Vehicle sensors

Abstract

To reduce working man-hours related to assembly to a vehicle, while restraining reduction in heating efficiency of a heater, in a sensor for the vehicle for recognizing the outside of the vehicle.SOLUTION: The vehicular camera device 1 recognizes the outside of a vehicle through a windshield, and includes a hood 30 on which a camera 21 is mounted, and a heater module 50. The heater module 50 has the heater main body 51 and the connector 53 connected to the automobile via the harness 52 extending from the heater main body 51, the hood 30 has the hood base 31 capable of arranging the heater main body 51 on the plate arrangement surface 31A facing the windshield, and the hood base 31 is provided with the cutout portion 31A through which the harness 52 can be inserted over the plate arrangement surface 31a2 and the lower surface 31L. The cutout 31L communicates with the edge of the hood base 31.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle sensor that recognizes the outside world of a vehicle through a transparent member.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in vehicles such as automobiles, there are some equipped with a system for avoiding collisions with objects in front or reducing the damage caused by collisions. In this type of vehicle, sensors such as cameras are provided on the passenger compartment side of the windshield to recognize the outside world. For example, the in-vehicle camera unit described in Patent Document 1 includes an in-vehicle camera, a hood, and a heater. Here, the hood is composed of a hood base that holds the in-vehicle camera and a hood plate that covers the bottom surface of the recessed area above the hood base. The heater is disposed between the hood base and the hood plate and is fixed within the hood.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When a heater is provided in the hood as in Patent Document 1 described above, the heater is supplied with power from a power source provided on the vehicle side. At this time, the connection between the vehicle and the heater is generally wired by a connector. In the in-vehicle camera unit of Patent Document 1, the heater is disposed on the upper surface of the hood base, that is, on the side of the surface of the hood base facing the windshield. In this case, it is necessary to position the connector for connecting to the vehicle on the lower surface side of the hood base. Here, there is a problem of how to attach a heater module composed of a heater, a harness, and a connector to the hood base.

[0005] One installation method involves creating a small through-hole in the hood base for inserting the heater module harness. In this case, after connecting the harness to the heater, the end of the harness is inserted through the through-hole, positioning the end of the harness on the underside of the hood base. Then, the connector is attached to the end of the harness on the underside of the hood base. This method requires the connector to be attached after the heater has been installed in the hood base, which makes the work inefficient.

[0006] Therefore, one possible method is to directly attach the completed heater module to the hood base. In this case, a large-area through-hole is formed in the hood base through which the connector can be inserted. During the process of assembling the completed heater module to the hood base, the connector is inserted through this through-hole and positioned on the underside of the hood base. This method has the problem that, because a large through-hole is formed in the hood base, the heat from the heater can easily escape through this through-hole, resulting in poor heating efficiency. This problem can be addressed by covering the through-hole after inserting the connector, but this increases the manufacturing process and costs.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention aims to reduce the number of man-hours required for assembly into a vehicle while suppressing a reduction in the heating efficiency of the heater in a vehicle sensor that recognizes the external environment of the vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] (1) The vehicle sensor of the present invention, provided to solve the above-mentioned problems, is a vehicle sensor that is positioned opposite to a transparent member provided on a vehicle and recognizes the outside world of the vehicle through the transparent member, and comprises a hood on which the sensor is mounted and a heater module, wherein the heater module has a heater body and a connector connected to the vehicle via a harness extending from the heater body, and the hood has a hood base on which the heater body can be positioned on the surface facing the transparent member, the hood base is provided with a notch that allows the harness to be inserted across the front and back surfaces, and the notch is in communication with the edge of the hood base.

[0009] The vehicle sensor described above has a notch formed that communicates with the edge of the hood base. This notch is configured so that a harness can be inserted through it across both the front and back surfaces of the hood base. With this configuration, in the completed heater module, in which the heater body is connected to one end of the harness and the connector is connected to the other end, when arranging the heater body on the front surface of the hood base and the connector on the back surface of the hood base, the following can be done. For example, when arranging the heater body on the front surface of the hood base and the connector on the back surface of the hood base, it is conceivable to pull the harness out from the heater body on the front surface of the hood base, along the surface, through the edge of the hood base, and to the back surface of the hood base. At this time, the harness is inserted into the notch when pulled out to the edge of the hood base. After insertion, the harness becomes movable within the notch of the hood base. Therefore, for example, if the notch is formed extending inward from the edge of the hood base, the harness can be shifted inward from the edge of the hood base. Furthermore, this movement of the harness can be achieved by making the notch small enough for the harness to pass through. Therefore, the connector can be easily positioned on the underside of the hood base without forming a large-area through-hole through which the connector can be inserted. Also, for example, by forming the notch small enough for the harness to pass through, it is possible to suppress the reduction in the heating efficiency of the heater and to suppress the reduction in the rigidity of the hood base caused by providing the notch. In addition, according to the configuration of the present invention, since it is not necessary to connect the connector afterwards when positioning the heater module connector on the underside of the hood base as described above, the amount of work required can be reduced.

