JP2004231051A - Outside mirror for automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an outside mirror for an automobile capable of obtaining clear visibility by surely preventing blooming. <P>SOLUTION: Relative positional relation between an image pick-up means 3 and a side turn lamp 4 as a light emitting means is set so that the light from the side turn lamp 4 does not enter the image pick-up means 3. When lighting the side turn lamp 4, since the radiation light form the side turn lamp 4 does not directly enter the image pick-up means 3, blooming is not generated in images picked up by the image pick-up means 3. Clear visibility is thereby obtained, and deterioration of performance such as the lowest illuminance of an object due to an additional part such as a filter and a rise of the parts cost are prevented. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an outside mirror for an automobile on which an imaging unit is mounted. In particular, the present invention relates to an outside mirror for an automobile that can reliably prevent blooming and obtain clear visibility.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art A vehicle outside mirror equipped with an image pickup device for eliminating a blind spot near an axle of a front wheel or a ground contact surface of a vehicle has been conventionally known (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2000-62531 (paragraph numbers “0008” to “0015”, FIGS. 1 to 3)
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-mentioned conventional vehicle outside mirrors, there are side turn (marker) lamps mounted on both left and right sides of a fender of the vehicle and front combination lamps mounted on left and right sides of a front part of the vehicle. Since the light directly enters the imaging unit, blooming (or halation) may occur in the video taken by the imaging unit, and visibility may be impaired. In addition, if additional components such as a filter are provided in the imaging means in order to solve the problem of visibility, the performance such as the minimum illuminance of the subject is lowered and the cost of the components is increased.
[0005]
An object of the present invention is to improve the above-mentioned conventional vehicle outside mirror, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle outside mirror capable of reliably preventing blooming and obtaining clear visibility. .
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a light emitting unit is mounted on an outside mirror for an automobile together with an image pickup unit, and a relative positional relationship between the image pickup unit and the light emitting unit is illuminated from the light emitting unit. Characterized by a relative positional relationship in which the reflected light does not directly enter the imaging means.
[0007]
As a result, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the light emitting means is turned on, the light emitted from the light emitting means does not directly enter the imaging means, so that the blooming does not occur in the video taken by the imaging means. Thus, in the invention according to claim 1, clear visibility can be obtained.
[0008]
The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the light emitting means is a side turn lamp.
[0009]
As a result, according to the second aspect of the present invention, since the light emitting means can function as a side turn lamp, side turn (marker) lamps mounted on the left and right sides of the fender of the vehicle and the left and right sides of the front portion of the vehicle The turn lamps of the front combination lamps mounted on both sides can be omitted.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of a vehicle outside mirror according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited by the embodiment. The components of the present embodiment include components that can be easily replaced by those skilled in the art, or components that are substantially the same.
[0011]
In this specification, the left side of the vehicle means the left side when viewed from the driver side, and the right side of the vehicle means the right side when viewed from the driver side. Further, the front side of the vehicle body refers to the front side viewed from the driver side, and the rear side of the vehicle body refers to the rear side viewed from the driver side.
[0012]
As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicle outside mirror 100 according to this embodiment is a door-mirror mounted on the left side of a vehicle, and includes a base 1 and a housing 2. The rear surface of the housing 2 faces the front side F of the vehicle body.
[0013]
An imaging unit 3 and a side turn lamp 4 as a light emitting unit are mounted on a lower portion of the rear surface of the housing 2. The relative positional relationship between the imaging unit 3 and the side turn lamp 4 is such that the light emitted from the side turn lamp 4 does not directly enter the imaging unit 3 as described below.
[0014]
That is, the imaging means 3 is mounted on the front side F of the vehicle body with respect to the side turn lamp 4 and on the side closer to the base 1 (the side closer to the vehicle body). On the other hand, the side turn lamp 4 is located on the rear side B of the vehicle body with respect to the imaging means 3 and in the longitudinal direction of the housing 2 (from the base 1 side to the side opposite to the base 1 (outside the vehicle body)). Direction).
[0015]
On the back surface of the housing 2, an imaging window 31 for imaging of the imaging means 3 and a lens 41 for transmitting light of the side turn lamp 4 are provided. The shooting window 31 is provided slightly downward. On the other hand, the lens 41 is provided substantially horizontally.
[0016]
The imaging means 3 is, for example, a CCD camera, and includes a main body 32 and an objective lens 33. This objective lens 33 faces the photographing window 31. The imaging means 3 is provided with a photographing range C (for example, in the case of a door-mirror mounted on the left side of the vehicle, near the axle or ground contact surface of the left front wheel, or In the case of a door-mirror mounted on the right side of the vehicle, information on the axle of the right front wheel or near the ground contact surface is captured. The information imaged by the imaging means 3 is displayed as image information on a display device (for example, a liquid crystal display) arranged in the driver's seat of the automobile. Thereby, the blind spot near the axle of the front wheel of the automobile or the ground contact surface can be eliminated. The imaging means 3 may be attached to the housing 2 so as to be tiltable. In this case, the imaging unit 3 can be tilted manually or remotely, and the shooting direction and the shooting angle of the shooting range C can be adjusted and controlled.
[0017]
The side turn lamp 4 includes therein a light source 5 such as one or more LEDs or an incandescent lamp. The light source 5 of the side turn lamp 4 faces the lens 41 of the housing 2. The side turn lamp 4 irradiates light from the light source 5 to the light irradiation range L on the front side F of the vehicle body via the lens 41 to perform a turn signal function. This makes it possible to omit side turn (marker) lamps mounted on the left and right sides of the fender of the vehicle and turn lamps of front combination lamps mounted on the left and right sides of the front of the vehicle.
[0018]
The outside mirror for an automobile in this embodiment has the above-described configuration, and the operation and effect thereof will be described below.
[0019]
First, the imaging unit 3 captures the information of the photographing range C and displays the information on the display device, thereby eliminating the blind spot near the axle of the front wheel of the automobile or near the ground contact surface. On the other hand, when the side turn lamp 4 flashes and irradiates the light irradiation range L, a turn signal function can be achieved.
[0020]
At this time, the relative positional relationship between the imaging means 3 mounted on the housing 2 and the side turn lamp 4 is such that light emitted from the side turn lamp 4 does not directly enter the imaging means 3. That is, the imaging means 3 is mounted on the front side F of the vehicle body with respect to the side turn lamp 4, while the side turn lamp 4 is mounted on the rear side B of the vehicle body with respect to the imaging means 3. Further, the objective lens 33 of the imaging means 3 faces the photographing window 31 provided slightly downward, and the light source 5 of the side turn lamp 4 faces the lens 41 provided substantially in the horizontal direction. .
[0021]
As a result, the light emitted from the light source 5 of the side turn lamp 4 does not directly enter the objective lens 33 of the imaging means 3. As shown in FIG. 3, even if the imaging range C of the imaging unit 3 and the light irradiation range L of the side turn lamp 4 partially or completely overlap, the light emitted from the side turn lamp 4 does not emit light. There is no direct incidence on.
[0022]
For this reason, the outside mirror for automobiles in this embodiment does not cause blooming in the video taken by the imaging means 4 and provides clear visibility. There is no reduction in performance such as illuminance or increase in component cost. In addition, the side turn lamps 4 eliminate the need for side turn (marker) lamps mounted on the left and right sides of the fender of the vehicle and turn lamps for front combination lamps mounted on the left and right sides of the front of the vehicle.
[0023]
In this embodiment, the image pickup means 3 is located on the front side F of the vehicle body, and the side turn lamp 4 is located on the rear side B of the vehicle body. The side turn lamp 4 may be located on the rear side B, and the side turn lamp 4 may be located on the front side F of the vehicle body. In short, in the present invention, the relative positional relationship between the imaging unit 3 and the light emitting unit such as the side turn lamp 4 may be any relative position in which light emitted from the side turn lamp 4 does not directly enter the imaging unit 3. .
[0024]
Further, in this embodiment, the side turn lamp 4 has been described as the light emitting means. However, in the present invention, a lamp other than the side turn lamp, such as a bending lamp, may be used as the light emitting means.
[0025]
Further, in this embodiment, the door-mirror has been described. However, in the present invention, another outside mirror for a vehicle, for example, a fender mirror or a truck mirror may be used.
[0026]
Furthermore, in this embodiment, the imaging means 3 and the side turn lamps 4 are mounted on the housing 2, but they may be mounted on a design cover (skull cap) covering the housing 2.
[0027]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the outside mirror for an automobile according to the present invention (claim 1), when the light emitting means is turned on, the irradiation light from the light emitting means does not directly enter the imaging means. Blooming does not occur in the video shot with. Therefore, clear visibility can be obtained, and there is no lowering of the performance such as the minimum illuminance of the subject due to additional components such as a filter, and no increase in component costs.
[0028]
Further, according to the outside mirror for a vehicle according to the present invention (claim 1), since the light emitting means can function as a side turn lamp, the side turn (marker) mounted on the left and right sides of the fender of the vehicle is provided. ) It is possible to omit lamps and turn lamps of front combination lamps mounted on both left and right sides of the front part of the vehicle.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an external view showing an outside mirror for an automobile according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a positional relationship between an objective lens of an image pickup unit and a light source of a side turn lamp, which is obtained by combining views AA and BB in FIG.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a positional relationship between an objective lens of an image pickup unit and a light source of a side turn lamp, as viewed in a direction indicated by arrows CC in FIG. 3;
[Explanation of symbols]
100 Outside mirrors for automobiles (door mirrors)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Base 2 Housing 3 Imaging means 31 Imaging window 32 Main body 33 Objective lens 4 Side turn lamp (light emitting means)
41 Lens 5 Light source F Body front side B Car body rear side C Imaging range L Light irradiation range

Claims (2)

In an outside mirror for a vehicle equipped with imaging means,
A light emitting unit is mounted together with the imaging unit, and a relative positional relationship between the imaging unit and the light emitting unit is a relative positional relationship in which light emitted from the light emitting unit does not directly enter the imaging unit. Features an outside mirror for automobiles. The outside mirror according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting means is a side turn lamp.

Images