Vehicle front impact sensor with impact resistant carriage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9956993-B1
Application number	US-201715411035-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jan 20, 2017
Priority date	Jan 20, 2017
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

A vehicular radar assembly includes a radar mount positioned proximate an engine compartment within a vehicle. A radar carriage is slidably coupled to the radar mount and having a radar module coupled thereto. A biasing mechanism biases the radar carriage away from the radar mount toward a use position. Imposition of an impact force against the radar module temporarily overcomes the biasing mechanism and biases the radar carriage toward the radar mount.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicular radar assembly comprising:
a radar mount positioned proximate an engine compartment within a vehicle;
a radar carriage slidably coupled to the radar mount and having a radar module coupled thereto; and
a biasing mechanism that biases the radar carriage away from the radar mount toward a use position; wherein
imposition of an impact force against the radar module temporarily overcomes the biasing mechanism and biases the radar carriage toward the radar mount.

2. The vehicular radar assembly of claim 1 , wherein removal of the impact force results in the biasing mechanism returning the radar carriage to the use position.

3. The vehicular radar assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sliding assembly defined between the radar mount and the radar carriage, wherein the sliding assembly defines the use position and guides a sliding operation of the radar carriage relative to the radar mount.

4. The vehicular radar assembly of claim 3 , wherein the sliding assembly includes a tab that extends from the radar mount through a guide slot defined in the radar carriage.

5. The vehicular radar assembly of claim 4 , wherein the use position is defined by a partially-loaded state of the biasing mechanism.

6. The vehicular radar assembly of claim 1 , wherein the biasing mechanism includes at least one compression spring.

7. The vehicular radar assembly of claim 1 , wherein the radar mount and radar carriage each includes a spring seat, wherein a spring of the biasing mechanism is seated within the spring seats of the radar mount and radar carriage, and wherein the biasing mechanism in the use position is at least partially compressed between the radar mount and radar carriage.

8. A vehicle comprising:
a radar mount coupled to a frame;
a radar carriage biased away from the radar mount to a use position; and
a radar module coupled to the radar carriage; wherein
when an impact force is exerted against the radar module, the radar carriage is biased toward the radar mount until the impact force is removed, wherein the radar carriage is returned to the use position.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 , further comprising:
a biasing mechanism extending between the radar mount and the radar carriage, the biasing mechanism biasing the radar carriage toward the use position.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 , further comprising:
a sliding assembly defined between the radar mount and the radar carriage, wherein the sliding assembly cooperates with the biasing mechanism to provide a generally linear movement of the radar carriage away from and toward the use position.

11. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the radar carriage includes an impact member that extends forward of the radar module, wherein the impact member is adapted to receive at least a portion of the impact force.

12. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the radar module is a front braking module and the radar mount is attached to the frame proximate a front grill of the vehicle.

13. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the biasing mechanism includes two compression springs.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the use position is defined by the compression springs being at least partially loaded.

15. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the sliding assembly includes a plurality of guide slots defined within the radar carriage, the plurality of guide slots spaced about a perimeter of the radar carriage, wherein a plurality of mating tabs of the radar mount extend through each of the guide slots, respectively.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the radar carriage includes four guide slots.

17. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the biasing mechanism includes first and second springs that are positioned proximate each guide slot of the plurality of guide slots, respectively.

18. A vehicle radar assembly comprising:
a radar module attached to a radar carriage;
a radar mount that slidably engages the radar carriage, wherein the radar carriage is biased away from the radar mount to a use position; and
a sliding assembly defined between the radar mount and the radar carriage that defines a generally linear movement of the radar carriage when an impact force is exerted against the radar module.

19. The vehicle radar assembly of claim 18 , further comprising:
a plurality of biasing mechanisms that cooperate with the sliding assembly to bias the radar carriage to the use position, wherein after the impact force is exerted and the radar carriage is biased along the sliding assembly away from the use position, the plurality of biasing mechanisms bias the radar carriage and the radar module back to the use position.

20. The vehicle radar assembly of claim 18 , wherein the radar module is a front braking module adapted to be positioned proximate a front grill of a vehicle.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Klop Aaron Peter
• Vasbinder Robert

Classifications

• G01S2013/9323

  Alternative operation using light waves · CPC title

• G01S13/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• G01S2013/93271

  in the front of the vehicles · CPC title

• B60Y2306/01

  Reducing damages in case of crash, e.g. by improving battery protection · CPC title

• B60R19/483 Primary

  with obstacle sensors of electric or electronic type · CPC title