Abstract:
A sensor assembly disposed on a bumper of a vehicle is provided, and the bumper includes a containing space. The sensor assembly includes a sleeve structure and a sensor body assembly, wherein the sleeve structure is inserted in the containing space, and the sensor body assembly is connected with the sleeve structure for being accommodated in the sleeve structure.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention is related to a sensor assembly, and more particularly to a sensor assembly consisting of a sensor body assembly and a sleeve structure used in a bumper of a vehicle as a parking sensor.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     In the populous city, it is quite troublesome for drivers to park, especially to park within a narrow street. When the vehicle is removing in the narrow street, such as reversing or parking, it would be difficult to avoid a small collision or rub between vehicles. Therefore, a parking sensor of the vehicle is generated accordingly.  
         [0003]     Presently, a conventional parking sensor is mounted in a bumper of the vehicle, and the bumper therefore includes a predetermined assembled hole for inserting the parking sensor therein. However, different bumpers in different vehicles usually include different slopes for decreasing wind drag and enhancing appearance thereof. Please referring to  FIG. 1 , which is a conventional parking sensor embedded in a bumper of a vehicle. The parking sensor  11  includes a sensor body  12  and a sensor cable  13 . The bumper  10  includes a specific slope and the conventional parking sensor  11  would not be corresponding to the specific slope of the bumper  10 , so that the conventional parking sensor  11  includes a protrusion projected from the bumper  10 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . Further, the protrusion is easy to be damaged by collision and be contaminated to affect the efficiency of the parking sensor  11 . Therefore, the parking sensor  11  must be designed to different types in accordance with different slopes of the bumper  10 , but the stock pressure for the manufacturer /distributor/retailer would be generated accordingly and it would not be provided with any economic benefits.  
         [0004]     Moreover, the conventional procedure for assembling the parking sensor  11  usually includes the steps of disassembling the bumper  10  from the vehicle body, connecting the sensor cable  13  of the parking sensor  11  to the vehicle body, configuring the parking sensor  11  in the bumper  10 , and reassembling the bumper  10  with the vehicle body. While the parking sensor  11  would be changed or repaired, the bumper  10  must be disassembled from the vehicle body and the changed or repaired parking sensor  11  must be reassembled by following the above process. Nevertheless, the procedure is quite inconvenient and is time consuming.  
         [0005]     Therefore, a purpose of the present invention is to develop a structure to deal with the above situations encountered in the prior art.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a sensor assembly including a new assembling structure having different panel slopes for being corresponding to different slopes of different bumpers without increasing more manufacturing cost and stocks of expensive sensing components.  
         [0007]     It is therefore another object of the present invention to provide a sensor assembly simplifying disassembling and reassembling process for the parking sensor, in which the sensor assembly includes a sleeve structure and a sensor body assembly, and the sleeve structure could be deposited in the bumper in advance for inserting the sensor body assembly easily.  
         [0008]     It is therefore another object of the present invention to provide a sensor body assembly includes a shell structure for accommodating the sensor body composed of an ultrasonic sensing component, a PCB and a connector so as to avoid shock and damage, in which the shell structure includes two chambers for respectively accommodating the ultrasonic sensing component and the components, which at least including the PCB, on a back cover; a back cover with a connector socket for mounting and dismounting the sensor cable from bumper&#39;s front end without disassembling the bumper.  
         [0009]     According to an aspect of the present invention, a sensor assembly disposed on a bumper of a vehicle is provided, and the bumper includes a hole. The sensor assembly includes a sleeve structure inserted in the hole, and a sensor body assembly connected with the sleeve structure for being accommodated in the sleeve structure.  
         [0010]     Preferably, the sleeve structure is a fork-shaped cannular sleeve formed by an inclined panel and a plurality of planks parallel or symmetrical to others.  
         [0011]     Preferably, the inclined panel includes a slope corresponding to that of the bumper.  
         [0012]     Preferably, the slope is in the range the range between 0 degree and 36 degree.  
         [0013]     Preferably, outer surfaces of the plank further include at least one pawl provided for fastening the sleeve structure to the bumper.  
         [0014]     Preferably, the inner surfaces of the plank further include a first guide and a salient element, in which the first guide is provided for guiding the sensor body assembly to the sleeve structure, and the salient element is provided for fixing the sensor body assembly.  
