JP7816634B2 - Radar mounting structure - Google Patents

Description

This case relates to a mounting structure for a radar that is installed at the front or rear end of a vehicle and emits radar waves.

In modern vehicles, radar (millimeter-wave radar, laser radar, etc.) installed at the front or rear of the vehicle detects information ahead of and behind the vehicle. The radar is fixed to the vehicle body via a mounting member (bracket) (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The radar emits radar waves (radio waves, laser beams, etc.) towards the front or rear of the vehicle, and detects, for example, the presence or absence of an object within this irradiation range and the distance to the object. Radar detection must be performed with high accuracy. For this reason, the radar must be firmly fixed to the vehicle body to prevent it from vibrating due to the shaking of the vehicle while it is traveling.

However, because radar is located at the front or rear end of a vehicle, if the bracket that secures the radar is too strong, the load (impact) applied to the pedestrian will be large if the vehicle comes into contact with the pedestrian. To address this issue, Patent Document 2, for example, discloses a configuration in which the bracket that secures the radar is provided with deformation portions (first deformation portion, second deformation portion, etc.) formed, for example, by notches. With this configuration, when a load is applied, the deformation portions easily deform, causing the radar located in front of the vehicle to move backward, thereby reducing the impact on the object being hit.

JP 2009-287950 A JP 2016-94151 A

However, as in Patent Document 2, when the portion that becomes the starting point of deformation when a load is applied is configured with a notch, there is a problem in that stress concentration is likely to occur at the notch portion.
When a vehicle comes into contact with a pedestrian, the pedestrian may be directly facing the radar (head-on) or may not be directly facing the radar. Therefore, in either case, a configuration that can reduce the load (impact) on the pedestrian is desirable.

The radar mounting structure in this case was devised in light of these issues, and one of its objectives is to improve pedestrian protection in the event of a vehicle collision. However, this objective is not the only objective. Another objective of this invention is to achieve effects derived from the various configurations shown in the "Mode for Carrying Out the Invention" below, which are not obtainable with conventional technology.

The disclosed vehicle body structure can be realized as the embodiments (application examples) disclosed below, which solve at least part of the above-mentioned problems. Each of the embodiments from embodiment 2 onwards is an embodiment that can be selected additionally as appropriate, and each of the embodiments can be omitted. None of the embodiments from embodiment 2 onwards discloses an embodiment or configuration that is essential to the present case.

Aspect 1. The disclosed radar mounting structure includes a radar that emits radar waves, and a bracket that is provided at the front or rear end of a vehicle, vertically connects and fixes two vehicle body members at different heights, and to which the radar is fixed. The bracket includes a first top plate that is spaced from a first fixing surface relative to the vehicle body member in the fore-and-aft direction and to which the radar is fixed, and upper and lower vertical walls that extend from the upper and lower edges of the first top plate toward the first fixing surface, respectively, and has a first portion that is hat-shaped when viewed from the side of the vehicle. Furthermore, the bracket includes a second top plate that is spaced from a second fixing surface relative to the vehicle body member in the fore-and-aft direction and is provided on at least one of the upper edge of the upper vertical wall and the lower edge of the lower vertical wall, and left and right vertical walls that extend from the left and right edges of the second top plate toward the second fixing surface, respectively, and has a second portion that is hat-shaped when viewed from above the vehicle.

Aspect 2. In the above aspect 1, it is preferable that the bracket extends from the first top plate to the left vertical wall and the right vertical wall and has a convex or concave bead.
Aspect 3. In the above-described aspect 1 or 2, it is preferable that the upper vertical wall and the lower vertical wall extend obliquely with respect to the first top plate, and the left vertical wall and the right vertical wall extend obliquely with respect to the second top plate.

Aspect 4. In any of Aspects 1 to 3 above, it is preferable that the second portion has the second top plate formed continuously from a lower edge of the lower vertical wall and fixed to a bumper beam as the lower vehicle body member.
Aspect 5. In any of Aspects 1 to 3 above, it is preferable that the second top plate is formed continuously from the upper edge of the upper vertical wall and the lower edge of the lower vertical wall.

