EP3010654A1

EP3010654A1 - Surroundings-sensing system having an ultrasonic transducer, and a motor vehicle having such a surroundings-sensing system

Info

Publication number: EP3010654A1
Application number: EP14727792.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: David Bartylla; Andre Gerlach
Original assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Current assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Priority date: 2013-06-20
Filing date: 2014-05-26
Publication date: 2016-04-27
Also published as: CN105324185A; DE102013211606A1; WO2014202333A1

Abstract

The present invention discloses a surroundings-sensing system having an ultrasonic transducer that has at least one transducer element and at least one resonance body, and having a membrane for sound transmission, the surroundings-sensing system according to the invention being designed to transmit and/or receive ultrasound signals. The resonance body has a front body and a rear body and is coupled to the membrane at an end face of the front body, the end face of the front body coupled to the membrane being planar. Furthermore, the present invention discloses a motor vehicle having a bumper, side mirror or door section and at least one surroundings-sensing system of this type, the membrane of the surroundings-sensing system being formed by an outer shell of the bumper, the side mirror or the door section, and the ultrasonic transducer being hidden behind the outer shell.

Description

Description Environmental sensor with ultrasonic transducer, and motor vehicle with such environment sensing device

PRIOR ART The invention relates to an environment-sensing device for ultrasound-based

Environment sensing using a sound transducer, such as those in the

Connection with motor vehicles as well as moving or stationary machines

(For example, robots, agricultural machinery or construction machinery) is used, so for example as Umfeldfassungshilfsmittel for a corresponding parking assistance system. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle in which at least one such

Environment sensing device on a bumper, a side mirror or a

Door section of the motor vehicle is arranged.

In recent years, automobiles in this technical field generally use ultrasound-based environmental sensors, which are often piezobased

Sound transducers are used. In this case, ultrasound signals are usually transmitted through a medium such as air or water from an emitter to a receiver or transmitted from an emitter into an environment or detected by an object located in the surrounding ultrasonic signals and the runtime and / or

Runtime differences and / or other variables such as amplitudes and phases of the ultrasonic signals measured. To have sufficient transmit power and high

To achieve reception sensitivities, these sound transducers are predominantly resonant oscillators, which consist of solids and one or more piezo elements. As a general example of such a resonant oscillator are, among others, called piezobased as thickness vibrator

Ultrasonic transducer known as prior art. A basic structure of a known environment sensing device is shown in Fig. 7, wherein the thickness of the oscillator 91 of

Environment sensing device 9 is disposed on an outer skin 92 of a motor vehicle bumper (not shown) and has a flat piezoelectric element 912 as an ultrasonic transducer element, which is embedded in a resonator, that is between a Front body 91 1 of the resonance body and a rear body 913 of the resonance body is arranged and coupled thereto.

A specific example of an ultrasonic sensor for a motor vehicle can be found in DE 10 2007 046 031 A1. The ultrasonic sensor described therein is formed with an acoustic tuning layer which is coupled to a vibration element. The vibrating element generates ultrasonic waves that are emitted into the environment of the motor vehicle, and the acoustic tuning layer is reflected by

Ultrasonic waves deformed, so that the piezoelectric vibration element is caused to resonate by the deformation. The ultrasonic sensor is here mounted on a bumper or a bumper of the motor vehicle, for example in a hole in the bumper, wherein a receiving surface of the ultrasonic transducer is exposed to the surroundings of the motor vehicle. However, a disadvantage of the ultrasound transducers already known from the prior art is, among other things, that they are installed visibly in a bumper of a motor vehicle or are perceptibly integrated in the latter, and therefore on a

Viewers can look as visually disturbing. However, the design of a motor vehicle, so the visual perception of the vehicle itself plays in this day and age more and more a purchase-crucial role. Now to such an optical disturbance by visible

To reduce ultrasonic transducers are known from the prior art

Ultrasonic transducer usually painted in the car color of the respective motor vehicle. As a result, only a minimal improvement in the optical perceptibility of the ultrasonic transducers can be achieved.

