Assembly comprising radar support, radome, and automotive shield.

Abstract

An assembly is disclosed comprising a radome (3), a radar support (2) and a front shield (1) with a first transverse portion (11) and a second transverse portion (12), an external ventilation grid (4) with a radome receiver position (30) externally integral with the grid is installed between the first transverse portion (11) and the second transverse portion (12), the radar support extends vertically from the first shield portion to the second shield portion and comprises an upper portion (22) integral with the second shield portion and a lower portion (21) fixed to the first shield portion, and the radar The shield has an area (20) having a concave housing (23) for accommodating the radar support, the area (20) being positioned to correspond to the radome position (30), and the inner face (100) of the shield has an upper central element (120) cooperating with an upper part of the support (22) for aligning the position of the radar support in the transverse and vertical directions of the shield, and at least two lower elements (111, 112) cooperating with a lower part (21) of the support for aligning the position of the radar support at least in the transverse direction and for preventing rotation of the position of the radar support.

Description

Summary of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to an assembly provided at the front of an automobile and including a radar support, a radome, and a shield. The present invention further relates to the front of an automobile equipped with such an assembly.

[0002] Due to the more advanced and widespread driver assistance systems, more vehicles are equipped with a collision prevention radar system intended to control the speed of the vehicle as a function of the safe distance from the external environment. This type of system includes AEBS (Advanced Emergency Braking System). This system enables the vehicle to automatically brake especially when a potential obstacle, such as a pedestrian crossing, is detected or when the vehicle approaches the vehicle in front too closely. AEBS can, among other things, measure the distance to the detected potential obstacle and increase the braking force when the above distance is less than the safety limit. This system receives data collected by a radar installed at the front of the vehicle. In an extended sense, this type of radar is usually referred to as an AEBS radar.

[0003] Due to such radars being installed at the front of the vehicle, these safety systems must have a very good protection ability against impacts.

[0004] In the prior art, such radars are usually installed using a support fixed to an element of the body structure at the front of the vehicle in order to ensure that the support has sufficient rigidity. This assembly further includes an externally arranged radome (a protective element for the radar sensor) made of a material that is permeable to radar waves within the required frequency band.

[0005] According to a first example of the current technology, the radar support can be directly fixed to a structural component at the front of the vehicle, such as a front crossbar (a structural component located between two lateral rails in the engine compartment). Such a configuration is described, for example, in patent application FR3056176.

[0006] In another example of the prior art, the radar support may be fixed to the vehicle's front avant technique (FAT) or sheet metal component.

[0007] One drawback of this example of conventional technology is, among other things, the fitting problem, where the large number of connections in a dimensional sequence leads to an excessive number of errors in geometric dimensions. In this example, the radome is on the order of 200 mm in width and approximately 100 mm in length to absorb radar waves of beam width.

[0008] Another drawback of various known embodiments is that the radome needs to be relatively large to cover radar waves with a wide beamwidth, due to the radar being positioned far from the radome. Such configurations are relatively expensive.

[0009] The present invention is intended to at least partially eliminate these drawbacks. The present invention relates, in particular, to a novel configuration of a radar support located at the front of a vehicle.

[0010] For this purpose, the present invention proposes an assembly for the front of an automobile, comprising a radome, a radar support, and a vehicle front shield, wherein the shield has an inner face and an outer face and extends in the lateral, longitudinal, and vertical directions, respectively, corresponding to the lateral, longitudinal, and vertical directions of the vehicle when mounted on the wheels of the vehicle. The shield comprises a first transverse portion and a second transverse portion above the first transverse portion, with an external ventilation grate between the first and second transverse portions providing a space for the radome, and the radome is firmly connected to the grate. The radar support is a single-piece component positioned on the inner face of the shield, the component extending vertically from the first shield portion to the second shield portion, the support comprising an upper portion firmly connected to the second shield portion and a lower portion fixed to the first shield portion, and the support further comprising a seating and fixing zone for the radar positioned between the upper portion and the lower portion of the support.

[0011] According to the present invention, the seating and fixing zone for the radar comprises a concave sheet for the radar, the sheet corresponding to the installation location of an externally positioned radome.

[0012] According to the present invention, the inner face of the shield comprises an upper central alignment element for the radar support located laterally and vertically of the shield, which cooperates with the upper portion of the support, and at least two lower alignment and anti-rotation elements for the radar support, which function at least laterally and cooperate with the lower portion of the support.

