JP3753921B2 - Vehicle periphery visual recognition device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicle periphery visual recognition device that captures and displays to the driver a left-right or front-rear surrounding landscape in front of or behind the vehicle that becomes a blind spot of the driver in a situation with poor visibility.
[0002]
[Prior art]
FIG. 4 shows a configuration diagram of a conventional vehicle periphery visual recognition device. The vehicle periphery visual recognition device 1 includes a light-shielding case 3 that is disposed outside the vehicle and has a pair of left and right transmission windows 2L and 2R provided on both sides thereof. The prism 4 has its apex angle 5 directed toward the front part of the case (upper part of the case 3 in the figure), and the left and right prism side surfaces 8L and 8R corresponding to the isosceles sides of the isosceles triangle are arranged on the left and right transmission windows 2L and 2R sides, respectively. The light rays 18L and 18R incident on the prism side surfaces 8L and 8R, converted into an optical path in the prism 4 and guided to the imaging surface through a predetermined imaging lens 9 are stored. An image pickup device 11 in which an image pickup device 10 for converting to an image signal is housed and disposed on the rear side of the prism 4, a mirror image inversion processing unit 12 for performing a mirror image inversion process on the image signal supplied from the image pickup device 10, and a vehicle interior. Mirror image inversion processing Configured with a display unit 15 for displaying an image signal obtained from the 12.
[0003]
As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle periphery visual recognition device 1 is configured such that, for example, the front portion of the imaging device 11 (front portion of the case 3) faces the front of the vehicle 16 and the transmission windows 2R and 2L face the left and right sides, respectively. To the front bumper 17. In this state, the light beam 18L that has entered the transmission window 2L from the left side view passes through the prism side surface 8L, is internally reflected by the prism side surface 8R, and exits from the prism rear surface 8B, and then is imaged by the imaging lens 9 and imaged. Guided to the left half surface 10L of the ten imaging surfaces. On the other hand, the light ray 18R that has entered the transmission window 2R from the right side view passes through the prism side surface 8R, is internally reflected by the prism side surface 8L, and exits from the prism rear surface 8B. Guided to the right half surface 10R of the imaging surface. Both are converted into image signals by the image sensor 10.
[0004]
The left and right scenes are imaged in this manner, and the captured image signals are mirror-inverted by the mirror image inversion processing unit 12 and supplied to the display unit 15, and the left side captured from the transmission window 2 </ b> L in the display unit 15. The scenery is displayed on the left half screen 15L as the left half image, and the right side scenery captured from the transparent window 2R is displayed on the right half screen 15R as the right half image.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in such a vehicle periphery visual recognition device 1, for example, in a situation in which an oncoming vehicle that has turned on the headlight 21 at night approaches from the front, the light beam 21 a emitted by the headlight 21 enters, for example, the transmission window 2 </ b> L from the front side. The light is transmitted through the prism side surface 8L and refracted in the direction of the imaging lens 9 at that time, and the prism side surface 4 emits the prism rear surface 8B without being internally reflected. There is a case where it is guided to the right half surface 10R of the surface. Then, the light beam 21a of the headlight 21 guided to the right half surface 10R enters the transmission window 2R from the right scenery, passes through the prism side surface 8R, is internally reflected by the prism side surface 8L, and exits from the prism rear surface 8B. The image is combined with the light beam 18R guided to the right half surface 10R of the image pickup surface of the image pickup device 10 and processed.
[0006]
In such a case, the display unit 15 has a headlight captured from the front through the transmissive window 2L on the right half screen 15R on the right side image 22R (here, a completely dark landscape image) captured through the transmissive window 2R. The image 21b of the light ray 21a of 21 is superimposed and displayed, that is, a part of the scenery taken in from the left transmission window 2L is reflected on the right half screen 15R of the display unit 15 or displayed in the same manner. In addition, a part of the scenery taken in from the right transmission window 2R is reflected on the left half screen 15L of the display unit 15 and is erroneously displayed, thereby deteriorating the driver's visibility.