Another disadvantage of the known prior art in the field of

Ultrasonic transducer is to be found in that they usually provide no or only a complex external damping of the vibration behavior, which usually leads to increased installation costs and additionally required space. Such damping is extremely advantageous for the vibration behavior of

Ultrasonic transducer to an adequate for the environment sensing on and

To achieve decay behavior, and should be provided in any case, but without bringing structural or constructive disadvantages. Disclosure of the invention

An environment sensing device according to the present invention which provides a solution to the problems discussed above has an ultrasonic transducer comprising at least one transducer element and at least one resonator body and a membrane for sound transmission, wherein the environmental sensing device is configured to transmit and / or to transmit ultrasonic signals receive. The resonator body has a front body and a rear body and is coupled to the diaphragm at an end face of the front body, that is to say at a portion of the front body facing toward the diaphragm, wherein the end face of the front body coupled to the diaphragm is plate-shaped. The plate shape may have a widthwise dimension that is greater than a heightwise direction or the height direction, with a preferred height of the plate-shaped face being between 0.1mm and 30mm, and a preferred width of the plate-shaped face being between 0.5mm and 0.5mm 30mm is. The front body and the rear body of the resonator, also called vibrating body, can be made of different materials, such as metal, ceramic or plastic or a combination of these. The acoustic wave emitted by the transducer element for environment sensing leaves the environment sensing arrangement preferably in the direction of the front side of the front body, also referred to as front mass, wherein rearward radiation is completely suppressed in the best case. This purpose, the back body, also referred to as back mass, for damping the vibration relative to the area in which no radiation is desired.

The term transducer element is to be construed broadly and includes, for example, electro-acoustic transducers which operate on electrostatic, magnetostrictive, piezoelectric effects or combinations of these effects. In the context of the invention, the transducer element may in particular be a piezoelectric element and the

Environment sensing device can be understood as a piezoelectric environment sensing device or as a piezoelectric environment sensing device.

The so-called membrane of the environmental sensing device is formed for example by an outer skin of a bumper, side mirror or door region of a motor vehicle, wherein the transducer element or the transducer elements and the or

Sound boxes are arranged hidden behind this outer skin. By coupling with the ultrasonic transducer, the membrane forms a resonance membrane of Umfeldsensiereinrichtung. Preferably, the membrane is formed from a thin layer of material, which is made for example from a customary for the outer skin of a motor vehicle polymer material. The membrane preferably has a thickness of between 0.1 mm and 4 mm, particularly preferably less than 1 mm. The coupling of the resonator at the end face with the membrane can be done directly or indirectly, but in any case so that an acoustic coupling is sufficiently possible, so that acoustic radiation patterns can be transmitted. The direct coupling can be accomplished for example by a press fit, press fit, such as by screwing, or by an adhesive. Indirect coupling may mean that another layer of material is provided between the resonator body and the membrane, for example, a liquid such as a gel or an oil. This additional material layer can be provided in particular to the acoustic coupling between the

Ultrasonic transducer and the membrane to optimize. By the features cited in the dependent claims are advantageous

Further developments and improvements specified in the independent claim

Facility possible.

In a preferred embodiment of the environmental sensing device according to the invention, the resonance body has at least partially between its plate-shaped end face and the transducer element a width dimension which is smaller than the width dimension of the end face. Accordingly, a paragraph or a stage between the

plate-shaped end face and the rest of the front body, so the front body without the front side provided. The term "plate-shaped end face" here refers to a part or portion of the front body, which is located directly on its side facing the membrane and which is in the form of a plate, that is called its dimension in width, also called width dimension, greater than its dimension in The resonating body preferably has a T-shaped longitudinal section, a double-T-shaped longitudinal section, also called a dumbbell-shaped longitudinal section, or a longitudinal section in the form of a triangle, which merges into the plate form at its front-side tip. This can be achieved that the flexural rigidity of the membrane, such as in the case of the outer skin of a car bumper than

Membrane according to the invention, not only by the material of the bumper is defined, but also by the ultrasonic transducer or by its structural design, that is, the plate shape of the front side of the front body. In comparison, will when using a prior art thickness vibrator, as shown in Fig. 7, which would be placed behind an outer skin of a bumper or other equivalent automotive component, the design of the front body as a rod undesirably severely deforms the membrane. However, if this changes the structural characteristics of the bumper, this undesirably affects the resonant frequency of the structure. Because of this, it makes sense that

Resonance frequency interference as previously described constructively reduce, as can be achieved for example by execution of the front body in the bumper area as a plate. In this way, the vibration behavior of the

Inventive environment sensing device are advantageously influenced by the plate of the resonator. The measure of influence is of the

