Roof Module for a Motor Vehicle, Comprising a Sensor Module Having a Housing

Abstract

A motor vehicle, in particular for a passenger car, having a support structure, a roof skin, which is disposed on the support structure, and at least one sensor module having at least one environment sensor for detecting a vehicle environment and having at least one housing for accommodating the environment sensor. The housing of the sensor module is disposed on the support structure and has a construction which collapses or is deformed when defined external forces are applied such that deformation forces, which are exerted by the sensor module on the support structure or on another roof module component, are reduced.

Claims

1. A roof module for a motor vehicle, comprising: a support structure, a roof skin, which is disposed on the support structure, and at least one sensor module having at least one environment sensor for detecting a vehicle environment and having at least one housing for accommodating the environment sensor, wherein the housing of the sensor module is disposed on the support structure and has a construction which collapses or is deformed when defined external forces are applied such that deformation forces, which are exerted by the sensor module on the support structure or on another roof module component, are reduced.

2. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein the construction of the housing has a defined material weakening area such that the housing breaks and/or is deformed in a defined manner when external forces are applied.

3. The roof module according to claim 2, wherein the material weakening area comprises a predetermined breaking point or a predetermined bending area.

4. The roof module according to claim 2, wherein the material weakening area comprises a tapering of a housing wall of the housing.

5. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein the material weakening area is configured to form a connection between two sections of the housing.

6. The roof module according to claim 5, wherein the connection comprises an adhesive bond, a rivet, a screw connection, a catch mechanism, a welded seam, a soldered seam and/or the like.

7. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein the housing has structural elements on which the material weakening area is formed.

8. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein the housing is at least partly made of plastic.

9. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein the housing is a thin-walled metal housing, at least in sections.

10. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein the roof skin covers the environment sensor.

11. A vehicle roof for a motor vehicle, comprising: a support structure, a roof skin, which is disposed on the support structure, and at least one sensor module having at least one environment sensor for detecting a vehicle environment and having at least one housing for accommodating the environment sensor, wherein the housing of the sensor module is disposed on the support structure and has a construction which collapses or is deformed when defined external forces are applied such that deformation forces, which are exerted by the sensor module on the support structure or on another roof module component, are reduced.

12. A motor vehicle, comprising a roof module according to claim 11.

Description

[0026] Embodiments of a vehicle roof module according to the invention are illustrated schematically simplified in the drawing and are described in more detail hereinafter.

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a top view of a vehicle roof having a roof module according to the invention;

[0028] FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the vehicle roof according to FIG. 1 along line II-II in FIG. 1;

[0029] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a sensor module of the vehicle roof according to FIG. 1; and

[0030] FIG. 4 shows the sensor module according to FIG. 3 in an accident situation.

[0031] FIG. 1 illustrates a motor vehicle 10 which is formed as a passenger car and has a vehicle roof 12 which overstretches a vehicle interior. Vehicle roof 12 comprises a roof module 14 which is disposed between roof side rails 16, which are disposed on either side of a vertical longitudinal center roof plane and which form the lateral edges of vehicle roof 12. Roof side rails 14 are components of a vehicle body representing a vehicle shell structure.

[0032] As can be gathered from FIG. 2, roof module 14 comprises a roof skin 18 and a frame-like support structure 20, which is a roof substructure and forms an intersection of roof module 14 with roof side rails 16.

[0033] In a central area of skin 18, a transparent roof portion 22 is formed through which light can enter a vehicle interior.

[0034] Roof module 14 is formed as a roof sensor module (RSM) which is provided with devices that allow the respective motor vehicle to be driven autonomously. To this end, roof module 14 has a sensor technology which comprises a sensor module 24 in each of the four corner areas of roof module 14, sensor module 24 being provided with environment sensors 26 by means of which the vehicle environment can be detected for realizing autonomous driving. Environment sensors 26 are each disposed in a housing 28 of respective sensor module 24, which is disposed on support structure 20.

[0035] Roof skin 18 covers sensor modules 24 and has a side wall 30 in the area of each sensor module 24, side walls 30 forming sensor see-through portions for respective environment sensors 26. By evaluating the measuring signals of environment sensors 26 by means of a control device of motor vehicle 10, a respective traffic situation is determinable such that motor vehicle 10 can autonomously or independently adjust to the respective traffic situation and act accordingly.

[0036] Environment sensors 26 can have various designs and comprise a lidar sensor, a radar sensor, a camera and/or another suitable sensor, for example.

[0037] Side walls 30 of roof skin 18 are transparent for the wavelengths used by environment sensors 26. In particular, side walls 30 or areas of the side walls are transparent for wavelengths between 200 nm and 2000 nm and/or for radar beams.

[0038] Housings 28 of sensor modules 24 of roof module 14 each have defined material weakening areas which are realized by respective predetermined breaking points 32. For example, predetermined breaking points 32 are formed as rivet-like material taperings in sheet-metal or plastic of which housing 28 is produced. Thus, it can be achieved in an accident situation that kinetic energy which acts on respective housing 28 is absorbed because of housing 28 breaking in the area of predetermined breaking points 32 and not transferred from housing 28 to support structure 20, because in this case respective sensor module 24 would be at risk of pushing support structure 20 towards the vehicle interior, at least in sections, whereby vehicle occupants would be put in danger. The behavior of sensor modules 24 in the described accident situation is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 shows a sensor module 24 in normal condition, meaning in operable condition. On the contrary, in the situation illustrated in FIG. 4, sensor housing 28 has been destroyed by breaking in a defined manner at predetermined breaking points 32.

[0039] Housings 28 of sensor modules 24 can also have material weakening areas which are formed by a predetermined bending area which is formed on housing 28 instead of predetermined breaking points 32 or realized by connecting means, such as an adhesive bond, a rivet, a screw connection, a catch mechanism, a welded seam, a soldered seam and/or the like. The connecting means detach when corresponding forces are applied.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0040] 10 motor vehicle [0041] 12 vehicle roof [0042] 14 roof module [0043] 16 roof side rail [0044] 18 roof skin [0045] 20 support structure [0046] 22 transparent roof portion [0047] 24 sensor module [0048] 26 environment sensor [0049] 28 housing [0050] 30 side wall [0051] 32 predetermined breaking point