Detector mounting structure

Abstract

To provide the fitting structure of a detector with which it is possible to attach a detector to an auxiliary machinery without impairing the maintainability of the auxiliary machinery.SOLUTION: Provided is a fitting structure 10 for a detector 20 that detects the lateral state of a vehicle. The fitting structure 10 comprises: a fitting member 11 which is supported to a frame 30 of the vehicle and shaped so as to extend from the frame 30 to the outside in the vehicle width direction, on which an auxiliary machinery is mounted; and a panel unit 12 which is disposed at an edge 11A of the fitting structure 11 that is located to the outside in the vehicle width direction and openably / closably coupled to the fitting structure 11 via a hinge 13, and to which a detector 20 is attached via a bracket 21. The panel unit 12 is movable to a closed state in which it at least in part overlaps an auxiliary machinery 40 as seen from outside in the vehicle width direction and an open state in which it does not overlap the auxiliary machinery 40 as seen from outside in the vehicle width direction, with the detector 20 located at a position in the closed state, where the lateral state of the vehicle is detectable.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a mounting structure for mounting a detector on the side of a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, technologies to improve safety have been used that use sensors (detectors) installed on the sides of a vehicle to detect other vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, etc. that are present on the side of the vehicle, and then issue a warning to the driver or automatically apply the brakes. In this case, the sensors are generally placed on the sides of the vehicle so that they can detect the sides of the vehicle. For example, Patent Document 1 describes incorporating radar devices (sensors) into the left and right side mirrors, fender body, or rear bumper of a vehicle in order to detect obstacles on the left and right rear sides of the vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-2954 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in vehicles such as trucks, various components such as accessories are mounted on the sides of the vehicle, and the layout for arranging sensors on the sides of the vehicle may be limited. Therefore, as a way to place a sensor on the side of a vehicle without being restricted by layout restrictions, it is possible to attach the sensor to an accessory mounted on the side of the vehicle. In this case, for example, when removing the accessory for maintenance or inspection, the sensor must be removed before removing the accessory. This may impair the maintainability of the accessory.

[0005] The present invention was devised in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and one of its objectives is to provide a detector mounting structure that allows a detector to be mounted to an auxiliary device without impairing the maintainability of the auxiliary device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve at least part of the above problems, and can be realized as the following aspects or application examples. (1) A mounting structure according to an application example is a mounting structure for a detector that detects a condition of a side of a vehicle. The mounting structure includes: a mounting member that is supported by a frame of the vehicle, extends outward in a vehicle width direction from the frame, and mounts an accessory; and a panel portion that is disposed at an end of the mounting member that is located outward in the vehicle width direction and is connected to the mounting member via an opening / closing mechanism so as to be freely opened and closed, and to which the detector is attached directly or indirectly via a bracket. The panel portion is movable between a closed state in which at least a portion of the panel portion overlaps the accessory when viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction, and an open state in which the panel portion does not overlap the accessory when viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction. In the closed state, the detector is positioned so as to be able to detect the condition of the side of the vehicle.

[0007] According to the detector mounting structure of the application example, when the panel portion is in a closed state where at least a portion of the panel portion overlaps the auxiliary equipment when viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction, the detector is positioned at a position where it can detect the state of the side of the vehicle. In this state, the detector is positioned outside the auxiliary equipment in the vehicle width direction. On the other hand, when the panel portion is in an open state where it does not overlap the auxiliary equipment when viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction, the auxiliary equipment mounted on the mounting member can be accessed from the outside in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, by simply opening the panel portion from the closed state to the open state, the accessory can be removed from the mounting member. Therefore, according to the detector mounting structure of the application example, in a structure in which the detector is mounted on the outer side of the accessory in the vehicle width direction, when removing the accessory for maintenance or inspection, for example, the accessory can be removed without removing the detector. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the detector mounting structure of the application example, the detector can be mounted on the panel portion of the mounting member on which the auxiliary equipment is mounted without impairing the maintainability of the auxiliary equipment. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is an explanatory diagram of a detector mounting structure according to an application example of the present embodiment, viewed from the rear of the vehicle. FIG. [Figure 2] 2 is an explanatory diagram of the detector mounting structure of FIG. 1 as viewed from above the vehicle. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The following description of the detector mounting structure according to the application examples of the present invention will be given with reference to the drawings. The application examples are merely illustrative and are not intended to exclude various modifications or technical applications not explicitly stated in the application examples. The configurations of the application examples can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the configurations of the application examples can be selected as needed, or can be appropriately combined with various configurations included in known technologies.

