Sensor module for vehicle

Abstract

A sensor module mounted on a vehicle body includes a base plate, a sensor and a signal processing unit. The sensor includes a plurality of piezoelectric films for detecting an external force applied to the vehicle body. The signal processing unit is connected to the sensor for processing sensor signals output from the sensor. The sensor and the signal processing unit are attached to the base plate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will hereinafter be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle including a sensor module according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view showing in perspective a vehicle body, a front bumper face and the sensor module shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view showing in perspective the vehicle body, the front bumper face and the sensor module which are disassembled from each other;

FIG. 5 is a view showing in plan the vehicle body, the front bumper face and the sensor module;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a view showing the sensor module as viewed in a direction of an arrow 7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view showing the sensor module as viewed in a direction of an arrow 8 of FIG. 4 with a protective film omitted; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a conventional vehicular sensor module.

Claims

1. A sensor module for a vehicle, comprising: a base plate;a sensor attached to the base plate and including a plurality of piezoelectric films for detecting an external force applied to a vehicle body of the vehicle; anda signal processing unit attached to the base plate and connected to the sensor for processing sensor signals output from the sensor.

2. The sensor module of claim 1, wherein the sensor is elongated with the plurality of piezoelectric films aligned longitudinally of the sensor, the base plate being elongated and greater in length than the sensor, the sensor and the signal processing unit being aligned longitudinally of the base plate.

3. The sensor module of claim 1, wherein the base plate has a first sensor positioning region extending transversely of the vehicle body, and right and left second sensor positioning regions extending forwardly or rearwardly from opposite ends of the first sensor positioning region, the sensor extending from one of the right and left second sensor positioning regions over the first sensor positioning region to the other of the right and left second sensor positioning regions, the signal processing unit lying in the one of the right and left second sensor positioning regions.

4. The sensor module of claim 1, wherein the sensor is flexible and further includes signal lines formed therein for transmitting the sensor signals to the signal processing unit, the sensor and the signal processing unit being attached to an attachment surface of the base plate, the signal processing unit having a connection end portion connected to the signal lines, the connection end portion of the signal processing unit being offset from the attachment surface of the base plate.

5. The sensor module of claim 1, wherein the base plate has attachment portions designed to be attached to the vehicle body.

6. The sensor module of claim 5, wherein the vehicle body includes extension frames extending transversely of the vehicle body, the attachment portions being designed to be attached to the extension frames.