Aspect 6. In any of Aspects 1 to 5 above, it is preferable that the bracket has a third portion that protrudes in a direction away from the first fixing surface in the front-rear direction beyond the radar fixed to the first top plate.
Aspect 7. In the above aspect 6, it is preferable that the third portion is a surface portion extending in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction along each of the left and right edges of the first tabletop.
Aspect 8. In any of Aspects 1 to 7 above, it is preferable that the first portion and the second portion of the bracket are integrally formed.

The disclosed radar mounting structure allows the bracket to deform and allow the radar to escape appropriately regardless of the pedestrian's collision position relative to the radar, thereby improving pedestrian protection performance in the event of a vehicle collision.

1 is a perspective view illustrating a mounting structure of a radar according to an embodiment. 2 is a perspective view of the radar and the bracket provided in the mounting structure of FIG. 1 viewed from the lower left. FIG. 3A is a front view of the bracket shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3B is a right side view (viewed in the direction of the arrow B in FIG. 3A), and FIG. 3C is a bottom view (viewed in the direction of the arrow C in FIG. 3A). 2A and 2B are schematic left side views illustrating the operation when a pedestrian directly faces the radar and collides with a vehicle having the mounting structure of FIG. 1 , where FIG. 2A shows the state immediately before the collision, and FIG. 2B shows the state at the time of the collision. 2A and 2B are schematic top views illustrating the operation when a pedestrian collides with a vehicle having the mounting structure of FIG. 1 without facing the radar directly, where FIG. 2A shows the state immediately before the collision, and FIG. 2B shows the state at the time of the collision.

Referring to the drawings, a radar mounting structure will be described as an embodiment. The embodiments shown below are merely examples, and are not intended to exclude various modifications or technological applications not explicitly stated in the following embodiments. Each configuration of the embodiments can be modified and implemented in various ways without departing from the spirit of the embodiments. Furthermore, they can be selected or combined as needed.

Regarding the definition of directions in this embodiment, the fore-and-aft direction (vehicle length direction) is defined based on the forward and backward direction of the vehicle, and the left-and-right direction (vehicle width direction) is defined based on the fore-and-aft direction. The up-and-down direction is defined based on the state in which the vehicle is stopped on a flat road surface.

This mounting structure can be applied to either the front or rear of a vehicle. When applied to the front of a vehicle, this mounting structure is a structure for fixing a radar that irradiates radar waves toward the front of the vehicle to the front end of the vehicle using a bracket. When applied to the rear of a vehicle, this mounting structure is a structure for fixing a radar that irradiates radar waves toward the rear of the vehicle to the rear end of the vehicle using a bracket. The following explanation will provide details on the mounting structure applied to the front of a vehicle.

[1. Configuration]
Fig. 1 is a diagram for explaining a mounting structure applied to the front side of a vehicle, and is a perspective view of the front end of the vehicle as seen from a slightly left direction. As shown in Fig. 1, the mounting structure of this embodiment includes a radar 2 that emits radar waves and a bracket 1 to which the radar 2 is fixed. One mounting structure is provided approximately in the center of the vehicle width direction.

Radar 2 is a detection device such as a millimeter-wave radar or laser radar. Radar 2, for example, emits radar waves (radio waves, laser beams, etc.) toward the front of the vehicle and detects the presence or absence of objects within this irradiation range and the distance to the objects. The irradiation range of radar 2 expands radially the further away from radar 2 (the further forward the vehicle). In this embodiment, radar 2 is composed of a rectangular parallelepiped radar main body 2A and a frame body 2B to which radar main body 2A is attached and fixed to bracket 1.

Bracket 1 is provided at the front end of the vehicle. Bracket 1 connects two vehicle body members 3, 4, which are positioned at different heights, in the vertical direction, and is fixed to the vehicle body members 3, 4. These vehicle body members 3, 4 may be any type of member located at the front end of the vehicle, specifically, behind the bumper fascia 5 (see Figure 4(a), etc.), and examples include a bumper beam, upper beam, lower beam, bumper bracket, and hood lock member.