Rigidity ratio of outer skin to front body plate dependent. If the ratio is small, the temperature influence by the material of the outer skin is low. If, for example, a metal or a plastic with a fiber content is used as the front body, the stiffness at the same thickness ratios is quite large. The thickness ratio must be chosen so that the influence of the outer skin is sufficiently low. Provided that the thickness of the outer skin does not correspond to the previously described, for the acoustic transmission preferred thicknesses, it can be provided that the bumper of the

Motor vehicle in the area in which the environment sensing device is to be installed, is made correspondingly thinner than elsewhere. Such local

Dilutions can be incorporated both by subsequent machining, for example by milling, or even in the manufacturing process, for example in injection molding. Furthermore, the directional characteristic of the ultrasonic transducer of the invention

Environment sensing device by the choice of the geometry of the cross section of

plate-shaped end face, which is in contact with the bumper outer skin. In principle, any geometry can be chosen. Preferably, the cross section corresponds to the plate-shaped end face of the front body of a corresponding

selected geometric shape, for example:

a circular shape, whereby the plate-shaped end face of the front body generally assumes a disk shape;

an elliptical shape, in particular with different axial lengths for

different directional characteristics in the horizontal and / or vertical direction; a rectangular shape, in particular a square shape or the shape of a rectangle with rounded corners, in particular with different dimensions for different directional characteristics in the horizontal and / or vertical direction; or

- A combination of the previously mentioned geometric shapes.

In a further preferred embodiment of the environment sensing device of the invention, the transducer element and the resonance body are biased by at least one tensioning element to pressure, preferably in the order rear body, transducer element, front body. A clamping element can be a screw or the like. Such a design of the ultrasonic transducer is used particularly in the power ultrasound, because there high mechanical stresses on the piezoceramic

Transducer element can act. However, since especially tensile stresses can lead to damage to the piezoceramic, the arrangement is biased by, for example, a screw on pressure, so that the ultrasonic transducer can be subjected to more stress.

For ultrasonic transducer applications, where a covert assembly, such as behind a plastic paneling of a bumper, is essential, are previously discussed as previously discussed predominantly thickness vibrators used, since in these the sound generation is powerful enough to penetrate the outer skin. These thickness vibrators usually consist of several elements, which are often made of metal, ceramic, piezoceramic or plastic. The materials mentioned have in common that they do not have sufficient for the application material damping. Accordingly, it is further preferred in the environmental sensing device according to the invention that it further comprises a damping mechanism for damping the vibration of the resonance body in the otherwise weakly damped system. The

Sufficient damping of the mechanical resonance system is required to achieve adequate for the environment sensing on and swing-out behavior to compensate for component tolerances and to ensure the interaction of several individual transducers. Thus, in one embodiment, the damping mechanism may be formed by protrusions on the front body and / or the rear body which are supported in a vibration damping material, preferably a silicone based material such as, for example

Silicone foam or the like. Here, inter alia, a porous silicone foam can be used, such as the commercially available silicone foam Fermasil. If now, for example, the front body with ribs or other protruding geometries, such as knobs or wings or the like, provided, it is in a Vibration of the ultrasonic transducer and thus a vibration of the resonator body, the damping material compressed and attenuated the vibration of the front body by the vibration damping material. Such ribs or alternative protruding geometries may also be attached to the rear body. Further preferably, the provided with ribs or other protruding geometries parts of the

Resonant body surrounded with the vibration damping material.

By way of example, a plastic or rubber material can be selected for the front body, wherein the rear body can be made of, inter alia, a metal, for example aluminum, sheet metal, steel or brass. The selection of suitable materials may be limited by restrictions or requirements regarding the

Receive sensitivities or transmission signal strengths of the environment sensing device be set. In particular, however, other environmental influences, such as, for example, the ambient temperature or, for example, the mechanical stress due to shaking, can also be taken into account in order to determine suitable materials.

As an alternative to the previously described embodiment of the damping mechanism, in the environmental sensing device, the damping mechanism can also be implemented by virtue of the fact that the front body and / or the rear body of the resonance body consist of at least one composite material, also called a composite material. This means that the integration of the damping in the resonator body is achieved by using so-called composite materials. The resonator body can be made by means of various production methods to such a composite body or a composite of such composite body, including by the following methods:

- sintering of metals, ceramics, plastics, or other suitable materials, optionally with the addition of other materials which increase damping;

Manufacture of metal foams with air-filled cavities or with cavities filled with polymer material, silicone, in particular porous silicone foam, or the like;

Production with provision of a honeycomb structure, optionally with filling of the cavities with polymer material, silicone, in particular porous silicone foam, or the like;

Manufacture of at least one metal mesh in voluminous form, optionally filled with polymer material, epoxy resin or the like, wherein the filling can be shaping; Manufacture from a polymer material filled with metal parts, ceramic parts or the like; or

Manufacture to provide channels or larger cavities, wherein the channels or cavities with polymer material, silicone, in particular porous silicone foam, or the like are filled.

