Ultrasonic sensor

Abstract

An ultrasonic sensor (1) attached to a plate-shaped vehicle body component (V3) is provided with a cylindrical housing component (6) that is inserted in a through-hole (V4) formed in the vehicle body component, and a rubber vibration isolator (7) that is mounted to the housing component and thereby interposed between the housing component and the vehicle body component in an attached state in which the housing component is attached to the vehicle body component. In the attached state, the rubber vibration isolator is inserted in the through-hole, and thereby has three or more insertion parts (73) that are held between the housing component and the inner edge (V41) of the through-hole in a radial direction that intersects with the center axis line (CL) of the housing component, and the three or more insertion parts are arranged so as to surround the center axis line.

Description

Ultrasonic Sensor CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-2633, filed on January 11, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to an ultrasonic sensor that is attached to a plate-shaped vehicle body part (for example, a bumper).

[0003] The ultrasonic sensor described in Patent Document 1 is attached to a vehicle bumper and used as a back sonar or corner sonar. Specifically, a sensor body integrated with a bezel and a vibration suppression member is inserted into a hole in the bumper from the outside. The bezel is a cylindrical member with a hollow portion and is made of synthetic resin or the like. A retainer is then attached to the back side of the bumper. The retainer is a member for fixing the sensor body and bezel to the bumper and is made of synthetic resin or the like.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-146564

[0005] As described in Patent Document 1, there is a need for this type of ultrasonic sensor to minimize vibration transmission between the ultrasonic sensor and the vehicle body part, such as a bumper, to which the ultrasonic sensor is attached, thereby avoiding false detections caused by such vibration transmission as much as possible. The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the circumstances exemplified above. That is, the present disclosure provides, for example, a configuration that can minimize vibration transmission between the ultrasonic sensor and the vehicle body part to which the ultrasonic sensor is attached.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an ultrasonic sensor attached to a plate-shaped vehicle body part comprises: a cylindrical housing part inserted into a through hole formed in the vehicle body part; and an anti-vibration rubber attached to the housing part so as to be interposed between the housing part and the vehicle body part in an attached state in which the housing part is attached to the vehicle body part, wherein the anti-vibration rubber has three or more insertion portions which, when inserted into the through hole in the attached state, are clamped between the inner edge of the through hole and the housing part in a radial direction intersecting a central axis of the housing part, and the three or more insertion portions are arranged to surround the central axis.

[0007] In addition, in each section of the application documents, each element may be assigned a reference symbol in parentheses. In this case, the reference symbol merely indicates an example of the correspondence between the element and the specific configuration described in the embodiment described below. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited in any way by the description of the reference symbol.

[0008] 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a vehicle equipped with an ultrasonic sensor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 is a rear view showing an enlarged view of the surrounding area of ​​a mounting hole, which is a through-hole, in the bumper shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a bottom view showing an enlarged view of the schematic configuration of the ultrasonic sensor in the vehicle-mounted state shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a bottom view showing a schematic configuration of the sensor main body shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a bottom view showing the sensor main body shown in FIG. 4 exploded into a sensor case and a bezel. FIG. 5 is a bottom view showing a state in which the vibration-isolating rubber has been removed from the bezel shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the bezel and the vibration-isolating rubber shown in FIG. 5 are attached to the bumper. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the bezel and the vibration-isolating rubber shown in FIG. 5 are attached to the bumper. FIG. 8 is a bottom view showing the appearance of the vibration-isolating rubber shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 3 is a side view showing a state in which the bezel and the retainer shown in FIG. 3 are attached to the bumper. FIG. 10 is a rear view of the bezel and the retainer shown in FIG. 10. FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing a state in which an insertion portion of the vibration-isolating rubber shown in FIG. 9 is inserted into a mounting hole in the bumper. 10 is a schematic view showing a state in which an insertion portion of the vibration-isolating rubber shown in FIG. 9 is inserted into a mounting hole in a bumper. FIG.

[0009] (Embodiments) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that if various modified examples applicable to one embodiment are introduced in the middle of a series of explanations related to the embodiment, it may hinder understanding of the embodiment. Therefore, the modified examples will not be introduced in the middle of a series of explanations related to the embodiment, but will be explained together after the series of explanations.

[0010] (Vehicle-Mounted Configuration) Referring to FIG. 1 , in this embodiment, the ultrasonic sensor 1 is configured as an on-vehicle clearance sonar to be attached to a vehicle V. That is, the ultrasonic sensor 1 is configured to be mounted on the vehicle V and to be able to detect objects present around the vehicle V. The vehicle V is a so-called four-wheeled automobile and has a box-shaped body V1. The body V1 has a body panel V2 and a bumper V3, which are plate-shaped body components that form the outer panel. The bumper V3 is provided at the front end and rear end of the body V1. In this embodiment, the body panel V2 and the bumper V3 are formed from metal plates.

[0011] The ultrasonic sensors 1 are attached to a bumper V3 provided at the front end of the vehicle body V1, i.e., the front bumper, and are configured to detect objects present in front of and on the sides of the vehicle V. Specifically, a plurality of (e.g., four) ultrasonic sensors 1 are attached to the front bumper. The plurality of ultrasonic sensors 1 attached to the front bumper are each arranged at a different position in the vehicle width direction. Similarly, the ultrasonic sensors 1 are attached to a bumper V3 provided at the rear end of the vehicle body V1, i.e., the rear bumper, and are configured to detect objects present behind and on the sides of the vehicle V. A plurality of (e.g., four) ultrasonic sensors 1 are also attached to the rear bumper.

[0012] The bumper V3 has a mounting hole V4, which is a through-hole for mounting the ultrasonic sensor 1. Hereinafter, the state in which the ultrasonic sensor 1 is mounted on the bumper V3 provided on the vehicle body V1 and thus installed on the vehicle V, will be referred to as the "mounted state." Note that the ultrasonic sensor 1 can be attached to or detached from the bumper V3 when the bumper V3 is removed from the vehicle body V1. Therefore, the "mounted state" in which the ultrasonic sensor 1 is mounted on the bumper V3 includes the "mounted state." In other words, the "mounted state" includes both the mounted state and a state in which the ultrasonic sensor 1 is mounted on a bumper V3 removed from the vehicle body V1. The bumper V3 has a bumper outer surface V31 and a bumper back surface V32. The bumper outer surface V31 is the outer surface of the bumper V3 and is arranged to face the bumper outer space SG, which is the space outside the vehicle V, when mounted on the vehicle. The bumper back surface V32 is the surface behind the bumper outer surface V31 and is provided so as to face the bumper internal space SN, which is the space inside the vehicle V when the vehicle is mounted on the vehicle. The mounting hole V4 is formed to penetrate the bumper V3 in its thickness direction by opening at the bumper outer surface V31 and the bumper back surface V32.