[0010] (2) The hood base has a side surface that extends in a direction intersecting the surface, and the notch may extend along the boundary between the surface and the side surface.

[0011] In this way, the vehicle sensor of the present invention can maintain the light-shielding properties on the side of the hood compared to, for example, a configuration in which a notch is provided on the side of the hood base. Furthermore, since the notch is formed at the boundary between the surface and the side of the hood base, the vehicle sensor of the present invention can easily guide the harness to the notch using the surface or side as a guide surface. As a result, the vehicle sensor of the present invention can improve workability when being assembled into a vehicle.

[0012] (3) The hood base has a rear wall with an opening that exposes part or all of the sensor to the outside world, and the notch is preferably in communication with the opening.

[0013] In this way, the vehicle sensor of the present invention can utilize the opening for the sensor to guide it into the notch of the harness, thereby improving workability when assembling it into a vehicle.

[0014] (4) The notch is formed to a size that allows the harness to be inserted, while the connector is formed to a size that prevents insertion.

[0015] In this way, when the hood is assembled to the vehicle in the completed heater module state, the vehicle sensor of the present invention can have a cutout formed in the hood base that is just large enough for the harness to pass through. As a result, the vehicle sensor of the present invention can reduce the number of work hours required for assembly to the vehicle while preventing a reduction in the heating efficiency of the heater.

[0016] (5) The notch has a linear first portion and a second portion which is wider than the first portion, and the second portion is preferably located further away from the edge of the hood base than the first portion.

[0017] By doing so, since the second part is formed wider than the first part, the movable range of the harness can be widened at the second part. In this case, after arranging the harness at the second part of the notch, the stress acting on the harness can be reduced. Also, since the harness can be freely pulled out within the range of the first part and the second part, the degree of freedom in routing the harness 52 is improved.

[0018] (6) The hood includes a hood plate that covers the heater body disposed on the surface of the hood base, and the hood plate may close at least a part of the notch.

[0019] By doing so, in the vehicle sensor of the present invention, since at least a part of the notch is closed by the hood plate, the reduction in the heat generation efficiency of the heater can be further suppressed. Also, the vehicle sensor of the present invention can suppress the reduction in the light shielding property of the hood due to the provision of the notch.

Advantages of the Invention

[0020] According to the present invention, in a vehicle camera sensor that recognizes the outside of a vehicle, it is possible to reduce the number of man-hours related to assembly to the vehicle while suppressing a reduction in the heat generation efficiency of a heater.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view of a vehicle camera device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is an exploded perspective view of a hood of a vehicle camera device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view of a hood base that forms a part of the hood. [Figure 4] It is an enlarged view of the A region in FIG. 3 and is a diagram for explaining a notch formed in the hood base. [Figure 5] It is a perspective view when the hood base is viewed from the lower side. [Figure 6]It is a perspective view of the heater module in a state where it is attached to the hood plate. [Figure 7] It is a partial cross-sectional view of the state where the heater module is assembled to the hood. [Figure 8] It is an exploded perspective view of the hood and the bracket. [Figure 9] It is a perspective view when looking at the hood with the heater module assembled from the lower side. [Figure 10] It is a perspective view when looking at the vehicle camera device according to an embodiment of the present invention from the rear side.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0022] Hereinafter, the vehicle camera device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0023] The vehicle camera device 1 of the present embodiment is mounted, for example, as a sensor for recognizing an object existing in front of the vehicle in a vehicle equipped with a driving support system. Examples of the driving support system include a system that operates an automatic brake to prevent a collision between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle or an obstacle or reduce the damage caused by the collision, a system that controls the steering angle to keep the vehicle within the lane during travel (LKA: Lane Keeping Assist), a system that makes the vehicle follow a preceding vehicle and travel (ACC: Adaptive Cruise Control), a system that assists steering when the vehicle parks, and one or more of a system that monitors the blind spot of the driver.

[0024] In this embodiment, in the horizontal direction parallel to the vehicle's direction of travel, the windshield side is considered the front and the rear window side is considered the rear when viewed from inside the vehicle. In the horizontal direction parallel to the vehicle's width, the right side is considered the right direction and the left side is considered the left direction when viewed from inside the vehicle. In the vertical direction parallel to the vehicle, the roof side is considered the upward direction and the road surface side is considered the downward direction when viewed from inside the vehicle. Below, each component of the vehicle camera device 1 as it is mounted on the vehicle will be described, with the above directions indicated as appropriate.

[0025] The vehicle camera device 1 is positioned in front of the vehicle's rearview mirror (in the direction of vehicle travel) and opposite the upper center of the windshield (not shown), which is a light-transmitting material, in the left-right direction (vehicle width direction).

