Patent Publication Number: US-2023138778-A1

Title: Detector attachment structure for vehicle

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a detector attachment structure for a vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Patent Literature 1 discloses a mudguard for a vehicle. A resin fender is disposed above a rear portion of a wheel (front wheel). The fender is fixed to a vehicle body frame. A rubber mudguard is fixed to a lower end of the fender. On a rear surface of the mudguard, a roll-up prevention member for preventing the mudguard from rolling up is disposed. The roll-up prevention member is fixed to a relay box support bracket. At a position near the rear of the mudguard and above the roll-up prevention member, a relay box is disposed. In addition, behind the relay box, a battery bracket that supports a battery on a vehicle body frame side is disposed. Below the battery bracket, a reservoir tank is disposed. The reservoir tank is supported on the vehicle body frame by a bracket. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     
         
         Patent Literature 1: JP2006-15789A 
       
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     In a vehicle including a detector such as a blind spot monitoring (BSM) radar on a vehicle width direction outer end portion of a vehicle, such as a vehicle equipped with a BSM system that detects a vehicle or a person present in a blind spot of the vehicle, a bracket extends from a vehicle body frame to a vehicle width direction outer side, and the detector is attached to a tip end side of the bracket. In a vehicle including a fender (mudguard) on the vehicle width direction outer side of the vehicle body frame, such as the vehicle described in Patent Literature 1, the detector may be desired to be disposed behind the mudguard. In this case, when the detector is disposed near the rear of the mudguard, the mudguard may interfere with the detector while the mudguard vibrates due to vibration of the vehicle, and the detector may be damaged. In order to avoid interference between the mudguard and the detector, it is conceivable to dispose the detector rearward away from the rear of the mudguard. In a vehicle in which various devices (for example, a relay box, a reservoir tank, and various brackets) are disposed behind the mudguard, such as the vehicle described in Patent Literature 1, it is difficult to dispose the detector away from the rear of the mudguard. 
     An object of the present disclosure is to provide a detector attachment structure for a vehicle, which enables to prevent damage of a detector due to interference with a mudguard. 
     Solution to Problem 
     A detector attachment structure for a vehicle according to a first aspect of the present disclosure includes a mudguard bracket, a mudguard, and a detector. The mudguard bracket is disposed on a vehicle width direction outer side of a vehicle body frame and is fixed to the vehicle body frame. The mudguard is disposed forward of the mudguard bracket and supported by the mudguard bracket. The detector is disposed on a vehicle width direction outer end portion behind the mudguard and is fixed to the mudguard bracket to detect external information of the vehicle. 
     In the above configuration, since the detector is fixed to the mudguard bracket that supports the mudguard, when the mudguard vibrates due to vibration of the vehicle, the mudguard bracket and the detector also vibrate integrally. In this way, when the mudguard vibrates, the detector also vibrates integrally. Therefore, the interference between the mudguard and the detector can be prevented, and the detector can be prevented from being damaged due to the interference with the mudguard even when the detector is disposed near the rear of the mudguard. 
     A second aspect of the present disclosure relates to the detector attachment structure for the vehicle according to the first aspect, which further includes a cab and a cab rear member. The cab is disposed above the vehicle body frame. The cab rear member is fixed to the vehicle body frame and extends upward from the vehicle body frame to support a rear end side of the cab from below. The mudguard bracket includes an upper bracket portion disposed above the vehicle body frame and extending from the cab rear member to the vehicle width direction outer side, and a vertical bracket portion extending downward from the upper bracket portion, disposed behind the mudguard, and fixed to the mudguard, and the mudguard bracket is fixed to the vehicle body frame via the cab rear member. The detector is fixed to the vertical bracket portion of the mudguard bracket. 
     In the above configuration, the mudguard bracket is fixed to the vehicle body frame via the cab rear member. That is, since the detector is attached to the vehicle body frame via the mudguard bracket and the cab rear member, in a vehicle equipped with a cab rear member, the cab rear member can be used to attach the detector to the vehicle body frame. 
