RADAR MOUNTING STRUCTURE

A radar mounting structure includes: a corner upper beam; a lamp housing that houses a light source inside and that is attached to a vehicle-body upper side of the corner upper beam; and a radar configured to detect an object that is present ahead on a vehicle width direction outer side of a vehicle. The radar is disposed in front of the lamp housing so as to overlap with the lamp housing when viewed in a front-rear direction, and is fixed to the corner upper beam.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the foreign priority benefit under Title 35 U.S.C. § 119 of Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-027074, filed on Feb. 24, 2021, in the Japan Patent Office, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a radar mounting structure of a radar mounted on a vehicle.

Related Art

Conventionally, as an example of structure in which a radar or the like for detecting an object present ahead of a vehicle is mounted on the vehicle, the mounting structure of a vehicle periphery monitoring device described in JP 2018-95039 A is known. In the mounting structure of the vehicle periphery monitoring device disclosed in JP 2018-95039 A, a sensor (30) having a radar function for detecting an object is attached to a resin bracket (24) installed below a lamp housing (22) of a head lamp (20).

In the mounting structure of the vehicle periphery monitoring device of JP 2018-95039 A, however, the sensor (30) is housed in a box-shaped cover body (32), and is suspended below the lamp housing (22) by a dedicated bracket (24). This means, in the mounting structure of the vehicle periphery monitoring device of JP 2018-95039 A, a dedicated component part for attaching the sensor (30) to the vehicle body is needed. Hence, there is a drawback that the number of component parts, the number of assembling person-hours, and the number of manufacturing management person-hours each increases, and thus the cost increases.

SUMMARY

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a radar mounting structure which makes it possible to reduce the cost by reducing the number of component parts, the number of assembling person-hours, and the number of manufacturing management person-hours and to improve the appearance of a light source.

To achieve the above-described object, a radar mounting structure of an embodiment according to the present invention includes: a corner upper beam; a lamp housing that houses a light source inside and that is attached to a vehicle-body upper side of the corner upper beam; and a radar configured to detect an object that is present ahead on the vehicle width direction outer side of a vehicle. The radar is disposed in front of the lamp housing so as to overlap with the lamp housing when viewed in a front-rear direction, and is fixed to the corner upper beam.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a radar mounting structure which makes it possible to reduce the cost by reducing the number of component parts, the number of assembling person-hours, and the number of manufacturing management person-hours, and it is also possible to improve the appearance of the light source.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 4B, a radar mounting structure100of an embodiment according to the present invention will be described. In an embodiment, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and overlapping descriptions will be omitted.

Note that, in embodiments of the present invention, “front” means a front side of a vehicle C, “rear” means a rear side of the vehicle C, “up” means a vertically upper side, “down” means a vertically lower side, and “left-right” means a vehicle width direction of the vehicle C.

First, before the radar mounting structure100of an embodiment according to the present invention is described, the vehicle C and a headlamp assembly10to which the present invention is applied will be described.

FIG. 1is a perspective view illustrating a main part of the vehicle C including the radar mounting structure100of the embodiment according to the present invention.

As illustrated inFIG. 1, the vehicle C includes headlamp assemblies10(seeFIG. 2) respectively on the left and right in a front part of a vehicle body1. The vehicle C may be any automobile that includes a light source2and a radar5, and its style or type is not particularly limited. Hereinafter, as an example of the vehicle C, a case of a passenger vehicle will be described as an example.

FIG. 2is an exploded schematic perspective view illustrating a main part of the radar mounting structure100.

As illustrated inFIG. 2, the headlamp assembly10is a unit in which the light source2(for example, a headlamp or the like) and peripheral component parts thereof are assembled. The headlamp assembly10includes the light source2, a lamp housing3holding the light source2, and a lens4covering a front side of the light source2. As illustrated inFIG. 1, the headlamp assembly10is disposed among a bonnet hood H, a bumper face B, a grille G, and a fender panel F, in a front view.

As illustrated inFIG. 2, the radar mounting structure100is a fixing structure configured to arrange the radar5in a surrounding of the light source2. The radar mounting structure100includes a corner upper beam11, the light source2, the lamp housing3, the lens4, and the radar5, in the front part of the vehicle body. As illustrated inFIG. 1, the radar mounting structures100are disposed symmetrically on the left and right in the front part of the vehicle C. Hereinafter, in the embodiment, the radar mounting structure100disposed on the left side in the front part of the vehicle C will be described, and the description of the right side will be omitted.

