JP2004239616A - Sensor device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sensor device capable of securely attenuating a high frequency vibration which causes resonance and capable of being manufactured inexpensively. <P>SOLUTION: In the sensor device 1 equipped with a G sensor 2 for outputting an electric signal according to physical displacement of a sensing part and a casing 3 on which the G sensor 2 is to be loaded, since the casing 3 consists of a resin material 3a containing a vibration attenuation material 3b which can attenuate high frequency vibration, the high frequency vibration which causes resonance securely attenuates and the sensor device 1 can perform correct detection output of collision and vibration without being affected by resonance. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a sensor device equipped with an electronic sensor capable of detecting a collision, a vibration, an angular velocity, and the like by an electric signal output according to a physical displacement of a sensing unit.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in order to deploy an airbag at the time of a vehicle collision, a collision detection sensor device for detecting a collision or vibration is mounted on a front portion of the vehicle or the like. In a conventional collision detection sensor device, for example, as in the collision detection sensor device 101 shown in FIG. In the sensor accommodating portion 103a, a structure in which the connector terminal 104 fixed to the housing 103 is clinched and soldered, or the P plate 109 is heat-sealed as in the collision detection sensor device 201 shown in FIG. A structure for fixing to the housing 103 or the like is employed. The G sensor 102 is configured to detect a collision or a vibration by an electric signal output according to a physical displacement such as deformation or movement of a sensing unit (not shown). Are present (resonance points).
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-described conventional structure of the collision detection sensor device 101 or 201, the high frequency vibration that causes resonance is attenuated to some extent by the P plate 109, but the attenuation effect depends on the material, size, and rigidity of the P plate 109. , The weight including the G sensor 102, the method of fixing the P plate 109 to the housing 103, and the fixing position. In the actual product design, the material, size, rigidity, and weight of the P plate 109 including the G sensor 102 are determined by the circuit scale, and the method and position of fixing the P plate 109 to the housing 103 are as follows. Since it is determined by the size of the P plate 109, there is a problem that the damping effect of the high frequency vibration obtained from such a structure is left to the discretion.
[0004]
It is also assumed that the resonance point of the sensing unit (not shown) of the G sensor 102 mounted on the P plate 109 overlaps with the resonance point of the housing 103. In such a case, the high-frequency vibration including the resonance point Input, the resonance of the G sensor 102 is superimposed on the resonance of the housing 103, and the G sensor 102 outputs a detection value many times larger than the input G, which may make it impossible to make a correct collision determination. sell.
[0005]
In addition, the rate of mounting airbags on vehicles is increasing in response to recent regulations and ratings on vehicle collision safety, and a collision detection sensor device for side collision detection as well as front collision detection is installed. It has become so. As a result, the number of mounted collision detection sensor devices per vehicle is also increasing, and the importance of reducing the manufacturing cost of the sensor devices is increasing.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and has as its object to provide a sensor device that can reliably attenuate high-frequency vibrations that cause resonance and that can be manufactured at low cost. Should be a task to be done.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve this object, a sensor device according to claim 1 includes an electronic sensor that outputs an electric signal in accordance with a physical displacement of a sensing unit, and a housing on which the electronic sensor is mounted. In the sensor device provided, the housing is made of a resin material mixed with a vibration damping material capable of damping high-frequency vibration.
[0008]
Therefore, an electronic sensor that outputs an electric signal in accordance with the physical displacement of the sensing unit has a resonance point in a high-frequency band (for example, a frequency band of 1 kHz or more), but has a housing made of a resin material mixed with a vibration damping material. The body reliably attenuates high-frequency vibrations that cause resonance, so that the sensor device can perform correct detection output such as collision, vibration, and angular velocity without being affected by resonance.
[0009]
The sensor device according to claim 2 is characterized in that the electronic sensor is integrally molded with a resin material containing the vibration damping material.
[0010]
Therefore, since the electronic sensor is integrally molded with a resin material containing a vibration damping material, high-frequency vibrations that cause resonance are reliably attenuated. In addition, the assembly of the sensor device is completed when the electronic sensor is integrally molded, and the post-assembly step of assembling the electronic sensor to the housing, which was conventionally required, can be omitted, and the number of manufacturing steps can be reduced. In addition, the sensor device can be configured with only the minimum necessary components, and the manufacturing cost can be significantly reduced.