     A third aspect of the present disclosure relates to the detector attachment structure for the vehicle according to the second aspect, in which the mudguard bracket includes a lower bracket portion extending from a lower end side of the vertical bracket portion to a vehicle width direction inner side and fixed to the vehicle body frame. 
     In the above configuration, the mudguard bracket includes the lower bracket portion extending from the lower end side of the vertical bracket portion to the vehicle width direction inner side and fixed to the vehicle body frame. That is, in the vertical bracket portion of the mudguard bracket that supports the detector, an upper side thereof is supported on a vehicle body frame side via the upper bracket portion and a lower side thereof is supported on the vehicle body frame side via the lower bracket portion. In this way, the upper and lower ends of the vertical bracket portion of the mudguard bracket are supported on the vehicle body frame side. Therefore, vibration of the vertical bracket portion of the mudguard bracket can be prevented and vibration of the detector can be prevented when the vehicle vibrates. 
     A fourth aspect of the present disclosure relates to the detector attachment structure for the vehicle according to the first aspect, which further includes a detector bracket fixed to the mudguard bracket. The mudguard bracket includes a frame fixing portion extending in an up-down direction and fixed to the vehicle body frame, an upper mudguard fixing portion extending from an upper end side of the frame fixing portion to the vehicle width direction outer side and fixed to the mudguard, and a lower mudguard fixing portion extending from a lower end side of the frame fixing portion to the vehicle width direction outer side and fixed to the mudguard, and the mudguard bracket is formed in a substantially U shape. The detector bracket is disposed on the vehicle width direction outer side with respect to the frame fixing portion of the mudguard bracket and between the upper mudguard fixing portion and the lower mudguard fixing portion, and extends in the up-down direction, and upper and lower end portions of the detector bracket are fixed to the upper mudguard fixing portion and the lower mudguard fixing portion. The detector is fixed to the mudguard bracket via the detector bracket by being fixed to the detector bracket. 
     In the above configuration, the detector bracket is disposed on the vehicle width direction outer side with respect to the frame fixing portion of the mudguard bracket and between the upper mudguard fixing portion and the lower mudguard fixing portion, and extends in the up-down direction, and the upper and lower end portions thereof are fixed to the upper mudguard fixing portion and the lower mudguard fixing portion. Therefore, even when the mudguard bracket is formed in a substantially U shape, the detector can be fixed to the mudguard bracket via the detector bracket. 
     In addition, since the upper and lower end portions of the detector bracket are fixed to the upper mudguard fixing portion and the lower mudguard fixing portion of the mudguard bracket, the vibration of the detector bracket can be prevented and the vibration of the detector can be prevented when the vehicle vibrates. 
     Advantageous Effects of Invention 
     According to the detector attachment structure of the present disclosure, damage to the detector due to interference with the mudguard can be prevented. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a side view of a vehicle to which a detector attachment structure according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure is applied. 
         FIG.  2    is an enlarged view of a main part in  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  3    is a perspective view of  FIG.  2    when viewed from a rear upper side. 
         FIG.  4    is a rear view of  FIG.  2   . 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective view showing a modification of the first embodiment. 
         FIG.  6    is a rear view of  FIG.  5   . 
         FIG.  7    is a perspective view of a main part of a vehicle to which a detector attachment structure according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure is applied. 
         FIG.  8    is a rear view of  FIG.  7   . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, FR indicates a front side of a vehicle, UP indicates an upper side of the vehicle, and IN indicates a vehicle width direction inner side. In addition, in the following description, a front-rear direction refers to a front-rear direction of the vehicle, and a left-right direction refers to a left-right direction in a state of facing the front side of the vehicle. 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , a detector attachment structure for a vehicle according to the present embodiment is applied to an attachment structure of a blind spot monitoring (BSM) radar  10  in a vehicle  1  provided with a BSM system that detects external information on other vehicles around the own vehicle by a plurality of BSM radars (detectors)  10 . Since the detector attachment structure for a vehicle according to the present embodiment is applied to the attachment structure of a predetermined BSM radar  10  (BSM radar  10  behind a mudguard  11  described later) among a plurality of BSM radars  10 , in  FIG.  1   , only the predetermined BSM radar  10  is shown, and other BSM radars  10  are not shown. 
