Vehicle surroundings monitoring device

• US 6,690,329 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2001
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Kodama, Katsuhisa
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HOANGANH T
• Application Number:
  US10/000,216
• Publication Number:
  US 20020175867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: H01/Q.132, 343/713, 343/711, 343/712, 343/841, 340/825, 340/540
• US Class Current: 343/713
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1261 with antennae
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3266 using the mirror of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 17/00 Devices for absorbing waves radiated from an antenna; Combinations of such devices with active antenna elements or systems

Abstract

In the vehicle surroundings monitoring device which monitors the surrounding of the vehicle, the device includes a transmitting antenna (2) mounted in the interior of the door mirror of the vehicle and radiates transmitted waves through the mirror surface of the door mirror; and a receiving antenna (3) that receives the reflected waves from an object existing near the vehicle through the mirror surface of the door mirror, a housing (12) of the door mirror and a support portion (15) that supports the surface of the door mirror (7) and has the transmitting antenna (2) and the receiving antenna (3) built therein are made of an electromagnetic shielding material. Instead, an electromagnetic shielding material is arranged on the inner surface of the housing and the inner surface of the door mirror support portion. Instead, an electric wave absorber is arranged on the inner surface of the housing and the inner surface of the door mirror support portion.

Claims

1. A vehicle surroundings monitoring device which monitors a peripheral area surrounding a vehicle, said device comprising:

a transmitting antenna which is mounted in the interior of a door mirror of the vehicle, and which radiates transmitted waves through the surface of the door mirror; and

a receiving antenna that receives waves reflected from an object existing near the vehicle through the surface of the door mirror, wherein a frontward wave blocking structure which blocks unnecessary waves radiating toward the front of the vehicle is provided in a housing of the door mirror and at a supporting portion which supports the mirror surface of the door mirror and has the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna built therein.

2. The vehicle surroundings monitoring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing and said support portion are formed from an electromagnetic shielding material as said frontward wave blocking structure.

3. The vehicle surroundings monitoring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein electromagnetic shielding material is arranged on an inner surface of said housing and an inner surface of said support portion as said frontward wave blocking structure.

4. The vehicle surroundings monitoring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein an electromagnetic wave absorber is arranged on an inner surface of said housing and an inner surface of said support portion as said frontward wave blocking structure.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the frontward wave blocking structure blocks electromagnetic waves.

6. A surroundings monitoring device which monitors a peripheral area, said device comprising:

a transmitting antenna which is mounted in the interior of a door mirror of the vehicle, and which radiates transmitted waves through the surface of the door mirror; and

a receiving antenna that receives waves reflected from an object, wherein a frontward wave blocking structure which blocks waves radiating toward the front of the vehicle is provided in a housing of the door mirror and at a supporting portion which supports the mirror surface of the door mirror and has the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna built therein.