FR2846756A1 - Night vision improving method for train, car, bus drivers, involves filtering polarization of light by glasses or helmet, filtering polarized ray again to prevent ray from reaching eye - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves filtering polarization of light by a component e.g. glass, helmet, or windshield placed near a light source. The polarized ray is filtered again to prevent the ray from reaching the eye. The light that has been depolarized on bouncing from an obstacle traverses the latter filtering stage. Another stage of filtration takes place during transmitted light reverberation.

Description

DESCRIPTION

  The present invention relates to the automotive industry, lighting, optics and

  road sign. It's a new way to light up the roadway at night.

  Vehicle headlights are useful for viewing the road. The disadvantage of these headlights is that they can dazzle, reducing the nighttime perception of the environment. This paradox generates accidents and reduces comfort. Urban lighting decreases this contrast

  night-headlights and provides a solution.

  This urban lighting cannot be generalized to all traffic lanes without posing ecological and aesthetic problems. It remains expensive and subject to 10 hazards. The solution recommended by the invention markedly improves the effectiveness of the

current technique.

  Some optical filters select photons according to the orientation of their ripple and their direction of arrival. These filters are said to be polarizing. How do you light the road strongly without dazzling, and how, for example, can you spot children crossing behind a vehicle you come across? The technical solution of the invention is a system constituted by two light filters arranged one, for the generation of lighting, the other on the field of vision of the driver (glasses or "helmet"). These combined filters give a new perception of the artificially lit night. Indeed the technical solution will practically prohibit light rays from passing directly from the light source

up to the driver's eye.

  Said filters are polarizing following mainly perpendicular axes.

  Thus, light polarized by the headlight filter does not pass through the visual protection filter. On the other hand, if this polarized light is reflected by an obstacle, it is transformed into diffuse light and can pass through the visual protection filter. So the driver sees the road. It does not distinguish the direct source of the emission of light

  (lamppost or vehicle arriving opposite).

  Mirrors must retain the polarized property of light. Vehicle paints must allow good diffraction of polarized light in order to reverberate non-polarized light (chiral and / or diffracting molecules). The system changes the way you light and perceive the night in a vehicle. It can be generalized. It will be able to adapt to vehicles already in circulation. Wearing

  eye protection glasses will be generalized.

  The vehicles will be fitted with the current low beam (locating) headlights which can be seen even with visual protection, but the main beam headlights -2 1 (illumination of the roadway and the surrounding area) will be fitted with a polarizing filter. Lighthouses

  of "headlight call" will be unpolarized.

  The diagrams show the various paths of light when a vehicle crosses another, its composition, its filtration and the resulting perception for the driver. One manufacturing method consists in positioning the filters on car headlights and in orienting them

  so as to no longer perceive direct light when wearing polarized glasses.

  The percentage of polarization of the two filters can be optimized at leisure to obtain the

  comfort and security desirable.

  The road signaling systems will be provided with a reverberant layer as well as with a depolarizing layer along axes depending on the filter of the field of vision making it possible to enhance the inscriptions and the markings in general. These

  filters will only have an effect if the polarized vision and lighting system is used.

  According to particular embodiments:

  - Drivers will wear polarized filter glasses (or a protective helmet 15 wearing a polarizing filter).

  -The headlight filter and the field of vision filter will be oriented so that the most

  much of the polarized light is absorbed by the filters in the field of vision.

  The light generator filter will be located near the source and on the emitter.

  -Non-polarized light will largely pass through the field of view filter. 20 - It is possible that certain urban lighting may be fitted with filters to avoid the glare of conductors. (for example public lighting, pedestrian crossing,

delicate crosses).

  -Lighting or reverberant road signaling devices, fitted with a polarizing filter along axes perpendicular or parallel to the field of vision filter, 25 highlighting the inscriptions, the route.

  -Vehicles may be provided with paint bearing a translucent layer

  slightly opacifying, reverberating and depolarizing light.

  -The markings on the ground will be provided with a reverberant facet lined with a layer

  slightly opacifying, reverberating and depolarizing light.

  3 0 -The road signs will be reverberating on certain parts which must be dark without modifying the polarity of the light -The parts of the illuminating road signs will be filtered parallel to the filter of

  visual protection in order to be highlighted.

Claims (4)

1 CLAIMS   1 / method for improving the night perception of drivers, characterized in that it comprises at least two filterings, one being carried out on the generation of lighting and the other being carried out in the driver's field of vision. Said filtering is polarizing along mainly perpendicular axes, thus preventing light rays from passing directly from the light source to the driver's eye which   prevents driver glare.   2 / a method according to claim 1 characterized in that the filtered generation elements can be vehicle headlights, public lights, flashing, warning and brake lights and the filtering elements of the driver's field of vision can be goggles, helmet with visual protection, windshield or protection visual in front of the driver.   3 / method according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that it comprises   in addition to a third filtering on the elements of reverberation of the light.   4 / a method according to claim 3 characterized in that the filtering reverberation elements can be body paint, ground marking or road signs as well as any element of the visual field, the distinction being able to come from an opacifying paint / process according to claim 4 according to which the reverberation can be done on non-depolarizing mirrors (mirrors) making it possible to keep the filtration at the level of eyes through glasses.