The present application generally relates to vehicle radar systems and, more particularly, to a microcellular foam body component for a vehicle radar system and its methods of manufacture.
A radar cover or “radome” is a structure or enclosure that protects a radar device (e.g., a radar antenna). For vehicle applications, radar devices can be used for object proximity monitoring, such as in adaptive cruise control systems and other similar systems (e.g., parking assistance systems). For optimal performance of the radar device, the radome should be constructed of material that minimizes attenuation of electromagnetic signals that are transmitted and received by the radar device. For vehicle applications, the radome is often visible (e.g., mounted to an external surface of the vehicle) and therefore it should also be visually appealing. Plastics or resins (polycarbonate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, etc.) and metals that are typically used for decoration, however, attenuate the electromagnetic signals. Utilizing a uniform plastic thickness can help mitigate attenuation, but this limits the design of three-dimensional features. Accordingly, while such conventional radomes work well for their intended purpose, there remains a need for improvement in the art.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a system for a vehicle is presented. In one exemplary implementation, the system comprises a body component of the vehicle that is formed of a microcellular foam, and a radar device arranged behind the body component and configured to transmit/receive radar waves therethrough.
In some implementations, the body component is a radome. In some implementations, the radome consists only of the microcellular foam. In some implementations, the radome consists only of the microcellular foam and one or more decorative layers applied thereto. In some implementations, the one or more decorative layers comprise at least one of a paint, a physical vapor deposition (PVD) metalloid, a film, and a post-transition metal.
In some implementations, the body component is grille bars of a grille assembly of the vehicle. In some implementations, the grille bars consist only of the microcellular foam. In some implementations, the grille bars consist only of the microcellular foam and one or more decorative layers applied thereto. In some implementations, the one or more decorative layers comprise at least one of a paint, a PVD metalloid, a film, and a post-transition metal.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of manufacturing a body component of a vehicle is presented. In one exemplary implementation, the method comprises obtaining a molten resin, introducing a gas or a chemical foaming agent into the molten resin to form a microcellular foam, injecting molding the microcellular foam by injecting the microcellular foam into a mold to form the body component, removing the body component from the mold, and arranging the body component in front of a radar device of the vehicle.
In some implementations, the method further comprises induction heating within the mold during the injection molding to increase a surface quality of the base component. In some implementations, the body component is a radome. In some implementations, the radome consists only of the microcellular foam. In some implementations, the method further comprises applying one or more decorative layers to the radome, wherein the radome consists of the microcellular foam and one or more decorative layers applied thereto. In some implementations, the one or more decorative layers comprise at least one of a paint, a PVD metalloid, a film, and a post-transition metal. In some implementations, the method comprises applying the film during the injection molding.
In some implementations, the body component is grille bars of a grille assembly of the vehicle. In some implementations, the grille bars consist only of the microcellular foam. In some implementations, the method further comprises applying one or more decorative layers to the grille bars, wherein the grille bars consist of the microcellular foam and the one or more decorative layers applied thereto. In some implementations, the one or more decorative layers comprise at least one of a paint, a PVD metalloid, a film, and a post-transition metal.
Further areas of applicability of the teachings of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, claims and the drawings provided hereinafter, wherein like reference numerals refer to like features throughout the several views of the drawings. It should be understood that the detailed description, including disclosed embodiments and drawings referenced therein, are merely exemplary in nature intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, its application or uses. Thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the present disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the present disclosure.
As previously discussed, for optimal performance of a vehicle radar device, a radome should be constructed of material that minimizes attenuation of electromagnetic signals that are transmitted and received by the radar device. Because the radome is visible, it should also be visually appealing. Accordingly, systems and methods of manufacturing are presented for a vehicle radome or grille assembly formed of a microcellular foam. It will be appreciated that other vehicle body components could also be formed of the microcellular foam (e.g., a bumper comprising an integrated retroreflector). The microcellular foam can be designed to provide minimal radar attenuation. In some implementations, the vehicle body components consist only of the microcellular foam, i.e., no other supportive structures or layers. Decorative layers (paint, metalloids, etc.) can also be applied to the microcellular foam components to enhance their visual appeal.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
At 408, injection molding is performed wherein the microcellular foam is injected into a mold to form the microcellular foam vehicle body component. At 412, induction heating is optionally performed during the injection molding process. The use of induction heating improves the surface quality of the vehicle body component thereby creating a more visually appealing surface. Absent such induction heating, the surface of the vehicle body component may have white streaks caused by the introduction of the gas during the injection molding process. At 416, a decorative film is optionally applied in the mold. Non-limiting examples of techniques used to apply this film include insert molding and hot stamping. At 420, the vehicle body component is removed from the mold. At 424, decorative layers are optionally applied to the vehicle body component. Non-limiting examples of these decorative layers include paint, a physical vapor deposition (PVD) metalloid, the film, and a post-transition metal. The application of a PVD metalloid on a non-transparent vehicle body component, for example, will make the metalloid appear metallic, but the PVD metalloid will not attenuate radar waves. At 428, the completed vehicle body component is arranged in front of a radar system of a vehicle.
It should be understood that the mixing and matching of features, elements, methodologies and/or functions between various examples may be expressly contemplated herein so that one skilled in the art would appreciate from the present teachings that features, elements and/or functions of one example may be incorporated into another example as appropriate, unless described otherwise above.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/611,082, filed on Dec. 28, 2017. The disclosure of the above applications is incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/IB2018/060653 | 12/27/2018 | WO | 00 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
62611082 | Dec 2017 | US |