JPH10138878A - Raindrop and clouding detector and wiper defroster controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a raindrop and clouding detector which eliminates separately detecting raindrops beating on an external-side window glass from dew condensation stuck to the internal-side window glass and prevent the dew condensation on a light emitting element and a light receiving element. SOLUTION: Light from a light emitting element 10 is branched into two by a semi-reflecting mirror 16, one is irradiated on a reflecting mirror 18 so that dew condensation stuck on the surface of an internal-side window glass 20 is detected by change in light receiving quantity caused by change in an incidence angle and a reflection angle of the reflection mirror 18, and the other is irradiated on the window glass 20 inside so that raindrops stuck on the surface of the external-side window glass 20 is detected by change in the receiving light quantity caused by light transmission or dispersion in the window glass 20.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a raindrop / cloudy detector and a wiper / defroster control device suitable for use in vehicles, ships, aircrafts and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a raindrop detector disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. H10-15095. In this figure, a raindrop detector 1 includes a light emitting element 2 and
The light receiving element 3 and the light emitting element 2 and the light receiving element 3 are opposed to each other and supported by being obliquely oriented with respect to the window glass 4, and have a refractive index substantially the same as the refractive index of the window glass 4 with respect to light. And a thin plate 6 made of aluminum adhered on the surface of the window glass 4 on the support member 5 side, and a shield member 7 for blocking external light. The light from the light emitting element 2 is guided into the window glass 3 and is detected by the light receiving element 3.

For example, when the medium is air at a point 8 on the window glass 4, the light is totally reflected at the point 8, but when a liquid such as a raindrop is present, the light is transmitted or dispersed. The amount of light received by the element 3 decreases. The control device (not shown) operates the wiper according to the output of the light receiving element 3 at this time.

[0004]

However, the above-mentioned conventional raindrop detector has the following problems. That is, although detection can be performed on the outside of the window glass 4, another detector is required to detect dew condensation adhering to the indoor side of the window glass 4. The cost is high, including the cost of the work.

[0005] Further, although each of the light emitting element 2 and the light receiving element 3 is fixed to the mounting portion of the support 5 with an epoxy resin or the like, air may enter the mounting portion due to aging or the like. In such a case, dew condensation adheres to the light receiving element 3 to reduce the amount of received light, which may make it impossible to accurately detect raindrops.

Therefore, the present invention does not separately detect raindrops hitting the outside of the window glass and dew adhering to the inside of the window, and also prevents raindrops and clouding on the light emitting element and the light receiving element. An object of the present invention is to provide a detector and a wiper / defroster control device using the same.

[0007]

The concept of the present invention will be described below. According to the present invention, a semi-reflecting mirror (half mirror) is arranged on the indoor side of the window glass, and the light from the light emitting element is branched by the semi-reflecting mirror. Then, one of the branched lights is guided from the indoor side of the window glass to a light-receiving element for dew condensation detection disposed on the indoor side of the window glass by a light guiding member called a light guiding member. A dew-condensing reflector is arranged between the dew-condensing light-receiving element and the dew-condensation is detected by utilizing the fact that the incident angle and the reflected angle of light on the deflector change due to the condensation. The change in the amount of light received by the light receiving element is detected, and the adhesion of dew on the indoor surface of the window glass is detected.

A thermoelectric cooling element utilizing the Peltier effect is arranged between the dew condensation detecting reflector and the light guide member so that the surface of the thermoelectric cooling element on the side of the dew condensation detecting mirror is cooled. At the same time, an electric current is supplied so that the surface on the light guide member side becomes high temperature, so that the dew condensation is caused to adhere to the surface of the dew condensation detecting mirror before the dew condensation adheres to the indoor surface of the window glass. Accordingly, the defroster can be started before the dew condensation adheres to the indoor surface of the window glass, and the dew condensation can be prevented beforehand. It is preferable that the surface temperature on the reflecting mirror side is set to be lower by 3 to 5 degrees than the surface temperature on the indoor side of the window glass. In addition, by adhering the light-emitting element to the light-guiding member, the light-guiding member is heated on the high-temperature side of the thermoelectric cooling element, so that dew condensation on the light-emitting element can be prevented.

