The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 11, 2018
Filed:
Aug. 04, 2016
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Erlanger, KY (US);
Paxton S. Williams, Milan, MI (US);
Jaime N. Moore, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Crystal J. Mink, South Lyon, MI (US);
TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC., Plano, TX (US);
Abstract
A vehicle roof structure for concealing one or more sensors therein includes a roof panel, a windshield extending up to the roof panel, and a spoiler. The spoiler extends across at least a portion of a width of the roof panel and includes a leading portion that is substantially parallel to a windshield-roof interface, an apex, wherein a height of the spoiler increases from a height of the roof panel to a height of the apex as the spoiler extends from the leading portion to the apex in a vehicle longitudinal direction, and a trailing portion extending from the apex to the roof panel. A sensor volume is formed between the spoiler and the roof panel. One or more sensors are at least partially positioned within the sensor volume, wherein the one or more sensors output a signal indicative of a characteristic of an environment of the vehicle.