Solar roof

Abstract

To provide a solar roof which enables improvement of reception performance of an antenna to expand types of on-vehicle media while securing solar power generation output.SOLUTION: A roof panel 2 (i.e. an extending part 2B) around an antenna in an area in which antenna performance requirements are guaranteed is extended to the upper side of a vehicle (to a design surface) so as to be flush with a solar glass 3 (around the extending part 2B).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a solar roof equipped with a solar glass and an antenna.

Background Art

[0002] Vehicles with solar glass (also referred to as solar panels, photovoltaic panels, etc.) mounted on the roof are known. Further, Patent Document 1 below discloses a vehicle in which a rider transceiver is mounted on a roof equipped with the solar glass (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a solar roof). An antenna capable of transmitting and receiving various radio waves such as a rider can be attached to the roof, which is the highest position of the vehicle body, to improve the sensitivity of transmission and reception.

[0003] Figure 2 shows a conventional example of a solar roof structure equipped with the solar glass and antenna described above. In the illustrated conventional example of a solar roof 101, the solar glass 3 and antenna 4 are arranged on a roof panel 2 that covers the top surface of a vehicle 100. The solar glass 3 is positioned on the upper side of the roof panel 2 so as to cover the top surface of the roof panel 2. The antenna 4 mainly consists of an antenna body 40 and an antenna case (also called an antenna cover) 44. The antenna body 40 consists of an antenna element capable of transmitting and receiving various radio waves (e.g., radio broadcast waves, television broadcast waves, GPS radio waves, mobile phone radio waves, ETC radio waves, etc.) and an antenna substrate having various electrical circuits electrically connected to this antenna element, with the antenna element erected on the antenna substrate. In other words, the antenna body 40 integrates an antenna element capable of transmitting and receiving various radio waves and an antenna substrate consisting of a circuit board. A bolt fixing portion 41 protruding downward is formed on the lower surface of the antenna body 40 (or its antenna substrate). The bolt fixing portion 41 has a fastening hole 42 with a female threaded portion into which a bolt 43, described later, can be screwed. The roof panel 2 and the solar glass 3 are also provided with a hole 2a and an opening 3a, respectively, through which the bolt fixing portion 41 is inserted. The antenna case 44 is made of, for example, a synthetic resin that is transparent to radio waves, and has an opening on its bottom surface, with the interior being a storage space that can cover the antenna body 40. This antenna 4 is attached to the rear of the roof panel 2, which is fitted with the solar glass 3, in the center in the vehicle width direction. The antenna 4 is attached by inserting the bolt fixing portion 41 through the opening 3a formed in the solar glass 3 and the hole 2a formed in the roof panel 2, placing the antenna body 40, which is covered by the antenna case 44, on the upper surface of the solar glass 3 (protruding to the outside of the solar glass 3), and fastening the bolt 43 from the inside of the roof panel 2 to the fastening hole 42 of the bolt fixing portion 41 (fastening by screwing). In this conventional structure, the solar glass 3 and the antenna 4 can be mounted together (coexisting) on ​​the roof panel 2 while ensuring the solar power generation output of the solar glass 3. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-008152 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] However, in the conventional structure described above, there is a gap (C) in the vehicle height direction between the antenna body 40 and the roof panel 2 (Figure 2(B)). An electric field is generated in this gap (C) between the antenna body 40 and the roof panel 2, and there is a concern that the reception performance of the antenna will deteriorate because the electric field generated in the space of this gap (C) interferes with the radio waves of the wavelength to be received.

[0006] This invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a solar roof that can improve the reception performance of the antenna while ensuring solar power output and expanding the types of in-vehicle media that can be used. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the aforementioned problems, the solar roof according to the present invention is a solar roof in which solar glass and an antenna are mounted on a roof panel, characterized in that the roof panel around the antenna in the region that ensures the antenna performance requirements extends upward of the vehicle so as to be flush with the solar glass. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the reception performance of the antenna while securing solar power output, and to expand the types of in-vehicle media that can be used. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1]The vehicle equipped with a solar roof according to this embodiment is shown, where (A) is a plan view of the main part and (B) is a cross-sectional view AA of Figure 1(A). [Figure 2] The image shows a vehicle equipped with a conventional solar roof structure, where (A) is a plan view of the main part and (B) is a cross-sectional view of BB in Figure 2(A). [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0011] As shown in Figure 1, the solar roof 1 of this embodiment has solar glass 3 and an antenna 4 arranged on a roof panel 2 that covers the upper surface of the vehicle 100.

[0012] The roof panel 2 is generally flat, and an extension portion 2B is formed at the rear center in the vehicle width direction, extending upwards to the vehicle via an inclined stepped portion 2D. In this embodiment, the extension portion 2B is generally semicircular or U-shaped in plan view. Near the center of this extension portion 2B, a hole 2A is provided through which a bolt fixing portion 41 for fixing the antenna 4 to the roof panel 2 (the extension portion 2B) is inserted. In other words, this extension portion 2B extends so as to become a decorative surface exposed on the upper surface of the vehicle 100 around the antenna 4. The extension portion 2B, which is the panel area that extends to become a decorative surface, requires a dimension (E) at least concentrically from the antenna fastening center (i.e., the center of the hole 2A). This dimension (E) is the dimension necessary to secure an area that guarantees the antenna performance requirements around the antenna, and it varies depending on the combination of wavelengths to be received by the antenna. The outer shape of this extension portion 2B includes an arc, but may also include a straight portion as shown in Figure 1(A).