         [0015]     Preferably, outer surfaces of the sensor body assembly further include a second guide and a indentation, in which the second guide is corresponding to the first guide and used for engaging with the first guide, and the indentation is used for fastening the salient element  
         [0016]     Preferably, the sensor body assembly includes a sensor body and a shell structure and the shell structure is provided for accommodating the sensor body.  
         [0017]     Preferably, the sensor body includes an ultrasonic sensing component, a PCB and a connector.  
         [0018]     Preferably, the shell structure further includes a back cover.  
         [0019]     Preferably, the shell structure includes a front chamber and a back chamber, in which the front chamber is provided for mounting the ultrasonic sensing component and the back chamber is provided for accommodating the components, which a least including the PCB, on a back cover; the front chamber has a hollow baffle and the back chamber is next to the front chamber.  
         [0020]     Preferably, the front chamber provides an inner rubber cushion with the shape corresponding to the front chamber and the inner rubber cushion is used for mounting the ultrasonic sensing component for absorbing vibration of the ultrasonic sensing component.  
         [0021]     Preferably, a front end of the shell structure includes a plurality of hook-shaped flanges surrounding around the front end of the shell structure, and the flanges are provided with an outer rubber cushion covered therewith.  
         [0022]     Preferably, the flanges are further connected to other flanges of another shell structure by staggeredly engaging with one another so as to remove the sensor body assembly from the sleeve structure.  
         [0023]     Preferably, the flanges in the front end of the shell structure are configured to be equidistant.  
         [0024]     Preferably, a back end of the shell structure has at least one opening for fastening the back cover.  
         [0025]     Preferably, the back cover configures a connector socket connected to the sensor cable from its control box in the vehicle, and the inside of the back cover further includes at least one hook corresponding to the at least one opening of the shell structure for providing a connection between the shell structure and the back cover.  
         [0026]     Preferably, the connector socket is a rectangle having three spacers around the connector socket, and two parallel of the three spacers respectively includes a bracket for inserting and fastening the PCB.  
         [0027]     According to another aspect of the present invention, a sleeve structure of a sensor assembly provided for mounting a sensor body assembly is provided. The sleeve structure includes an inclined panel and a sleeve body, in which a slope of inner surfaces of the inclined panel is corresponding to that of a bumper of a vehicle and the sleeve body is laterally connected to the inner surfaces of the inclined panel to generate a cannular space for mounting the sensor body assembly.  
         [0028]     According to another aspect of the present invention, a shell structure of a sensor body assembly provided for mounting a sensor body is provided, and the sensor body includes an ultrasonic sensing component, a PCB and a connector. The shell structure further includes a back cover, in which the shell structure includes a front chamber and a back chamber and the back cover is arranged on a back end of the shell structure. The front chamber has a hollow baffle for mounting the ultrasonic sensing component and the back chamber is next to the front chamber for accommodating the components, which at least including the PCB, on the back cover. In addition, the back end of the shell structure has at least one opening and the back cover includes at least one hook corresponding to the at least one opening so as to fasten the shell structure and a connector socket connected to the sensor cable which connects to the control box in the vehicle.  
         [0029]     The above contents and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed descriptions and accompanying drawings, in which: 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0030]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view showing a conventional parking sensor;  
         [0031]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view showing a sensor assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0032]      FIG. 3  is a schematic view showing the elements of the sensor assembly shown in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0033]     FIGS.  4 ( a ) and  4 ( b ) are schematic views respectively showing surface arrangements of a sleeve structure and a sensor body assembly according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0034]      FIG. 5  is a cross-section view showing the sensor assembly deposited on a bumper of a vehicle;  
         [0035]     FIGS.  6 ( a ) and  6 ( b ) are schematic views respectively showing a shell structure in different viewing directions according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0036]      FIG. 7  is a cross-section view of the shell structure in  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0037]     FIGS.  8 ( a ) and  8 ( b ) are schematic views respectively showing an outer rubber cushion and an inner rubber cushion according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0038]      FIG. 9  is a cross-section view of the shell structure combined with the outer rubber cushion and the inner rubber cushion shown in FIGS.  8 ( a ) and  8 ( b );  
         [0039]     FIGS.  10 ( a ) and  10 ( b ) are schematic views respectively showing the steps of removing the sensor body assembly from the sleeve structure by using another shell structure according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0040]      FIG. 11  is a schematic view showing a back cover according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0041]      FIG. 12  is a schematic view showing the back cover with a connector socket and a PCB bracket accommodating a female connector and a PCB. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0042]     The present invention will now be described more specifically with reference to the following embodiment. It is to be noted that the following descriptions of preferred embodiment of this invention are presented herein for purpose of illustration and description only; it is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise form disclosed.  