[0013] In particular, according to the present invention, the radome is firmly connected to the outer face of the ventilator within an opening in the ventilator, the opening forms a mounting space for the radome within the ventilator, and the opening is aligned with the radar sheet. For example, the radome is snap-fitted into the opening, and the opening is the size of the radome.

[0014] More specifically, according to the present invention, the first transverse portion and the second transverse portion of the shield belong to the skin of the shield.

[0015] In particular, according to the present invention, the radar support is located at or near the center of the shield in the lateral direction of the shield.

[0016] Preferably, according to the present invention, the external ventilation grille located between the first and second portions of the shield is a lower ventilation grille.

[0017] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the upper central alignment element comprises ribs of adjustable height on its outer surface. The height of the ribs can be adjusted to adjust the position of the radar support. Preferably, the upper central alignment element is an elongated element that is generally perpendicular to the inner face of the shield. In particular, the element is a shaft.

[0018] Advantageously, according to the present invention, the support body comprises two lateral temporary holding means on its upper portion, which are respectively placed on two lateral flanges on the inner face of the shield, for the purpose of holding the support body in place before fixing.

[0019] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the radar support is a single component comprising two lateral straps with reinforcing ribs, the straps extending from the first transverse portion to the second transverse portion of the shield, the lower ends of the straps forming legs of the support, the legs cooperating with at least two lower alignment and anti-rotation elements of the shield, and each of the legs having a fixing orifice for securing the support to the first transverse portion of the shield.

[0020] Preferably, each of the lower alignment and anti-rotation elements of the shield is provided with a lateral anti-rotation stopper that contacts the inner portion of one of the fixed legs of the support. In other words, the lateral stoppers are located between the legs of the support, and preferably there are two of these lateral stoppers, which directly contact the interior of adjacent legs. Preferably, the shield has two of the lower anti-rotation alignment elements.

[0021] Furthermore, each upper end of the strap has individual temporary holding and fixing holes that cooperate with the lateral fixing studs of the second transverse portion of the shield, and the studs further have adjustable height ribs on their outer surface to allow adjustment of the position of the support. The height adjustment of these ribs can cooperate with the height adjustment of the ribs of the upper central alignment element of the shield to adjust the position of the radar support.

[0022] Advantageously, according to the present invention, the shield comprises a third transverse portion positioned above and immediately adjacent to the second transverse portion, the third transverse portion comprising a faceplate overlapping the upper portion of the radar support, the faceplate having an orifice positioned around the central alignment element on the shield.

[0023] Preferably, according to this embodiment, the faceplate has two lateral fixing holes that overlap with temporary holding and fixing holes located at the respective upper ends of the straps of the radar support, and further comprises fixing means inserted into the lateral fixing holes of the faceplate to fix the second transverse portion of the shield within the lateral fixing studs, thereby sandwiching the upper portion of the radar support between the second portion and the third portion of the shield. Firmly fixing the faceplate connects the upper portion of the radar support to the shield.

[0024] Advantageously, according to the invention, the means for fixing the radar support to the shield is a screw. Preferably, these fixing means include a total of four screws.

[0025] According to the invention, the radar support comprises a cross bar defining the boundary of the upper part of the sheet for the radar, and the bar has fixing holes for fixing the radar, for example by screwing.

[0026] One advantage of the invention is that a radome smaller than those commonly used in the prior art can be used, and by accurate and easy adjustment of the positioning of the support and in particular of the installation location for the radar, the radome can be very close to the radar sheet and thus to the radar.

[0027] Advantageously, the radome is in the shape of a plate, the maximum dimension of one side of the plate being on the order of 100 mm, particularly between 90 mm and 130 mm, or even more particularly between 98 mm and 128 mm.

[0028] Advantageously, according to the invention, the radar support is made of a reinforced plastic material, preferably made of glass fiber reinforced polypropylene, and more preferably reinforced with glass fiber between 25% and 35% by weight. Such materials increase the rigidity of the assembly and improve its vibration performance.

[0029] The invention further relates to a motor vehicle having the assembly described above.