[0013] In this embodiment, to prevent incorrect installation of the ultrasonic sensor 1, as shown in FIG. 2 , the mounting hole V4 is provided with a bumper-side protrusion V42 and a bumper-side flat V43 that protrude inward from the inner edge V41 of the mounting hole V4. "Incorrect installation" includes installing an ultrasonic sensor 1 with an incorrect part number, different from the one that should be installed, in the mounting hole V4 of a specific vehicle V. "Incorrect installation" also includes installing an ultrasonic sensor 1 with the correct part number in an installation position different from the original installation position. The installation position is the rotational position of the ultrasonic sensor 1 around the directional axis of the ultrasonic sensor 1 in the installed state. The "directional axis" is an imaginary line extending from the ultrasonic sensor 1 along the transmission and reception direction of ultrasonic waves and serves as the reference for the directional angle. The "directional axis" may also be referred to as the directional center axis or the detection axis.

[0014] The bumper-side protrusion V42, which serves as a vehicle-side protrusion in the present disclosure, is formed as an arc-shaped convex portion protruding toward a center position CP. The center position CP is the position of the center point of the arc of the portion of the mounting hole V4 that is arc-shaped in a front view, excluding the bumper-side protrusion V42 and the bumper-side flat portion V43. Specifically, the center position CP is the position of the center point of the imaginary circle indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 2 , which indicates the maximum inner diameter of the mounting hole V4. In this embodiment, the bumper-side protrusion V42 is formed in multiple locations, specifically, two locations. The two bumper-side protrusions V42 are positioned at different positions circumferentially around the mounting hole V4. More specifically, in this embodiment, the two bumper-side protrusions V42 are positioned symmetrically across a plane of symmetry that passes through the center position CP and is parallel to the YZ plane in the figure. Furthermore, the two bumper-side protrusions V42 are positioned on the positive side of the Z axis relative to the center position CP in the figure. Specifically, the two bumper-side protrusions V42 are arranged so that the two bumper-side protrusions V42 and the center position CP form an isosceles inverted triangle with an apex angle of approximately 45 degrees and the center position CP as the vertex. The bumper-side flat portion V43 is formed in a shape corresponding to the chord edge portion of the partial circle. The bumper-side flat portion V43 is located on the negative side of the Z axis relative to the center position CP in the figure. Specifically, the bumper-side flat portion V43 is located diagonally across the center position CP from the bumper-side protrusion V42 on the upper left side in Figure 2.

[0015] (Ultrasonic Sensor) FIG. 3 shows one of the ultrasonic sensors 1 mounted on a vehicle. The overall configuration of the ultrasonic sensor 1 according to this embodiment will be described below. For ease of explanation, a right-handed XYZ Cartesian coordinate system is set with the direction of gravity acting when the ultrasonic sensor 1 is mounted on a vehicle, as shown in each figure. In the illustrated right-handed XYZ coordinate system, the upward direction along the vertical is defined as the positive Z-axis direction. The upward vertical direction refers to a direction parallel to and opposite to the direction of gravity acting when the vehicle V is stably placed on a horizontal surface in a drivable state. In this embodiment, the upward direction, i.e., the positive Z-axis direction, is considered to be substantially the same direction as the upward vertical direction. However, as will be described later, it goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited to this configuration.

[0016] The ultrasonic sensor 1 is configured to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves. Specifically, the ultrasonic sensor 1 is configured to transmit ultrasonic probe waves along a central axis CL toward the bumper exterior space SG. The ultrasonic sensor 1 is also configured to receive received waves, including reflected waves of the probe waves from objects present in the bumper exterior space SG, i.e., objects surrounding the vehicle V, and generate and output detection signals corresponding to the reception results of the received waves. As shown in FIG. 3 , in the illustrated right-handed XYZ coordinate system, the transmission direction of the probe waves, parallel to the central axis CL that constitutes the directional axis of the ultrasonic sensor 1, is defined as the positive Y-axis direction. Hereinafter, the Y-axis direction parallel to the directional axis or central axis CL will be referred to as the "axial direction." Furthermore, of the two axial ends of a member or portion extending in the axial direction, the one on the positive Y-axis side will be referred to as the "tip end in the axial direction," and the one on the negative Y-axis side will be referred to as the "base end in the axial direction." The axial dimension of a certain member or portion will be referred to simply as the "axial dimension."

[0017] Any direction perpendicular to the axial direction will be referred to as the "in-plane direction." The "in-plane direction" is a direction parallel to the XZ plane. The shape of a certain member or part in a plane perpendicular to the central axis CL, i.e., the shape projected onto the XZ plane, may be referred to as the "in-plane shape." The "in-plane direction" includes the "radial direction" and the "circumferential direction." The "radial direction" is a direction extending radially from the central axis CL. That is, the "radial direction" is a direction perpendicular to the central axis CL and moving away from the central axis CL. Specifically, the "radial direction" is the direction in which a half-line extends when a virtual plane perpendicular to the central axis CL intersects with the central axis CL as its starting point. In other words, the "radial direction" is the radial direction of a virtual circle drawn in the virtual plane with the intersection of the virtual plane and the central axis CL as its center. The radial direction away from the central axis CL is hereinafter referred to as the "centrifugal direction." In contrast, the radial direction toward the central axis CL is hereinafter referred to as the "centripetal direction." The "circumferential direction" is the circumferential direction of the virtual circle surrounding the central axis CL.

[0018] In this embodiment, the ultrasonic sensor 1 is mounted on the vehicle V so that its central axis CL intersects with the thickness direction of the bumper V3 at the mounting position. The "mounting position" refers to the position where the ultrasonic sensor 1 is mounted on the bumper V3, and is typically the center position CP of the mounting hole V4. Specifically, the ultrasonic sensor 1 is mounted on the bumper V3 so that its central axis CL is substantially horizontal when mounted on the vehicle. Meanwhile, the bumper V3 is configured such that its outer bumper surface V31 and underside bumper surface V32 are inclined with respect to the vertical plane at the mounting position.

