Embedded Sensor Bumper Assembly Molding
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current pedestrian sensing technologies face challenges in the packaging, mounting, and attachment of sensors to vehicle bumpers, making the assembly process difficult for both manufacturing and service facilities.
Innovation Solution
A bumper assembly with sensors embedded between front and rear surfaces, molded into the body using a heated material, and integrated with a support structure to maintain sensor position and resist forces during the molding process, allowing for direct impact load transfer and improved sensing capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sensors are mounted externally to the bumper fascia or energy absorbing components, then sensor detection capability is achieved, but packaging, mounting, and attachment becomes difficult and challenges assembly plant and service facilities
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is integrated directly into the molded body of the bumper component, combining the sensor housing and bumper structure into a single integrated part. This eliminates separate mounting steps and simplifies assembly, as the sensor becomes an inherent part of the bumper rather than an external attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor is embedded within the molded body structure, with the sensor housing nested inside the bumper component. The molded material flows around and encapsulates the sensor, creating a nested configuration where the sensor is contained within the bumper structure.
2Ease of manufacture
If sensors are embedded in the bumper body using heated material flow, then assembly process is simplified, but sensor positioning and bonding precision must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is positioned and secured within the mold cavity before the molded material is injected. This preliminary positioning ensures the sensor is correctly located before the bonding process begins, and the mold structure maintains precise positioning throughout the injection and cooling process.
Solution Approach 2:
The molded material is heated to a flowable state during injection, allowing it to properly bond to the sensor. The temperature parameter is controlled to ensure optimal bonding characteristics, and the material cools and solidifies after injection to lock the sensor in position with precise bonding.
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
This solution simplifies the sensor integration process, enhances impact sensing accuracy, and reduces the likelihood of sensing errors by embedding sensors within the bumper body, facilitating easier assembly and improved performance in detecting pedestrian presence and impacts.
Implementation Method 1
molding a body by flowing a heated material within the first and second mold portions, thereby embedding the at least one sensor between the front and rear surfaces and bonding the sensor with the heated material
Data Source
AI summary
Exemplary methods of making a bumper component are disclosed, along with exemplary bumper assemblies and vehicles. An exemplary method may include providing a first mold portion defining at least in part a front surface, and positioning at least one sensor in the first mold portion. Exemplary methods may further include enclosing the at least one sensor within the first mold portion with a second mold portion. The second mold portion may define at least in part a rear surface. The method may further include forming a body within the first and second mold portions, thereby embedding the at least one sensor between the front and rear surfaces, the body extending between the front and rear surfaces.