FIG. 3is a diagram illustrating an example of the radar mounting structure100of the embodiment according to the present invention, and is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of a main part of the headlamp assembly10illustrating an installation state of the radar5.

As illustrated inFIG. 1, the light source2is, for example, a headlamp. As illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3, the light source2is provided with the lamp housing3located rearwardly of the light source2and with the lens4covering the front side of the light source2. Note that, inFIG. 3, the light source2is installed at a position spaced apart inward in the vehicle width direction from rear of the radar5, and is disposed so as not to overlap with the radar5in a front-rear direction (seeFIG. 2). That is, the light source2is disposed so as not to overlap with the radar5when viewed in the front-rear direction.

As illustrated inFIG. 2orFIG. 3, the lamp housing3is a housing configured to house mainly the light source2inside. The lamp housing3is made up of a member that holds the light source2and the lens4from the rear side. As illustrated inFIG. 3, the lamp housing3includes a coupling portion3aformed at an outer peripheral portion, a fixing portion3bformed at a lower end portion, and vehicle body fixing bracket portions3c(seeFIG. 2) formed at an upper portion and at a lower portion. The lamp housing3is attached to a vehicle-body upper side of the corner upper beam11. The lamp housing3is formed of an opaque resin member.

The coupling portion3ais a portion to which an insertion portion4bformed on an outer peripheral portion of the lens4is attached and fixed. The coupling portion3ais formed in a recessed groove shape in a cross-sectional view in the outer peripheral portion of the lamp housing3.

The fixing portion3bis an engagement portion to which a head portion of a fastener31attached to a lower portion of the corner upper beam11is attached, so that the corner upper beam11is fixed to the lamp housing3.

As illustrated inFIG. 2, the vehicle body fixing bracket portions3care brackets used to fasten and fix the lamp housing3of the headlamp assembly10to a wheelhouse member13and to a bulkhead14of the vehicle body1with volts.

As illustrated inFIG. 3, the lens4also serves as a lens cover (headlamp lens cover) disposed to cover the light source2(headlamp). The lens4is formed integrally with a lens cover portion4aand the insertion portion4b. The lens4is formed of a transparent resin material, such as an acrylic resin or a polycarbonate, which allows transmission of light emitted from the light source2.

The lens cover portion4aserves as a lens that deflects light emitted from the light source2in the forward direction and serves as a cover that covers the front side of the light source2. The lens cover portion4ais provided in front of the light source2.

The insertion portion4bis to be inserted and fixed into the coupling portion3aof the lamp housing3, so that the lens cover portion4ais fixed to the lamp housing3. The insertion portion4bis formed on the outer peripheral portion of the lens4.

As illustrated inFIG. 2, the corner upper beam11is a member that supports the headlamp assembly10, that holds an upper end portion of a front bumper, and that holds the bumper face B. The corner upper beam11includes a corner upper beam body11aextending in the vehicle width direction, a fastener installation hole11bin which the fastener31configured to fix the lamp housing3to the corner upper beam11is installed, and a radar bracket portion12attached to the corner upper beam body11a. The corner upper beam11is disposed at a front corner of the vehicle body1. The corner upper beam11is attached to a lower portion of the headlamp assembly10(lens4and lamp housing3) (seeFIG. 3).

The corner upper beam body11aincludes a frame member made of a metal or a resin. The corner upper beam body11ais fastened to the wheelhouse member13and to the bulkhead14with bolts.

The radar bracket portion12is made up of a rectangular frame-shaped member to which the radar5is attached. The radar bracket portion12is vertically fixed at a position spaced apart outward in the vehicle width direction from a vehicle width direction center portion of the corner upper beam body11a. The radar bracket portion12includes a protrusion12ahaving a tip end, to which a locking part43configured to couple the radar bracket portion12to a radar cover6is fixed.

The protrusion12ais made up of a support column having a bottomed cylindrical shape for allowing the locking part43to be inserted and attached into a lock hole6cof the radar cover6. The protrusion12aprotrudes from a front surface of the radar bracket portion12.

As illustrated inFIG. 2orFIG. 3, the radar5is a sensor configured to detect an object that is present ahead on the vehicle width direction outer side of the vehicle C. As a specific example, the radar5is made up of, for example, a millimeter wave radar that detects an object by a reception unit receiving a radio wave that is emitted by a transmission unit (not illustrated) and reflected by the object. The radar5is disposed so as to overlap with the lamp housing3in the front-rear direction, i.e., the radar5is disposed so as to overlap with the lamp housing3when viewed in the front-rear direction, in front of a portion of the lamp housing3at which portion the light source2is not disposed. The radar5is fixed to the radar bracket portion12of the corner upper beam11disposed rearwardly of the radar5. The front side of the radar5is covered by the radar cover6.

