RADAR APPARATUS

• US 20100097264A1
• Filed: 10/16/2009
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: KAWASAKI, Tomoya, Mitsumata, Hitoshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,174,432 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/483 with obstacle sensors of electric or electronic type
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/032 Constructional details for solid-state radar subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3233 particular used as part of a sensor or in a security system, e.g. for automotive radar, navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/42 Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome

Abstract

A radar apparatus mounted in a vehicle includes an inward bent surface and a radar device. The inward bent surface is formed in a lower portion of a bumper of the vehicle, and curves inward with a higher degree of curvature in a horizontal plane than a bumper surface of an upper portion of the inward bent surface. The radar device is placed behind the inward bent surface so that a beam axis of the radar device penetrates the inward bent surface.

Claims

1. A radar apparatus mounted in a vehicle, comprising:

an inward bent surface that is formed in a lower portion of a bumper of the vehicle, and that curves inward with a higher degree of curvature in a horizontal plane than a bumper surface of an upper portion of the inward bent surface; and

a radar device that is placed behind the inward bent surface so that a beam axis of the radar device penetrates the inward bent surface.

2. The radar apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inward bent surface is formed so as to face in a direction oblique with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

3. The radar apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an air intake opening is connected to the inward bent surface.

4. The radar apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the air intake opening is an air intake opening of a brake duct.

5. The radar apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the radar device is placed so that an incident angle of radar wave with respect to a direction of a normal line to the inward bent surface is less than or equal to 50°

in a detection range of the radar device.

6. The radar apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the radar device is placed so that angle error is within ±

1°

, and radio transmission attenuation of the inward bent surface is within 6 dB.

7. The radar apparatus according to claim 1, wherein if the inward bent surface is a flat plane and the radar device has a detection range of 25°

to each of left and right from the beam axis, the radar device is placed so that attachment angle of the radar device is less than or equal to 25°

.

8. The radar apparatus according to claim 1, wherein curvature factor of the inward bent surface is larger than curvature factor of the bumper.

9. A vehicle that includes the radar apparatus according to claim 1.

10. A radar apparatus mounted in a vehicle, comprising:

a surface that is formed at a side portion of the vehicle so as to face in a direction oblique with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle; and

a radar device that is placed behind the surface so that a beam axis of the radar device penetrates the surface.