 31 from being damaged by heat when the joints 71, 72 are formed with the heated conductive bonding material.

[0030] A first joint 71, which fixes and electrically connects one connection end 51 of the heater wire 5 to one wire harness connection terminal 61, and a second joint 72, which fixes and electrically connects the other connection end 52 of the heater wire 5 to another wire harness connection terminal 62, are sandwiched between the first resin base material 3 and the second resin base material 4, and are embedded and sealed in a base 2 made up of the first resin base material 3 and the second resin base material 4, thereby constituting the radome 1 for an automotive radar device of this embodiment.

[0031] When manufacturing the radome 1 for an automotive radar device of this embodiment, grooves 31 are formed in a predetermined pattern on the surface of the first resin base material 3 on which the second resin base material 4 is laminated, and adjacent grooves 31 are formed in locations corresponding to the adjacent wiring regions 53 (see FIG. 6(a)). The grooves 31 are preferably formed simultaneously with the formation of the first resin base material 3, for example, by forming convex portions or ridges in shapes corresponding to the grooves 31 in a mold when forming the first resin base material 3 by injection molding, or they may also be preferably formed by cutting work or the like on one side of the first resin base material 3 that has already been formed by injection molding or the like.

[0032] Then, the heater wire 5 is wired in a predetermined pattern along the grooves 31 formed in the first resin base material 3, and the heater wire 5 is wired closely along the grooves 31 in the locations corresponding to the adjacent wiring regions 53, so that one connection end 51 and the other connection end 52 of the heater wire 5 are formed in the adjacent wiring regions 53 where the heater wires 5 are wired closely (see FIG. 6(b)). The heater wire 5 in this embodiment is fitted into the groove 31 so that a part of it protrudes outside the groove 31, and is fixed to the first resin base material 3 by, for example, welding or bonding.

[0033] Furthermore, one wire harness connection terminal 61 is placed on one connection end 51 of the heater wire 5, and the one connection end 51 and the one wire harness connection terminal 61 are fixed together with a conductive adhesive to form a first joint 71, thereby electrically connecting the one connection end 51 and the one wire harness connection terminal 61, and another wire harness connection terminal 62 is placed on the other connection end 52 of the heater wire 5, and the other connection end 52 and the other wire harness connection terminal 62 are fixed together with a conductive adhesive to form a second joint 72, thereby electrically connecting the other connection end 52 and the other wire harness connection terminal 62 (see FIGS. 6(c) and 6(d)).

[0034] 7, the first resin base material 3 to which the heater wire 5, the wire harness connection terminals 61, 62, and the joint portions 71, 72 are attached is placed inside a mold 100 made of a split mold. At this time, the wire harness connection portion 6 from which the wire harness connection terminals 61, 62 are drawn is led out of the mold 100 through a lead-out port 102 formed in a part of the mold 100.

[0035] Then, injection molding is performed by pouring molten resin MR into the mold 100 through the injection port 101 of the mold 100, and the second resin base material 4 is formed by injection molding on the side of the first resin base material 3 on which the joints 71 and 72 are formed, and the second resin base material 4 is fixed to the first resin base material 3. The interface of the second resin base material 4 laminated by injection molding is molded and welded to the first resin base material 3, heater wire 5, one connection end 51, one wire harness connection terminal 61, first joint 71, other connection end 52, other wire harness connection terminal 62, and second joint 72, and the heater wire 5, one connection end 51, one wire harness connection terminal 61, first joint 71, other connection end 52, other wire harness connection terminal 62, and second joint 72 are embedded between the first resin base material 3 and the second resin base material 4.

[0036] Furthermore, since the second resin base material 4 is formed so as to cover the portion of the heater wire 5 that protrudes outside the groove 31, the portion of the heater wire 5 that protrudes outside the groove 31 is molded and fixed to the second resin base material 4 by insert molding, and the heater wire 5 is fitted into another groove 41 of the second resin base material 4. Note that the second resin base material 4 is not limited to a configuration formed by injection molding, and may also be fixed to the first resin base material 3 by adhesion or the like, as necessary. After the second resin base material 4 is formed, the mold 100 is demolded to obtain the radome 1 for an automotive radar device of this embodiment.