     A cab  2  of the vehicle  1  is disposed above the front of a vehicle body frame  5 , and is supported from below by the vehicle body frame  5  via a front cab mount (not shown), and a rear end side thereof is supported from below by the vehicle body frame  5  via a rear cab mount  3 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  1    to  FIG.  4   , the vehicle body frame  5  includes a pair of, i.e., left and right side members  7  extending along the front-rear direction on both sides of the vehicle  1  in a vehicle width direction, and a plurality of cross members  8  extending in the vehicle width direction and connecting the left and right side members  7  to each other ( FIG.  4    shows only one cross member  8 ). 
     Left and right front wheels  4  are disposed on vehicle width direction outer sides of the left and right side members  7  below the cab  2 , and resin plate-shaped left and right mudguards  11  are disposed behind the left and right front wheels  4 . A battery box  6  is disposed on the vehicle width direction outer side of the side member  7  (in the present embodiment, the left side member  7 ) behind the cab  2 . The battery box  6  is disposed behind the mudguards  11 . Predetermined BSM radars  10  (hereinafter, simply referred to as “BSM radars  10 ”) are disposed on vehicle width direction outer end portions behind the left and right mudguards  11  and are attached to the vehicle body frame  5 . Since the attachment structures of the left and right BSM radars  10  have substantially the same configurations on the left and right sides of the vehicle  1 , the left side will be described below, and the detailed description on the right side will be omitted. 
     The rear cab mount  3  that supports the rear end side of the cab  2  includes an arch-shaped cab rear member  12  fixed to the left and right side members  7 , and a floating member  14  extending above the cab rear member  12  in the vehicle width direction and elastically supported by the cab rear member  12  via the left and right air suspensions  13 , and is disposed near the rear of the cab  2 . The floating member  14  supports a lower portion of a rear end of the cab  2  from below. 
     The cab rear member  12  includes a pair of, i.e., left and right support members  15 L and  15 R whose lower end portions are fixed to the left and right side members  7  and stand up approximately along a vertical direction, and a cab mount bracket  16  extending in the vehicle width direction and connecting upper end portions of the left and right support members  15 L and  15 R, and is formed in an arch shape. The upper end portions of the left and right support members  15 L and  15 R are disposed above the vehicle body frame  5 . That is, the cab rear member  12  is fixed to the vehicle body frame  5  and extends upward from the vehicle body frame  5 , and supports the rear end side of the cab  2  from below via the left and right air suspensions  13  and the floating member  14 . Left and right mudguard brackets  17  for supporting the left and right mudguards  11  are fixed to the upper end portions of the left and right support members  15 L and  15 R of the cab rear member  12 . 
     The left and right mudguard brackets  17  each include a first bracket (upper bracket portion)  18  extending from the upper end portions of the left and right support members  15 L and  15 R of the cab rear member  12  to the vehicle width direction outer side, and a second bracket (vertical bracket portion)  19  extending downward from a vehicle width direction outer end portion of the first bracket  18 , and are fixed to the vehicle body frame  5  via the cab rear member  12 . The first brackets  18  are disposed above the vehicle body frame  5 , and vehicle width direction inner end portions thereof are fixed to the upper end portions of the left and right support members  15 L and  15 R of the cab rear member  12 . The first bracket  18  also functions as a bracket for attaching, to the vehicle body frame  5 , other in-vehicle parts (in-vehicle parts other than the mudguard  11 ; not shown) disposed above the mudguard  11 . The second bracket  19  is disposed on the vehicle width direction inner side with respect to a vehicle width direction outer end portion of the mudguard  11  and extends in the up-down direction behind the mudguard  11 , and an upper end side thereof is fixed to a vehicle width direction outer end portion of the first bracket  18 . A front surface side of the second bracket  19  is formed in a shape along a rear surface of the mudguard  11  and is fixed to the mudguard  11 . That is, the mudguard  11  is disposed forward of the mudguard bracket  17  and supported by the mudguard bracket  17 . A lower end portion of the second bracket  19  is disposed at a position having a height substantially same as a lower surface of the side member  7  of the vehicle body frame  5 . 