On the other hand, the other light transmitted through the semi-reflecting mirror is guided into the window glass, and further guided to a raindrop detecting light receiving element arranged inside the window glass.
When raindrops hit the outdoor end face of the window glass between the semi-reflective mirror and the light receiving element for detecting raindrops, if light that travels totally reflecting inside the window glass comes to the part where the raindrops hit, Light is transmitted or dispersed in the portion, and the amount of light received by the light receiving element for detecting raindrops changes. By detecting the change in the amount of received light, it is possible to detect raindrops on the outdoor surface of the window glass.

[0010] The raindrop / cloudy weather detector according to claim 1 based on the above idea is provided on a light-emitting element, a first light-receiving element, a second light-receiving element, and a surface of a window glass on the indoor side, A semi-reflecting mirror for splitting the light from the light emitting element into two, a light reflecting element, a first light receiving element, and a second light receiving element. The first disposed in the formed space portion
A light guide member that guides one of the lights branched by the semi-reflector through the reflection path of the reflector to the second light receiving element; and the semi-reflective member is provided between the light guide member and the window glass. A second reflector for guiding the other light split by the mirror to the first light receiving element while totally reflecting the other light with the window glass.

The raindrop / cloudy weather detector according to the second aspect of the present invention further includes a third light receiving element which is provided on the indoor side of the window glass and detects sunlight. The raindrop / cloudy cloud detector according to the invention of claim 3 is:
The apparatus further includes a lens provided between the light guide member and each of the first light receiving element and the second light receiving element, and for condensing light on the first and second light receiving elements. Claim 4
The raindrop / cloudy weather detector according to the invention described above further includes a window glass temperature detecting element provided on the indoor surface of the window glass and detecting a surface temperature of the window glass on the indoor side.

A raindrop / cloudy weather detector according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is provided between the first reflecting mirror and a base of the space portion of the light guide member, and has a first surface on one side. And a thermoelectric cooling element for cooling the reflecting mirror and heating the light guide member on the other surface side. Claim 6
The raindrop / cloudy weather detector according to the invention described above further includes a reflector temperature detecting element provided in contact with the first reflector and detecting a surface temperature of the first reflector.

A raindrop / cloudy weather detector according to a seventh aspect of the present invention further comprises a light-shielding member for shielding other portions of the light-guiding member other than the light entrance / exit in the space portion from sunlight. In the raindrop / cloudy weather detector according to the eighth aspect of the invention, the light shielding member is plated with a metal such as nickel.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wiper / defroster control apparatus according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, and a light emitting element for driving the light emitting element of the rain drop / cloudy detector. Drive means, first determination means for outputting a wiper start signal when the amount of light received by the first light receiving element of the raindrop / cloudy detector is equal to or less than a prescribed value, and the first determination means of the raindrop / cloudy detector. A second determining means for outputting a defroster start signal when the amount of light received by the second light receiving element is equal to or less than a prescribed value; and operating the wiper when a wiper start signal is output from the first determining means; Vehicle electronic device control means for operating the defroster when a defroster start signal is output from the second determination means.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wiper / defroster control apparatus according to any one of the second to eighth aspects, and a light emitting element for driving the light emitting element of the rain drop / cloudy detector. A driving unit for outputting a wiper start signal when the amount of light received by the first light receiving element of the raindrop / cloudy detector is equal to or less than a specified value and the amount of light received by the third light receiving element is equal to or less than a specified value. A first determining means, a second determining means for outputting a defroster start signal when the amount of light received by the second light receiving element of the raindrop / cloudy-light detector is equal to or less than a specified value, and the first determining means. Vehicle electronic device control means for operating the wiper when the wiper start signal is output, and for operating the defroster when the defroster start signal is output from the second determination means. Is shall.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wiper / defroster control device according to any one of the fifth to eighth aspects, and a light emitting element for driving the light emitting element of the rain drop / cloudy detector. A driving unit for outputting a wiper start signal when the amount of light received by the first light receiving element of the raindrop / cloudy detector is equal to or less than a specified value and the amount of light received by the third light receiving element is equal to or less than a specified value. A first determining means, a second determining means for outputting a defroster start signal when the amount of light received by the second light receiving element of the raindrop / cloudy-light detector is equal to or less than a specified value, and the first determining means. Vehicle electronic device control means for operating a wiper when a wiper start signal is output, and operating a defroster when a defroster start signal is output from the second determination means; A thermoelectric cooling element driving means for driving the thermoelectric cooling element of the raindrop / cloudy detector so that a surface side contacting the first reflecting mirror has a low temperature and a surface side contacting the light guide member has a high temperature; The thermoelectric cooling element driving means so that the temperature of the window glass on the indoor side is lower by about 3 to 5 degrees than the temperature of the first reflecting mirror based on the detection results of the second temperature detecting elements. And temperature control means for controlling the temperature.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the wiper / defroster control device, the temperature control means outputs a signal notifying that the thermoelectric cooling element is being driven, and the vehicle electronic device control means has Even if the amount of light received by the second light receiving element is equal to or less than the specified value, the defroster is not operated unless a signal indicating that the thermoelectric cooling element is being driven is supplied from the temperature control means.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the structure of a raindrop / cloudy cloud detector according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a raindrop / cloudy weather detector according to this embodiment. The raindrop / cloudy weather detector of this embodiment is
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the light emitting element 10 and the light receiving element 1
1, 12, 28, the light guide member 13, and the converging lens 1
4, 15, a semi-reflecting mirror (half mirror) 16, a thermoelectric cooling element 17, a reflecting mirror 18, and temperature detecting elements 19, 22
, An aluminum deposition layer 21 and a case housing 27.

