Ultrasonic obstacle detector and method of assembling the same

• US 6,759,950 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2001
• Issued: 07/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Nishimoto, Yukio, Fukuda, Akiharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US10/013,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20020190850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 340/436, 340/435, 340/693, 180/274, 280/735, 200/61.58 R, 360/904, 360/665, 360/581, 360/567, 360/566, 360/943, 360/552-557, 361/730, 361/600
• US Class Current: 340/436
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/483 with obstacle sensors of electric or electronic type
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2015/938 in the bumper area radar in bumper area G01S2013/93275; bumper with obstacle sensor of electric or electronic type B60R19/483
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/521 Constructional features
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/004 Mounting transducers, e.g. provided with mechanical moving or orienting device mountings specially adapted to a particular sound-producing device, see the preceding groups G10K1/00 - G10K9/00, e.g. G10K1/26, G10K1/28, G10K9/22; arrangements of sonic watch equipment on submarines B63G8/39; buoys B63B22/00

Abstract

A cap is fit to a sensor case having a sensor-mounting hollow portion integrally formed therewith into which an ultrasonic sensor is fit. A plate spring is fit onto an outside of the sensor case to engage the plate spring with the cap. This plate spring integrally holds together both the sensor case and the cap. Having been constructed as above, the invention provides an easy integral assembly of a sensor case and a cap by means of a single plate spring and exhibits the ability for mounting and fixing the detector to a bumper or the like of a vehicle.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic obstacle detector configured to be mounted on a support structure of a vehicle, said detector for detecting an obstacle by ultrasonic waves, said detector comprising:

a sensor case having in a front portion thereof an integrally formed sensor-mounting hollow portion with an outward flange, an ultrasonic sensor being fit into said sensor mounting hollow;

a circuit board contained inside said sensor case and electrically connected to said ultrasonic sensor;

a cap fit into an opening of said sensor case; and

a plate spring, which is a separate piece from the sensor case and which is fit onto an outside of said sensor case for engaging with said cap to integrally hold together both said sensor case and said cap,

wherein said plate spring has an integrally formed elastic engaging member for pinching a peripheral wall portion of a sensor-mounting hole between said flange and said elastic engaging member.

2. The ultrasonic obstacle detector according to claim 1, wherein said plate spring comprises:

a substantially U-shaped spring body portion having on each lateral side thereof a leg piece portion which is fit onto the outside of said sensor case;

an engaging hole formed inside of said leg piece portion;

an arm-shaped elastic engaging member extending forward from each of said leg piece portions and elastically deformable in the relative direction each other; and

an articulated portion formed in an articulated manner on each front end of said arm-shaped portion so as to pinch the peripheral wall portion of the sensor-mounting hole of the vehicle between said flange and said articulated portion;

wherein said cap has on each outer side wall thereof an engaging claw for engaging into said engaging hole.

3. The ultrasonic obstacle detector according to claim 2, wherein said plate spring further comprises an intermediate piece portion which extends forward from said spring body portion between both said leg piece portions and which has an engaging hole formed therein, and wherein said sensor case has an integrally formed engaging protrusion on an outer wall portion thereof for engaging into said engaging hole in said sensor case.

4. The ultrasonic obstacle detector according to claim 1, wherein a rugged engaging portion is formed on an open end of said sensor case and a coupling surface of said cap.

5. The ultrasonic obstacle detector according to claim 1, wherein a molding resin is filled into an inside space formed between said sensor case and said cap.

6. The ultrasonic obstacle detector according to claim 1, wherein said cap has an opening for filling a molding resin therethrough.

7. The ultrasonic obstacle detector according to claim 1, wherein said cap has a connector formed integrally therewith for external connection.

8. The ultrasonic obstacle detector according to claim 7, wherein said connector for external connection is integrally formed with said cap so as to extend relative to said cap in a direction substantially perpendicular to an axial direction of an ultrasonic sensor.

9. The ultrasonic obstacle detector according to claim 7, wherein said connector for external connection is arranged such that a connector terminal extends outward beyond said cap.

10. The ultrasonic obstacle detector according to claim 9, wherein said connector terminal is plugged into a terminal plug hole formed in said cap such that said connector terminal and the terminal plug hole form a wedge-engagement with each other.