[0030] Further details and advantages of the invention are described in the description of specific embodiments of the invention given below as non-limiting examples with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0031] [Figure 1]This is a 45-degree perspective side view showing an assembly according to the present invention, as seen from inside the front of an automobile, which is installed at the front of the automobile and comprises a front shield, a radar support, and a radome. [Figure 2] This is a 45-degree perspective side view showing the above assembly in Figure 1, without a radome, as seen from the outside of the automobile. [Figure 3] This is a front spatial view showing an assembly according to the present invention, without a radome, as seen from inside the front of the automobile, which is installed on the front of the automobile and includes a front shield, a radar support, and a radome. [Figure 4] Figure 3 shows the front of the automobile equipped with the assembly, as viewed from the outside of the automobile, and is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view in plan XZ with a radome. [Figure 5] This diagram shows the three-axis reference coordinate system XYZ related to the vehicle, and this reference working system is used to analyze the diagram. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0032] In this explanation, the terms front, rear, top, and bottom refer to the longitudinal and vertical directions of the vehicle, respectively, when the assembly is mounted on top of the vehicle.

[0033] The orientations shown in the diagram are given with reference to the conventional reference coordinate system XYZ of the vehicle shown in Figure 5, where, with the vehicle placed on the ground, X represents the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, oriented towards the rear; Y represents the lateral direction of the vehicle, oriented towards the right; and Z represents the vertical direction, oriented towards the top of the vehicle.

[0034] Figure 1 is a schematic 45-degree perspective side view of the front of an automobile having an assembly according to the present invention, which includes a front shield 1 as seen from its inner face 100, a radar support 2 with a concave sheet 23 for the radar, and a radome 3, and the radar itself is not shown.

[0035] Figure 2 is a schematic 45-degree perspective side view of the front of an automobile comprising the assembly shown in Figure 1, which includes a radar support 2 and a front shield 1, as seen from its outer face 101 at the lower ventilation grate 4 containing the mounting location for the radome 3.

[0036] Figure 3 is a front view of an assembly according to the present invention located at the front of an automobile, comprising a front shield 1 viewed from its inner face 100 and a radar support 2 having a concave sheet 23 for the radar, the assembly further comprising a faceplate 130 for a frame containing an upper ventilation grille, the frame forming a portion of the shield 1. Neither the radar nor the radome is shown in this figure. Figure 4 shows a cross-section of the assembly viewed from the outside.

[0037] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the front shield 1 comprises a first transverse portion 11 that forms the lower part of the shield and a second transverse portion 12 that is located higher than the first portion, the second portion forming the middle portion 12 of the shield. The lower ventilation grille 4 is positioned between these two portions and, for example, snaps into place. The lower portion 11 and the middle portion 12 of the shield belong more precisely to the shield skin 10, which forms the lower part of the shield 1. These portions form the lower portion 11 and the upper portion 12 of the shield skin 10, respectively. The shield skin has at least one opening for receiving the lower ventilation grille 4.

[0038] The radar support 2 is a single-piece component comprising a lower portion 21 firmly connected to the lower portion 11 of the shield and an upper portion 22 firmly connected to the middle portion 12 of the shield. The radar support also includes a central portion 20 located between the lower portion 21 and the upper portion 22.

[0039] The upper portion 22 of the support is a square shape 220 composed of two portions substantially perpendicular to each other (one portion substantially vertical and the other substantially horizontal), which conforms to the shape of the top of the grid 4 having an inner wall 42 that is substantially horizontal, so that the horizontal portion passes just above the horizontal wall 42 of the lower ventilation grid 4.

[0040] The central support portion 20 includes a concave sheet 23 for receiving the radar, the concave portion of which coincides with a mounting location 30 for the radome 3, and the mounting location 30 is positioned above the outer portion 40 of the lower ventilation grate 4 (Figure 2). The sheet includes a wall 230 that defines the peripheral boundary of the concave portion of the sheet 23, extending in front of the support toward an opening in the ventilation grate that defines the boundary of the mounting location 30 for the radome, and not protruding into the opening 30. The sheet 23 further includes a transverse bar 24 for securing the radar, the bar defining the boundary of the upper portion of the concave portion, and the radar is secured by two screws fixed in fixing orifices 241, 242 of the transverse bar 24, respectively.

[0041] To ensure that the radar sheet 23 and especially its concave portion are centrally positioned and appropriately located opposite the relatively small radome 3, the shield 1 is provided with a central alignment shaft 120 within its intermediate portion 12, the central alignment shaft 120 cooperating with alignment holes 223 within the support 2 in the upper portion of the support to enable alignment in the lateral Y and vertical Z directions for the purpose of centering the sheet 23 in the lateral Y direction and positioning the radar sheet 23 in the vertical Z direction. The alignment shaft 120 is provided with ribs 1200 on its outer surface, the height of which can be adjusted to conform to the shape of the shield and support, and especially the dimensions of the shield and support, for the purpose of properly centering the radar sheet together with the radome.