     The BSM radar  10  is a detector (for example, a millimeter wave radar) that detects information (external information) on an object (another vehicle or the like) around the vehicle  1 , is disposed on the vehicle width direction outer end portion behind the mudguard  11 , and is fixed to the mudguard bracket  17  via the radar bracket  20 . The BSM radar  10  is disposed rearward away from the rear surface of the mudguard  11 . The radar bracket  20  is disposed on a vehicle width direction outer side of the second bracket  19  of the mudguard bracket  17  and extends substantially horizontally in the vehicle width direction. A vehicle width direction inner end portion of the radar bracket  20  is fixed to the second bracket  19  of the mudguard bracket  17 . The BSM radar  10  is fixed to a vehicle width direction outer end portion of the radar bracket  20 . That is, the BSM radar  10  is attached to the vehicle body frame  5  via the radar bracket  20 , the mudguard bracket  17 , and the cab rear member  12 . 
     In the above configuration, since the BSM radar  10  is fixed to the mudguard bracket  17 , when the mudguard  11  vibrates due to vibration of the vehicle  1 , the BSM radar  10  vibrates integrally with the mudguard  11 . In this way, when the mudguard  11  vibrates, the mudguard  11  and the BSM radar  10  vibrate integrally. Therefore, the interference between the mudguard  11  and the BSM radar  10  can be prevented, and the BSM radar  10  can be prevented from being damaged due to the interference with the mudguard  11  even when the BSM radar  10  is disposed near the rear of the mudguard  11 . 
     In addition, the BSM radar  10  is attached to the vehicle body frame  5  via the radar bracket  20 , the mudguard bracket  17 , and the cab rear member  12 . In this way, in the vehicle  1  including the cab rear member  12 , the BSM radar  10  can be attached to the vehicle body frame  5  by using the cab rear member  12 , and the BSM radar  10  can be prevented from being damaged due to the interference with the mudguard  11 . 
     In the present embodiment, the first bracket  18  of the mudguard bracket  17  also functions as a bracket for attaching, to the vehicle body frame  5 , other in-vehicle parts (in-vehicle parts other than the mudguard  11 ) disposed above the mudguard  11 , but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The first bracket  18  does not have to function as a bracket for attaching other in-vehicle parts to the vehicle body frame  5 . 
     In addition, in the present embodiment, the BSM radar  10  is fixed to the mudguard bracket  17  via the radar bracket  20 , but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The BSM radar  10  may be fixed directly to the mudguard bracket  17 . For example, the second bracket  19  of the mudguard bracket  17  may be disposed on a vehicle width direction outer end portion of the vehicle  1 , and the BSM radar  10  may be directly fixed to the second bracket  19  of the mudguard bracket  17 . 
     In addition, in the present embodiment, the mudguard bracket  17  is fixed to the vehicle body frame  5  via the cab rear member  12 , but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The mudguard bracket  17  may be fixed directly to the vehicle body frame  5 , or may be fixed to the vehicle body frame  5  via a part other than the cab rear member  12 . 
     In addition, in the present embodiment, the cab rear member  12  includes the pair of, i.e., left and right support members  15 L and  15 R and the cab mount bracket  16 , but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Other configurations may be used as long as the cab rear member  12  extends upward from the vehicle body frame  5  and supports the lower portion of the rear end of the cab  2  from below. For example, the cab rear member  12  may be a cab rear member that is integrally formed into a substantially U shape by bending a long member. 
