Vehicle exterior parts

Abstract

To provide a vehicle exterior component capable of suppressing deterioration in performance of a radar device due to interference between electromagnetic waves transmitted from the radar device.SOLUTION: An emblem 12 as an exterior part for a vehicle comprises a cover 13 and a housing 14 located forward in a transmission direction of millimeter waves from a radar device 11 mounted on the vehicle. The housing 14 covers a surface of the cover 13 on the radar device 11 side. The housing 14 comprises a flange 21 located corresponding to an outer edge of the cover 13. The flange 21 protrudes to the outer edge of the cover 13 and is connected to the outer edge of the cover 13. The flange 21 is inclined so that it moves away from a center of the cover 13 as it approaches the outer edge of the cover 13.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an exterior component for a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Vehicles such as automobiles are equipped with a radar device that transmits and receives electromagnetic waves such as millimeter waves for detecting objects outside the vehicle. The radar device transmits the electromagnetic waves toward the outside of the vehicle and receives the electromagnetic waves (reflected waves) reflected by the objects outside the vehicle. The radar device detects objects outside the vehicle through the transmission and reception of the electromagnetic waves. In front of the transmission direction of the electromagnetic waves of the radar device in the vehicle, it is conceivable to attach an exterior component for a vehicle as shown in Patent Document 1 in order to make the radar device difficult to be seen from outside the vehicle.

[0003] The exterior component for a vehicle includes a cover and a housing located in front of the transmission direction of the electromagnetic waves in the radar device. The cover and the housing are formed of a material capable of transmitting the electromagnetic waves. The housing covers the surface of the cover on the side of the radar device. The housing includes a flange located corresponding to the outer edge of the cover. The flange is connected to the outer edge of the cover by protruding to the outer edge of the cover.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Electromagnetic waves transmitted from the radar system toward the outside of the vehicle strike the flange of the housing as they pass through the housing and cover of the vehicle's exterior components. Even if the flange is made of a material that transmits electromagnetic waves, as described above, it reflects the electromagnetic waves to some extent when it strikes it. As the electromagnetic waves reflected by the flange travel toward each other, interference occurs between the electromagnetic waves in front of the direction of transmission from the radar system within the vehicle's exterior components. As a result, the attenuation of the electromagnetic waves transmitted from the radar system toward the outside of the vehicle increases, leading to a decrease in the performance of the radar system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] Next, we will describe various embodiments of vehicle exterior parts that solve the above problems. (Aspect 1) Vehicle exterior component comprising a cover and housing located in front of the direction of transmission of electromagnetic waves in a radar device mounted on a vehicle, wherein the housing covers the surface of the cover facing the radar device, the housing has a flange that protrudes to the cover, and the flange is connected to the cover by protruding to the cover, wherein the flange is further from the center of the cover at a point closer to the cover in its protruding direction than at a point further from the cover.

[0007] According to the above configuration, electromagnetic waves transmitted from the radar device are reflected to some extent by hitting the flange of the housing as they pass through the housing and cover. The proximity of these reflected electromagnetic waves to each other is suppressed because the part of the flange closer to the cover in the protruding direction is further from the center of the cover than the part further away from the cover. As a result, interference between electromagnetic waves can be suppressed in front of the direction of transmission of electromagnetic waves from the radar device in the exterior parts of the vehicle. Furthermore, since the attenuation of electromagnetic waves transmitted from the radar device due to such interference can be suppressed, a decrease in the performance of the radar device can be suppressed.

[0008] (Aspect 2) The flange is inclined with respect to a straight line extending in the direction of electromagnetic wave transmission in the radar device at a predetermined angle of inclination, and the angle of inclination of the flange is 1° or more (vehicle exterior part according to Embodiment 1).

[0009] According to the above configuration, by setting the flange inclination angle to 1° or more, interference between electromagnetic waves can be effectively suppressed in front of the direction of transmission of electromagnetic waves from the radar device in the exterior parts of a vehicle.

[0010] (Aspect 3) The cover and housing are a cover and housing that form an emblem, as described in (Aspect 1) or (Aspect 2) for a vehicle exterior part.

