Absorber device for a radar device of a vehicle, radar device for a vehicle, and vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to an absorber device (22) for a radar device (12) of a vehicle, having at least one absorber element (28) for absorbing radar beams and at least one light source (30) for emitting light beams (32), wherein the light source (30) is arranged on a first side (38) of the absorber element (28), and wherein at least one light guiding element (34) is integrated in the absorber element (28) and is designed to guide the light beams (32) out on a second side (48) opposite the first side (38). The invention furthermore relates to a radar device (12) for a vehicle, having at least one radar (18), at least one absorber device (22) connected to the radar (18) and a radome (20), as well as to a vehicle having at least one such radar device (12).

Description

[0001] Absorber device for a radar device of a vehicle, radar device for a vehicle and vehicle

[0002] The present invention relates to an absorber device for a radar device of a vehicle, comprising at least one absorber element for absorbing radar beams. Furthermore, the invention relates to a radar device having at least one such absorber device and a vehicle having at least one such radar device.

[0003] In automotive engineering, radar systems are used to detect objects, such as other vehicles and / or pedestrians, and to measure their distance from the vehicle and their relative speed. To do this, the radar emits electromagnetic waves that are reflected by the objects being detected. These waves are then received by the radar and evaluated in control units. To reduce the scattering of misdirected electromagnetic waves, it is common practice to surround the radar with an absorber device, such as an absorber foam.

[0004] For example, DE 102020 133 970 A1 discloses a radar arrangement for a motor vehicle. The radar arrangement comprises at least one printed circuit board having an antenna arrangement and a control unit that operates the antenna arrangement to transmit and receive radar beams. The radar arrangement comprises a housing having a housing base body and a housing opening formed by side walls of the housing base body, wherein the printed circuit board is held in the housing base body. The radar arrangement comprises an absorber that partially covers the surface of the printed circuit board facing the housing opening, leaving the antenna arrangement exposed. The radar arrangement also comprises a radome arranged on the housing opening.

[0005] To measure the distance to a vehicle in front and / or a pedestrian, a radar device is usually mounted behind the kidney grille of a vehicle's front end. To ensure that the radar device does not impair the appearance of the vehicle's front end, it is common practice to position a graphic, such as a vehicle emblem, in front of the radar device and illuminate it.

[0006] DE 102018 005 592 A1 discloses a radome cover having a first side and a second side connected thereto. The first side consists of a radar- and / or lidar-transparent material, and the second side is formed from a radar- and / or lidar-transparent potting compound cast onto the first side. A three-dimensional decorative element is incorporated into the first side, the first side and the decorative element being potted with the radar- and / or lidar-transparent potting compound. A light source for illuminating the decorative element is provided on or in the radome cover.

[0007] The present invention is based on the object of providing an absorber device, a radar device and a vehicle which enable improved illumination of a graphic arranged in front of a radar device and at the same time have reduced radar penetration.

[0008] To achieve the object, an absorber device having the features of claim 1, a radar device having the features of claim 9 and a vehicle having the features of claim 10 are proposed.

[0009] Advantageous embodiments of the absorber device are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0010] According to a first aspect of the invention, an absorber device for a radar device of a vehicle is proposed. The absorber device comprises at least one absorber element for absorbing radar beams and at least one light source for emitting light beams. The light source is arranged on a first side of the absorber element, and at least one light-guiding element is integrated into the absorber element, which is designed to guide the light beams on a second side opposite the first side.

[0011] By integrating at least one light-guiding element into the absorber element, it is possible to directly illuminate an object arranged on a radome, such as a graphic or an emblem. At the same time, the absorber element, in combination with the light-guiding element, minimizes the gaps that allow radar to pass through, preventing misdirected radar beams from creating an erroneous image. Furthermore, the use of the light-guiding element makes it possible to make the absorber element thicker. This enables improved shielding.

[0012] The absorber device is advantageously arranged on a vehicle exterior, such as at the front or rear of the vehicle. Thus, the absorber device can be integrated into a kidney grille or a vehicle headlight.

[0013] In this case, a first side is understood to mean the side facing the vehicle, in particular the front or rear of the vehicle, or a rear side of the absorber element. The second side, opposite the first side, is understood to mean the side facing the vehicle's surroundings, for example, a direction of travel, or a front side of the absorber element.

[0014] Advantageously, the emitted light rays are introduced into the light-guiding element on the first side and are output from the light-guiding element on the second side.

