JP7200872B2 - sleep induction device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a sleep induction device mounted on a vehicle.

A vehicle is equipped with various in-vehicle devices such as a lighting device, an air conditioner, and an audio system. In recent years, there has been proposed a sleep induction device for inducing a passenger to fall asleep by appropriately operating this type of in-vehicle device (see, for example, Patent Literature 1). Passengers other than the driver may sleep while the driver is driving, and the driver may also stop and sleep during breaks. In the cabin, there are several factors that prevent passengers from falling asleep, such as noise and lights from oncoming vehicles. there is a possibility that

According to the sleeping device introduced in Patent Document 1, when it is detected that the passenger is in a state of drowsiness based on the biological information of the passenger, the in-vehicle device is appropriately operated to make the passenger fall asleep. . Claim 8 of Patent Document 1 lists a seat reclining device, a massage device, a lighting device, and the like as in-vehicle devices whose operation is controlled by the sleep onset device.

JP 2010-68941 A

By the way, in the sleeping device introduced in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, as an operation control of the in-vehicle device for making the passenger fall asleep, for example, for a massage device, it is proposed to perform a massage that makes the passenger sleepy. Paragraph [0059] of Patent Literature 1 mentions that the body is gently rocked from side to side as a massage that makes the passenger sleepy.

However, since the massage device is built in the seat, the occupant's whole body is moved by performing the massage. Therefore, the occupant who has received the massage that makes the occupant sleepy may wake up in some cases.
The inventor of the present invention aimed to develop a new sleep induction device in order to improve the comfort of the passenger in the vehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel sleep induction device capable of improving the comfortability of a passenger in a vehicle interior.

The sleep induction device of the present invention for solving the above problems is
comprising a tactile stimulation unit arranged on the side of the vehicle seat;
The tactile sense stimulus section has a deformation section that can be deformed in the vertical direction, a skin section that covers the deformation section from above, and a driving section that periodically deforms the deformation section,
In the sleep induction device, the position of the skin portion changes in the vertical direction as the deformation portion deforms.

The sleep induction device of the present invention is a novel sleep induction device capable of improving the comfortability of the passenger in the passenger compartment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a state in which the vehicle comfort improvement system of the embodiment is mounted on a vehicle; FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the positional relationship between the vehicle comfort improvement system of the embodiment and the occupant; It is an explanatory view showing typically a mode that the lighting installation for vehicles of an example was seen from the back. It is explanatory drawing which represents typically a mode that the sleep induction apparatus of the Example was disassembled. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is explanatory drawing which represents typically the sleep induction apparatus of an Example. It is an explanatory view explaining the cross section of the tactile sense stimulus part in the sleep induction device of the example.

The sleep induction device of the present invention comprises a tactile stimulus section arranged on the side of a vehicle seat. The tactile sense stimulation unit has a deformable portion that can be deformed in the vertical direction, a skin portion that covers the deformable portion from above, and a driving portion that periodically deforms the deformable portion. The position of the part changes in the vertical direction.

The sleep induction device of the present invention has a tactile stimulus section arranged on the side of the seat. An occupant can put his or her hand on the tactile sense stimulation section. The occupant, who puts his or her hand on the tactile stimulus portion, receives a vertical positional change of the epidermis caused by the deformation of the deformable portion. In other words, the occupant is stimulated by the tactile sensation stimulating section. Since the deformable portion is periodically deformed, the occupant is periodically stimulated with a sense of touch. This stimulation can induce the occupant's breathing to lull the occupant to sleep. Here, “periodically” means repeating a constant deformation pattern.

The timing at which the deformable portion of the sleep induction device starts to deform periodically is not particularly limited.
For example, when the distance from the departure point to the destination is greater than or equal to a predetermined distance, the deformation portion may start periodically deforming at the start of automatic driving. Alternatively, when the time required to reach the destination from the departure point is longer than a predetermined time, the deformation portion may be periodically deformed at the start of automatic operation. Furthermore, sensors installed in the vehicle detect the body temperature, heart rate, seat angle, etc. of the occupant, and when it is determined that the vehicle is driving automatically and the occupant is preparing to sleep, deformation A periodic deformation of the part may be initiated. The periodic deformation of the deformable portion may be automatically initiated or manually initiated by the occupant.

Periodic deformation of the deformation portion may be stopped, for example, after a predetermined period of time has elapsed after the periodical deformation has started. Alternatively, the vehicle interior may be sensed, and the periodic deformation may be stopped when it is determined that the passenger has fallen asleep. The cyclical deformation of the deformable portion may be maintained while the occupant sleeps.

It should be noted that the sleep induction device of the present invention can be installed not only in vehicles equipped with an automatic driving system, but also in various vehicles. The sleep induction device of the present invention can make the occupant sleep comfortably by inducing the occupant to sleep when the vehicle is stopped, etc. can contribute to improvement.

The tactile sense stimulation part in the sleep induction device of the present invention is preferably provided at a position that is easily accessible to the occupant, and ideally it is provided on the armrest on the side of the seat.

The deformable portion may be deformable in the vertical direction and may be deformed periodically by the driving portion. Examples of such a combination of the deformation section and the drive section include a combination of an airbag and a gas pump, a combination of a pin and an actuator, a combination of a piezoelectric element and a power supply device, and the like.

For example, when an airbag is used as the deformable portion and a gas pump is used as the driving portion, the airbag can be cyclically deflated and inflated by periodically injecting gas into and out of the airbag with the gas pump. When the airbag deflates and inflates, the dimension of the airbag in the vertical direction changes, and the airbag deforms in the vertical direction. Along with the deformation of the airbag in the vertical direction, the skin covering the airbag from above also periodically changes position in the vertical direction. By stimulating the tactile sensation of the occupant with the change in the position of the epidermis, it is possible to induce the occupant into a sleep state.

The airbag gradually inflates as gas is introduced, and the airbag gradually deflates as the gas is released. This gently stimulates the occupant's sense of touch. Therefore, when an airbag is used as the deformable portion and a gas pump is used as the driving portion, it can be said that the occupant is easily guided to sleep.

