Safety back-up sensor for a vehicle

• US 20040183660A1
• Filed: 12/16/2003
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coligen Corp.
• Original Assignee: Shih-Hsiung Li
• Inventors: Li, Shih-Hsiung
• Granted Patent: US 7,084,744 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/483 with obstacle sensors of electric or electronic type
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/521 Constructional features

Abstract

The present invention is a safety back-up sensor, formed with a cylindrical jacket with two ends and a hollow core between the two ends to accommodate a rubber bushing and a signal sensor module. Multiple parallel longitudinal resilient tabs are formed on the cylindrical jacket. The resilient tab protrude from the exterior surface of the cylindrical jacket and have transverse teeth to prevent the sensor body from being dislodged. Longitudinal ribs are formed on alternate resilient tabs to prevent the sensor body from rotating. With these specially designed transverse teeth and ribs, the sensor is able to counter the external rotating and shifting forces present in various driving conditions and to firmly affix the sensor to the vehicle bumper.

Claims

1. A safety back-up sensor, which comprises:

a cylindrical jacket with two ends, a hollow core extending between the ends and a bezel integrally formed on one end and multiple pairs of parallel longitudinal through slots through the external surface connected by a transverse through slot at the end near the bezel to form multiple parallel resilient tabs extending from the near the end of the jacket opposite the bezel and protruding from an outer surface of the jacket, but not touching the bezel to form a free end; and

a rubber bushing with two ends mounted inside the cylindrical jacket, with a signal-sensing transceiver mounted in one end;

whereby the resilient tabs on the shoulder of the cylindrical jacket allow the sensor body to grip the inner wall of the hole to be used for installing the back-up sensor on the vehicle bumper, so that the sensor body can be firmly affixed on the vehicle bumper.

2. A safety back-up sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein resilient tab is design to be somewhat convex in shape.

3. A safety back-up sensor as claimed in claim 2, wherein the inner surface of the jacket has a channel between adjacent pairs of resilient tabs, and the external wall of the rubber bushing has multiple locking ribs, whereby the locking ribs are firmly mounted in the channels when the rubber bushing is inserted into the cylindrical jacket

4. A safety back-up sensor as claimed in claim 3, wherein the external wall of the rubber bushing has multiple parallel grooves corresponding to the resilient tabs on the cylindrical jacket;

whereby a gap is created between the bushing and the cylindrical jacket when the rubber bushing is inserted into the cylindrical jacket.

5. A safety back-up sensor as claimed in claim 4, the resilient tab toward the free end has multiple transverse teeth.

6. A safety back-up sensor as claimed in claim 4, wherein the resilient tab toward the free end has multiple axial ribs.

7. A safety back-up sensor as claimed in claim 4, wherein the alternate resilient tabs have multiple ribs and transverse teeth.

8. A safety back-up sensor as claimed in claim 5, wherein an engagement hole is formed near the fixed end of every resilient tab to attach an end plate on to the jacket, wherein the end plate has an outer edge with multiple locking tabs.

9. A safety back-up sensor as claimed in claim 6, wherein an engagement hole is formed near the fixed end of every resilient tab to correspond the lock tab of the end plate, whereby the end plate is attached on to the jacket.

10. A safety back-up sensor as claimed in claim 7, wherein an engagement hole is formed near the fixed end of every resilient tab to attach the end plate on to the jacket.