In this case, only the front body or only the back body can be made by one of the above manufacturing methods. Alternatively, both the front body and the back body may be manufactured by one of the above manufacturing methods. Furthermore, different methods of preparation of the front body and the rear body can be used. However, various methods of fabrication may be used in one of the front body and the rear body or in both the front body and the rear body. According to a further embodiment, the transducer element and the resonance body are coupled together by a press fit or by gluing. The choice of

Coupling can be determined by the expected field of application, for example by specifying the shake resistance of the arrangement. Furthermore, in addition to the connection points between the diaphragm and the front body, the front body and the piezoelectric element, and / or the piezoelectric element and the rear body in, for example, the gluing or the clamping contact also damping mechanisms may be provided.

A resonator manufactured in this way is particularly suitable for all vehicles or moving machines which generally use environmental sensing. The invention can be used in particular in those environmental sensors which are provided, for example, in the front and / or rear bumper of a vehicle for the purpose of parking assistance and / or collision avoidance. Typically, this will be

Ultrasonic transducers are used, which can both emit ultrasonic waves and receive ultrasonic waves. But it can also be provided, the

Use ultrasonic transducers only as receivers or as transmitters only. In particular, this is the case with the vehicle technology related fields of drive electronics and

Operating electronics, also called AE-BE, in the field of robotics, in particular for

Transport robots in manufacturing, in hospitals, in nursing homes, in logistics areas, etc., as well as in the production of agricultural and construction machinery. Further, according to the invention, there is provided a motor vehicle having a bumper, side mirror or door section and a surrounding sensing device as described above, wherein the membrane of the surrounding sensing device is formed by an outer skin of the bumper, the side mirror or the door section, and wherein the ultrasonic transducer, that is, the transducer element and the resonance body , hidden behind the outer skin are arranged. In particular, the environment-sensing device can in one

Ultrasonic system to be installed, which comprises a group of Ultraschallensiindungen, wherein at least one, preferably all Ultraschallensiindungen the previously described features of the environment sensing device comprise. The ultrasound system may, for example, be adapted to a sub-environment of the

To capture motor vehicle. For example, the front-side ultrasonic sensors may detect a vehicle front-end environment and / or the vehicle

Ultrasonic sensors in the side area for detecting a side area of the vehicle and / or the ultrasonic sensor devices in the rear area for detecting a rear environment of the vehicle are each assigned to such an ultrasound system. Typically, this will be four to six

Ultraschallensiichtungen mounted in a bumper, with only a maximum of four Ultraschallensiindungen are mounted with approximately the same direction of view. In particular, to detect the area adjacent to the vehicle, ultrasonic sensors are also positioned in the front bumper so that they have their detection area to the left and to the right. Additionally or alternatively, ultrasonic sensors may also be positioned in the rear bumper so that they detect an area to the left and right of the motor vehicle. The ultrasound system furthermore has a control device assigned to the respective group and a signal processing device. To capture the side area of the vehicle, both side mounted in the front and rear bumper

Ultrasonic sensing devices are used as well

Ultraschallensiindungen, which are installed in a side mirror or in a door section.

Advantages of the invention

Automotive bumpers today consist mainly of plastics which have a comparatively high stiffness change over the temperature. As a result, the resonant frequency of the environmental sensing system may undesirably move. On the other hand, if the transmission frequency is constant, this leads to losses in the transmission and reception mode, since resonance is no longer transmitted. With the

Conversion device according to the invention can now converter concepts are implemented, which can be mounted behind the bumper of a motor vehicle invisible and stimulate a part of the bumper to vibrate, which in turn emits corresponding sound waves. As a result, a better design of the ultrasonic transducer is achieved, so that the property change of the bumper material has the least possible influence on the resonance frequency. In addition, the constructive design of the front body according to the invention makes it possible to influence the directional characteristic of the ultrasound transducer and thus the environment sensing device according to the invention, wherein the desired directional characteristic and resonant frequency can be adjusted by different geometry parameters of the proposed design.

