Protective cover and on-vehicle device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11923635-B2
Application number	US-202117315092-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2021
Priority date	Nov 9, 2018
Publication date	Mar 5, 2024
Grant date	Mar 5, 2024

Abstract

A protective cover protects a connector coupling portion which is an electrical connection between an on-vehicle sensor to be mounted on a vehicle body component and a wiring. This protective cover includes a protection portion and a fixing portion. The protection portion covers the connector coupling portion at which a sensor-side connector which is provided on the on-vehicle sensor side and which extends in an extending direction is coupled to a wiring-side connector which is provided on the wiring side and which is to be coupled to the sensor-side connector while moving relatively with respect to the sensor-side connector in a coupling direction opposite to the extending direction. The fixing portion is integrally provided with the protection portion so as to be fixed on the on-vehicle sensor side.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A protective cover for protecting a connector coupling portion that provides an electrical connection between an ultrasonic sensor and wiring, the ultrasonic sensor being an on-vehicle sensor that is mounted on a bumper cover of a vehicle as a vehicle body component, the protective cover comprising:
a protection portion configured to cover the connector coupling portion at which a sensor-side connector is coupled to a wiring-side connector, the sensor-side connector being provided on an ultrasonic sensor side of the connector coupling portion and configured to extend in an extending direction, the wiring-side connector being provided on a wiring side of the connector coupling portion and configured to be coupled to the sensor-side connector, the wiring-side connector being movable relatively with respect to the sensor-side connector in a coupling direction that is opposite to the extending direction; and
a fixing portion configured to be integrally provided with the protection portion so as to be fixed on the ultrasonic sensor side,
wherein the protection portion is configured to provide a waterproof cover for an inner cover in a state where the protective cover is fixed on the ultrasonic sensor side,
the inner cover configured to provide a chipping protective cover that protects the connector coupling portion from a flying pebble, by covering the connector coupling portion.

2. The protective cover according to claim 1 , wherein
the inner cover is mounted on the wiring-side connector,
the inner cover comprises an operation opening portion that exposes part of the wiring-side connector to outside in a state where the inner cover is mounted on the wiring-side connector, and
the protection portion is configured to cover the operation opening portion.

3. The protective cover according to claim 1 , wherein
the inner cover comprises a storage opening portion that is open and configured to store the wiring-side connector, and
the protection portion comprises a proximal wall portion that is a plate-like portion having a sheet thickness direction along the extending direction, the proximal wall portion provided ahead of the storage opening portion in the coupling direction in a state where the wiring-side connector is coupled to the sensor-side connector so as to cover a coupling direction side of the storage opening portion.

4. The protective cover according to claim 1 , wherein
the protection portion comprises:
a rear wall portion that is a plate-like portion having a sheet thickness direction along a mounting direction in which the ultrasonic sensor is mounted on the bumper cover, and that covers the connector coupling portion by adjoining the connector coupling portion along the mounting direction; and
a side wall portion that is a plate-like portion having a sheet thickness direction along a sensor width direction which is orthogonal to both the mounting direction and the extending direction, and that covers the connector coupling portion by adjoining the connector coupling portion along the sensor width direction.

5. The protective cover according to claim 4 , wherein
at least one of the rear wall portion and the side wall portion comprises an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the sensor width direction, and
the inclined surface is provided so that a normal line of a direction separate from the bumper cover faces a direction separate from the vehicle body component.

6. The protective cover according to claim 5 , wherein
the inclined surface is provided so that an angle formed by the normal line and the sensor width direction is equal to or greater than 10 degrees.

7. The protective cover according to claim 1 , wherein
the protection portion comprises a water-repellent surface.

8. The protective cover according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a wiring facing portion that extends from the protection portion so as to face the wiring extending from the wiring-side connector,
wherein
the wiring facing portion is provided so as to be fixed at the wiring.

9. The protective cover according to claim 8 , wherein
the protection portion is provided so as to be slidable with respect to the connector coupling portion around a portion where the wiring facing portion is fixed at the wiring.

10. The protective cover according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a reinforcement portion that prevents deformation of the fixing portion or a connection portion between the fixing portion and the protection portion.

11. The protective cover according to claim 10 , wherein
the reinforcement portion is formed by a rib.

12. The protective cover according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a wiring support portion that supports the wiring.

13. An on-vehicle device comprising:
an ultrasonic sensor as an on-vehicle sensor mounted on a bumper cover as a vehicle body component, the ultrasonic sensor having a sensor-side connector extending in an extending direction;
an inner cover serving as a chipping protective cover and configured to protect a connector coupling portion from a flying pebble, the connector coupling portion comprising an electrical connection between the ultrasonic sensor and a wiring; and
a protective cover configured to provide waterproof protection of the connector coupling portion,
the protective cover comprising:
a protection portion configured to cover the connector coupling portion at which the sensor-side connector is coupled to a wiring-side connector, the wiring-side connector being provided on a wiring side of the connector coupling portion and configured to be coupled to the sensor-side connector, the wiring-side connector being movable relatively with respect to the sensor-side connector in a coupling direction that is opposite to the extending direction; and
a fixing portion configured to be integrally provided with the protection portion so as to be fixed on an on-vehicle sensor side of the on-vehicle device, wherein
the protection portion is configured to provide a waterproof cover for the inner cover in a state where the protective cover is fixed on the on vehicle sensor side.

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Kawashima Yasuhiro
• Harada Taketo
• Ueda Keisuke

Classifications

• H01R13/5213 Primary

  Covers · CPC title

• B60R19/483 Primary

  with obstacle sensors of electric or electronic type · CPC title

• G01S7/521

  Constructional features · CPC title

• G01S15/931 Primary

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• G01S2015/938

  in the bumper area · CPC title