As illustrated inFIG. 3, the radar cover6includes: a radar cover portion6aprovided to cover the front side of the radar5; and a support portion6bformed on an outer peripheral portion of the radar cover portion6a. The radar cover6is formed of, for example, an opaque resin.

As the radar5covered with the radar cover portion6ais disposed at a front end portion of the vehicle body1so as not to be directly visually recognized, the appearance is good.

The support portion6bis a portion with which the lens cover portion4aand the corner upper beam11hold the radar cover6. The support portion6b, located on the outer peripheral portion of the radar cover6, is attached to the lens cover portion4aand to the corner upper beam11, so that the radar cover6is fixed to the lens cover portion4aand to the corner upper beam11.

The radar mounting structure100of the above-described embodiment according to the present invention is basically configured as described above. Next, operations and effects of the radar mounting structure100will be described with reference toFIGS. 1 to 4B, in comparison with a comparative example of a radar mounting structure1000mounted on an ordinary vehicle, illustrated inFIG. 4A.

FIG. 4Ais a component part correlation diagram of the radar mounting structure1000of a comparative example illustrating an attachment relationship of radar component parts mounted on an ordinary vehicle.FIG. 4Bis a diagram illustrating an example of the radar mounting structure100of the above-described embodiment according to the present invention, and is a component part correlation diagram illustrating an attachment relationship of radar component parts. Black lines inFIGS. 4A and 4Beach represent a fix relationship between elements. In addition, an overlap of rectangular frames represents a conceptual inclusion relationship of elements.

As illustrated inFIGS. 4A and 4B, in both cases of the radar mounting structure1000of the comparative example and the radar mounting structure100of the above-described embodiment according to the present invention, the lamp housing3of the headlamp assembly10is fixed to the wheelhouse member13and to the bulkhead14of the vehicle body1. The light source2, in both cases of the comparative example and the above-described embodiment according to the present invention, is housed in a housing made up of the lamp housing3and the lens4.

In addition, the corner upper beam11, in both cases of the comparative example and the above-described embodiment according to the present invention, is fixed to the lamp housing3and to the vehicle body1. Further, the bumper face B, in both cases of the comparative example and the above-described embodiment according to the present invention, is fixed to the corner upper beam11.

As illustrated inFIG. 4A, a radar500of the radar mounting structure1000of the comparative example is fixed to a radar bracket700, which is attached to the headlamp assembly10.

On the other hand, the radar5of the radar mounting structure100of the embodiment according to the present invention is attached to the corner upper beam11, as illustrated inFIGS. 3 and 4B.

Therefore, for the radar5of the radar mounting structure100of the embodiment according to the present invention, there is no need of the radar bracket700dedicated to attaching the radar500to the headlamp assembly10in the radar mounting structure1000of the comparative example illustrated inFIG. 4A. Therefore, the radar mounting structure100of the embodiment according to the present invention makes it possible to reduce the number of component parts, the number of assembling person-hours, and thus the cost. In addition, the accuracy of the attachment of the radar5to the vehicle body1can be improved by the radar5being directly attached to the corner upper beam11.

In addition, as illustrated inFIG. 4A, a radar cover600of the radar mounting structure1000of the comparative example is attached to the headlamp assembly10.

On the other hand, the radar cover6of the radar mounting structure100of the embodiment according to present invention is attached to the corner upper beam11and to the lens4, as illustrated inFIGS. 3 and 4B. Therefore, the radar cover6of the embodiment according to the present invention is rigidly fixed and the accuracy of the attachment of the radar cover6to the vehicle body1is improved, compared to the radar cover600of the comparative example. Moreover, as the accuracy of the attachment of the radar cover6to the bumper face B is also improved, the accuracy of gap setting and step setting of the radar cover6as a design component part is improved, leading to an improvement in the appearance.

In addition, regarding the positional relationship between the radar cover6and the radar5, the radar cover6and the radar5are assembled to the same corner upper beam11, leading to an improvement in the performance and accuracy of the radar5.

