Ultrasonic sensor

Abstract

A structure is used to prevent an ultrasonic sensor from being damaged by a spring member provided for a bezel. A metal spring is fixed in a groove in a bezel. By setting depth of the groove to be larger than thickness of the metal spring, the metal spring is positioned on the inside further than an open end of the bezel. With the configuration, the metal spring is prevented from coming into direct contact with an ultrasonic transducer. Thus, a vibration face of the ultrasonic transducer is prevented from being damaged.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a side view of an ultrasonic sensor attached to a bumper in a first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 2A to 2D shows illustrations of the ultrasonic sensor in a front/right side/top/rear view in the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the ultrasonic sensor taken along a line III-III in FIG. 2A in the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of an ultrasonic transducer in the first embodiment;

FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, and 5E show illustrations of a front/left side/rear/top/bottom view of a bezel in the first embodiment;

FIG. 6 shows a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the bezel taken along a line VI-VI in FIG. 5C in the first embodiment;

FIGS. 7A and 7B show enlarged illustrations of grooves on the bezel in the first embodiment;

FIG. 8 shows an illustration of the ultrasonic sensor before attachment to the bumper in the first embodiment;

FIG. 9 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the bezel at the time of insertion into the bumper in the first embodiment;

FIG. 10 shows another enlarged view of the portion of the bezel at the time of insertion into the bumper in the first embodiment;

FIG. 11 shows an enlarged illustration of tips of the bezel in other embodiments; and

FIG. 12 shows an illustration of a conventional ultrasonic sensor disposed on a bumper.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic sensor comprising: a bezel in a cylindrical shape with an opening on one end and a hollow space housed therein, wherein a side wall of the bezel has a groove that extends from an opening side end of the bezel to an outer side of the side wall, and a metal spring is fixed in the groove; anda sensor body having an ultrasonic transducer, wherein a portion of the sensor body is formed as an insertion portion for insertion into the hollow space of the bezel,wherein the bezel is inserted in a hole of a component from an outside of the component before having the insertion portion of the sensor body being inserted from an inside of the component into the hollow space, andthe metal spring stays back from both sides of the groove at the opening side end of the bezel by being housed in the groove.

2. The ultrasonic sensor as in claim 1, wherein an opening end of the bezel takes a tapered shape on the both sides of the groove.

3. The ultrasonic sensor as in claim 2, wherein an end of a portion having the tapered shape in the bezel is rounded at a border between the opening end and the groove.

4. The ultrasonic sensor as in claim 1, wherein the opening end of the bezel as protrusions on both sides of the groove.

5. The ultrasonic sensor as in claim 1, wherein the side wall of the bezel has the groove that extends on an inside surface,the metal spring extends on the inside surface of the side wall of the bezel,a depth of the groove on the inside surface of the side wall of the bezel is greater than a thickness of the metal spring, andthe metal spring stays back from the inside surface of the groove at the opening side end of the bezel by being housed in the groove.

6. The ultrasonic sensor as in claim 5, wherein the inside surface of the bezel takes a tapered shape on the both sides of the groove.

7. The ultrasonic sensor as in claim 6, wherein an end of a portion having the tapered shape in the bezel is rounded at a border between the inside surface and the groove.