JP2012070244A - Ultrasonic transceiver - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrasonic transceiver unit capable of making an ultrasonic transceiver hard to be drawn out even in the case where a force is applied in a direction of drawing out from a bumper to the ultrasonic transceiver in view of a conventional ultrasonic transceiver unit for mounting on the exterior of a vehicle having the ultrasonic transceiver held with a cushion which is made up of a silicone of an elastic modulus.SOLUTION: In a side surface of a case 13 which constitutes an ultrasonic transceiver, a hollow part 13a is provided, and in an inner side of a housing where a cushion for the ultrasonic transceiver is mounted, a projecting part 14a is provided. A projecting part 15c of the housing inner side is inserted in the hollow 13a provided in the side surface of the case with the cushion sandwiched. When a pull out force is applied to the ultrasonic transceiver, the projecting part of the housing is caught at the hollow part of the case, and becomes difficult to be drawn out thereby. By providing a U-shaped penetration hole in the surrounding of the projecting part provided in the housing inner side, a circumference of the projecting part changes easily, and it is possible to mount easily the ultrasonic transceiver with the cushion mounted from a design surface side of the housing.

Description

The present invention relates to an aerial ultrasonic transceiver unit attached to an exterior part of a vehicle.

Object detection systems using ultrasonic waves are used in a wide range of fields. In recent years, object detection systems using ultrasonic transceivers have been actively developed as back sonar for vehicles.

The ultrasonic transmitter / receiver used for vehicles generally has the following structure. A piezoelectric element to which an electrode is attached is bonded to the bottom surface of a bottomed cylindrical case made of an aluminum alloy. The electrode of the piezoelectric element and the external electrode terminal are connected by a lead wire. The inside of the bottomed cylindrical case is sealed by inserting a foam and further filling with silicone. A bottomed cylindrical case used for an ultrasonic transmitter / receiver currently produced generally has an outer diameter of φ12 to φ18. If the outer diameter is larger than this, the designability when attached to the bumper is deteriorated, and if it is small, sufficient ultrasonic characteristics cannot be obtained. Ultrasonic transceivers up to φ8 have been developed. In addition to aluminum alloys, ultrasonic transceivers using a resin material such as an epoxy resin as a material for a bottomed cylindrical case have been developed. By applying a pulse voltage of a specific frequency to the electrodes of the piezoelectric element, the top surface of the bottomed cylindrical case constituting the ultrasonic transceiver vibrates, and ultrasonic waves are generated in the air. In addition, ultrasonic waves can be received on the same surface. By measuring the time until the ultrasonic wave generated in the air is reflected back to the object and returned, the presence of the object and the distance to the object can be known.

The ultrasonic transmitter / receiver used here generates or receives ultrasonic waves by the vibration of the bottomed cylindrical case constituting the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver, without interfering with the vibration of the case on the object to which the ultrasonic waves are attached. In addition, it is necessary to devise measures not to transmit extraneous vibration from the outside to the case.
In general, an ultrasonic transmitter / receiver for a vehicle is covered with a cushion made of silicone having a Shore A hardness of about 30 to 60. The ultrasonic transceiver is attached to the housing via a cushion. By using a polymer elastomer having a low elastic modulus and large vibration damping as a cushion material, the ultrasonic transceiver can be held without hindering the vibration of the case constituting the ultrasonic transceiver. As the material of the cushion, silicone having a flat temperature characteristic and high durability is widely used.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a unit in which an ultrasonic transceiver is attached to a car bumper. A resin base 12 provided with a metal pin terminal 8 for connecting to an external electrode is attached to one end of a bottomed cylindrical case 1 constituting an ultrasonic transceiver via a spacer 11 made of silicone. The bottomed cylindrical case 1 and the resin base 12 of the ultrasonic transceiver are covered with a cylindrical cushion 3 made of silicone. An ultrasonic transmitter / receiver to which the cushion 3 is attached is inserted into a cylindrical opening provided in the housing 10. The metal pin terminal 8 of the resin base 12 and the metal terminal provided in the housing 10 are coupled by soldering. A bumper cover 4 is attached to a hole opened in the bumper 5. The bumper cover 4 is held on the bumper 5 by a metal spring 9. The ultrasonic transceiver is fixed to the bumper 5 by attaching the housing 10 to the bumper cover 4.