[0037] According to this embodiment, when joining and electrically connecting the connection ends 51, 52 of the heater wire 5 wired on the first resin base material 3 (or the second resin base material 4) to the wire harness connection terminals 61, 62 before fixing the second resin base material 4 (or the first resin base material 3), the wire harness connection terminals 61, 62 can be placed and joined in the adjacent wiring region 53 where the heater wires 5 are wired close to each other and the electrical connection range is widened, so that the joining and electrical connection between the connection ends 51, 52 of the heater wire 5 and the wire harness connection terminals 61, 62 can be easily and reliably performed.

[0038] Furthermore, manufacturing costs can be reduced because the connection ends 51, 52 of the heater wire 5 and the wire harness connection terminals 61, 62 can be electrically connected and joined without using a separate member such as a metal plate for widening the electrical connection range of the heater wire 5. Furthermore, the wired heater wire 5, the connection ends 51, 52 of the heater wire 5, and the wire harness connection terminals 61, 62 are sealed inside the base 2 formed of the first resin base material 3 and the second resin base material 4, so that the wired heater wire 5 and the connection portions of the heater wire 5 can be ensured to have waterproof properties, weather resistance, corrosion resistance, and scratch resistance.

[0039] Furthermore, by forming the adjacent wiring region 53 by wiring the heater wire 5 in a meandering manner, the electrical connection range of the adjacent wiring region 53 can be more reliably widened, and the joining and electrical connection between the connection ends 51, 52 of the heater wire 5 and the wire harness connection terminals 61, 62 can be more reliably achieved.

[0040] Furthermore, when manufacturing the radome 1 for the automotive radar device of this embodiment, a groove 31 of a predetermined pattern is formed on the surface of the first resin base material 3, having grooves 51 adjacent to the locations corresponding to the adjacent wiring region 53, and the heater wire 5 is wired along this groove 31, thereby easily forming one connection end 51 and the other connection end 52 of the heater wire 5 configured in the adjacent wiring region 53.

[0041] [Scope of the invention disclosed herein] The inventions disclosed in this specification include, in addition to the individual inventions and embodiments listed as inventions, those specified by modifying partial contents of these with other contents disclosed in this specification, those specified by adding other contents disclosed in this specification to these contents, or those specified by deleting partial contents of these to the extent that partial effects can be obtained and creating a generic concept. The inventions disclosed in this specification also include the following modifications and additions.

[0042] For example, the heater wire wired in the radome for an on-vehicle radar device of the present invention is not limited to a heater wire that is not entirely insulatingly coated, and may be a heater wire that is insulatingly coated except for the portion that is electrically connected to the wire harness connection terminal. In this modification, as shown in Fig. 8, for example, the heater wire 5a that is insulatingly coated in a predetermined pattern is wired along the groove 31 formed in the first resin base material 3, and the heater wire 5a is closely wired along the groove 31 at a portion that corresponds to the adjacent wiring region 53, thereby forming one connection end 51i and the other connection end 52i that are insulatingly coated and configured by the adjacent wiring region 53 where the heater wire 5a is wired so as to be adjacent (see Fig. 8(a)).

[0043] 8(b) and 8(c), one wire harness connection terminal 61 is placed on one connection end 51i of the heater wire 5a in an insulating coating state, and the insulating coating of one connection end 51i is removed with a heated and molten conductive bonding material.The conductive bonding material, whose temperature has been reduced, fixes one connection end 51a, whose conductive material is exposed from the insulating coating, to one wire harness connection terminal 61 to form a first joint 71, and one connection end 51a and one wire harness connection terminal 61 are electrically connected. Further, another wire harness connection terminal 62 is placed on the other connection end 52i of the heater wire 5a in an insulating coating state, the insulating coating of the other connection end 52i is removed with a heated and molten conductive bonding material, and the other connection end 52a, where the conductive material is exposed from the insulating coating, and the other wire harness connection terminal 62 are fixed together with the cooled conductive bonding material to form a second joint 72, and the other connection end 52a and the other wire harness connection terminal 62 are electrically connected. Thereafter, the radome 1 for an on-vehicle radar device is obtained by performing, for example, the same manufacturing steps as those in the above embodiment.