     Further, in the present embodiment, the mudguard brackets  17  each include the first bracket (upper bracket portion)  18  extending from the upper end portions of the left and right support members  15 L and  15 R of the cab rear member  12  to the vehicle width direction outer side, and the second bracket (vertical bracket portion)  19  extending downward from the vehicle width direction outer end portion of the first bracket  18 , but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, as shown in  FIG.  5    and  FIG.  6   , in addition to the first bracket  18  and the second bracket  19  of the mudguard bracket  17 , the mudguard bracket  17  may be provided with a third bracket (lower bracket portion)  25  extending in the vehicle width direction between the lower end portion of the second bracket  19  and the side member  7  of the vehicle body frame  5 . A vehicle width direction inner end portion of the third bracket  25  is fixed to the vehicle body frame  5 , and a vehicle width direction outer end portion of the third bracket  25  is fixed to a region  26  of the second bracket  19  below the radar bracket  20 . In this configuration, in the second bracket  19  of the mudguard bracket  17  that supports the BSM radar  10 , the upper end side thereof is supported on a vehicle body frame  5  side via the first bracket  18 , and the lower end side thereof is supported on the vehicle body frame  5  side via the third bracket  25 . In this way, the upper and lower ends of the second bracket  19  of the mudguard bracket  17  are supported on the vehicle body frame  5  side, so that the vibration of the second bracket  19  of the mudguard bracket  17  can be prevented and the vibration of the BSM radar  10  can be prevented when the vehicle  1  vibrates. 
     Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, shapes of a mudguard bracket  31  and a radar bracket  32  are different from those in the first embodiment. The same reference numerals are given to the same configurations as those of the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted. 
     As shown in  FIG.  7    and  FIG.  8   , the mudguard bracket  31  is formed in a substantially U shape that is open to the vehicle width direction outer side, is disposed in the vehicle width direction outer side of the side member  7  of the vehicle body frame  5 , and is fixed to the side member  7 . The mudguard bracket  31  integrally includes a frame fixing portion  33  extending in the up-down direction along a vehicle width direction outer surface of the side member  7  and fixed to the side member  7 , an upper mudguard fixing portion  34  extending from an upper end of the frame fixing portion  33  to the vehicle width direction outer side and fixed to the rear surface of the mudguard  11 , and a lower mudguard fixing portion  35  extending from a lower end of the frame fixing portion  33  to the vehicle width direction outer side and fixed to the rear surface of the mudguard  11 . The lower end of the frame fixing portion  33  is disposed at a position having a height substantially as the side member  7  of the vehicle body frame  5  (height position between an upper surface and the lower surface of the side member  7 ). The upper end of the frame fixing portion  33  is disposed above the vehicle body frame  5 . The upper mudguard fixing portion  34  and the lower mudguard fixing portion  35  extend in the vehicle width direction along the rear surface of the mudguard  11  and are fixed to the mudguard  11 . Vehicle width direction outer end portions of the upper mudguard fixing portion  34  and the lower mudguard fixing portion  35  are disposed on the vehicle width direction inner side with respect to the vehicle width direction outer end portion of the mudguard  11 . 
     The radar bracket  32  is formed in a substantially T shape including a first radar bracket (detector bracket)  36  extending in the up-down direction and a second radar bracket  37  extending substantially horizontally from an intermediate portion of the first radar bracket  36  in the up-down direction to the vehicle width direction outer side, and is disposed on a vehicle width direction inner side with respect to the vehicle width direction outer end portion of the mudguard  11 . The first radar bracket  36  is disposed away from the frame fixing portion  33  of the mudguard bracket  31  to the vehicle width direction outer side, is disposed between the upper mudguard fixing portion  34  and the lower mudguard fixing portion  35 , and extends in the up-down direction. An upper end portion of the first radar bracket  36  is fixed to the upper mudguard fixing portion  34 , and a lower end portion of the first radar bracket  36  is fixed to the lower mudguard fixing portion  35 . The BSM radar  10  is fixed to a vehicle width direction outer end portion of the second radar bracket  37 . That is, the BSM radar  10  is fixed to the mudguard bracket  31  via the radar bracket  32 . Accordingly, the BSM radar  10  is attached to the vehicle body frame  5  via the radar bracket  32  and the mudguard bracket  31 . The first radar bracket  36  may be fixed to the rear surface of the mudguard  11 . 