[0019] 3 to 5, the various components of the ultrasonic sensor 1 will be described in order below. The sensor body 2, which constitutes the main body of the ultrasonic sensor 1, includes a sensor case 3, an ultrasonic microphone 4, a cushion member 5, a bezel 6, and vibration-isolating rubber 7. The sensor body 2 is attached to the bumper V3 using a retainer 8. In other words, the ultrasonic sensor 1 in the attached state or in the vehicle state is composed of the sensor case 3, the ultrasonic microphone 4, the cushion member 5, the bezel 6, the vibration-isolating rubber 7, and the retainer 8.

[0020] (Sensor Case) The sensor case 3, which constitutes the housing of the ultrasonic sensor 1, i.e., the sensor body 2, is made of a hard synthetic resin such as polybutylene terephthalate, ABS resin, polypropylene, polycarbonate, or polystyrene. The sensor case 3 has a box-shaped portion 31, a connector portion 32, and a microphone support portion 33. The box-shaped portion 31, the connector portion 32, and the microphone support portion 33 are seamlessly formed as a single unit by injection molding. The box-shaped portion 31 has a box-like outer shape that is longitudinal in the X-axis direction and thin in the Y-axis direction when installed. A circuit board (not shown) is housed inside the box-shaped portion 31 and is electrically connected to the ultrasonic microphone 4 via connection wiring.

[0021] The connector portion 32 is provided so as to extend substantially horizontally and diagonally rearward from one longitudinal end of the box-shaped portion 31 (i.e., the right end in FIGS. 3 to 5 ) when mounted on the vehicle. That is, the connector portion 32 extends in a direction away from the bumper V3 when mounted on the vehicle. The connector portion 32 is configured as a receptacle connector that is detachable from a plug connector (not shown) provided at the end of a wire harness for electrical connection with an external device such as an ECU. ECU stands for Electronic Control Unit.

[0022] The microphone support portion 33 extends in the axial direction from the box-shaped portion 31. The microphone support portion 33 has a cylindrical shape that surrounds the central axis line CL. In this embodiment, the microphone support portion 33 is formed in a cylindrical shape with the central axis line CL as its axis center.

[0023] The box-shaped portion 31 is provided with a pair of bezel locking projections 34. The bezel locking projections 34 are small projections for locking the bezel 6 to the sensor case 3, and protrude in the centrifugal direction from the outer wall surface of the box-shaped portion 31. The pair of bezel locking projections 34 are disposed at symmetrical positions across the central axis CL.

[0024] (Ultrasonic Microphone) As shown in Fig. 5, the ultrasonic microphone 4 has a columnar outer shape extending along the axial direction. Specifically, in this embodiment, the ultrasonic microphone 4 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape with the central axis line CL as its axis center. The ultrasonic microphone 4 includes an ultrasonic element 41 and a microphone case 42. The ultrasonic element 41 is a so-called electromechanical conversion element, and is composed of a thin-film piezoelectric element or the like. The ultrasonic element 41 is housed inside the microphone case 42.

[0025] The microphone case 42 constituting the housing of the ultrasonic microphone 4 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom from a metal material such as aluminum. Specifically, the microphone case 42 has a diaphragm 43 and a side plate portion 44. The diaphragm 43 is formed in a thin plate shape with its thickness in the axial direction. The diaphragm 43 is provided so as to close the axial tip end of the cylindrical side plate portion 44. The outer surface of the diaphragm 43 that faces the bumper outer space SG when attached or mounted on the vehicle is formed in a smooth, flat shape. The ultrasonic element 41 is adhesively fixed to the inner surface of the diaphragm 43, which is the surface behind the outer surface.

[0026] (Cushion Member) As shown in FIG. 5 , the cushion member 5 is formed in a stepped cylindrical shape surrounding the central axis CL. Specifically, the cushion member 5 has a base portion 51 and a microphone housing portion 52. The base portion 51, which is provided at the base end portion in the axial direction of the cushion member 5, is formed in a flat, ring-like shape. That is, the base portion 51 protrudes in the centrifugal direction from the base end portion in the axial direction of the microphone housing portion 52, which is formed in a cylindrical shape. The microphone housing portion 52 is configured to accommodate the portion of the ultrasonic microphone 4 that protrudes from the microphone support portion 33 over almost the entire axial direction. That is, the microphone housing portion 52 has a columnar internal space that corresponds to the external shape of the ultrasonic microphone 4 so as to cover the side surface of the ultrasonic microphone 4.

[0027] The cushion member 5 is formed seamlessly as a single piece from a synthetic resin elastic material such as silicone rubber. The cushion member 5 is configured so that the base portion 51 abuts against the microphone support portion 33 in the axial direction, while the microphone housing portion 52 covers the side surface of the ultrasonic microphone 4, thereby being interposed between the ultrasonic microphone 4 and the bezel 6. In other words, the cushion member 5 is provided to suppress vibration transmission between the ultrasonic microphone 4 and the bezel 6.

[0028] (Bezel) With reference to Figures 3 to 8, the configuration of the bezel 6, which is a housing component that, together with the sensor case 3, constitutes the housing of the ultrasonic sensor 1, will be described. The bezel 6 is a housing component used to attach the ultrasonic sensor 1 to the bumper V3, and is formed in a cylindrical shape from hard synthetic resin. Figures 4 to 8 show the cylindrical shape of the bezel 6 with its central axis aligned with the central axis line CL. The bezel 6 has a cylindrical portion 61 and a flange portion 62. The cylindrical portion 61 and the flange portion 62 are formed seamlessly as a single unit from the same material.

[0029] The tubular portion 61 is formed in a tubular shape, more specifically, a substantially cylindrical shape, surrounding the central axis CL. In the mounted state, the tubular portion 61 is inserted into the mounting hole V4 while surrounding the ultrasonic microphone 4 and the cushion member 5. The tubular portion 61 has an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the mounting hole V4 and an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameters of the microphone support portion 33 and the cushion member 5.

[0030] The flange portion 62 is a protrusion for preventing the tubular portion 61 from slipping out when the tubular portion 61 is inserted into the mounting hole V4 to attach the sensor main body 2 or the bezel 6 to the bumper V3. The flange portion 62 protrudes in the centrifugal direction from the tip, which is one axial end of the tubular portion 61. Specifically, the flange portion 62 is configured as a circumferentially continuous ring-shaped eave portion with an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the mounting hole V4. In the mounted state, the flange portion 62 is disposed opposite the portion of the bumper outer surface V31 surrounding the mounting hole V4 across the vibration-damping rubber 7. In this embodiment, since the central axis CL intersects the thickness direction of the bumper V3 at the mounted position, the flange portion 62 is formed so that its protruding direction intersects an imaginary plane having the central axis CL as its normal. That is, the back surface 63 of the flange portion 62 is formed as a flat plane whose normal direction is slightly inclined (e.g., by several degrees) with respect to the central axis CL.