[0044] By using the above manufacturing process in the modified example in which wiring is performed using the insulation-coated heater wire 5a, the insulation coating of the connection ends 51i, 52i of the heater wire 5a can be removed with a molten conductive bonding material, and the connection ends 51a, 52a of the heater wire 5a can be joined and electrically connected to the wire harness connection terminals 61, 62 without having to remove the insulation coating before wiring the heater wire 5a. Therefore, the manufacturing process of the radome 1 for an in-vehicle radar device in which the insulation-coated heater wire 5a is wired can be made more efficient.

[0045] 9, another preferred modification of the radome 1 for an on-vehicle radar device is a configuration in which a first coating resin 81b is formed to cover and protect a first joint 71 joining one connection end 51 of the heater wire 5 to one wire harness connection terminal 61, a second coating resin 82b is formed to cover and protect a second joint 72 joining the other connection end 52 of the heater wire 5 to another wire harness connection terminal 62, and the first coating resin 81b and the second coating resin 82b are embedded in the base 2. In this configuration, the joints 71 and 72 formed in the first resin base material 3 are coated with the first coating resin 81b and the second coating resin 82b, and then the second resin base material 4 is provided by injection molding or by fixing with an adhesive or the like.

[0046] According to the modified example using the coating resins 81b and 82b, when the second resin base material 4 (or the first resin base material 3) is formed by, for example, injection molding on the first resin base material 3 (or the second resin base material 4) on which the heater wire 5 is wired, the bonding points can be protected by the coating resins 81b and 82b, and peeling or disconnection at the bonding points due to the resin pressure during injection molding can be prevented.

[0047] As another modified example of the radome 1 for an on-vehicle radar device, instead of the configuration in which the proximity wiring region 53 of the above embodiment is formed by closely wiring the heater wire 5 in a meandering shape, it is also preferable to form a proximity wiring region 53c by closely wiring the heater wire 5 in a spiral shape, as shown in Fig. 10. In this modified example, one connection end 51c and the other connection end 52c of the heater wire 5, each configured in the spiral-shaped proximity wiring region 53c, are provided in the region of the tab 21 that is formed to protrude laterally, which is a region other than the electromagnetic wave transmission region R of the base 2.

[0048] In this modification, one connection end 51c of the heater wire 5 is fixed and electrically connected to one wire harness connection terminal 61 at a first joint 71, and the other connection end 52c of the heater wire 5 is fixed and electrically connected to another wire harness connection terminal 62 at a second joint 72. In the nearby wiring region 53c, the line width of the nearby heater wires 5, the spacing between the nearby heater wires 5, and the surface occupancy rate of the nearby heater wires 5 are preferably set similarly to those of the nearby wiring region 53 in the above embodiment. Note that the spiral shape of the nearby wiring region 53c may be a substantially rectangular spiral shape or a substantially triangular spiral shape other than a substantially circular spiral shape as a whole.

[0049] In addition, the adjacent wiring regions 53, 53c, etc. constituting the connection ends 51, 52, etc. in the radome 1 for an automotive radar device may be formed on the flat portions of the first resin base material 3 (or the second resin base material 4), or may be formed on the curved portions of the first resin base material 3 (or the second resin base material 4), and further, may be formed on the bent portions of the first resin base material 3 (or the second resin base material 4).

[0050] The radome for an on-vehicle radar device of the present invention also includes an appropriate configuration in which at least one connection end of the heater wire is configured in a proximity wiring region in which the heater wires are wired in proximity to each other, a wire harness connection terminal is placed on one connection end of the heater wire, and the one connection end of the heater wire and the wire harness connection terminal are fixed to each other at a joint made of a conductive adhesive, and also includes a configuration in which, for example, the other connection end of the heater wire is simply formed in a linear shape, the other connection end and another wire harness connection terminal are placed on a conductive metal plate, and the other connection end and another wire harness connection terminal are fixed to each other on the metal plate at a joint made of a conductive adhesive, thereby achieving a conductive connection.

