Vehicle Sensor Assembly With Shared Bracket and Thermal Isolation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle sensor assemblies face challenges in maintaining stringent position tolerances, protecting sensors from heat, and ensuring effective cooling and packaging within a curved vehicle body, while also providing a clean and aesthetically pleasing exterior.
Innovation Solution
A sensor assembly design featuring a bracket-mounted environmental sensors with an insulating plate and blower system, where the insulating plate is made of low thermal conductivity material and the bracket provides structural support, along with a radome cover that is transparent to radio waves but opaque to visible light, and a blower system for airflow to cool the sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If environmental sensors are mounted directly to the vehicle frame, then installation is simple, but position tolerances cannot meet stringent requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting structure is segmented into a bracket component separate from the vehicle frame, allowing the bracket to be precisely manufactured and positioned, then mounted as a unit to the frame. This segmentation enables tight position tolerances to be achieved through precision bracket fabrication rather than requiring direct precise mounting to the frame.
2Volume of stationary object
If sensors are positioned close to the vehicle interior, then packaging is efficient, but sensors are exposed to heat from the vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
An insulating plate is introduced as an intermediary component between the environmental sensors and the vehicle interior. This insulating plate blocks heat transfer from the hot vehicle interior to the sensors, allowing the sensors to be positioned close to the interior for efficient packaging while remaining protected from harmful heat exposure.
3Shape
If a solid cover is used to enclose sensors, then exterior appearance is clean and integrated, but radio wave transmission is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The radome cover is constructed from composite materials that combine aesthetic properties with electromagnetic transparency. The cover material is engineered to be opaque to visible light for a clean exterior appearance while simultaneously being transparent to radio waves, allowing both aesthetic and functional requirements to be satisfied by the same component.
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
Enhances sensor operation by maintaining precise positioning, protecting from heat, facilitating compact packaging, and providing effective cooling, while offering a clean and integrated exterior design.
Implementation Method 1
an insulating plate positioned between the environmental sensors and an inside of the vehicle
Implementation Method 2
a blower fixed to the bracket and positioned to draw air across the environmental sensors
Implementation Method 3
a radome cover extending across the environmental sensors, the environmental sensors may be radar sensors, and the radome cover may be transparent to radio waves
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor assembly includes a bracket fixed to a frame of a vehicle, two environmental sensors fixed to the bracket, and an insulating plate positioned between the environmental sensors and an inside of the vehicle. The sensor assembly may enhance the operation of the environmental sensors. Mounting both environmental sensors to the same bracket can permit more stringent position tolerances to be met by the environmental sensors compared to independently mounting the environmental sensors to the frame of the vehicle. Moreover, the bracket can provide a reference for locating the insulating plate. Additionally, the insulating plate can isolate the environmental sensors from heat generated by the vehicle, permitting the environmental sensors to more easily be kept within a temperature range for reliable operation. Finally, the same insulating plate can be used for both environmental sensors, in part due to the common position from the bracket.