As the airbag, it is sufficient to use an airbag that can store gas inside and that can be deformed at least in the vertical direction following changes in the amount of gas stored inside. For example, a resin bag or the like is preferable. used.
Although the type of gas is not particularly limited, it is preferable to use air from the viewpoint of cost.

Further, for example, when a pin mechanism having a pin and a support portion that vertically movably supports the pin is used as the deformation portion, and an actuator is used as the driving portion, the pin can be periodically moved up and down by the actuator. Also in this case, it can be said that the dimension of the pin mechanism in the vertical direction is changed, and the pin mechanism as a whole is deformed in the vertical direction. As the actuator, an actuator capable of moving the pin up and down by a known mechanism using electric power, fluid pressure, magnetic force, or the like may be used. In this case, one pin or multiple pins may be used, but by sequentially and periodically moving multiple pins up and down, it is possible to provide a pleasant tactile stimulus to the occupants. , which makes it easier to guide the passenger to sleep.

Further, for example, when a piezoelectric element is used as the deforming portion and a power supply device is used as the driving portion, power is supplied to the piezoelectric element from the power supply device, and the piezoelectric element is periodically turned on/off and the voltage is changed periodically. It is possible to transform the Also in this case, since the vertical dimension of the deformed piezoelectric element changes, it can be said that the piezoelectric element is deformed in the vertical direction.

In such a sleep induction device of the present invention, in order to further improve the tactile sensation of the occupant, the skin portion or the deformation portion is soft, or a soft cushioning portion is provided between the skin portion and the deformation portion. is preferred. The skin portion may be rigid, and may not deform itself, but only change its position in the vertical direction following the deformation of the deformed portion. However, in consideration of improving the tactile sensation of the occupant, it is preferable that the skin part itself is deformable following the deformation of the deformable part.

In order to improve the tactile sensation of the passenger, the skin portion is preferably porous. A sleeping occupant easily perspires on his or her hands, but the use of a porous skin portion with excellent air permeability can preferably maintain the occupant's sleeping state. As the porous skin portion, it is preferable to use cloth such as woven cloth, nonwoven cloth, knit, artificial suede, and the like.

The amount of change in the position of the skin in the vertical direction should not be excessive. This is to relax the occupant while avoiding giving the occupant excessive stimulation, and promote falling asleep. Specifically, preferable ranges for the amount of change in the position of the skin portion in the vertical direction include ranges of 10 cm or less, 7 cm or less, and 5 cm or less.

The amount of change in the position of the skin portion in the vertical direction may be any magnitude that can be perceived by the passenger, and there is no particular lower limit. Strictly speaking, the amount of change in position of the skin portion in the vertical direction is preferably 0.5 cm or more, and more preferably 1 cm or more.
In this specification, the positional change amount of the skin portion refers to the positional change amount in a portion of the skin portion that undergoes the largest positional change. Further, the amount of change in the position of the skin portion in the vertical direction can be rephrased as the amount of deformation of the deformation portion in the vertical direction.

The outer dimensions of the deformation in the horizontal direction should also not be excessive. Among the hands of the occupant, the palm is a particularly sensitive part. When the deformable portion is sized to fit in the passenger's palm, it is possible to efficiently stimulate the passenger's sense of touch. In addition, if the deformed portion is small, the amount of deformation in the vertical direction is naturally small, so it is possible to relax the occupant while avoiding excessive stimulation as described above, and to favorably encourage the occupant to fall asleep. is.
Specifically, preferable ranges for the outer dimensions of the deformation portion in the horizontal direction include ranges of 20 cm or less, 17 cm or less, 15 cm or less, 13 cm or less, and 10 cm or less.

The outer dimension of the deformable portion in the horizontal direction is also sufficient as long as it is a size that can be perceived by the passenger, and there is no particular lower limit. Strictly speaking, the outer dimension of the deformed portion in the horizontal direction should be 5 mm or more.
In this specification, the outer dimension of the deformed portion in the horizontal direction means the diameter of a circle projecting the deformed portion in the vertical direction and circumscribing the projected image.

In the sleep induction device of the present invention, it is preferable that the deformation period of the deformable portion is not too short in order to soothe and relax the nerves of the occupant who is tense due to driving. It is desirable that the deformation period of the deformable portion is about the ideal beat interval or longer. Here, the period of deformation of the deformed portion means the time interval from when the length of the deformed portion in the vertical direction, that is, the height of the deformed portion reaches its maximum, to the next maximum. The period of deformation of the deformation portion may be constant or irregular. Further, the deformation unit may repeat deformation based on a predetermined pattern obtained by combining a plurality of such cycles.

As a pattern in which the deformable portion is deformed, a pattern in which the position of the epidermis is gradually raised over 4 seconds, then maintained for 7 seconds, and then gradually lowered over 8 seconds is exemplified. Alternatively, a pattern is exemplified in which the position of the epidermis is gradually lowered over 4 seconds, then maintained for 7 seconds, and then gradually raised over 8 seconds.

Here, breathing of the occupant is induced by the vertical movement of the skin portion. Specifically, the occupant is guided to inhale when the skin is raised and to exhale when the skin is lowered. By inducing breathing so that the number of seconds to breathe in < the number of seconds to breathe out, parasympathetic nerve activity is said to be superior to sympathetic nerve activity, so lower the position of the epidermis. Sometimes it is preferable to take longer than when raising the epidermis position.
Deformation of the deformable portion at this cycle is effective in relaxing the occupant.

The sleep induction device of the present invention may stimulate only the occupant's sense of touch, but may also stimulate senses other than the sense of touch, such as hearing and sight, in addition to the sense of touch. For example, the tactile sense stimulus section may be used as a monitor to display some kind of light or image on the tactile sense stimulus section, or the tactile sense stimulus section may be used as a speaker to generate some sound or music. These lights and sounds can help the occupants sleep by touch. In these cases, the tactile stimulator can also function as an auditory stimulator and a visual stimulator. Such auditory stimulus section and visual stimulus section may be provided integrally with the tactile sense stimulus section, or may be provided separately from the tactile sense stimulus section.
In addition, it is also possible to stimulate the sense of smell by providing the sleep induction device with a heating unit that heats the aroma oil.