11. The ultrasonic obstacle detector according to claim 10, wherein said cap has on an inner wall thereof a recessed groove surrounding the terminal plug hole.

12. The ultrasonic obstacle detector according to claim 10, wherein said connector terminal has a heat shutoff hole near that bottom portion of said connector terminal which is inserted into said circuit board.

14. The ultrasonic obstacle detector of claim 1, wherein the support structure is a bumper of the vehicle.

13. A method of assembling an ultrasonic obstacle detector comprising:

a first step of plugging a connector terminal into a terminal plug hole formed in a cap to be fit into a sensor case;

a second step of, after having plugged said connector terminal, plugging a circuit board through said connector terminal for soldering, and fitting said sensor case into said cap in a plugging direction of said terminal while containing said circuit board inside said sensor case; and

a third step of, after the fitting at said second step, fitting a plate spring onto said sensor case in the plugging direction of said terminal into said cap to engage said plate spring with said cap.

15. An ultrasonic obstacle detector assembly for detecting an obstacle by ultrasonic waves, comprising:

a support structure of a vehicle;

a sensor case having in a front portion thereof an integrally formed sensor-mounting hollow portion with an outward flange, an ultrasonic sensor being fit into said sensor mounting hollow;

a circuit board contained inside said sensor case and electrically connected to said ultrasonic sensor;

a cap fit into an opening of said sensor case; and

a plate spring, which is a separate piece from the sensor case and which is fit onto an outside of said sensor case for engaging with said cap to integrally hold together both said sensor case and said cap,

wherein said plate spring has an integrally formed elastic engaging member for pinching a peripheral wall portion of a sensor-mounting hole between said flange and said elastic engaging member.

16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the plate spring comprises:

a substantially U-shaped spring body portion having on each lateral side thereof a leg piece portion which is fit onto the outside of the sensor case;

an engaging hole formed inside of the leg piece portion;

an arm-shaped elastic engaging member extending forward from each of the leg piece portions and elastically deformable in a direction relative to each other; and

an articulated portion formed in an articulated manner on each front end of the arm-shaped portion that pinches the peripheral wall portion of the sensor-mounting hole of the vehicle between the flange and the articulated portion;

wherein the cap has on each outer side wall thereof an engaging claw for engaging into the engaging hole.

17. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the cap has a connector formed integrally therewith for external connection.

18. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the connector for external connection is arranged such that a connector terminal extends outward beyond the cap, wherein the connector terminal is plugged into a terminal plug hole formed in the cap such that the connector terminal and the terminal plug hole form a wedge-engagement with each other, and wherein the connector terminal has a heat shutoff hole near a bottom portion of the connector terminal that is inserted into the circuit board.

19. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the connector for external connection is arranged such that a connector terminal extends outward beyond the cap, and wherein the connector terminal has a heat shutoff hole near a bottom portion of the connector terminal that is inserted into the circuit board.

20. An ultrasonic obstacle detector configured to be mounted on a support structure of a vehicle, said detector for detecting an obstacle by ultrasonic waves, said detector comprising:

a sensor case having in a front portion thereof an integrally formed sensor-mounting hollow portion with an outward flange, an ultrasonic sensor being fit into said sensor mounting hollow;

a circuit board contained inside said sensor case and electrically connected to said ultrasonic sensor;

a cap fit into an opening of said sensor case; and

a plate spring fit onto an outside of said sensor case for engaging with said cap to integrally hold together both said sensor case and said cap,

wherein said plate spring has an integrally formed elastic engaging member for pinching a peripheral wall portion of a sensor-mounting hole between said flange and said elastic engaging member; and

wherein said cap has a connector formed integrally therewith for external connection;

wherein said connector for external connection is arranged such that a connector terminal extends outward beyond said cap; and

wherein said connector terminal is plugged into a terminal plug hole formed in said cap such that said connector terminal and the terminal plug hole form a wedge-engagement with each other.

21. The ultrasonic obstacle detector according to claim 20, wherein said connector terminal has a heat shutoff hole near that bottom portion of said connector terminal which is inserted into said circuit board.