Sensor Device

Abstract

To improve protection performance for an electrode plate, while suppressing degradation in detection accuracy.SOLUTION: In a sensor device 10, an electrode body part 41 of an electrode plate 40 is adjacent to a left wall 20B of a case 20, and a circuit board 30 is connected to a first connection part 42 and a second connection part 43 which extend from the electrode body part 41 to the right side. The electrode body part 41 has a spring part 44 formed integrally therewith. The spring part 44 is supported by a spring support part 25 of the case 20 while being elastically deformed to the left side so that it biases the electrode body part 41 to the left side. In addition, a potting material 50 is filled inside a housing part 20E of the case 20. Thus, the circuit board 30 and the electrode plate 40 can be fixed, while covering them with the potting material 50. Also, the potting material 50 can be filled inside the housing part 20E of the case 20, while keeping the electrode body part 41 brought into close contact with the left wall 20B of the case 20 by biasing force of the spring part 44.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a sensor device. [Background technology]

[0002] The vehicle door handle device described in Patent Document 1 below is configured to include a base portion, a cover portion, and an electronic circuit device (sensor device). This electronic circuit device has a frame, an electronic circuit board assembled to the frame, and an unlock sensor (electrode plate) connected to the electronic circuit board, and the unlock sensor includes a main body portion and a leaf spring extending from the main body portion. In the vehicle door handle device, the electronic circuit device is assembled to the base portion, and the cover portion is assembled to the base portion, so that the electronic circuit device is sandwiched between the base portion and the cover portion. Furthermore, when the electronic circuit device is sandwiched between the base portion and the cover portion, the cover portion presses the leaf spring, and the biasing force of the leaf spring presses the main body portion of the unlock sensor against the base portion. This fixes the unlock sensor to the base portion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-204233 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the electronic circuit device in the vehicle door handle device of Patent Document 1 has room for improvement in the following respects: In the electronic circuit device, when the electronic circuit device is in a standalone state (before being assembled to the base and cover), almost the entire unlock sensor is exposed to the outside of the frame. Therefore, when the electronic circuit device is in a standalone state, the protection performance for the unlock sensor may be reduced.

[0005] Here, for example, by applying a sealing material such as a potting material to the unlock sensor, the protection performance of the unlock sensor can be improved. However, if a sealing material is applied to the unlock sensor, for example, the sealing material is interposed between the unlock sensor and the cover part, which increases the distance between the unlock sensor and the detection target part, and there is a risk that the detection accuracy of the unlock sensor will decrease. Furthermore, for example, there is a risk that the detection accuracy of the unlock sensor will decrease due to air contained in the sealing material.

[0006] In consideration of the above, the present invention provides a sensor device that can improve the protection performance for the electrode plate while suppressing a decrease in detection accuracy. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One or more embodiments of the present invention include a hollow case formed in a long, flat shape with a first direction as its thickness direction and extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and having an opening that is open to one side in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions; an electrode plate housed in the case and having a main body portion disposed adjacent to a side wall of the case on one side in the first direction, with the first direction as its plate thickness direction, and a connection portion extending from the main body portion to the other side in the first direction; and an electrode plate disposed with the first direction as its plate thickness direction, connected to the connection portion, and housed in the case together with the electrode plate, a circuit board accommodated in a floating state inside the case; a support portion formed integrally with the case and arranged between the main body portion and the circuit board; a spring portion formed integrally with the main body portion, extending from the main body portion to the other side in the first direction and configured to be elastically deformable in the first direction, pressed against the support portion to elastically deform to one side in the first direction, thereby urging the main body portion to one side in the first direction and holding the electrode plate and the circuit board within the case; and a sealing material filled inside the case and sealing the opening. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to improve the protection performance for the electrode plate while suppressing a decrease in detection accuracy. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the sensor device according to the embodiment, as viewed from the left rear side. [Figure 2] 2A is a side view of the sensor device shown in FIG. 1 as seen from the left side, and FIG. 2B is a bottom view of the sensor device shown in FIG. 1 as seen from the bottom side. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the sensor device of FIG. 2(B) from below, showing a state in which the potting material has been removed. [Figure 4] 4 is a perspective view of the sensor device shown in FIG. 3, seen obliquely from below and obliquely from the front. [Figure 5] 5 is a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 3) showing the inside of the sensor device shown in FIG. 3 as seen from the rear side. [Figure 6] 4 is a side view seen from the left side showing the connection state between the electrode plate and the circuit board shown in FIG. 3. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The sensor device 10 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the arrows UP, FR, and LH shown as appropriate in the drawings indicate the upper side, front side, and left side (one side in the width direction) of the sensor device 10, respectively. In the following description, when the up-down, front-rear, and left-right directions are used, they refer to the up-down direction, front-rear direction, and left-right direction of the sensor device 10 unless otherwise specified. The left-right direction (width direction) corresponds to the first direction of the present invention, the front-rear direction corresponds to the second direction of the present invention, and the up-down direction corresponds to the third direction of the present invention.