[0042] The lower part 11 of the shield, in particular, has two lateral alignment elements 111, 112 in the transverse direction Y to control the centering of the radar support 2 by preventing the lateral rotation (+Y, -Y) of the two fixing legs 211, 212 in the lower part 21 of the support firmly connected to the lower part 11 of the shield. The above lateral elements 111, 112 form stop portions respectively arranged on the inner parts of the above fixing legs of the support.

[0043] Furthermore, the upper part 22 of the support has two lateral temporary holding arms 223, 224 respectively cooperating with the two lateral flanges 123, 124 of the inner face 100 of the shield. When the support is arranged before fixation, the above lateral holding arms of the support are placed on the above flanges of the shield.

[0044] When the radar support is properly arranged using various alignment elements 120, 11, 112, as a result, the seat 23 for the radar faces towards the installation location 30 of the radome, and the support is fixed to the middle part 12 and the lower part 11 of the shield.

[0045] The two upper lateral fixing holes 221, 222 and the lateral fixing legs 211, 212 of the radar support are respectively located at the ends of two lateral straps 201, 202 reinforced by a set of ribs. These two lateral straps extend over the entire height (direction Z) of the support and define the boundary of the support laterally.

[0046] The inner face 100 of the middle portion 12 of the shield is provided with two lateral fixing studs 121, 122, and the upper portion 22 of the support 2 is fixed to the lateral fixing studs 121, 122, for example by screw fastening, with the fixing studs 122, 122 passing through two upper lateral fixing holes 221, 222, respectively, within the upper portion 22 of the support. Advantageously, these lateral fixing studs 121, 122 of the shield 1 are positioned on both sides of the central alignment shaft 120 at substantially equal height to the central alignment stud 120 in the vertical Z direction. The lateral fixing studs may further be provided with ribs on their outer surface for fitting onto the alignment shaft 120.

[0047] Because the radar support is a single component, its central portion 20 does not have any means of fixing it directly to the shield 1 or the ventilation grid 4. As a result, the support, and in particular its central portion on which the radar is seated, benefits from the rigidity of the entire zone, providing better vibration performance.

[0048] Referring to Figure 3, the shield further comprises an upper transverse portion 13 that forms an upper part for receiving an upper ventilation grille. This upper portion of the shield is bounded by a frame having at least one opening designed to receive an upper ventilation grille (not shown in Figure 3). The frame comprises a faceplate 130 at its lower portion which forms a junction with the upper portion of the shield skin 10, or in other words, the middle portion 12 of the shield. The faceplate 130 is centered in the lateral Y direction and overlaps the upper portion 22 of the radar support at the middle portion 12 of the shield. The faceplate has a centering orifice 1300 which engages with a YZ alignment shaft 120 to properly center the faceplate 130 and which further engages with the upper portion of the shield and overlaps the top of the radar support. The faceplate 130 has lateral fixing holes 131, 132 which are aligned with upper fixing holes 221, 222 of the radar support. Therefore, the upper portion 22 of the radar support 2 is sandwiched between the shield skin 10 and the upper transverse portion 13 of the shield.

[0049] This makes it possible to improve the rigidity of the fixing of the radar support, particularly at the joints of the shield components, which are located in the generally forward-moving zone of the shield in the longitudinal direction of vehicle X and are therefore more susceptible to deformation during impact.

[0050] In a preferred embodiment, the support is made of polypropylene (PP) reinforced with 30% by weight of glass fibers to contribute to high overall rigidity and good vibration performance.

[0051] The radome has a relatively small area, which allows the radar to be fixed in the sheet so that it is positioned in the center of the radome and very close to the radome, as can be seen in the cross-sectional view (Figure 4). Thus, the radar's frequency beamwidth is relatively small and well protected behind the radome. For example, the radome has a side length of about 100 mm. For example, the radome is a rectangle with dimensions of about 125 mm (height in the Z direction) × 100 mm (width in the Y direction).

[0052] The present invention achieves its objective by providing a shield structure with a radar support that enables the radar to be centrally positioned and fixed in close proximity to the radome. The assembly according to the present invention forms a dimensional chain with fewer connections, ensuring good rigidity of its zones.

[0053] Furthermore, the radar support is not fixed to the structural elements of the vehicle body. The rigidity of the support and its fixation to the shield provide optimal protection against vibration, while its flexibility ensures optimal shock absorption.