The tactile sense stimulus section may be further provided with an operation interface for the in-vehicle device. Specific examples of such in-vehicle devices include air conditioners, vehicle navigation systems, and various audio-visual devices. An operation switch etc. are illustrated as an operation interface of these vehicle-mounted apparatuses.

If the tactile sense stimulus part where the passenger's hand is placed is provided with an operation interface for the on-vehicle device, even a relaxed passenger with closed eyelids can easily operate the on-vehicle device.

Although the operation interface may be exposed above the skin portion, it is preferable to arrange it below the skin portion and above the deformation portion in consideration of improving the tactile sensation of the passenger. When the tactile sense stimulation section has a soft cushioning portion between the skin portion and the deformation portion, the operation interface may be arranged above the cushioning portion or below the cushioning portion. In order to fully utilize the cushioning function of the portion, the operation interface is preferably placed under the cushioning portion.

Furthermore, considering the operability of the passenger, it is preferable that the operation interface has a light-emitting portion, and that the portion of the tactile stimulus portion above the operation interface is light transmissive. By doing so, the passenger can visually recognize the operation interface.

The deformable portion may deform only moderately as described above, but in addition to this, it may deform greatly, deform rapidly, or deform in a short cycle. By operating the deformable portion in this way, it is possible to strongly stimulate the occupant's tactile sense, and for example, to awaken the sleeping occupant or prevent the occupant from falling asleep during driving. That is, in this case, the sleep induction device of the present invention can also be used as a wakefulness induction device.

By the way, the sleep induction device of the present invention may be combined with other sleep induction devices or wakefulness induction devices to form a vehicle comfort improvement system. Other sleep induction devices and wakefulness induction devices that can be combined with the sleep induction device of the present invention include a vehicle lighting device that includes sleep induction lighting and wakefulness induction lighting.

The vehicle lighting device includes sleep-inducing lighting and wakefulness-inducing lighting. Hereinafter, the vehicle lighting device may be referred to as the vehicle lighting device of the present invention.

Among the vehicle lighting devices of the present invention, the sleep-inducing lighting is arranged in the lower part of the vehicle, and is arranged on the side of the seat along the longitudinal direction of the seat. In addition, wake-up guidance lighting is arranged on the upper part of the vehicle. In this specification, the lower portion of the vehicle means a portion of the vehicle below the window portion. Further, the upper portion of the vehicle means the upper portion of the vehicle including the window portion. Furthermore, the term “window portion” used herein is a concept that includes the front window, side window, and rear window of the vehicle. Also, the ``front-back direction of the seat'' can be regarded as the ``orientation of the seat'', and corresponds to the direction of the hips and knees of the occupant seated on the seat. The occupant's knee side is the front side of the seat, and the buttock side is the rear side of the seat. The longitudinal direction of the seat in the vehicle lighting device of the present invention may be the same as or different from the traveling direction of the vehicle. In the vehicle lighting device of the embodiment described later, the front-rear direction of the seat and the traveling direction of the vehicle coincide with each other. It may not match the direction of travel. When a plurality of seats are arranged sideways with respect to the traveling direction of the vehicle, the direction substantially orthogonal to the traveling direction of the vehicle is the front-rear direction of the seats.
Hereinafter, the front-rear direction of the seat may be simply referred to as the front-rear direction as necessary.

The sleep-inducing lights arranged in this way can illuminate the seats and the passenger compartment from below, and the wakefulness-inducing lights can illuminate the seats and the passenger compartment from above. In other words, the sleep-inducing lighting illuminates the seats and the passenger compartment away from the passenger's eyes, and the wakefulness-inducing lighting illuminates the seats and the passenger compartment closer to the passenger's eyes. Therefore, when the sleep-inducing lighting is turned on, the passenger feels that the cabin is dimly lit, and when the awakening-inducing lighting is turned on, the passenger feels that the whole cabin is brighter.

Here, the vehicle lighting device of the present invention performs a wakeful mode in which the seat is illuminated with wakefulness-inducing illumination and a sleep mode in which the seat is illuminated while changing the lighting state with the sleep-inducing illumination. The brightness of the seat in sleep mode is darker than the brightness of the seat in wakeful mode.
In sleep mode, the occupant relaxes under the dim light of sleep-inducing lighting positioned away from the eyes. In addition, the occupant is lulled to sleep by being placed in an environment where the dim light changes the lighting state at a position away from the eyes.
By synchronizing the periodic deformation of the deformable portion in the sleep induction device of the present invention with the sleep mode, the occupant can be put to sleep more comfortably.

On the other hand, in the awakening mode, light is turned on by the awakening induction lighting at a position close to the passenger's eyes. The light makes the seat brighter than in the sleep mode, so that the sleeping occupant is encouraged to wake up.
As described above, according to the vehicle lighting device of the present invention, the occupant can comfortably fall asleep and wake up, and it can be said that the comfortability of the occupant in the vehicle interior is improved.

The brightness of the seat here means the brightness at a position that can be perceived by the passenger sitting on the seat. Specifically, the brightness measured at the headrest of the seat can be regarded as the brightness of the seat in the present invention.
The brightness of the seat is also related to the color temperature of sleep-inducing lighting and wake-inducing lighting. A passenger perceives light with a low color temperature as darker than light with a high color temperature. Therefore, it is also preferable to set the color temperature of the sleep-inducing lighting in the sleep mode lower than the color temperature of the awakening-inducing lighting in the wakefulness mode.

The sleep-inducing lighting and wake-inducing lighting in the vehicle lighting device of the present invention may illuminate only a specific seat and perform sleep mode and wake-up mode for that seat. For example, both the driver's seat and the front passenger's seat may be illuminated, and the sleep mode and wakefulness mode may be performed for the plurality of seats.
When the sleep mode and the wake mode are performed for a plurality of seats by the vehicle lighting device of the present invention, the sleep mode and the wake mode may be performed synchronously for the plurality of seats, or the sleep mode and the wake mode may be performed for each seat. The sleep mode and wake mode may be performed at different timings.
When the sleep mode and wakefulness mode are performed at different timings for each seat, sleep-inducing lighting and wakefulness-inducing lighting may be provided separately for each seat.