         [0043]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , which is a schematic view showing a sensor assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The present sensor assembly  2  includes a sleeve structure  21  and a sensor body assembly  22 , and the sensor body assembly  22  is provided for mounting a sensor body  25 . Further, the sleeve structure  21  is deposited on a bumper  30  of a vehicle, as shown in  FIG. 5 . In addition, the sensor body  25  is a transducer which transmits and received ultrasonic waves to the vehicle. Furthermore, the sensor body assembly  22  is entirely sunk into the sleeve structure  21  with less protrusion than conventional parking sensor, so that the sensor assembly  2  could prevent the sensor body  25  of the sensor body assembly  22  from any external damages, such as car washing and rocks bouncing from ground.  
         [0044]     Please refer to  FIG. 3 , which is showing the elements of the sensor assembly of  FIG. 2 . The sleeve structure  21  is a fork-shaped cannular sleeve including a cannular space  211 , and the cannular space  211  is provided for mounting the sensor body assembly  22 . Moreover, the sleeve structure  21  includes an inclined panel  23  and a plurality of planks  24 , and these planks  24  are respectively parallel or symmetrical to others. These planks  24  form a sleeve body including the cannular space  211  laterally connected to the inner surfaces of the inclined panel  23 . Further, the inclined panel  23  includes a slope corresponding to that of the bumper  30  and the plank  24  includes a pawl  241  for fastening the sleeve structure  21  to the bumper  30 , as shown in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0045]     In FIGS.  4 ( a ) and  4 ( b ), are respectively showing surface arrangements of the sleeve structure  21  and the sensor body assembly  22 . Please refer to  FIG. 4 ( a ). In outer surfaces of the plank  24 , the plank  24  includes the pawl  241  for fastening the sleeve structure  21  to the bumper  30 . Besides, the plank  24  further includes a first guide  242  and a salient element  243  in the inner surfaces of the plank  24 . The first guide  242  is provided for guiding the sensor body assembly  22  to the sleeve structure  21 , and the salient element  243  is provided for fixing the sensor body assembly  22 . In  FIG. 4 ( b ), outer surfaces of the sensor body assembly  22  include a second guide  221  and a indentation  222 . Further, the location of the second guide  221  is corresponding to that of the first guide  242 , so that the second guide  221  is used for engaging with the first guide  242 . In addition, the location of the indentation  222  is corresponding to that of the salient element  243 , so that the indentation  222  is used for fastening the salient element  243  so as to fix the sleeve structure  21  and the sensor body assembly  22 .  
         [0046]     Please refer to  FIG. 5 , which is a cross-section view showing the sensor assembly deposited on the bumper of the vehicle. Because the bumper  30  usually includes various slopes, the inclined panel  23  is designed to include a slope matching with the slope of the bumper  30 , and the slope is preferably in the range the range between 0 degree and 36 degree. Moreover, a theory of “half in and half out” is applied on the inclined panel  23  to reduce its protrusion as well as the mass. Further, the assembly between the bumper  30  and the sleeve structure  21  is performed by using the pawl  241  and the assembly between the sleeve structure  21  and the sensor body assembly  22  is performed by using the salient element  243  of the plank  24  and the indentation  222  of the sensor body assembly. In practice, a hole would be drilled on the bumper  30 , and the sleeve structure  21  could be inserted into the hole and be fastened with the bumper  30  by the pawl  241 .  
         [0047]     In addition, the sensor body  25  shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  includes an ultrasonic sensing component  251 , a PCB  252  and a connector  253 , in which the ultrasonic sensing component  251  of  FIG. 5  is hidden within outer rubber cushion D 1  and an inner rubber cushion D 2 . The ultrasonic sensing component  251  is provided for sensing ambient conditions in front of the bumper  30  by transmitting ultrasonic waves. The ultrasonic waves would be transmitted through the PCB  252  and the connector  253  to the control box.  