[0011] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the sensor device 10 is formed in a generally long and flat shape that extends in the front-to-rear direction overall and has a thickness in the left-to-right direction, and is housed inside the outer door handle (not shown) of a vehicle. The sensor device 10 is configured as a capacitance-type proximity sensor and detects the proximity of an occupant's hand to the outer door handle. The sensor device 10 includes a case 20, a circuit board 30 (see Figure 3), an electrode plate 40 (see Figure 3), and a potting material 50 (see the hatched portion in Figure 2(B)) that serves as a sealing material.

[0012] (About Case 20) As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the case 20 forms the outer shell of the sensor device 10. The case 20 is formed in a generally long, flat shape extending in the front-rear direction and with a thickness in the left-right direction, and is hollow with an opening 20A that opens downward. When viewed from the top-bottom direction, the case 20 is slightly inclined to the right as it approaches the rear. A left wall 20B of the case 20 is configured as a detection unit, and the sensor device 10 detects the proximity of an occupant's hand to the left wall 20B when attempting to grip the outer handle. A cutout 20C is formed in the lower part of the front wall of the case 20 at a central portion in the left-right direction, penetrating in the front-rear direction. The cutout 20C extends in the up-down direction, and the lower end of the cutout 20C is open downward.

[0013] An attachment piece 21 is integrally formed on the front wall of the case 20 to the right of the cutout 20C. The attachment piece 21 is formed in a generally rectangular plate shape with the plate thickness direction in the left-right direction, and extends forward from the front wall of the case 20. A hook portion 21A is integrally formed on the lower end of the attachment piece 21. When viewed from the front, the hook portion 21A is formed in a generally inverted L-shape, and protrudes to the left from the attachment piece 21.

[0014] A partition wall 22 is formed at the front end portion of the case 20, dividing the interior of the case 20 in the front-rear direction. The partition wall 22 extends downward from the top wall of the case 20, with the front-rear direction being the plate thickness direction, and connects the left wall 20B and the right wall 20D of the case 20. A pair of left and right wiring insertion portions 22A are formed at the lower end portion of the partition wall 22, and the wiring insertion portions 22A are formed in the shape of grooves that are open downward. The portion of the case 20 behind the partition wall 22 is configured as an accommodation portion 20E that accommodates a circuit board 30 and an electrode plate 40, which will be described later.

[0015] A wiring rib 23 is provided at the front end of the accommodation section 20E. The wiring rib 23 protrudes to the right from the left wall 20B of the case 20 and extends in the up-down direction with the thickness direction being the front-to-rear direction. The wiring rib 23 is disposed to the left of and spaced apart from the right wall 20D.

[0016] The left end of the housing 20E is provided with a pair of front and rear electrode holders 24 for holding an electrode plate 40 (described later). The electrode holders 24 are formed in a generally columnar shape extending in the vertical direction and protruding to the right from the left wall 20B of the case 20. The front electrode holder 24 is disposed adjacent to the rear side of the wiring rib 23, and the rear electrode holder 24 is disposed adjacent to the front side of the rear wall of the case 20 and connected to the rear wall. Each of the pair of electrode holders 24 has a holding slit 24A formed therein as a holding groove that opens inward in the longitudinal direction. The holding slit 24A extends in the vertical direction along the longitudinal direction of the electrode holder 24, and the lower end of the holding slit 24A is open downward. The holding slit 24A is disposed adjacent to the right side of the left wall 20B, and the width of the holding slit 24A is set slightly larger than the thickness of the electrode plate 40 (described later).

[0017] In the accommodation section 20E, a spring support section 25 is provided as a support section between the pair of electrode holding sections 24. The spring support section 25 is formed in a columnar shape extending in the vertical direction, and extends downward from the upper wall of the case 20. The spring support section 25 is spaced to the right of the left wall 20B of the case 20, and is formed in a recessed shape that is open to the right when viewed in the longitudinal direction.

