DEVICE FOR IMPROVING THE TRANSMISSION BEHAVIOR OF RADAR WAVES, EXTERNAL CLADDING COMPONENT OF A VEHICLE AND VEHICLE COMPRISING SUCH AN EXTERNAL CLADDING COMPONENT

Abstract

The present disclosure is drawn to a device for improving the transmission behavior of radar waves, comprising a mounting section to which a radar sensor can be fastened, and a wall section having a first surface and a second surface, wherein radar waves that are emitted by the radar sensor, when fastened to the mounting section, impinge on the first surface by an angle of incidence α, β, γ, δ, enter the wall section, and leave the wall section via the second surface. The radar waves travel a traveling distance (d) between the first surface and the second surface, the first surface and the second surface being shaped such that the traveling distance (d) of the radar waves stays constant for every angle of incidence α, β, γ, δ.

Claims

1. A device for improving the transmission behavior of radar waves (λ), comprising a mounting section to which a radar sensor is fastened, and a wall section having a first surface and a second surface, the radar sensor emits radar waves (λ) that impinge on the first surface by an angle of incidence α, β, γ, δ, to enter the wall section and leave the wall section via the second surface, such that the radar waves (λ) have travelled a traveling distance (d) between the first surface and the second surface, the first surface and the second surface being shaped such that the traveling distance (d) of the radar waves (λ) stays constant for every angle of incidence α, β, γ, δ.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the mounting section and the wall section are made in one piece.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the mounting section comprises an absorption layer or comprises absorptive material such that radar waves (λ) that are emitted by the radar sensor when fastened to the mounting section and impinge on the mounting section are absorbed.

4. An external cladding component for a vehicle comprising, a base body, and a device which is fastened to the base body or the device is an integral part of the base body, said device comprising a mounting section to which a radar sensor is fastened, and a wall section having a first surface and a second surface, the radar sensor when fastened to the mounting section emits radar waves (λ) that impinge on the first surface by an angle of incidence α, β, γ, δ, to enter the wall section and leave the wall section via the second surface such that the radar waves (λ) have travelled a traveling distance (d) between the first surface and the second surface, the first surface and the second surface being shaped such that the traveling distance (d) of the radar waves (λ) stays constant for every angle of incidence α, β, γ, δ.

5. The external cladding component for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the mounting section and the wall section are in one piece.

6. The external cladding component for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the mounting section comprises an absorption layer or comprises absorptive material such that radar waves (λ) that are emitted by the radar sensor are absorbed.

7. The external cladding component for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the device is fastened to the base body or the device is an integral part of the base body.

8. The external cladding component for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the mounting section and the wall section are made of a first plastic and the base body is made of a second plastic.

9. The external cladding component for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the second surface is part of an outer surface of the cladding component.

10. The external cladding component according to claim 4, wherein a radar sensor is fastened to the mounting section.

11. A vehicle comprising, an external cladding component according to claim 4.

12. A vehicle comprising, the device according to claim 1.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the wall section has a thickness with a maximum in a center of a cone-shaped area where the radar waves impinge the first surface by an angle of incidence of approximately 90° that is decreased with increasing distance from the center.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein a decrease of the wall thickness is chosen such that the traveling distance of the radar waves penetrating the wall section thickness is kept constant and attenuation of the radar waves is the same within the cone-shaped area.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] Other features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent upon reading the following description of currently preferred exemplified embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a principle sectional view of a device for improving the transmission behavior of radar waves according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure,

[0042] FIG. 2 shows a principle sectional view of the device for improving the transmission behavior of radar waves according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure,

[0043] FIG. 3 shows a principle sectional view of the device for improving the transmission behavior of radar waves according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure,

[0044] FIG. 4 shows an external cladding component which comprises a device according to one of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, and

[0045] FIG. 5 shows a principle top view of a vehicle comprising a plurality of external cladding components of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0046] Throughout all the Figures, same or corresponding elements are generally indicated by same reference numerals.

[0047] Turning now to the drawing and in particular to FIG. 1, there is shown a principle sectional view of a device 10.sub.1 for mounting a radar sensor 12 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. The device 10.sub.1 comprises a mounting section 14 to which a radar sensor 12 is mounted. The radar sensor 12 creates radar waves λ that are emitted within a cone-shaped area 16 with a given opening angle θ.

[0048] The device 10.sub.1 further comprises a wall section 18 which is, in the first embodiment, integrally formed with the mounting section 14. The wall section 18 and the mounting section 14 are thus made in one piece. The wall section 18 has a first surface 20 and a second surface 22, the first surface 20 facing to the radar sensor 12 and the second surface 22 facing to the exterior. The opening angle θ is chosen such that all of the radar waves λ emitted by the radar sensor 12 impinge on the first surface 20, enter the wall section 18, and leave the wall section 18 via the second surface 22. The distance a given radar wave has to travel between the first surface 20 and the second surface 22 is referred to as a traveling distance d.

[0049] In FIG. 1, the beam path for some randomly chosen radar waves λα, λβ, λγ, λδ and the respective traveling distance dα to dδ through the wall section 18 is indicated. The radar wave λα, impinging on the first surface 20 by an angle of incidence α=90°, travels through the wall section 18 by the traveling distance dα, the radar wave λβ impinging on the first surface 20 by an angle of incidence β<α travels through the wall section 18 by the traveling distance dβ, the radar wave λγ impinging on the first surface 20 by an angle of incidence γ<β travels through the wall section 18 by the traveling distance dγ and the radar wave λδ impinging on the first surface 20 by an angle of incidence δ<γ travels through the wall section 18 by the traveling distance do.