[0007]
Therefore, the problem of the present invention is that a part of the scenery captured from the left transmissive window is reflected on the right half screen of the display unit and is erroneously displayed as a right image for the imaging device, or similarly from the right transmissive window. An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle periphery visual recognition device that prevents a captured scene from being reflected on the left half screen of a display unit and erroneously displayed as a left image and losing visibility.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problems, a vehicle periphery visual recognition device according to the present invention has a case that is disposed outside the vehicle and has a pair of left and right transmission windows on both sides thereof. An equilateral triangular prism is housed and disposed in such a posture that the apex angle is directed to the front of the case and the left and right prism side surfaces corresponding to the isosceles of the isosceles triangle are directed to the left and right transmission windows, respectively. Imaging in which a light beam incident from one of the left and right prism side surfaces, reflected by the other prism side surface and emitted from the rear surface of the prism is condensed on an imaging surface via a predetermined imaging lens and converted into an image signal The device includes an imaging device in which the element is housed and disposed at a rear position of the prism, and the prism enters through the left and right transmission windows, and transmits through the left and right prism side surfaces, respectively. After internal reflection at the left and right prism side surfaces of the opposite side, the effective light rays respectively guided to the left half and the right half of the imaging surface of the imaging has been the imaging element in the imaging lens and emitted from the prism rear surface passes A light shielding portion is disposed so as to cover the rear region of the prism side surface, which is a region other than the region.
[0009]
In that case, the said light-shielding part may be formed integrally and protrudingly with the said case in the peripheral part of the said right and left transmission window among the inner surfaces of the said case.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle periphery visual recognition device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state in which an imaging device constituting the vehicle periphery visual recognition device is disposed in a vehicle. It is.
[0011]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle periphery visual recognition apparatus 1 </ b> A according to this embodiment includes, for example, an imaging device 11 </ b> A installed below the front bumper 17 in the vehicle 16 and an image of the vehicle periphery captured by the imaging device 11 </ b> A. Is displayed on the display unit 15 such as an LCD or CRT provided at a position that is easily visible to the driver, such as an instrument panel in the vehicle interior, and the image signal captured by the imaging device 11A is mirror-inverted. A mirror image inversion processing unit 12 supplied to the display unit 15 is provided.
[0012]
The image pickup apparatus 11A is attached to, for example, a light-shielding case 3 in which front portions on both sides (upper part in FIG. 1) are formed on the side of the mountain in plan view, and openings formed in the front portions on both sides of the case 3 respectively. A pair of left and right transmission windows 2R and 2L made of transparent glass, an image sensor 10 such as a CCD camera disposed in the case 3, an imaging lens 9, and light rays that have entered from the transmission windows 2L and 2R 18L, 18R is provided with a prism 4 that changes the optical path and guides it to the imaging surface of the imaging device 10 via the imaging lens 9.
[0013]
The prism 4 is formed in a prismatic body having an isosceles triangle cross section, the apex angle 5 of the isosceles triangle is directed to the front part of the case 3 (upper part of the case 3 in the figure), and the two isosceles triangles are formed. The prism side surfaces 8L and 8R corresponding to the equal sides are arranged in a posture facing the transmission windows 2L and 2R of the case 3, respectively. In the imaging lens 9, the optical axis 25 of the imaging lens 9 coincides with the bisector of the apex angle 5 of the isosceles section of the prism 4 behind the prism 4 (downward in FIG. 1). In this way, the lens holder 26 is fixed.
[0014]
The prism 4 enters the transmission window 2L of the case 3 on the surface thereof, passes through the prism side surface 8L, is internally reflected by the prism side surface 8R, and exits from the prism rear surface 8B. The light beam 18L guided by the left half surface 10L of the imaging surface of the image pickup device 10 or the transmission window 2R of the case 3 enters the transmission window 2R of the imaging device 10, passes through the prism side surface 8R, and is internally reflected by the prism side surface 8L. After exiting the rear surface 8B, the light shielding member covers the region other than the effective region through which the light beam 18R formed by the imaging lens 9 and guided to the right half surface 10R of the imaging surface of the imaging device 10 passes. 27 (light-shielding part) is provided.
[0015]
The light shielding member 27 is formed, for example, by sticking an opaque film to the prism 4 so as to cover an area other than the effective area of the prism 4, or a light-shielding resin cover other than the effective area of the prism 4. It is formed so as to cover it.