In the mounting structure of this embodiment, the upper vehicle body member 3 is a bumper bracket, and the lower vehicle body member 4 is a bumper beam. Hereinafter, these will also be referred to as the bumper bracket 3 and the bumper beam 4. The bumper bracket 3 is a member to which the bumper fascia 5 is attached and fixed to the vehicle body. The bumper beam 4 is a structural member that extends in the vehicle width direction and connects a pair of left and right side members (not shown) that extend in the fore-and-aft direction. The bumper beam 4 has greater strength than the bumper bracket 3. These vehicle body members 3, 4 are positioned spaced apart from each other in the up-down direction. Furthermore, these vehicle body members 3, 4 may be positioned so that their front faces are slightly spaced apart in the fore-and-aft direction.

The upper part of the bracket 1 is fixed to the upper vehicle body member 3, and the lower part is fixed to the lower vehicle body member 4. Hereinafter, the former fixing point, i.e., the fixing surface relative to the vehicle body member 3, will be referred to as the "first fixing surface 1A," and the latter fixing point, i.e., the fixing surface relative to the vehicle body member 4, will be referred to as the "second fixing surface 1B." The bracket 1 is mechanically fastened and fixed at these fixing surfaces 1A and 1B, for example, with bolts or screws. This suppresses shaking of the bracket 1 (and therefore the radar 2) due to vehicle body vibrations while driving.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the bracket 1 with the radar 2 fixed thereto, viewed from below and to the left. Figures 3(a) to 3(c) are a front view, a left side view, and a bottom view of the bracket 1, respectively. Note that in Figure 3(b), portions of the vehicle body members 3 and 4 are indicated by dashed double-dashed lines. As shown in Figures 2 and 3(a) to 3(c), the bracket 1 has a first portion 10 that is hat-shaped when viewed from the side of the vehicle, and a second portion 20 that is hat-shaped when viewed from above (or below) the vehicle. In the bracket 1 of this embodiment, the first portion 10 and the second portion 20 are integrally formed. Note that the bracket may also have the first portion 10 and the second portion 20 formed separately and integrated (by joining, welding, etc.).

The first portion 10 is a hat-shaped portion that opens rearward when viewed from the side of the vehicle, and includes a first top plate 11, an upper vertical wall 12, a lower vertical wall 13, and an upper flange 14. The first top plate 11 is the surface to which the radar 2 is fixed, and extends in the vertical and width directions of the vehicle. As shown in Figure 3(b), the first top plate 11 forms the top surface of the hat shape and is positioned at a distance from the first fixing surface 1A in the fore-and-aft direction (forward in this embodiment).

As shown in Figures 2 and 3(a), the first top plate 11 of this embodiment has a substantially rectangular fixing surface 11a and extensions 11b extending upward and downward from the centers of the upper and lower edges of the fixing surface 11a. The fixing surface 11a is formed in a substantially rectangular shape that is the same as or slightly larger than the outer shape of the frame body 2B of the radar 2. The fixing surface 11a may be provided with holes for fixing the radar 2 or openings through which the radar 2 wiring is inserted. The extensions 11b are not essential and may be omitted.

1 and 3(a) and (b), the upper vertical wall 12 is a surface portion extending from the upper edge of the first top plate 11 toward the first fixed surface 1A and extends at least in the vehicle width direction. In this embodiment, the upper vertical wall 12 is formed continuously from the upper edge of the upper extension portion 11b of the first top plate 11 toward the rear and slightly upward. On the other hand, the lower vertical wall 13 is a surface portion extending from the lower edge of the first top plate 11 toward the first fixed surface 1A and extends at least in the vehicle width direction. In this embodiment, the lower vertical wall 13 is formed continuously from the lower edge of the lower extension portion 11b of the first top plate 11 toward the rear and slightly downward. In other words, both the upper vertical wall 12 and the lower vertical wall 13 extend obliquely with respect to the first top plate 11 so that the angle they form with each other is greater than 90 degrees.

The upper flange 14 is a surface portion formed continuously upward from the upper edge of the upper vertical wall 12, and constitutes the first fixing surface 1A. In other words, the upper flange 14 is the portion that is fixed to the upper body member 3. The first portion 10 does not have a lower flange corresponding to the upper flange 14, and the second top plate 21 (described below) of the second portion 20 is provided in the position of this lower flange.