[0051] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the conductive connection between the connection ends 51, 52 etc. of the heater wire 5 and the wire harness connection terminals 61, 62 is made in the area of ​​the tab 21 that is formed to protrude laterally when viewed from the front of the radome, but this configuration can also be installed in a required area other than the area of ​​the tab 21, other than the electromagnetic wave transmitting area R, for example, in the case of a radome that does not have the tab 21. [Industrial Applicability]

[0052] The present invention can be used in a radome for an on-vehicle radar device. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1...Radome for on-vehicle radar device 2...Base 21...Tab 3...First resin base material 31...Groove 4...Second resin base material 41...Groove 5, 5a...Heater wire 51, 51a, 51c...One connection end 52, 52a, 52c...Other connection end 53, 53c...Adjacent wiring area 51i, 52i...Insulatingly coated connection end 6...Wire harness connection portion 61...One wire harness connection terminal 62...Other wire harness connection terminal 71...First joint portion 72...Second joint portion 81b...First coating resin 82b...Second coating resin 100...Mold 101...Injection port 102...Outlet R...Electromagnetic wave irradiation area MR...Molten resin

Claims

1. a heater wire wired in the surface direction of an electromagnetic wave-transmitting substrate; the base body is constructed by laminating and fixing a first resin base material and a second resin base material, the heater wire is embedded between the first resin base material and the second resin base material so as to be wired along the groove, At least one connection end of the heater wire is configured as a proximity wiring region in which the heater wires are wired so as to be close to each other, a wire harness connection terminal is placed on one connection end of the heater wire, the electrical connection range of which is widened by the adjacent wiring of the heater wire; one connection end of the heater wire and the wire harness connection terminal are fixed to each other by a joint made of a conductive adhesive material, The joint is embedded in the base, and 10. A radome for an on-vehicle radar device, wherein the proximity wiring region is formed by closely wiring the heater wire in a meandering shape or by closely wiring the heater wire in a spiral shape.

2. one connection end and the other connection end of the heater wire are configured in a proximity wiring region in which the heater wires are wired so as to be adjacent to each other, One wire harness connection terminal is placed on one connection end of the heater wire, Another wire harness connection terminal is placed on the other connection end of the heater wire, one connection end of the heater wire and the one wire harness connection terminal are fixed to each other by a first joint made of a conductive joint material, the other connection end of the heater wire and the other wire harness connection terminal are fixed to each other by a second joint made of a conductive joint material, the first bonding portion and the second bonding portion are embedded in the base body, 2. The radome for an on-vehicle radar device according to claim 1, wherein the adjacent wiring region constituting one connection end of the heater wire and the adjacent wiring region constituting the other connection end of the heater wire are both formed by closely wiring the heater wire in a meandering shape, or the adjacent wiring region constituting one connection end of the heater wire and the adjacent wiring region constituting the other connection end of the heater wire are both formed by closely wiring the heater wire in a spiral shape.

3. A coating resin is formed to cover the joint, 3. The radome for an on-vehicle radar device according to claim 1, wherein the coating resin is embedded in the base.

4. A method for manufacturing a radome for an on-vehicle radar device according to claim 2, a first step of forming grooves in a predetermined pattern on a surface of the first resin base material on which the second resin base material is laminated, thereby forming grooves adjacent to locations corresponding to the adjacent wiring regions; a second step of wiring a heater wire along the groove to form one connection end and the other connection end of the heater wire, each of which is configured as a neighboring wiring region where the heater wires are wired so as to be adjacent to each other; a third step of placing one wire harness connection terminal on one connection end of the heater wire and fixing the one connection end and the one wire harness connection terminal with a conductive bonding material to form a first joint, and placing another wire harness connection terminal on the other connection end of the heater wire and fixing the other connection end and the other wire harness connection terminal with a conductive bonding material to form a second joint; a fourth step of forming the second resin base material by injection molding and fixing it to the first resin base material, and embedding the heater wire, the one wire harness connection terminal, the first joint portion, the other wire harness connection terminal, and the second joint portion between the first resin base material and the second resin base material.

5. 5. The method for manufacturing a radome for an on-vehicle radar device according to claim 4, wherein in the third step, an insulating coating at one connection end of the heater wire and an insulating coating at the other connection end are removed with a heated and molten conductive bonding material, and the one connection end and the one wire harness connection terminal are fixed together with the conductive bonding material whose temperature has been reduced, and the other connection end and the other wire harness connection terminal are fixed together with the conductive bonding material whose temperature has been reduced.

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