Hereinafter, each component of the vehicle lighting device of the present invention will be described.

A vehicle lighting device of the present invention has sleep-inducing lighting and wakefulness-inducing lighting. Sleep-inducing lighting is used in the sleep mode for inducing the passenger to sleep, and awakening-inducing lighting is used in the wake-up mode for inducing the passenger into the wakeful state.
It should be noted that sleep mode and awakening mode are not performed at the same time for the same seat because it is assumed that the brightness of the seat is made darker in sleep mode than in awakening mode. Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the brightness of the lighting, the timing of changing the lighting state, etc. are assumed to be the same seat.

However, wakefulness-inducing lighting is not always used only in wakefulness mode, and sleep-inducing lighting is not always used only in sleep mode. In other words, in the vehicular lighting device of the present invention, it is permitted to perform illumination in a manner other than in the awakening mode by the awakening-inducing lighting in the sleep mode.
In the awakening mode, the seat should be illuminated by the awakening-inducing lighting and the seat should be brighter than in the sleep mode. Therefore, in the awakening mode, not only is sleep-inducing lighting allowed to illuminate in a manner other than sleep-mode lighting, but sleep-inducing lighting is also allowed to illuminate in sleep mode.

In order to help the occupant to clearly recognize the wake mode and the sleep mode consciously or unconsciously, the sleep-inducing lighting does not illuminate in the wake mode, or illuminates in a manner different from that in the sleep mode. It is preferable to

The timing of starting and stopping sleep mode and wakefulness mode is not particularly limited.
Of these, the start of the sleep mode may be performed at the same timing as the timing of starting the periodic deformation of the deformable portion described above.

The sleep mode may be stopped, for example, after a predetermined period of time has passed since the start of the sleep mode. Alternatively, the sleep mode may be stopped when it is determined that the passenger has fallen asleep by sensing the interior of the vehicle.

The awakening mode may be started, for example, after a predetermined period of time has elapsed after the sleep mode is started. Alternatively, the awakening mode may be started at a predetermined time. Furthermore, the awakening mode may be started when the vehicle reaches a predetermined destination or slightly earlier than the destination.

Hereinafter, the lighting style in the sleep mode by the sleep-inducing lighting will be referred to as the sleep lighting style, and the lighting style in the wake-up mode by the wakefulness-inducing lighting will be referred to as the wakefulness lighting style.

The sleep-inducing lighting is located on the underside of the vehicle, as previously described. Also, the sleep-inducing lighting is arranged on the side of the seat along the longitudinal direction of the seat. Therefore, it can be said that the sleep-inducing lighting illuminates the passenger compartment over a relatively long area along the front-rear direction of the seat.

In the sleep lighting modality, the sleep-inducing lighting changes lighting states. The change in the lighting state referred to here includes changes in the amount of light of lighting such as lighting, dimming, or turning off, and changes in the color temperature of lighting. The lighting state may change regularly or may change irregularly. For reference, dimming means a state in which the amount of light of the sleep-inducing lighting is reduced from when it is on.

In the sleep lighting mode, by changing the lighting state of the sleep-inducing lighting, movement of light occurs in the vehicle interior at regular intervals or irregular intervals, and the movement of light prompts the occupant to fall asleep. In the sleep lighting mode, the sleep-inducing lighting may change only the light amount, may change only the color temperature, or may change both.
When there are a plurality of sleep-inducing lights, it is preferable to synchronize changes in the lighting state of all the sleep-inducing lights.

The interval at which the lighting state of the sleep-inducing illumination is changed is preferably not too short, and is preferably about the interval between ideal heartbeats or longer. Alternatively, a predetermined pattern combining each lighting state may be repeated.

The timing of changing the lighting state of the sleep-inducing lighting may be set independently of the period of deformation of the deformable portion described above, or may be synchronized with each other.

In the sleep lighting mode, so-called fluctuation control may be used to set the amount of light when the sleep-inducing lighting is on and when it is dimmed. The “fluctuation control” referred to here refers to fitting the logarithmically expressed power spectrum of the light intensity of the sleep-inducing illumination, and adjusting the light intensity so that the slope of the obtained straight line is 1/ ^fn with respect to the frequency f. means to change. It is known that this type of lighting with fluctuation control can relax the target person, and controlling the fluctuation of the light amount of the sleep-inducing lighting in the sleep lighting mode described above is effective in relaxing the occupant. It is valid.

Further, as described above, sleep-inducing lighting in the sleep lighting mode illuminates the passenger compartment over a relatively long area along the front-rear direction of the seat. In other words, in the sleep lighting mode, a band of light by sleep-inducing lighting is provided along the front-rear direction of the seat.
Therefore, in sleep mode, the occupant feels that there is depth even in a narrow cabin. As a result, the occupants feel a sense of openness and exhilaration, and are further relaxed.

By the way, the sleep-inducing lighting may be provided only on one side of the seat, but may be provided on both sides of the seat. When the sleep-inducing lights are provided on both sides of the seat, the occupant sandwiched between the sleep-inducing lights feels as if they are in a compartment that is separated from the rest of the passenger compartment. Therefore, in this case, the occupant sandwiched between the sleep-inducing lights can relax without being bothered by other occupants even when a plurality of occupants are on board the vehicle. The sleep-inducing lighting may be provided only on the side of one seat, but is preferably provided on the side of a plurality of seats.

The sleep-inducing lighting may have only one light source, but may have multiple light sources. When the sleep-inducing illumination has a plurality of light sources, the lighting state of each light source in the sleep illumination mode may be changed at the same timing, or may be changed while gradually shifting the timing. In the case where the lighting state of each light source is changed by slightly shifting the timing, the light appears to move along the front-rear direction of the seat. As a result, the depth of the vehicle interior felt by the occupants is increased, and the sense of openness and exhilaration that can be imparted to the occupants is further improved.

If the sleep-inducing lighting has multiple light sources, the sleep-inducing lighting may have multiple light-emitting regions along its length, including one or more light sources. Then, the plurality of light emitting regions may be in different lighting states. The timing for changing the lighting state of each region may be the same timing, or may be different timing.
For example, a candle flame-like pattern may be displayed by changing the color temperature for each region.
In addition, when illumination is performed in a mode other than the sleep illumination mode by the sleep-inducing illumination, the lighting state may be constant.

