Bracket for vehicle mount device

A bracket for a vehicle mount device includes an attachment member for a vehicle side, and a holding portion for the vehicle mount device. The holding portion includes a receiving portion for receiving at least a part of the vehicle mount device by a sliding operation of the vehicle mount device, and a guide portion for a projecting portion of the vehicle mount device along a sliding direction of the sliding operation. The receiving portion includes a position setting wall for the side of the vehicle mount device, and a holding piece for one side of the vehicle mount device. The guide portion includes an elastic piece, which is elastically deformed by contacting the projecting portion during a sliding movement and returns to an original posture at an end of the sliding movement to engage the projection.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an improvement of a bracket used for holding a vehicle mount device, such as a radar device, at a predetermined position on a vehicle.

As a bracket for attaching a radar device for a vehicle at a predetermined position of the vehicle, there is Patent Document 1. In the device of the Patent Document 1, the bracket includes a pair of side walls on a long edge side and a side wall on a front side. The radar device is mounted on the bracket by sliding the radar device to a position abutting against the side wall on the front side while side portions thereof are guided by the pair of side walls on the long edge side.

However, in the Patent Document 1, in mounting the radar device to the bracket, while the radar device is held in a direction against an urging force of a plate spring provided in the bracket, the radar device has to be sled to a position until a projection portion provided on a front side of the radar device is inserted into a through hole provided on a front side portion of the bracket. Due to a variation within a tolerance of a size at a side of the radar device and a variety of a size at the bracket, the attaching operation may not be smoothly performed. Also, in the Patent Document 1, the movement in the sliding direction of the radar device mounted on the bracket as stated above, is regulated by engaging the projection portion formed at the side portion of the radar device with a cut portion formed on the side wall at the long edge side of the bracket. This structure is also affected by the variety of the sizes.Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-178911

SUBJECT TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

The problems to be solved by the invention is, in a bracket for holding a vehicle mount device in a predetermined position, to facilitate an attachment operation by the sliding operation of the vehicle mount device to the bracket more easily.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention is directed to a bracket for a vehicle mount device for holding the vehicle mount device to a predetermined position in a vehicle. The bracket comprises an attachment member for a vehicle side; and a holding portion for the vehicle mount device. The holding portion includes a receiving portion for receiving at least a part of the vehicle mount device by a sliding operation of the vehicle mount device, and a guide portion for a projecting portion formed at a side of the vehicle mount device along a sliding direction of the sliding operation. The receiving portion includes a position setting wall for the side of the vehicle mount device, and a holding piece for one side of the vehicle mount device. The guide portion includes an elastic piece, which is configured to be elastically deformed by contacting the projecting portion during a sliding movement and returns to an original posture at an end of the sliding movement to engage the projection to thereby prevent a return movement of the vehicle mount device.

In the bracket, first, the projecting portion of the vehicle mount device is slid along the guide portion to enter the movement front side (front side) of the vehicle mount device to the receiving portion, so that a part of the vehicle mount device can be easily and stably held. Also, second, the vehicle mount device can be held in the sandwiching state by the holding pieces and the elastic pieces, and third, the vehicle mount device can be prevented from the return movement by engaging the elastic pieces to the projecting portions at the slide complete position.

In another aspect of the invention, the holding piece includes a contact portion for one face of the vehicle mount device, which is configured to receive the vehicle mount device by elastic deformation along with a contact of the contact portion relative to the one face during the sliding movement, and to elastically deform the elastic piece in a direction opposite to the holding piece by contacting the projecting portion during the sliding movement.

In another aspect of the invention, the receiving portion further includes a base portion configured to be located on the one face of the vehicle mount device and to extend the holding piece from the base portion to a movement rear side of the sliding movement.

In another aspect of the invention, the holding piece has a curved shape with the contact portion at a top in a section along a sliding direction.

In another aspect of the invention, the elastic piece includes an engaging portion for the projecting portion, which is an inclined face configured to gradually increase a height in a rear direction of the sliding movement.