[0018] (Regarding the circuit board 30) As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6 , the circuit board 30 is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape with its thickness extending in the left-right direction and its length extending in the front-rear direction. The circuit board 30 is accommodated in the accommodation section 20E together with an electrode plate 40 (described later). Specifically, the circuit board 30 is disposed between a pair of electrode holders 24 in the front-rear direction and is disposed in the left-right central portion of the accommodation section 20E. The circuit board 30 is connected to the electrode plate 40 (described later), and the electrode plate 40 is attached to the case 20, thereby maintaining the circuit board 30 accommodated in the case 20. The circuit board 30 is provided with a pair of wires 31, which electrically connect the circuit board 30 to a vehicle control unit (not shown). Specifically, one end of the wires 31 is connected to the left surface of the front end of the circuit board 30 and extends forward from the circuit board 30. The wiring 31 extending from the circuit board 30 is routed between the wiring rib 23 and the right wall 20D of the case 20, passes through the wiring insertion portion 22A, and extends forward from the notch 20C of the case 20. The wiring 31 extending forward from the notch 20C is clamped by the hook portion 21A.

[0019] (Regarding the electrode plate 40) The electrode plate 40 has an electrode main body 41 as a main body. The electrode main body 41 is formed in a generally rectangular plate shape with the plate thickness direction in the left-right direction and the longitudinal direction in the front-rear direction, and is housed in the left end of the housing portion 20E in the case 20. Specifically, the electrode main body 41 is disposed adjacent to the inner circumferential surface of the left wall 20B of the case 20. The front and rear end portions of the electrode main body 41 are inserted from below into holding slits 24A in the electrode holding portion 24 of the case 20, and the front and rear end portions of the electrode main body 41 are held by the electrode holding portion 24.

[0020] A first connection portion 42 is formed as a connection portion bent to the right at a vertically intermediate portion of the front end portion of the electrode main body 41, and the tip portion of the first connection portion 42 is connected to the front end portion of the circuit board 30 by soldering or the like. A second connection portion 43 is formed as a connection portion bent to the right at the upper end portion of the rear end portion of the electrode main body 41. A longitudinally intermediate portion of the second connection portion 43 is bent rearward, and the tip portion of the second connection portion 43 is connected to the front end portion of the circuit board 30 by soldering or the like, similar to the first connection portion 42. In this way, the electrode main body 41 is electrically connected to the circuit board 30.

[0021] A spring portion 44 is integrally formed in the middle of the electrode main body 41 in the front-rear direction, and is disposed at a position corresponding to the spring support portion 25 of the case 20. Specifically, a slit portion 45 (see FIG. 6) for forming the spring portion 44 is formed through the electrode main body 41 at a position corresponding to the spring support portion 25. The slit portion 45 is formed in a generally U-shape that opens upward when viewed in the thickness direction of the electrode main body 41. The inner portion of the slit portion 45 constitutes the spring portion 44, which is formed in a generally elongated plate shape extending in the up-down direction, and the upper end of the spring portion 44 is connected to the electrode main body 41. The upper end of the spring portion 44 is bent to the right, and the spring portion 44 inclines to the right as it moves downward when viewed in the front-rear direction. The spring portion 44 is configured to be elastically deformable in the left-right direction, starting from the upper end of the spring portion 44. That is, the spring portion 44 is configured as a so-called leaf spring.

[0022] The tip (lower end) of the spring portion 44 abuts against the spring support portion 25 of the case 20 and is supported by the spring support portion 25. Specifically, the spring portion 44 is pressed leftward by the spring support portion 25 and elastically deforms leftward. As a result, the spring portion 44 biases the electrode main body 41 leftward, causing the electrode main body 41 to come into close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the left wall 20B of the case 20. Furthermore, the biasing force of the spring portion 44 maintains the circuit board 30 and the electrode plate 40 housed in the case 20. In other words, the electrode main body 41 is in close contact with the left wall 20B of the case 20, and the circuit board 30 is housed in the case 20 in a floating state.

[0023] (About Potting Material 50) 2(B), the potting material 50 is filled into the accommodation portion 20E of the case 20, and the potting material 50 covers the entire outer periphery of the circuit board 30 and also covers the electrode plate 40 except for the portion that abuts against the left wall 20B of the case 20. The potting material 50 is made of a resin material such as urethane or epoxy. Liquid potting material 50 is filled into the accommodation portion 20E so as to completely fill the circuit board 30 and the electrode plate 40, and the potting material 50 is cured, thereby covering the entire outer periphery of the circuit board 30 and also covering the portion of the electrode plate 40 except for the portion that abuts against the left wall 20B of the case 20. As a result, the electrode main body 41 is fixed to the case 20 in a state of close contact with the inner periphery of the left wall 20B of the case 20, and the circuit board 30 is fixed in a floating state within the case 20.