In this embodiment, the first portion 10 has a pair of upper ribs 15 that run along the left and right edges of the upper vertical wall 12 and protrude upward and forward. Furthermore, the first portion 10 has a pair of lower ribs 16 that run along the left and right edges of the upper vertical wall 12 from the lower extension 11b to the lower vertical wall 13 and protrude at least forward. The upper ribs 15 and lower ribs 16 contribute to improving the rigidity of the bracket 1. Note that these upper ribs 15 and lower ribs 16 are not essential and can be omitted.

The second section 20 is a hat-shaped section that opens rearward when viewed from the top-bottom direction of the vehicle, and includes a second top panel 21, a left vertical wall 22, a right vertical wall 23, a left flange 24, and a right flange 25. The second top panel 21 is a surface portion provided on the lower edge of the lower vertical wall 13 of the first section 10, and extends continuously downward from this lower edge, both vertically and laterally. As shown in FIG. 3(c), the second top panel 21 forms the top surface of the hat shape and is positioned spaced apart from the second fixing surface 1B in the fore-and-aft direction (forward in this embodiment). In other words, the first section 10 forms an upper hat structure in the vertical direction (vertical direction), and the second section 20 forms a lower hat structure in the horizontal direction (vehicle width direction).

As shown in Figures 2 and 3(a), the second top plate 21 in this embodiment has a generally rectangular shape with a left-to-right dimension that is longer than its up-to-down dimension. The left-to-right dimension of the second top plate 21 is at least equal to or greater than the left-to-right dimension of the lower edge of the lower vertical wall 13. Furthermore, the up-to-down dimension of the second top plate 21 is generally equal to the up-to-down dimension of the upper flange 14, and its front-to-rear position is generally equal to the front-to-rear position of the upper flange 14. Therefore, as shown in Figure 3(b), the second top plate 21 can also be said to replace the lower flange of the first section 10.

1 and 3(a) to 3(c), the left vertical wall 22 is a surface portion extending from the left edge of the second top panel 21 toward the second fixed surface 1B, and extends at least in the front-to-rear direction. In this embodiment, the left vertical wall 22 is formed continuously from the entire left edge of the second top panel 21 toward the rear and left (outside the vehicle). On the other hand, the right vertical wall 23 is a surface portion extending from the right end of the second top panel 21 toward the second fixed surface 1B, and extends at least in the front-to-rear direction. In this embodiment, the right vertical wall 23 is formed continuously from the entire right edge of the second top panel 21 toward the rear and right (outside the vehicle). In other words, both the left vertical wall 22 and the right vertical wall 23 extend obliquely with respect to the second top panel 21 so that the angle they form with the second top panel 21 is greater than 90 degrees.

The left flange 24 is a surface portion that extends continuously from the entire left edge of the left vertical wall 22 to the left (outside the vehicle), and constitutes the second fixing surface 1B. The right flange 25 is a surface portion that extends continuously from the entire right edge of the right vertical wall 23 to the right (outside the vehicle), and constitutes the second fixing surface 1B. In other words, both the left flange 24 and the right flange 25 are portions that are fixed to the lower body member 4.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3(a), the bracket 1 of this embodiment has a bead 40 that extends from the first top plate 11 to the left vertical wall 22 and the right vertical wall 23. The bead 40 is a portion of the plate surface that is concave or convex. Specifically, the bead 40 extends from the extension portion 11b on the lower side of the first top plate 11 to the lower vertical wall 13 and the second top plate 21, and then branches to the left and right at the second top plate 21, with the left end extending to the left vertical wall 22 and the right end extending to the right vertical wall 23. In other words, the bead 40 has an inverted T-shape when the bracket 1 is viewed from the front.