[0031] A spacer mounting groove 64, which is a groove for mounting the vibration-proof rubber 7, is provided in the cylindrical portion 61 at a position adjacent to the flange portion 62 in the axial direction, and opens in the protruding direction of the flange portion 62. In other words, the spacer mounting groove 64 is disposed at the axial tip portion of the cylindrical portion 61. The spacer mounting groove 64 extends over the entire bezel 6 in the circumferential direction. A main body portion 65, which is the portion of the cylindrical portion 61 that is closer to the base end than the spacer mounting groove 64 in the axial direction, extends along the central axis CL.

[0032] The main body 65 is provided with a pair of sensor locking pieces 66. The pair of sensor locking pieces 66 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the central axis CL. The sensor locking pieces 66 are thin, plate-like tongue pieces having a thickness in the radial direction and formed like cantilevers extending from the main body 65 toward the base end in the axial direction. That is, the sensor locking pieces 66 are configured such that their distal end in the axial direction is a fixed end and their proximal end in the axial direction is a free end, and the free end is elastically deformable so that it moves radially. A locking hole 66a is formed at the free end of the sensor locking piece 66, penetrating the sensor locking piece 66 in the thickness direction. The locking hole 66a is formed to detachably engage with a bezel locking protrusion 34 provided on the microphone support portion 33. The same number of sensor locking pieces 66 as the number of bezel locking protrusions 34 are provided on the main body 65 at positions corresponding to the bezel locking protrusions 34 in the circumferential direction.

[0033] The main body 65 is also provided with a pair of retainer holding protrusions 67. The pair of retainer holding protrusions 67 are disposed symmetrically with respect to the central axis CL and protrude in the centrifugal direction. The retainer holding protrusions 67 are rib-shaped protrusions that extend substantially parallel to the flange 62. That is, a retainer abutment surface 67a, which is the surface of the retainer holding protrusions 67 that faces the flange 62, and the back surface 63 of the flange 62 are disposed substantially parallel to each other. The retainer abutment surface 67a is formed in a smooth, flat shape.

[0034] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 8 . As shown in FIG. 7 , the bezel 6 has a sensor-side recess 68 and a sensor-side flat portion 69. The sensor-side recess 68 and the sensor-side flat portion 69 are provided on the cylindrical portion 61. The sensor-side recess 68 is recessed in a shape that follows the protruding shape of the bumper-side protrusion V42 so as to engage with the bumper-side protrusion V42 in the mounted state. The sensor-side recess 68 is disposed at a position corresponding to the bumper-side protrusion V42 in the circumferential direction in the mounted state. In this embodiment, two sensor-side recesses 68 are provided on the cylindrical portion 61 in correspondence with the two bumper-side protrusions V42 provided in the mounting hole V4. Furthermore, the sensor-side flat portion 69 is disposed at a position corresponding to the bumper-side flat portion V43 in the mounted state. The sensor-side flat portion 69 is formed in a shape that corresponds to the bumper-side flat portion V43.

[0035] (Vibration-Isolating Rubber) The specific configuration of the vibration-isolating rubber 7 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9. The vibration-isolating rubber 7 is configured to be attached to the bezel 6 and to be interposed between the bezel 6 and the bumper V3 when attached. The vibration-isolating rubber 7 is formed seamlessly as a single piece from a synthetic resin-based elastic material such as silicone rubber. The vibration-isolating rubber 7 is formed in a ring shape with a circular spacer through-hole 71 drilled in the center. Specifically, the vibration-isolating rubber 7 has an elastic spacer portion 72 and an insertion portion 73.

[0036] The elastic spacer portion 72 is a thin plate-like, i.e., disc-like, portion having a thickness along the axial direction, and is formed like an O-ring surrounding the spacer through-hole 71 so as to be sandwiched between the flange portion 62 and the bumper V3 in the attached state. Specifically, the elastic spacer portion 72 has a thickness corresponding to the axial dimension of the spacer mounting groove 64 provided in the bezel 6, an inner diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of the spacer mounting groove 64, and an outer diameter approximately equal to that of the flange portion 62.

[0037] The insertion portion 73 protrudes in the axial direction from the elastic spacer portion 72. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 , the insertion portion 73 is configured to abut against the inner edge V41 of the mounting hole V4 in the centrifugal direction in the mounted state. That is, in the mounted state, the insertion portion 73 is inserted into the mounting hole V4 and engages with the inner edge V41, thereby holding the bezel 6 with the vibration-damping rubber 7 attached to the bumper V3. Furthermore, when the insertion portion 73 is inserted into the mounting hole V4 in the mounted state, it is sandwiched radially between the inner edge V41 and the bezel 6. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 8 , the insertion portion 73 is formed so that its axial dimension is greater than the thickness of the bumper V3.

[0038] The anti-vibration rubber 7 has three or more insertion portions 73. As shown in FIG. 7 , these insertion portions 73 are arranged around the central axis CL. In this embodiment, four insertion portions 73 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, in the mounted state, these insertion portions 73 are located at positions different from the bumper-side protrusions V42 in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, one of the four insertion portions 73 (i.e., the one shown at the top in FIG. 7 ) is located between a pair of bumper-side protrusions V42 in the circumferential direction in the mounted state. The anti-vibration rubber 7 is configured to center the bezel 6 relative to the mounting hole V4 in the mounted state. "Centering" refers to the alignment of the center position CP of the mounting hole V4 shown in FIG. 2 with the central axis CL of the bezel 6. In other words, the four insertion portions 73 are arranged to bias and center the cylindrical portion 61 from all four sides, thereby forming a gap G between the cylindrical portion 61 and the inner edge V41 of the mounting hole V4 throughout the entire circumferential direction.

[0039] 8 and 9 , the insertion portion 73 has an axial protrusion 73a and a retaining claw 73b. The axial protrusion 73a protrudes in the axial direction from the elastic spacer portion 72 so as to be housed inside the mounting hole V4 in the mounted state. The retaining claw 73b extends axially from the axial protrusion 73a. The insertion portion 73 is configured so that the retaining claw 73b elastically deforms in the centrifugal direction when the axial protrusion 73a is pressed in the centripetal direction by the inner edge V41 of the mounting hole V4. Specifically, in this embodiment, the radius from the center of the vibration-proof rubber 7 to the outer edge of the axial protrusion 73a is set to be slightly larger than the radius of the mounting hole V4.