[0011] According to the above configuration, the emblem, which is an exterior part for a vehicle, is relatively small in shape, so the distance between flanges in the housing tends to be short. When the distance between flanges is short in this way, electromagnetic waves that hit the flanges and are reflected interfere with each other at a position close to the emblem in front of the direction of transmission of electromagnetic waves from the radar device, so the attenuation of electromagnetic waves transmitted from the radar device tends to be large. However, since the flanges are inclined so that they move away from the center of the cover as they approach the outer edge of the cover, the above-mentioned problem is suppressed.

[0012] (Aspect 4) A vehicle exterior part according to any one of (Aspect 1) to (Aspect 3), wherein a plate-shaped light guide that transmits and diffuses incident light is arranged between the cover and the housing, and a transparent substrate provided with a light-emitting part that emits light toward the light guide is arranged between the light guide and the cover.

[0013] According to the above configuration, a light guide and a transparent substrate are arranged between the cover and housing of the vehicle exterior component. Light from a light-emitting part provided on the transparent substrate is incident on the light guide. The light guide shines brightly by transmitting and diffusing the light from the light-emitting part. This improves the aesthetic design of the vehicle exterior component.

[0014] (Aspect 5) A vehicle exterior part according to embodiment 4, wherein a hole is formed in the center of the transparent substrate. According to the above configuration, even if the transparent substrate is made of a material capable of transmitting electromagnetic waves, attenuation of electromagnetic waves is unavoidable when they pass through the transparent substrate. Therefore, a hole is formed in the center of the transparent substrate to suppress such attenuation of electromagnetic waves. Accordingly, the attenuation of electromagnetic waves transmitted from the radar device is effectively suppressed as they pass through the hole in the transparent substrate.

[0015] (Aspect 6) An optical reflective material is arranged between the light guide and the housing to reflect the light from the light-emitting part that has passed through the light guide (Aspect 4) or (Aspect 5) of the exterior part for a vehicle.

[0016] According to the above configuration, when light from the light emitter passes through the light guide, the light that has passed through the light guide is reflected by the optical reflector and enters the light guide again. Therefore, more light can enter the light guide, making it possible to make the light guide shine brighter. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] This is a front view showing an emblem as an exterior part for a vehicle in the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view showing the emblem and radar device as seen from the direction of arrow 2-2 in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This graph shows the relationship between the attenuation of millimeter waves transmitted and received by a radar device as they pass through the flat plate portion of the housing and the angle of that flat plate portion. [Figure 4] A graph showing the relationship between the attenuation amount when the millimeter wave transmitted and received by the radar device passes through the flat plate portion of the housing and the cover, and the distance between the center of the cover and the center of the flat plate portion of the housing. [Figure 5] A graph showing the relationship between the attenuation amount after the millimeter wave transmitted and received by the radar device passes through the flat plate portion of the housing and the cover, and the angle of the flange in the housing. [Figure 6] A graph showing the relationship between the attenuation amount when the millimeter wave transmitted and received by the radar device passes through the flat plate portion of the housing and the cover, and the distance between the transmission range of the millimeter wave in the radar device and the substrate. [Figure 7] An explanatory diagram showing the propagation direction of the millimeter wave when the angle of the flange is small. [Figure 8] An explanatory diagram showing the propagation direction of the millimeter wave when the angle of the flange is large. [Figure 9] A cross-sectional view showing an emblem as an exterior part for a vehicle in the second embodiment. [Figure 10] A cross-sectional view showing another example of the emblem of the first embodiment. [Figure 11] A cross-sectional view showing another example of the emblem of the first embodiment. [Figure 12] A cross-sectional view showing another example of an emblem as an exterior part for a vehicle.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] [First Embodiment] Hereinafter, the first embodiment of the exterior part for a vehicle will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8. Figure 1 shows an emblem 12 as an exterior part for a vehicle, and Figure 2 shows the emblem 12 of Figure 1 viewed from the direction of arrow 2-2. The emblem 12 is conceivable to be fitted into an opening formed in the exterior panel of a vehicle such as an automobile. Examples of such exterior panels include panels without ventilation openings such as bumpers, panels with ventilation openings such as grilles, and decorative panels such as garnishes.