[0011] In the figure, the X direction corresponds to the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, the Y direction corresponds to the width direction of the vehicle, and the Z direction corresponds to the up-to-down direction of the vehicle. In the front-to-rear direction, the forward direction of the vehicle is defined as "front," and "rear" is the opposite direction. The width direction corresponds to the left-to-right direction. The left-to-right direction is defined based on the front. In addition, in this specification, "side" corresponds to one side or the other side of the vehicle in the width direction.

[0012] [1. Configuration] Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a detector mounting structure 10 (hereinafter referred to as "mounting structure 10") according to an embodiment, viewed from the rear of a vehicle, and Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the mounting structure 10 of Fig. 1, viewed from above the vehicle. Note that Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 illustrate the mounting structure 10 in an exaggerated and simplified form. The mounting structure 10 is provided for mounting a sensor 20 (detector) (not shown) on the side of the vehicle for detecting the side of the vehicle. The sensor 20 is a detector disposed on the side of the vehicle and used in a system (blind spot assist, BSA) that monitors the conditions on the side of the vehicle. This system can detect other vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, etc. that are present on the side of the vehicle and output an alarm to the driver of the vehicle or automatically apply the brakes. Specific examples of the sensor 20 include well-known detectors that can detect the situation on the side of the vehicle, such as a millimeter wave radar device or a camera.

[0013] An example of a vehicle on which the mounting structure 10 is mounted is a truck. In this embodiment, a configuration is illustrated in which the mounting structure 10 is attached to a side frame 30 on the left side (one side in the width direction) of the vehicle. The side frames 30 are a pair of left and right skeletal members extending in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, and are formed, for example, with a U-shaped cross section.

[0014] The mounting structure 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is provided with a mounting member 11 for mounting a vehicle accessory 40 (shown by a dashed line in Figure 1) and a bracket 21 for attaching a sensor 20 to this accessory 40. The auxiliary device 40 is one of the auxiliary devices mounted on the vehicle and arranged on the side of the vehicle. An example of the auxiliary device 40 is a cubic 12V low-voltage battery (auxiliary device battery).

[0015] The mounting member 11 is attached to the side frame 30. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the mounting member 11 has a shape that extends outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the side frame 30, and supports the accessory 40 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction relative to the side frame 30. The accessory 40 is positioned to the left (lateral side) of the vehicle relative to the side frame 30 by the mounting member 11. The mounting member 11 is formed in a shape that allows the mounting of the accessory 40. The mounting member 11 in FIGS. 1 and 2 is shaped to mount the accessory 40 (the accessory MachineThe battery box is configured as a case that covers three sides of the battery: the bottom and the front and rear sides.

[0016] A panel portion 12 is disposed on an end surface (end portion) 11A located on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the mounting member 11. The panel portion 12 is a mounting surface portion for mounting a bracket 21 for the sensor 20 to the mounting member 11. The panel portion 12 is connected to the mounting member 11 via a hinge portion 13 so as to be able to open and close freely.

[0017] The panel portion 12 of this embodiment rises from a lower edge 11B on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the mounting member 11, and forms a surface portion that extends in the front-rear and up-down directions of the vehicle. 1 and 2 is formed as a surface portion that covers the entire outer end surface 11A of the mounting member 11 in the vehicle width direction, and overlaps the auxiliary equipment 40 when viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction. This panel portion 12 also functions as a lid member that covers the auxiliary equipment 40 from the outside in the vehicle width direction.