[0024] (Action and effect) Next, the assembly procedure of the sensor device 10 will be explained, and the operation and effect of this embodiment will be explained.

[0025] When assembling the sensor device 10, first, the first connection portion 42 and the second connection portion 43 of the electrode plate 40 are soldered to the circuit board 30 to form a unit with the circuit board 30 and the electrode plate 40. Next, the unitized circuit board 30 and electrode plate 40 are housed in the housing portion 20E of the case 20 and assembled to the case 20. Specifically, the electrode plate 40 is inserted into the housing portion 20E through the opening 20A of the case 20, and the front and rear ends of the electrode plate 40 are inserted from below into the holding slits 24A of the electrode holding portion 24 of the case 20. As a result, the electrode plate 40 is positioned adjacent to the right side of the left wall 20B of the case 20.

[0026] When the electrode plate 40 is further moved upward, the spring portion 44 of the electrode plate 40 abuts against the tip of the spring support portion 25 of the case 20 and is pressed to the left by the spring support portion 25. This causes the spring portion 44 to elastically deform to the left, urging the electrode main body portion 41 to the left. Then, by moving the electrode plate 40 to the normal housing position, the circuit board 30 and the electrode plate 40 are housed in the case 20. That is, the spring portion 44 is supported by the spring support portion 25 in an elastically deformed state, and the electrode plate 40 is assembled to the case 20. Note that in this state, the circuit board 30 is not held by the case 20, but is housed in a floating state within the case 20 by the first connection portion 42 and the second connection portion 43 of the connected electrode plate 40. After the circuit board 30 is accommodated in the accommodation portion 20E, the wiring 31 is disposed between the wiring rib 23 and the right wall 20D of the case 20 and is inserted into the wiring insertion portion 22A. Then, the wiring 31 is extended forward from the case 20.

[0027] After the circuit board 30 and the electrode plate 40 are accommodated in the case 20, a liquid potting material 50 is filled into the accommodation portion 20E from the opening 20A of the case 20, and the potting material 50 covers the entire outer periphery of the circuit board 30 and also covers the electrode plate 40 except for the portion that abuts against the left wall 20B of the case 20. After the potting material 50 is filled into the accommodation portion 20E, the potting material 50 is hardened, whereby the circuit board 30 and the electrode plate 40 are fixed to the case 20 and the opening 20A of the case 20 is sealed with the potting material 50.

[0028] As described above, in the sensor device 10, the electrode main body 41 of the electrode plate 40 is disposed adjacent to the left wall 20B of the case 20, and the circuit board 30 is connected to the first connection portion 42 and the second connection portion 43 extending to the right from the electrode main body 41. The electrode main body 41 is integrally formed with a spring portion 44, which is supported by the spring support portion 25 of the case 20 in a state where it is elastically deformed to the left, thereby biasing the electrode main body 41 to the left and holding the circuit board 30 and the electrode plate 40 within the case 20. This determines the positions of the circuit board 30 and the electrode plate 40 within the accommodation portion 20E of the case 20. The accommodation portion 20E of the case 20 is then filled with a potting material 50, and the opening 20A of the accommodation portion 20E is sealed with the potting material 50. Thus, the circuit board 30 and the electrode plate 40 accommodated within the case 20 can be fixed while being covered with the potting material 50. Therefore, the protection performance for the circuit board 30 and the electrode plate 40 can be improved.

[0029] Furthermore, as the spring portion 44 of the electrode plate 40 elastically deforms, the biasing force of the spring portion 44 can press the electrode main body 41 against the left wall 20B of the case 20 to bring it into close contact. This allows the potting material 50 to be filled into the accommodation portion 20E of the case 20 while maintaining a state in which the electrode main body 41 is in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the left wall 20B of the case 20, which is the detection portion. Therefore, even if the case 20 is structured so that the potting material 50 is filled, a decrease in the detection accuracy of the sensor device 10 can be suppressed.

[0030] That is, if the spring portion 44 were omitted from the electrode main body 41 and the electrode plate 40 were held in the case 20 only by the electrode holding portion 24 of the case 20, the electrode main body 41 would not be biased toward the left wall 20B of the case 20, and therefore the potting material 50 could enter between the electrode main body 41 and the left wall 20B of the case 20 when the potting material 50 is filled into the case 20. In this case, there is a risk that the detection accuracy of the electrode main body 41 will be reduced due to the potting material 50 being present between the potting material 50 and the electrode main body 41, air bubbles in the potting material 50, air remaining when the potting material 50 does not spread thoroughly, etc.