[0026] As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle camera device 1 comprises a camera body 20, a hood 30 attached to the camera body 20, and a bracket 40 that holds the camera body 20 and the hood 30. The vehicle camera device 1 is fixed to the windshield by fixing the bracket 40 to the interior side of the vehicle's windshield.

[0027] As shown in Figures 1 and 10, the camera body 20 includes, for example, two cameras 21 (Figure 1) and a camera housing 22 (Figure 10). The cameras 21 are positioned with a predetermined distance between them in the left-right direction, and their lenses are facing the windshield (forward). In addition, both cameras 21 are positioned so that their optical axes extend in the front-back direction.

[0028] As shown in Figure 10, the camera housing 22 holds the cameras 21 separated by the predetermined distance. The rear wall 22a of the camera housing 22 is provided with an opening 22b for inserting a connector 22c. The connector 22c can be a common connector with multiple terminals for transmitting signals and supplying power to both cameras 21. In the following, when distinguishing between the two cameras 21, they will be referred to as the right camera 21a and the left camera 21b, and when not distinguishing between them, both will be referred to collectively as camera 21.

[0029] (Food) The hood 30 prevents light from below the camera 21 from reflecting off the windshield and entering the lens, which would cause the resulting image to appear in the image captured by the camera 21. As shown in Figure 1, the hood 30 is roughly plate-shaped and extends forward and downward from the front of the camera body 20. As shown in Figure 2, the hood 30 has a hood base 31 and a hood plate 32, and is detachably attached to the bracket 40.

[0030] As shown in Figure 3, the hood base 31 has a base portion 31a. The base portion 31a of the hood base 31 is roughly plate-shaped, and most of its upper surface 31a1 is positioned to face the windshield. Furthermore, the base portion 31a is formed to become wider in the left-right direction as it moves towards the front.

[0031] A region 31A is provided on the upper surface 31a1 of the base portion 31a of the hood base 31, where the hood plate 32 (Figure 2) is placed. A recess 31a3 for accommodating the heater body 51, which will be described later with reference to Figure 6, is also formed in this region 31A. The depth of the recess 31a3 is greater than the thickness of the heater body 51. Hereinafter, the region 31A on the upper surface 31a1 of the base portion 31a where the hood plate 32 is placed will be referred to as the plate placement surface 31A.

[0032] As shown in Figure 3, the plate mounting surface 31A has an outer shape substantially the same as the hood plate 32 (Figure 2), and is formed to be wider in the left-right direction towards the front. A right side surface 31b is provided at the right end of the plate mounting surface 31A, extending in a direction intersecting the plate mounting surface 31A. The right side surface 31b also extends along the right end of the plate mounting surface 31A. A plate-shaped flange portion 31g1 is formed at the upper end of the right side surface 31b. The flange portion 31g1 is bent at approximately 90 degrees from the right side surface 31b so that it protrudes outward from the plate mounting surface 31A when viewed from above.

[0033] A left side surface 31c is provided at the left end of the plate mounting surface 31A, extending in a direction intersecting the plate mounting surface 31A. The left side surface 31c also extends along the left end of the plate mounting surface 31A. A flange portion 31g2 similar to the right flange portion 31g1 is formed at the upper end of the left side surface 31c.

[0034] A right-center side surface 31e is provided at the rear end of the plate arrangement surface 31A, facing the right-side surface 31b. The rear end of the right-center side surface 31e is located at the rear end of the base portion 31a, and the front end is located between the front and rear ends of the plate arrangement surface 31A in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, when viewed from above, the right-side surface 31b and the right-center side surface 31e become wider towards the front. The angle between the right-side surface 31b and the right-center side surface 31e when viewed from above can be set according to the field of view of the right-side camera 21a.

[0035] Furthermore, at the rear end of the plate arrangement surface 31A, a left middle side surface 31f is provided, similar to the right middle side surface 31e relative to the right side surface 31b, so as to face the left side surface 31c.

[0036] As shown in Figure 3, a rear wall 31d is provided at the rear end of the base portion 31a. A series of claws 31h, arranged in approximately a single row in the left-right direction, are formed in the center of the rear wall 31d. The claws 31h protrude rearward from the rear wall 31d.

[0037] As shown in Figure 3, the right-side camera 21a is exposed on the rear wall 31d so as to face the outside world. A right-side opening 31i1 is formed, and a left-side opening 31i2 is formed to expose the left-side camera 21b.

[0038] The right-side opening 31i1 is formed by the rear edge of the right-side surface 31b, the rear edge of the plate placement surface 31A, and the rear edge of the right-center side surface 31e, and is open at the top. The lens of the right-side camera 21a is positioned in the right-side opening 31i1. This allows the right-side camera 21a, with the hood 30 attached, to perceive the outside world through the right-side opening 31i1.