The beads 40 are provided across the corner formed by the first top plate 11 and the lower vertical wall 13, the corner formed by the lower vertical wall 13 and the second top plate 21, the corner formed by the second top plate 21 and the left vertical wall 22, and the corner formed by the second top plate 21 and the right vertical wall 23. This improves the rigidity of the surface (corner) where the beads 40 are provided without increasing the thickness of the bracket 1.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, the bracket 1 of this embodiment has a third portion 30 that protrudes forward (away from the first fixing surface 1A in the longitudinal direction) of the radar 2 fixed to the first top plate 11. In other words, the front end portion of the third portion 30 is located forward of the forefront position of the radar 2. This makes it easier for the load to be input to the third portion 30 before the radar 2 in the event of a vehicle collision, thereby reducing damage to the radar 2.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3(a) to 3(c), the third portion 30 in this embodiment is a surface portion extending in the up-down and front-rear directions along the left and right edges of the first tabletop 11. That is, a pair of third portions 30 are provided, one on each side. More specifically, the left third portion 30 extends forward from substantially the entire left edge of the fixing surface 11a of the first tabletop 11 and is provided as a substantially rectangular planar portion in side view. The right third portion 30 similarly extends forward from substantially the entire right edge of the fixing surface 11a of the first tabletop 11 and is provided as a substantially rectangular planar portion in side view. As shown in Figure 3(c), the bracket 1, together with the first tabletop 11 and the left and right third portions 30, forms a U-shape that is open forward. The radar 2 is located inside this U-shape.

[2. Actions and Effects]
(1) In the above-described mounting structure, the radar 2 is fixed to the bracket 1, which is provided at the front end of the vehicle, connects two vehicle body members 3, 4 arranged at different heights in the vertical direction, and is fixed to these vehicle body members 3, 4. The bracket 1 has a first portion 10 that is hat-shaped when viewed from the side of the vehicle, and a second portion 20 that is hat-shaped when viewed from above (or below) the vehicle.

The first portion 10 includes a first top plate 11, which is spaced forward from a first fixed surface 1A relative to the vehicle body member 3 and to which the radar 2 is fixed, and an upper vertical wall 12 and a lower vertical wall 13 extending rearward (toward the first fixed surface 1A) from the upper and lower edges of the first top plate 11, respectively. The second portion 20 includes a second top plate 21, which is spaced forward from a second fixed surface 1B relative to the vehicle body member 4 and is provided on the lower edge of the lower vertical wall 13, and a left vertical wall 22 and a right vertical wall 23 extending rearward (toward the second fixed surface 1B) from the left and right edges of the second top plate 21, respectively. As such, the above-described bracket 1 has a two-tiered hat structure consisting of a vertical upper hat structure (first portion 10) and a horizontal lower hat structure (second portion 20).

Therefore, with the above-described mounting structure, if a pedestrian collides with a vehicle in a position directly facing the radar 2 (for example, in a head-on collision with the vehicle), the pedestrian's legs L will collide with the front of the radar 2, as shown in Figures 4(a) and (b). In this case, the hat structure of the first part 10 will deform rearward. This allows the radar 2 to escape rearward, and the load on the pedestrian (the impact on the legs L) can be alleviated.

Furthermore, with the above-described mounting structure, if a pedestrian collides with a vehicle in a position not directly facing the radar 2 (for example, if the vehicle collides with the right front side), the pedestrian's legs L will collide with the radar 2 in a position that is off to the left or right from the front side of the radar 2, as shown in Figures 5(a) and 5(b). In this case, the hat structure of the first part 10 is first pushed by the legs L and deforms backward, and then the hat structure of the second part 20 deforms laterally and rotates. This allows the radar 2 to escape rearward and laterally, and the load on the pedestrian (the impact on the legs L) can be alleviated.
In other words, with the above-described mounting structure, the bracket 1 can deform and allow the radar 2 to escape appropriately regardless of the position at which the pedestrian collides with the radar 2, thereby improving pedestrian protection performance in the event of a vehicle collision.

In addition, it is required that parts and components of the vehicle (for example, uneven parts of the bumper fascia 5, bolts, etc.) are not included within the irradiation range of the radar 2 to avoid false detection. Specifically, the area of the bumper fascia 5 that overlaps with the irradiation range of the radar 2 needs to be a substantially flat surface without uneven parts.