As described above, as illustrated inFIG. 2orFIG. 3, the radar mounting structure100of the embodiment according to the present invention includes the corner upper beam11, the lamp housing3that houses the light source2inside and that is attached to the vehicle-body upper side of the corner upper beam11, and the radar5configured to detect an object that is present ahead on the vehicle width direction outer side of the vehicle C. The radar5is disposed in front of the lamp housing3so as to overlap with the lamp housing3when viewed in the front-rear direction, and is fixed to the corner upper beam11.

According to such a configuration, the radar5is disposed so as to overlap with the lamp housing3when viewed in the front-rear direction, in front of a portion of the lamp housing3at which portion the light source2is not disposed. Therefore, the radar5does not block the light emitted from the light source2. The radar5is fixed to the corner upper beam11of the vehicle body1, and thus the radar5is rigidly attached to the vehicle body1without positional deviation, leading to an improvement in the accuracy of the attachment position with respect to the vehicle body1. Therefore, the present invention makes it possible to eliminate a bracket dedicated to attaching the radar5. Accordingly, in association with the integration of the component parts, it is possible to reduce the cost by reducing the number of component parts, the number of assembling person-hours, and the number of manufacturing management person-hours and to improve the appearance of the light source.

Heretofore, an embodiment according to the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be appropriately modified without departing from the gist of the present invention.

FIG. 5is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating a main part of a radar mounting structure100A, which is a first modification of the radar mounting structure100of the above-described embodiment according to the present invention.

The lens4described in the above-described embodiment (seeFIGS. 2 and 3) is not limited to a lens that covers only one type of light source2(for example, a headlamp). As illustrated inFIG. 5, a lens4A may cover a first light source21made up of a headlamp, and may cover a second light source22made up of signal lamps, non-limiting examples of which include a turn signal lamp and a position lamp.

In this case, the second light source22is disposed rearwardly of and at a higher position than the radar5. For this reason, the light emitted from the second light source22is not blocked by the radar5.

In addition, a lamp housing3A may house a plurality of light sources2, such as the first light source21and the second light source22.

In this case, a radar cover6A disposed on the front side of the lens4A is made up of an opaque member disposed in front of the radar5to cover the radar5. Therefore, the radar cover6A is capable of preventing the radar5from being visually recognized from the outside of the vehicle, leading to an improvement in the appearance.

Also in such a configuration, in the radar mounting structure100A, the corner upper beam11is capable of rigidly holding the radar5and the lamp housing3A.

FIG. 6is a schematic exploded perspective view illustrating a main part of a radar mounting structure100B, which is a second modification of the radar mounting structure100of the above-described embodiment according to the present invention.FIG. 7is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating a main part of the radar mounting structure100B.

The radar cover6described in the above embodiment (seeFIG. 2) as covering the radar5is not limited to those that cover only the radar5. As illustrated inFIGS. 6 and 7, a radar cover6B covering the radar5may be configured to serve also as a lens covering the light sources2.

In this case, the radar cover6B includes, for example, a radar cover portion61B covering the radar5provided in the radar bracket portion12, and light source lens cover portions62B covering the light sources2provided in a headlamp assembly10B. The radar cover6B is integrally formed by two-color molding, joining, or bonding the radar cover portion61B made of an opaque resin and the light source lens cover portions62B each made of a transparent resin, and covers, as a single member, the radar5and the light sources2.

The radar cover portion61B is disposed in front of the radar bracket portion12and the radar5. The light source lens cover portions62B are disposed respectively on the left and right of the radar cover portion61B, and are disposed respectively in front of the first light source21and the second light source22to cover them.

In addition, two types of light sources2including the first light source21(headlamp) and the second light source22(signal lamp(s)) are installed in the headlamp assembly10B. The entire front side of the headlamp assembly10B is covered with the radar cover6B disposed in front of the first light source21and the second light source22with the corner upper beam11interposed therebetween. The first light source21is disposed at a position spaced apart inward in the vehicle width direction from the radar bracket portion12and the radar5, in a front view. The signal lamps of the second light source22are disposed respectively at a position spaced apart upward from the radar bracket portion12and the radar5and at a position spaced apart outward in the vehicle width direction, in a front view.

In addition, a lamp housing3B includes a light source housing portion32B that houses the light sources2and a housing portion33B that houses the radar bracket portion12holding the radar5.

According to the second modification of the above-described embodiment according to the present invention, the light source lens cover portions62B of the radar cover6B is configured to serve also as lamp lenses that that cover the light sources2. Therefore, a cover dedicated to the radar5is not necessary, leading to a reduction in the number of component parts and the number of assembling person-hours. As the radar cover6B is configured to serve also as the lenses that cover the light sources2and thus the radar cover6B is rigidly attached to the vehicle body1without positional deviation, the accuracy in the attachment position with respect to the vehicle body1is improved.

