JP2538567Y2 - Power supply for rearview mirror - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a power supply device for a vehicle rearview mirror.

[Prior Art] Vehicle rearview mirrors have recently become more sophisticated with the emergence of electric remote control mirrors, anti-glare mirrors, etc. With this, power is supplied to the rearview mirrors using multiple wires or FPC (flexible printed). Circuit) cables are used. In addition, vehicles that adhere the rearview mirror to the windshield are increasing due to fashionability and restrictions on mounting parts.

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the case of the rearview mirror of the glass bonding method, connection of a power supply required for high performance is difficult. Wire or FPC
If the connection is made by using such a method, and the electric wire is covered so as not to be exposed, not only the assemblability is deteriorated, but also the visibility is hindered and the fashionability is also reduced.

An object of the present invention is to provide a rearview mirror in which the power supply portion does not obstruct the view while improving the problem of mounting the rearview mirror on a windshield.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention optically transmits a power supply for driving a high-performance element of a room mirror attached to an inner surface of a windshield. That is, the present invention relates to a rearview mirror power supply device that is attached to the inner surface of a windshield of a vehicle and supplies power to a rearview mirror provided with high-performance elements such as a change in mirror reflectance. A light-to-electric conversion unit that is disposed on the surface and emits light when supplied with power from a vehicle internal power supply, an optical system that collects light from the light-to-electric conversion unit, a photoelectric conversion unit that is provided on a stay of a room mirror, and a front from the optical system. An optical transmission path formed substantially along the inner surface of the glass to the photoelectric conversion unit, and means for driving the high-performance element by an output of the photoelectric conversion unit are provided.

In the present invention, electric energy is converted into light energy and transmitted, and the light energy is converted back from light energy to electric energy on the light receiving side.

[Example] Next, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view schematically showing a power supply device of the room mirror of the present invention.

A base 11 having a built-in drop-off mechanism is adhered to the inner surface of a windshield 10 of the vehicle using an adhesive 12, and a stay 13 is attached to the base 11 to support a housing 14 of a rearview mirror. Inside the ceiling near the upper edge of the windshield 10, there are provided a light source, an electro-optical converter 15 such as a light emitting element, and an optical system including a reflector 16 and a condenser lens 17. On the stay side, a diffusion lens 18 is provided on the upper surface of the stay 13, and a photoelectric conversion unit 19 such as a solar cell is provided inside the stay.

Light-to-light conversion unit mounted in the ceiling by a signal from a control unit (not shown) arranged inside the instrument panel
Driving the light source or light emitting element which is 15, windshield
The light is guided to the photoelectric conversion unit 19 in the stay 13 via the light transmission path 20 formed by the space along the inner surface of the light source 10. The electromotive force generated by the light received by the solar cell is connected to the housing
Is supplied to the inside of the mirror 24, and further connected to the high-performance element of the mirror 24. Reference numerals 27 and 28 in the figure denote hoods for preventing scattered light from the lens surface from entering the driver's eyes.

The light from the light source or light emitting element 15 is converted into a parallel beam by an optical system including a reflecting mirror 16 and a condenser lens 17, and is diffused by a stay-side diffusion lens 18 through a light transmission path 20 formed by the space. The solar cell inside the stay is irradiated. The electromotive force generated by the light received by the solar cell is supplied to the inside of the housing 14 by the lead wire 21 to drive the high-performance element. The light transmission path 20 formed between the condenser lens 17 and the diffusion lens 18 does not hinder the field of view of the driver and the passenger.

FIG. 2 shows a modified embodiment. In this case,
The light is directly transmitted from the front of the condenser lens 17 to the photoelectric conversion unit 19 in the stay 13 along the inner surface of the windshield 10 via a light transmission path 25 such as an optical fiber. The optical fiber uses a transparent adhesive 26 so as not to obstruct the field of view. It is preferable that the end of the optical fiber facing the solar cell has an uneven surface for light scattering.

In the above-described embodiment, a lamp is used as the light-to-electricity converter. However, a semiconductor laser, a light emitting diode, or the like may be used, and a light receiving element may be a solar cell, a photodiode, a cds, or the like. In addition, a glass rod, a resin rod, or the like can be used as the optical transmission path in addition to the glass fiber.

[Effects of the Invention] Since an optical transmission line is used to supply power to a rearview mirror having a high function such as a change in reflectance, it is not affected by external light,
There is no light during night driving, so there is no harm to the driver. Further, the optical transmission path may be thin because it may have a planar shape, and even if it is attached to a windshield, it does not stand out, so that it is possible to look ahead without obstructing the field of view.
Further, since no connector or connector cover is required, the fashionability of the glass-bonded room mirror is not reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a part of a power supply device of the rearview mirror of the present invention, which is cut away, and FIG. 2 is a side view showing a deformed side. 10 ... windshield, 11 ... base, 12 ... adhesive,
13 ... stay, 14 ... housing, 15 ... light-to-light conversion unit,
19: photoelectric conversion unit, 20, 25: optical transmission path.

Claims (2)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A power supply device for a rearview mirror, which is attached to an inner surface of a windshield of a vehicle and supplies power to a rearview mirror provided with a highly functional element such as a change in mirror reflectance.
A light-to-light conversion unit that is arranged on the ceiling surface at the top of the rearview mirror mounting position and emits light by being supplied with power from a vehicle power supply;
An optical system for condensing light from the electro-optical conversion unit, a photoelectric conversion unit provided on a stay of a room mirror, and an optical transmission path formed between the optical system and the photoelectric conversion unit substantially along the inner surface of the windshield. And a means for driving the high-performance element by an output of a photoelectric conversion unit. 2. The power supply device for a room mirror according to claim 1, wherein the optical transmission path is formed by an optical fiber.