[0019] As shown in Figure 2, the vehicle is equipped with a radar device 11. The radar device 11 transmits millimeter waves as electromagnetic waves outwards from the vehicle and receives the millimeter waves reflected off objects outside the vehicle, i.e., reflected waves. The radar device 11 detects objects outside the vehicle through the transmission and reception of such millimeter waves. The transmission range of millimeter waves in the radar device 11 is, for example, the range shown by the dashed line L1 in Figure 2. The emblem 12 is positioned in front of the radar device 11 in the direction of millimeter wave transmission, i.e., to the left in Figure 2. As a result, the radar device 11 is made less visible from outside the vehicle by the emblem 12.

[0020] <Outline of Emblem 12> The emblem 12 comprises a cover 13 and a housing 14 located in front of the millimeter wave transmission direction in the radar device 11. The cover 13 and housing 14 are made of a material capable of transmitting electromagnetic waves such as millimeter waves.

[0021] The cover 13 is intended to enhance the design of the emblem 12. The cover 13 is formed from a base material 17, a transparent layer 18, and a decorative film 19. The base material 17 is formed in the shape of a plate from resin. The base material 17 is capable of transmitting millimeter waves and visible light. The front surface of the base material 17, i.e., the left surface in Figure 2, is covered with the transparent layer 18 made of transparent resin or the like. The transparent layer 18 is capable of transmitting millimeter waves and visible light. A decorative film 19 is attached to the front surface of the transparent layer 18, which provides decoration through the diffusion and reflection of incident light. The decorative film 19 is capable of transmitting millimeter waves and visible light.

[0022] The housing 14 covers the radar device 11 side of the cover 13, i.e., the right side in Figure 2. The housing 14 comprises a flange 21 and a flat plate portion 22. The flange 21 protrudes from the flat plate portion 22 to the outer edge of the cover 13 at a position corresponding to the outer edge of the cover 13. The flange 21 extends in an annular shape along the outer edge of the cover 13. The housing 14 is positioned to cover the radar device 11 side of the cover 13 by attaching the flange 21 to the outer edge of the cover 13. The flange 21 is inclined so that it moves away from the center of the cover 13 as it approaches the outer edge of the cover 13. As a result, the part of the flange 21 closer to the cover 13 in the protruding direction is further from the center of the cover 13 than the part further away from the cover 13.

[0023] A plate-shaped light guide 24 is positioned between the cover 13 and the housing 14. The light guide 24 transmits and diffuses incident light. A transparent substrate 25 is positioned between the light guide 24 and the cover 13. "Transparent" in the context of the transparent substrate 25 includes semi-transparent material. An LED 26, which serves as a light-emitting part, is provided on the transparent substrate 25. The LED 26 is positioned on the transparent substrate 25 at a location corresponding to the outer edge of the light guide 24. A hole 29 is formed in the center of the transparent substrate 25. As a result, the transparent substrate 25 surrounds the transmission range of the millimeter wave in the radar device 11, but outside of that range. In other words, the transparent substrate 25 is positioned at a certain distance from the transmission range of the millimeter wave in the radar device 11. The LED 26 is positioned at predetermined intervals along the outer edge of the light guide 24. The light guide 24 shines brightly by transmitting and diffusing the light incident from the LED 26. This causes the emblem 12 to function as a light-emitting emblem.

[0024] <Angles and dimensions of various parts of Emblem 12> The graph in Figure 3 shows the attenuation of millimeter waves transmitted and received by the radar device 11 as they pass through the flat plate portion 22 of the housing 14. The horizontal axis of this graph represents the angle of the flat plate portion 22 in the housing 14, specifically the inclination angle with respect to the plane perpendicular to the dashed line in Figure 2, which is the transmission direction of millimeter waves from the radar device 11. The millimeter wave attenuation shown on the vertical axis of the above graph decreases as the inclination angle increases, as shown by the solid line in Figure 3. The inclination angle of the emblem 12 can be set to, for example, 1° or more, and preferably to 3° or more. The upper limit of the inclination angle is determined by design factors such as the size of the emblem 12. The inclination angle is set to be smaller than the upper limit.

