JP2023131277A - Safety confirmation system of automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a safety confirmation system of an automobile which can enhance safety in driving operation for turning right or left, especially in the nighttime.SOLUTION: A safety confirmation system of an automobile comprises rearward lighting lights 9 which are provided respectively on left and right side mirrors 7 or in the vicinity thereof, and which can irradiate rearward interlocking with actuation of left and right winkers 3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a safety confirmation device that can confirm safety when turning a car left or right, especially at night.

When a car turns left or right, especially at night, accidents involving motorbikes, bicycles, and pedestrians on crosswalks are more likely to occur. One of the reasons for this accident is that the left side of the car becomes a blind spot for the driver's seat, and it is difficult to check the safety of the left side of the car by looking at the side mirror, especially at night. Furthermore, even during the day, bicycle or motorbike drivers or pedestrians may fail to notice the blinking turn signal of a car and drive straight ahead, causing accidents.

In view of these circumstances, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses that an infrared video camera that photographs the rear side of the vehicle is attached to a rearview mirror stay, etc., and the output image is displayed on an image display device provided in the driver's seat. discloses a visibility assisting device that improves safety by monitoring conditions where it is difficult for the driver to see on the left side.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-14810 (Page 3, Figure 1)

In the visibility assisting device described in Patent Document 1, it is possible to visually check the rear side of the vehicle using an infrared video camera, but since the image display device and the rearview mirror are naturally provided in different locations, It is difficult to instantly shift one's line of sight between them, and it is difficult to sufficiently confirm safety. Furthermore, since an expensive infrared video camera and image display device are required, it is difficult to install a visibility aid device in a private automobile due to the cost.

The present invention was made with attention to such problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an automobile safety confirmation device that can improve the safety of driving operations when turning left or right, especially at night. shall be.

In order to solve the above problems, the automobile safety confirmation device of the present invention has the following features:
The vehicle is characterized by a rear illumination lamp that is installed on or near the left and right side mirrors and can illuminate the rear in conjunction with the operation of the left and right turn signals.
According to this feature, when the vehicle turns right or left, the turn signal is activated and the rear illumination light illuminates the rear, so that the side and rear sides of the vehicle can be clearly seen through the side mirrors. Therefore, it is possible to prevent accidents such as getting caught when turning right or left, especially at night, and it is possible to improve the safety of driving the vehicle.

Of the left and right turn signals, only the rear illumination light on the activated side is turned on.
According to this feature, the left and right rear illumination lights are never turned on at the same time, and only one of the left and right rear illumination lights is always turned on.

The rear illumination light is characterized in that it is turned off in conjunction with the deactivation of the left and right turn signals.
According to this feature, when the left and right turn signals stop working, the rear illumination lights also turn off automatically, so there is no need for the rear illumination lights to remain on or forget to turn them off after completing a right or left turn.

The rear illumination lamp is characterized in that it illuminates the rear and lower parts.
According to this feature, it is possible to prevent dazzle from being caused to drivers of other cars, motorcycles, bicycles, etc. traveling to the side of the own vehicle, and also to clearly see low obstacles on the road using the side mirrors. can be visually recognized.

The rear illumination lamp is characterized by having an umbrella portion that prevents irradiation to the rear and upper side.
According to this feature, it is possible to more effectively prevent dazzling from being caused to the drivers of other cars, motorcycles, bicycles, etc. traveling beside the own vehicle.

The rear illumination light is characterized in that it is turned on in conjunction with operation of an operating lever that operates the left and right turn signals.
According to this feature, when turning right or left, the left and right rear illumination lights can be automatically turned on simply by operating the operating lever, eliminating the need for troublesome manual switch operations.

The rear illumination light is characterized in that it turns on when it detects blinking of the turn signal.
According to this feature, the rear illumination light can be automatically turned on in conjunction with the flashing of the turn signal.