The sleep-inducing lighting may be provided along the longitudinal direction of the seat, and there is no particular limitation on the area in which the sleep-inducing lighting is provided in the vertical direction or the vehicle width direction. That is, the position of the sleep-inducing lighting in the vertical direction and the position in the vehicle width direction may or may not be constant over the entire length of the sleep-inducing lighting in the front-rear direction. For example, part of the sleep-inducing lighting may be tilted, curved, bent, or the like in the vertical direction or the vehicle width direction.

In particular, when arranging the sleep-inducing lights so that the front part of the sleep-inducing lights is lower than the rear part, the occupant should place the front end of the sleep-inducing lights farther away. illusion. Therefore, the depth of the vehicle interior perceived by the occupant is further increased, and the sense of openness and exhilaration that the vehicular lighting system of the present invention can impart to the occupant is further improved. In this specification, such a sleep-inducing lighting arrangement is referred to as forward-down, as appropriate.

The length of the sleep-inducing lighting in the front-rear direction is not particularly limited. However, in order to lure the occupant to sleep with the sleep mode, it is preferable that the sleep-inducing lighting be provided in a relatively long area in the vicinity of the occupant. Specifically, the sleep-inducing lighting preferably overlaps 60% or more of the seat portion of the seat in the front-rear direction, more preferably overlaps 80% or more of the seat portion, and overlaps the entire length of the seat portion. Wrapping is particularly preferred. In addition, it is more preferable that the sleep-inducing lighting extends further forward than the seat.
In this way, the occupants feel surrounded by sleep-inducing lighting and can relax more easily.
The seat portion here means a portion of the seat on which the passenger sits.

Wake-up induction lighting is placed on top of the vehicle. In wakefulness mode, wakefulness-inducing lighting illuminates the seat. The seat in awakening mode is brighter than in sleep mode. In addition, since the wake-up induction lighting is arranged in the upper part of the vehicle, in the wake-up mode, the wake-up induction lighting brightly illuminates the entire vehicle interior from a position near the occupant's head. Therefore, the sleeping occupant is comfortably induced to wake up.

The awakening-inducing lighting may be placed above the vehicle including the windows, and can be preferably placed on the ceiling of the vehicle, for example. The awakening-inducing lighting may be arranged at a position similar to that of the window in the vertical direction. For example, the wake-up induction lighting may be arranged on the front pillar or the like on the side of the front window.

The wakefulness-inducing lighting in the wakefulness mode, that is, the wakefulness-inducing lighting in the wakefulness lighting style may continue in a predetermined lighting state, or may change the lighting state. In order to comfortably awaken the occupant, it is preferable that the awakening-inducing lighting maintains a constant lighting state for a predetermined period or more in the awakening lighting mode. Examples of the predetermined period include ranges of 10 seconds, 30 seconds, and 1 minute.

Arousal-inducing lighting may illuminate the interior of the vehicle from a predetermined location in the front-rear direction on the upper portion of the vehicle, or may illuminate the vehicle interior over a relatively long area along the front-rear direction, similar to sleep-inducing lighting. In order to more reliably illuminate the occupant's head in the awakening mode, it is preferable that the awakening-inducing lighting be provided along the front-rear direction.

The awakening-inducing lighting may be provided only at one predetermined location in the vehicle width direction, or may be provided at a plurality of different locations in the vehicle width direction. In order to more reliably illuminate the occupant's head in the awakening mode, it is preferable that the awakening-inducing lights are provided at a plurality of locations in the vehicle width direction.

By the way, when the awakening-inducing lighting is provided along the front-rear direction, the length of the awakening-inducing lighting in the front-rear direction does not matter. However, in order to illuminate the occupant's head, more specifically, the position of the occupant's eyes in the wakefulness mode, it is preferable that the wakefulness-inducing lighting be provided in a relatively long area near the occupant. Specifically, in the front-rear direction, the awakening-inducing lighting preferably overlaps with the length of the seat in the front-rear direction by 20% or more, more preferably by 30% or more, and more preferably by 50% or more. Wrapping is particularly preferred. In addition, it is more preferable that the wakefulness-inducing lighting extends to the front side of the seat.
By doing so, it is possible to wake up the occupant with high reliability.

In the case where the awakening-inducing lights are provided at a plurality of locations in the vehicle width direction, the entire area in which the plurality of awakening-inducing lights are distributed in the front-rear direction may be regarded as the area in which the awakening-inducing lights are provided.

Arousal-inducing lighting may have only one light source, but may have a plurality of light sources. The light source of the awakening-inducing lighting may illuminate the occupant's head with direct light, or may illuminate the occupant's head with reflected light. That is, the awakening-inducing lighting in the vehicle lighting device of the present invention may be direct lighting or indirect lighting.
In order to awaken the occupant more comfortably, it is preferable to awaken the occupant gently. From this point of view, it is preferable that the awakening-inducing lighting illuminate the occupant with reflected light.
More specifically, the awakening-inducing lighting preferably has a light source that emits light upward and a reflector covering the upper side of the light source. The light emitted upward from the light source is reflected by a reflector located above the light source, and the light path is directed downward to illuminate the vehicle interior and seats, as well as illuminate the occupants in the vehicle interior. Such awakening-inducing lighting can function as a room lamp.

The brightness of the awakening-inducing lighting in the awakening lighting mode may be constant, but it does not have to be constant. For example, if the brightness of the awakening-inducing lighting is gradually increased so that the dark interior of the vehicle and the seats become gradually brighter, the occupants can be more comfortably awakened.

In the vehicle lighting device of the present invention, the color and brightness of the sleep-inducing lighting and the awakening-inducing lighting are not particularly limited as long as the seat can be made darker in the sleep mode than in the wakefulness mode. However, in order to more efficiently put the occupant to sleep in the sleep mode and more efficiently wake the occupant in the wake mode, the color temperature of the sleep-inducing lighting in the sleep mode, i.e., the sleep lighting style, should be adjusted to is preferably lower than the color temperature of the arousal-inducing lighting at . Moreover, the illuminance of the wakefulness-inducing lighting in the wakefulness mode, ie, the wakefulness lighting style, is preferably higher than the illuminance of the sleep-inducing lighting in the sleep mode, ie, the sleep lighting style.