[0025] The graph in Figure 4 shows the attenuation of millimeter waves transmitted and received by the radar device 11 as they pass through the flat plate portion 22 of the housing 14 and the cover 13. The horizontal axis of this graph is the distance between the center of the cover 13 and the center of the flat plate portion 22 of the housing 14. The millimeter wave attenuation shown on the vertical axis of the graph changes with respect to the change in distance, as shown by the solid line in Figure 4. As can be seen from Figure 4, there is a distance at which the millimeter wave attenuation is minimized, and the attenuation increases as the distance becomes shorter than this value, and also as the distance becomes longer than this value. The distance at which the millimeter wave attenuation is minimized is an integer multiple of half a wavelength in millimeter waves. The distance at which the millimeter wave attenuation is minimized is set to a value within a predetermined range that includes the value at which the millimeter wave attenuation is minimized.

[0026] The graph in Figure 5 shows the amount of attenuation of millimeter waves transmitted and received by the radar device 11 after they have passed through the flat plate portion 22 and cover 13 of the housing 14. This attenuation of millimeter waves occurs because the millimeter waves transmitted from the radar device 11 are reflected to some extent when they hit the flange 21. In other words, the millimeter waves that have hit the flange 21 approach each other, causing interference between the millimeter waves in front of the direction of transmission of the millimeter waves from the radar device 11 in the emblem 12. Due to this interference between millimeter waves, attenuation occurs in the millimeter waves after they have passed through the flat plate portion 22 and cover 13 of the housing 14.

[0027] The horizontal axis of the graph in Figure 5 represents the angle of the flange 21 in the housing 14, specifically the angle of inclination relative to the dashed line shown in Figure 2. The millimeter wave attenuation shown on the vertical axis of the above graph decreases as the angle of the flange 21 increases, as shown by the solid line in Figure 5. This is because, as shown in Figure 7, when the angle of the flange 21 is small, the millimeter waves reflected by the flange 21 tend to travel closer to each other, making interference between millimeter waves more likely. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 8, when the angle of the flange 21 is large, the tendency of the millimeter waves reflected by the flange 21 to travel closer to each other is suppressed, making interference between millimeter waves less likely.

[0028] The angle of the flange 21 in the emblem 12 can be, for example, 1° or more, and preferably 3° or more. The upper limit of the flange 21 angle is determined by design factors such as the size of the emblem 12. The angle of the flange 21 is made smaller than the above upper limit. Note that in Figure 5, the millimeter wave attenuation does not change when the flange 21 angle is 0 to 5° because the attenuation includes the influence of the tilt angle shown in Figure 3 and the distance shown in Figure 4 of the emblem 12, as well as the distance shown in Figure 6, which will be described later. Under conditions where these influences are eliminated, when the flange 21 angle is 0 to 5°, the attenuation gradually decreases as the angle increases.

[0029] The graph in Figure 6 also shows the attenuation of millimeter waves transmitted and received by the radar device 11 as they pass through the flat plate portion 22 and cover 13 of the housing 14. The horizontal axis of this graph represents the distance between the millimeter wave transmission range of the radar device 11, i.e., the range shown by the dashed line L1 in Figure 2, and the transparent substrate 25 arranged to surround that range. The millimeter wave attenuation shown on the vertical axis of the above graph decreases as the distance decreases, as shown by the solid line in Figure 6. The distance to the emblem 12 is set to be greater than the value at which the millimeter wave attenuation shown by the solid line in Figure 6 reaches a predetermined level.

[0030] Next, the effects and advantages of the vehicle exterior parts of this embodiment will be described. (1-1) When millimeter waves transmitted from the radar device 11 pass through the housing 14 and cover 13 of the emblem 12, which is an exterior part of the vehicle, they are reflected to some extent by hitting the flange 21 of the housing 14. The proximity of these reflected millimeter waves to each other is suppressed because the part of the flange 21 closer to the cover 13 in the protruding direction is further away from the center of the cover 13 than the part further away from the cover 13. As a result, interference between millimeter waves can be suppressed in front of the direction of transmission of millimeter waves from the radar device 11 in the emblem 12. Furthermore, since the attenuation of the millimeter waves transmitted from the radar device 11 due to such interference between millimeter waves can be suppressed, a decrease in the performance of the radar device 11 can be suppressed.

