Electromagnetic wave transmissive cover and sensor module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12029019-B2
Application number	US-202318340970-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2023
Priority date	Jul 21, 2022
Publication date	Jul 2, 2024
Grant date	Jul 2, 2024

Abstract

An electromagnetic wave transmissive cover is configured to be employed in a vehicle to which a sensor device is attached. The electromagnetic wave transmissive cover includes a cover body that is attached to the vehicle and covers the sensor device from a front side in an emission direction of the electromagnetic waves, and a seal member that provides a seal between the sensor device and the cover body. The seal member includes an attachment base portion that is attached to the cover body while surrounding the electromagnetic wave transmissive portion, and an annular hollow seal portion that is coupled to the attachment base portion and is in contact with the sensor device while surrounding the electromagnetic wave transmissive portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electromagnetic wave transmissive cover configured to be employed in a vehicle to which a sensor device is attached, the sensor device including an electromagnetic wave transmissive portion and being configured to emit and receive electromagnetic waves through the electromagnetic wave transmissive portion, the electromagnetic wave transmissive cover comprising:
a cover body that is attached to the vehicle and covers the sensor device from a front side in an emission direction of the electromagnetic waves; and
a seal member that provides a seal between the sensor device and the cover body, wherein
the seal member includes:
an attachment base portion that is attached to the cover body while surrounding the electromagnetic wave transmissive portion; and
an annular hollow seal portion that is coupled to the attachment base portion and is in contact with the sensor device while surrounding the electromagnetic wave transmissive portion.

2. The electromagnetic wave transmissive cover according to claim 1 , wherein
a plane orthogonal to the emission direction and on which the sensor device and the hollow seal portion are projected is defined as a projection plane,
in the projection plane, a center portion of each of the sensor device and the hollow seal portion is defined as a reference, and a direction toward the center portion is defined as an inward direction, and
in the projection plane, an entirety of the hollow seal portion in a state of being in contact with the sensor device is disposed to be inward of an outer surface of the sensor device.

3. The electromagnetic wave transmissive cover according to claim 1 , wherein
the cover body includes:
a plate-shaped portion disposed forward of the sensor device in the emission direction; and
a peripheral wall portion extending rearward in the emission direction from the plate-shaped portion while surrounding the seal member, and

a part of the hollow seal portion that is different from a portion in contact with the sensor device is in contact with an inner wall surface of the peripheral wall portion.

4. The electromagnetic wave transmissive cover according to claim 3 , wherein the peripheral wall portion surrounds at least a front part of the sensor device in the emission direction.

5. A sensor module, comprising:
a sensor device that is configured to be attached to a vehicle, includes an electromagnetic wave transmissive portion, and is configured to emit and receive electromagnetic waves through the electromagnetic wave transmissive portion;
an electromagnetic transmissive cover that is configured to be attached to the vehicle and includes a cover body, the cover body covering the sensor device from a front side in an emission direction of the electromagnetic waves; and
a seal member that provides a seal between the sensor device and the cover body, wherein
one of the cover body and the sensor device serves as an attachment object to which the seal member is attached, and the other one of the cover body and the sensor device serves as a contact object with which the seal member is in contact, and
the seal member includes:
an attachment base portion that is attached to the attachment object while surrounding the electromagnetic wave transmissive portion; and
an annular hollow seal portion that is coupled to the attachment base portion and is in contact with the contact object while surrounding the electromagnetic wave transmissive portion.

6. The sensor module according to claim 5 , wherein
a plane orthogonal to the emission direction and on which the sensor device and the hollow seal portion are projected is defined as a projection plane,
in the projection plane, a center portion of each of the sensor device and the hollow seal portion is defined as a reference, and a direction toward the center portion is defined as an inward direction, and
in the projection plane, an entirety of the hollow seal portion in a state of being in contact with the contact object is disposed to be inward of an outer surface of the sensor device.

7. The sensor module according to claim 5 , wherein
the cover body includes:
a plate-shaped portion disposed forward of the sensor device in the emission direction; and
a peripheral wall portion extending rearward in the emission direction from the plate-shaped portion while surrounding the seal member, and

a part of the hollow seal portion that is different from a portion in contact with the contact object is in contact with an inner wall surface of the peripheral wall portion.

8. The sensor module according to claim 7 , wherein the peripheral wall portion surrounds at least a front part of the sensor device in the emission direction.

Assignees

• Toyoda Gosei Kk

Inventors

• Tsuchiya Yosuke
• Fukagawa Koji
• Hirano Risa

Classifications

• H05K9/0015

  Gaskets or seals · CPC title

• H05K9/0094

  being light-transmitting, e.g. transparent, translucent · CPC title

• G01S2013/93271

  in the front of the vehicles · CPC title

• G01S2013/93275

  in the bumper area · CPC title

• G01S7/027

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