Thermally Bonded Plastic Waveguide Radar Sensor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional radar sensors for motor vehicles are costly to produce due to complex and inefficient methods of connecting waveguide structures and high-frequency components.
Innovation Solution
The use of thermally bonded plastic bodies with electrically conductive surface layers allows for secure mechanical and electrical connections between components, enabling efficient production and microwave-tight sealing through a process that includes soldering or welding, while also allowing for design flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional methods (lacquering, vapor-deposition, sputtering, galvanizing) are used to form conductive layers on waveguide structures, then microwave integrity is maintained, but production costs increase and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the formation of conductive layers on multiple plastic bodies into a single thermal bonding process. The conductive layers are created on the outer surfaces of plastic bodies during the same thermal bonding operation that joins the bodies together, eliminating the need for separate lacquering, vapor-deposition, sputtering, or galvanizing steps for each component while maintaining microwave-tight sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal bonding process serves multiple functions simultaneously: it mechanically joins the plastic bodies together, creates electrically conductive surface layers for electrical connection, and provides microwave-tight sealing. This multi-functional approach reduces the number of manufacturing steps and overall production cost while ensuring reliability.
2Productivity
If multiple separate components are connected through multiple manufacturing steps, then connection reliability is improved, but production time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple manufacturing operations into a single thermal bonding step. Multiple plastic bodies with conductive surface layers are connected simultaneously in one process, rather than through multiple sequential steps. This increases productivity by reducing cycle time while maintaining connection reliability through the secure thermal bond and electrical connection achieved in the single step.
3Device complexity
If complex connection processes are used to join waveguide structures and high-frequency components, then connection strength is improved, but device complexity increases and ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical assembly processes with a thermal bonding process. Instead of using multiple mechanical fastening, alignment, and connection steps, the invention uses thermal energy to simultaneously create mechanical bonding and electrical connections through the conductive surface layers, simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining connection strength.
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 approach reduces production costs and enhances the reliability of radar sensors by enabling a single-step connection of multiple plastic bodies and high-frequency components, while maintaining microwave integrity and providing slight high-frequency damping.
Implementation Method 1
the plastic bodies with their conductive surface layers are thermally bonded to each other
Implementation Method 2
by a soldering or welding process
Implementation Method 3
The conductive surface layers required for this purpose can be efficiently produced in the same process that is also used for producing the conductive surface layers on the inner walls of the cavities
Implementation Method 4
the thermal bonding allows for microwave-tight sealing of the waveguide structures
Implementation Method 5
for achieving slight high-frequency damping of the involved components
Data Source
AI summary
A radar sensor having at least one high-frequency component and at least one waveguide structure in the form of a plastic body provided with an electrically conductive surface layer. The radar sensor has at least one further plastic body provided with an electrically conductive surface layer, and the plastic bodies with their conductive surface layers are thermally bonded to one another.