The present invention, at least in the course of a preferred embodiment of the environmental sensing device according to the invention, further allows a

To integrate vibration damping into the elements of the resonator body by using composite bodies. Additional damping measures or separately provided damping components can be avoided thereby, whereby the assembly of the environment sensing device can be simplified by means of the integration of the damping in the components of the resonance body, additional savings

vibration-damping components can be achieved, space for the environment sensing device according to the invention can be reduced, and an undesirable

Vibration initiation in adjacent structures can be prevented, since due to the avoidance of additional damping materials, which are umgössen around the resonator, no connection is made to the housing. Brief description of the drawings

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and explained in more detail in the following description. 1 shows a longitudinal section of a basic structure of a first preferred

Embodiment of the environment sensing device according to the invention in undeflected state; 2 shows a longitudinal section of a basic structure of the first preferred embodiment of the environmental sensing device according to the invention shown in FIG. 1 in the deflected state;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a basic structure of a second preferred

Embodiment of the environment sensing device according to the invention in undeflected state;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of a basic structure of a third preferred

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of a basic structure of a fourth preferred

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of a basic structure of a fifth preferred

Embodiment of the environment sensing device according to the invention in undeflected state; and

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of a basic structure of an ultrasonic transducer according to the prior art.

Preferred embodiments of the invention

Fig. 1 shows an environment sensing device 1 according to a first preferred

Embodiment of the invention in lateral cross-sectional view in a non-activated state. The environmental sensing device 1 comprises an ultrasonic transducer 1 1 and a diaphragm 12, wherein the ultrasonic transducer 1 1 consists of a compound of a front body 1 1 1, a transducer element 1 12 and a rear body 1 13, in this order. The front body 1 1 1 is with one of the membrane 12 facing end face 1 1 1 1, also called end portion 1 1 1 1 or end portion 1 1 1 1, coupled to the membrane 12. This means that in the illustrated embodiment, the end face 1 1 1 1 forms a contact surface to the membrane 12. The coupling between the front body 1 1 1 and the membrane 12th can be done directly and indirectly, which is referred to with an indirect contact, that between the end face 1 1 1 1 and the membrane 12 at least one layer of another material is arranged, for example, a liquid layer such as oil or gel to improve the acoustic coupling , Between the end face 1 1 1 1 and the membrane 12 may alternatively be a mechanical coupling, for example, by a screw or a jamming of the front body 1 1 1 in the membrane 12, or the front body 1 1 1 may also be glued to the membrane 12 , The membrane 12 is formed thinner in this embodiment in a contact area between the end face 1 1 1 1 and membrane 12 as outside the contact area, so that the

Front body 1 1 1 in the contact area in a recess 121 in the membrane 12 is at least partially sunk. This has the advantage that the environment sensing device 1 on the one hand can be designed to be sufficiently sensitive for receiving ultrasonic waves or can emit sufficiently strong ultrasonic waves, and on the other hand, the membrane 12 can be made sufficiently thick outside the contact region.

The front body 1 1 1 is in the first preferred embodiment, as seen in Figures 1 and 2, formed in section in a double-T-shape, wherein the end face 1 1 1 1 of the front body 1 1 1 is plate-shaped, the is called a plate or plate-like. Further, the entire ultrasonic transducer 1 1 in this

Design rotationally symmetrical, which means that both the cross section of the front body 1 1 1, the cross section of the transducer element 1 12 and the cross section of the rear body 1 13 form a circular shape. Alternatively, the cross section of one of these components or all of these components may also have an ellipse shape, a rectangular shape, in particular a square shape or the shape of a rectangle with rounded corners, or a combination of the aforementioned geometric shapes.

Accordingly, the end face 1 1 1 1 or end portion 1 1 1 1 of the front body 1 1 1 also has a circular shape, whereby the end face 1 1 1 1 of the front body 1 1 1 takes the form of a disc in this embodiment. The recess 121 of the membrane 12 corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the end face 1 1 1 1 of the front body 1 1 1. The resonator 1 1 1, 1 13 in this embodiment of a front body 1 1 1 of a metal and / or polymer and from a Rear body 1 13 constructed of metal and / or polymer.