Light with a low color temperature is suitable as sleep-inducing lighting in the sleep lighting mode because it can make the occupant more relaxed. Specifically, the color temperature of the sleep-inducing lighting in the sleep lighting mode is preferably 3500 Kelvin or less, more preferably 3000 Kelvin or less. If the color temperature of the sleep-inducing lighting is within the range of 2500±500 Kelvin, it is possible to give the passenger the impression that the sleep-inducing lighting is the sunset or the sunrise.
The color temperature is also considered to affect the activity of the autonomic nervous system, and it is said that the activity of the parasympathetic nerve is superior to the activity of the sympathetic nerve in an environment with a low color temperature. Therefore, by setting the color temperature of the sleep-inducing illumination to, for example, 2500±500 Kelvin as described above, it is possible to relieve the tension of the occupant and make the occupant more relaxed.

On the other hand, light with a high color temperature approaches the color of sunlight. In addition, in an environment with a high color temperature, the activity of the sympathetic nerve is said to be superior to the activity of the parasympathetic nerve. Therefore, by making the color temperature of the wakefulness-inducing lighting in the wakefulness lighting style higher than the color temperature of the sleep-inducing lighting in the sleep lighting style, it is possible to wake up the occupant comfortably. The color temperature of wakefulness-inducing lighting in the wakefulness lighting mode is preferably 4000 Kelvin or higher, more preferably 4500 Kelvin or higher, and particularly preferably 5000 Kelvin or higher.
As described above, when gradually increasing the brightness of the awakening-inducing lighting in the awakening-inducing lighting mode, if the color temperature of the awakening-inducing lighting is gradually increased, the occupant can be awakened more comfortably.

It is preferable that the color temperature of the sleep-inducing lighting in the lighting style other than the sleep lighting style be higher than the color temperature range of the sleep-inducing lighting in the sleep lighting style described above. Moreover, the color temperature of the awakening-inducing lighting in the lighting style other than the awakening lighting style may be lower than the color temperature range of the awakening-inducing lighting in the above-described awakening lighting style. This is to clearly distinguish between the sleeping mode and the awake mode so that the passenger can easily recognize the difference between them.

The illuminance of the wakefulness-inducing lighting in the wakefulness lighting mode may be higher than the sleep-inducing lighting in the sleep lighting mode, and the magnitude thereof is not particularly limited, but is preferably 100 lux or more, preferably 200 lux or more. is more preferable, and 300 lux or more is particularly preferable. More preferably, the illuminance of the awakening-inducing lighting in the awakening lighting mode is equal to or higher than the illuminance of outside light.

In addition, the air conditioner, audio-visual equipment, etc. may be operated in synchronization with the deformation of the deformable portion in the sleep induction device of the present invention, and the sleep mode and wakefulness mode of the lighting device for conductor of the present invention. For example, reducing the airflow of the air conditioner or reducing the volume of the audio-visual equipment in sync with the sleep mode will help the occupants to fall asleep. In addition, increasing the volume and light intensity of audio-visual equipment in synchronization with wake-up mode helps to wake up the occupants.

Hereinafter, the vehicle lighting device will be specifically described with reference to examples.

(Example)
The vehicle lighting device of the embodiment configures a vehicle comfort improvement system together with the sleep induction device. Hereinafter, the vehicle comfort improvement system is referred to as the vehicle comfort improvement system of the embodiment. Moreover, the sleep induction device included in the vehicle comfort improvement system of the embodiment is referred to as the sleep induction device of the embodiment.
FIG. 1 is an explanatory view schematically showing a state in which the vehicle comfort improvement system of the embodiment is mounted on a vehicle. FIG. 2 is an explanatory view schematically showing the positional relationship between the vehicle comfort improvement system of the embodiment and the occupant. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a state in which the vehicle lighting device of the embodiment is viewed from the rear. FIG. 4 shows an explanatory view schematically showing how the sleep induction device of the embodiment is disassembled. FIG. 5 shows an explanatory view schematically showing the sleep induction device of the embodiment. FIG. 6 shows an explanatory diagram for explaining a cross section of the tactile sense stimulus part in the sleep induction device of the embodiment.
Hereinafter, top, bottom, left, right, front, and rear refer to top, bottom, left, right, front, and rear in each figure. The vertical direction corresponds to the vertical direction, the longitudinal direction corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the seat and the traveling direction of the vehicle, and the lateral direction corresponds to the width direction of the vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the vehicle comfort improvement system of the embodiment includes a vehicle lighting device 1 and a sleep induction device 5 .

A vehicle lighting device 1 includes wakefulness-inducing lighting 2 and sleep-inducing lighting 3 . Of these, the wake-inducing lighting 2 is arranged in the upper portion 90U of the vehicle 90, and the sleep-inducing lighting 3 is arranged on the side of the seat 91 along the longitudinal direction of the seat 91 in the lower portion 90L of the vehicle 90.

Specifically, the awakening-inducing lighting 2 has a room lamp 20 arranged above the front window 92 and pillar lighting 25 arranged on both sides of the front window 92 .

The room lamp 20 has a plurality of light sources 20L and a reflector 20R arranged above the light sources 20L. The plurality of light sources 20L are arranged in the longitudinal direction and the vehicle width direction to emit light upward, and the reflector 20R covers the upper side of the light sources 20L to reflect downward the light emitted by the light sources 20L. Therefore, this room lamp 20 functions as indirect lighting. Since the lower side of the light source 20L is covered and hidden by the shield plate 20S, the light source 20L is not visually recognized by the passenger 99 (shown in FIG. 2).

Similarly to the room lamp 20, the pillar lighting 25 also includes a plurality of light sources 25L, a reflector 25R arranged above and to the side of the light source 25L, and the reflector 25R arranged on the opposite side of the light source 25L. It functions as an indirect illumination having a shielding plate 25S. The light source 25L emits light upward and forward, and the reflector 25R reflects the light emitted from the light source downward and backward.
The room lamp 20 and the pillar lighting 25 are each arranged along the front-rear direction.