[0039] The left-side opening 31i2 is formed by the rear edge of the left side surface 31c, the rear edge of the plate placement surface 31A, and the rear edge of the left middle side surface 31f, and is open at the top. As a result, similar to the right-side opening 31i1, the left-side camera 21b, to which the hood 30 is attached, can perceive the outside world through the left-side opening 31i2.

[0040] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, a notch 31L is formed at the left end of the plate placement surface 31A of the hood base 31, penetrating the base portion 31a in the vertical direction. The notch 31L has a linear portion 31L1 and a portion 31L2 that is wider than portion 31L1 (Figure 4). Hereinafter, portion 31L1 will be referred to as the linear portion 31L1, and portion 31L2 will be referred to as the wider portion 31L2.

[0041] The linear portion 31L1 extends along the boundary between the plate placement surface 31A and the left side surface 31c. Here, one end of the linear portion 31L1 communicates with the rear edge of the base portion 31a, and the other end communicates with the wide portion 31L2. Furthermore, one end of the linear portion 31L1 reaches the left-side opening 31i2 located at the rear end of the base portion 31a, and the left-side opening 31i2 communicates with the notch portion 31L.

[0042] The wide section 31L2 forms a rectangle when viewed from above and is connected to the other end of the linear section 31L1. Furthermore, the wide section 31L2 is positioned further from the edge of the hood base 31 than the linear section 31L1. The width (short-side width) of the linear section 31L1 is larger than the width (diameter) of the harness 52 of the heater module 50, allowing the harness 52 to be moved from one end of the linear section 31L1 towards the wide section 31L2.

[0043] Of the sides of the wide portion 31L2, the length of the side connected to the other end of the linear portion 31L1 is longer than the width (short-side width) of the linear portion 31L1. As a result, the wide portion 31L2 is wider than the linear portion 31L1.

[0044] The linear portion 31L1 and the wide portion 31L2 of the notch 31L are both sized to allow the harness 52 of the heater module 50 (Figure 6) to pass through, while the connector 53 is sized not to allow insertion.

[0045] The shape of the wide portion 31L2 is not limited to a quadrilateral and can be changed as appropriate. For example, it can be a circle, a triangle, or a polygon with pentagons or more. In this case, it is preferable that the shortest width of the wide portion 31L2 is greater than the line width of the linear portion 31L1.

[0046] Furthermore, the position of the linear portion 31L1 can be changed as appropriate. For example, the linear portion 31L1 can be formed on the left side surface 31c or on the plate mounting surface 31A. Alternatively, the linear portion 31L1 can be formed along the boundary between the plate mounting surface 31A and the right side surface 31b. In this case, the wide portion 31L2 can also be formed at the right end of the plate mounting surface 31A, with one end of the linear portion 31L1 communicating with the rear edge of the plate mounting surface 31A and the other end connecting to the wide portion 31L2.

[0047] Furthermore, the shape of the notch 31L can also be changed. For example, the lower end of the wall surface on one side of the notch 31L in the width direction (for example, the short side direction of the linear portion 31L1) can be bent inward, resulting in a notch 31L having a wall surface with a hook-shaped cross-section. In this case, it is preferable to form a gap between the portion of the wall surface on that side that is bent inward and the lower surface 31a2 of the base portion 31a through which the harness 52 can be inserted.

[0048] As shown in Figure 5, locking pieces 31j are provided on both the left and right sides of the lower surface 31a2 of the base portion 31a of the hood base 31, which are locked into the locking structure of the bracket 40. Each locking piece 31j protrudes rearward from the rear end edge of the lower surface 31a2.

[0049] At both left and right ends of the lower surface 31a2 of the base portion 31a, engaging pieces 31k1 and 31k2 are provided, respectively, that protrude outward from the lower surface 31a2, so as to overlap with the corresponding right-side flange portions 31g1 and 31g2. The engaging pieces 31k1 and 31k2 and the flange portions 31g1 and 31g2 are arranged approximately parallel to each other, and the distance between the flange portions 31g1 and 31g2 and the engaging pieces 31k1 and 31k2 is slightly wider than the thickness of the engaged pieces (right-side engaged piece 40c2, left-side engaged piece 40c4) of the bracket 40, which will be described later. As a result, the hood base 31 is able to position the engaged pieces (right-side engaged piece 40c2, left-side engaged piece 40c4) between the flange portions 31g1 and 31g2 and the engaging pieces 31k1 and 31k2.

[0050] As shown in Figure 2, the hood plate 32 is plate-shaped and is placed on the plate mounting surface 31A of the hood base 31, covering the plate mounting surface 31A. As a result, the upper surface 32a1 of the hood plate 32 faces the windshield. The hood plate 32 can be made of a metal such as Al (aluminum).

[0051] As shown in Figure 2, the upper surface 32a1 of the hood plate 32 is covered with an anti-reflective film 32b that has substantially the same shape as the hood plate 32.

[0052] A double-sided tape 32c, which is approximately the same shape as the food plate 32, is attached to the lower surface 32a2 of the food plate 32.