A diameter of the cross section of the end face 1 1 1 1 is greater than the cross section of a central portion 1 1 12 of the front body 1 1 1 and about the same size as the cross section of a Rear side 1 1 13 of the front body 1 1, wherein in each case between the end face 1 1 1 1 and middle part 1 1 12 and between the middle part 1 1 12 and back 1 1 13 of the front body 1 1 1 a paragraph is provided, so that the double-T Shape of the front body 1 1 1 comes about. FIG. 2 shows the environmental sensing device 1 according to the first preferred embodiment of the invention in a lateral sectional view in an activated state. Here it can be clearly seen that when vibration excitation by the transducer element 1 12 of the front body 1 1 1 is deflected in the direction of the membrane 12, whereby the membrane 12 in the region of the recess 121, ie in the thin region of the diaphragm 12 (exaggerated) is bulged , By this deflection or activation, for example, an ultrasonic wave is sent to the outside. As can be clearly seen in Fig. 2, deforms the disc shape of the end face 1 1 1 1 of the front body 1 1 1 corresponding to the curvature of the membrane 12. The degree of influence on the vibration behavior of the

Environment sensing device 1 is of the stiffness ratio of membrane too

Resonant body dependent, with a formation of the end face 1 1 1 1 as a plate the

Vibration behavior of the environment sensing device 1 by an improved

Rigidity ratio between the thin portion of the diaphragm 12 and the

Face plate 1 1 1 1 improved. In Fig. 3 is an environment sensing device 2 according to a second preferred

Embodiment of the invention shown in side sectional view in a non-activated state. The environment sensing device 2 comprises an ultrasonic transducer 21 and a diaphragm 22, the ultrasonic transducer 21 consisting of a combination of a front body 21 1, a transducer element 212 and a rear body 213, in this order. The front body 21 1 is connected to one of the membrane 22 facing end face 21 1 1 with the

Membrane 22 coupled. As in the previous embodiment, the membrane 22 is made thinner in a contact area between the end face 21 1 1 and the membrane 22 than outside the contact area, so that the front body 21 1 is at least partially sunk in the contact area in a recess 221 in the membrane 22. The front body 21 1 is formed in the second preferred embodiment in section in a T-shape, wherein the end face 21 1 1 of the front body 21 1 is plate-shaped. Of the

Ultrasonic transducer 21 has the same structure as the ultrasonic transducer 1 1 of the first preferred embodiment, the rear side is missing the back or the

Rear portion or the same cross-sectional diameter as the central portion 21 12 of the front body 21 1 has. As in the first preferred embodiment, the End face 21 1 1 or end portion 21 1 1 of the front body 21 1 a circular shape, whereby the end face 21 1 1 of the front body 21 1 also takes the form of a disc in this embodiment. Between the end face 21 1 1 and the middle part 21 12 of the front body 21 1 while a paragraph is provided, so that the T-shape of the front body 21 1 comes about. The recess 221 of the membrane 22 corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the end face 21 1 1 of the front body 21 1. The resonating body 21 1, 213 is in this

Embodiment of a front body 21 1 made of a metal and / or a polymer and a back body 212, also constructed of metal and / or polymer. Further, Fig. 4 shows an environment sensing device 3 according to a third preferred

Embodiment of the invention in side sectional view in a non-activated state. The environmental sensing device 3 comprises an ultrasonic transducer 31 and a diaphragm 32, wherein the ultrasonic transducer 31 is made of a compound of a front body 31 1, a transducer element 312 and a rear body 313. The front body 31 1 is coupled to the diaphragm 32 facing end face 31 1 1 with the membrane 32. As in the previous embodiments, the membrane 32 is made thinner in a contact region between the end face 31 1 1 and the membrane 32 than outside the contact region, so that the front body 31 1 is at least partially recessed in the contact area in a recess 321 in the membrane 32. The front body 31 1 is in the third preferred

Embodiment formed in longitudinal section in a triangular shape, wherein the triangle at its front side, the membrane 32 facing tip merges into the plate-shaped end face 31 1 1, and wherein a shoulder between plate shape and triangular shape is formed. A middle part 31 12 of the front body 31 1 accordingly has a narrowing or tapering shape towards the end face 31 1 1. The ultrasonic transducer 31 has the same structure as the ultrasonic transducer 31 of the second preferred

Embodiment, wherein the back also missing or the same

Cross-sectional diameter as the central portion 31 12 has at its the transducer element 312 facing the end. As in the previous preferred embodiments, the end face 31 1 1 or end portion 31 1 1 of the front body 31 1 has a circular shape, whereby the end face 31 1 1 of the front body 31 1 takes the form of a disc in this embodiment. The central part 31 12 also has a circular shape in cross-section, resulting in a conical shape or conical shape of the central part 31 12 results. The recess 321 of the membrane 32 again corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the end face 31 1 1 of the front body 31 1. The resonance body 31 1, 313 is in this embodiment a front body 31 1 made of a metal and / or polymer and a back body 312 made of metal and / or polymer.