[0011]
The sensor device according to claim 3 is characterized in that the vibration damping material is a thermoplastic elastomer.
[0012]
Therefore, the housing made of a resin material containing a thermoplastic elastomer having excellent elasticity reliably attenuates high-frequency vibrations that cause resonance.
[0013]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of a collision detection sensor device embodying the sensor device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0014]
First, a configuration of a collision detection sensor device (hereinafter, referred to as a sensor device) 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The sensor device 1 mainly includes a G sensor 2 and a housing 3 and is mounted at a front portion of a vehicle to detect a collision and output a collision detection signal to an airbag control device. is there.
[0015]
The G sensor 2 includes a sensing unit (detecting unit) (not shown). When an acceleration (hereinafter, also simply referred to as “G”) is input, a physical displacement (movement, deformation, or the like) occurs in the sensing unit, and the displacement is generated. It is configured to output an electric signal according to the amount. Here, it is ideal that the G sensor 2 can detect the input G in the entire range. However, actually, the G sensor 2 has a finite dynamic range (a range of the detectable input G) as shown in FIG. When input acceleration exceeding the dynamic range is applied, it cannot be detected correctly. Further, since the G sensor 2 is a structural body, it always has a resonance point (also referred to as a resonance frequency). Therefore, when the input acceleration includes the frequency component of the resonance point of the G sensor 2, the detection unit of the G sensor 2 may function to exceed the dynamic range of the G sensor 2. No. 2 cannot perform correct detection. As the G sensor 2, for example, a comb-type G sensor or the like configured to detect acceleration based on the amount of movement of the sensing unit can be used, and a communication circuit, a power supply circuit, and the like are integrated in one package. Have been.
[0016]
The housing 3 is a case part in which the G sensor 2 is integrally molded with a resin material 3a mixed with a vibration damping material 3b capable of damping high frequency vibration. That is, the sensor device 1 includes a G sensor 2, a connector terminal 4 for electrically connecting the G sensor 2 to the outside, and a cylindrical metal bush 6 through which a vehicle mounting bolt is inserted. It is configured by being integrally molded with a resin material 3a containing 3b. Therefore, since the post-assembly step of assembling the G sensor after forming the housing as in the conventional sensor device is omitted, the number of manufacturing steps can be reduced, and the sensor device 1 can be replaced with the minimum necessary components. It is possible to make the configuration only with the above, and it is possible to greatly reduce the manufacturing cost as compared with the related art.
[0017]
As the resin material 3a used for the housing 3, for example, a PBT (polybutylene terephthalate) resin, a nylon resin, or the like is suitably used. As the vibration damping material 3b, a material having excellent elasticity such as a thermoplastic elastomer is preferably used.
[0018]
The connector terminal 4 is electrically connected to an airbag control device (not shown) through a conductor (not shown), and an output signal from the G sensor 2 is input to the airbag control device. The airbag control device controls deployment of an airbag (not shown) based on an output signal from the G sensor 2.
[0019]
In the sensor device 1, a bolt is inserted into a metal bush 6 integrally molded with the housing 3, and the sensor device 1 is fastened and fixed to a vehicle-side mounting portion.
[0020]
Next, the operation of each unit when a collision is detected in the sensor device 1 having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0021]
The vibration input to the sensor device 1 due to a vehicle collision or the like is composed of all frequency components. As shown in FIG. 3, the frequency components include a component necessary for determining the collision of the vehicle (mainly a low frequency band, for example, a frequency of less than 1 kHz) and a component unnecessary for the collision determination (mainly a high frequency band, for example, a frequency of 1 kHz or more). ) And can be divided into two. Further, the resonance point of the G sensor 2 (more specifically, the sensing unit) belongs to a high frequency band, and the resonance point of the housing 3 is set to a frequency different from the resonance point of the G sensor 2 (FIG. FIG. 3 shows an example in which it is set lower than the resonance point of the G sensor 2). In a frequency band necessary for collision determination, it is an essential condition that there is no resonance / attenuation of vibration transmission of the housing. Above the frequency at which the resonance of the G sensor starts, the vibration input to the G sensor 2 It is an essential condition that the signal is attenuated to a level that does not affect the detection of the sensor 2 on the low frequency side. Further, since the resonance point of the housing is set lower than the resonance point of the G sensor, resonance of the housing may occur in a frequency band near the housing resonance point.