[0053] Furthermore, when viewed from above, the hood plate 32 overlaps with the notch 31L of the hood base 31. Therefore, when the hood plate 32 covers the plate placement surface 31A of the hood base 31, the upper part of the notch 31L is closed. It is also possible to design the hood plate 32 so that it does not have a portion that overlaps with the notch 31L when viewed from above. Alternatively, it is also possible to design the hood plate 32 so that a portion of it overlaps with the notch 31L.

[0054] (Heater module) As shown in Figure 6, the heater module 50 includes a heater body 51, a harness 52, and a connector 53.

[0055] The heater body 51 is plate-shaped and one end of the harness 52 is connected to it. The heater body 51 functions as a heat-generating component when power is supplied to it via the harness 52. The other end of the harness 52 is connected to a connector 53. The connector 53 is connected to the vehicle's power line. As a result, power is supplied to the heater body 51 from the vehicle side via the harness 52, causing the heater body 51 to generate heat. The connector 53 is detachably fixed in a predetermined position on the bracket 40.

[0056] As described above, double-sided tape 32c (Figure 2) is attached to almost the entire surface of the lower surface 32a2 of the hood plate 32, and the heater body 51 is attached to this double-sided tape 32c. In other words, as shown in Figure 6, the heater body 51 is attached to the lower surface 32a2 of the hood plate 32. The hood plate 32 is also fixed to the plate placement surface 31A of the base portion 31a of the hood base 31 by the double-sided tape 32c on the lower surface 32a2. At this time, the heater body 51 is placed in the recess 31a3 formed in the base portion 31a of the hood base 31. As a result, the plate placement surface 31A of the hood plate 32 maintains its flatness without forming irregularities equal to the thickness of the heater body 51.

[0057] The relative positions of the hood 30 with the hood plate 32 attached to the hood base 31 and the heater body 51 are as shown in Figure 7. Specifically, from bottom to top, these relative positions are: the lower surface of the hood base 31 (lower surface 31a2 of the base portion 31a), the upper surface of the hood base 31 (upper surface 31a1 of the base portion 31a), the heater body 51, the double-sided tape 32c, the hood plate 32, and the anti-reflective film 32b.

[0058] Figure 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of the hood 30 assembled with the heater module 50, but it schematically represents the hood plate 32, heater body 51, double-sided tape 32c, and anti-reflective film 32b. Therefore, the thickness relationships of each component may differ from those of the actual components.

[0059] In this embodiment, the case in which the double-sided tape 32c is applied to cover substantially the entire lower surface 32a2 of the hood plate 32 was described as an example, but the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the double-sided tape 32c may be applied to cover a portion of the lower surface 32a2 of the hood plate 32. In this case, it is advisable to adjust the application area and position of the double-sided tape 32c so that the adhesive strength between the hood plate 32 and the hood base 31, and the adhesive strength between the hood plate 32 and the heater body 51, are set to desired values.

[0060] (bracket) The bracket 40 is attached to the interior side of the windshield by double-sided tape (not shown) or adhesive resin provided on its upper surface 40a1. This fixes the vehicle camera device 1 to the windshield.

[0061] As shown in Figure 8, the bracket 40 has a main body 40a that is roughly plate-shaped, and a through hole 40b is formed in the center of the main body 40a for positioning the camera 21.

[0062] The front part of the main body 40a of the bracket 40 is cut out, forming a hood placement section 40c for positioning the hood 30.

[0063] A right-side restricting wall 40c1 and a right-side engaging piece 40c2 are formed at the right end of the hood placement section 40c. The right-side restricting wall 40c1 is bent downward from the upper surface 40a1 of the main body section 40a. The right-side restricting wall 40c1 extends along the right edge of the hood placement section 40c. The right-side engaging piece 40c2 is provided bent horizontally from the lower end of the right-side restricting wall 40c1 toward the inside of the hood placement section 40c.

[0064] At the left end of the hood placement section 40c, a left-side restricting wall 40c3 and a left-side engaging piece 40c4 are formed, similar to the right end.

[0065] The hood placement section 40c, like the hood base 31, is formed to become wider towards the front, allowing the hood 30 to be placed on the bracket 40.

[0066] As shown in Figure 8, in the main body portion 40a of the bracket 40, an insertion hole 40d is formed in the center in the left-right direction and adjacent to the hood placement portion 40c in the front-rear direction, through which the claws 31h formed on the hood base 31 can be inserted. The insertion holes 40d are provided side by side on the left and right to correspond to the two claws 31h.

[0067] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 10, the bracket 40 is provided with locking claws 40e on both the left and right sides of the camera body 20 for holding the camera body 20 from below. The bracket 40 also has a locking structure (not shown) for locking the locking piece 31j formed on the hood base 31.