[0015] In an advantageous embodiment, the light-guiding element has a light inlet section for introducing the emitted light rays into the light-guiding element and a light outlet section for exiting the introduced light rays. The light inlet section is advantageously dimensioned such that gaps that are permeable to radar are minimized, thus preventing multiple reflections. The light inlet section is advantageously a part that extends through the absorber element. The light inlet section can thus be designed as a cylinder with a circular cross-section or a cylinder with a rectangular cross-section. The light rays introduced into the light-guiding element are exited via the light outlet section and, for example, illuminate a light disc, in particular an object arranged on the light disc, such as a graphic or an emblem.Advantageously, the light outlet section has a flat section that extends in the transverse direction of the vehicle and / or in the direction of a vehicle's vertical axis. Advantageously, the light inlet section and the light outlet section are connected to one another in a single, materially integral manner.

[0016] In an advantageous embodiment, the light inlet section has a diameter that is less than or equal to 4 mm, preferably less than or equal to 2 mm.

[0017] As a result, the light inlet section is dimensioned in such a way that the penetrability for radar beams is reduced and thus no multiple reflections and thus false images occur.

[0018] In an advantageous embodiment, the light outlet section is designed as a diffuser. The diffuser can be used to illuminate a large area of ​​a light disc, in particular an object arranged on the light disc, such as a graphic or an emblem.

[0019] In an advantageous embodiment, the light-guiding element is coated. The coating ensures that the introduced light rays are guided through the light-guiding element and do not exit the light-guiding element before reaching the light outlet section.

[0020] In an advantageous embodiment, the light-guiding element is made of polycarbonate (PC). The polycarbonate allows the light rays introduced into the light-guiding element to be re-exited from the light-guiding element with virtually identical intensity. Furthermore, a light-guiding element made of polycarbonate is cost-effective to manufacture.

[0021] In an advantageous embodiment, the light source comprises at least one light-emitting diode (LED). This enables energy-efficient and space-saving lighting. The LED can be a white LED or a red, green, and / or blue LED. The latter is referred to as an RGB LED. Alternatively, the light source can comprise an organic light-emitting diode (OLED).

[0022] In an advantageous embodiment, the absorber device comprises multiple light sources, with each light source being assigned at least one light-guiding element. In an advantageous embodiment, the absorber element is made of expanded polypropylene (EPP foam). An absorber element made of expanded polypropylene is cost-effective to manufacture and reliably shields against multiple reflections.

[0023] According to a further aspect of the invention, a radar device for a vehicle is proposed. The radar device comprises at least one radar, at least one absorber device according to the invention connected to the radar, and a radome, wherein the absorber device illuminates the radome.

[0024] In an advantageous embodiment, the radome is a light disc. Furthermore, an object, such as a graphic or an emblem, is advantageously applied to the radome and illuminated by the absorber device. Advantageously, a rear side of the radome is illuminated by the absorber device, in particular by the light beams emerging from the light-guiding element.

[0025] In an advantageous embodiment, the absorber device surrounds the radome.

[0026] According to a further aspect of the invention, a vehicle is proposed which has at least one radar device according to the invention.

[0027] A vehicle, a radar device, an absorber device, and other features and advantages are explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment, which is schematically illustrated in the figures. Herein:

[0028] Fig. 1 shows a vehicle with a radar device; and

[0029] Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the radar device and an absorber device.

[0030] In Fig. 1, a vehicle 10 is shown which has a drive machine designed as an internal combustion engine and / or as an electric motor.

[0031] The vehicle 10 includes a radar device 12, which is arranged on a vehicle front 14 in the region of a kidney grille 16 in the direction of travel RF. The radar device 12 is used to detect an object, for example, another vehicle or a person, in order to measure their distance from the vehicle 10 and their relative speed. For this purpose, the radar device 12 emits electromagnetic waves (not shown) in the direction of travel RF, which are reflected by the object to be detected, received by the radar device 12, and evaluated by a control unit (not shown).

[0032] As can be seen in Fig. 2, the radar device 12 has a radar 18 for transmitting and receiving radar beams, a radome 20 and an absorber device 22.

[0033] The radome 20 is a lens 24 that reflects radar beams. An object (not shown), such as a graphic or emblem, is applied to the lens 24.