[0016]
In the image pickup apparatus 11A, as shown in FIG. 1, among the light rays that enter from the transmission window 2L of the case 3, the light ray 18L corresponding to the left scenery is not shielded by the light shielding member 27 and passes through the left prism side surface 8L. The light is transmitted as it is, reflected internally by the prism side surface 8R and emitted from the rear surface 8B of the prism, and then imaged by the imaging lens 9 and guided to the left half surface 10L of the imaging surface of the imaging device 10. However, a light ray 21 a that has entered the transmissive window 2 </ b> L of the case 3 from the front (upward in FIG. 1), for example, a light ray other than the light ray 18 </ b> L corresponding to the left scenery, for example, a headlight light of an oncoming vehicle, is blocked by the light shielding member 27. The light is shielded from being guided to the image sensor 10 via the prism 4. Similarly, the light ray 18R corresponding to the right-side view with respect to the light ray entering from the transmission window 2R of the case 3 is not shielded by the light shielding member 27 and passes through the prism 4 and the imaging lens 9 to the imaging element 10. While guided to the right half surface 10R of the image pickup surface, light rays other than the light ray 18R corresponding to the right scene are blocked by the light blocking member 27 and are not guided to the image pickup device 10 via the prism 4.
[0017]
Then, the image signal captured by the image sensor 10 is mirror-inverted by the mirror image inversion processing unit 12 and supplied to the display unit 15, and the left side image captured through the transmission window 2 </ b> L on the left half screen 15 </ b> L of the display unit 15. Is displayed as the left half image, and the right side image captured through the transmission window 2R is displayed on the right half screen 15R of the display unit 15 as the right half image.
[0018]
According to the vehicle periphery visual recognition apparatus 1A configured as described above, the left-side view of the light rays that have entered from the transmission window 2L of the case 3 by the light shielding member 27 that is covered in an area other than the effective area on the surface of the prism 4. Is transmitted through the prism side surface 8L, internally reflected by the prism side surface 8R and emitted from the prism rear surface 8B, and then imaged by the imaging lens 9 and formed on the imaging surface of the image sensor 10. While guiding to the left half surface 10L, for example, light rays other than the light ray 18L corresponding to the left side view like the light ray 21a shown in FIG. Among the light rays that have entered through the transmission window 2R, the light ray 18R corresponding to the right scene is guided to the right half surface 10R of the imaging surface of the imaging device 10 via the prism 4 and the imaging lens 9, while Light rays other than the light ray 18R corresponding to the side scenery are shielded without being incident on the prism 4, so that the light rays other than the light ray 18L corresponding to the left background entering from the transmission window 2L of the case 3 are used. Is guided to the right half surface 10R of the imaging surface of the image sensor 10, enters from the transmission window 2R of the case 3 and corresponds to the right view 18R guided to the right half surface 10R of the imaging surface of the image sensor 10. And a light beam other than the light beam 18R corresponding to the right background that has entered from the transmission window 2R of the case 3 is guided to the left half surface 10L of the imaging surface of the image sensor 10, and the transmission window of the case 3 2L to prevent the image from being processed by being combined with the light beam 18L corresponding to the left view guided to the left half surface 10L of the image pickup surface of the image pickup device 10, thereby preventing the left transmission window 2L from being processed. A part of the captured scene is reflected on the right half screen 15R of the display unit 15 and erroneously displayed. Similarly, a part of the scene captured from the right transparent window 2R is reflected on the left half screen 15L of the display unit 15. Thus, it is possible to prevent the vehicle from being erroneously displayed and to provide the driver with a vehicle peripheral image with good visibility.
[0019]
In this embodiment, the imaging device 11A is disposed on the front bumper 17 of the vehicle 16 to capture the left and right scenery in front of the vehicle. However, the imaging device 11A is disposed on the rear bumper to obtain the left and right scenery behind the vehicle. You may make it image. Of course, you may make it image the scenery before and behind a vehicle.
[0020]
Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an imaging device constituting the vehicle periphery visual recognition device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In addition, description of a component part is abbreviate | omitted like 1st Embodiment, and only a different component part is demonstrated. In FIG. 3, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.
[0021]
In this embodiment, instead of forming the light shielding member 27 in the first embodiment in a region other than the effective region on the surface of the prism 4, the inner surface of the case 3 is integrated with the peripheral portions of the transmission windows 2 </ b> L and 2 </ b> R. In particular, a light shielding portion 27B (light shielding portion) is formed so as to protrude, and the light shielding portion 27B covers a region other than the effective region on the surface of the prism 4.