In Fig. 5, an environment sensing device 4 according to a fourth preferred

Embodiment of the invention shown in side sectional view in a non-activated state. The environment sensing device 4 comprises an ultrasonic transducer 41 and a diaphragm 42, the ultrasonic transducer 41 being composed of a connection of a front body 41 1, a transducer element 412 and a rear body 413. The front body 41 1 is coupled to the diaphragm 42 facing end face 41 1 1 with the membrane 42. As in the preceding embodiments, the membrane 42 is made thinner than in a contact area between the end face 41 1 1 and the membrane 42

Contact area, so that the front body 41 1 is at least partially sunk in the contact area in a recess 421 in the membrane 42. The front body 41 1 is formed in the fourth preferred embodiment in section in a double T-shape, similar to the preferred first embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, wherein the end face 41 1 1 of the front body 41 1 is also plate-shaped. The ultrasonic transducer 41 has generally the same structure as the ultrasonic transducer 1 1 of the first preferred

Embodiment, wherein the diameter of the cross section of the end face 41 1 1 is greater than the cross section of a central portion 41 12 of the front body 41 1 and approximately the same size as the cross section of a back 41 13 of the front body 41, and wherein in each case between the end face 41 1 1 and Middle part 41 12 and between the middle part 41 12 and rear side 41 13 of the front body 41 1 a paragraph is provided, so that the double-T shape of the front body 41 1 comes about. As in the first preferred embodiment, the end face 41 1 1 or end portion 41 1 1 of the front body 41 1 has a circular shape, whereby the

End face 41 1 1 of the front body 41 1 assumes the form of a disc in this embodiment. The recess 421 of the membrane 42 corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the end face 41 1 1 of the front body 41 1. The resonance body 41 1, 413 is in this

Embodiment of a front body 41 1 made of a metal and / or a polymer and a back body 412 constructed of a metal and / or polymer material. Further, the front body 41 1, the transducer element 412 and the rear body 413 are biased in this embodiment by a screw 414 under pressure to counteract any tensile stresses that may lead to damage to the transducer element 412, so that the ultrasonic transducer 41 are more stressed can. The screw 414 passes through in the rear body 413 and the Transducer element 412 provided holes and is bolted to a introduced in the front body 41 1 internal thread.

Finally, in Fig. 6, an environment sensing device 5 according to a fifth preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in side sectional view in a non-activated state. The environment sensing device 5 includes an ultrasonic transducer 51 and a diaphragm 52, wherein the ultrasonic transducer 51 is made of a compound of a front body 51 1, a transducer element 512 and a rear body 513. The front body 51 1 is coupled to the membrane 52 facing the end face 51 1 1 with the membrane 52. As in the preceding embodiments, the membrane 52 is made thinner in a contact region between the end face 51 1 1 and the membrane 52 than outside

Contact area, so that the front body 51 1 is at least partially sunk in the contact area in a recess 521 in the membrane 52. The front body 51 1 is formed in the fifth preferred embodiment in section in a basic double T-shape, wherein the end face 51 1 1 of the front body 51 1 is plate-shaped. Of the

Ultrasonic transducer 51 has the same structure as the ultrasonic transducer 1 1 of the first preferred embodiment, wherein the diameter of the cross section of the end face 51 1 1 greater than the cross section of a central portion 51 12 of the front body 51 1 and approximately the same size as the cross section of a back 51 of the front body 51, and wherein in each case between the end face 51 1 1 and the middle part 51 12 and between the middle part 51 12 and back 51 13 of the front body 51 1 a paragraph is provided, so that a double-T shape of the front body 51 1 is formed. Further, in this preferred embodiment between the end face 51 1 1 and the rear side 51 13 of the front body 51 1, that is provided on the central part 51 12 projections in the form of ribs 51 14 or in the form of a protruding rib structure 51 14. The rib structure 51 14 is characterized by a

Damping mechanism 6 within a damping material container 61 of a damping material 62 so enclosed that the ribs 51 14 and thus the entire front body 51 1 is mounted vibration damping in the damping material 62. The damping material container 61 is attached to the membrane 52, for example by gluing, so that the recess 521 of the membrane 52 together with the