[0068] (Assembly method for vehicle camera device 1) The vehicle camera device 1 can be assembled, for example, as follows. First, double-sided tape is attached to the lower surface 32a2 of the hood plate 32, and then the heater body 51 is attached to a predetermined position on the lower surface 32a2. After that, a harness 52 with a connector 53 connected to the other end is prepared, and one end of the harness 52 is joined to the heater body 51, for example, by soldering. That is, the state shown in Figure 6. Note that the joining of one end of the harness 52 to the heater body 51 does not have to be done with the heater body 51 attached to the lower surface 32a2 of the hood plate 32, but the heater body 51 may be attached to the lower surface 32a2 of the hood plate 32 in an assembled state (finished state) with one end of the harness 52 and the heater body 51 joined together.

[0069] Next, the hood plate 32 is attached to the plate placement surface 31A of the base portion 31a of the hood base 31. At this time, the other end of the harness 52 (connector 53 side) is pulled out from the left opening 31i2 for the left camera 21b to the rear outside of the hood base 31. Next, while the harness 52 is in contact with the plate placement surface 31A of the base portion 31a of the hood base 31, it is slid towards the left side 31c side, and the harness 52 is inserted through the entrance of the linear portion 31L1 of the notch 31L (rear end of the linear portion 31L1), and the harness 52 is moved to the wide portion 31L2.

[0070] At this time, the harness 52 is pulled out from the heater body 51 in a direction parallel to the plate arrangement surface 31A of the base portion 31a of the hood base 31. When the harness 52 is moved to the wide portion 31L2, from there, as shown in Figure 9, the harness 52 is bent downward by approximately 90° at the position of the wide portion 31L2 and pulled out to the lower surface 31a2 side of the hood base 31. After being pulled out to the lower surface side of the hood base 31, the harness 52 is bent to approach the horizontal direction and pulled out to the fixing position of the bracket 40 of the connector 53. As a result, even when the heater module 50 is attached to the hood 30 in an assembled state (ASSY), the connector 53 of the heater module 50 can be positioned on the lower surface 31a2 side of the base portion 31a of the hood base 31.

[0071] The hood 30 with the heater module 50, completed in this way, is attached to the bracket 40, for example, as follows. First, the hood base 31 is positioned in front of the hood placement portion 40c of the bracket 40, and the right-side engaged piece 40c2 of the bracket 40 is positioned between the right-side flange portion 31g1 of the hood base 31 and the right-side engaging piece 31k1, while the left-side engaged piece 40c4 of the bracket 40 is positioned between the left-side flange portion 31g2 of the hood base 31 and the left-side engaging piece 31k2, and the hood 30 is slid towards the bracket 40. At this time, the right-side engaged piece 40c2 and the left-side engaged piece 40c4 of the bracket 40 function as guide plates. As the hood 30 is slid, the rear wall 31d of the hood base 31 comes into contact with the bracket 40.

[0072] At this time, the claws 31h of the hood base 31 are inserted into the insertion holes 40d of the bracket 40, and the locking piece 31j of the hood base 31 is locked by the locking structure of the bracket 40. As a result, the hood 30 is attached to the bracket 40.

[0073] As shown in Figure 10, when the camera body 20 and the hood 30 are attached to the bracket 40, the connector 22c of the camera body 20 and the connector 53 of the heater module 50 are positioned such that their vertical height and front-to-back position are approximately the same. In this case, the workability is improved when connecting the connector 53 to the vehicle's power line or the connector 22c to the vehicle's signal line.

[0074] Furthermore, the connector 53 is fixed to the bracket 40 at approximately the same height (vertical height) as the notch 31L of the hood base 31, and also in close proximity to the notch 31L in the lateral direction. This allows the wiring length of the harness 52 to be shortened. In addition, the harness 52 can be pulled out to the connector 53 with minimal bending. This reduces the load acting on the harness 52 when the vehicle vibrates.

[0075] (Mechanism of Action and Effects) The above describes one embodiment of the vehicle camera device 1 of the present invention. Next, the effects and advantages realized by the vehicle camera device 1 of this embodiment will be described below.

[0076] The vehicle camera device 1 described above has the following characteristic configuration. Therefore, the vehicle camera device 1 can achieve unique effects that cannot be achieved with conventional technology, as described below.

[0077] (a) The vehicle camera device 1 of the present invention is a vehicle sensor (vehicle camera device 1) that is positioned opposite to a transparent member (windshield) provided on a vehicle and recognizes the outside world of the vehicle through the transparent member (windshield), and comprises a hood 30 on which the sensor is mounted and a heater module 50, wherein the heater module 50 has a heater body 51 and a connector 53 that is connected to the vehicle via a harness 52 extending from the heater body 51, and the hood 30 has a hood base 31 on which the heater body 51 can be positioned on the surface (plate arrangement surface 31A) facing the transparent member (windshield), and the hood base 31 is provided with a notch 31L that allows the harness 52 to be inserted across the surface (plate arrangement surface 31A) and the back surface (bottom surface 31a2), and the notch 31L is in communication with the edge of the hood base 31.