1 is a rear view of an automobile equipped with a safety confirmation device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of a rear illumination light mounting portion on the left side of the automobile. It is an enlarged rear view of the left side mirror and the rear illumination light attached to it. It is also an enlarged side view. It is a circuit diagram which lights up a rear illumination light. FIG. 3 is a rear view of the vicinity of a rear illumination light mounting portion on the left side of an automobile equipped with a safety confirmation device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a side view of the vicinity of a rear illumination light mounting portion on the left side of an automobile equipped with a safety confirmation device according to a third embodiment. FIG. 7 is a rear view of the vicinity of a rear illumination light mounting portion on the left side of an automobile equipped with a safety confirmation device according to a fourth embodiment. It is a rear view when the side mirrors are similarly folded.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A mode for implementing the automobile safety confirmation device according to the present invention will be described below based on examples.

An automobile safety confirmation device according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. FIG. 1 shows a rear view of an automobile (one-box car) 1 to which the present invention is applied. On both left and right sides of the rear panel 1a of the automobile 1, a tail light 2, a rear turn signal (direction indicator light) 3 , 3 and backlights 4, 4 are provided. Furthermore, headlights, small lights (all not shown), and front turn signals 3, 3 (see FIG. 5) are provided on both left and right sides of the front of the automobile 1. The front, rear, left and right turn signals 3, 3 flash by operating an operating lever (not shown) provided on the steering column when making a right or left turn.

Side mirrors (door mirrors) 7 are attached to the front upper corners of the side doors 5 on both left and right sides of the front of the automobile 1, which are close to the front pillars 6. Note that the mounting structure of the side mirrors 7, 7 on the left and right side doors 5 and the mounting structure of the rear illumination light 9, which will be described later, are symmetrical and have the same structure, so only the left side will be described in the following explanation.

The side mirror 7 includes a mirror body 7a that allows rearward visibility, and a mirror housing 7b that houses the mirror body 7a. The inner end of the mirror housing 7b is supported by the upper surface of a support member 8 attached to the outer panel 5a of the side door 5 and extends diagonally outward and upward, and horizontally rotates toward the side door 5 about a vertical axis (not shown). It is now possible to move. That is, when the side mirror 7 is remotely operated from the driver's seat or when the side door 5 is locked, the side mirror 7 can be rotated inward by approximately 90 degrees from the used state and folded (stored) to the unused state. There is. Further, the vertical and horizontal positions (angles) of the mirror body 7a can also be adjusted by remote operation from the driver's seat.

A rear illumination light 9 for illuminating the rear side of the automobile 1 is attached to the outer surface of the upper part of the support member 8 so as to be located directly below the side mirror 7 (the detailed mounting structure will be described later). do). The rear illumination light 9 includes a non-transparent cylindrical case 10 made of synthetic resin or the like with an opening at the rear, a light source 11 housed inside the case 10, and a synthetic resin that closes the rear opening of the case 10. and a transparent cover 12 made of aluminum or glass.

In this embodiment, a plurality of LED light bulbs are used as the light source 11, but a halogen light bulb or a normal filament light bulb may also be used. The transparent cover 12 has a convex curved surface to diffuse light. Note that a reflecting mirror may be provided inside the case 10 to reflect the light from the light source 11 backward.

An arc-shaped umbrella portion 10a extending rearward is integrally provided on the upper rear edge of the case 10 to prevent the light from the light source 11 from being irradiated rearward and upward.

A protrusion 10b whose lower surface is horizontal is protruded from the lower surface of the case 10, and a horizontal piece 13a of an outward L-shaped bracket 13 is fixed to the lower surface of the protrusion 10b with a screw 14. By fixing the upwardly directed piece 13b to the outer surface of the support member 8 with a screw 14, the rear illumination light 9 is attached to the support member 8 so as to be located directly below the intermediate portion of the side mirror 7 in the left-right direction. Note that, for example, if the entire case 10 is square or only the inner surface is a vertical surface, the case 10 can be directly attached to the side surface of the support member 8 with an adhesive or the like without using the bracket 13.

The optical axis of the light source 11 is tilted slightly downward from the horizontal to prevent dazzling the drivers of other cars, motorcycles, bicycles, etc. traveling on the side of the own vehicle. (near the ring) is illuminated (see Figure 4). The other end of the wiring 15 connected to the light source 11 is drawn into the support member 8 and connected to the lighting circuit of the turn signal 3 (see FIG. 5).