In another aspect of the invention, the attachment member includes one face as an attachment face to the vehicle side to form the holding portion on a side opposite to the attachment member, and a window hole formed in a concave portion in the one face configured to retain the vehicle mount device held by the holding portion. The attachment member is formed of a material shielding electromagnetic waves.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

In the present invention, in a bracket for holding the vehicle mount device at a predetermined position of the vehicle, an attaching operation by the sliding movement of the vehicle mount device relative to the bracket can be more easily made.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the invention is explained based onFIGS. 1-9. A bracket1of the embodiment is used for holding a vehicle mount device R, such as a radar device for a vehicle mount type, at a predetermined position of a vehicle P.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the bracket1holds the radar device inside a bumper Pa of the vehicle. In the example, the radar device sends and receives electromagnetic waves through the bumper Pa to detect a distance between the vehicle and another object.

The bracket1includes an attachment member2on a vehicle body side, and a holding member3for the vehicle mount device R.

In the embodiment, one surface2aof the attachment member2is an attachment surface2bon the vehicle side.

In the embodiment, the attachment member2has a plate shape with about a rectangle including an upper side2c, a lower side2d, a left side2eand a right side2fin a state seen from the one surface2aside. In the embodiment, the right side2fis longer than the left side2e, and the lower side2dinclines to increase a size in an up and down direction x (seenFIG. 3), as the lower side2dgoes to the left side2e.

Also, on one surface2aside of the attachment member2, a dent4in a groove shape extending to a left-right direction y (seeFIG. 3) is formed. The dent4is formed on the one surface2aside of the attachment member2by forming a project portion5extending in the left-right direction on the other surface2gside of the attachment member2. By the project portion5, a later described holding portion3is formed on the other surface2gside.

Further, a window hole6is formed in the dent4. The window hole6is formed between an upper wall4aand a lower wall4bof the dent4, and shows an elongated slot shape in the left-right direction y.

In the embodiment shown, the vehicle mount device R has a rectangular shape having a main part Ra with one face Rb and another face Re. The vehicle mount device R is retained in the holding portion3, as described later, such that the another face Re faces an inner face of the bumper Pa (seeFIG. 6). The size of the window hole6in the upper-lower direction substantially coincides with the size of the face Ra of the vehicle mount device R in the upper-lower direction, and the vehicle mount device R is received in the dent4in the holding state.

In the example, the bracket1is formed of a material shielding the electromagnetic waves. In the example shown in the drawings, the bracket1is a molded article of a synthetic resin integrally provided with the attachment member2and the holding portion3, and the synthetic resin has a characteristic with shielding electromagnetic waves.

In the example, the bracket1is attached to the bumper Pa by fixing the one face2ato an inner face Pb of the bumper Pa by a tape, such as with two adhesive faces. In the fixed state, the vehicle mount device R is positioned inside the bumper Pa through the bracket1(seeFIG. 6). Since the vehicle mount device R is retained inside the window hole6in the dent4, in case the vehicle mount device R is a radar, it is possible to provide directional characteristic to the electromagnetic waves ejected through the bracket1.

The holding portion3includes a receiving portion7receiving at least a part of the vehicle mount device R by the sliding operation of the vehicle mount device R, and guide portions8, along a slide movement direction, for projecting portions Rd formed on a side portion Rc of the vehicle mount device R.

In the example shown, the vehicle mount device R is rectangle having a structure with one face Rb and another face Re, and four side portions Rc (faces at the thickness side). In the example shown, the projecting portions Rd are formed on the side portions Rc at the upper side and the side portion Rc at the lower side of the vehicle mount device R.

The projecting portion Rd has a rib shape which is long in the left-right direction y. The projecting portions Rd are respectively formed on two sides sandwiching the middle portion in the left-right direction y of the vehicle mount device R on the side portion Rc at the upper side and the side portion Rc on the lower side.

In the side portion Rc of the vehicle mount device R on the right side shown inFIG. 1, a connector portion Rg electrically connecting the vehicle mount device R to an outside is formed. The vehicle mount device R is retained in the holding portion3by sliding the slide movement operation, first entering the side portion Rc on the left side inFIG. 1.

