External sensor attachment portion structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11535174-B2
Application number	US-202016871411-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 11, 2020
Priority date	May 13, 2019
Publication date	Dec 27, 2022
Grant date	Dec 27, 2022

Abstract

In an external sensor attachment portion structure of the present invention, an external sensor includes: a sensor main body including a detection unit that detects external information; a sensor attachment bracket used to attach the sensor main body to a vehicle body frame member; and a sensor garnish including a window portion through which the detection unit is exposed in front view. The sensor garnish is provided on an outer side of the host vehicle so as to expose the detection unit of the external sensor and cover the sensor main body and the sensor attachment bracket excluding the detection unit. Small gaps are provided between the sensor main body and a window frame of the window portion in the sensor garnish. The window frame includes a noise suppression portion that suppresses wind noise due to airflow passing through the gaps along a rearward direction of the host vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An external sensor attachment portion structure that is used to attach an external sensor that detects external information on an object around a host vehicle to a vehicle body structure of the host vehicle, the external sensor comprising:
a sensor main body including a detection unit that detects the external information;
an attachment bracket used to attach the sensor main body to the vehicle body structure; and
a sensor garnish including a window portion through which the detection unit is exposed in front view,
wherein
the sensor garnish is provided on an outer side of the host vehicle so as to expose the detection unit of the external sensor and cover at least the sensor main body and the attachment bracket excluding the detection unit,
a small gap is provided between the sensor main body and a window frame constituting a rim of the window portion included in the sensor garnish,
the window frame includes a noise suppression portion that makes a dimension of the gap uneven in a longitudinal direction thereof and suppresses wind noise due to an airflow passing through the gap along a rearward direction of the host vehicle,
the window frame is formed in a substantially rectangular shape,
at least a part of the window frame includes a jutting wall portion extending in the rearward direction of the host vehicle,
the noise suppression portion is formed of an extension end of the jutting wall portion zigzagged in a waveform in a back and forth direction of the host vehicle while extending in the longitudinal direction, and
the waveform is formed in such a manner that each wave in the waveform is shaped to be gradually smaller in size from an inner end of the jutting wall portion to an outer end of the jutting wall portion.

2. The external sensor attachment portion structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the attachment bracket includes a plate-shaped support frame portion positioned to surround at least a part of the sensor main body, and
the noise suppression portion is provided in a portion of the window frame positioned at range in which a distance of the window frame from the support frame portion is within a predetermined distance.

3. The external sensor attachment portion structure according to claim 2 , wherein
the support frame portion included in the attachment bracket is provided above the sensor main body in a vertical direction.

4. The external sensor attachment portion structure according to claim 3 , wherein
the support frame portion included in the attachment bracket and the jutting wall portion included in the window frame are provided to extend in a substantially horizontal direction, and
the extension end of the jutting wall portion in the rearward direction and a support frame end of the support frame portion in a frontward direction of the host vehicle are displaced from each other in the vertical direction.

5. The external sensor attachment portion structure according to claim 3 , wherein
the attachment bracket includes a main bracket that is to be attached to the vehicle body structure and a holding bracket that holds the sensor main body,
the holding bracket is attached to the main bracket using a position adjustment mechanism that adjusts an orientation of the sensor main body,
the support frame portion included in the attachment bracket is a member in the holding bracket, and
the sensor garnish is attached to the main bracket of the attachment bracket.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nakajima Takahiro
• Kitagawa Akihiro
• Hiwatashi Kazuaki

Classifications

• G01S7/4813

  Housing arrangements · CPC title

• B60R2011/004

  outside the vehicle · CPC title

• G01S7/027

  Constructional details of housings, e.g. form, type, material or ruggedness · CPC title

• B60R2011/0042

  characterised by mounting means · CPC title

• G01S13/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title