     In the above configuration, since the BSM radar  10  is fixed to the mudguard bracket  31 , when the mudguard  11  vibrates due to vibration of the vehicle  1 , the BSM radar  10  vibrates integrally with the mudguard  11 . In this way, when the mudguard  11  vibrates, the mudguard  11  and the BSM radar  10  vibrate integrally. Therefore, the interference between the mudguard  11  and the BSM radar  10  can be prevented, and the BSM radar  10  can be prevented from being damaged due to the interference with the mudguard  11  even when the BSM radar  10  is disposed near the rear of the mudguard  11 . 
     In addition, since the first radar bracket  36  of the radar bracket  32  is fixed to the upper mudguard fixing portion  34  and the lower mudguard fixing portion  35  of the mudguard bracket  31 , even when the mudguard bracket  31  is formed in a substantially U shape, the BSM radar  10  can be fixed to the mudguard bracket  31  via the radar bracket  32 , and damage to the BSM radar  10  due to the interference with the mudguard  11  can be prevented. 
     Further, since the upper and lower end portions of the first radar bracket  36  of the radar bracket  32  are fixed to the upper mudguard fixing portion  34  and the lower mudguard fixing portion  35  of the mudguard bracket  31 , the vibration of the first radar bracket  36  can be prevented and the vibration of the BSM radar  10  can be prevented when the vehicle  1  vibrates. 
     In the present embodiment, the radar bracket  32  is formed in a substantially T shape including the first radar bracket (detector bracket)  36  extending in the up-down direction and the second radar bracket  37  extending substantially horizontally from the intermediate portion of the first radar bracket  36  in the up-down direction to the vehicle width direction outer side, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. It is sufficient that at least the first radar bracket (detector bracket)  36  is included. For example, the radar bracket  32  may include only the first radar bracket  36 , and the BSM radar  10  may be directly fixed to the radar bracket  32  (first radar bracket  36 ). 
     Although the present disclosure has been described based on the above embodiments, the present disclosure is not limited to the contents of the above embodiments, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the present invention. That is, other embodiments, examples, operation techniques or the like made by those skilled in the art based on this embodiment are all included in the scope of the present invention. 
     For example, in the above first embodiment and the above second embodiment, the detector attachment structure for a vehicle according to the present disclosure is applied to the attachment structure of the detector (BSM radar  10 ) disposed behind the mudguard  11  for the front wheel  4  of the vehicle  1 , but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The detector attachment structure may be applied to a detector attachment structure disposed behind a mudguard (not shown) for a rear wheel  9  (see  FIG.  1   ) of the vehicle  1 . 
     In addition, in the above first embodiment and the above second embodiment, the detector attachment structure for a vehicle according to the present disclosure is applied to the attachment structure of the BSM radar  10  (for example, a millimeter wave radar) of the vehicle  1  equipped with the BSM system, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The detector attachment structure can be applied to an attachment structure of various detectors (for example, a camera) that detect external information of the vehicle. 
     The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application (Patent Application No. 2020-033771) filed on Feb. 28, 2020, and contents thereof are incorporated herein as reference. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     The detector attachment structure for a vehicle according to the present disclosure can be widely applied to a detector attachment structure with respect to a vehicle body frame. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
         
           
               1  vehicle 
               2  cab 
               5  vehicle body frame 
               10  blind spot monitoring radar (detector) 
               11  mudguard 
               12  cab rear member 
               17 ,  31  mudguard bracket 
               18  first bracket (upper bracket portion) 
               19  second bracket (vertical bracket portion) 
               25  third bracket (lower bracket portion) 
               33  frame fixing portion 
               34  upper mudguard fixing portion 
               35  lower mudguard fixing portion 
               36  first radar bracket (detector bracket)