The receiving portion7includes a base portion7apositioned on the one face Rb of the vehicle mount device R, position setting walls7bfor the side portions Rc along the slide movement direction of the vehicle mount device R, and a holding piece7cfor the one face Rb of the vehicle mount device R.

In the example shown, guide portions8long in the left-right direction y are formed on the upper side and the lower side of the window hole6in the project portion5.

Also, the receiving portion7is formed on the left side of the window hole6of the project portion5inFIG. 1.

The position setting walls7bare formed on the upper side and the lower side, and project to the back side BK relative to the guide portions8(SeeFIG. 6). The base portion7ahas a long plate shape between the position setting walls7bin the up-down direction x.

As shown inFIG. 1, the vehicle mount device R is slid to the left side in a state that the projecting portion Rd on the upper side contacts the guide portion8on the upper side, and the projecting portion Rd on the lower side contacts the guide portion8on the lower side, so that the front portion Rf at the left side inFIG. 1enters the receiving portion7.

The holding piece7cextends from the base portion7ato the movement rear side in the slide movement, i.e. to the right side in the embodiment shown inFIG. 1.

In the example shown in the drawings, the holding piece7chas a plate shape having one end connected to a middle in the up-down direction x of the base portion7awith a width in the up-down direction x.

Also, the holding piece7cincludes a contact portion7drelative to the one face Rb of the vehicle mount device R, and allows the reception of the vehicle mount device R by elastic deformation along with the contact of the contact portion7drelative to the one face Rb during the slide movement, i.e. elastic deformation to the back side BK in the example shown in the drawings.

In the example shown in the drawings, the holding piece7chas a cured shape such that the contact portion7dis a top in the section along the sliding movement direction (seeFIG. 6).

And, a length L1between the guide portion8and the contact portion7din the front-back direction z (seeFIG. 6) is slightly smaller than a length between the one face Rb of the vehicle mount device R and a side face Rdb on a side guided by the guide portion8in the projecting portion Rd.

On the other hand, the guide portion8includes an elastic piece8aengaging the projecting portion Rd, which is elastically deformed by contacting the projecting portion Rd during the slide movement, and elastically returning to the original posture at the end of the slide movement, to thereby prevent the return movement of the vehicle mount device R.

The elastic piece8ais elastically deformed to the direction opposite to the holding piece7c, i.e. front side FR in the example shown in the drawings (seeFIG. 6), by contacting the projecting portion Rd during the slide movement.

In the example shown in the drawings, the elastic pieces8aare formed to the respective upper and lower guide portions8. Each of the upper and lower guide portion8includes an additional receiving portion9at a middle in the left-right direction y.

And, the elastic piece8ais provided at a portion between the additional receiving portion9and the receiving portion7.

In the example shown in the drawings, the elastic piece8ais formed by a part of the guide portion8divided by a first dividing groove8balong the left-right direction y formed in the guide portion8, and a second dividing groove8ccommunicating a groove end of the first dividing groove8bon the receiving portion7side and the window hole6. The elastic piece8aincludes raised portions8eprojecting to the rear direction BK from a position in the middle of the length direction to a free end8d.

The raised portion8eincludes a slant face8gbetween the receiving portion7side and the opposite side thereof sandwiching the top portion8f. The slant face8gat the receiving portion7side in the raised portion8ebecomes the face raised toward the movement rear side in the slide movement, which functions as an engaging portion8hrelative to the projecting portion Rd in the elastic piece8a.

As shown inFIG. 9, an additional receiving portion9includes a wall portion9arelative to a projecting end Rda (refer toFIG. 7) of the projecting portion Rd of the vehicle mount device R, a flange portion9brelative to a side face Rdc (refer toFIG. 5) opposite to a side face Rdb on a side guided by the guide portion8in the projecting portion Rd, and a stopper portion9c(refer toFIG. 4) relative to an end portion Rdd (refer toFIG. 5) positioned on the movement front side of the slide movement in the projecting portion Rd.