The light guide member 13 is made of a light transmitting material such as glass or acrylic, and supports the light emitting element 10, the light receiving elements 11 and 12, respectively, and transmits the light from the light emitting element 10 through the space 13A. The light is guided to the light receiving element 12. The condensing lens 14 includes the light guide member 13 and the light receiving element 1.
2, and mainly condenses light transmitted through the light guide member 13 on the light receiving element 12. The condensing lens 15 is provided between the light guide member 13 and the light receiving element 11, and mainly condenses the light transmitted through the window glass 20 on the light receiving element 11.

The semi-reflecting mirror 16 splits the light from the light-emitting element 10 into two light.
The window glass 16 is provided between the window glass 16 and the portion supporting the “0”. The thermoelectric cooling element 17 is provided on the base 13B of the space 13A of the light guide member 13. The thermoelectric cooling element 17 uses the Peltier effect to reduce the temperature of one surface side and to warm the other surface side by flowing an electric current, so that the cooling of the reflecting mirror 18 and the heating of the entire light guide member 13 are performed. Do. The reflecting mirror 18 is provided on the upper surface of the thermoelectric cooling element 17. The temperature detecting element 19 detects the surface temperature of the reflecting mirror 18. The aluminum vapor-deposited layer 21 is vapor-deposited on the indoor surface of the window glass 20 so as to be located at the center of the bottom surface of the light guide member 13, and reflects the light incident into the window glass 20. The temperature detecting element 22 detects the surface temperature of the window glass 20 on the indoor side. The light receiving element 28 detects sunlight.

The light emitting element 10 is supported by the light guide member 13 at an angle to the window glass 20 in an oblique direction, and the light receiving element 12 is reflected by the semi-reflecting mirror 16 to be inside the light guide member 13. Is supported at a position for receiving the light traveling through. The light receiving element 11 is a semi-reflective mirror 1
6 and is supported at a position for receiving light that travels through the window glass 20 through the window glass 20. Light traveling inside the light guide member 13 once exits from the light output end 13C to the space portion 13A as shown in FIG.
The light enters the light guide member 13 again from 3D. After entering the light guide member 13 and being reflected once, the light is focused on the light receiving element 12 by the lens 14. On the other hand, light transmitted through the semi-reflective mirror 16 and traveling inside the window glass 20 travels while repeating total reflection between the end face 20A on the outdoor side of the window glass 20 and the aluminum vapor deposition 21 as shown in the figure. , Aluminum deposition 2
When the light exits 1, the light is directed to the light receiving element 11 and is focused on the light receiving element 11 by the lens 15.

