JP5750994B2 - Alarm sound generator for vehicles - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an alarm sound generating device that is provided in a vehicle that uses an electric motor as a power source and emits an alarm sound around the vehicle.

  A vehicle using an electric motor as a power source, such as a hybrid vehicle, an electric vehicle, and a fuel cell vehicle, has a problem that it is difficult for a pedestrian to notice the presence or approach of the vehicle because the running sound is quiet. In order to solve the problem of running noise that is too quiet and to ensure the safety of pedestrians, various techniques have been proposed to notify the surrounding pedestrians of the presence of a vehicle by generating a pseudo engine sound according to the running speed of the vehicle. (For example, refer to Patent Documents 1 and 2.)

  However, the conventional cone type speaker needs to have a certain size in order to maintain the sound volume and sound quality, and the weight per unit is large, which does not meet the compactness and weight reduction required for recent vehicles. Further, the cone type speaker requires waterproofing and dustproofing measures in order to maintain durability. Therefore, the structure for this is complicated and there is a limit to cost reduction, and the mounting location is also limited. In addition, it is difficult to attach such a cone-type speaker to the outside due to the design of the vehicle, and a large volume is required to alert pedestrians around the vehicle.

JP-A-7-32948 JP-A-5-208636

  Therefore, in view of the above-described situation, the present invention intends to solve a vehicle that has a wide range of mounting locations, is easy to mount, and can achieve lightweight, compact, low cost, low power consumption, and high sound quality. Is to provide an alarm sound generating device.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is an alarm sound generating device provided in a vehicle that uses an electric motor as a power source, and is attached to a body component exposed to the outside of the vehicle. A vibration unit having a vibrator for converting to mechanical vibration, and an acoustic signal supply means for supplying an acoustic electric signal for warning to alert the surroundings of the vehicle to the vibration unit . A plurality of vibrators are arranged in parallel in the concave groove of the U-shaped support body, and each vibrator of the vibration unit is supplied with acoustic electric signals from different acoustic signal supply means by independent wiring. The vehicle alarm sound generating device is characterized in that the body constituent member to which the vibration unit is attached is used as a vibration plate, and an alarm sound is emitted around the vehicle by the plurality of vibrators.

Further, the acoustic signal supply means reproduces an acoustic signal, a control means for controlling the reproducing means according to the speed of the vehicle, amplifies the reproduced acoustic signal, and passes through the conversion transformer. Preferably, it comprises an amplifier for supplying an acoustoelectric signal to the vibration unit ).

In addition, the acoustic signal supply means amplifies a pickup microphone that acquires a sound generated from a sound generation site of the vehicle, and a sound signal that is a generated sound acquired by the pickup microphone, and the vibration unit via a conversion transformer An amplifier that supplies an acoustoelectric signal is also preferable.

  For example, the body component is preferably a vehicle bumper, bonnet, trunk, headlight cover, taillight cover, or license plate.

  In addition, the vehicle is preferably a hybrid vehicle, an electric vehicle, or a fuel cell vehicle.

  According to the present invention as described above, an alarm sound is radiated around the vehicle using the vibrator as a body component member, so that waterproof and dust-proof measures are unnecessary as compared to conventional cone type speakers, It can be installed easily without choosing, and cost can be reduced. In addition, since the vibrator unit is provided with a plurality of vibrators, the body structure member itself can be vibrated sufficiently despite the compact structure with no cone, and the conventional cone type with less power. Volume and sound quality higher than that of the speaker can be maintained. In addition, since there are a plurality of vibrators, even if one of them breaks down due to disconnection of the wiring or the like, the other functions can be maintained and it is possible to prevent an important alarm sound from suddenly failing.

  Further, the vibrators of the vibration unit are connected in parallel inside or outside the unit and supplied with an acoustic electric signal from the acoustic signal supply means to perform the same vibration operation, or each vibrator of the vibration unit By supplying an acoustoelectric signal from different acoustic signal supply means by mutually independent wiring, even if one wiring breaks due to something, the other maintains its function and no important alarm sound suddenly sounds Can be prevented more reliably.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Explanatory drawing which shows the vehicle which attached the alarm sound generator which concerns on typical embodiment of this invention. Explanatory drawing which shows the state which attached the vibration unit to the bumper of the vehicle. The block diagram which similarly shows the structure of an alarm sound generator. The block diagram which similarly shows the structure of the vibration unit of an alarm sound generator. Explanatory drawing which similarly shows a vibration unit . Explanatory drawing which similarly shows the attachment structure of a vibration unit . The block diagram which similarly shows other embodiment of the acoustic signal supply means of an alarm sound generator.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the alarm sound generator S of the present invention is attached to a body component member 9 exposed to the outside of a vehicle C using an electric motor as a power source, and converts an acoustic electric signal into mechanical vibration. A vibration unit 1 having a vibrator 10 and an acoustic signal supply means 2 for supplying a warning acoustic electric signal to alert the surroundings of the vehicle C to the vibration unit 1. The vibrator 10 is continuously provided, and the body constituting member 9 to which the vibration unit 1 is attached is used as a diaphragm, and a warning sound is emitted around the vehicle C by the plurality of vibrators 10.

