Guard for vehicle blind spot monitor
AssigneeToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
InventorsMingher F. Shen, Salem Bensalem
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a sensor device. The sensor device includes a sensor configured to be attached between a rear wheel of a vehicle and a rear body cover of the vehicle, configured to detect objects in proximity to the vehicle through the rear body cover. The sensor device also includes a vertical guard configured to be attached to the vehicle, such that the sensor is protected from adhesion of materials directed rearward by the rear wheel, and an angled guard coupled to the vertical guard and extending underneath the sensor and towards the rear body cover, such that a portion of the rear body cover, through which the sensor emits a signal for detecting objects in proximity to the vehicle, is protected from adhesion of materials directed rearward by the rear wheel.
Claims17
A sensor device comprising:
- a sensor configured to be attached between a rear wheel of a vehicle and a rear body cover of the vehicle, wherein the sensor is configured to detect objects in proximity to the vehicle through the rear body cover;
- a vertical guard configured to be attached to the vehicle, such that the sensor is protected from adhesion of materials directed rearward by the rear wheel;
- and
- an angled guard coupled to the vertical guard and extending underneath the sensor and towards the rear body cover, wherein a portion of the rear body cover, through which the sensor emits a signal for detecting objects in proximity to the vehicle, is protected from adhesion of materials directed rearward by the rear wheel, wherein the angle guard is configured such that deforming the rear body cover toward the sensor causes the rear body cover to contact the angled guard before the rear body cover makes contact, if any, with the sensor.
A method for protecting a sensor of a vehicle comprising:
- attaching the sensor to the vehicle between a rear wheel of the vehicle and a rear body cover of the vehicle, wherein the sensor is configured to detect objects in proximity to the vehicle through the rear body cover;
- attaching a vertical guard to the vehicle, such that the sensor is protected from adhesion of materials directed rearward by the rear wheel of the vehicle;
- coupling an angled guard to the vertical guard such that:
- the angled guard extends underneath the sensor and toward the rear body cover;
- and
- a portion of the rear body cover, through which the sensor emits a signal for detecting objects in proximity to the vehicle, is protected from adhesion of materials directed rearward by the rear wheel of the vehicle;
- and
- coupling the angled guard to the vertical guard such that deforming the rear body cover toward the sensor causes the rear body cover to contact the angled guard before the rear body cover makes contact, if any, with the sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.