[0031] (1-2) The shape of the flange 21 described above is achieved by the fact that the flange 21 is inclined so that it moves away from the center of the cover 13 as it approaches the outer edge of the cover 13. By setting the inclination angle of the flange 21 to 1° or more, more preferably 3° or more, interference between millimeter waves can be effectively suppressed in front of the direction of transmission of millimeter waves from the radar device 11 at the emblem 12.

[0032] (1-3) Because the emblem 12 is relatively small, the distance between the flanges 21 in the housing 14 tends to be short. When the distance between the flanges 21 is short in this way, the millimeter waves that hit the flanges 21 and are reflected interfere with each other at a position close to the emblem 12 in front of the direction of transmission of millimeter waves from the radar device 11, so the attenuation of the millimeter waves transmitted from the radar device 11 tends to be large. However, since the flanges 21 are inclined to move away from the center of the cover 13 as they approach the outer edge of the cover 13, the above-mentioned problem is suppressed.

[0033] (1-4) A light guide 24 and a transparent substrate 25 are positioned between the cover 13 and the housing 14 of the emblem 12. Light from an LED 26 provided on the transparent substrate 25 is incident on the light guide 24. The light guide 24 shines brightly by transmitting and diffusing the light from the LED 26. As a result, the emblem 12 functions as a light-emitting emblem, thereby improving the design of the emblem 12.

[0034] (1-5) Even if the transparent substrate 25 is made of a material capable of transmitting millimeter waves, attenuation of millimeter waves as they pass through the transparent substrate 25 is unavoidable. To suppress such attenuation of millimeter waves, a hole 29 is formed in the center of the transparent substrate 25. As a result, the transparent substrate 25 surrounds the transmission range of the radar device 11, outside of its transmission range. This allows the millimeter waves transmitted from the radar device 11 to pass through the hole 29 in the transparent substrate 25, thereby preventing the transparent substrate 25 from interfering with the transmission of millimeter waves from the radar device 11 and effectively suppressing millimeter wave attenuation.

[0035] (1-6) The cover 13 of the emblem 12 is decorated by a decorative film 19 that is attached to the front surface of the transparent layer 18. By decorating the cover 13 with such a decorative film 19, the manufacturing cost of the emblem 12 can be kept lower than when a resin decorative layer is formed on the cover 13 of the emblem 12.

[0036] [Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the vehicle exterior component will be described with reference to Figure 9. In the second embodiment, the same reference numerals as in the first embodiment are used for parts that are the same as in the first embodiment, and detailed explanations are omitted.

[0037] Figure 9 shows an emblem 12 as an exterior part for a vehicle in this embodiment. A projection 22a is formed on the flat plate portion 22 of the housing 14 of the emblem 12. The projection 22a is located closer to the center of the cover 13 than the flange 21 of the housing 14. The projection 22a is formed by bending the aforementioned portion of the housing 14, i.e., the flat plate portion 22, so that it protrudes toward the cover 13.

[0038] The emblem 12 in Figure 9 functions as a light-emitting emblem by irradiating light onto the cover 13. In the emblem 12, a flat substrate 27 on which an LED 26 is provided is positioned between the flange 21 and the protrusion 22a inside the housing 14. The substrate 27 extends outside the transmission range of the millimeter waves transmitted by the radar device 11, surrounding that transmission range.

[0039] A lens 30 is positioned between the flange 21 and the protrusion 22a inside the housing 14, and forward of the LED 26 in the direction of millimeter wave transmission from the radar device 11. The lens 30 is intended to reflect the light from the LED 26 so that it is directed toward the part of the cover 13 opposite the protrusion 22a.

