Rear Bumper Kick Sensor Support Wall Against Stones and Drag
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing detection units for vehicle tailgates are vulnerable to flying stones and increased traveling resistance due to wind entry, leading to potential malfunction and increased costs when protected by a closed cross-sectional space.
Innovation Solution
A detection unit attached to the rear bumper cover with a support member comprising integrally formed surface portions that form an erect wall, protecting the controller from flying stones and reducing wind resistance while minimizing component size and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a closed cross-sectional space is formed using a rear bumper cover and a rear floor cover to protect the controller, then the controller is protected from flying stones, but the structure becomes larger and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the protective function from the complex closed cross-sectional space structure and implements it through a simple erect wall formed by the support member. The erect wall is positioned at the front end of the support member to block flying stones, providing the necessary protection without requiring the entire closed cross-sectional space structure, thereby reducing overall structural complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The support member acts as an intermediary element that combines multiple functions: it supports the sensor and controller while simultaneously providing protection through its erect wall structure. This intermediary component integrates the protective function into the existing support structure rather than requiring a separate protective enclosure, thus avoiding increased structural complexity.
2Reliability
If the rear bumper cover is designed to protect the controller, then flying stones prevention is improved, but traveling resistance increases due to oncoming wind entering the rear bumper cover
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by providing protection only where necessary - the erect wall is positioned specifically at the front end of the support member where flying stones would directly impact the controller. This localized protection approach allows the rest of the rear bumper cover to remain open for aerodynamic flow, thus maintaining low traveling resistance while still achieving effective flying stones prevention at the critical location.
Data Source
AI summary
A detection unit (5), which is attached to a rear bumper cover (2) of a vehicle and detects a kick motion of a user, includes: a sensor (10) that is disposed to oppose an inner surface (2A) of the rear bumper cover (2), extends in a vehicle width direction, and detects the kick motion; a controller (20) that processes a sensor signal; and a support member (30) that is fixed to the inner surface (2A) and supports the sensor (10) and the controller (30). The support member (30) includes a first surface portion (31) to which the sensor (10) and the controller (20) are attached and which extends along the inner surface (2A) in a fixed state, a second surface portion (32) that is positioned on a vehicle front side of the controller (20) and extends upward from a front end (31b) of the first surface portion (31) in the fixed state, and a third surface portion (33) that extends downward from an upper end (32a) of the second surface portion (32) and forms an erect wall (34) in a substantially inverted V shape with the second surface portion (32) in the fixed state.