         [0048]     According to the above description, the sensor body assembly  22  includes the sensor body  25  in the interior thereof for providing main sensing function of the sensor assembly  2 , so that the sensor body assembly  22  must include a shell structure  26  in the exterior thereof for accommodating the sensor body  25 . Please refer to FIGS.  6 ( a ) and  6 ( b ), which are respectively showing the shell structure in different viewing directions. The shell structure  26  belongs a shell appearance of the sensor body assembly  22 , so that the shell structure  26  includes the second guide  221 , the indentation  222  and an alignment line  223  arranged in front of the indentation  222 , as shown in  FIG. 6 ( a ). And, a plurality of hook-shaped flanges  274  is arranged around the front end of the shell structure  26 . In another view of  FIG. 6 ( b ), the shell structure  26  further includes at least one opening  275  in a back end thereof.  
         [0049]     In  FIG. 7 , which is a cross-section view of the shell structure of  FIG. 6 . The shell structure  26  is formed by a back cover  28 . The shell structure  26  includes a front chamber  271  and a back chamber  272 , and the back chamber  272  is next to the front chamber  271 . Moreover, the front chamber  271  is provided for mounting the ultrasonic sensing component  251  and the back chamber  272  is provided for accommodating components mounted on the back cover, as shown in  FIG. 5 . Further, the front chamber  271  has a hollow baffle  273 , and the front chamber  271  provides the inner rubber cushion D 2  mounted on the top on the hollow baffle  273  and the shape of the inner rubber cushion D 2  is matching with the shapes of the hollow baffle  273  within and the ultrasonic sensing component  251  without in the front chamber  271 . Besides, the hook-shaped flange  274  arranged on the front end of the shell structure  26 , includes the outer rubber cushion D 1  covered therewith. The hook-shaped flanges  274  can be configured to be equidistant arrangement or otherwise. The concrete appearances of the outer rubber cushion D 1  and the inner rubber cushion D 2  are respectively shown in FIGS.  8 ( a ) and  8 ( b ). The inner rubber cushion D 2  is deposited on the top of the hollow baffle  273  and the ultrasonic sensing component  251  is mounted on the inner rubber cushion D 2 . And, the inner rubber cushion D 2  is made of rubber, silicone or other buffer materials for providing a better vibration absorbing or shock protection, so that the ultrasonic sensing component  251  could be not easy to be damaged or generated false alarm and still maintain the better sensing sensitivity. The outer rubber cushion D 1  is arranged on the hook-shaped flanges  274  and also can cover the ultrasonic sensing component  251  therewith. Refer to FIGS.  8 ( a ) and  8 ( b ), the outer rubber cushion D 1  and the inner rubber cushion D 2  respectively include a hole for mounting the ultrasonic sensing component  251  therein. Therefore, the outer rubber cushion D 1  could be similarly made of rubber, silicone or other buffer materials, so that the outer rubber cushion D 1  also provide a better vibration absorbing or shock protection for the ultrasonic sensing component  251 .  
         [0050]     Please refer to  FIG. 9 , which is cross-section view of the shell structure combined with the outer rubber cushion and the inner rubber cushion in FIGS.  8 ( a ) and  8 ( b ). In  FIG. 9 , the front chamber  271  includes the outer rubber cushion D 1  and the inner rubber cushion D 2  for sealing up the ultrasonic sensing component  251 . Further, the shell structure  26  includes the back cover  28  according to the above description. In  FIG. 6 ( b ) and  FIG. 7 , the shell structure, includes the opening  275  in the back end thereof. In  FIG. 9 , the back cover  28  further includes a hook  282  in the inside thereof. And, the location of the opening  275  is corresponding to that of the hook  282  so as to fasten the shell structure  26  and the back cover  28 .  
         [0051]     According to the above description, the present invention provides a combined parking sensor structure, i.e. the present sensor assembly  2 , for isolating the manufacturing process of the sensor body assembly  22  and the sleeve structure  21  to decrease the stock and labor cost of the sensor body assembly  22 . Furthermore, the present invention further provides a convenient method for disengaging or engaging the sensor assembly  2 . Please refer to FIGS.  10 ( a ) and  10 ( b ), which is showing the steps of removing the sensor body assembly from the sleeve structure by using an extra shell structure. First, the outer rubber cushion D 1  of the sensor assembly  2  should be taken out, and the sensor assembly  2  would be connected to an extra shell structure  26  without the outer rubber cushion D 1 . Further, other hook-shaped flanges  274  of the extra shell structure  26  would be pushed in staggered spaces of the hook-shaped flanges  274  of the sensor assembly  2 , and then the extra shell structure  26  would be turned for lock-in engagement, as shown in  FIG. 10 ( b ). Finally, the sensor body assembly  22  and the extra shell structure  26  would be engaged with each other, and the sensor body assembly  22  of the sensor assembly  2  would be pulled out easily. In general, the engagement between the sensor body assembly  22  and the extra shell structure  26  could be easily accomplished according to directly corresponding with the alignment lines  223  respectively arranged on sensor body assembly  22  and the shell structure  26 .  