[0018] The hinge portion 13 is an opening / closing mechanism that supports the panel portion 12 so that it can be opened and closed freely relative to the mounting member 11. In this embodiment, the hinge portion 13 connects a lower edge 11B on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the mounting member 11 to a lower edge 12A of the panel portion 12. The rotation axis of this hinge portion 13 extends in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle. The panel section 12 is attached so as to be able to open and close (rotate) freely in both the width direction and the up-down direction around the hinge section 13. By rotating around the hinge section 13, the panel section 12 can move between a closed state shown by the solid lines in Fig. 1 and an open state shown by the imaginary lines in Fig. 1.

[0019] The bracket 21 is attached to a surface of the panel portion 12 facing outward in the vehicle width direction. Specifically, the bracket 21 is attached to the panel portion 12 using, for example, bolts and nuts, and has a shape that extends outward in the vehicle width direction from the panel portion 12. The sensor 20 is attached to the outer tip of the bracket 21 in the vehicle width direction. Since the panel portion 12 is disposed on the outer side of the auxiliary equipment 40 in the vehicle width direction as described above, it can be said that the sensor 20 is supported on the outer side of the auxiliary equipment 40 in the vehicle width direction. The dimension of the bracket 21 in the vehicle width direction may be set appropriately taking into consideration the position where the sensor 20 is disposed on the outer side in the vehicle width direction.

[0020] [2. Actions and Effects] The opening and closing of the panel portion 12 in the mounting structure 10 of this embodiment will be described. 1, the panel portion 12 is erected along the end surface 11A of the mounting member 11 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction. In this closed state, the panel portion 12 overlaps the accessory 40 when viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction, as described above. In other words, the accessory 40 is covered by the panel portion 12 when viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction. In the closed state, the bracket 21 and the sensor 20 extend outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the mounting member 11, and the sensor 20 is disposed in a position where it can detect the conditions on the side of the vehicle. That is, according to the mounting structure 10, when the panel portion 12 is in the closed state, the sensor 20 is attached to the outer side of the accessory 40 in the vehicle width direction.

[0021] The open state shown by the imaginary lines in FIG. 1 is a state in which the panel portion 12 is opened outward in the vehicle width direction (rotated by approximately 90° or more) from the closed state described above. In the open state, the panel portion 12 does not overlap the accessory 40 when viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction. In other words, in the open state, the accessory 40 is not covered by the panel portion 12 when viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, for example, when performing maintenance or inspection of the accessory 40, the user performing the maintenance or inspection can access the accessory 40 mounted on the mounting member 11 from the outside in the vehicle width direction. In the open state, the accessory 40 can be removed from the mounting member 11.

[0022] In the above-described mounting structure 10, the sensor 20 is mounted to the mounting member 11 on which the accessory 40 is mounted via the panel portion 12 (and bracket 21), and this panel portion 12 is provided so as to be able to be opened and closed between a closed state and an open state. Therefore, the accessory 40 can be removed from the mounting member 11 simply by opening the panel portion 12 from the closed state to the open state. Therefore, when removing the accessory 40 for maintenance or inspection, for example, the accessory 40 can be removed without removing the sensor 20. In this way, according to the above-described mounting structure 10, the sensor 20 can be mounted on the outer side of the accessory 40 in the vehicle width direction without impairing the maintainability of the accessory 40. In other words, according to the mounting structure 10, even if the sensor 20 is mounted on the outer side of the accessory 40 in the vehicle width direction, the maintainability of the accessory 40 is not impaired.