Next, the configuration of an electric circuit for lighting the rear illumination lamp 9 will be described with reference to FIG. 5. A turn signal switch 17 having two switchable contacts, a right turn contact 17a and a left turn contact 17b, is connected to the positive terminal of the battery 16 of the automobile 1, and relays 18 and 18 are connected to the contacts 17a and 17b, respectively. The front and rear turn signals 3, 3 on the right side are connected to the front and rear turn signals 3, 3 on the left side. Note that the relay 18 causes the blinker 3 to blink at regular intervals.

When the operating lever on the steering column is operated when making a right or left turn, the turn signal switch 17 is activated and the right turn contact 17a or left turn contact 17b is closed, and the right or left front and rear turn signals 3, 3 connected to the contacts 17a, 17b are activated. blink at the same time. When the steering wheel (handle) is returned to straight ahead after completing a right or left turn, the turn signal switch 17 together with the operating lever returns to the neutral position and stops operating, and the front and rear turn signals 3, 3 are automatically turned off.

The circuits between the right and left turn contacts 17a, 17b and the relays 18, 18 are connected with wirings 15, 15 derived from the left and right rear illumination lights 9, 9, respectively, and these wirings 15, 15, Relays 28, 28 are provided. Note that the relay 28 only allows electricity to be passed from the input side (turn signal switch 17 side) to the output side (left and right rear illumination lights 9, 9 side), and is used to turn on the rear illumination lights 9, 9. It is. Therefore, when the right turn contact 17a of the turn signal switch 17 is closed during a right turn, the right front and rear turn signals 3, 3 flash, and the right rear illumination light 9 is also turned on at the same time. Furthermore, when the left turn contact 17b is closed during a left turn, the left front and rear turn signals 3, 3 flash, and the left rear illumination light 9 is also turned on at the same time. When the right or left turn is completed, the blinkers 3, 3 and the rear illumination light 9 are automatically turned off. Therefore, the rear illumination light 9 does not remain on or forget to turn off after completing a right or left turn.

An illumination light switch 19 that can turn on and off the rear illumination lights 9, 9 by manual operation from the driver's seat is added to the electric circuit having such a configuration. This illumination light switch 19 is connected to the positive terminal of the battery 16, and its contact 19a is connected to the wiring 15, 15 of the left and right rear illumination lights 9, 9 on the output side of the relays 28, 28. There is.

When the turn signal switch 17 is in the non-operating state, when the illumination light switch 19 is manually operated to the ON side and the contact 19a is closed, the left and right rear illumination lights 9, 9 are turned on at the same time. Further, when the illumination light switch 19 is operated to the OFF side, the rear illumination lights 9, 9 are turned off. Note that when the illumination light switch 19 is manually operated to the ON side, the turn signals 3, 3 do not blink because the relays 28, 28 cut off the power to the turn signals 3, 3.

By providing the manually operable illumination light switch 19 in this manner, the rear illumination lights 9, 9 can be turned on as needed. For example, when backing up a car at night in a narrow alley with no streetlights, in a parking lot, or in a garage, if you manually operate the light switch 19 to turn on the rear lights 9, 9, the sides and rear of the car will be illuminated. Because the vehicle is illuminated, it is possible to back up safely by preventing the vehicle from coming into contact with obstacles or going off the track. Note that a dimmable switch may be used as the illumination light switch 19, and the illuminance of the rear illumination light 9 may be adjusted according to the surrounding brightness. Alternatively, two illumination light switches 19 may be provided to turn on the left and right rear illumination lights 9, 9 separately or at the same time. Furthermore, instead of providing the illumination light switch 19, the rear illumination lights 9, 9 may be automatically turned on, for example, in conjunction with the backlight 4.