[0040] According to this embodiment, in addition to the effects of (1-1), (1-2), (1-3), and (1-6) in the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. (2-1) By forming the protruding portion 22a on the housing 14, the distance between the cover 13 and the housing 14 on the emblem 12 can be shortened, thereby reducing the overall size of the emblem 12.

[0041] [Other embodiments] Furthermore, each of the above embodiments can be modified as follows, for example. The above embodiments and the following modifications can be combined and implemented to the extent that they do not contradict each other technically.

[0042] In the flange 21, the shape in which the portion closer to the cover 13 in its protruding direction is further from the center of the cover 13 than the portion further away from the cover 13 may be achieved by forming steps or irregularities between those portions.

[0043] In the first embodiment, the decorative film 19 may be attached to the rear surface of the base material 17, i.e., the right side in Figure 2. Since the base material 17 and the transparent layer 18 are capable of transmitting visible light, the decorative film 19 will still be visible from the outside of the vehicle in this case, making it possible to decorate the emblem 12 with the decorative film 19. The same applies to the second embodiment.

[0044] In the first and second embodiments, the emblem 12 does not necessarily need to be decorated with the decorative film 19; it is also possible to decorate the emblem 12 by forming a resin decorative layer on the cover 13 of the emblem 12.

[0045] In the first embodiment, as shown in Figure 10, an optical reflective material 28 may be placed between the light guide 24 of the emblem 12 and the housing 14 to reflect the light from the LED 26 that has passed through the light guide 24. With this configuration, when light from the LED 26 passes through the light guide 24, the light that has passed through the light guide 24 is reflected by the optical reflective material 28 and enters the light guide 24 again. Therefore, more light can be incident on the light guide 24, making the light guide 24 shine brighter.

[0046] • The transparent substrate 25 in the emblem 12 does not necessarily have a hole 29 formed in the center, as in the first embodiment. An example of this case is shown in Figure 11. In the first embodiment, the light guide 24, the transparent substrate 25, and the LED 26 may be omitted.

[0047] In the first and second embodiments, an emblem 12 fitted into an opening in an exterior panel was exemplified as an exterior part for a vehicle. However, as shown in Figure 12, for example, the cover 13 of the emblem 12 may be integrated with the exterior panel 31, thereby making the exterior panel 31 an exterior part for a vehicle. Examples of exterior panels 31 in this case, i.e., exterior parts for a vehicle, include panels without ventilation openings such as bumpers, panels with ventilation openings such as grilles, and panels intended for decoration such as garnishes.

[0048] The mounting position for the vehicle's exterior parts may be any of the following locations on the vehicle: the front, the side, or the rear. In the first and second embodiments, the radar device 11 may transmit and receive electromagnetic waves other than millimeter waves, such as infrared rays or lasers. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0049] 11... Radar equipment 12… Emblem 13…cover 14… Housing 17...Base material 18...Transparent layer 19… Decorative film 21… Flange 22...Flat plate part 22a...Protruding part 24… Light guide 25…Transparent substrate 26…LED 27... Circuit board 28...Optical reflective material 29…hole 31…Exterior panels

Claims

1. A radar device mounted on a vehicle comprises a cover and housing located in front of the direction of electromagnetic wave transmission, The housing covers the surface of the cover that faces the radar device. The housing is provided with a flange that protrudes to the cover, The flange protrudes to the cover, thereby connecting to the cover in a vehicle exterior component. The flange is such that the portion of it closer to the cover in its protruding direction is further from the center of the cover than the portion of it further from the cover. Between the cover and the housing, a plate-shaped light guide is arranged to transmit and diffuse the incident light and transmit electromagnetic waves in the radar device. A transparent substrate is placed between the light guide and the cover, the transparent substrate has a light-emitting portion on the side facing the light guide that emits light toward the light guide, and the transparent substrate has a hole formed in its center, making it an exterior component for vehicles.

2. The flange is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a straight line extending in the direction of electromagnetic wave transmission in the radar device. The exterior part for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the inclination angle of the flange is 1° or more.

3. The exterior vehicle component according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cover and housing form an emblem.

4. The exterior part for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein an optical reflective material is disposed between the light guide and the housing to reflect light from the light-emitting part that has passed through the light guide.

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