Vehicle exterior panel provided with sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11148577-B2
Application number	US-201816649006-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2018
Priority date	Sep 20, 2017
Publication date	Oct 19, 2021
Grant date	Oct 19, 2021

Abstract

Problem: To enhance the accuracy of the information collected from around a vehicle by always keeping constant the relative positions of a plurality of sensors provided at different parts of a vehicle body.
Means to Solve the Problem: In a front module panel 11 provided to the front surface of a vehicle body, a panel body 12 is integrally molded by a synthetic resin material, a front grille portion 13 is provided at the center thereof, a front bumper portion 14 is formed below the grille portion, and a translucent cover portion 16 of a head lamp 15 is two-color molded by a transparent resin material at each of both right ends of the panel body 12 . A camera is built in each of the head lamps 15 , a millimeter wave radar 21 is mounted to an emblem 17 , a LIDAR 22 is built in each fog lamp 18 , and ultrasonic sensors 23 are disposed near the lower edge of the front bumper portion 14.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle exterior panel for covering part of an external surface of a vehicle body, characterized by a first sensor and a second sensor for collecting information from around the vehicle body are arranged in different parts of a panel body integrally molded of a synthetic resin material:
wherein the panel body includes a rear door portion for covering a rear surface of the vehicle body and a transparent rear window portion; and
wherein the transparent rear window portion includes a first region having a relatively high transmittance of visible light and a second region having a relatively low transmittance of visible light, the first sensor and/or the second sensor being attached to a cabin side of the second region.

2. The vehicle exterior panel of claim 1 , wherein a vehicle lamp for illuminating surroundings of a vehicle are fixedly mounted to each of both ends of the panel body.

3. The vehicle exterior panel of claim 2 , wherein translucent cover portions of the vehicle lamps are integrally molded of a transparent synthetic resin material on both ends of the panel body.

4. The vehicle exterior panel of claim 3 , wherein an electronic control unit is mounted on each vehicle lamp for controlling light output of the vehicle lamp based on the information collected by the first and second sensors.

5. The vehicle exterior panel of claim 3 , wherein either the first or second sensor is built in each vehicle lamp.

6. The vehicle exterior panel of claim 2 , wherein an electronic control unit is mounted on each vehicle lamp for controlling light output of the vehicle lamp based on the information collected by the first and second sensors.

7. The vehicle exterior panel of claim 2 , wherein either the first or second sensor is built in each vehicle lamp.

8. The vehicle exterior panel of claim 1 , wherein the panel body includes a front grille portion for covering a front surface of the vehicle body and a front bumper portion that extends in the direction of a vehicle width below the front grille portion.

9. The vehicle exterior panel of claim 1 , wherein the second region includes a thermochromism material that changes the light transmittance of the second region due to an outside air temperature.

Assignees

• Koito Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tsutsumi Yasuaki

Classifications

• B60R19/52

  Radiator or grille guards {; Radiator grilles (cooling aspects B60K11/08)} · CPC title

• G01S15/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• B60R11/04

  Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle · CPC title

• B60R19/50

  with lights or registration plates · CPC title

• G01S13/862 Primary

  Combination of radar systems with sonar systems · CPC title