Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.

Panasonic Corporation

Yasushi Nagano

Takashi Tsuji

Naoya Azuma

Hiroshi Urase

Osamu Hirakawa

An ultrasonic sensor is provided with a mount that is fixed to an inside-face of the bumper, and a sensor body that is coupled to the mount so as to be exposed outside the bumper through an exposure hole that is provided in the bumper. Compared with a case where an ultrasonic sensor is fixed to a bumper by sandwiching the bumper from inside and outside of the bumper, appearance can be improved, since protrusion outward from the bumper is eliminated.

Ultrasonic sensor

The ultrasonic-transducer mounting structure includes: a housing including: a body part which is formed into a hollow cylindrical shape and is provided at its front surface with a transmission surface allowing an ultrasonic wave to pass therethrough and is designed to accommodate an ultrasonic transducer therein; and plural connection pieces provided to a side surface of the body part; and a holder fixed to a rear surface of a bumper and designed to hold the housing such that the transmission surface of the housing is exposed via an opening of the bumper. The holder includes plural reception pieces to which the plural connection pieces are detachably coupled respectively. The plural reception pieces are fixed to the rear surface of the bumper to surround the opening.

Ultrasonic-transducer mounting structure

An ultrasonic wave device includes a holding member designed to be fixed to an inner surface of a bumper as a vehicle outer panel, and a body block designed to be connected with the holding member. The body block includes a head designed to be inserted in an exposing hole provided at the bumper, and at least one abutting part designed to abut on the inner surface of the bumper at a position closer to the exposing hole than a position where the holding member is fixed. The body block is biased to an outer side of the bumper by a spring force of the clamping part, which is a biasing part provided with the holding member.

Ultrasonic wave device

An obstacle detection system includes ultrasonic sensors and a controller. The ultrasonic sensors include first and second ultrasonic sensors. Each of them is located at either side of a vehicle bumper so that its own beam axis has an angle deflected in a horizontal direction from a surface-normal direction of the bumper and is directed towards an intermediate portion of the bumper.

Obstacle detection system with ultrasonic sensors located at either side of a bumper, having own beam axes at an angle deflected in a horizontal direction from a surface-normal direction of the bumper

An ultrasonic sensor includes a transceiver block having a transceiver device for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves and a circuit board mounted with an electronic circuit for processing ultrasonic signals transmitted and received through the transceiver device. A housing of the ultrasonic sensor has an opening and a communication hole, and the circuit board is stored into the housing through the opening. The transceiver block is attached to the housing. An electric connector extends through the communication hole of the housing to electrically interconnect the transceiver device and the electronic circuit of the circuit board; and a cover member closes the opening of the housing. The communication hole is sealed by a filler material.

An ultrasonic sensor that has a simplified structure, ensures high water resistance, and shortens the manufacturing time. An ultrasonic sensor includes a transducer, an electronic circuit substrate on which an electronic circuit is arranged to process an ultrasonic signal transmitted and received via the transducer, and a housing including a substrate retainer that retains the electronic circuit board. The substrate retainer includes a lid welded to an open portion thereof to hermetically seal the substrate retainer against the entry of a liquid.

Growing community of inventors

Mie, Japan

Yasushi Nagano