As the vehicle C, an electric motor is used as a power source, and a hybrid vehicle, an electric vehicle, a fuel cell vehicle, or the like whose traveling sound of the main body is too quiet is suitable. In addition, the body component member 9 to which the vibration unit 1 is attached in the vehicle C is, for example, the innermost side of the front and rear bumpers 90 and 91 (exposed outside the vehicle) in that it is farthest from the room and can prevent the alarm sound from being transmitted to the room. In the following description, this example will be described. However, other body configurations such as the bonnet 92, the trunk 93, the headlight cover 94, the taillight cover 95, and the inner surface side of the license plate 96 are described. Of course, it is also possible to provide the member.

  In the vibrator 10, for example, a voice coil is mounted on the central magnetic pole of the yoke, magnets are arranged on the short side end portions on both sides of the yoke, and a diaphragm fixing portion is arranged outside each magnet on the magnet arrangement axis. The known bone conduction vibrator can be used, and the acoustoelectric signal received from the amplifier 5 through the wiring is output as a mechanical vibration signal and transmitted to the body component 9. However, it is also possible to employ a semiconductor device including a piezoelectric element that causes vibration in addition to such a vibrator composed of a magnet and a coil.

As shown in FIG. 3, the acoustic signal supply means 2 amplifies the reproduced acoustic signal, a reproducing means 3 for reproducing the acoustic signal, a control means 4 for controlling the reproducing means 3 in accordance with the speed of the vehicle C, and the reproduced acoustic signal. The amplifier 5 supplies an acoustoelectric signal to the vibration unit 1 through a conversion transformer.

  The reproduction means 3 has a function of storing / reproducing alarm sound (engine pseudo sound, etc.) data, the operation is controlled by the control means 4, and the reproduced alarm sound data is output to the amplifier 5 as an acoustic signal. The amplification amount of the amplifier 5 is preferably set so as to ensure about 50 dB within a range of 2 m ahead at a low speed. The control means 4 is a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that receives a signal from a sensor provided in the vehicle C and controls the operation of the reproduction means 3 according to the traveling state of the vehicle C. In this example, the vehicle C has a vehicle speed sensor 6 that detects the vehicle speed of the vehicle C, and performs control to generate a sound at a low speed of, for example, 20 km / h or less according to the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor 6. Of course, a method is also possible. It is also preferable to control the amplifier 5 by the control means 4 so that, for example, the amount of amplification of the reproduced acoustic signal is reduced as the speed increases.

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the acoustic signal supply means 2. In this example, instead of providing a reproducing means for storing / reproducing the alarm sound data as an acoustic signal, a pickup microphone 3A is provided in the vicinity of the sound generating part of the vehicle C, for example, an electric motor or a wheel as a power source. Generated sound (motor sound, road noise, etc.) that is originally generated by the vehicle acquired by the microphone 3A is output to the amplifier 5 as an acoustic signal. In this example, the control means 4 and the vehicle speed sensor 6 are also omitted, and the sound generated by the pickup microphone 3A is always output to the amplifier 5 as an acoustic signal regardless of the vehicle speed of the vehicle C, and amplified by a constant amplification amount. An acoustoelectric signal is supplied to the vibration unit 1 through a conversion transformer. The amount of amplification is set so as to ensure about 50 dB within a range of 2 m ahead at a low speed, for example.

  In the case of this example, the alarm sound radiated around the vehicle by this apparatus is an amplified sound of motor noise, road noise, etc. acquired by the pickup microphone 3A. Cannot be discriminated by the same generated sound. Therefore, since the driver and passengers are not bothered, there is no need to perform control to prevent the control means 4 from producing a sound as in the example of FIG. 3 described above. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide the connection with the vehicle speed sensor 6 already installed in the vehicle or the control means 4, and the cost can be reduced and the attachment to the vehicle C, in particular, the retrofit can be facilitated and provided as an easy-to-handle device. can do. Of course, as in the example of FIG. 3, the control means is provided to temporarily store the sound generated by the pickup microphone 3A as alarm sound data, and playback control is performed according to the magnitude of the vehicle speed from the vehicle speed sensor, or amplification by an amplifier. It is also possible to control the amount according to the magnitude of the vehicle speed.

As shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of vibrators 10 are connected to the vibration unit 1. In this example, the vibrators 10 are arranged and bonded in the concave grooves 11 a of the support body 11 having a U-shaped cross section. As shown in FIG. 6, the support main body 11 is engaged with the vibrator 10 in the concave groove 11a pressed against the body component 9 by the locking piece 90a projecting on the body component 9 side. It has a mounting structure that is stopped. The vibration unit 1 is not particularly limited to such a structure.

Also, regarding the attachment structure, there may be various structures such as those using attachment screws and adhesives as long as each vibrator 10 can be in close contact with the body constituting member 9. What is necessary is just to select the optimal attachment structure according to the kind of the other body structural member 9 to attach. The number of vibrators 10 is preferably about 2 to 5 per vibration unit 1. If it is too much, vibration will be hindered. In order to further improve the waterproofness and dustproofness of the vibrator, the others may be resin-sealed in the groove 11a in a form in which the vibration surface of each vibrator 10 is exposed.

The vibrators 10 in the concave groove 11a are connected in parallel to each other, and all receive the acoustoelectric signal from the amplifier 5 and perform the same vibration (amplitude, frequency) operation. Thereby, even if each parallel wiring in the concave groove 11a is disconnected for some reason, the probability that all the vibrators stop functioning is reduced. In this example, the wiring connected in parallel inside extends to the outside, but the wiring of each vibrator 10 may be extended to the outside and connected in parallel outside. In this way, it is preferable to connect the vibrators of the vibration unit in parallel inside or outside the unit and supply the acoustic electric signal from the acoustic signal supply means to perform the same vibration operation. Even if one wiring is disconnected due to the cause, it is possible to more reliably prevent an important alarm sound from suddenly failing because the other functions are maintained. It is also possible to supply the acoustoelectric signals from different acoustic signal supply means 2 by wiring independent from each other without externally connecting them in parallel.

The vibration unit 1 is fixed to a total of four at the left and right corners of the front and rear bumpers 90 and 91, thereby vibrating the entire front and rear bumpers 90 and 91, and an alarm sound (engine simulated sound or the like) around the vehicle C. Is emitted.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and can of course be implemented in various forms without departing from the gist of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vibration unit 2 Acoustic signal supply means 3 Reproduction means 3A Pickup microphone 4 Control means 5 Amplifier 6 Vehicle speed sensor 9 Body component member 10 Vibrator 11 Support main body part 11a Groove 90, 91 Bumper 90a Lock piece 92 Bonnet 93 Trunk 94 Head Light cover 95 Tail light cover 96 Number plate C Vehicle S Alarm sound generator

Claims (5)

An alarm sound generator provided in a vehicle using an electric motor as a power source,
A vibration unit attached to a body component exposed outside the vehicle and having a vibrator that converts an acoustoelectric signal into mechanical vibration;
The vibration unit comprises an acoustic signal supply means for supplying an acoustic electric signal for warning to call attention around the vehicle,
The vibration unit is configured by arranging a plurality of vibrators in parallel in a recessed groove of a support body portion having a U-shaped cross section,
Each vibrator of the vibration unit supplies an acoustoelectric signal from different acoustic signal supply means by wiring independent from each other,
Said body structure member vibration unit is attached as the diaphragm, the alarm sound emitting device for a vehicle, characterized in that to emit alarm sound around the vehicle by the plurality of transducers. The acoustic signal supply means reproduces an acoustic signal, a control means for controlling the reproduction means according to the speed of the vehicle, amplifies the reproduced acoustic signal, and transmits the acoustic unit via a conversion transformer. The alarm sound generating device according to claim 1, further comprising an amplifier that supplies an acoustoelectric signal.
The acoustic signal supply means amplifies a pickup microphone that acquires a sound generated from a sound generation site of the vehicle, and a sound signal that is a generated sound acquired by the pickup microphone, and transmits an acoustic signal to the vibration unit via a conversion transformer. 2. The alarm sound generator according to claim 1, further comprising an amplifier for supplying an electric signal.
It said body structure member, the vehicle bumper, hood, trunk, head light cover, alarm sound generating device according to any one of claim 1 to 3 which is a tail light cover, or license plate. The alarm sound generation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the vehicle is a hybrid vehicle, an electric vehicle, or a fuel cell vehicle.

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