[0040] The retaining claws 73b are provided with radial protrusions 73c that protrude in the centrifugal direction. The radial protrusions 73c have mounting hole abutment surfaces 73d and retaining surfaces 73e. The mounting hole abutment surfaces 73d are formed in a sloped shape so that when the insertion portion 73 is inserted into the mounting hole V4, they abut against the inner edge V41, thereby urging the retaining claws 73b in the centripetal direction. The retaining surface 73e is formed in a sloped shape that faces the opening of the inner edge V41 on the bumper back surface V32 side in the mounted state.

[0041] (Retainer) The structure of the retainer 8 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 9 , as well as FIGS. 10 and 11 . The retainer 8 is a housing component used to mount the ultrasonic sensor 1, i.e., the sensor main body 2, to the bumper V3, and is formed seamlessly as a single unit from a hard synthetic resin. Specifically, the retainer 8 is configured to be inserted and clamped between the bumper V3 and a retainer holding protrusion 67 provided on the bezel 6 of the sensor main body 2 in a temporarily mounted state. The "temporarily mounted state" refers to a state in which the retainer 8 has been removed from the vehicle-mounted state or mounted state shown in FIG. 3 . In other words, the "temporarily mounted state" refers to a state in which the sensor main body 2 is held to the bumper V3 by the engagement between the inner edge V41 of the mounting hole V4 and the insertion portion 73 of the vibration-isolating rubber 7.

[0042] The retainer 8 includes a retainer main body 81 and an elastic portion 82. As shown in FIG. 11 , the retainer main body 81 is U-shaped with an opening 811 that opens toward the negative Z-axis direction in the figure. A connecting portion 812 on the opposite side of the opening 811 extends in the X-axis direction in the figure, which is the width direction of the retainer main body 81. The retainer 8 is formed symmetrically with respect to a plane that passes through the center in the width direction of the U-shaped retainer main body 81 and is parallel to the YZ plane in the figure. Extension portions 813 that extend toward the negative Z-axis direction in the figure are provided on both sides of the connecting portion 812. That is, the opening 811 is provided at the tip end in the extension direction of a pair of extension portions 813 that are arranged parallel to each other. Meanwhile, the base end portions in the extension direction of the pair of extension portions 813 are connected to each other by the connecting portion 812.

[0043] Each of the pair of extension portions 813 has a guide portion 814. The guide portion 814 is formed as a thin plate having a thickness along the axial direction. The guide portion 814 protrudes inward along the width direction of the retainer body 81 and extends from a position corresponding to the opening 811 in a direction opposite to the extension direction of the extension portion 813. The guide portion 814 is formed to guide the insertion of the extension portion 813 into the square groove-shaped space formed between the retainer holding protrusion 67 and the bumper V3 when the retainer 8 is attached to the bezel 6 while being moved in the extension direction of the retainer holding protrusion 67. In other words, the guide portion 814 is configured to abut against the retainer abutment surface 67a, which is the surface of the retainer holding protrusion 67, when the tubular portion 61 of the bezel 6 is inserted inside the opening 811.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 10 , the elastic portion 82 is a cantilever-shaped leaf spring portion that protrudes from the retainer main body 81 in the axial direction. The elastic portion 82 is configured to elastically deform while abutting against the bumper rear surface V32 when the retainer 8 is sandwiched between the retainer abutment surface 67a of the bezel 6 and the bumper rear surface V32. Thus, the elastic portion 82 is configured to generate an elastic force in the Y-axis positive direction by being pressed toward the Y-axis negative direction in the figure. In this embodiment, the elastic portion 82 is provided so as to protrude from each of a pair of extension portions 813 in the Y-axis positive direction in the figure. Specifically, the elastic portion 82 extends from approximately the center of the extension portion 813 in the extension direction in a direction inclined relative to the Y-axis. Furthermore, a pair of elastic portions 82 is provided on one extension portion 813 in a gull-wing shape in side view. That is, the retainer 8 has four elastic portions 82.

[0045] In this way, the elastic portion 82 is formed to generate an elastic force in a direction toward the bumper V3 when the cylindrical portion 61 of the bezel 6 is inserted into the mounting hole V4 and the retainer main body 81 is inserted into the space between the retainer holding protrusion 67 and the bumper V3. The retainer 8 is configured to be held between the bumper V3 and the cylindrical portion 61 by the elastic force when it is attached to the bezel 6 by sliding along the bumper back surface V32 while accommodating the cylindrical portion 61 inside the opening 811.

[0046] (Effects) The method and state of mounting the ultrasonic sensor 1 to the bumper V3 will be described below with reference to the drawings, along with the effects achieved by the configuration of this embodiment. For simplicity's sake, the following mounting method and mounting process will be described using a right-handed XYZ Cartesian coordinate system based on the vehicle-mounted state, as shown in the drawings. However, as described above, the ultrasonic sensor 1 can be attached to and detached from the bumper V3 after the bumper V3 has been removed from the vehicle body V1. Therefore, in the actual mounting method and mounting process, the positive Z-axis direction may differ from the upward direction.

[0047] First, as shown in FIG. 5 , the cushion member 5 is attached to the sensor case 3 so as to cover the ultrasonic microphone 4. Furthermore, the anti-vibration rubber 7 is attached to the bezel 6. Specifically, the O-ring-shaped elastic spacer portion 72 of the anti-vibration rubber 7 is fitted into the spacer attachment groove 64 of the bezel 6. Then, the cushion member 5, covering the ultrasonic microphone 4, is inserted into the cylindrical interior of the cylindrical portion 61 of the bezel 6 to which the anti-vibration rubber 7 is attached. Then, the locking hole 66 a of the sensor locking piece 66 provided on the cylindrical portion 61 engages with the bezel locking protrusion 34 provided on the sensor case 3. In this way, the sensor main body 2 shown in FIG. 4 is formed by assembling the bezel 6, to which the anti-vibration rubber 7 is attached, to the sensor case 3 to which the cushion member 5 is attached. In this sensor main body 2, the cushion member 5 is housed in the cylindrical portion 61 of the bezel 6 while surrounding the ultrasonic microphone 4. That is, the cushion member 5 is interposed between the ultrasonic microphone 4 and the bezel 6. This makes it possible to effectively suppress the transmission of vibration between the ultrasonic microphone 4 and the bezel 6.