[0050] The first surface 20 and the second surface 22 are shaped such that the traveling distance da to dδ of the radar waves λ travelling through the wall section 18 stays constant irrespective of the angle of incidence α to δ. As a result, dα=dβ=dγ=dδ. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the first surface 20 and the second surface 22 are convexly shaped, here approximately ball-shaped.

[0051] As the attenuation of the radar waves λ penetrating the wall section 18 primarily depends on the traveling distance d through the wall section 18, the radar waves λ are attenuated to the same or almost the same degree. The attenuation influences the performance of the radar sensor 12. Due to the improved transmission behavior, a better performance of the radar sensor can be reached.

[0052] It can be seen from FIG. 1, that at least a part of the radar waves λ that impinge on the first surface 20 are reflected. The reflected radar waves are denominated with λx. The reflected radar waves λx impinge on the mounting section 14, from the mounting section back to the first surface 20, and from the first surface 20 to the radar sensor 12. The reflected radar waves λx may cause interfering signals in the radar sensor 12. To avoid such interfering signals, the mounting section 14 comprises an absorption layer 24 on which the radar waves λx impinge. Radar waves λx impinging on the absorption layer 24 are absorbed. The radar waves λx that are illustrated by the dashed lines are cancelled and therefore cannot create interfering signals.

[0053] It is worth mentioning that in FIG. 1, the radar waves λx are only shown to explain the creation of interfering signals. In operation of the device 10.sub.1 a plurality of reflected radar waves λx is expected.

[0054] FIG. 2 shows a principle sectional view of a device 10.sub.2 for mounting a radar sensor 12, according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. As the basic construction of the device 10.sub.2, according to the second embodiment, is to a large extent similar to the basic construction of the device 10.sub.1 of the first embodiment, only the important differences are described. In the second embodiment of the device 10.sub.2, the second surface 22 is planar and only the first surface 20 is convexly shaped. To keep the traveling distance d constant for all angles of incidence α to δ, the first surface 20 is more strongly curved than the first surface 20 of the device 10.sub.1, according to the first embodiment.

[0055] In the second embodiment, the mounting section 14 comprises an absorptive material 26 such that radar waves λx impinging on the mounting section 14 are not reflected to avoid interfering signals. In the second embodiment, no absorption layer 24 is employed.

[0056] FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the device 10.sub.3 for mounting a radar sensor 12 which is to a large extent similar to the second embodiment of the device 10.sub.2. However, the device 10.sub.3 is fastened to a base body 28 of an external cladding component 30, e.g. by welding or sticking, or is directly molded on the together with the base body 28. The mounting section 14 and the wall section 18 may be made of a first plastic 29 that is different from a second plastic 31 by which the external cladding component 30 is made of. The influence of the first plastic 29 and the second plastic 31 on the attenuation of the radar waves λ may be different. The curvature of the first surface 20 and/or the second surface 22 may be chosen such that the different influence on the attenuation is compensated.

[0057] Not shown is an embodiment in which the mounting section 14 and the wall section 18 are made of different plastic.

[0058] In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the device 10.sub.1 and 10.sub.2 may be an integral part of the base body 28 of the cladding component 30 such that the second surface 22 may form a part of the outer surface 32 of the cladding component 30.

[0059] FIG. 4 shows an external cladding component 30 of a vehicle 33, in this case a front bumper 34. The front bumper 34 comprises two bezels 36 that are indicated by hatched areas. Each bezel 36 is formed by one device 10.sub.1, 10.sub.2, according to the first or second embodiment (not shown in FIG. 4). In this case, the second surface 22 of the device 10.sub.1, 10.sub.2 forms a part of the outer surface 32 of the cladding component 30.

[0060] A brand logo 38 of a given vehicle manufacturer is located in the upper center of the front bumper 34. The brand logo 38 may also be formed by a device 10.sub.1, 10.sub.2 according to the first or second embodiment. The same may apply to a grille 44 that is integrated into the front bumper 34.

[0061] A number of devices 10.sub.3, according to the third embodiment, may be fastened to the front bumper 34 at any desired location.

[0062] It should be noted that it is not necessary that the front bumper 34 comprises a bezel 36. The devices 10.sub.3 may also be mounted on a coated bumper fascia.

[0063] FIG. 5 shows a top view of a vehicle 33 being equipped with a plurality of external cladding components 30 to which one or more of the devices 10, according to one of the embodiments, may be fastened. A first external cladding component 30.sub.1 is embodied as a front bumper 34 such as shown in FIG. 4. Moreover, two second external cladding components 30.sub.2 are embodied as B-pillar claddings 40. A third external cladding component 30.sub.3 is embodied as a rear bumper 42. The radar sensors of the devices 10 may observe an object 46 in the surroundings of the vehicle 33 in case it is located within the cone-shaped area 16.

[0064] While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a device for improving the transmission behavior of radar waves, external cladding component of a vehicle and vehicle comprising such an external cladding component, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and practical application to thereby enable a person skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

[0065] What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims and their equivalents: