JP2004066935A - Inner mirror device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inner mirror device for a vehicle capable of storing a card member for charge settlement by radio communication into a housing from a position for making visual confirmation difficult from the outside. <P>SOLUTION: In this inner mirror device 10 for the vehicle, a mirror 14 is held in the vicinity of an opening part 12A of a housing main body 12, which has a space R formed on a rear surface side of the mirror 14 and a window part 18 provided by opening downward in its lower part to let a card reader 34 advance and retract for the space R. The card reader 34 is provided with a case 42 having an inlet 50 for inserting and pulling out an IC card 48 for toll charge settlement and a main base provided in the case 42 to read information in the IC card 48. The inlet 50 is exposed to the outside while it protrudes outside the housing main body 12 from the window part 18. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an inner mirror device for a vehicle in which a housing for holding a rear view mirror has a card reader function of an automatic toll collection system.
[0002]
[Prior art]
At present, vehicles such as automobiles are equipped with an automatic toll collection system (hereinafter, referred to as ETC) for automatically settling tolls on toll roads by wireless communication. ETC uses prepaid or postpaid services. The toll is settled using an IC card such as the one described above.
[0003]
As such an ETC, there is known an ETC that is incorporated in an inner mirror device provided in a vehicle interior and provided with a rear view mirror (for example, JP-A-8-297758). In such a configuration, the operability is good without the ETC obstructing the field of view of the driver. However, since the entire ETC is incorporated in the inner mirror device, the size of the inner mirror device is increased. For this reason, the design of the inner mirror device is deteriorated, and the existence of ETC is easily recognized from the outside, and the security is poor.
[0004]
Therefore, only the card reader (function) for reading the information of the IC card is accommodated in the inner mirror so that the IC card can be inserted into and taken out of the card reader. For example, a rear view mirror near the opening end facing the rear of the vehicle is provided. A configuration in which a card reader is housed in a holding housing has been considered. In such a configuration, the size of the inner mirror device can be suppressed because the size of the card reader is substantially equivalent to the size of the IC card.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, an IC card for ETC needs to be formed in a substantially rectangular shape and taken in and out of a card reader along a longitudinal direction. On the other hand, the width of the housing constituting the inner mirror device in the vertical direction is generally smaller than the longitudinal dimension of the IC card. For this reason, in the inner mirror device with a built-in card reader, it is necessary to provide a storage opening for taking in and out the IC card on the side wall of the housing (longitudinal end which is the left and right direction of the vehicle) in order to avoid upsizing in the vertical direction. There is.
[0006]
However, in the inner mirror device with a built-in card reader configured as described above, since the storage port is provided on the side wall of the housing, the storage port or the cover member that closes the storage port can be seen from the driver or the outside. However, there is a problem that appearance (design) is poor and security is poor (the presence of an IC card is known from outside).
[0007]
Further, in the above-described conventional inner mirror device with a built-in card reader, it is difficult to make the longitudinal end portion of the housing having a storage opening on the side wall thin, which also causes deterioration of the appearance of the inner mirror device, As a result, the housing cannot be shared with a vehicle having no ETC, which causes high cost.
[0008]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a vehicular inner mirror device capable of storing a card material for toll settlement by wireless communication in a housing from a position that is difficult to see from the outside.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
To achieve the above object, an inner mirror device for a vehicle according to the invention according to claim 1 is mounted on an upper part of a vehicle cabin while holding a rear view mirror, and a space is provided on a back side of the mirror and below the space. A housing having a window opening to the front, and an entrance through which a card material for charge settlement by wireless communication can be inserted and removed, and provided so as to be able to advance and retreat from the window to the space of the housing, and protrude from the window. A case that exposes the doorway to the outside in this state, and reading means provided in the case and capable of reading information of the card material inserted into the case.
[0010]
In the vehicle inner mirror device according to the first aspect, a housing holding a rear-viewing mirror is attached to an upper portion of a vehicle interior, and a window on a rear surface side (a front side of the mirror) of the housing opens downward. It is communicated with the outside by the part. Then, the case advances and retreats from the window into the space of the housing.
[0011]
A case having an entrance for a card material exposes the entrance in a state of protruding from a window (housing), and at least a part of the card material is put in and out (inserted or discharged) of the card from the entrance. The card material at least partially inserted into the case is stored in the space together with the case when the case is stored in the space of the housing, and the information for the payment by the reading means provided in the case is provided. Can be read.
[0012]
Here, the window portion for moving the case forward and backward with respect to the space of the housing is opened downward, so that it is difficult to see from the outside (especially outside the vehicle compartment). For this reason, in the vehicle inner mirror device, the appearance is good, the storage portion of the card material (the window portion and the case) is inconspicuous, and the security is also good.
[0013]
Further, by reducing the thickness of both ends of the housing having no card material entrance / exit, it becomes possible to make the vehicle inner mirror device a more attractive design (shape). That is, the degree of freedom of design (design) is improved. Further, since the case projects out of the housing from the window to expose the entrance, the card material can be easily inserted into and removed from the case.
[0014]
In this way, in the vehicle inner mirror device according to the first aspect, the card material for toll settlement by wireless communication can be stored in the housing from a position that is difficult to see from the outside.
[0015]
The space formed in the housing is not limited to the structure formed in the housing, and may be, for example, a recess formed by recessing the lower wall of the housing inward (a space partitioned from a portion holding the mirror). ).
[0016]
A vehicle inner mirror device according to a second aspect of the present invention is the vehicle inner mirror device according to the first aspect, wherein the case is formed so that the substantially rectangular card material can be taken in and out along a longitudinal direction, The card material is housed in the space so that the longitudinal direction of the card material substantially coincides with the longitudinal direction of the housing.
[0017]
In the vehicle inner mirror device according to the second aspect, the substantially rectangular card material is put in and taken out of the case protruding from the window portion to the outside of the housing along the longitudinal direction. When the card material at least partially inserted into the case is housed in the space together with the case, the longitudinal direction of the card material substantially matches the longitudinal direction of the housing. For this reason, the housing is prevented or suppressed from having a large vertical dimension for storing the card material inserted into the case.
[0018]
A vehicle inner mirror device according to a third aspect of the present invention is the vehicle inner mirror device according to the first or second aspect, wherein the case is pivotally mounted on a support shaft provided in the space at a corner portion. And rotating around the support shaft and moving back and forth with respect to the space.
[0019]
In the vehicle inner mirror device according to the third aspect, the case rotates around a support shaft provided in the housing and advances and retreats from the window to the space of the housing. As a result, an advancing / retreating mechanism for the space of the case is realized with a simple structure. In addition, since the case rotates, the opening direction of the entrance of the case (that is, the direction in which the card material is taken in and out) can be set in accordance with the rotation angle, so that the card material can be easily taken in and out of the case. .
[0020]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle inner mirror device according to the first or second aspect, the case is guided by guide means provided on the housing along a vertical direction. And slides up and down with respect to the space.
[0021]
In the vehicle inner mirror device according to the fourth aspect, the case slides downward while projecting from the space while being guided by the guide means of the housing, and slides upward to be housed in the space. As a result, an advancing / retreating mechanism for the space of the case is realized with a simple structure.
[0022]
In addition, since the case simply slides up and down and moves back and forth from the window opening below the housing to the space, the movement trajectory of the case or a card material (case or the like) inserted into the case moves in the case space in the housing space. Etc. do not protrude from the storage area. For this reason, for example, in a configuration in which another component or the like is disposed in the space of the housing, the case or the like does not interfere with the other component without securing a space for advancing (moving) the case or the like. That is, the space of the housing can be effectively used.
[0023]
A vehicle inner mirror device according to a fifth aspect of the invention is the vehicle inner mirror device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the case is housed in the space. It has a cover for closing the window.
[0024]
In the vehicle inner mirror device according to the fifth aspect, since the case is provided with the cover portion, the window portion of the housing is closed by the cover portion in a state where the case is housed in the space of the housing, so that appearance and security are improved. Is even better.
[0025]
A vehicle inner mirror device according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the vehicle inner mirror device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the case is configured such that the driver protrudes from the window portion. The window portion is provided on a side portion located on a side far from the window.
[0026]
In the vehicle inner mirror device according to the sixth aspect, since the doorway is open to a side far from the driver with the case protruding from the window of the housing, the driver operates naturally without taking a cramped posture. The card material can be taken in and out of the case.
[0027]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
A vehicle inner mirror device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The directions indicated by the arrows FR, RE, LE, and RI in the drawings as appropriate indicate the front, rear, left, and right of the vehicle S, respectively. In the description, these directions correspond to the directions of the arrows.
[0028]
FIG. 1 shows the vehicle inner mirror device 10 in a front view, and FIG. 2 shows the vehicle inner mirror device 10 in a bottom view. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. As shown in these drawings, the vehicle inner mirror device 10 includes a housing body 12.
[0029]
The housing main body 12 is formed in a substantially rectangular box shape, and a portion facing rearward when mounted on the vehicle S is an opening 12A. The housing main body 12 is formed such that outer ends on the rear side (vehicle front side) at both ends in the longitudinal direction (vehicle left-right direction) are narrowed toward the opening 12A, so that both ends are shallow. In addition, both ends in the longitudinal direction are slightly narrowed in the upper and lower directions.
[0030]
In the vicinity of the opening 12A of the housing main body 12, a mirror 14 for rear viewing is attached. Specifically, the frame 16 holding the peripheral edge of the mirror 14 (not shown) engages the plurality of engagement claws 16A with the engagement holes 12B provided near the inner edge of the opening 12A of the housing body 12. It is fixed by combining.
[0031]
That is, the mirror 14 is attached to the housing main body 12 via the frame 16, and closes the opening 12 </ b> A of the housing main body 12. Thereby, a space R closed by the mirror 14 is formed on the back surface side of the mirror 14 in the housing body 12. The housing main body 12 or the housing main body 12 and the frame 16 correspond to a “housing” in the present invention.
[0032]
A window 18 is provided on the lower surface of the housing body 12. The window 18 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape as viewed from the bottom, which is elongated along the longitudinal direction of the housing main body 12, and opens downward from a substantially central portion in the longitudinal direction of the housing main body 12 to a right end thereof to form the space R. Communicates with the outside world. The window 18 is used for advance / retreat with respect to a space R (inside the housing main body 12) of a card reader 34 described later.
[0033]
Further, as shown in FIG. 3, an anti-glare mechanism 20 is provided in the housing main body 12. The anti-glare mechanism 20 includes an anti-glare operation unit 24 that is provided in front of the window 18 of the housing main body 12 and that protrudes downward from the housing main body 12 through an operation hole 22 that opens downward.
[0034]
A part of the anti-glare mechanism 20 projects forward of the housing main body 12 from a through hole 26 opened on the side opposite to the opening 12A of the housing main body 12, and at the projected portion via a pivot mechanism 28. It is connected to the stay 30. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the stay 30 is fixed to the center in the left-right direction at the front end (near) of the roof 32 of the vehicle S.
[0035]
Thereby, the housing main body 12 (that is, the vehicle inner mirror device 10) is swingably attached to the vehicle S, and is configured to be adjustable in angle. That is, by tilting the anti-glare operation section 24 of the anti-glare mechanism 20 forward (to the state shown in FIG. 2), the mirror 14 as a prism mirror is moved by a predetermined angle to switch from the non-glare state to the anti-glare state, Further, the configuration is such that the angle adjustment according to the driver can be performed by appropriately operating the housing body 12 itself. The anti-glare function of the mirror 14 may be realized by, for example, an electrochromic element.
[0036]
In a space R of the housing body 12 in which the opening 12A is closed by the mirror 14, a part of an automatic toll collection system (hereinafter, referred to as ETC) for automatically settling tolls on toll roads by wireless communication is provided. The card reader 34, the transmission / reception module 36, the light emitting device 38, and the power supply board 40 which are configured are housed, and these are electrically connected to each other by wiring (not shown).
[0037]
The card reader 34 includes a case 42 formed in a substantially rectangular shape and a flat shape in a front view. The case 42 is formed by joining an upper case 44 and a lower case 46 with fastening means such as bolts (see FIGS. 3 and 4), and an IC card 48 as a card material for charge settlement is provided on the left end of the lower case 46. An entrance 50 is provided for insertion / removal (insertion / removal).
[0038]
The entrance 50 has a longitudinal length in the vertical direction, and the longitudinal dimension corresponds to the short side dimension of the IC card 48 formed in a substantially rectangular shape. That is, the case 42 has a configuration in which the IC card 48 is inserted and removed along the longitudinal direction. In the case 42, only a part necessary for reading and writing information in the IC card 48 is inserted.
[0039]
A guide plate 52 facing the main surface plate 46A of the lower case 46 is provided inside the entrance 50 of the lower case 46. The IC card 48 is provided between the main surface plate 46A and the guide plate 52 near the left end of each other. A tapered surface for guiding is provided. That is, the frontage of the entrance 50 is sufficiently widened with respect to the thickness of the IC card 48 by the tapered surfaces of the main surface plate 46A and the guide plate 52.
[0040]
In the case 42, a main board 54 as a reading unit which is sandwiched and fixed (partially via the guide plate 52) between the lower case 46 and the upper case 44 is provided. Is provided with a circuit for reading information for toll payment on the IC card 48 or writing information to the IC card.
[0041]
Further, a cover piece 56 extends leftward from the lower end of the lower end of the lower case 46 (below the entrance 50). The cover piece 56 covers, from below, a portion protruding from the entrance 50 of the IC card 48 properly inserted into the case 42.
[0042]
The shape of the card reader 34 in bottom view defined by the lower case 46 and the cover piece 56 substantially corresponds to the shape of the window 18 of the housing body 12, and is stored in the space R of the housing body 12. Then, the configuration is such that the lower end portion of the lower case 46 and the cover piece 56 close the window 18 in a state substantially flush with the outer surface of the housing body 12.
[0043]
The card reader 34 described above is supported so as to be able to advance and retreat with respect to the space R of the housing body 12. More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4B, the card reader 34 has a shaft hole 58 provided through the upper case 44 and the lower case 46 constituting the case 42 and the main board 54. It is provided in the lower right corner. On the other hand, the housing body 12 includes a boss 60 provided at a lower right corner near the right end of the window 18.
[0044]
The support pin 62 inserted (play-fitted) into the shaft hole 58 of the card reader 34 is fixed to the housing main body 12 by being screwed into the boss 60 of the housing main body 12 at the threaded portion at the tip. . Thereby, the card reader 34 is configured to be rotatably supported on the housing main body 12 around the support pin 62 (the direction of arrow A or the direction of arrow B shown in FIG. 5).
[0045]
As described above, the card reader 34 is housed in the space R of the housing body 12 to close the window 18 (the state shown by the imaginary line) as shown in FIG. A state (a state shown by a solid line) protruding outside the housing body 12 from the portion 18 can be selectively taken.
[0046]
That is, the card reader 34 allows the IC card 48 to enter and exit the case 42 from the entrance 50 with the entrance 50 protruding out of the housing body 12. The circuit provided on the main board 54 reads or writes information from or into the IC card in which the unit is inserted.
[0047]
As shown in FIGS. 1, 4A, and 5, a damper mechanism 64 and a lock mechanism 66 are provided between the housing main body 12 and the card reader.
[0048]
The damper mechanism 64 includes a guide piece 68 fixed to the outer surface of the lower case 46 and formed in an arc shape coaxial with the shaft hole 58 (support pin 62) in the fixed state. Gear teeth 68 </ b> A are formed on the outer peripheral portion of the guide piece 68.
[0049]
The damper mechanism 64 includes a pinion 70 that can mesh with the gear teeth 68A of the guide piece 68. The pinion 70 is rotatably supported by a base member 72 fixed in the housing body 12 while being engaged with the gear teeth 68A of the guide piece 68 (see FIG. 4A). The length and arrangement of the guide pieces 68 are set so that the gear teeth 68A mesh with the pinion 70 in the entire process of moving the card reader 34 forward and backward with respect to the housing body 12.
[0050]
Accordingly, in the process in which the card reader 34 rotates around the support pin 62 and advances and retreats from the window portion 18 of the housing main body 12, the pinion 70 meshed with the gear teeth 68A of the guide piece 68 is rotated. . Further, a brake mechanism (not shown) is provided on the shaft support portion of the pinion 70.
[0051]
That is, for example, the shaft supporting portion of the pinion 70 is a combination of a structure in which the guide piece 68 is urged in the direction of arrow A by a free stop shaft (brake spring) structure or a torsion spring, and a friction brake structure. In addition, the rotation speed of the card reader 34 in the direction of arrow B due to gravity is reduced, and the rotation amount of the card reader 34 (the rotation of the pinion 70 by a predetermined amount or more) is regulated.
[0052]
Accordingly, the card reader 34 in the process of protruding from the housing main body 12 is decelerated by the damper mechanism 64 and stopped at a predetermined position without abutting against the housing main body 12 or the like, and receives an unnecessary impact or generates a tapping sound. Or not. The amount of rotation of the card reader 34 regulated by the damper mechanism 64 is set to the amount by which the entrance 50 projects outside the housing body 12 as described above.
[0053]
Further, the base member 72 is integrally provided with a guide portion 74 formed in an arc shape coaxial with the boss portion 60 (support pin 62). The guide portion 74 is provided on the housing body 12 of the card reader 34. Is configured to slide on the inner peripheral surface of the guide piece 68 with the advance / retreat of the space R. That is, the guide portion 74 guides the movement of the card reader 34 in the directions of the arrows A and B, and maintains the engagement between the gear teeth 68A and the pinion 70. The friction brake structure may be constituted by the inner peripheral surface of the guide piece 68 and the guide portion 74 instead of or together with the shaft support portion of the pinion 70.
[0054]
On the other hand, the lock mechanism 66 includes an engagement protrusion 76 fixed to the outer surface of the lower case 46. The engagement projection 76 projects in a direction substantially tangent to a rotation locus of the card reader 34 around the support pin 62.
[0055]
Further, the lock mechanism 66 includes a lock section 78. The lock portion 78 can take either a state in which the engagement protrusion 76 is locked or a state in which the lock is released when the card reader 34 is stored in the space R of the housing body 12. I have.
[0056]
Specifically, the lock portion 78 includes a main body portion 78A fixed to the housing main body 12 in the tangential direction via the base member 72. A not-shown heart cam (heart cam groove) mechanism is provided inside the main body portion 78A. By pressing (moving) in the direction, it is possible to switch between a state in which the interval between the distal ends of the pair of arm portions 78C swingably provided on the main body portion 78A is narrowed and a state in which the distal end is widened.
[0057]
As described above, the lock mechanism 66 locks (stores) the card reader 34 with the pair of arms 78 </ b> C engaged with the engagement protrusions 76 while the card reader 34 is stored in the space R of the housing body 12. The state is maintained), and when the card reader 34 is rotated in the direction of arrow A from the locked state and the engaging projection 76 presses the switching projection 78B, the tip interval between the pair of arms 78C is widened and the locked state is released. It is a configuration to cancel.
[0058]
Further, the lock mechanism 66 presses the switching protrusion 78B against the engagement protrusion 76 with the operation of rotating the card reader 34 protruding from the housing main body 12 again in the direction of arrow A and storing the card reader 34 in the housing main body 12. Then, the distal end interval between the pair of arm portions 78C is narrowed, and the locked state is restored again.
[0059]
On the other hand, the transmission / reception module 36 is fixed in a state of being housed in a substantially left half in the housing main body 12. An antenna 82 is connected to the transmission / reception module 36 via a wiring 80. The antenna 82 is affixed to the inner surface of the front windshield glass 84 of the vehicle S, and wirelessly communicates with a transmitting / receiving antenna installed at a tollgate or the like on a toll road, tolling the IC card 48 read by the card reader 34. Information including information for settlement is transmitted and received.
[0060]
Thereby, even if the angle of the housing main body 12 with respect to the vehicle S changes due to the adjustment of the mirror surface angle, the transmission and reception between the antenna 82 and the transmission and reception antenna such as a toll booth can be performed well. The antenna 82 may be attached to the stay 30 that is fixed to the vehicle S so as not to be noticeable from the outside of the vehicle S (does not move relative to the vehicle S).
[0061]
The light-emitting device 38 includes a pair of LEDs (light-emitting diodes) 84 and 86, and an LED that is electrically connected to the LEDs 84 and 86 through wirings 88 and 90, respectively, and provided with a circuit for controlling the LEDs 84 and 86. A substrate 92 is provided. The LED 84 emits red light when energized, and the LED 86 emits green light when energized.
[0062]
The LEDs 84 and 86 are disposed between the inner surface of the frame 16 and the end surface of the mirror 14, respectively, and the frame 16 covers the peripheral edge of the rear surface of the mirror 14, so that the vehicle inner mirror is provided. It is not visible from outside the device 10.
[0063]
The LED substrate 92 is fixed to the housing main body 12 in front of the transmission / reception module 36, and selectively emits one of the LEDs 84 and 86. Specifically, the LED 84 emits light when the IC card 48 is not inserted into the card reader 34, and the LED 86 emits light when the IC card 48 is inserted into the card reader 34.
[0064]
As described above, when the LED 84 emits light, the light-emitting device 38 is configured such that the red light is incident from the end face of the mirror 14 and passes through the mirror 14 to the vicinity of the inner edge of the frame 16 in the thickness direction and is visually recognized by the driver. . On the other hand, when the LED 86 emits light, the green light is incident from the end face of the mirror 14, passes through the mirror 14 in the thickness direction to near the inner edge of the frame 16, and is visually recognized by the driver. That is, the light emitting device 38 functions as a display device for transmitting information on the presence or absence of the insertion of the IC card 48 into the card reader 34 to the driver.
[0065]
The power supply board 40 is fixed to the housing main body 12 on the left side of the LED board 92 and in front of the transmission / reception module 36, and is connected to a power supply (battery or the like) of the vehicle S via wiring (not shown) or the like. The power supply board 40 supplies power to the card reader 34, the transmission / reception module 36, and the light emitting device 38 (LED board 92).
[0066]
Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described.
[0067]
In the vehicle inner mirror device 10 having the above-described configuration, the card reader 34 is usually stored in the space R of the housing main body 12, and the lower end of the lower case 46 and the cover piece 56 of the card reader 34 close the window 18. I have.
[0068]
In this state, in the card reader 34, the arm portions 78C respectively configuring the lock mechanisms 66 are engaged with the engagement protrusions 76, and the above-mentioned stored state is maintained. That is, the card reader 34 is locked while being stored in the space R of the housing body 12.
[0069]
When inserting the IC card 48 into the card reader 34, the lower end of the lower case 46 or the cover piece 56 is pressed upward. Then, the card reader 34 slightly rotates in the direction of arrow A, and the engaging projection 76 fixed to the card reader 34 presses the switching projection 78B of the lock portion 78.
[0070]
As a result, the pair of arm portions 78C of the lock portion 78 widen the interval between the distal ends, the engagement state between the pair of arm portions 78C and the engagement protrusions 76 is released, and the card reader 34 rotates around the support pins 62. It becomes a free state in which it can rotate. Then, the card reader 34 rotates in the direction of arrow B while being guided by the guide portion 74 on the inner surface of the guide piece 68 fixed to the case 42 by gravity.
[0071]
At this time, the rotation speed of the card reader 34 is reduced by the damper mechanism 64, and the card reader 34 gently projects from the window 18 to the outside of the housing body 12. Then, the card reader 34 reaches the rotation amount regulated by the damper mechanism 64 (the brake spring or the torsion spring is deformed until the friction force of the brake spring constituting the free stop shaft or the urging force of the torsion spring resists gravity). Is stopped), and the entrance 50 is exposed outside the housing body 12.
[0072]
This allows the card reader 34 to insert the IC card 48 from the entrance 50. In this state, the driver inserts the IC card 48 into the card reader 34 from the entrance 50 and turns the card reader 34 in the direction of arrow B. When the IC card 48 is inserted into the card reader 34, the LED 86 emits green light when the engine of the vehicle is started or the accessory switch is ON. With this display, the driver can check the state of insertion of the IC card 48 into the card reader 34.
[0073]
When the card reader 34 enters the space R of the housing body 12 and the engaging protrusion 76 presses the switching protrusion 78B of the lock portion 78, the pair of arms 78C in the lock portion 78 narrows the distance between the tips. . Then, when the card reader 34 slightly rotates in the direction of arrow B, the tips of the pair of arm portions 78C engage with the engagement projections 76, and the card reader 34 returns to the locked state. That is, the card reader 34 returns to the state of closing the window 18 while being stored in the space R of the housing body 12.
[0074]
On the other hand, when the IC card 48 is ejected from the card reader 34, the card reader 34 is made to protrude from the housing body 12 in the same manner as described above, and after the IC card 48 is ejected from the card reader 34, the card reader 34 is again inserted into the housing. It is stored in the space R of the main body 12. When the IC card 48 is ejected from the card reader 34, the LED 84 emits red light when the vehicle engine is started or the accessory switch is ON. With this display, the driver can confirm the non-insertion state of the IC card 48 into the card reader 34.
[0075]
Here, since the window 18 for moving the card reader 34 into and out of the space R of the housing main body 12 is opened below the housing main body 12, it is difficult to see from the outside (especially outside the cabin of the vehicle S). . For this reason, the vehicular inner mirror device 10 has a good appearance, the card reader 34 and the window 18 which are the storage portions of the IC card 48 are inconspicuous (the presence of the card reader 34 is hardly recognized from the outside), and the security is also high. Good.
[0076]
In addition, compared to a configuration in which the IC card 48 is inserted and removed from the side of the housing (to a card reader fixed in the housing), both ends in the longitudinal direction of the housing main body 12 can be made thinner. 12, that is, the inner mirror device 10 for a vehicle can have a more attractive design (shape). That is, the degree of freedom in designing the vehicle inner mirror device 10 is improved.
[0077]
Further, the card reader 34 projects outside the housing main body 12 from the window portion 18 to expose the entrance 50, so that the insertion / removal (insertion / ejection) of the IC card 48 is easy.
[0078]
As described above, in the vehicle inner mirror device 10 according to the present embodiment, the IC card 48 for toll settlement by ETC can be stored in the housing main body 12 from a position that is difficult to see from the outside.
[0079]
In the vehicle inner mirror device 10, a substantially rectangular IC card 48 is inserted into and removed from the card reader 34 projecting out of the housing main body 12 from the window 18 along the longitudinal direction. Since the longitudinal directions of the IC card 48 and the housing main body 12 substantially coincide with each other in a state where the IC card 48 is stored in the space R of the main body 12, for example, the IC card 48 is simply placed on the card reader 34 fixed to the housing main body 12 from below. The width of the housing body 12 in the vertical direction can be reduced as compared with the configuration in which the housing body 12 is inserted and removed.
[0080]
The vertical dimension of the housing body 12 according to the present embodiment is substantially the same as the vertical dimension of the housing without the card reader 34, and can accommodate the IC card 48 (along with the card reader 34). .
[0081]
Further, since the card reader 34 rotates in the direction of arrow A or the direction of arrow B around the support pin 62 to advance and retreat from the window portion 18 to the space R of the housing main body 12, the housing main body 12 of the card reader 34 has a simple structure. Is realized. When the card reader 34 protrudes from the housing body 12, the entrance 50 of the card reader 34 faces obliquely downward, so that the IC card 48 can be easily inserted and removed.
[0082]
In particular, since the doorway 50 is open on the side far from the driver with the card reader 34 protruding from the housing main body 12, the driver does not take a cramped posture and operates the IC with the card reader 34 naturally. The card 48 can be inserted or ejected.
[0083]
Furthermore, in the vehicle inner mirror device 10, the window 18 is closed while the card reader 34 is housed in the space R of the housing main body 12 (closed substantially flush with the lower surface of the housing main body 12). Therefore, appearance and security are further improved. In particular, since the card reader 34 includes the cover piece 56, the window 18 can be reliably closed even in a configuration in which only a part of the IC card 48 is inserted.
[0084]
Since the appearance of the housing main body 12 is good as described above, the housing main body of the vehicle inner mirror device mounted on a vehicle having no ETC (not including the card reader 34) has substantially the same shape as the housing main body 12. This makes it more difficult for the external appearance of the housing body 12 to recognize the presence of the card reader, thereby improving the security of the vehicle inner mirror device 10.