Note that the awakening-inducing lighting 2 is dimmable, can vary the illuminance between 0 lux and 300 lux, and can vary the color temperature between 1800 Kelvin and 6000 Kelvin.

The sleep-inducing lights 3 are provided on the upper part of the center console box 93 and the door trim upper 95 of the side door 94, respectively. In other words, the sleep-inducing lights 3 are arranged on both sides of the seat 91 . In addition, each sleep-inducing light 3 is arranged along the front-rear direction of the seat 91 .
Each sleep-inducing illumination 3 also includes a plurality of light sources 3L, a reflector 3R arranged on the side opposite to the seat 91 with respect to the light source 3L, the opposite side of the reflector 3R with respect to the light source 3L, That is, it functions as an indirect lighting having the shielding plate 3S arranged on the seat 91 side. The light source 3L in the sleep-inducing illumination 3 emits light toward the side opposite to the seat 91, and the reflector 3R reflects the light emitted from the light source 3L toward the seat 91 side, that is, toward the occupant 99 side. The seat 91 side of the light source 3L is hidden by the shielding plate 3S, and the light source 3L is not visually recognized by the passenger 99.

3 L of light sources of each sleep induction illumination 3 are arranged in the front-back direction. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the front end portion 3F of each sleep-inducing illumination 3 is positioned lower than the central portion 3C. In other words, the sleep-inducing lighting 3 is arranged downward forward in the front-rear direction.
As shown in FIG. 2 , the sleep-inducing lighting 3 overlaps the entire seat portion 91S in the front-rear direction of the seat 91, extends further forward than the seat portion 90S, and reaches the vicinity of the occupant's 99 feet.

Each sleep-inducing lighting 3 is turned on and off in synchronization with each other. The light source 3L in each sleep-inducing illumination 3 is sequentially lit and extinguished with a time lag along the front-rear direction. More specifically, each sleep-inducing illumination 3 switches between lighting and extinguishing at intervals of about one second.
The sleep-inducing lighting 3 is also dimmable, and like the awakening-inducing lighting 2, the illuminance can be varied between 0 lux and 300 lux, and the color temperature can be varied between 1800 Kelvin and 6000 Kelvin. .

Each of the sleep-inducing lighting 3 and the awakening-inducing lighting 2 is connected to a power supply via a control unit (not shown). The control unit is a part of an unillustrated engine control unit (so-called ECU) in the vehicle 90 and controls the operating states of the sleep-inducing lighting 3 and the wakefulness-inducing lighting 2 .
An operation interface unit and a drive section of the sleep induction device 5, which will be described later, are also connected to the control section.

As shown in FIG. 1, armrests 80 are provided on the upper surface of the center console box 93 and the door trim upper 95 of the side door 94, respectively. The armrest 80 is provided with the sleep induction device 5 .

The sleep induction device 5 in the vehicle comfort improvement system of the embodiment has a tactile stimulus section 50 . The tactile sense stimulation section 50 is provided on the front portion of each armrest 80 .

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the tactile sense stimulus section 50 has a deformation section 51, a skin section 52, a drive section 53, and an operation interface unit 54 for vehicle-mounted equipment.

As shown in FIG. 5, the armrest 80 has a base body 81, a skin body 82 covering the base body 81 from above, and a cushion body 83 arranged between the base body 81 and the skin body 82. As shown in FIG. The base body 81 is made of resin, the cushion body 83 is gel mat made of soft silicone rubber, and the skin body 82 is made of porous cloth.
As shown in FIG. 4 , the base 81 is provided with a through-hole-shaped window 85 , and the upper and lower sides of the base 81 are communicated through the window 85 .

The deformable portion 51 is an airbag, and as shown in FIG. 4, the deformable portion 51 is connected to a driving portion 53 that is an air pump. The deformation portion 51 is embedded in the window portion 85 of the base 81 . The outer dimension of the deformation portion 51 in the horizontal direction is about 10 cm.
The driving portion 53 blows air into the deformation portion 51 at a period described later. At this time, the deformation portion 51 is deformed by about 2 cm in the vertical direction.

An operation interface unit 54 of the in-vehicle device is arranged below the deformable portion 51 . The operation interface unit 54 has an LED light source 54L and a touch sensor 54S, with the LED light source 54L directed upward and the touch sensor 54S directed downward. The operation interface unit 54 and the driving section 53 are connected to the power source via the control section (not shown) as described above. The LED light source 54L emits light upward. The operation interface unit 54 corresponds to the operation interface in the sleep induction device 5 of the embodiment. The LED light source 54L corresponds to the light emitting section in the sleep induction device 5 of the embodiment.

Since the cushion body 83 is interposed between the base body 81 and the skin body 82, the cushion body 83 and the skin body 82 are arranged above the deformation portion 51 as shown in FIGS. . The portion of the skin body 82 located above the deformable portion 51 is the skin portion 52 of the tactile sense stimulation portion 50 . A portion of the cushion body 83 located above the deformable portion 51 is a buffer portion 55 of the tactile sense stimulation portion 50 .

The deformation portion 51, the buffer portion 55, and the skin portion 52 all have optical transparency. Therefore, the light emitted from the LED light source 54L passes through the deformation portion 51, the buffer portion 55, and the skin portion 52, and makes the upper surface of the tactile sensation stimulation portion 50 shine.

The operation of the vehicle comfort improvement system of the embodiment will be described below.

When an occupant 99 gets on the vehicle 90, the destination is set, and the automatic driving starts, after a predetermined time has elapsed, the control unit (not shown) starts the sleep mode of the vehicle lighting device 1 and the sleep induction device 5. to start driving. The awakening-inducing lighting 2 gradually reduces the illuminance and turns off. Sleep inducing lighting 3 starts lighting in the sleep lighting mode.