Patent Publication 2001-289939 Patent Publication 2006-47008

Since the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver is held by a cushion made of a low elastic modulus material such as silicone, the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver falls off when force is applied to the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver in the direction of pulling it out of the bumper. There is a possibility. The pulling direction force generated in the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver includes pulling force by a human and water pressure during high-pressure car washing. For example, when the water pressure of the high-pressure car wash is strong, the cushion is pushed and expanded by the force of the water pressure, and a force in the direction of pushing out the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver is further applied, so that the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver is likely to fall off.

In the first aspect of the present invention, the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver falls off by providing a dent on the side surface of the case constituting the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver and hooking the convex portion provided inside the housing through the cushion. Realize difficult ultrasonic transceiver unit.

On the side of the bottomed cylindrical case that constitutes the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver, a recess for hooking the cushion and the claw of the housing is provided. The bottomed cylindrical case has at least a cylindrical portion made of a design surface having an outer diameter of φ8 to φ18. It is a bottomed cylindrical case with a closed end made of metal or resin. Ultrasound is generated by the top surface vibration of the design surface. The cushion attached to the bottomed cylindrical case is provided with a convex portion on the inner side that matches the dent of the case. A recess is provided on the outer side of the cushion at a position overlapping the inner convex portion. The housing provided with the cylindrical opening for inserting the ultrasonic transceiver has a convex portion inside the cylindrical portion. The convex portion of the housing opening is designed so that the convex portion of the housing comes to the position of the recess of the case constituting the ultrasonic transceiver when the ultrasonic transceiver and the cushion are attached to the housing. Ultrasonic waves that are hard to come off even when force is applied to the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver in the direction of pulling it out of the bumper, because the inner convex part and the outer concave part provided on the cushion are sandwiched between the concave part of the case and the convex part of the housing. Realize transceiver unit

According to the second aspect of the present invention, by providing a U-shaped through hole around the convex portion provided in the housing, the convex portion and its periphery are easily deformed with a small force, and the ultrasonic transceiver and the cushion The workability when attaching to the housing is improved.

In the invention according to claim 3, by providing a U-shaped through-hole facing each other on the side surface of the opening of the housing, the connecting portion formed between the ends of the U-shape is used as a fulcrum. By creating the seesaw-shaped operating portion and providing the convex portion of the housing at the tip of the portion corresponding to the seesaw plate, it becomes easier to attach the ultrasonic transceiver and the cushion to the housing. By providing the operating portion, the ultrasonic transceiver with the cushion attached can be inserted from the cylindrical opening of the housing.

Practical example

Examples of the present invention are shown below.
FIG. 2 shows an example of a bottomed cylindrical case 13 according to the present invention. A recess 13a is provided on the side surface of the bottomed cylindrical case 13 made of an aluminum alloy and having an outer diameter φ14 and a height of 9 mm. The inside of the bottomed cylindrical case 13 is hollowed out so that the bottom surface 13b becomes an oval shape so that a large area is detected in the horizontal direction and an object only in a narrow area is detected in the vertical direction when attached to the car. ing. For example, in the example shown in the drawing, the width of the oval bottom surface 13b is 13 mm at the wide side and 7 mm at the narrow side. The inside of the bottomed cylindrical case 13 may not be a complete oval type. For example, the bottomed cylindrical case 13 having a stepped side surface or a dumbbell-shaped bottom surface 13b may be used. The recess 13a provided in the bottomed cylindrical case 13 leaves a little (about 1 mm in the example in the figure) from the open end of the bottomed cylindrical case 13, and is a groove-like recess 13 that is horizontal on the top surface. (In the example shown in the figure, a groove having a width of 3 mm and a depth of 1 mm from the outer periphery) is provided. Since the inside of the bottomed cylindrical case 13 is oval, the side surface of the bottomed cylindrical case 13 has a thick portion and a thin portion. In the illustrated example, the recesses 13a are provided at two locations on the thick side wall.