The other exposed surfaces of the light guide member 13 except for the light output end 13C and the light input end 13D are plated with metal such as nickel for the purpose of blocking light and preventing malfunction due to external light. . The light receiving element 28 for detecting sunlight is attached to one surface in the width direction of the case housing 27 as shown in FIG. The case housing 27 is formed so as to cover the right and left portions of the light guide member 13 in the drawing, and a window is provided at a portion where the light output end 13C, the light input end 13D, and the reflecting mirror 18 of the light guide member 13 are located. 27A-2
7C is open.

In the raindrop / cloudy weather detector 9 having such a structure, the light from the light emitting element 10 reflected by the semi-reflective mirror 16 enters the light guide member 13, travels, and once exits the light output end 13C. Later, the light is totally reflected by the reflecting mirror 18 and the light input end 13D
From the light guide member 13 again. And the light guide member 13
After the light is totally reflected once, the light
At 4, the light is focused on the light receiving element 12. Here, if it is assumed that dew has adhered to the surface of the window glass 20 on the indoor side, the dew also similarly adheres to the reflecting mirror 18, so that the incident angle and the reflecting angle of the light on the reflecting mirror 18 change and the light is received. Element 12
Changes the amount of received light. By detecting the change in the amount of received light, it is possible to detect the adhesion of dew condensation on the surface of the window glass 20 on the indoor side.

On the other hand, the light emitting element 1 transmitted through the semi-reflective mirror 16
The light from 0 enters the window glass 20 and proceeds while repeating total reflection between the end face 20A of the window glass 20 on the outdoor side and the aluminum vapor deposition 21, and is received when the light exits the aluminum vapor deposition 21. The light is converged on the light receiving element 11 by the lens 15 toward the element 11. Here, the window glass 20 between the semi-reflective mirror 16 and the light receiving element 11
If raindrops are attached to the outside surface of the window, light that is totally reflected inside the window glass 20 and travels to the portion where the raindrop is attached will be transmitted or dispersed at that portion, and the light received by the light receiving element 11 will be received. The amount changes. By catching the change in the amount of received light, it is possible to detect the attachment of raindrops to the outdoor surface of the window glass 20.

The surface of the thermoelectric cooling element 17 on the side of the reflecting mirror 18 is kept at a low temperature, and the light guide member 1 is cooled.
By supplying an electric current so that the surface on the third side becomes high in temperature, it is possible to cause the dew condensation to adhere to the reflecting mirror 18 before the dew adheres to the indoor surface of the window glass 20. Thus, the defroster can be started before the dew condensation adheres to the indoor side surface of the window glass 20, and the dew condensation can be prevented beforehand. On the other hand, since the light emitting element 10 is in close contact with the light guide member 13, the light guide member 13 is heated on the high temperature side of the thermoelectric cooling element 17, so that the dew condensation on the light emitting element 10 can be prevented. The temperature setting on the side of the reflecting mirror 18 may be lower than room temperature by 3 to 5 degrees based on the detection result of the temperature detecting element 22 provided on the indoor side surface of the window glass 20.

By utilizing the light receiving element 28 for detecting sunlight when detecting raindrops, the wiper operation can be made more reliable. That is, since it is normal for the surroundings to be dark when it is raining, even if a raindrop is detected in a fine state, the probability of rain is small, and it can be assumed that a washer was used temporarily, for example. In such a case, it is not necessary to perform the wiper operation by the present detector, and the wiper operation by the normal operation may be prioritized. Thus, the light receiving element 2
When the sun is detecting the sunlight, the wiper operation can be prevented from being performed even if the light receiving element 11 detects the raindrop. As shown in FIG. 3, for example, the detector 9 is preferably installed in the interior of the room mirror on the indoor side of the window glass 20, and is arranged in the direction in which the wind of the defroster passes through the reflector 18.

As described above, in the raindrop / cloudy weather detector 9 of this embodiment, the light from the light emitting element 10 is split into two by the semi-reflective mirror 16 and one is made to enter the reflective mirror 18.
From the change in the amount of light received due to the change in the incident angle and the reflection angle in the reflecting mirror 18, dew condensation adhering to the indoor surface of the window glass 20 is detected, and the other is made to enter the window glass 20. The change in the amount of received light due to the transmission or dispersion of light causes the window glass 20
Detects raindrops adhering to the outdoor surface of the device, so that only one can detect both raindrops and condensation. Therefore, assemblability can be improved and the cost of the product can be reduced as compared with a conventional device that separately detects raindrops and dew condensation.