FIG. 8is a schematic exploded perspective view illustrating a main part of a radar mounting structure100C, which is a third modification of the radar mounting structure100of the above-described embodiment according to the present invention.FIG. 9is a schematic diagram illustrating the radar mounting structure100C.

Regarding the radar5of the above-described embodiment, the radar cover6is not limited to those that cover only the radar5as illustrated inFIG. 2. As illustrated inFIG. 8orFIG. 9, the light sources2provided in a headlamp assembly10C of the radar mounting structure100C may include the first light source21and the second light source22, the first light source21and the second light source22may be respectively covered with a first light source lens41C and a second light source lens42C, and the radar5may be covered with the second light source lens42C.

In addition, the first light source21may be a headlamp, and the second light source22may be signal lamps.

In this case, in the headlamp assembly10C, the first light source21of the headlamp and the second light source22including signal lamps such as a position lamp and a turn signal lamp are installed.

The first light source21is made up of a halogen lamp, a discharge (HID) lamp, or an LED. The first light source21is covered by the first light source lens41C disposed in front of the first light source21.

The second light source22is made up of, for example, LEDs. The second light source22is covered with the second light source lens42C with the corner upper beam11and the radar5, which are disposed on the front side, interposed between the second light source22and the second light source lens42C.

The first light source21and the second light source22are housed in a lamp housing3C. A lens4C includes: the first light source lens41C covering the front side of the first light source21; and the second light source lens42C covering the front side of the second light source22and the radar5. Therefore, the second light source lens42C is disposed in front of the second light source22and the radar5.

According to the third modification of the above-described embodiment according to the present invention, the second light source lens42C serves also as a radar cover covering the radar5. Therefore, a cover dedicated to the radar is not necessary. Accordingly, the number of component parts and the number of component parts management person-hours are reduced, leading to a reduction in the cost.

In addition, the maintenance of the radar5can be conducted by simply detaching the second light source lens42C, leading to an improvement in the ease of maintenance at the time of replacing the radar5.

In addition, in general, when the headlamp, which is the first light source21, is detached from the lamp housing3C or from the first light source lens41C, so-called aiming for calibrating the orientation of the main optical axis in the light distribution characteristics is needed in order to cause the headlamp to operate correctly. This takes time and effort.

On the other hand, the radar5of the third modification of the above-described embodiment according to the present invention is covered by the second light source lens42C covering the signal lamp(s), which is the second light source22. Therefore, a maintenance can be easily conducted by detaching the cover (second light source lens42C) of the signal lamp(s). Therefore, in the event of conducting the maintenance of the radar5, the radar5can be detached by simply detaching the signal lamp housing. Therefore, it is not necessary to detach the first light source lens41C of the headlamp. Therefore, it is not necessary to conduct the aiming which is to be conducted in the event of detaching the headlamp, and the maintenance is facilitated.

FIG. 10is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating a main part of a radar mounting structure100D, which is a fourth modification of the radar mounting structure100of the above-described embodiment according to the present invention.

As in the radar mounting structure100D of the fourth modification of the above-described embodiment according to the present invention illustrated inFIG. 10, a radar cover6D may be fixed to a lamp housing3D separately from a lens4D of the light source2provided in a headlamp assembly10D of the radar mounting structure100D.

In this case, the lens4D serving also as a light source cover includes: a first light source lens (not illustrated) covering the first light source21(not illustrated); and a second light source lens42D covering the second light source22. The first light source lens (not illustrated) does not extend to reach a lower end of a lower housing portion33D, and is fixed to the lower housing portion33D disposed to extend downward from an upper housing portion32D. The second light source lens42D is attached to the upper housing portion32D to cover the front side of the upper housing portion32D.

The radar5may be fixed to the lamp housing3D with a corner upper beam11D interposed between the radar5and the lamp housing3D, or may be directly fixed to the lamp housing3D.

In addition, the radar cover6D is fixed to the lamp housing3D, and is fixed in front of the lower housing portion33D so as to cover the radar5. The radar cover6D is provided to be adjacent to a lower side of the second light source lens42D in a longitudinal cross-sectional view.

As described above, the radar cover6D is fixed to the lamp housing3D with no relation to the lens4D for the light source2, leading to an improvement in the accuracy of the attachment of the radar cover6D with respect to the vehicle body (not illustrated) and leading to a reduction in the number of component parts.