Vehicle Decorative Component Millimeter Wave Transmittance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing decorative components for vehicles with millimeter wave radar devices face challenges in maintaining snow melting functionality while minimizing millimeter wave attenuation, as previous solutions like heater wires and metal layers interfere with wave transmission.

Innovation Solution

A decorative component with a uniform thickness in the front-rear direction, incorporating a heating sheet with a plastic sheet and wire-shaped heater, integrated with a decorative body portion, and a layered structure that includes a transparent member and decoration layer to minimize wave interference and enhance snow melting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a heater wire or metal layer is added to melt snow on the decorative component, then the snow melting function is improved, but the millimeter wave transmittance deteriorates due to interference and reflection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesnow melting functionVSAvoidmillimeter wave attenuation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The heater is extracted from the front surface position and integrated into the rear side of the decorative body portion. This separation removes the interference source from the millimeter wave transmission path, allowing snow melting functionality to be maintained without affecting wave transmittance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The heater is nested within the decorative body portion structure, specifically integrated into the rear side. This nesting approach allows the heater to be embedded within the existing component geometry, maintaining a uniform front surface that does not interfere with millimeter wave transmission while still providing snow melting capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If groove portions are added to the front surface to drain melted water, then the snow melting drainage function is improved, but the millimeter wave transmittance deteriorates due to the uneven surface

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrainage functionVSAvoidmillimeter wave attenuation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The drainage function is extracted from the front surface groove structure and relocated to the rear side of the decorative body portion. The heater is positioned on the rear side to melt snow, and the resulting water naturally drains through the rear structure, eliminating the need for front surface grooves that would create an uneven surface and attenuate millimeter waves.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The drainage function is moved from the front surface (one dimension) to the rear side structure (another dimension). This dimensional relocation allows the front surface to remain uniformly flat for optimal millimeter wave transmission while the rear structure handles water drainage through alternative pathways.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution effectively melts snow while maintaining low millimeter wave attenuation, ensuring continuous radar functionality and improved aesthetic appeal by integrating the heating sheet within the decorative component's structure.

Implementation Method 1

a wire-shaped heater provided on the plastic sheet

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Implementation Method 2

the snow adhering to the front surface is melted and converted into water by the heat generated by the heater wire

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP4095545A1Decorative component for vehicle
Publication Date: 2022.11.30 TOYODA GOSEI CO LTD
  • EP4095545A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4095545A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4095545A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6B

AI summary

A decorative component for a vehicle includes a decorative body portion having millimeter wave transmittance and a heating sheet. The decorative body portion is configured to decorate the vehicle by being attached to part of a vehicle on a leading side in a transmitting direction of millimeter waves from a millimeter wave radar device. The heating sheet includes a plastic sheet and a wire-shaped heater provided on the plastic sheet. At least a main portion of the heating sheet is provided integrally with the decorative body portion. The thickness in the front-rear direction is set uniform in at least a transmittance area of millimeter waves in the decorative body portion and the heating sheet.