As explained above, in the automobile safety confirmation device according to the first embodiment, when the turn signal operating lever on the driver's seat is operated to turn the automobile 1 to the right or left, the turn signal 3 flashes and at the same time the rear illumination light 9 is automatically turned on. Since the front side of the vehicle is illuminated and the rear side of the vehicle is illuminated, it is possible to clearly see through the side mirrors 7 whether there are bicycles, motorbikes, or pedestrians on the side of the vehicle. Therefore, it is possible to prevent accidents such as getting caught when turning right or left, especially at night, and the safety of driving the automobile 1 can be improved.

In addition, since the rear illumination lights 9 are simply attached to the support members 8 of the left and right side mirrors 9 and turned on at the same time as the turn signal switch 17 is activated, there is no need to make any modifications to the vehicle body, and the process can be carried out at low cost. can.

Furthermore, the rear illumination lights 9, 9 can be turned on and off automatically by simply operating the operating lever that activates the blinker switch 17, so there is no need for troublesome manual switch operations. It will no longer be necessary. In addition, even when turning left or right during the day, the rear illumination light 9 lights up together with the turn signal 3, making it easy to alert bicycle/motorcycle drivers or pedestrians traveling alongside the vehicle that the vehicle is turning left or right. Therefore, the probability of getting caught in an accident is lowered.

Further, since the left and right rear illumination lights 9, 9 are turned on in conjunction with the operation of the blinker switch 17, the left and right rear illumination lights 9 are not turned on at the same time, and only one of the left and right rear illumination lights 9 is always turned on. Furthermore, since the rear illumination light 9 is automatically turned off in conjunction with the deactivation of the blinker switch 17, the rear illumination light 9 does not continue to be on or forget to turn off after turning right or left.

Furthermore, the optical axis of the light source 11 of the rear illumination lamp 9 is tilted downward to illuminate the rear lower part, and an umbrella part 10a is provided at the upper rear edge of the case 10, so that the light source 11 of the rear illumination lamp 9 is tilted downward, and the umbrella part 10a is provided at the upper part of the rear edge of the case 10. It is possible to prevent glare from being caused to drivers of other cars, motorcycles, bicycles, etc., and also to clearly see low obstacles on the road through the side mirrors 7.

A vehicle safety confirmation device according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 6. Note that the same components as in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and redundant explanations will be omitted.

In the safety confirmation device of the second embodiment, a U-shaped bracket 20 is attached to the outer surface of the support member 8, and the upward direction of the bracket 13 attached to the protrusion 10a of the rear illumination light 9 is attached to the outer surface of this bracket 20. The piece 13b is attached by a screw shaft 21 and a nut 22 facing in the left-right direction. In this way, the rear illumination light 9 can be rotated in the vertical direction by loosening the nut 22, so that the optical axis and irradiation direction of the light source 11 can be adjusted in accordance with the vehicle height of the automobile.

An automobile safety confirmation device according to a third embodiment will be explained with reference to FIG. 7. Note that the same components as in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and redundant explanations will be omitted.

FIG. 7 shows a safety confirmation device for a vehicle according to a third embodiment, which is applicable to a vehicle in which a side turn signal 23 that blinks in conjunction with the front and rear turn signals 3 is provided in the mirror housing 7b of the side mirror 7. A light sensor 24 is provided inside the housing 7b, and when the light sensor 24 detects blinking of the side turn signals 23, the left and right rear illumination lights 9 connected to the battery 16 are automatically turned on and off. It is something.

That is, for example, if the blinking interval of the side turn signals 23 is 1 second, the minimum time for the rear illumination lights 9 to start lighting is 1 second, and if the next blink occurs within 1 second, the lighting continues. And it is sufficient. Further, the rear illumination light 9 can be turned off one second after the end of the last flashing of the side blinker 23. In addition, instead of detecting the blinking of the side turn signal 23 provided on the side mirror 7 with the optical sensor 24, the blinking of either the front or rear turn signal 3 is detected by the optical sensor, and the rear illumination light 9 is automatically turned on and off. You can also set it to turn off.

An automobile safety confirmation device according to a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. Note that the same components as in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and redundant explanations will be omitted.