Claims

1. An assembly located at the front of an automobile, wherein the assembly comprises a radome (3), a radar support (2), and a vehicle front shield (1), the front shield (1) comprising an inner face (100) and an outer face (101), and the front shield (1), when mounted on the front of the vehicle, extends in the transverse, longitudinal, and vertical directions corresponding to the transverse, longitudinal, and vertical directions of the vehicle, which is mounted on the wheels, respectively, The front shield (1) comprises a first transverse portion (11) and a second transverse portion (12) located above the first transverse portion (11), and an external ventilation grate (4) having a mounting location (30) for the radome (3) is installed between the first transverse portion (11) and the second transverse portion (12), and the radome (3) is firmly connected to the external ventilation grate (4), The radar support (2) is a single component positioned on the inner face (100) of the front shield (1), the component extending vertically from the first transverse portion (11) to the second transverse portion (12), and the radar support (2) comprises an upper portion (22) firmly connected to the second transverse portion (12) and a lower portion (21) fixed to the first transverse portion (11). The radar support (2) further comprises a seating and fixing zone for the radar, the seating and fixing zone being located between the upper portion (22) and the lower portion (21) of the radar support (2) and comprising a concave sheet (23) for the radar, the concave sheet (23) being aligned with the installation location (30) for the externally positioned radome (3), The inner face (100) of the front shield (1) comprises an upper central alignment element (120) for the radar support (2) that is present in the transverse and vertical directions of the front shield (1) and cooperates with the upper portion (22) of the radar support (2), and at least two lower alignment and anti-rotation elements (111, 112) for the radar support (2) that function at least in the transverse direction and cooperate with the lower portion (21) of the radar support (2), An assembly characterized by the following features.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper central alignment element (120) is provided with an adjustable height rib (1200) on its outer surface.

3. The assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the radar support (2) is a single component comprising two lateral straps (201, 202) having reinforcing ribs, the lateral straps (201, 202) extending from the first transverse portion (11) to the second transverse portion (12) of the front shield (1), the lower ends of the lateral straps (201, 202) forming legs (211, 212) of the radar support (2), the legs (211, 212) cooperating with the at least two lower alignment and anti-rotation elements (111, 112) of the front shield (1), and each of the legs (211, 212) having a fixed orifice (2110, 2120) for fixing the radar support (2) to the first transverse portion (11) of the front shield (1).

4. The assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that each of the lower alignment and anti-rotation elements (111, 112) of the front shield (1) is provided with a lateral rotation prevention stopper that contacts the inner portion of one of the legs (211, 212) of the radar support (2).

5. The assembly according to any one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that each upper end of the lateral straps (201, 202) has individual temporary holding and fixing holes (221, 222) which cooperate with the lateral fixing studs (121, 122) of the second transverse portion (12) of the front shield (1), and the lateral fixing studs (121, 122) further have adjustable height ribs on their outer surface to allow the position of the radar support (2).

6. The assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the front shield (1) comprises a third transverse portion (13) positioned above and immediately adjacent to the second transverse portion (12), the third transverse portion (13) comprises a faceplate (130) that overlaps the upper portion (22) of the radar support (2), and the faceplate (130) has an orifice (1300) positioned around the upper central alignment element (120) on the front shield (1).

7. The front shield (1) comprises a third transverse portion (13) positioned above and immediately adjacent to the second transverse portion (12), the third transverse portion (13) comprises a faceplate (130) that overlaps the upper portion (22) of the radar support (2), and the faceplate (130) comprises an orifice (1300) positioned around the upper central alignment element (120) on the front shield (1), The assembly according to claim 5, wherein the faceplate (130) has two lateral fixing holes (131, 132) that overlap with the temporary holding and fixing holes (221, 222) located at the respective upper ends of the lateral straps (201, 202) of the radar support (2), and further comprises fixing means inserted into the lateral fixing holes (131, 132) of the faceplate (130) for fixing the radar support (2) to the lateral fixing studs (121, 122), thereby sandwiching the upper portion (22) of the radar support (2) between the second transverse portion (12) and the third transverse portion (13) of the front shield (1).

8. The assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the radar support (2) comprises a transverse bar (24) that defines the boundary of the upper portion of the concave sheet (23) for the radar, and the transverse bar (24) has fixing holes (241, 242) for fixing the radar support (2).

9. The assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the radar support (2) is provided with two lateral temporary holding means (223, 224) on its upper portion (22) for the purpose of holding the radar support (2) in a fixed position before fixing, the means of which are placed on two lateral flanges (123, 124) on the inner face (100) of the front shield (1).

10. The front of an automobile comprising the assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9, which includes a radome (3), a radar support (2), and a front shield (1).

Images