RADOME FOR A RADAR DEVICE OF OR FOR A VEHICLE, RADAR DEVICE COMPRISING SUCH A RADOME, CLADDING COMPONENT AND VEHICLE WITH SUCH A RADAR DEVICE

Abstract

A radome includes a cover member made of a radar-transparent resin, a structural member made of a radar-transparent resin. The cover member encloses the structural member, and each are fastened to the other in a fixing section. The fixing section is formed by the cover member or the structural member, and is protected by a protective layer applied to the structural member and extending into or overlapping the fixing section. Alternatively, the fixing section is formed by the cover member or a housing, and is covered by the housing or the housing extends into or overlaps the fixing section. The housing forms an opening for the radar waves (r).

Claims

1. A radome for a radar device for a vehicle, the radome comprising: a cover member made of a radar-transparent resin; a structural member made of a radar-transparent resin; the cover member enclosing the structural member; the cover member and the structural member being fastened to each other in a fixing section; at least one of the fixing section being formed by the cover member or the structural member, the fixing section being protected by a protective layer, the protective layer being applied to the structural member and extending into or overlapping the fixing section, or the fixing section being formed by the cover member or a housing, the fixing section being covered by the housing or the housing extending into or overlapping the fixing section, the housing forming an opening for the radar waves (r).

2. The radome according to claim 1, wherein the cover member is made of a light transparent resin, the structural member is an optical lens made of a light transparent resin, and the radome further comprises a light source for illuminating the radome.

3. The radome according to claim 1, wherein at least one of: the protective layer is radar transparent, or radar transparent and reflective to light, or a protective layer is applied to the structural member and is at least one of radar transparent, or radar transparent and reflective to light.

4. The radome according to claim 3, wherein the protective layer is opaque to light.

5. The radome according to claim 3, wherein the protective layer is reflective and comprises at least one of white PC/PMMA, white lacquer, white tampon or pad print, white screen print or metallized or a red pigment.

6. The radome according to claim 3, wherein the protective layer is a reflective foil.

7. The radome according to claim 2, wherein the optical lens includes a diffusive material that optimizes light performance.

8. The radome according to claim 2, wherein the light source is fastened to at least one of: the cover member or the structural member or the housing.

9. The radome according to claim 1, wherein the cover member includes an outer surface and an inner surface, and a decorative layer is applied to the inner surface and/or to the outer surface.

10. The radome according to claim 9, wherein the decorative layer has the same composition as the protective layer.

11. The radome according to claim 9, wherein a radar-transparent lacquer is applied to the outer surface.

12. The radome according to claim 1, wherein a gap is formed between the cover member and the structural member.

13. The radome according to claim 1, further comprising a heating unit for heating the radome.

14. A radar device for a vehicle, the radar device comprising: a radome according to claim 1; and a radar source for providing radar waves (r).

15. A cladding component for a vehicle, the cladding component comprising: a radar device according to claim 14.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] Reference is now made more particularly to the drawings, which illustrate the best presently known mode of carrying out the invention and wherein similar reference characters indicate the same parts throughout the views.

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a radar device according to the invention.

[0035] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the radar device according to the invention.

[0036] FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the radar device according to the invention.

[0037] FIG. 4 shows a vehicle equipped with a radar device according to one of the shown embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a radar device 101 according to the present invention which can be used for a vehicle 12 (see FIG. 4). The radar device 101 comprises a radome 14 and a radar source 16 for generating radar waves r. The radome 14 is arranged at or near the front end of the vehicle 12, while the radar source 16 is placed towards the center of the vehicle 12 (see FIG. 4). The radar device 101 defines a longitudinal axis AL.

[0039] The radome 14 has a cover member 18 and a structural member 20, the latter being embodied as an optical lens 25. For this purpose, the optical lens 25 is made of a light transparent resin. The same is true for the cover member 18. The cover member 18 has an outer surface 19 and an inner surface 21. The cover member 18 and the optical lens 25 are preferably made of radar transparent resin. In other words, light rays l and radar waves r can penetrate the cover member 18 and the optical lens 25.