8 and 9 show an automobile safety confirmation device according to a fourth embodiment. In this embodiment, a rear illumination light 9 is attached to the lower surface of the mirror housing 7b of the side mirror 7 in a downward U-shape. It is attached using a bracket 25. In this way, as shown in FIG. 9, the rear illumination light 9 can be folded together with the side mirror 7 toward the side door 5, so that it does not come into contact with other objects when parked, or obstruct pedestrian passage. can be prevented from becoming. Note that the irradiation direction can be adjusted by loosening the set screw 26 that fixes the rear illumination light 9 to the bracket 25 and rotating the rear illumination light 9 in the vertical direction.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and any changes or additions that do not depart from the gist of the present invention are included in the present invention. It will be done.

For example, in the embodiment described above, the rear illumination light 9 is directly attached to the support member 8 attached to the side door 5 or the side mirror 7, but a fender mirror attached to the fender of a car (attached to a taxi etc.) is supported. The rear illumination light 9 may be attached to the member, the vehicle body in the vicinity thereof, a side mirror attached to a front pillar (attached to a truck, bus, etc.), a supporting member thereof, or the like.

Further, in the embodiment described above, when the turn signal switch 17 is activated, the rear illumination light 9 is turned on. Alternatively, the timing may be such that the light is turned on after a predetermined time delay from the operation of the turn signal 3.

Further, in the embodiment described above, the rear illumination light 9 is always turned on when the turn signal switch 17 is activated, but the rear illumination light 9 is turned on only when the turn signal switch 17 is activated after sunset or at night. You can also do it like this. In this case, for example, a light receiving sensor that detects the amount of light in the surroundings is provided, and when the turn signal switch 17 is activated when the amount of light is below a certain level, the rear illumination light 9 is turned on. The rear illumination light 9 may be turned on when the turn signal switch 17 is operated with the light switch or small light switch turned on.

Further, it is also possible to make the rear illumination light 9 turn on only when the turn signal switch 17 is activated and the steering wheel is operated, that is, when a right or left turn is started. In this case, for example, a steering angle sensor may be provided to detect the amount of rotation of the steering shaft, and the rear illumination light 9 may be turned on when the amount of rotation of the steering shaft exceeds a certain value. In this way, when you are waiting at a traffic light with the turn signal switch 17 activated, only the turn signal 3 will flash and the rear illumination light 9 will not turn on, so that other cars stopped on the side of your car will not turn on. It is possible to prevent glare from being caused to drivers of cars, motorcycles, bicycles, etc.

It goes without saying that the safety confirmation device of the present invention can be applied to automobiles other than one-box cars.

1 Car 1a Back panel 2 Taillight 3 Turn signal 4 Backlight 5 Side door 5a Outer panel 6 Front pillar 7 Side mirror 7a Mirror body 7b Mirror housing 8 Support member 9 Rear illumination 10 Case 10a Umbrella 10b Projection 11 Light source 12 Transparent Light cover 13 Bracket 13a Horizontal piece 13b Upward piece 14 Screw 15 Wiring 16 Battery 17 Turn signal switch 17a Right turn contact 17b Left turn contact 18 Relay 19 Light switch 19a Contact 20 Bracket 21 Screw shaft 22 Nut 23 Side turn signal 24 Light sensor 25 Bracket 26 Set screw 28 Relay

Claims (7)

A safety confirmation device for an automobile, comprising a rear illumination lamp that is installed on the left and right side mirrors or in the vicinity thereof, and can illuminate the rear side in conjunction with the operation of left and right turn signals. 2. The vehicle safety confirmation device according to claim 1, wherein of the left and right turn signals, only the rear illumination light on the activated side is turned on. 3. The vehicle safety confirmation device according to claim 1, wherein the rear illumination light is turned off in conjunction with deactivation of the left and right turn signals. The vehicle safety confirmation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the rear illumination light illuminates a rear downward direction. 5. The vehicle safety confirmation device according to claim 1, wherein the rear illumination lamp has an umbrella portion that prevents illumination from rearward and upward. 6. The vehicle safety confirmation device according to claim 1, wherein the rear illumination light is turned on in conjunction with operation of a control lever that operates the left and right turn signals. 6. The vehicle safety confirmation device according to claim 1, wherein the rear illumination light is turned on by detecting blinking of the turn signal.

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