Vehicle Decorative Part Millimeter Wave Attenuation Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional vehicle decorative parts with snow-melting functions suffer from millimeter wave attenuation and water ingress issues when equipped with heaters, which affect the performance of millimeter wave radars during snowfall.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle decorative part design that incorporates a heater with a millimeter wave attenuation reducing configuration, where the heating element is strategically positioned to minimize wave blockage and water exposure, using a sandwiched structure with sealed gaps and carefully arranged components to maintain transparency and functionality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a heater is added to the vehicle decorative part to provide snow-melting function, then snow melting capability is improved, but millimeter wave attenuation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesnow melting capabilityVSAvoidmillimeter wave attenuation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The heater is positioned only in the upper portion of the vehicle decorative part, creating a local heating zone that melts snow without requiring the entire decorative part to be heated. This localized approach reduces the overall impact on millimeter wave transmission while maintaining snow melting functionality where it is most needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The heater is arranged in a specific spatial configuration within the decorative part structure, positioned in the upper portion rather than uniformly distributed. This dimensional placement optimizes the balance between snow melting effectiveness and millimeter wave transmission by concentrating heating capability in the region most susceptible to snow accumulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If the heater is positioned to maximize snow melting effectiveness, then snow melting capability is improved, but water ingress risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesnow melting effectivenessVSAvoidwater ingress

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A waterproof film is introduced as a barrier layer within the decorative part structure, separating the heater from the external environment. This thin film prevents water and snow from directly contacting the heater while allowing heat to pass through, thus protecting the heater from water ingress damage while maintaining heating effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The decorative part is divided into distinct functional zones: a heating zone with the heater positioned in the upper portion, and a sealed zone with waterproof film coverage. This segmentation allows the heater to be protected from water ingress while maintaining its snow melting functionality in the exposed upper area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If the decorative part structure is modified to accommodate the heater, then snow melting function is added, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesnow melting functionVSAvoidstructural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The vehicle decorative part is designed to serve multiple functions: aesthetic decoration, millimeter wave transmission, and snow melting. By integrating the heater into the existing decorative part structure rather than as a separate component, the design achieves multi-functionality without proportionally increasing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The heater is merged with the decorative part structure, combining the snow melting function with the existing decorative and radar-transparent functions. This integration approach adds the heating capability while utilizing the existing structural framework, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 reduces millimeter wave attenuation while ensuring snow melting functionality, improving radar performance and preventing water damage, thus enhancing both snow removal and radar operation during snowfall.

Implementation Method 1

The heater has a heating element that emits heat when energized

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Data Source

PatentUS11648889B2Decorative part for vehicle and method for manufacturing same

Publication Date: 2023.05.16 TOYODA GOSEI CO LTD

AI summary

A vehicle decorative part includes a decorative main body and a heater. The decorative main body is configured to be attached to a vehicle at a front side in a transmission direction of millimeter waves from a millimeter wave radar and has a millimeter wave transparency. The heater has a heating element that emits heat when energized. At least a part of the heating element is located in an irradiation region of the millimeter waves in the heater. As a millimeter wave attenuation reducing configuration that reduces attenuation of the millimeter waves passing through the heater, the heating element is incorporated in the heater in a condition where an area proportion of an area of a section of the heating element that occupies the irradiation region to an area of the irradiation region is set such that an attenuation amount of the millimeter waves is less than or equal to a permissible value.