A piezoelectric element with an electrode (for example, a φ5 having a silver electrode on both sides and a thickness of 0.2 mm) is bonded to the bottom surface 13b of the bottomed cylindrical case with an adhesive, and the piezoelectric element is attached to the electrode of the piezoelectric element. Attach electrodes (such as lead wires) to the control unit of the ultrasonic transceiver. A sound-absorbing material is inserted into the bottomed cylindrical case 13 and filled with a sealant, whereby a sealed air ultrasonic transmitter / receiver can be obtained.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the cushion 14 embodying the present invention.
The cylindrical cushion 14 attached to the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver is designed so that the inner diameter is φ14 and the outer diameter is thicker than the inner diameter by several millimeters (1.0 mm in the example in the figure). The inside of the cushion 14 is designed so that the bottomed cylindrical case 13 with φ14 having a recess 13a on the side surface can be adjusted. On the inner side of the cushion 14, a convex portion 14 a that matches the recess 13 a of the bottomed cylindrical case 13 is provided. On the outer side of the cushion 14, a recess 14b is provided in a portion overlapping the inner convex portion 14a. In the illustrated example, a groove-like recess 14b having a width of 1.0 mm and a depth of 1.0 mm is provided. By inserting the convex portion 15c of the housing 15 designed to enter the recess 14b into the recess 14b provided in the outer side of the cushion 14 (width 1.0 mm and depth 1.0 mm in the illustrated example), the housing Fifteen convex portions 15 a are caught in the concave portions 13 a on the side surface of the bottomed cylindrical case 13 with the cushion 14 interposed therebetween.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a housing in which the present invention is implemented. FIG. 5 shows a side view (a) and a sectional view (b) of the housing. A housing 15 for attaching an ultrasonic transmitter / receiver with a cushion 14 is used for controlling a cylindrical portion 15a for inserting the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver and a part of a circuit for amplifying the signal of the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver. It is L-shaped with rectangular box portions 15b connected. The inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 15a of the housing 15 is the same as the outer diameter of the cushion 14, and the outer side is designed to be several mm thicker than the inner diameter (1.5 mm in the example in the figure). Convex portions 15c (with a width of 1.0 mm and a height of 1.0 mm in the illustrated example) are provided at two locations inside the cylindrical portion 15a.
FIG. 6 shows an enlarged view of the convex portion 15 c provided on the housing 15 and a sectional view thereof. Two U-shaped through holes 15d facing each other around the convex portion 15a are formed. The seesaw-shaped operating portion 15f is formed in the remaining portion by the opposing U-shaped through hole 15d. A fulcrum 15e is formed between the tips of the U-shaped ends. When a force in the pushing direction is applied to one end 15g of the portion corresponding to the seesaw plate, the other end 15h is lifted around the fulcrum 15e. The convex portion 15c inside the housing cylindrical portion 15a is provided at one end 15h of a portion corresponding to a seesaw plate. The thickness of the through-hole portion 15d is even adjusted so that the seesaw portion can be easily operated. When one end 15g without the convex portion 15c is pushed in from the outside, the convex portion 15h is lifted to the outside of the housing 15, so that the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver to which the cushion 14 is attached can be inserted from the cylindrical portion 15a side of the housing 15. .

FIG. 7 shows an example in which a housing 15 to which a bottomed cylindrical case 13 and a cushion 14 according to the present invention are attached is attached to a bumper cover 16.
The housing 15 to which the ultrasonic transceiver is attached is inserted into the bumper cover 16 attached to the bumper. The inside of the bumper cover 16 is designed to match the cylindrical portion 15 a of the housing 15. When the bumper cover 16 is attached, the seesaw-shaped operating portion 15 f provided in the housing 15 is fixed by the bumper cover 16.

Even when a force in the pulling direction is applied to the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver, the convex portion 15c of the housing 15 is caught by the concave portion 13a of the bottomed cylindrical case 13 via the cushion 14. The sound wave transmitter / receiver never falls off.