[0040] The optical lens 25 forms a first surface 22 and a second surface 24. The first surface 22 is facing the cover member 18 while the second surface 24 is directed towards the radar source 16. The cover member 18 and the optical lens 25 are fastened to each other in a fixing section 26 by fixing means 28. The fixing section 26 is provided on the first surface 22 of the optical lens 25. In the first embodiment a glue 30 is used as fixing means 28 such that a material bond is generated. However, other fixing means 28 like screws, clips, latches, magnets, welding or the like (not shown) may be used. In this case, additional parts like sealing elements and gaskets can be provided in particular in the fixing section 26. The fixing section 26 is formed by the optical lens 25 which comprises a radially outer rim 32 into which the cover member 18 can be inserted. The rim 32 positions the cover member 18 relative to the optical lens 25. In the connected state, the cover member 18 encloses almost the entire optical lens 25.

[0041] A protective layer 34 is applied to the second surface 24 of the optical lens 25 and thus also being oriented to the radar source 16. The protective layer 34 is radar transparent and reflective to light and opaque. In the shown embodiments the protective layer 34 may be a white paint

[0042] The protective layer 34 can cover the entire second surface 24 and thus extends to the rim 32 of the optical lens 25. However, a partial covering is also possible. In the radial direction, i.e., perpendicular to the longitudinal axis AL, the protective layer 34 overlaps the fixing section 26. The radome 14 and in particular the optical lens 25 is shielded by the cover member 18 against impacts originating from the front and the side while the protective layer 34 protects the optical lens 25 against impacts from the back.

[0043] A gap 36 is formed between the optical lens 25 and the cover member 18. Moreover, a decorative layer 38 is applied on the inner surface 21 of the cover member 18. Alternatively or cumulatively, the decorative layer 38 can also be applied on the outer surface 19. The decorative layer 38 is provided with cut-outs 40 that follow a certain shape, i.e., the brand logo of the vehicle 12 manufacturer. Beyond that, a light source 42 is fastened to the optical lens 25 by which light rays l can be generated.

[0044] In FIG. 1 the way of travel of the radar waves r and the light rays l is indicated. The radar waves r generated by the radar source 16 are leaving the same within a cone shaped volume and penetrate the optical lens 25 and the cover member 18. Thus, the radar waves r only have to penetrate these two units. The light rays l leaving the light source 42 first enter the optical lens 25 and are reflected by the protective layer 34. As mentioned, a gap 36 is formed between the optical lens 25 and the cover member 18. Thus, the first surface 22 of the optical lens 25 is limiting the gap 36. Therefore, the light rays l arriving at the first surface 22 from the interior of the optical lens 25 are to a large extent totally reflected and thus remain inside the optical lens 25 which therefore acts as a light guide. The light rays l run through the cut-outs 40 and penetrate the cover member 18 such that the radome 14 is illuminated according to the shape of the decorative layer 38. The optical lens 25 may be provided with outcoupling sections 58 (see FIG. 3) by which the light rays l may be coupled out of the optical lens 25. The outcoupling sections 58 may be located adjacent or aligned with the cut-outs 40 to increase the portion of the out-coupled light rays l in the area of the cut-outs 40.

[0045] As shown, the protective layer 34 has a planar shape throughout the back side of the structural member 20 with constant thickness, or it may increase in thickness in outcoupling sections 58 to improve light efficiency and homogeneity (see FIG. 3).

[0046] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of a radar device 102 according to the present invention. The basic layout of the radar device 102 according to the second embodiment is to a large extent similar to the layout of the radar device 101 according to the first embodiment, so only the main difference will be described in the following. The cover member 18 and the optical lens 25 are fastened to each other in the same way as in the first embodiment of the radar device 101. One of the main differences is that the radome 14 comprises a housing 44 that is fastened to the optical lens 25. The fixing means 28 used for fastening the cover member 18 to the optical lens 25 can also be employed for fastening the housing 44 to the optical lens 25. The housing 44 forms an opening 46 through which the radar waves r can travel. The protective layer 34 is interrupted by the housing 44. As described for the first embodiment of the radar device 101, the protective layer 34 extends to the rim 32 of the optical lens 25. In the radial direction, i.e., perpendicular to the longitudinal axis AL, the protective layer 34 overlaps the fixing section 26. The light source 42 is arranged on the inner surface 21 of the cover member 18.

[0047] In the second embodiment of a radar device 102, the first surface 22 of the optical lens 25 is partially covered with the protective layer 34. The protective layer 34 is provided as a diffusive foil 48 that is light permeable and homogenizes the light rays l impinging thereon. Accordingly, the protective layer 34 is arranged in the center of the radome 14. The cut-outs 40 of the decorative layer 38 of the cover member 18 are also arranged in the center of the radome 14. The light rays l that exit the optical lens 25 via the diffusive foil 48 can almost directly pass through the cut-outs 40, thereby providing an efficient and homogeneous illumination of the radome 14 according to the shape of the cut-outs 40.

