Rotatable sensor cover

• US 10,527,464 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2016
• Issued: 01/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ghannam, Mahmoud Yousef, Nusier, Saied, Carremm, Swadad A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Villaluna, Erika J
• Application Number:
  US15/241,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20180052019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/22 for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/245 Housings for sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/30 Supports specially adapted for an instrument; Supports specially adapted for a set of instruments
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0013 assembled by resilient members
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0078 specially adapted for acceleration sensors, e.g. crash sensors, airbag sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0226 Hinges
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0247 Electrical details of casings, e.g. terminals, passages for cables or wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/03 Covers

Abstract

An assembly for a vehicle includes: a top housing rotatable about a bottom housing via a hinge; a sensor positioned between the top and bottom housings; the top and bottom housings each including a triangular portion that narrows into a rectangular extension portion; the bottom housing including raised bosses defining bolt apertures; the housings including outward indentations and corresponding inward indentations.

Claims

1. An assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a top housing rotatable about a bottom housing via a hinge; and

a sensor positioned between the top and bottom housings;

the top and bottom housings each comprising;

a housing wall having a triangular shape;

a rear wall extending from the housing wall, the rear walls of the top and bottom housings having the hinge positioned thereon; and

sidewalls extending from the rear wall and the housing wall, the side walls and the housing wall defining a triangular portion that narrows into a rectangular extension portion defining an opening, wherein the triangular portion is positioned between the rectangular extension portion and the rear wall, the bottom housing comprising raised bosses defining bolt apertures.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the top housing is rotatable about the bottom housing to an open position and a closed position.

3. The assembly of claim 2, the top housing defining outward indentations and the lower housing defining corresponding inward indentations, wherein, in the closed position, the outward indentations sit on the inward indentations.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein, in the closed position, the indentations cooperate to retain the top housing in the closed position.

5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein the inward indentations are symmetrical and the outward indentations are symmetrical.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the top housing comprises a hood outwardly protruding from the extension portion of the top housing.

7. The assembly of claim 3, wherein, in the closed position, the entire inward indentations are positioned between the entire outward indentations.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the hinge comprises two apertures defined by two parts protruding from the top housing and another two apertures defined by another two parts protruding from the bottom housing.

9. The assembly of claim 8, wherein a pin extends through the apertures.

10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the bottom housing comprises an upper surface and the bosses are raised above the upper surface.

11. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the triangular portions smoothly and continuously narrow into the rectangular extension portions such that the triangular portions do not define corners.

12. The assembly of claim 1, the top housing defining outward indentations and the lower housing defining corresponding inward indentations, wherein the outward indentations are defined by the rectangular extension portion of the upper housing and the inward indentations are defined by the rectangular extension portion of the lower housing.

13. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the top housing further comprises a pair of upper indented portions, and the bottom housing further comprises a pair of lower indented portions, the pair of upper indented portions respectively defining a pair of first indentations, the pair of lower indented portions respectively defining a pair of second indentations, wherein the directions at which the pair of first indentations are indented face away from each other, and wherein the directions at which the pair of inward indentations are indented face each other.

19. The assembly of claim 1, comprising an electrical connector engaged to the sensor, the electrical connector including a primary portion and a cord;

wherein the top and bottom housings are sized to cover the sensor, the primary portion of the electrical connector, and only a portion of the cord.

20. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the top housing comprises a plurality of outer ribs.

21. The assembly of claim 20, wherein the ribs engage an upper sealing surface of the bottom housing when the top housing is in the closed position.

22. The assembly of claim 21, comprising an attachment ribbon with a flexible extension and a hoop.

14. An assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a top housing rotatable about a bottom housing via a hinge;

a sensor positioned between the top and bottom housings;

the top and bottom housings each comprising a triangular portion that narrows into a rectangular extension portion;

the bottom housing comprising raised bosses defining bolt apertures;

the housings comprising outward indentations and corresponding inward indentations,

wherein the bottom housing comprises an upper surface and the bosses are raised above the upper surface, and wherein the sensor sits on at least one of the bosses such that no portion of the sensor contacts the upper surface of the bottom housing.

15. An assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a top housing rotatable about a bottom housing via a hinge;

a sensor positioned between the top and bottom housings;

the top and bottom housings each comprising a triangular portion that narrows into a rectangular extension portion;

the bottom housing comprising raised bosses defining bolt apertures;

the housings comprising outward indentations and corresponding inward indentations,

wherein the bottom housing comprises an upper surface and the bosses are raised above the upper surface, and wherein the sensor comprises a bolt connector defining a bolt aperture and a nut fitted inside the bolt aperture.

16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the nut is longer than the bolt aperture such that a lower surface of the nut protrudes from the bolt aperture.

17. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the lower surface of the nut sits directly on the boss.

18. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the bosses are offset such that the bosses are not collinear along a line extending parallel to the hinge.