         [0052]     Furthermore, the sensor body assembly  22  inserted into the sleeve structure  21  is the reverse process of its removal. The outer rubber cushion D 1  in the sensor body assembly  22  would be taken out. The sensor body assembly  22  could be engaged by using the extra shell structure  26  or directly pushed into the sleeve structure  21  without touching the sensor body  25  in the sensor body assembly  22 . Further, the outer rubber cushion D 1  would be covered with the sensor body assembly  22 .  
         [0053]     Please refer to  FIGS. 11 and 12 , which is showing the back cover structure. According to the description of  FIG. 9 , the back cover  28  is fastened with the shell structure  26  and the back cover  28  includes two hook  282  in the inside of the back cover  28  for fastening the corresponding opening  275  of the shell structure. Moreover, the back cover  28  includes a recess  285  arranged on outer edge of the back cover  28 , and the location of the recess  285  is corresponding to that of the second guide  221  for enhancing the engagement between the shell structure  26  and the back cover  28 , as shown in  FIG. 3  or  FIG. 10 ( a ). The back cover  28  further includes a rectangle connector socket  281 . The connector socket  281  would accommodate a female connector, which connects PCB within and sensor cable without. The connector socket  281  which connects PCD within, the connector socket  281  is connected to the connector  253 , and also includes three spacers  283  therearound, in which two parallel of the three spacers  283  respectively includes a bracket  284  for inserting and fastening the PCB  252 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . Furthermore, the connector socket  281 which connects sensor cable without, the connector socket  281  is provided for mounting the conducting plug  32  of the sensor cable. Therefore, the PCB  252  and the connector  253  are respectively configured to be the upper and the lower location of the connector socket  281  and the ultrasonic sensing component  251  is surrounded between the outer rubber cushion D 1  and the inner rubber cushion D 2 , so that the sensing function of the sensor assembly  2  would be not affected by any shocks or vibrations from driving or collision.  
         [0054]     Therefore, according to the above description, it is understood that the concrete structure for the present sensor assembly can overcome the defects generated from the prior parking sensor. Further, the differences between the prior art and the present invention and the advancements of the present invention, are described as follow.  
         [0055]     Compared with the conventional parking sensor according to  FIG. 1 , the parking sensor  11  is integrally formed, and the casing and the sensing device of the sensor body  12  would be not permitted to detach. The sensing device is used for providing the main sensing function of the parking sensor  11 , and labor cost of the sensing devices is higher than present sensor assembly  2 . Moreover, the shapes of the parking sensor  11  must be matched with the shapes of the bumper  10 , so that the parking sensors  11  with various shapes must be produced corresponding to the bumpers  10  and both labor cost and dead stock are increased accordingly. However, the present sensor assembly  2  is combined with the sleeve structure  21  and the sensor body assembly  22 . The shape of the sensor body assembly  22  is a fixed shape and the shapes of the sleeve structure  21  would be easily changed according to the shapes of the bumpers. The sleeve structure  21  merely is made of plastics and is aiming at the goal of cost down.  
         [0056]     In addition, the assembling or disassembling process for the present sensor assembly  2  is quite simple. The present sensor assembly  2  includes the connector socket  281  deposited on the back cover  28  for mounting the conducting plug  32  of sensor cable, so that the sensor cable would be connected to the connector socket  281  and then the sensor assembly  2  could be directly inserted into to the bumper  30  without taking out the bumper  30 . Furthermore, connection between the sleeve structure  21  and the sensor body assembly  22  could be easily disengaged or engaged by using the extra shell structure  26 .  
         [0057]     In conclusion, it is understood that the present sensor assembly with its “half in and half out” design should decrease in the proportion of protrusion and have a good-looking appearance than conventional parking sensor. Furthermore, the present sensor assembly can be engaged and disengaged easily and efficiently from the bumper. From manufacturing the different sleeve structure to accommodate one sensor body assembly would reduce the dead stock and save more labor cost. Further, excellent anti-shock and vibration absorbing for the sensor body are achieved by providing multiple effective fastening or protecting structure according to the present invention.  
         [0058]     While the invention has been described in terms of what are presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention need not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.