In contrast, with the mounting structure described above, because the first portion 10 is hat-shaped, the portion to which the radar 2 is fixed (first top plate 11) can be moved forward and away from the first fixing surface 1A relative to the vehicle body member 3. In other words, the radar 2 can be positioned closer to the bumper fascia 5. This reduces the area of the bumper fascia 5 that overlaps with the radar 2's irradiation range, thereby narrowing the constraints on the bumper fascia 5 (the area that must be a substantially flat surface without unevenness). This increases the degree of freedom in the design of the bumper fascia 5.

(2) In the above-described mounting structure, the bracket 1 extends from the first top panel 11 to the left vertical wall 22 and the right vertical wall 23 and has a convex or concave bead 40. Under normal circumstances other than a vehicle collision, the bracket 1 must protect the radar 2 from vehicle vibrations to prevent false detections by the radar 2, and therefore must have a certain degree of rigidity. On the other hand, in the event of a collision with a pedestrian, the bracket 1 must deform to absorb the load (impact).

In response to these conflicting requirements, the above-described bracket 1 has the bead 40 provided across the connecting portion between the first portion 10 and the second portion 20, thereby increasing the rigidity of the portion where the bead 40 is provided without excessively increasing the strength of the entire bracket 1. In this way, the rigidity of the bracket 1 can be increased and vibration suppressed without affecting pedestrian protection, thereby reducing false detections by the radar 2.

(3) Furthermore, in the bracket 1 described above, the upper vertical wall 12 and lower vertical wall 13 of the first portion 10 extend diagonally relative to the first top plate 11, and the left vertical wall 22 and right vertical wall 23 of the second portion 20 extend diagonally relative to the second top plate 21. As such, because the vertical walls 12, 13, 22, and 23 are inclined rather than perpendicular to the top plates 11 and 21, when a load (impact) is applied, the vertical walls 12, 13, 22, and 23 are more likely to deform rather than bend. This further improves pedestrian protection performance.

(4) In the above-described mounting structure, the second top plate 21 of the second portion 20 of the bracket 1 is formed continuously from the lower edge of the lower vertical wall 13 of the first portion 10 and is fixed to the bumper beam, which serves as the lower vehicle body member 4. The bumper beam 4 is strong and resistant to deformation during a collision, so fixing the second portion 20 to the bumper beam 4 makes it easier to absorb reaction forces. Therefore, in the event of a collision where the pedestrian and the radar 2 are not directly facing each other, the bracket 1 is more likely to deform, further improving pedestrian protection performance. Furthermore, by fixing a portion of the bracket 1 to the bumper beam 4, vibration of the radar 2 can be suppressed. Furthermore, if the second portion 20 is provided only at the lower end of the first portion 10, the bracket 1 can be made lighter than a configuration in which the second portion 20 is provided both above and below the first portion 10.

(5) Furthermore, the above-mentioned bracket 1 has a third portion 30 that protrudes forward of the radar 2 fixed to the first top plate 11. This causes the load to be input to the third portion 30 before the radar 2 during a vehicle collision, making it easier to prevent damage to the radar 2. In particular, in the case of a minor collision, it is possible that the load can be absorbed by deformation of only the third portion 30, preventing damage to the radar 2. In this case, replacement costs in the event of a minor collision can be reduced.

(6) Furthermore, in the above-described bracket 1, the third portion 30 is provided as a surface portion extending in the up-down and front-to-back directions along the left and right edges of the first top plate 11. In this way, by providing the third portion 30 as a surface portion on each of the left and right edges of the first top plate 11 so as to sandwich the radar 2 from the left and right, the third portion 30 can bear the load before the radar 2, regardless of the angle of collision, and damage to the radar 2 in the event of a minor collision can be further prevented.

(7) In the above-described bracket 1, the first part 10 and the second part 20 are formed integrally, making the bracket 1 inexpensive and simple.