At this time, the sleep-inducing lighting 3 is repeatedly turned on and off. The cycle of switching between lighting and extinguishing is about 1 second, which is close to normal human pulsation. In addition, the sleep-inducing lighting 3 is arranged in the lower part 90L of the vehicle 90 far from the face of the passenger 99, extends in the front-rear direction so as to descend forward, has a dark illumination of about 5 lux when lit, and has a color temperature of about 5 lux. It is orange at about 2000 Kelvin. Therefore, when the sleep mode by the sleep-inducing lighting 3 starts, the occupant 99 is relaxed and the occupant 99 is encouraged to fall asleep.

Also, at this time, the sleep induction device 5 periodically blows air into the airbag airbag, that is, the deformable portion 51 in synchronization with the sleep induction lighting 3 . Specifically, the air is gradually blown into the deformation portion 51 over 4 seconds, the blown state is maintained for 7 seconds, and the air in the deformation portion 51 is gradually removed over 8 seconds. Therefore, the skin portion 52 covering the deformable portion 51 from above changes its position in the vertical direction. Since the amount of deformation of the deformation portion 51 at this time in the vertical direction is about 2 cm, the position of the skin portion 52 also changes by about 2 cm in the vertical direction.

The deformation portion 51 is about the size of the palm of the occupant 99, and its deformation amount is relatively small. Therefore, the deformable portion 51 stimulates only the palm of the occupant 99 and the whole body of the occupant 99 is not moved.

Further, the outer skin portion 52 is made of porous cloth, and an elastic cushioning portion 55 is arranged on the lower side of the outer skin portion 52 . Therefore, the occupant 99 who puts the palm on the tactile sense stimulation section 50 is gently and periodically stimulated by the tactile sense stimulation section 50 . This also relaxes the occupant 99 and encourages the occupant 99 to fall asleep.

In the sleep mode, the LED light source 54L of the sleep induction device 5 emits light to illuminate the upper surface of the tactile stimulation unit 50 so that the occupant 99 can understand that the upper surface of the tactile stimulation unit 50 is the operation interface of the vehicle-mounted device. display a design. A pressure-sensitive touch sensor 54S is arranged below the LED light source 54L. When the occupant 99 touches the light displayed on the tactile sense stimulus unit 50 and tries to operate the in-vehicle equipment, the touch sensor 54S detects the hand movement of the occupant 99 and transmits a signal to the control unit of the ECU. Thereby, the control unit controls the operating state of the in-vehicle device.

By providing such an operation interface unit 54 in the tactile sense stimulus unit 50 on which the occupant 99 rests his or her palm, even the occupant 99 who is about to fall asleep can easily and comfortably operate the in-vehicle equipment.

When the destination approaches, the sleep-inducing lighting 3 switches from the sleep mode to the awakening mode. Specifically, sleep-inducing lighting 3 turns off the sleep lighting modality. The wakefulness-inducing lighting 2 is turned on from the off state, gradually increases the illuminance, and is turned on in the wakefulness lighting style.
At this time, the awakening-inducing lighting 2 has an illuminance of about 300 lux and a color temperature of about 5000 Kelvin, and illuminates the passenger compartment 90R from above with bright white light.
In other words, the awakening-inducing lighting 2 brightly illuminates the face of the occupant 99 at a position close to the eyes of the occupant 99 . Therefore, the sleeping crew member 99 is encouraged to wake up.

Furthermore, at this time, the deformable portion 51 of the sleep induction device deforms in a short cycle. Specifically, the driving portion 53 rapidly blows air into the deformable portion 51 for 0.5 seconds, and rapidly removes the air from the deformable portion 51 for 0.5 seconds. Since the tactile sense of the passenger 99 is strongly stimulated by the rapid deformation of the deformation portion 51, the passenger 99 is also awakened by this.
After the predetermined time has elapsed, the awakening mode ends. That is, the awakening-inducing lighting 2 is turned off, and the operation of the sleep-inducing device 5 is also stopped.

In the awakening mode, the sleep-inducing lighting 3 stops the sleep lighting mode, but maintains a lighting state with an illuminance of about 300 lux and a color temperature of about 5000 Kelvin. The sleep induction device 5 stops operating.

As described above, according to the vehicle comfort improvement system of the embodiment, the occupant 99 can be comfortably put to sleep by the vehicle lighting device 1 and the sleep induction device 5, and the vehicle lighting device 1 can make the occupant 99 sleep. You can wake up comfortably. Therefore, according to the vehicle comfort improvement system of the embodiment, it is possible to improve the comfort of the occupant 99 in the passenger compartment 90R.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the scope of the invention. Moreover, each component shown in this specification including the embodiments can be arbitrarily extracted and combined for implementation.

1: Vehicle lighting device 2: Awakening induction lighting 3: Sleep induction lighting 85: Window part 20: Room lamp 20L: Room lamp light source 20R: Room lamp reflector 50: Tactile stimulation part 51: Deformation part 52: Epidermis part 53: Driving unit 54: Operation interface unit for vehicle-mounted equipment (operation interface for vehicle-mounted equipment)
54L: Light-emitting part 55: Buffer part 80: Armrest 90: Vehicle 90U: Upper part of vehicle 90L: Lower part of vehicle 90R: Cabin 91: Seat 91S: Seat part 92: Front window

Claims (9)

comprising a tactile stimulation unit arranged on the side of the vehicle seat;
The tactile sense stimulus section has a deformation section that can be deformed in the vertical direction, a skin section that covers the deformation section from above, and a driving section that periodically deforms the deformation section,
The position of the skin portion changes in the vertical direction as the deformation portion deforms,
The sleep induction device , wherein the tactile sensation stimulation section has an operation interface for an in-vehicle device on the lower side of the epidermis section . 2. The sleep induction device according to claim 1 , wherein said operation interface has a light-emitting portion, and a portion of said tactile sense stimulus portion above said operation interface has optical transparency. The sleep induction device according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the tactile sensation stimulator is provided on an armrest. The sleep induction device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the deformable portion is soft. The sleep induction device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the deformable portion is hard and has a soft cushioning portion between the deformable portion and the skin portion. The sleep induction device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the deformable portion is hard and the skin portion is soft. The sleep induction device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the epidermis is porous. The sleep induction device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , wherein the amount of change in position of the epidermis in the vertical direction is 5 cm or less. The sleep induction device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 , wherein the outer dimension of the deformation portion in the horizontal direction is 20 cm or less.

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