[0078] The vehicle sensor (vehicle camera device 1) of the present invention has a notch 31L that communicates with the edge of the hood base 31, and the notch 31L is configured so that a harness 52 can be inserted through it across the surface (plate arrangement surface 31A) and back surface (bottom surface 31a2) of the hood base 31. With this configuration, when arranging the heater module 50 in a completed state in which a heater body 51 is connected to one end of the harness 52 and a connector 53 is connected to the other end, the heater body 51 can be placed on the surface side (plate arrangement surface 31A side) of the hood base 31 and the connector 53 can be placed on the back side (bottom surface 31a2 side) of the hood base 31 as follows. For example, when the heater body 51 is placed on the front side (plate placement surface 31A side) of the hood base 31 and the connector 53 is placed on the back side (bottom surface 31a2 side) of the hood base 31, it is conceivable to pull the harness 52 from the heater body 51 on the front side (plate placement surface 31A) of the hood base 31, along the front side (plate placement surface 31A), through the edge of the hood base 31, to the back side (bottom surface 31a2 side) of the hood base 31. At this time, the harness 52 is inserted into the notch 31L when it is pulled out to the edge of the hood base 31. After insertion, the harness 52 becomes movable within the notch 31L of the hood base 31. Therefore, for example, if the notch 31L is formed extending inward from the edge of the hood base 31, the harness 52 can be shifted inward from the edge of the hood base 31. Furthermore, the movement of this series of harnesses 52 can be achieved by making the notch 31L large enough for the harness 52 to pass through. Therefore, the connector 53 can be easily positioned on the back side (bottom surface 31a2 side) of the hood base 31 without forming a large-area through-hole through which the connector 53 can be inserted. Also, for example, by forming the notch 31L to a small size that allows the harness 52 to pass through, it is possible to suppress a reduction in the heating efficiency of the heater (heater module 50) and to suppress a decrease in the rigidity of the hood base 31 caused by providing the notch 31L.Furthermore, according to the configuration of the present invention, since the connector 53 of the heater module 50 is placed on the back side (bottom surface 31a2 side) of the hood base 31, as described above, there is no need to connect the connector 53 later, thus reducing the amount of work required.

[0079] (b) The vehicle sensor (vehicle camera device 1) of the present invention has a side surface (left side surface 31c) that extends in a direction intersecting the surface (plate arrangement surface 31A) of the hood base 31, and the notch portion 31L is preferably extended along the boundary between the surface (plate arrangement surface 31A) and the side surface (left side surface 31c).

[0080] In this way, the vehicle sensor (vehicle camera device 1) of the present invention can maintain the light-shielding properties on the side of the hood 30 compared to a configuration in which, for example, a notch 31L is provided on the side (left side 31c) of the hood base 31. Furthermore, since the notch 31L is formed at the boundary between the plate arrangement surface 31A and the side (left side 31c) of the hood base 31, the vehicle sensor (vehicle camera device 1) of the present invention can use either the plate arrangement surface 31A or the side (left side 31c) as a guide surface. As a result, even if the entrance to the notch 31L (one end of the linear portion 31L1) is narrow, the harness 52 can be easily guided into the notch 31L. Therefore, the vehicle sensor (vehicle camera device 1) of the present invention improves workability when assembling it into a vehicle. Furthermore, by positioning the notch 31L at the end of the hood 30 away from the heater body 51, the vehicle sensor (vehicle camera device 1) of the present invention can reduce heat loss from the heater (heater body 51). Also, because the notch 31L is located at the end of the hood 30, the vehicle sensor (vehicle camera device 1) of the present invention does not get in the way when fixing the camera body 20 to the bracket 40, improving workability when assembling it to a vehicle.

[0081] (c) The hood base has a rear wall 31d provided with an opening 31i2 that exposes part or all of the sensor (left camera 21b) to the outside world, and the notch 31L is preferably in communication with the opening 31i2.

[0082] In this way, the vehicle sensor (vehicle camera device 1) of the present invention can utilize the opening 31i2 for the sensor (left camera 21b) to guide it into the notch 31L of the harness 52, thereby improving workability when assembling it into a vehicle.

[0083] (d) The notch 31L is preferably formed to a size that allows the harness 52 to be inserted, while the connector 53 is preferably formed to a size that prevents insertion.

[0084] In this way, when assembling the hood 30 to the vehicle with the vehicle sensor (vehicle camera device 1) of the present invention in its completed heater module 50 state, the cutout portion 31L formed in the hood base 31 can be made small enough for the harness 52 to pass through. As a result, the vehicle sensor (vehicle camera device 1) of the present invention can reduce the number of work hours required for assembly to the vehicle while preventing a reduction in the heat generation efficiency of the heater (heater body 51).