[0048] The sensor main body 2 shown in FIG. 4 is inserted into the mounting hole V4 from the bumper outer space SG side, with the connector portion 32 leading, until the elastic spacer portion 72 of the vibration-isolating rubber 7 abuts against the bumper outer surface V31. At this time, as the tubular portion 61 of the bezel 6 is inserted into the mounting hole V4, the mounting hole abutment surface 73d, which is the leading surface in the insertion direction of the insertion portion 73 of the vibration-isolating rubber 7, abuts against the inner edge V41 of the mounting hole V4. FIG. 12 shows the state at this time. For simplicity, components other than the bumper V3 and the vibration-isolating rubber 7 are omitted from FIG. 12 and FIG. 13 (described later). The hollow arrows in FIG. 12 indicate the relative movement of the vibration-isolating rubber 7 with respect to the bumper V3. In this way, when the mounting hole abutment surface 73d abuts against the inner edge V41, the insertion portion 73 elastically deforms in the direction indicated by the black arrow in Figure 12, with the axial protruding portion 73a as the fixed end and the retaining claw portion 73b as the free end approaching the inside, i.e., the center axis line CL.

[0049] When the holding claws 73b pass through the mounting hole V4, the inward elastic deformation of the insertion portion 73 described above is restored. Then, as shown in FIG. 8 , the bezel 6 is held to the bumper V3 by the flange portion 62 and the insertion portion 73. This places the sensor main body 2 in a temporarily attached state. This temporarily attached state can be maintained well until the subsequent process of attaching the retainer 8 due to the rubber elastic contact between the elastic spacer portion 72 and the insertion portion 73 of the vibration-proof rubber 7 and the inner edge V41 and its surrounding area of ​​the mounting hole V4 in the bumper V3.

[0050] In the temporarily attached state, the axially protruding portion 73a of the insertion portion 73 faces and abuts against the inner edge V41 of the mounting hole V4 in the centrifugal direction. At this time, the radius of the mounting hole V4 is slightly smaller than the radius from the center of the O-ring-shaped elastic spacer portion 72 of the vibration-proof rubber 7 to the outer edge of the axially protruding portion 73a. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 13 , the axially protruding portion 73a is pressed centripetally by the inner edge V41 as indicated by the hatched arrow in the figure. Note that the portion of the axially protruding portion 73a that is elastically deformed by the inner edge V41 is indicated by a dashed line in FIG. 13 . As a result, the insertion portion 73 collapses outward as indicated by the solid black arrow in the figure. That is, the insertion portion 73 elastically deforms such that the axially protruding portion 73a serves as a fixed end, and the retaining claw portion 73b, which serves as a free end, moves outward, i.e., in the centrifugal direction. This achieves a temporary attachment state in which the sensor main body 2 is held on the bumper V3. In this temporary attachment state, even if the worker changes the orientation of the bumper V3, typically, for example, by orienting the bumper outer surface V31 vertically downward, the sensor main body 2 will not fall off the bumper V3, and the temporary attachment state can be maintained in a good condition.

[0051] After the sensor main body 2 is temporarily mounted as described above, the retainer 8 is attached to the bezel 6, i.e., the sensor main body 2. Specifically, the retainer 8 is first set so that the bezel 6 of the temporarily mounted sensor main body 2 is inserted into the opening 811. The retainer 8 is then slid and pushed along the bumper rear surface V32 until the bezel 6 and the connecting portion 812 of the retainer 8 abut or come into close proximity. The extension portion 813, i.e., the guide portion 814, of the retainer 8 is inserted into the space between the retainer abutment surface 67a of the bezel 6 and the bumper rear surface V32. At this time, the elastic portion 82 elastically deforms, so that the retainer 8 is elastically clamped between the retainer holding protrusion 67 of the bezel 6 and the bumper rear surface V32. By attaching the retainer 8 to the temporarily mounted sensor main body 2 in this manner, the ultrasonic sensor 1 is mounted on the bumper V3 or mounted on the vehicle, as shown in FIG. 3 .

[0052] In this embodiment, in the temporarily mounted state, a vibration-damping rubber 7 is interposed between the bumper V3 and the sensor main body 2. Specifically, in the axial direction, an elastic spacer 72 is sandwiched between the flange 62 of the bezel 6 provided on the sensor main body 2 and the bumper V3. Meanwhile, in the radial direction, an insertion portion 73 is inserted and elastically sandwiched between the cylindrical portion 61 of the bezel 6 provided on the sensor main body 2 and the inner edge V41 of the mounting hole V4 provided in the bumper V3. The cylindrical portion 61 is maintained inserted into the mounting hole V4 through elastic deformation of the insertion portion 73. This configuration minimizes vibration transmission between the ultrasonic sensor 1 and the bumper V3, which is the vehicle body part to which the ultrasonic sensor 1 is attached. In particular, false detection due to vibration transmission to the bumper V3, which is likely to occur when the bumper V3 is formed of a metal plate material with high vibration transmission properties, can be minimized. Furthermore, the occurrence of vibration transmission caused by foreign matter such as water, ice, or sand getting caught between the sensor body 2 and the bumper V3, and the occurrence of false detection due to this, can be effectively suppressed.

[0053] In this embodiment, in the temporary mounting state, the mounted state, or the vehicle-mounted state, the insertion portions 73, which are rubber-elastically interposed between the inner edge V41 of the mounting hole V4 and the bezel 6, are provided at three or more locations in the circumferential direction around the center axis CL. This allows the bezel 6, i.e., the ultrasonic sensor 1, to be centered relative to the mounting hole V4 in the mounted state. Furthermore, a narrow gap G is formed between the tubular portion 61 and the inner edge V41 of the mounting hole V4 in the circumferential direction at locations other than where the insertion portions 73 are provided. This effectively prevents interference or contact between the inner edge V41 and the bezel 6 in the radial direction at locations where the insertion portions 73 are not provided. Therefore, this configuration effectively prevents unintended vibration transmission between the ultrasonic sensor 1 and the bumper V3 due to contact between the inner edge V41 and the bezel 6 in the radial direction. In particular, the occurrence of false detections due to vibration transmission to the bumper V3, which is likely to occur when the bumper V3 is formed from a metal plate material with high vibration transmission properties, can be effectively suppressed.

