In-vehicle radar device and cover for in-vehicle radar device

• US 8,149,157 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2009
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Takeuchi, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): BYTHROW, PETER M
• Application Number:
  US12/670,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20100321230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 342 70- 72, 343/372
• US Class Current: 342/70
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93275 in the bumper area
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/03 Details of HF subsystems specially adapted therefor, e.g. common to transmitter and receiver
• 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 19/062 for focusing

Abstract

Provided is an in-vehicle radar device and a cover for the in-vehicle radar device which are capable of accurately detecting an object.

The in-vehicle radar device radiates electromagnetic waves and receives reflected waves, from the object, of the electromagnetic waves so as to detect a location of the object, and includes: a transmission-and-reception section that transmits the electromagnetic waves and receives the reflected waves; a detection section that detects the location of the object based on the reflected waves; and a cover member that covers the transmission-and-reception section in a manner that a rear surface of the cover member faces a transmission-and-reception surface of the transmission-and-reception section, and the cover member includes: a cover portion that covers the transmission-and-reception surface; and a lower protrusion portion that is provided below the cover portion and formed so as to protrude on a surface side of the cover member with respect to the cover portion, the cover portion being formed of a material through which the electromagnetic waves are transmitted.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle radar device which radiates electromagnetic waves and receives reflected waves, from an object, of the electromagnetic waves so as to detect a location of the object, the in-vehicle radar device comprising:

a transmission-and-reception section that transmits the electromagnetic waves and receives the reflected waves;

a detection section that detects the location of the object based on the reflected waves; and

a cover member that covers the transmission-and-reception section in a manner that a rear surface of the cover member faces a transmission-and-reception surface of the transmission-and-reception section, wherein

the cover member includes at least;

a cover portion that covers the transmission-and-reception surface; and

a lower protrusion portion that is provided below the cover portion and formed so as to protrude beyond a surface side of the cover member with respect to the cover portion, the lower protrusion portion having a convex shape and the cover portion having a concave shape,

at least the cover portion and the lower protrusion portion being formed of material through which the electromagnetic waves are transmitted.

2. The in-vehicle radar device according to claim 1, wherein the cover member further includes an upper protrusion portion which is provided above the cover portion and formed to protrude on the surface side of the cover member with respect to the cover portion so as to prevent water drops coming from above and dirt-containing water drops coming from above from adhering to a surface of the cover portion.

3. The in-vehicle radar device according to claim 2, wherein the cover portion, the lower protrusion portion, and the upper protrusion portion are integrally formed.

4. The in-vehicle radar device according to claim 1, wherein the cover member is attached to a lower portion of a rear bumper of a vehicle.

5. The in-vehicle radar device according to claim 4, further comprising:

crash risk determination section that determines whether or not a risk of a crash between the object and the vehicle is high based on the detected location of the object; and

information section that provides information to rearward of the vehicle of the risk of a crash when the risk of a crash between the object and the vehicle is determined to be high.

6. The in-vehicle radar device according to claim 4, further comprising:

crash risk determination section that determines whether or not a risk of crash between the object and the vehicle is high based on the detected location of the object; and

occupant protection section that protects an occupant in the vehicle from the risk of a crash when the risk of crash between the object and the vehicle is determined to be high.

7. The radar device according to claim 6, wherein the occupant protection section protects the occupant from a crash impact when the risk of crash between the object and the vehicle is determined to be high, by making a headrest equipped on the vehicle move forward so as to support the head of the occupant.

8. The in-vehicle radar device according to claim 1, wherein the cover portion is molded from a synthetic resin through which the electromagnetic waves are transmitted.

10. The in-vehicle radar device according to claim 4, further comprising:

crash risk determination section that determines whether or not a risk of a crash between the object and the vehicle is high based on the detected location of the object; and

information section that causes a hazard light of the vehicle to blink when the risk of a crash between the object and the vehicle is determined to be above a predetermined threshold.

11. The in-vehicle radar device according to claim 10, wherein the hazard light is mounted at a rear-end of the vehicle.

12. The in-vehicle radar device according to claim 10, wherein the hazard light is disposed to be visible by another vehicle that is behind the vehicle.

13. The radar device according to claim 6, wherein the occupant protection section protects the occupant from a crash impact when the risk of crash between the object and the vehicle is determined to be above a predetermined threshold, by making a headrest equipped on the vehicle move forward toward a front-end of the vehicle so as to support the head of the occupant.

14. The radar device according to claim 13, wherein the headrest is driven by a drive mechanism to move in a front-back direction relative to the vehicle.

15. The radar device according to claim 13, wherein the occupant protection section makes the headrest move forward toward the front-end of the vehicle until the headrest touches the occupant.

16. The radar device according to claim 1, wherein the lower protrusion portion extends beyond the cover portion with respect to a front-back direction relative to a vehicle the cover member is attached to.

17. The radar device according to claim 2, wherein the upper protrusion member has a concave shape.

18. The radar device according to claim 17, wherein the upper protrusion portion extends beyond the cover portion with respect to a front-back direction relative to a vehicle the cover member is attached to.

9. A cover for an in-vehicle radar device, the cover covering a transmission-and-reception section, which is provided on the in-vehicle radar device, for the electromagnetic waves such that a rear surface of the cover faces a transmission-and-reception surface of the transmission-and-reception section, the in-vehicle radar device radiating the electromagnetic waves and receiving reflected waves, from an object, of the electromagnetic waves so as to detect a location of the object, the cover for an in-vehicle radar device comprising at least:

a cover portion that covers the transmission-and-reception surface; and

a lower protrusion portion which is provided below the cover portion and formed so as to protrude beyond a surface side of the cover for an in-vehicle radar device with respect to the cover portion in order to prevent water drops from below and dirt-containing water drops from below from adhering to the surface of the cover portion, the lower protrusion portion having a convex shape and the cover portion having a concave shape,

at least the cover portion and the lower protrusion portion being formed of materials through which the electromagnetic waves are transmitted.