The projecting porting Rd positioned on the movement front side (front side) of the slide movement for the vehicle mount device R is disposed between the additional receiving portion9and the elastic piece8a, and the projecting portion Rd positioned on the movement rear side of the slide movement for the vehicle mount device R is positioned on the movement rear side of the slide movement relative to the additional receiving portion9, so that the upper and lower projecting portions Rd are contacted to the upper and lower guide portions8. Then, the projecting portions Rd are slid on the guide portions8to slide the vehicle mount device R on the guide portions8(movement operation to the left side inFIG. 1) to thereby hold the vehicle mound device R to the holding portion3.

In detail, when the vehicle mound device R is slid as explained above, the movement front side (front side) of the vehicle mount device R is received in the receiving portion7while the holding piece7cand the elastic pieces8aare both being elastically deformed. The elastic deformation is smoothly performed by the curved shape of the holding piece7cand the slant surfaces8gof the elastic pieces8a. Also, if there is no holding piece7c, it is difficult to enter the front portion Rf of the vehicle mount device R to the receiving portion7by pushing the vehicle mount device R, by the elastic force of the elastic pieces8a, to the rearward BK in the example shown, but it is possible to smoothly insert the front portion to the receiving portion7by the holding pieces7cand the elastic forces.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the slide movement operation is permitted to the position that the projecting portions Rd on the movement rear side of the vehicle mount device R abut against the stopper portions9cof the additional receiving portions9. When the slide movement is completed, the elastic pieces8aelastically return to engage the projecting portions Rd, and the return movement of the vehicle mount device R is prevented.

Also, in the embodiment shown in the drawings, since the engagement portions of the elastic pieces8abecome slant faces8g, even if there is a variation in size within a tolerance in the left-right direction y on the vehicle mount device R side, it is possible to hold the vehicle mount device R with the holding piece7cin the condition of elastically deforming the elastic pieces8ain the sandwiching condition without wobbling (refer toFIG. 5).

Therefore, according to the bracket1of the embodiment, first, the projecting portions Rd of the vehicle mount device R are slid along the guide portion8to enter the movement front side (front side) of the vehicle mount device R to the receiving portion7, so that a part of the vehicle mount device R can be easily and stably held. Also, second, the vehicle mount device R can be held in the sandwiching state by the holding piece7cand the elastic pieces8aas parts of the guide portion8, and third, the vehicle mount device R can be prevented from the return movement by engaging the elastic pieces8ato the projecting portions Rd at the slide complete position.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the vehicle mount device R can be held without wobbling in the up-down direction x by the position stetting walls7bof the receiving portion7. Also, the vehicle mount device R can be held without wobbling in the front-rear direction z by the holding piece7cand the elastic pieces8a. Further, the vehicle mount device R is prevented from movement in the left-right direction y by the elastic pieces8a.

Also, in the embodiment shown in the drawings, one of the additional receiving portions9, i.e. in the embodiment, a part of a wall portion9arelative to the projecting end Rda of the projecting portion Rd of the vehicle mount device R at the upper side of the additional receiving portion9, becomes an elastic deformable portion9dwhich is elastically deformed by contacting the projecting portion Rd when receiving the projecting portion Rd to the additional receiving portion9.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the elastic deformable portion9dis formed by the wall portion9adivided by two dividing grooves9eextending between the wall portion9aand the flange portion9band a part of the flange portion9b(refer toFIG. 9). A projection9fis formed on an inner surface at an inner side of the additional receiving portion9of the elastic deformable portion9d(refer toFIGS. 4 and 8), and in receiving the projecting portion Rd to the additional receiving portion9, in a state that the elastic deformable portion9dis elastically deformed outwardly (upwardly in the illustrated embodiment) by contacting the projection9fto the projection end Rda of the projecting portion Rd, the projection9fis press-contacted against a projection of the projecting portion Rd. Accordingly, in the illustrated embodiment, the vehicle mount device R is held without wobbling in the up-down direction at the additional receiving portion9.

Also, as is clear, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment explained above, and includes embodiments which can attain the object of the invention.

EXPLANATION OF SYMBOLS