Sensor Placement Structure for Autonomous Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing placement structures for peripheral information detecting sensors in vehicles face challenges in maintaining detection precision while avoiding aesthetic marred and ensuring mounting rigidity, especially when exposed to vibrations during travel.
Innovation Solution
A placement structure that mounts the sensor to a vehicle skeleton member with a closed cross-sectional structure, covered by a transmissive cover to prevent exposure and vibration, and optionally forms the cover from an opaque material to blend with the vehicle's color, ensuring detection medium transmission and electromagnetic noise blocking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the peripheral information detecting sensor is disposed on the roof of the vehicle, then the sensor can detect peripheral information effectively, but the sensor becomes conspicuous and mars the external appearance of the vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
A cover member is introduced as an intermediary component between the sensor and the external environment. This cover is transparent to the detection medium (radio waves, light, or ultrasonic waves) while being opaque to visible light, allowing the sensor to function effectively while concealing it from external view to maintain vehicle aesthetics
Solution Approach 2:
The cover member is designed with specific optical properties - it is opaque to visible light (appearing solid-colored to maintain aesthetics) but transparent to the detection medium wavelengths. This selective transparency allows the same component to hide the sensor visually while permitting detection functionality
2Shape
If the peripheral information detecting sensor is disposed at the vehicle inner side of the front windshield, then the external appearance is maintained, but the mounting rigidity is insufficient and detection accuracy deteriorates due to vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor mounting position is moved from the two-dimensional plane of the windshield inner side to the three-dimensional structure of the roof, specifically to the roof side rail. This dimensional change allows the sensor to be mounted on a rigid structural element that provides better vibration resistance while still permitting aesthetic concealment through the transparent cover
3Reliability
If the peripheral information detecting sensor is exposed to the vehicle outer side, then detection medium transmission is ensured, but the sensor is conspicuous and electromagnetic noise interference increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cover member serves as a protective intermediary that filters harmful electromagnetic noise from reaching the sensor while remaining transparent to the detection medium. This intermediary layer shields the sensor from external electromagnetic interference without blocking its detection functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The cover creates a protected, electrically isolated environment around the sensor by blocking external electromagnetic noise. This forms an 'inert' electromagnetic environment that prevents harmful interference while allowing the sensor to operate in its required detection medium
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 maintains detection accuracy, improves aerodynamic performance, and enhances vehicle design by concealing the sensor, reducing visibility and electromagnetic interference, while ensuring mounting rigidity and uniform appearance.
Implementation Method 1
the cover being composed of a material that is transmissive of a detection medium that is detected by the detecting section
Implementation Method 2
what is called 'detection medium' here is a concept that includes various detection media and the like that can be detected by a sensor, and includes radio waves, light, and ultrasonic waves
Implementation Method 3
the vehicle skeleton member is formed by a member that is electrically conductive... among the electromagnetic waves that are generated at the vehicle cabin inner side, the electromagnetic waves that are directed toward the peripheral information detecting sensor can be blocked by this vehicle skeleton member
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor placement structure has: a vehicle skeleton member of a vehicle, the vehicle skeleton member having a hollow cross-section; a peripheral information detecting sensor that is mounted to a vehicle outer side of the vehicle skeleton member, the peripheral information detecting sensor having a detecting section that detects information about a periphery of the vehicle; and a cover that covers the peripheral information detecting sensor from a vehicle outer side of the peripheral information detecting sensor, the cover being composed of a material that is transmissive of a detection medium that is detected by the detecting section.