ANTENNA MODULE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE, DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEM AS WELL AS MOTOR VEHICLE

• US 20170214130A1
• Filed: 01/20/2017
• Published: 07/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Connaught Electronics Limited (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Connaught Electronics Limited (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Grimes, Carol, Hehir, Colin Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 10,707,567 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/004 outside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1214 through a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3275 mounted on a horizontal surface of the vehicle, e.g. on roof, hood, trunk
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3283 side-mounted antennas, e.g. bumper-mounted, door-mounted mounted on windscreens H01Q1/1271
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/42 Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome

Abstract

The invention relates to an antenna module (3) for a motor vehicle (1) comprising at least one antenna (5, 5a, 5b, 5c) for an infotainment system of the motor vehicle (1), an antenna housing (6) for attaching to an exterior trim part (4) of the motor vehicle (1) and a camera (7) with a camera objective (10) for capturing an environmental region (8) of the motor vehicle (1), wherein the at least one antenna (5, 5a, 5b, 5c) is disposed in an interior of the antenna housing (6), wherein the camera (7) is disposed in the interior of the antenna housing (6) in certain areas, wherein the camera objective (10) is disposed in a passage opening (25) of a housing wall (26) of the antenna housing (6) corresponding to the camera objective (10) at least in certain areas, and the antenna module (3) comprises a sealing element (27) for sealing a gap between the housing wall (26) adjoining to the passage opening (25) and the camera objective (10). The invention additionally relates to a driver assistance system (2) as well as to a motor vehicle (1).

Claims

1. An antenna module for a motor vehicle comprising:

at least one antenna for an infotainment system of the motor vehicle;

an antenna housing for attaching to an exterior trim part of the motor vehicle;

a camera with a camera objective for capturing an environmental region of the motor vehicle,

wherein the at least one antenna is disposed in an interior of the antenna housing,

wherein the camera is disposed in the interior of the antenna housing in certain areas,

wherein the camera objective is disposed in a passage opening of a housing wall of the antenna housing corresponding to the camera objective at least in certain areas; and

a sealing element for sealing a gap between the housing wall adjoining to the passage opening and the camera objective.

2. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the sealing element comprises an elastic material and is pressed into the gap between the housing wall adjoining to the passage opening and the camera objective.

3. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the sealing element comprises ethylene propylene diene rubber as the elastic material.

4. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the sealing element is hollow cylindrically formed.

5. The antenna module according to claim 4, wherein an objective tube of the camera objective is disposed within the hollow cylindrical sealing element, wherein the hollow cylindrical sealing element covers the objective tube along a length of the objective tube at least in certain areas.

6. The antenna module according to claim 4, wherein the housing wall has a predetermined wall thickness at least in an area of the housing wall adjoining to the passage opening such that the passage opening is formed as a cylindrical cavity, and a length of the hollow cylindrical sealing element corresponds at least to the predetermined wall thickness of the housing wall.

7. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein a lens disposed on a front side of the camera objective, a front side of the sealing element and an outer side of the housing wall of the antenna housing are substantially flush disposed.

8. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the camera comprises a camera housing with a rear housing for electronics of the camera and a front housing for retaining the camera objective, wherein the camera housing is disposed in the interior of the antenna housing.

9. The antenna module according to claim 8, wherein the camera housing comprises a shielding material for shielding the electronics of the camera from radiation of the at least one antenna.

10. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the antenna housing comprises a plate-shaped pedestal for disposing on the exterior trim part and a roof-shaped cover covering the pedestal, wherein the passage opening is formed in a rear wall of the cover.

11. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the antenna module is formed as a shark fin antenna module.

12. A driver assistance system for a motor vehicle with an antenna module according to claim 1.

13. A motor vehicle with a driver assistance system according to claim 12.

14. The motor vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the motor vehicle is formed without rearview mirrors.

15. The motor vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the antenna module is disposed on a roof of the motor vehicle.