Arrangement of a headlamp shell, a sensor and a protective plate for the sensor in a vehicle

A sensor mounting arrangement for a vehicle, comprising:

• a headlamp shell formed from aluminum or an aluminum alloy and having a recess and a hole spaced from the recess;
• a protective plate formed from aluminum or an aluminum alloy and having a projection that protrudes into the recess of the headlamp shell, the protective plate being connected to the headlamp shell at a plurality of spaced apart clinch connections disposed so that the projection is not outside an area bounded by the clinch connections;
• a blind rivet bolt riveted to the protective plate at a location spaced from the projection of the protective plate and within the area bounded by the clinch connections, the blind rivet bolt having a threaded shank and a bolt head that passes through the hole in the headlamp shell;
• a crash sensor mounted on the threaded shank of the blind rivet bolt;
• and
• a nut threaded on the shank of the blind rivet bolt and securely connecting the crash sensor to the protective plate.