INSTALLATION STRUCTURE OF CAPACITANCE SENSOR AND ASSEMBLY METHOD OF THE SAME

• US 20080303685A1
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company), Mitsuba Corporation, Omron Automotive Electronics Company Limited (Nidec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company), Mitsuba Corporation, Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Kikuchi, Taizo, Nakano, Ryuichi, Misawa, Hiroshi, Masuko, Hiroshi, Nagayama, Keiichi, Noro, Yasunori, Kurumado, Yukinori
• Application Number:
  US12/056,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20080303685A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/686.6
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/42 Detection using safety edges
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/46 responsive to changes in electrical capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/955 using a capacitive detector
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960705 Safety of capacitive touch and proximity switches, e.g. increasing reliability, fail-safe
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960755 Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches

Abstract

A structure for installing a capacitance sensor which detects an object in vicinity of the capacitance sensor to a door of a vehicle, including a spacer disposed between the door and the capacitance sensor attached at a vehicle-inner side of an opening end of the door. A water-drop prevention portion is formed on an outer surface of the spacer for preventing water from flowing to the capacitance sensor from the door.

Claims

1. A structure for installing to a door of a vehicle a capacitance sensor which detects an object in vicinity of the capacitance sensor, comprising:

a spacer provided between the door and the capacitance sensor disposed at a vehicle-inner side of an opening end of the door, the spacer having a water-drop prevention portion formed on an outer surface of the spacer for preventing water from flowing to the capacitance sensor from the door.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the water-drop prevention portion is formed in a lip-shape to be folded backward in an opposite direction to a water flowing direction.

3. The structure of claim 1, wherein the spacer comprises:

a spacing portion which is in contact with the door and the capacitance sensor, and

a buffering portion which is a space formed along at least one of the door and the capacitance sensor.

4. The structure of claim 2, wherein the spacer comprises:

a spacing portion which is in contact with the door and the capacitance sensor, and

a buffering portion which is a space between the spacing portion and at least one of the door and the capacitance sensor.

5. The structure of claim 1, wherein the spacer comprises:

a door-side engaging portion for engaging an edge of the door; and

a bracket-side engaging portion for engaging a bracket which connects the capacitance sensor to a vehicle-inner side of the door.

6. The structure of claim 2, wherein the spacer comprises:

a door-side engaging portion for engaging the edge of the door; and

a bracket-side engaging portion for engaging a bracket which connects the capacitance sensor to a vehicle-inner side of the door.

7. The structure of claim 3, wherein the spacer comprises:

a door-side engaging portion for engaging the edge of the door; and

a bracket-side engaging portion for engaging a bracket which connects the capacitance sensor to a vehicle-inner side of the door.

8. The structure of claim 4, wherein the spacer comprises:

a door-side engaging portion for engaging the edge of the door; and

a bracket-side engaging portion for engaging a bracket which connects the capacitance sensor to a vehicle-inner side of the door.

9. The structure of claim 1, wherein the spacer is integrally formed with an outer cover portion of the capacitance sensor.

10. The structure of claim 2, wherein the spacer is integrally formed with an outer cover portion of the capacitance sensor.

11. The structure of claim 3, wherein the spacer is integrally formed with an outer cover portion of the capacitance sensor.

12. The structure of claim 4, wherein the spacer is integrally formed with an outer cover portion of the capacitance sensor.

13. The structure of claim 5, wherein the spacer is integrally formed with an outer cover portion of the capacitance sensor.

14. The structure of claim 6, wherein the spacer is integrally formed with an outer cover portion of the capacitance sensor.

15. The structure of claim 7, wherein the spacer is integrally formed with an outer cover portion of the capacitance sensor.

16. The structure of claim 8, wherein the spacer is integrally formed with an outer cover portion of the capacitance sensor.

17. A method for assembling an installation structure of a capacitance sensor attached to a vehicle inner side of an opening end of a door of a vehicle via a bracket, in which a spacer is sandwiched between the capacitance sensor and the door, the spacer comprising a door-side engaging portion for engaging an edge of the door, and a bracket-side engaging portion for engaging a bracket which connects the capacitance sensor to a vehicle-inner side of the door, and a water-drop prevention portion for preventing water from flowing to the capacitance sensor from the door, the method comprising steps of:

connecting the capacitance sensor to the bracket and engaging the bracket-side engaging portion with the bracket so as to form a sensor unit including the capacitance sensor, the spacer and the bracket;

engaging the door-side engaging portion of the spacer included in the sensor unit with the edge of the door; and

attaching the bracket included in the sensor unit to the vehicle-inner side of the door.