[0013] The solar glass 3 is positioned on the upper side of the roof panel 2 so as to cover the upper surface of the roof panel 2 (more specifically, almost the entire surface except for the extension portion 2B). The solar glass 3 is generally flat, similar to the roof panel 2, but an opening 3A is provided at the rear center in the vehicle width direction, which is complementary in shape to the extension portion 2B (in this embodiment, it is generally semicircular or U-shaped in plan view, with an open rear end).

[0014] As a result, when the solar glass 3 is placed on the roof panel 2, the solar glass 3 covers the upper surface of the roof panel 2 (more specifically, almost the entire surface except for the extension portion 2B). However, the extension portion 2B provided on the roof panel 2 extends (is exposed) upwards from the opening 3A provided in the solar glass 3, forming a design surface. At this time, the dimensions of the extension portion 2B and the solar glass 3 (around the extension portion 2B) are set in the vehicle height direction (vertical direction) so that they are flush with each other.

[0015] Antenna 4 mainly consists of an antenna body 40 and an antenna case (antenna cover) 44. The antenna body 40 is composed of an antenna element capable of transmitting and receiving various types of radio waves (e.g., radio broadcast waves, television broadcast waves, GPS radio waves, mobile phone radio waves, ETC radio waves, etc.) and an antenna board having various electrical circuits electrically connected to this antenna element, with the antenna element erected on the antenna board. In other words, the antenna body 40 integrates an antenna element capable of transmitting and receiving various types of radio waves and an antenna board consisting of a circuit board. A bolt fixing portion 41 protruding downward is formed on the lower surface of the antenna body 40 (or its antenna board). This bolt fixing portion 41 has a fastening hole 42 with a female thread portion into which a bolt 43, described later, can be screwed.

[0016] The antenna case 44 is made of, for example, a synthetic resin that is transparent to radio waves, and has a shape that widens gently from the front to the rear, as well as a streamlined, raised shape from the front to the rear. In other words, the antenna case 44 is sloped so that the front is lower than the rear, and both sides are slightly curved inward, forming a shark fin shape. The bottom of the antenna case 44 is open, and the interior is a storage space that can cover the antenna body 40.

[0017] The antenna 4 is mounted on the roof panel 2, specifically in the center of the rear section in the vehicle width direction, where the solar glass 3 is attached, i.e., near the center of the extension 2B. The antenna 4 is mounted by inserting a bolt fixing part 41 through a hole 2A formed in the extension 2B of the roof panel 2, placing the antenna body 40, covered by an antenna case 44, on the upper surface of the extension 2B of the roof panel 2 (protruding to the outside of the extension 2B of the roof panel 2), and fastening a bolt 43 from the inside of the roof panel 2 into the fastening hole 42 of the bolt fixing part 41 (fastened by screwing). With this structure, the solar glass 3 and the antenna 4 can be mounted together (coexisting) on ​​the roof panel 2 while ensuring the solar power generation output of the solar glass 3.

[0018] Furthermore, with the structure described above, no gap is created between the antenna body 40 and the roof panel 2 in the vehicle height direction. Therefore, interference between the electric field generated in the space between the antenna body 40 and the roof panel 2, as in the conventional structure shown in Figure 2, and the radio waves of the wavelength to be received can be suppressed, thereby improving the reception performance of the antenna 4.

[0019] As described above, according to this embodiment, by extending the roof panel 2 around the antenna (i.e., the extension portion 2B) in the region that ensures the antenna performance requirements upward (on the design surface) so that it is flush with the solar glass 3 (around the extension portion 2B), it becomes possible to improve the antenna's reception performance and expand the types of in-vehicle media while securing solar power generation output.

[0020] Note that the position, shape of the extension part 2B in the roof panel 2, the position, shape of the opening 3A in the solar glass 3, the position, shape, and mounting (fixing) structure of the antenna 4, etc. are not limited to the illustrated examples.

[0021] As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and design changes and the like within the scope not departing from the gist of the present invention are also included in the present invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0022] 1... solar roof, 2... roof panel, 2A... hole, 2B... extension part, 2D... step part, 3... solar glass, 3A... opening, 4... antenna, 40... antenna body, 41... bolt fixing part, 42... fastening hole, 43... bolt, 44... antenna case (antenna cover), 100... vehicle

Claims

1. A solar roof in which solar glass and an antenna are mounted on the roof panel, A solar roof characterized in that a semicircular or U-shaped opening is provided at the rear of the solar glass in a plan view, and the roof panel around the antenna in the region that ensures the antenna performance requirements determined by the combination of wavelengths to be received by the antenna has a semicircular or U-shape in a plan view and is exposed upward from the vehicle through the opening provided in the solar glass, and extends upward from the vehicle so as to be flush with the front and left and right solar glass of the roof panel around the antenna.

2. A solar roof having solar glass and an antenna mounted on a roof panel, A solar roof is characterized in that the rear of the solar glass has a semicircular or U-shaped opening in plan view, with an open rear end, and the roof panel around the antenna in the region that ensures the antenna performance requirements determined by the combination of wavelengths to be received by the antenna is exposed upward from the opening in the solar glass, which is semicircular or U-shaped in plan view, and extends upward from the vehicle so as to be flush with the front and left and right solar glass of the roof panel around the antenna, and the rear of the roof panel around the antenna that is exposed upward from the opening in the solar glass is not provided with solar glass.

Images