[0023] In the above-described mounting structure 10, the mounting member 11 covers three surfaces of the accessory 40, namely the bottom surface and the front and rear side surfaces, thereby improving protection of the accessory 40 against collisions with flying stones, etc. Furthermore, the panel portion 12 in the closed state covers the accessory 40 from the outside in the vehicle width direction, thereby preventing the accessory 40 from falling off the mounting member 11. The above-described mounting structure 10 is a structure in which a bracket 21 for a sensor 20 is attached to a panel portion 12 of a mounting member 11 supported by a side frame 30. Therefore, the above-described mounting structure 10 can shorten the dimension of the bracket 21 in the vehicle width direction compared to a structure in which a sensor bracket is attached directly to the side frame 30. Therefore, it is easier to ensure the strength and vibration resistance of the bracket 21 compared to a structure in which a sensor bracket is attached directly to the side frame 30.

[0024] Furthermore, the above-described mounting structure 10 is a structure that enables the bracket 21 for the sensor 20 to be attached to the mounting member 11 for the auxiliary battery (auxiliary 40), which is relatively strong. Therefore, the above-described mounting structure 10 makes it easier to ensure the strength and vibration resistance of the bracket 21 compared to a structure in which the sensor bracket is attached directly to the side frame 30. In addition, since an auxiliary battery is installed in any vehicle, the structure for attaching the sensor 20 (and bracket 21) to the panel portion 12 of the mounting member 11 for the auxiliary battery is advantageous in that it ensures that a place for attaching the sensor 20 (and bracket 21) can be secured.

[0025] [3. Other] In the above application example, the sensor 20 is attached to the panel portion 12 via the bracket 21, but the sensor 20 may be attached directly to the panel portion 12. In this case, the same effects and advantages as those of the above application example can be achieved. The accessory 40 is not limited to an accessory battery, but may be any device or part. The panel portion 12 is not limited to a surface portion that covers the entire end surface 11A of the mounting member 11 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, but may have a shape that covers a part of the end surface 11A, such as a strip-shaped surface portion that covers a part of the end surface 11A. In this case, in the closed state, at least a part of the panel portion 12 overlaps with the accessory 40 when viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction.

[0026] The vehicle to which the mounting structure 10 of the present invention is applied is not limited to trucks, but may be a bus or any other type of vehicle. Furthermore, the vehicle to which the mounting structure 10 is applied may be a vehicle equipped with an engine as a drive source, an electric vehicle equipped with an electric motor as a drive source, or a hybrid vehicle equipped with an engine and an electric motor as drive sources. In these cases, the same actions and effects as those of the above application example can be achieved. [Explanation of symbols]

[0027] 10: Mounting structure (detector mounting structure) 11: Mounting material 11A: End face 11B: Lower edge 12: Panel section 12A: Lower edge 13: Hinge part 20: Sensor (detector) 21: Bracket 30: Side frame (frame) 40: Auxiliary

Claims

1. A mounting structure for a detector that detects the state of the side of a vehicle, a mounting member that is supported by a side frame of the vehicle and extends outward in a vehicle width direction from the side frame, and on which an auxiliary device that is a device or part disposed on a side of the vehicle is mounted; a panel portion disposed at an end portion of the mounting member located on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, connected to the mounting member via an opening / closing mechanism so as to be freely openable and closable, and to which the detector is attached directly or indirectly via a bracket; A detector mounting structure characterized by:

2. The panel portion is movable between a closed state in which at least a part of the panel portion overlaps the auxiliary device when viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction and an open state in which the panel portion does not overlap the auxiliary device when viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction, and the detector is disposed at a position where the detector can detect a state of a side of the vehicle when in the closed state.

2. The detector mounting structure according to claim 1.

3. a hinge portion that connects the mounting member and the panel portion, The panel portion rotates by the hinge portion to open and close.

3. The detector mounting structure according to claim 1 or 2.

4. the hinge portion is attached to a lower end of the panel portion, The panel opens and closes around the bottom end.

4. The detector mounting structure according to claim 3.

5. The auxiliary device is a low-voltage battery 5. The detector mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein the detector mounting structure is a mounting structure for a detector.

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