[0085] (e) The notch 31L has a linear first portion (linear portion 31L1) and a second portion (wide portion 31L2) which is wider than the first portion (linear portion 31L1), and the second portion (wide portion 31L2) is preferably located further away from the edge of the hood base 31 than the first portion (linear portion 31L1).

[0086] In this way, the vehicle sensor of the present invention has a wider wide portion 31L2 than the linear portion 31L1, which allows for a wider range of motion of the harness 52 in the wide portion 31L2. In this case, the stress acting on the harness 52 after it has been housed in the wide portion 31L2 of the notch 31L can be reduced. Furthermore, the vehicle sensor of the present invention allows the harness 52 to be freely routed within the range of the linear portion 31L1 and the wide portion 31L2, thus improving the flexibility of the harness 52's routing.

[0087] (f) The hood 30 includes a hood plate 32 that covers the heater body 51 which is placed on the surface (plate arrangement surface 31A) of the hood base 31, and the hood plate 32 may close at least a part of the notch 31L.

[0088] In this way, the vehicle sensor (vehicle camera device 1) of the present invention can further suppress the decrease in the heating efficiency of the heater (heater body 51) because at least a portion of the notch 31L is blocked by the hood plate 32. In addition, the vehicle sensor (vehicle camera device 1) of the present invention can also suppress the decrease in the light-shielding ability of the hood 30 caused by the provision of the notch 31L.

[0089] The above describes the effects and advantages of the vehicle camera device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. However, the vehicle camera device of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and can be modified in various ways. That is, the vehicle camera device 1 described above is merely one embodiment of the present invention, and the configuration can be changed, omitted, or added as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In other words, the vehicle camera device 1 may not have some or all of the configurations described in (a) to (f) above, or may have other configurations, or may be implemented with configurations described in (a) to (f) above that are different from those exemplified in the above embodiment, without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0090] For example, in the embodiment described above, the notch 31L was configured such that the other end of the linear portion 31L1 is connected to the wide portion 31L2. However, other portions may be provided between the linear portion 31L1 and the wide portion 31L2. For example, it is possible to place a narrow portion between the linear portion 31L1 and the wide portion 31L2 that is narrower than the width of the linear portion 31L1 (width in the shorter direction). In this way, it becomes more difficult to return the harness 52 to the linear portion 31L1 after it has been placed on the wide portion 31L2.

[0091] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the notch 31L is composed of a linear portion 31L1 and a wide portion 31L2, but it is also possible to have only a linear portion 31L1. In this case, the notch 31L can be made smaller, which suppresses the decrease in the heating efficiency of the heater caused by providing the notch 31L in the hood base 31, as well as suppresses the decrease in rigidity.

[0092] Furthermore, although the hood 30 according to this embodiment has been described as a hood for the camera 21, it can be used for various sensors that recognize the outside world, such as millimeter-wave radar and laser radar. In this case, the transparent member described above may be a radio wave transparent member such as a resin member that transmits millimeter waves when a millimeter-wave radar is used.

[0093] The above describes an embodiment of the vehicle camera device 1 according to the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to those exemplified in the above-described embodiment, and it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that other embodiments may exist in the spirit and nature of the teachings, without departing from the scope of the claims. [Industrial applicability]

[0094] The present invention is suitably applicable to all types of vehicle sensors that recognize the external environment of a vehicle through a transparent member. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0095] 1: Vehicle camera device (vehicle sensor) 21: Camera (sensor) 30: Food 31: Food base 31A: Plate placement surface 31c: Left side (side) 31d: Back wall 31i2 :Opening 31L: Notch 31L1: Linear area 31L2: Wide area 32: Food Plate 50: Heater Module 51: Heater unit 52: Harness 53: Connector

Claims

1. A vehicle sensor positioned opposite a transparent member provided on a vehicle, which recognizes the outside world of the vehicle through the transparent member, The hood on which the sensor is attached, Heater module and, It is equipped with, The heater module is The heater unit and A connector connected to the vehicle via a harness extending from the heater body, It has the following characteristics: The hood has a hood base on which the heater body can be positioned on the surface facing the permeable member. The hood base is provided with a notch that allows the harness to be inserted through both the front and back surfaces. A vehicle sensor characterized in that the notch portion communicates with the edge of the hood base.

2. The hood base has a side surface that extends in a direction intersecting the surface, The vehicle sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that the notch extends along the boundary between the surface and the side surface.

3. The hood base has a rear wall with an opening that exposes part or all of the sensor to the outside world, The vehicle sensor according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the notch is in communication with the opening.

4. The vehicle sensor according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the notch is formed to a size that allows the harness to be inserted, while the connector is formed to a size that prevents insertion.

5. The notch has a linear first portion and a second portion which is wider than the first portion. The second part is larger than the first part. The vehicle sensor according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is located away from the edge of the hood base.

6. The hood includes a hood plate that covers the heater body, which is positioned on the surface of the hood base. The vehicle sensor according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the hood plate closes at least a portion of the notch.

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