[0085]
In particular, in the vehicular inner mirror device mounted on a vehicle not having the above-mentioned ETC, in a case 42 having no main substrate 54, for example, a card (a so-called highway card or the like) to be settled by handing to a staff member of a toll road or the like is used. And the like, the housing body 12 having the window 18 and the case 42 can be shared by the vehicle inner mirror device and the vehicle inner mirror device 10 having the card reader 34 built therein. There is almost no difference in the appearance of the vehicle inner mirror device depending on whether or not it is mounted, and the security of the vehicle inner mirror device 10 is further improved. Further, by sharing the housing body 12 and the case 42, the number of dies for molding the housing body 12 or the case 42 can be reduced, and the cost of the housing body 12 can be reduced.
[0086]
In the above-described embodiment, the card reader 34 is configured to rotate around the support pin 62 and move forward and backward with respect to the housing main body 12. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, FIGS. The configuration according to the modification shown in FIG. Hereinafter, this modified example will be described. Parts and portions that are basically the same as those of the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those of the above-described embodiment, and description thereof is omitted.
[0087]
As shown in FIG. 7, the vehicle inner mirror device 100 according to the above-described embodiment is different from the vehicle inner mirror device 100 according to the modification in that the card reader 34 moves up and down with respect to the housing body 12. Different from 10.
[0088]
Specifically, the housing body 12 is not provided with the boss portion 60 (the support pin 62), and the card reader 34 is not provided with the shaft hole 58. The card reader 34 is provided with a vertically extending guide rack 102 instead of the arc-shaped guide piece 68. The guide rack 102 extends from a position slightly protruding from the upper end of the case 42 to the lower end of the case 42, and has rack teeth 102A formed on one side in the width direction over the entire length.
[0089]
As shown in FIG. 8, the rack teeth 102 </ b> A are engaged with a pinion 70 provided on a base member 104 fixed to the housing body 12. In this modification, the pinion 70 is disposed near the lower end of the housing main body 12 so that the card reader 34 maintains engagement with the rack teeth 102A of the guide rack 102 during the entire process of moving forward and backward with respect to the housing main body 12. Has become.
[0090]
The base member 104 is integrally provided with a guide portion 106 which is vertically elongated and slidable with the widthwise end face of the guide rack 102 opposite to the rack teeth 102A. The guide section 106 slides with the guide rack 102 in accordance with the vertical movement of the card reader 34, guides the movement, and maintains the engagement between the pinion 70 and the rack teeth 102A.
[0091]
The guide rack 102 and the pinion 70 constitute a damper mechanism 108, and the damper mechanism 108 corresponds to the damper mechanism 64 in the above embodiment. That is, the shaft support of the pinion 70 is configured similarly to the damper mechanism 64.
[0092]
In the housing main body 12, the window 18 is widened by an amount corresponding to the guide rack 102 in order to allow the card reader 34 having the guide rack 102 to advance and retreat. When the card reader 34 is stored in the space R of the housing body 12, the window 18 is closed by the lower end of the lower case 46, the cover piece 56, and the lower end of the guide rack 102.
[0093]
An upwardly protruding engagement projection 76 is fixed to the card reader 34, and the engagement protrusion 76 is provided on the base member 104 in a state where the card reader 34 is stored in the space R of the housing body 12. The main body 78A of the lock portion 78, which can selectively take the state of locking the lock and the state of releasing the lock, is fixed. That is, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the engagement protrusion 76 and the lock portion 78 constitute the lock mechanism 66.
[0094]
In the vehicle inner mirror device 100 according to this modification, the card reader 34 is normally housed in the space R of the housing main body 12, and the lower end of the lower case 46 and the cover piece 56 of the card reader 34 close the window 18. are doing. In this state, the card reader 34 is locked by the lock mechanism 66.
[0095]
When the IC card 48 is inserted into or removed from the card reader 34 (insertion and removal), the lower end of the lower case 46 or the cover piece 56 is pressed upward. Then, the card reader 34 slides slightly upward, and the engagement projection 76 fixed to the card reader 34 presses the switching projection 78B of the lock portion 78, and the locked state is released.
[0096]
Then, the card reader 34 slides downward while being guided by the guide portion 106 on the end surface of the guide rack 102 due to gravity. At this time, the card reader 34 protrudes out of the housing main body 12 from the window portion 18 while its moving speed is moderated by the damper mechanism 108, stops when the rotation amount regulated by the damper mechanism 108 is reached, and stops the entrance 50. It is exposed outside the housing body 12.
