Metal Bumper Sensor Mounting Without Separate Retainers

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle sensors mounted on metal bumpers require intervening retainers, increasing manufacturing complexity and cost.

Innovation Solution

A method of directly coupling sensors to metal bumpers without retainers by forming apertures and tabs from the bumper material during manufacturing, using stamping or similar processes to create a secure mounting arrangement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If sensors are mounted using intervening retainers, then secure sensor attachment is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensor attachment securityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The retainer and bumper are merged into a single integrated component. The sensor mounting features (apertures, tabs, or recesses) are formed directly in the bumper during the bumper manufacturing process, eliminating the need for separate retainers. This integration maintains secure sensor attachment while reducing manufacturing complexity and part count.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The bumper serves multiple functions: it provides vehicle impact protection and simultaneously serves as the sensor mounting structure. By forming mounting features directly in the bumper, the bumper becomes a multi-functional component that eliminates the need for dedicated retainers, thereby reducing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If sensors are mounted using intervening retainers, then secure sensor attachment is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensor attachment securityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The retainer and bumper are merged into a single integrated component. The sensor mounting features (apertures, tabs, or recesses) are formed directly in the bumper during the bumper manufacturing process, eliminating the need for separate retainers. This integration maintains secure sensor attachment while reducing manufacturing complexity and part count.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor mounting features (apertures, tabs, or recesses) are formed in the bumper during the initial bumper manufacturing process, before sensor installation. This preliminary action integrates the mounting feature creation into the existing manufacturing workflow, eliminating the need for separate retainer production and assembly operations, thereby reducing manufacturing cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If additional retainers are used for sensor mounting, then secure sensor attachment is achieved, but number of components increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensor attachment securityVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The retainer and bumper are merged into a single integrated component. The sensor mounting features (apertures, tabs, or recesses) are formed directly in the bumper during the bumper manufacturing process, eliminating the need for separate retainers. This integration maintains secure sensor attachment while reducing manufacturing complexity and part count.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS12570230B2Retainerless sensor mounting arrangement for a metal bumper

Publication Date: 2026.03.10 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH

AI summary

A method of coupling a sensor to a metal bumper for a vehicle includes providing a substrate configured as a sheet of metal for forming the metal bumper, forming an aperture within sheet of metal, and inserting the sensor into the aperture such that the sensor is directly supported by the sheet of metal without an intervening retainer.