[0031] In contrast, in the present embodiment, as described above, the biasing force of the spring portion 44 presses the electrode main body 41 against the left wall 20B of the case 20, allowing it to be tightly attached to the inner circumferential surface of the left wall 20B of the case 20, which is the detection portion. This prevents the potting material 50 from penetrating between the electrode main body 41 and the left wall 20B of the case 20, or prevents air from remaining in the case 20 due to insufficient potting material 50. Therefore, as described above, the potting material 50 can be filled into the case 20 housing the circuit board 30 and the electrode plate 40 while maintaining the electrode main body 41 in tight attachment to the left wall 20B of the case 20, and the filled potting material 50 can cover the circuit board 30 and the electrode plate 40. As described above, the sensor device 10 of the present embodiment can improve protection for the circuit board 30 and the electrode plate 40 while preventing a decrease in detection accuracy.

[0032] Furthermore, as described above, by accommodating the circuit board 30 and electrode plate 40 in a unit state in the accommodation portion 20E of the case 20 and elastically deforming the spring portion 44 of the electrode plate 40, the biasing force of the spring portion 44 presses the electrode main body 41 against the left wall 20B of the case 20, thereby holding the electrode plate 40 and the circuit board 30 within the case 20. That is, by inserting the spring portion 44 of the electrode plate 40 between the left wall 20B of the case 20 and the spring support portion 25, the spring portion 44 is elastically deformed, thereby holding the electrode plate 40 and the circuit board 30 within the case 20. This improves the ease of assembly of the sensor device 10.

[0033] Furthermore, as described above, when the electrode plate 40 is assembled to the case 20, the circuit board 30 connected to the electrode plate 40 is accommodated in the accommodation portion 20E of the case 20 in a floating state. Therefore, by filling the accommodation portion 20E of the case 20 with the potting material 50, the circuit board 30 can be fixed to the case 20 while being covered all around with the potting material 50. This effectively improves the protection performance for the circuit board 30. Furthermore, because the circuit board 30 is automatically accommodated in the case 20 by assembling the electrode plate 40 to the case 20, the number of steps required to assemble the circuit board 30 to the case 20 can be reduced. This further improves the ease of assembly of the sensor device 10.

[0034] The spring portion 44 is formed integrally with the electrode main body 41 and is inclined downward toward the right when viewed from the front-to-rear direction. This allows the electrode main body 41 to be biased toward the left with a simple structure.

[0035] The case 20 is also provided with a pair of front and rear electrode holders 24, each having a holder slit 24A into which the front and rear ends of the electrode main body 41 are inserted. This allows the electrode holders 24 to hold the front and rear ends of the electrode plate 40, and also determines the position of the electrode plate 40 in the front-to-rear direction. This allows the electrode plate 40 to be well-maintained in the case 20, and also improves the ease of assembling the electrode plate 40 to the case 20. [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] 10 Sensor device 20 cases 24 Electrode holding part (holding part) 24A Retaining slit (retaining groove) 25 Spring support part (support part) 30 Circuit Board 40 Electrode plate 41 Electrode body (body) 42 First connection part (connection part) 43 Second connection part (connection part) 44 Spring part 50 Potting material (sealing material)

Claims

1. a hollow case formed in a long, flat shape with a first direction as its thickness direction and extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the hollow case having an opening that is open to one side in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions; an electrode plate that is housed in the case and has a main body portion that is disposed adjacent to a side wall of the case on one side in the first direction, with the first direction being a plate thickness direction, and a connection portion that extends from the main body portion to the other side in the first direction; a circuit board disposed with the first direction as its thickness direction, connected to the connection portion, and housed in the case together with the electrode plate, and housed in a floating state inside the case; a support portion formed integrally with the case and disposed between the main body portion and the circuit board; a spring portion that is integrally formed with the main body portion, extends from the main body portion toward the other side in the first direction, is configured to be elastically deformable in the first direction, is pressed by the support portion to elastically deform toward one side in the first direction, and urges the main body portion toward one side in the first direction while holding the electrode plate and the circuit board within the case; a sealant that fills the inside of the case and seals the opening; A sensor device comprising:

2. The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the spring portion is inclined toward one side in the third direction as it approaches the other side in the first direction, when viewed from the second direction.

3. the case is provided with a pair of holding portions that hold both end portions of the electrode plate in the second direction, 3. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the holding portion is formed with holding grooves into which both end portions of the electrode plate in the second direction are inserted.

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