[0097]
This allows the card reader 34 to insert and remove the IC card 48 from the entrance 50 that opens leftward (farther from the driver). In this state, the driver inserts or ejects the IC card 48 from the entrance 50 into the card reader 34 and slides the card reader 34 upward. The card reader 34 enters the space R of the housing body 12, and when the engagement protrusion 76 presses the switching protrusion 78B of the lock portion 78, the card reader 34 is locked by the lock mechanism 66 and housed in the space R of the housing body 12. Then, the window 18 is returned to the closed state.
[0098]
As described above, the vehicle inner mirror device 100 according to the above-described embodiment is also provided by the vehicle inner mirror device 100 according to the present modified example, except for the effect based on the fact that the card reader 34 rotates and advances and retreats with respect to the housing main body 12. The same effect as the mirror device 10 can be obtained.
[0099]
Further, in the vehicle inner mirror device 100, since the card reader 34 simply slides up and down to advance and retreat to the space R of the housing main body 12, a mechanism for moving the card reader 34 into and out of the housing main body 12 with a simple structure is realized. You.
[0100]
Further, the card reader 34 that simply moves up and down (the IC card 48 partially protruding from the card reader 34) does not have its movement locus protruding from the storage area of the card reader 34 in the space R of the housing body 12. . For this reason, for example, the area in which the other components and the like (for example, the transmission / reception module 36 and the like) can be arranged in the space R of the housing main body 12 is widened, and the degree of freedom in the layout (or size and shape) of the other components and the like is increased. .
[0101]
In the above-described embodiment and the modification, the space R in which the card reader 34 advances and retreats is formed inside the housing main body 12, but the present invention is not limited to this. May be depressed inward to form a space R outside the housing body 12 (separate from the space closed by the mirror 14).
[0102]
Further, in the above-described embodiment and the modified examples, the vehicle inner mirror devices 10 and 100 have a preferable configuration including the damper mechanisms 64 and 108 and the lock mechanism 66. However, the present invention is not limited to the configuration and the presence or absence of the damper mechanism and the lock mechanism. Needless to say, it is not limited depending on the case.
[0103]
Further, in the above-described embodiment and the modified example, the IC card 48 inserted into the card reader 34 is configured to be a card of ETC which settles a toll on a toll road, but the present invention is not limited to this. The IC card 48 can be applied to any use as long as it is for payment by wireless communication. Therefore, for example, the IC card 48 can be used as a card material for paying a fee at a gas station, a parking lot, a fast food store, or the like. In addition, the card material in the present invention is not limited to the IC card 48 as long as it can record and read information for charge settlement.
[0104]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the vehicular inner mirror device according to the present invention has an excellent effect that the card material for toll settlement by wireless communication can be stored in the housing from a position that is difficult to see from the outside.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view showing a schematic overall configuration of a vehicle inner mirror device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the vehicle inner mirror device according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 1;
4A is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4A-4A in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4B-4B in FIG.
FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway front view showing a protruding state of a card reader constituting a vehicle inner mirror device according to an embodiment of the present invention from a housing main body.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state in which the vehicle inner mirror device according to the embodiment of the present invention is installed in a vehicle.
FIG. 7 is a front view corresponding to FIG. 5, showing a vehicle inner mirror device according to a modification of the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 4A showing a vehicle inner mirror device according to a modification of the embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 Vehicle inner mirror device
12 Housing body (housing)
14 Mirror
18 Window
34 Card reader (case, reading means)
42 case (case, cover)
48 IC card (card material)
50 doorway
54 Main board (reading means)
56 Cover piece (cover part)
62 Support pin (support shaft)
100 Vehicle inner mirror device
102 Guide rack (guide means)
106 Guide part (guide means)
R space

Claims (6)

A housing that holds a mirror for viewing backward and is attached to the upper part of the vehicle interior, and has a space on the back side of the mirror and a window that opens below the space;
A case that has an entrance through which a card material for charge settlement by wireless communication can be inserted and removed, and is provided so as to be able to advance and retreat from the window to the space of the housing, and exposes the entrance to the outside while projecting from the window. When,
Reading means provided in the case, capable of reading information of the card material inserted into the case,
A vehicle inner mirror device comprising: The case is characterized in that the card material having a substantially rectangular shape is formed so as to be able to be taken in and out along a longitudinal direction, and the card material is housed in the space so that the longitudinal direction of the card material substantially matches the longitudinal direction of the housing. The vehicle inner mirror device according to claim 1, wherein 3. The case according to claim 1, wherein the case is pivotally supported at a corner by a support shaft provided in the space, and rotates around the support shaft to advance and retreat with respect to the space. 4. Inner mirror device for vehicles. 3. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the case slides up and down with respect to the space while being guided by guide means provided along the up and down direction of the housing. Inner mirror device. The vehicle inner mirror device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the case has a cover portion that closes the window portion while being housed in the space. The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the case has the window portion on a side portion protruding from the window portion and located on a side far from a driver. Inner mirror device.

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