[0054] As described above, when the ultrasonic microphone 4 is attached or mounted on the vehicle, the cushion member 5, the bezel 6, and the vibration-proof rubber 7 are interposed between the ultrasonic microphone 4 and the bumper V3. Specifically, the cushion member 5 is sandwiched between the ultrasonic microphone 4 and the bezel 6. Furthermore, the vibration-proof rubber 7 is sandwiched between the bezel 6 and the bumper V3. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the occurrence of erroneous detection due to vibration transmission to the bumper V3, which is likely to occur when the bumper V3 is formed of a metal plate material with high vibration transmission properties, can be effectively suppressed.

[0055] In this embodiment, a plurality of bumper-side protrusions V42 (i.e., a pair of bumper-side flat portions V43) are provided at predetermined circumferential positions of the mounting hole V4. Furthermore, a sensor-side recess 68 and a sensor-side flat portion 69 are formed in the cylindrical portion 61 of the bezel 6, corresponding to the shapes and circumferential arrangements of the bumper-side protrusions V42 and the bumper-side flat portions V43. The insertion portions 73 are positioned circumferentially at different positions from the bumper-side protrusions V42 in the mounted state. Specifically, one of the insertion portions 73 is located circumferentially between the pair of bumper-side protrusions V42 in the mounted state. Furthermore, the bezel 6 is configured such that the sensor-side recess 68 engages with the bumper-side protrusions V42 in the mounted state. This effectively avoids incorrect installation, improves installation workability, and effectively suppresses the occurrence of false detection due to vibration transmission to the bumper V3. In particular, when the thickness direction of the bumper V3 intersects with the central axis CL that forms the directional axis, or when the directivity is not symmetrical about the directional axis, an error in the rotational orientation of the ultrasonic sensor 1 mounted on the vehicle can be effectively avoided. The directivity is not symmetrical about the directional axis, for example, when the width of the directivity differs between the horizontal and vertical directions, specifically, when the in-plane shape of the diaphragm 43 is elliptical. Alternatively, for example, the ultrasonic microphone 4 has so-called biased directivity.

[0056] (Modifications) The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment. Therefore, the above-described embodiment can be modified as appropriate. Representative modifications will be described below. In the following description of the modifications, differences from the above-described embodiment will be mainly described. Furthermore, the same reference numerals are used for parts that are identical or equivalent to each other in the above-described embodiment and the modifications. Therefore, in the following description of the modifications, the description of the above-described embodiment can be used as appropriate for components that have the same reference numerals as the above-described embodiment, unless there is a technical contradiction or special additional explanation.

[0057] The ultrasonic sensor 1 may be attached to a vehicle body panel V2, but is not limited to the bumper V3. Specifically, the ultrasonic sensor 1 may also be attached to a vehicle body panel V2. That is, the mounting hole V4 may also be provided in the vehicle body panel V2. Therefore, the present disclosure can achieve the same excellent effects as described above even when the ultrasonic sensor 1 is attached to a metal vehicle body panel V2. Furthermore, the ultrasonic sensor 1 is not limited to a configuration capable of transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves. For example, the ultrasonic sensor 1 may have a configuration capable of only transmitting ultrasonic waves. Alternatively, the ultrasonic sensor 1 may have only a receiving function for receiving reflected waves from surrounding objects of ultrasonic probe waves transmitted from another ultrasonic transmitter.

[0058] In the above embodiment, the Y-axis direction is the horizontal direction. Therefore, the upward direction, i.e., the positive Z-axis direction, is substantially the same as the vertically upward direction. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this aspect. That is, the upward direction may be a direction that forms a predetermined small acute angle α with the vertically upward direction. In this case, the acute angle α is, for example, 10 degrees or less. Therefore, depending on the shape of the bumper V3 and the mounting position of the ultrasonic sensor 1, the positive Z-axis direction may be the same as the vertically upward direction or a direction that intersects with the vertically upward direction. Similarly, the positive Y-axis direction may be the same as the horizontal direction or a direction that intersects with the horizontal direction.

[0059] The shape, number, and location of the bumper-side protrusions V42 in the mounting hole V4 may also be modified as appropriate. Specifically, for example, the shape of the bumper-side protrusions V42 is not limited to an arc shape and may be a triangular shape with rounded corners, a trapezoidal shape, or the like. The protrusion direction of the bumper-side protrusions V42 does not necessarily need to be strictly toward the center position CP, as long as it is toward the inside of the mounting hole V4. Furthermore, the bumper-side protrusions V42 may be provided in place of or together with the upper right bumper-side protrusion V42 in FIG. 2 , at a diagonal position across the center position CP. Alternatively, for example, the upper right bumper-side protrusion V42 in FIG. 2 may be omitted. That is, the bumper-side protrusions V42 may be provided only at diagonal positions across the center position CP from the bumper-side flat portion V43. In other words, one bumper-side protrusion V42 and one bumper-side flat portion V43 located diagonally opposite each other may form a structure for preventing incorrect installation of the ultrasonic sensor 1. Alternatively, the bumper-side flat portion V43 may be omitted. In other words, the structure for preventing incorrect installation of the ultrasonic sensor 1 may be formed by the shape and arrangement of at least one bumper-side protrusion V42.

[0060] The configuration of each part of the ultrasonic sensor 1 is not limited to the specific example shown in the above embodiment. Specifically, for example, the material constituting each part may also be changed as appropriate from the specific example. Furthermore, multiple components that were previously made of the same material may be made of different materials. Similarly, multiple components that were previously made of different materials may be made of the same material. Furthermore, multiple components that were previously formed seamlessly and integrally may be formed by bonding separate members together. Similarly, multiple components that were previously formed by bonding separate members together may be formed seamlessly and integrally.

[0061] The specific configuration of the sensor case 3 is also not limited to the above specific example. That is, for example, the structure and extension direction of the connector portion 32 may be changed as appropriate. Furthermore, the shape of the microphone support portion 33 is not limited to a substantially cylindrical shape, and may be a substantially elliptical cylindrical shape, a substantially elongated cylindrical shape, a substantially polygonal cylindrical shape, etc. Similarly, the outer shape of the ultrasonic microphone 4, i.e., the microphone case 42, is not limited to a substantially cylindrical shape, and may be a substantially elliptical cylindrical shape, a substantially regular polygonal cylindrical shape, etc. The electromechanical conversion element constituting the ultrasonic element 41 is also not limited to a piezoelectric element. The specific configuration of the cushion member 5 is also not limited to the above specific example. That is, for example, the shape of the cushion member 5 is not limited to a substantially cylindrical shape, and may be a substantially elliptical cylindrical shape, a substantially elongated cylindrical shape, a substantially polygonal cylindrical shape, etc.