[0034] The absorber device 22 has an absorber element 28 for absorbing radar beams, at least one light source 30 for emitting light beams 32 and at least one light guide element 34 integrated into the absorber element 28.

[0035] The absorber element 28 is made of expanded polypropylene (EPP foam) and is connected to the radar 18, as shown in Fig. 2. The absorber element 28 serves to shield the radar 18 from multiple reflections in the direction of the vehicle 10, i.e., to the rear. This prevents false images.

[0036] The light source 30 has a light-emitting diode 36 for emitting the light rays 32. As can be seen in Fig. 2, the light source 30 is arranged on a first side 38 of the absorber element 28. The first side 38 corresponds to a side of the absorber element 28 facing away from the direction of travel RF or a rear side of the absorber element 28.

[0037] The light-guiding element 34 is made of polycarbonate (PC) and has a light inlet section 40 for introducing the light rays 32 emitted by the light-emitting diode 36 into the light-guiding element 34 and a light outlet section 42 for discharging the light rays 32 introduced into the light-guiding element 34. The light inlet section 40 and the light outlet section 42 are of a single material and are connected to one another in one piece, i.e., in one piece.

[0038] The light inlet section 40 is formed here as a cylinder 44 with a circular or rectangular cross-section and a diameter D of less than or equal to 4 mm, preferably less than or equal to 2 mm. As can be seen in Fig. 2, the cylinder 44 extends in the direction of travel RF.

[0039] The light outlet section 42 is designed as a lens 46 that extends in a transverse direction of the vehicle and / or a vertical axis of the vehicle. The light beams 32 introduced into the light-guiding element 34 are redirected via the lens 46 to the second side 48 opposite the first side 38, which faces the rear side 26 of the radome 20, and are directed onto the radome 20 over a large area. This illuminates the radome 20, in particular the object applied to the radome 20, such as a graphic and / or an emblem, from behind.

[0040] The absorber device 22 is characterized by the integration of at least one light-guiding element 34 into the absorber element 28. This makes it possible to directly illuminate an object arranged on the radome 20, such as a graphic or an emblem. At the same time, the absorber element 28, in combination with the light-guiding element 34, minimizes the gaps that are permeable to radar, so that misdirected radar beams do not result in an erroneous image. Furthermore, the use of the light-guiding element 34 makes it possible to make the absorber element 28 thicker, thus enabling improved shielding.

[0041] List of reference symbols 0 Vehicle 2 Radar device 4 Vehicle front 6 Kidney

[0042] 18 Radar 0 Radome 2 Absorber device 4 Lens 6 Back 8 Absorber element 0 Light source 2 Light beams 4 Light guide element

[0043] 36 LEDs

[0044] 38 first page 0 light inlet section

[0045] 42 Light outlet section

[0046] 44 cylinders

[0047] 46 Diffuser

[0048] 48 second page

[0049] RF direction of travel

[0050] D Diameter

Claims

Claims 1. Absorber device (22) for a radar device (12) of a vehicle (10), comprising at least one absorber element (28) for absorbing radar beams and at least one light source (30) for emitting light beams (32), wherein the light source (30) is arranged on a first side (38) of the absorber element (28), and wherein at least one light-guiding element (34) is integrated into the absorber element (28), which light-guiding element is designed to guide the light beams (32) on a second side (48) opposite the first side (38).

2. Absorber device (22) according to claim 1, characterized in that the light-guiding element (34) has a light inlet section (40) for introducing the emitted light rays (32) into the light-guiding element (34) and a light outlet section (42) for guiding out the introduced light rays (32).

3. Absorber device (22) according to claim 2, characterized in that the light inlet section (40) has a diameter (D) which is less than or equal to 4 mm.

4. Absorber device (22) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the light outlet section (42) is designed as a diffusing disc (46).

5. Absorber device (22) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light-guiding element (34) is coated.

6. Absorber device (22) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light-guiding element (34) is made of a polycarbonate.

7. Absorber device (22) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light source (30) has at least one light-emitting diode (36).

8. Absorber device (22) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the absorber element (28) is made of an expanded polypropylene (EPP foam).

9. Radar device (12) for a vehicle (10) comprising at least one radar (18), at least one absorber device (22) connected to the radar (18) according to one of claims 1 to 8 and a radome (20), wherein the absorber device (22) illuminates the radome (20).

10. Vehicle (10) comprising at least one radar device (12) according to claim 9.

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