Vehicle Roof Sensor Concealment via Nesting and Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle roof structures struggle to conceal large or visually unattractive sensors while maintaining their functionality and preserving the vehicle's visual appeal.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle roof structure design that incorporates a roof panel with a window and a headliner, creating a sensor mounting volume behind the window where sensors can be positioned to detect environmental characteristics, and processors can communicate with these sensors to respond accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sensors are placed on the roof of the vehicle, then sensor functionality is improved, but visual appeal deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds sensors within cavities formed in the roof panel, nesting the sensor components inside the roof structure itself. This allows sensors to be positioned on the roof for optimal functionality while being concealed within the roof panel cavities, preventing them from being visible from the exterior and thus preserving the vehicle's visual appeal.
2Measurement precision
If large sensors are used, then sensor detection capability is improved, but concealability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the roof panel into multiple sections with discrete cavities, allowing large sensor assemblies to be segmented and positioned within these cavities. The roof panel structure is segmented to provide multiple mounting locations, enabling large sensors to be concealed within the roof structure rather than protruding from the exterior.
3Shape
If sensors are concealed within the roof structure, then visual appeal is improved, but sensor mounting complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates sensor cavities directly into the roof panel manufacturing process, creating the mounting structures beforehand during panel fabrication. This preliminary action of forming cavities in the roof panel before sensor installation simplifies the overall mounting process, as sensors can be directly installed into the pre-formed cavities without requiring complex post-assembly modifications.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to vehicles and vehicle roof structures for concealing one or more sensors. Vehicle roof structures according to the present disclosure include a roof panel and a window extending at least up to the roof panel. A headliner extends along an interior portion of the roof panel to the window and is at least partially spaced from the roof panel in a direction of an interior of the vehicle to provide a sensor mounting volume therebetween, wherein the window extends along at least a portion of the sensor mounting volume. One or more sensors are positioned behind the window within the sensor mounting volume to provide a signal indicative of a characteristic of an environment of the vehicle detected by the one or more sensors through the window.