[0022]
According to the vehicle periphery visual recognition device configured in this way, in addition to the same effects as those of the first embodiment, the prism 4 can be accommodated and disposed in the case 3 and other than the effective area on the surface of the prism 4. Since the region is covered with the light shielding portion 27B, the efficiency of the assembly work can be improved.
[0023]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the present invention, among the light rays that enter from the left transmission window of the case by the light-shielding portion that is covered with the rear region of the prism side surface that is a region other than the effective region of the prism surface, Corresponds to the light beam that passes through the prism side surface, reflects internally from the side surface of the right prism and exits from the rear surface of the prism, and then forms an image with the imaging lens and is guided to the left half surface of the imaging surface of the image sensor. Only the light beam is transmitted through the prism, and the light beam other than the light beam corresponding to the left-side view is not transmitted through the prism. Similarly, the light beam that has entered from the right transmission window of the case is transmitted through the right prism side surface. After reflecting internally from the side of the left prism and exiting from the rear surface of the prism, only the light beam that is imaged by the imaging lens and guided to the right half of the imaging surface of the image sensor, that is, the light beam corresponding to the right-hand side view, enters the prism. Transparency The light beam other than the light beam corresponding to the right-side view is configured not to be transmitted through the prism. Guided to the right half of the case and entered through the right transmission window of the case, combined with the light corresponding to the right view guided to the right half of the imaging surface of the image sensor, image processing is performed, or the right transmission of the case Light rays other than those corresponding to the right background that entered from the window were guided to the left half of the imaging surface of the image sensor, entered from the left transmission window of the case, and guided to the left half of the imaging surface of the image sensor. It is prevented that the image is processed by being combined with the light beam corresponding to the left-side view, and thus, when the image signal that has been image-processed is displayed on a predetermined display unit, the landscape captured from the left transparent window is displayed. Part of the right half of the display The area around the vehicle with good visibility is prevented from being mistakenly displayed on the screen or part of the scenery taken in from the right transparent window. Images can be provided to the driver.
[0024]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the light-shielding portion is formed integrally with the case at the peripheral portion of the left and right transmission windows on the inner side surface of the case. Thus, since the light shielding part protrudingly formed on the inner side surface of the case covers the area other than the effective area on the surface of the prism, the assembly work can be made more efficient.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a vehicle periphery visual recognition apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which the imaging device constituting the vehicle periphery visual recognition device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is attached to the vehicle.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an image pickup apparatus constituting a vehicle periphery visual recognition apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional vehicle periphery visual recognition device.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1A Vehicle periphery visual recognition apparatus 2R, 2L Transmission window 3 Case 4 Prism 5 Vertical angle 8L, 8R Prism side surface 8B Prism rear surface 9 Imaging lens 10 Imaging element 10R Right half surface 10L of imaging surface Left half surface 11, 11A of imaging surface Imaging device 12 Mirror image inversion processing unit 15 Display unit 16 Vehicle 17 Front bumpers 18R, 18L Light beam 27 Light blocking member 27B Light blocking unit

Claims (2)

A case is disposed outside the vehicle and has a pair of left and right transmission windows on both sides of the case. In this case, a prism having an isosceles cross section faces its apex angle toward the front of the case and The left and right prism side surfaces corresponding to the isosceles triangle isosceles are stored and arranged in the posture toward the left and right transmission windows, respectively, incident from one of the left and right prism side surfaces, and reflected by the other prism side surface. An imaging device in which a light beam emitted from the prism rear surface of the prism is condensed on an imaging surface via a predetermined imaging lens and converted into an image signal is housed and disposed at a rear position of the prism;
The prism enters from the left and right transmission windows of the surface thereof, passes through the left and right prism side surfaces, and is internally reflected by the opposite left and right prism side surfaces, and then exits from the prism rear surface and exits the connection. A light-shielding portion is disposed in the rear region of the prism side surface, which is a region other than the effective region through which light rays that are imaged by the image lens and guided to the left half surface and the right half surface of the imaging surface of the image sensor pass, respectively. A vehicle periphery visual recognition device characterized by the above.   The vehicle periphery visual recognition device according to claim 1, wherein the light shielding portion is formed so as to protrude integrally with the case at a peripheral portion of the left and right transmission windows on the inner side surface of the case.

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