Vehicle roof structures for concealing one or more sensors

• US 10,071,773 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2016
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Williams, Paxton S., Moore, Jaime N., Mink, Crystal J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan, Darrell G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Black, Melissa Ann
• Application Number:
  US15/228,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20180037267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/06 Fixed roofs non-fixed roofs or like shelters B60J7/00; roof liners B60R13/02; insulating elements B60R13/08
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 35/00 Vehicle bodies characterised by streamlining
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93273 on the top of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/027 Constructional details of housings, e.g. form, type, material or ruggedness
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4813 Housing arrangements

Abstract

A vehicle roof structure for concealing one or more sensors therein includes a roof panel, a windshield extending up to the roof panel, and a spoiler. The spoiler extends across at least a portion of a width of the roof panel and includes a leading portion that is substantially parallel to a windshield-roof interface, an apex, wherein a height of the spoiler increases from a height of the roof panel to a height of the apex as the spoiler extends from the leading portion to the apex in a vehicle longitudinal direction, and a trailing portion extending from the apex to the roof panel. A sensor volume is formed between the spoiler and the roof panel. One or more sensors are at least partially positioned within the sensor volume, wherein the one or more sensors output a signal indicative of a characteristic of an environment of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising a vehicle roof structure for concealing one or more sensors therein, the vehicle roof structure comprising:

a roof panel;

a windshield extending up to the roof panel;

a spoiler extending across at least a portion of a width of the roof panel in a vehicle lateral direction, the spoiler comprising;

a leading portion that is substantially parallel to a windshield-roof interface;

an apex, wherein a height of the spoiler increases from a height of the roof panel to a height of the apex as the spoiler extends from the leading portion to the apex in a vehicle longitudinal direction; and

a trailing portion extending from the apex to the roof panel, wherein a sensor volume is formed between the spoiler and the roof panel;

one or more sensors at least partially positioned within the sensor volume, wherein the one or more sensors output a signal indicative of a characteristic of an environment of the vehicle; and

a headliner, extending along an interior portion of the roof panel, wherein the headliner is spaced apart from an interior portion of the roof panel by a distance greater than or equal to a distance the one or more sensors extend below the interior portion of the roof panel.

2. The vehicle roof structure of claim 1, wherein:

the spoiler further comprises one or more sensor windows; and

the one or more sensors are oriented behind the one or more sensor windows.

3. The vehicle roof structure of claim 2, wherein the one or more sensors are tilted toward the one or more sensor windows.

4. The vehicle roof structure of claim 1, further comprising a receptacle for mounting the one or more sensors within the sensor volume, the receptacle comprising:

a body; and

a sensor receiving volume formed within the body, wherein the one or more sensors are mounted within the sensor receiving volume.

5. The vehicle roof structure of claim 4, wherein the receptacle is coupled to at least one of the roof panel and the spoiler.

6. The vehicle roof structure of claim 1, wherein the spoiler is constructed of a material that is transparent to the one or more sensors.

7. The vehicle roof structure of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least one of a LiDAR sensor, vehicle-to-vehicle communication, an optical sensor, a radar sensor, and a laser sensor.

8. A vehicle comprising a vehicle roof structure for concealing one or more sensors therein, the vehicle roof structure comprising:

a roof panel;

a windshield extending up to the roof panel;

a headliner extending along an interior portion of the roof panel;

a spoiler extending from a windshield-roof interface to an apex and from the apex towards a rear of the vehicle, a height of the spoiler decreasing to a height of the roof panel as the spoiler extends from the apex towards the rear of the vehicle in a vehicle longitudinal direction;

a channel positioned in the roof panel beneath the spoiler; and

one or more sensors at least partially positioned within the channel, wherein the one or more sensors output a signal indicative of a characteristic of an environment of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle roof structure of claim 8, wherein the headliner is spaced apart from the interior portion of the roof panel by a distance greater than or equal to a distance the one or more sensors extend below the interior portion of the roof panel.

10. The vehicle roof structure of claim 8, wherein the spoiler comprises a sensor window.

11. The vehicle roof structure of claim 10, wherein the one or more sensors are tilted toward the sensor window.

12. The vehicle roof structure of claim 8, wherein the spoiler is constructed of a material that is transparent to the one or more sensors.

13. The vehicle roof structure of claim 8, further comprising a front header, wherein the channel is positioned above the front header.

14. The vehicle roof structure of claim 8, wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least one of a LiDAR sensor, vehicle-to-vehicle communication, an optical sensor, a radar sensor, and a laser sensor.

15. A vehicle comprising a vehicle roof structure for concealing one or more sensors therein, the vehicle roof structure comprising:

a roof panel;

a windshield extending up to the roof panel;

a headliner extending along an interior portion of the roof panel;

a spoiler extending from a windshield-roof interface to an apex and from the apex towards a rear of the vehicle, a height of the spoiler decreasing to a height of the roof panel as the spoiler extends from the apex towards the rear of the vehicle in a vehicle longitudinal direction;

a channel positioned in the roof panel beneath the spoiler;

a receptacle coupled to the channel and extending toward the headliner; and

one or more sensors at least partially positioned within the receptacle, wherein the one or more sensors output a signal indicative of a characteristic of an environment detected in a substantially forward direction of the vehicle.

16. The vehicle roof structure of claim 15, wherein the receptacle comprises:

a body defining a sensor receiving volume; and

a flange extending along a perimeter of the body.

17. The vehicle roof structure of claim 16, wherein the flange of the receptacle is coupled to the interior portion of the roof panel.

18. The vehicle roof structure of claim 15, wherein the headliner is spaced apart from the interior portion of the roof panel by a distance greater than or equal to a distance the receptacle extends below the interior portion of the roof panel.

19. The vehicle roof structure of claim 15, wherein the spoiler comprises one or more sensor windows, wherein the one or more sensors are positioned behind the one or more sensor windows to provide the signal indicative of the characteristic of the environment of the vehicle detected by the one or more sensors through the one or more sensor windows.

20. The vehicle roof structure of claim 15, wherein the spoiler is constructed of a material that is transparent to the one or more sensors.