[0062] The specific configurations of the bezel 6 and the retainer 8, which are components for attaching the ultrasonic sensor 1 to a plate-shaped vehicle body part (e.g., the bumper V3), are not limited to the above specific example. Specifically, for example, the detailed configurations of the bezel 6 and / or the retainer 8 may be modified as appropriate from the above specific example. Furthermore, the present disclosure is not limited to a configuration in which the sensor main body 2 is attached to a vehicle body part using the bezel 6 and the retainer 8. That is, for example, the bezel 6 may be permanently integrated with the sensor main body 2. In other words, the present disclosure may be effectively applied to a so-called bezel-less configuration. Alternatively, the present disclosure may be effectively applied to a so-called retainer-less configuration. In other words, the ultrasonic sensor 1 may be mounted on the vehicle by being secured to the bumper V3 by the vibration-damping rubber 7 without using the retainer 8.

[0063] There is no particular limitation on the number of insertion portions 73 provided in the vibration-proof rubber 7. That is, for example, three insertion portions 73 may be arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction so that each of the insertion portions 73 is positioned at a vertex of an equilateral triangle. Alternatively, for example, five or more insertion portions 73 may be arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. That is, in order to achieve the function of centering the bezel 6 with respect to the mounting hole V4, it is sufficient that the insertion portions 73 are provided in at least three locations surrounding the central axis CL.

[0064] It goes without saying that the elements constituting the above-described embodiments are not necessarily essential unless expressly stated as essential or clearly considered essential in principle. Furthermore, when numerical values ​​such as the number, value, amount, and range of components are mentioned, the present disclosure is not limited to those specific numbers unless expressly stated as essential or clearly limited to a specific number in principle. Similarly, when the shape, direction, positional relationship, etc. of components are mentioned, the present disclosure is not limited to those shapes, directions, positional relationships, etc. unless expressly stated as essential or clearly limited to a specific shape, direction, positional relationship, etc. in principle.

[0065] The modifications are not limited to the above examples. For example, various modifications other than those exemplified above may be adopted. Furthermore, multiple modifications may be combined with each other as long as they are not technically inconsistent.

[0066] (Disclosure) As is clear from the description of the above-mentioned embodiments and modified examples, this specification discloses at least the following matters. [Aspect 1] An ultrasonic sensor (1) to be attached to a plate-shaped vehicle body part (V3), comprising: a cylindrical housing part (6) inserted into a through hole (V4) formed in the vehicle body part; and an anti-vibration rubber (7) attached to the housing part so as to be interposed between the housing part and the vehicle body part in an attached state in which the housing part is attached to the vehicle body part, wherein the anti-vibration rubber has three or more insertion portions (73) that are inserted into the through hole in the attached state and are sandwiched between the inner edge (V41) of the through hole and the housing part in a radial direction intersecting a central axis (CL) of the housing part, and the three or more insertion portions are arranged to surround the central axis. [Aspect 2] An ultrasonic sensor according to Aspect 1, wherein the insertion portions are formed so that a dimension in an axial direction parallel to the central axis is greater than a thickness of the vehicle body part. [Aspect 3] The ultrasonic sensor according to Aspect 1 or 2, wherein the housing part has a cylindrical part (62) and a flange part (61) for preventing slip-out, which protrudes in a centrifugal direction away from the central axis at one end of the cylindrical part in an axial direction parallel to the central axis, the vibration-damping rubber further has an elastic spacer part (72) formed in a ring shape so as to be sandwiched between the flange part and the vehicle body part in the attached state, and the insertion part protrudes from the elastic spacer part in the axial direction. [Aspect 4] The ultrasonic sensor according to any one of Aspects 1 to 3, wherein the through hole has a vehicle body-side protrusion (V42) protruding inward, the housing part has a sensor-side recess (68) recessed in accordance with the protruding shape of the vehicle body-side protrusion, and is configured so as to engage with the vehicle body-side protrusion in the attached state, and the insertion part is provided at a position different from the vehicle body-side protrusion in a circumferential direction surrounding the central axis in the attached state. [Aspect 5] The ultrasonic sensor according to Aspect 4, wherein the insertion portion is provided between a pair of the vehicle body-side protrusions in the circumferential direction in the attached state. [Aspect 6] The ultrasonic sensor according to Aspect 4 or 5, wherein the vehicle body-side protrusions are formed at a plurality of locations.[Aspect 7] The ultrasonic sensor according to any one of Aspects 1 to 6, wherein the vehicle body part is a metal plate.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic sensor (1) attached to a plate-shaped vehicle body part (V3), A cylindrical housing part (6) to be inserted into a through hole (V4) formed in the vehicle body part; a vibration-proof rubber (7) that is attached to the housing part and is interposed between the housing part and the vehicle body part in a mounted state in which the housing part is mounted to the vehicle body part; Equipped with The housing part has a cylindrical portion (62) and a flange portion (61) for preventing the housing part from coming off, the flange portion protruding in a centrifugal direction away from the central axis (CL) at one end of the cylindrical portion in an axial direction parallel to the central axis (CL), The vibration-isolating rubber is In the attached state, the housing part has three or more insertion portions (73) that are inserted into the through holes and are clamped between an inner edge (V41) of the through hole and the housing part in a radial direction intersecting the central axis, The three or more insertion portions are arranged to surround the central axis, a ring-shaped elastic spacer portion (72) that is sandwiched between the flange portion and the vehicle body part in the attached state; The insertion portion is provided to protrude from the elastic spacer portion in the axial direction. Ultrasonic sensor.

2. The insertion portion is formed so that a dimension in the axial direction is larger than a thickness of the vehicle body part. The ultrasonic sensor of claim 1 .

3. The through hole has a vehicle body side protrusion (V42) protruding inward, the housing part has a sensor-side recess (68) recessed in accordance with a protruding shape of the vehicle-body-side protrusion, and is configured so that the sensor-side recess engages with the vehicle-body-side protrusion in the attached state; The insertion portion is provided at a position different from the vehicle body side protrusion in a circumferential direction surrounding the central axis in the attached state. The ultrasonic sensor of claim 1 .

4. The insertion portion is provided between the pair of vehicle body side protrusions in the circumferential direction in the attached state. The ultrasonic sensor according to claim 3 .

5. The vehicle body side protrusion portion is formed in a plurality of locations. The ultrasonic sensor according to claim 3 .

6. The vehicle body part is a metal plate material. The ultrasonic sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 5.