Even when the water pressure of a high-pressure car wash is applied, it is difficult to come off. Even if the water pressure pushes the cushion 14, if the cushion 14 is not destroyed, the bottomed cylindrical case 13 and the cushion 14 will not be caught, and the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver will not easily fall off.

Further, by providing a through-hole in the side surface of the bumper cover 16, the water that has entered from between the cushion 14 and the bumper cover 16 is drained from the through-hole 15 d of the housing to the through-hole of the bumper cover 16. Decreases,
It is more robust against water pressure than a conventional ultrasonic transceiver unit that is completely sealed.

As another shape, a housing in which a U-shaped through hole is provided on the side surface of the housing 15 and a convex portion is provided at the tip of the working part formed by the through hole is conceivable. In this case, the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver with the cushion 14 attached is inserted into the housing in order to reduce the amount of operation of the convex portion as compared to the housing 15 having the U-shaped through hole 15d facing each other. Things get a little difficult. Further, if the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver with the cushion 14 attached is inserted into the housing, the housing and the convex part are caught by the concave part 14b of the cushion and cannot be easily removed, so that it is difficult to perform the work again.

Ultrasonic transceiver unit attached to a conventional bumper Examples of bottomed cylindrical cases embodying the present invention Example of a cushion with this form Examples of housings embodying the present invention Side and cross section of housing embodying the invention Working portion around the convex portion of the housing embodying the present invention Example of Bumper Cover with Bottomed Cylindrical Case, Cushion, and Housing Implementing the Present Invention

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Bottomed cylindrical case 2 Piezoelectric element 3 Cushion 4 Bumper cover 5 Bumper 6 Lead wire 7 Sound absorbing material 8 Metal pin 9 Metal spring 10 Housing 11 Silicone spacer 12 Resin base 13 Bottomed cylindrical case 13a Bottomed cylindrical shape Case recess 14 Cushion 14a Cushion projection 14b Cushion recess 15 Housing 15a Housing cylinder 15b Housing box 15c Housing projection 15d U-shaped through-hole 15e fulcrum 15f Operating portion 15g Operating One end of U (no recess)
15h One end of the working part (there is a convex part)
16 Bumper cover

Claims (3)

A sealed aerial ultrasonic transmitter / receiver having an outer diameter of φ8 mm to φ18 mm, which generates ultrasonic waves by top surface vibration of one end surface of a closed cylindrical portion made of metal or resin, and ultrasonic waves A cushion made of silicone having a cylindrical portion for covering the side surface of the transceiver, a housing having a cylindrical opening for attaching the ultrasonic transceiver to which the cushion is attached, and a side surface outside the cylindrical portion of the housing An ultrasonic transmitter / receiver unit for mounting to a car exterior comprising a bumper cover attached to cover, a bottomed cylindrical case constituting the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver has a dent on a side surface, and the cushion is inside A convex portion that matches the concave portion of the case side surface provided in the bottomed cylindrical case, and an outer concave portion provided at a position overlapping the inner convex portion. The housing has a convex part that matches the concave part on the outside of the cushion in the cylindrical part for attaching the ultrasonic transceiver, and the convex part on the inside and the concave part provided on the cushion are the concave part of the case. The ultrasonic transmitter / receiver unit is characterized in that the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver is difficult to be removed from the cushion by being sandwiched by the convex portion of the housing By providing a U-shaped through hole on the side surface of the cylindrical portion of the housing so as to leave the convex portion of the housing, the convex portion and the periphery thereof are easily deformed, and the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver to which the cushion is attached is provided. The ultrasonic transmitter / receiver unit according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver unit can be easily inserted from the cylindrical opening side of the antenna. A seesaw-type working part with a connecting part formed between the tip of the U-shaped as a fulcrum by providing a through-hole based on the opposite U-shaped on the side of the opening of the housing. By forming the convex part of the housing at the tip of the part that corresponds to the plate of the seesaw,
2. The ultrasonic transmitter / receiver unit according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver to which the cushion is attached can be easily inserted from the cylindrical opening side of the housing.

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