[0048] FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of a radar device 103 according to the present invention. Again, only the main differences regarding the first embodiment of the radar device 101 will be described in the following. In the third embodiment, the cover member 18 and the optical lens 25 are not directly connected with each other. Instead, they are indirectly connected to each other by the housing 44. Accordingly, the fixing section 26 is formed by the housing 44 in which the housing 44 is connected to the cover member 18 by fixing means 28 as described above. Radially inwards of the fixing section 26 the housing 44 is fastened to the optical lens 25. Also in this case, the same fixing means 28 for fastening the optical lens 25 to the housing 44 may be employed.

[0049] As the fixing section 26 is formed by the housing 44, it is not necessary that the protective layer 34 extends radially outwards. Instead, only the free second surface 24 is covered by the protective layer 34. In this case, not only the protective layer 34 but also the housing 44 shield the optical lens 25 and the cover member 18 against impacts from the back.

[0050] Also in this case the housing 44 forms the opening 46 such that the radar waves r only have to penetrate the optical lens 25 and the cover member 18.

[0051] The housing 44 of the third embodiment of the radar device 103 is equipped with connecting sections 47 by which the housing 44 and thus the entire radome 14 can be fastened to the vehicle 12 or to a cladding component 54 of the vehicle 12.

[0052] In the third embodiment of the radar device 103 the first surface 22 of the optical lens 25 is partially covered with the protective layer 34. In this case it is not the protective function but the opaqueness why the protective layer 34 is applied on the first layer. As mentioned, the decorative layer 38 applied to the inner surface 21 of the cover member 18 has some cut-outs 40 that define a certain shape. As evident from FIG. 3, the cut-outs 40 are located in the center of the radome 14 while the protective layer 34 is applied at the radial outer area of the optical lens 25. Thus, the light rays l can exit the optical lens 25 mainly in the center of the radome 14 where the cut-outs 40 are arranged. Light leakage and light losses can thereby be minimized.

[0053] In this embodiment, the structural member 20 is provided with outcoupling sections 58. Moreover, the thickness of the protective layer 34 increases in the area of the outcoupling sections seen along the longitudinal axis AL to improve light efficiency and homogeneity. Additionally, the outcoupling sections 58 include a diffusive material 60 that further optimizes light performance. Such elements may be included in other sections of the structural member 20 if needed for optical optimization. It should, however, be noted that the optical lens 25 may also be void of a diffusive material; or the reflective foil 48 is diffusive; or the structural member 20 and in particular the optical lens 25 is fully diffusive; or the optical lens 25 is clear and only in the outcoupling section 58 the optical lens 25 comprises a diffusive material 60 and is thus partially diffusive as shown in FIG. 3.

[0054] The light source 42 of the third embodiment of the radar device 103 is arranged on the optical lens 25. Moreover, a heating unit 50 is provided on the outer surface 19 of the cover member 18. The heating unit 50 serves for removing ice that may form at low temperatures. Moreover, condensed water that may form inside the radome 14 may be evaporated by the heating unit 50 and consequently be removed.

[0055] Further, a radar-transparent lacquer 52 is applied to the outer surface 19 of the cover member 18 or to the heating unit 50. The radar-transparent lacquer 52 is also transparent to light such that the light rays l can exit the radome 14. The lacquer 52 can be a hard coating which protects the cover member 18 from impacts originating from the surroundings of the radome 14.

[0056] FIG. 4 is a principle sketch of the front portion of a vehicle 12 that is equipped with a radar device 101, 102, 103 according to one of the embodiments previously presented. The radome 14 is fastened to a cladding component 54 of the vehicle 12, in this case to its front grille 56. Thus, the radome 14 is arranged at or near the front end of the vehicle 12, while the radome 14 is placed towards the center of the vehicle 12.

TABLE-US-00001 REFERENCE LIST 101, 102, 103 radar device 12 vehicle 14 radome 16 radar source 18 cover member 19 outer surface 20 structural member 21 inner surface 22 first surface 24 second surface 25 optical lens 26 fixing section 28 fixing means 30 glue 32 rim 34 protective layer 36 gap 38 decorative layer 40 cut-outs 42 light source 44 housing 46 opening 47 connecting section 48 reflective foil 50 heating unit 52 lacquer 54 cladding component 56 front grille 58 outcoupling sections 60 diffusive material l light rays r radar waves AL longitudinal axis