Vehicle radar cover assembly and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9673517-B2
Application number	US-201414265832-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2014
Priority date	Apr 30, 2014
Publication date	Jun 6, 2017
Grant date	Jun 6, 2017

Abstract

A vehicle radar cover assembly and method includes a radar bracket for securing a radar unit to the vehicle, a radar cover for inhibiting undesirable matter from interfering with the radar unit, and at least one fastener securing both the radar bracket and the radar cover to the vehicle. The radar bracket includes at least one bracket mounting aperture. The radar cover includes at least one cover mounting aperture. The at least one fastener is received through aligned ones of the at least one bracket mounting aperture and the at least cover mounting aperture.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A radar cover assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
a radar bracket for securing a radar unit to the vehicle, the radar bracket including at least one bracket mounting aperture;
a radar cover for inhibiting undesirable matter from interfering with the radar unit, the radar cover including at least one cover mounting aperture,
wherein the radar cover includes:
a base wall mounted against the vehicle, and
a peripheral wall extending from the base wall in a direction approximately perpendicular to a general plane of the base wall, the peripheral wall spaced apart from and not covering the radar bracket and the radar unit, the peripheral wall extends outwardly past the radar bracket and radar unit into direct contact with a bumper member secured to the vehicle; and

at least one fastener securing both the radar bracket and the radar cover to the vehicle, the at least one fastener received through aligned ones of the at least one bracket mounting aperture and the at least one cover mounting aperture.

2. The radar cover assembly of claim 1 wherein the bumper member covers the radar bracket, the radar unit and the radar cover, and the peripheral wall fully encircling the radar unit.

3. The radar cover assembly of claim 2 wherein the base wall is mounted in abutting relation against a vehicle body understructure surface over which the bumper member is disposed.

4. The radar cover assembly of claim 2 wherein the peripheral wall extends a varying distance from the base wall to match a varying contour of the bumper member.

5. The radar cover assembly of claim 1 wherein the radar cover further includes:
a shelf member extending from the base wall in said direction, the shelf member resting against an upper side of the radar unit.

6. The radar cover assembly of claim 1 wherein a distal portion of the peripheral wall includes a flared profile that seals against the bumper member disposed over the radar bracket and the radar cover.

7. The radar cover assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one bracket mounting aperture includes a first bracket mounting hole and a second bracket mounting hole, the at least one cover mounting aperture includes a first cover mounting hole and a second cover mounting hole, and the at least one fastener includes a first fastener received through the first bracket mounting hole and the first cover mounting hole and a second fastener received through the second bracket mounting hole and the second cover mounting hole to secure both the radar bracket and the radar cover to the vehicle.

8. The radar cover assembly of claim 7 wherein the at least one bracket mounting aperture includes a third bracket mounting hole, the at least one cover mounting aperture includes a third cover mounting hole and the at least one fastener includes a third fastener received through the third bracket mounting hole and the third cover mounting hole to further secure both the radar bracket and the radar cover to the vehicle.

9. The radar cover assembly of claim 1 wherein the radar cover is formed of a flexible plastic material that seals to the bumper member of the vehicle via an interference fit to cover the radar unit in all directions except a direction facing the bumper cover.

10. The radar cover assembly of claim 1 wherein the radar cover includes a raised embossment portion around each of said at least one cover mounting aperture.

11. The radar cover assembly of claim 1 wherein each of the at least one bracket mounting aperture is in registry with a corresponding one of the at least one cover mounting aperture for receipt of the at least one fastener, and the at least one fastener extends through the at least one bracket mounting aperture and the at least one cover mounting aperture and into a vehicle body understructure of the vehicle.

12. A vehicle radar cover assembly, comprising:
a radar bracket having one or more mounting apertures for securing a radar unit to an underside vehicle surface;
a cup-shaped radar cover having one or more cover mounting apertures for securing the radar cover to the underside vehicle surface, wherein the radar cover further includes a base wall mounted in abutting relation against the underside vehicle surface and a peripheral wall extending outwardly from the base wall; and
one or more fasteners received through the one or more mounting apertures, through the one or more cover mounting apertures, and through the underside vehicle surface so that each of the one or more fasteners secures both the radar bracket and the radar cover to the underside vehicle surface,
wherein the radar bracket is mounted in abutting relation against the base wall, the peripheral wall only surrounds outer sides of the radar bracket and is in direct contact with a bumper member arranged over the underside vehicle surface, and the radar bracket is fully enveloped by the base wall, the peripheral wall and the bumper member.

13. The vehicle radar cover assembly of claim 12 wherein each of the one or more cover mounting apertures is in registry with a corresponding one of the one or more mounting apertures for receipt of one of the one or more fasteners.

14. The vehicle radar cover assembly of claim 12 wherein the radar cover further includes a skirt portion extending from the base wall toward the underside vehicle surface to seal the radar cover to the underside vehicle surface around the location of the radar unit.

15. The vehicle radar cover assembly of claim 12 wherein the height of the peripheral wall is variable to align an extent thereof to correspond to a varying distance between the underside vehicle surface and the bumper member.

16. The vehicle radar cover assembly of claim 15 wherein the radar cover is formed of a flexible plastic material and the peripheral wall includes a flared distal portion for sealing against the bumper member.

17. A vehicle radar cover method, comprising:
providing a radar bracket for securing a radar unit to a vehicle underside surface, the radar bracket including at least one bracket mounting aperture;
providing a radar cover for inhibiting undesirable matter from interfering with the radar unit, the radar cover including at least one cover mounting aperture, wherein the radar cover further includes a base wall mounted against the vehicle underside surface and a peripheral wall extending outwardly from the base wall away from the vehicle underside surface; and
installing a fastener through aligned ones of the at least one bracket mounting aperture and the at least one cover mounting aperture to simultaneously secure both the radar bracket and the radar cover to the underside vehicle surface, wherein the radar bracket is mounted against the base wall and the peripheral wall surrounds but does not cover the radar bracket.

18. The vehicle radar cover method of claim 17 further including:
mounting a bumper member to the vehicle over the radar bracket, the radar unit and the radar cover, the radar cover sealing between the underside surface and the bumper member.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tran Trung P
• Flores Victor D
• Yerkes Justin
• Garrett Darin S

Classifications

• H01Q1/3233

  particular used as part of a sensor or in a security system, e.g. for automotive radar, navigation systems · CPC title

• H01Q1/3283

  side-mounted antennas, e.g. bumper-mounted, door-mounted (mounted on windscreens H01Q1/1271) · CPC title

• H01Q1/42 Primary

  Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome · CPC title

• H01Q1/1207

  for fastening a rigid aerial element · CPC title

• Y10T29/49897

  Registering mating opposed tool parts [e.g., registering a punch and a cooperating die] · CPC title