[3. Other]
The above-described mounting structure is an example and is not limited to the above.
In the above embodiment, the bracket 1 has the second portion 20 only at the lower end of the first portion 10. However, the second portion 20 may be provided only at the upper end of the first portion 10, or may be provided at both the upper and lower ends of the first portion 10. When the second portion 20 is provided at the upper end of the first portion 10, the bracket may have a second portion that is hat-shaped when viewed from above (or below) the vehicle, including a second top plate provided at the upper edge of the upper vertical wall 12 of the first portion 10 (continuously formed from the upper edge), and left and right vertical walls extending from the left and right edges of the second top plate toward the second fixing surface. When the second top plate is formed continuously from the upper edge of the upper vertical wall 12 and the lower edge of the lower vertical wall 13, the bracket is more likely to deform when a collision occurs in a position where the pedestrian and the radar 2 are not directly facing each other. This further improves pedestrian protection performance.

The specific shape of the bracket 1 is not limited to that described above. For example, the third portion 30 may be a surface that follows the entire outer edge of the first portion 10, or may be formed in the shape of a protrusion or pin. Alternatively, the third portion 30 may be omitted. Furthermore, each vertical wall 12, 13, 22, 23 may be arranged perpendicular to each top plate 11, 21, and the front-to-back dimensions of the upper vertical wall 12 and the lower vertical wall 13 may not be equal. Furthermore, if a bead 40 is provided, its shape does not have to be an inverted T-shape. The bead 40 is not essential and can be omitted.

In addition, while the above-described embodiment details a mounting structure applied to the front side of a vehicle, this mounting structure may be applied only to the rear side of a vehicle, or to both the front and rear sides of a vehicle. When this mounting structure is applied to the rear side of a vehicle, the "front end of the vehicle" in the above-described embodiment should be read as the "rear end of the vehicle," and "forward of the vehicle" or "forward of the vehicle" should be read as the "rear of the vehicle" or "rear of the vehicle."

This invention can be used in the vehicle manufacturing industry where radar mounting structures are used.

1 Bracket 1A First fixing surface 1B Second fixing surface 2 Radar 3 Bumper bracket 4 Bumper beam (lower body member)
10 First portion 11 First top plate 12 Upper vertical wall 13 Lower vertical wall 14 Upper flange 20 Second portion 21 Second top plate 22 Left vertical wall 23 Right vertical wall 24 Left flange 25 Right flange 30 Third portion 40 Bead

Claims (8)

a radar that emits radar waves;
a bracket that is provided at a front end or a rear end of a vehicle, that vertically connects and fixes two vehicle body members that are at different height positions, and that fixes the radar;
The bracket is
a first portion having a hat shape when viewed from the side of the vehicle, the first portion including: a first top plate spaced from a first fixing surface relative to the vehicle body member in the front-rear direction and to which the radar is fixed; and an upper vertical wall and a lower vertical wall extending from an upper edge and a lower edge of the first top plate toward the first fixing surface, respectively;
A radar mounting structure characterized by having a second top plate that is spaced in the fore-and-aft direction from a second fixed surface for the vehicle body member and is provided on at least one of the upper edge of the upper vertical wall and the lower edge of the lower vertical wall, and a left vertical wall and a right vertical wall that extend from the left edge and the right edge of the second top plate, respectively, toward the second fixed surface, and a second portion that is hat-shaped when viewed from above the vehicle. 2. The radar mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein the bracket extends from the first top plate to the left vertical wall and the right vertical wall, and has a convex or concave bead. The upper vertical wall and the lower vertical wall extend obliquely relative to the first top plate,
3. The radar mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein the left vertical wall and the right vertical wall extend obliquely relative to the second top plate. 3. The radar mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein the second portion has a second top plate formed continuously from the lower edge of the lower vertical wall and fixed to a bumper beam as the lower vehicle body member. 3. The radar mounting structure according to claim 1 , wherein the second top plate is formed continuously from an upper edge of the upper vertical wall and a lower edge of the lower vertical wall. 3. The radar mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein the bracket has a third portion that protrudes in a direction away from the first fixing surface in the front-to-rear direction beyond the radar fixed to the first top plate. 7. The radar mounting structure according to claim 6, wherein the third portion is a surface portion extending in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction along the left and right edges of the first top plate. 3. The radar mounting structure according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion and the second portion of the bracket are integrally formed.