[0022]
Next, the flow from the collision G vibration input due to the collision to the sensor output will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 6A, the collision G vibration is configured by superimposing a high-frequency vibration (shown by a thin line) on a low-frequency vibration (shown by a thick line). Then, when vibration is transmitted to the sensor device 1 via the vehicle, as shown in FIG. 6 is attenuated (resonance peak is reduced), and only low-frequency vibration necessary for collision determination is transmitted to the G sensor 2 as shown in FIG. Then, as shown in FIG. 6C, only the low-frequency vibration within the dynamic range is transmitted to the G sensor 2, and the G sensor 2 outputs a correct G detection signal. Thus, the airbag control device can accurately determine the collision state based on the correct G detection signal, and can appropriately control the deployment of the airbag.
[0023]
Here, for comparison, FIG. 6D shows a case where the vibration transmission characteristic is inappropriate in the conventional sensor device. As is clear from FIG. 6D, the G sensor resonates due to the high frequency vibration, and the vibration of the specific frequency is amplified. For this reason, a vibration exceeding the dynamic range of the G sensor is transmitted, and a correct G detection signal cannot be obtained.
[0024]
Further, according to the present embodiment, the G sensor 2 is covered with the resin material 3a in which the vibration damping material 3b is blended, whereby the airtightness is maintained, and the effect of removing moisture and corrosion can be eliminated. Is done.
[0025]
Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various changes can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.
[0026]
For example, in the above-described embodiment, an example is shown in which the present invention is applied to a collision detection sensor device for detecting acceleration or vibration. For example, a rollover sensor, a roll rate sensor, a yaw rate sensor, and the like for detecting angular velocity It is also possible to apply to. In short, the present invention can be applied to a sensor device including an electronic sensor that outputs an electric signal in accordance with a physical displacement of the sensing unit, and a housing on which the electronic sensor is mounted.
[0027]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the sensor device of the present invention, the housing on which the electronic sensor that outputs an electric signal in accordance with the physical displacement of the sensing unit is mounted is made of a resin material containing a vibration damping material. Therefore, the high-frequency vibration that causes resonance is reliably attenuated, and the sensor device can perform correct detection output such as collision, vibration, and angular velocity without being affected by resonance.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a state in which a collision detection sensor device according to a first embodiment of the present invention is viewed from a side.
FIG. 2 is a graph showing an example of a G detection output characteristic of a G sensor.
FIG. 3 is a graph showing a relationship between a vibration transmission rate and a vibration frequency in a G sensor and a housing.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a flow from a collision G vibration input to a sensor output.
FIG. 5 is a graph showing a change in vibration transmission characteristics of a housing depending on the presence or absence of a vibration damping material.
6A is a graph illustrating an example of an input waveform of a collision G, FIG. 6B is a graph illustrating an example of a vibration waveform in which high-frequency vibration is attenuated by a vibration damping effect of a vibration damping material, and FIG. (D) is a graph showing an example of a vibration waveform input to the G sensor, and (d) is a graph showing an example of a vibration waveform transmitted to the G sensor when vibration transmission characteristics are inappropriate in the conventional sensor device. Is shown.
FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an example of a collision detection sensor device according to the related art.
FIG. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram showing another example of the collision detection sensor device according to the related art.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Collision detection sensor apparatus (sensor apparatus), 2 ... G sensor (electronic sensor), 3 ... housing | casing, 3a ... resin material, 3b ... vibration damping material.

Claims (3)

In a sensor device including an electronic sensor that outputs an electric signal according to a physical displacement of the sensing unit and a housing on which the electronic sensor is mounted,
A sensor device, wherein the housing is made of a resin material mixed with a vibration damping material capable of damping high-frequency vibration. 2. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic sensor is integrally molded with a resin material containing the vibration damping material. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration damping material is a thermoplastic elastomer.

Images