Ultrasonic transducer 51 is completely enclosed. As in the first preferred embodiment, the end face 51 1 1 or end portion 51 1 1 of the front body 51 1 has a circular shape, whereby the end face 51 1 1 of the front body 51 1 takes the form of a disc in this preferred embodiment. The recess 521 of the membrane 52 corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the end face 51 1 1 of the front body 51 1. The resonator 51 1, 513 is constructed in this embodiment of a front body 51 1 made of a sintered metal with admixed steam-enhancing materials and a back body 512 made of a polymer material to one through the

Damping mechanism 6 provided damping property of

Enclosure Sensing 5 still strengthen.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein and the aspects highlighted therein. Rather, within the scope given by the claims a variety of modifications are possible, which are within the scope of expert action.

Claims

Claims 1. An environment sensing device (1; 2; 3; 4; 5) having an ultrasonic transducer (11; 21; 31; 41; 51), said at least one transducer element (112; 212; 312; 412; 512) and at least one resonator body (11; 111, 113, 211, 213, 311, 313, 411, 413, 511, 513), and a diaphragm (12, 22, 32, 42, 52) for sound transmission, wherein the surroundings sensing means (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) is adapted to transmit and / or receive ultrasonic signals, wherein the resonator (111, 113; 211, 213; 311, 313; 411, 413; 511, 513) has a front body (111; 211; 311; 411; 511) and a rear body (113; 213; 313; 413; 513) and at one end face (1111; 2111; 3111; 4111; 5111) of the front body (111; 211; 311; 411; 511) with the diaphragm (12 22; 32; 42; 52), and wherein the end face (1111; 2111; 3111; 4111; 5111) coupled to the diaphragm (12; 22; 32; 42; 52) of the front body (111; 211; 311 ; 411; 511) is plate-shaped.

An environmental sensing device (1; 2; 3; 4; 5) according to claim 1, wherein said resonating body (111, 113; 211, 213; 311, 313; 411, 413; 511, 513) between its plate-shaped

End face (1111; 2111; 3111; 4111; 5111) and the transducer element (112; 212; 312; 412; 512) at least partially has a width dimension which is smaller than that of FIG

Width dimension of the end face (1111, 2111, 3111, 4111, 5111).

An environment sensing device (1; 2; 3; 4; 5) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said

Resonant body (111, 113, 211, 213, 311, 313, 411, 413, 511, 513) has a T-shaped longitudinal section, a double-T-shaped longitudinal section or a longitudinal section in the form of a

Triangle, which merges at its frontal tip in the plate shape.

An environmental sensing device (1; 2; 3; 4; 5) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cross section of the plate-shaped end face (1111; 2111; 3111; 4111; 5111) of the front body (111; 211; 311; 411; 511) corresponds to a geometric shape that the

Directional characteristic of the ultrasonic transducer (11; 21; 31; 41; 51) influences, preferably a circular shape, a square shape, an ellipse shape, a rectangular shape, a shape of a rectangle with rounded corners, or a combination of these.

5. environmental sensing device (4) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the transducer element (412) and the resonator (411,413) by at least one Clamping element (414) are arranged biased to pressure, preferably in the

Rear body (1 13; 213; 313; 413; 513), transducer element (1 12; 212; 312; 412; 512), front body (1 1 1; 21 1; 31 1; 41 1; 51 1).

6. environment sensing device (4) according to claim 5, wherein the clamping element (414) is a screw (414).

7. environment sensing device (5) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the environment sensing device (5) further comprises a damping mechanism (6) for damping the vibration of the resonance body (51 1, 513).

The environmental sensing device (5) according to claim 7, wherein said damper mechanism is formed by protrusions on the front body (51 1) and / or the rear body (513) mounted in a vibration damping material (62), preferably a silicone based material.

9. environment sensing device according to claim 7, wherein the damping mechanism is implemented by the fact that the front body and / or the rear body of the

Sound box consist of at least one composite material.

10. Motor vehicle with a bumper, side mirror or door section and at least one environment sensing device (1; 2; 3; 4; 5) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the membrane (12; 22; 32; 42; 52) of the surroundings sensing device (1; 2; 3; 4; 5) by an outer skin (12; 22; 32; 42; 52) of the bumper, the side mirror or the

Door section is formed and wherein the ultrasonic transducer (1 1; 21; 31; 41; 51) are arranged hidden behind the outer skin.