The thermoelectric cooling element 17 causes the reflecting mirror 18
Can be lower than the surface temperature of the window glass 20 on the indoor side, and the entire light guide 13 can be warmed.
Since the dew adheres to the surface of the reflecting mirror 18 before the dew adheres to the indoor surface of the window glass 20,
The defroster can be started before the dew condensation adheres to the indoor side surface of the window glass 20, and the dew condensation can be prevented beforehand. In addition, since the entire light guide 13 is warmed, it is possible to prevent dew condensation from adhering to the light emitting element 10 that is supported in close contact with the light guide 13.
Further, since sunlight can be detected by the light receiving element 28, the wiper operation can be prohibited if it is fine even if raindrops are detected. Thereby, the wiper operation can be made more reliable.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the wiper / defroster control device according to the present invention. In this figure, the wiper / defroster control device 39 according to the present embodiment includes amplification units 40 and 41 and waveform conversion units 41 and 47.
, Pulse conversion units 42 and 48, determination units 43 and 49,
The control unit includes driving units 44 and 50, a temperature control unit 45, and a control unit 51.

The amplifier 40 amplifies the output of the light receiving element 11 of the raindrop / cloudy detector 9 to a predetermined level, and the waveform converter 41 shapes the output waveform of the amplifier 40. Further, the pulse converter 42 converts the shaped output of the waveform converter 41 into pulses. In this case, an output corresponding to the amount of light received by the light receiving element 11 is obtained from the pulse converter 42. The judgment unit 43
The wiper start signal is output based on the output of the pulse converter 42 and the output of the light receiving element 28. In this case, the determination unit 43 determines whether or not the output from the pulse conversion unit 42 according to the amount of light received by the light receiving element 11 is equal to or less than a specified value. It is determined whether the light reception value is equal to or less than a specified value. When it is determined that the light receiving value of the light receiving element 28 is equal to or less than the specified value, a wiper start signal is output. That is, when detecting the attachment of raindrops to the window glass 20 in a state where the sunlight is not detected, the determination unit 43 outputs a wiper start signal for starting the wiper. The control unit 51 includes a determination unit 45
When the wiper start signal is received from the CPU, the wiper 52 is operated.

The amplifier 46 amplifies the output of the light receiving element 12 of the raindrop / cloudy cloud detector 9 to a predetermined level, and the waveform converter 47 shapes the output waveform of the amplifier 46. The pulse converter 48 converts the shaped output of the waveform converter 47 into pulses. In this case, the light receiving element 12 is
An output corresponding to the amount of received light is obtained. Judgment unit 49
Outputs a defroster start signal based on the output of the pulse converter 48 and the output of the temperature controller 45. In this case, the determination unit 49 determines whether or not the output from the pulse conversion unit 48 according to the amount of light received by the light receiving element 12 is equal to or less than a specified value. It is determined whether a cooling signal indicating that the thermoelectric cooling element 17 is being driven is output from 45.
If it is determined that the cooling signal has been output, a defroster start signal is output. That is, when detecting the dew condensation on the reflecting mirror 18 while the reflecting mirror 18 is being cooled, the judging section 49 outputs a defroster start signal for starting the defroster. The control unit 51 operates the defroster 53 upon receiving the defroster start signal from the determination unit 49.

The drive section 44 drives the thermoelectric cooling element 17. The temperature control unit 45 controls the driving unit 44 based on the outputs of the temperature detection elements 19 and 22. In this case, the temperature control unit 45 controls the drive unit 44 so that the surface temperature of the reflecting mirror 18 is lower than the surface temperature of the window glass 20 on the indoor side by 3 to 5 degrees or less. Further, while the surface temperature of the reflecting mirror 18 is lower than the surface temperature of the window glass 20 on the indoor side by 3 to 5 degrees or less, a cooling signal is output. By making the surface temperature of the reflecting mirror 18 lower by 3 to 5 degrees than the surface temperature of the window glass 20 on the indoor side, the dew condensation on the reflecting mirror 18 occurs before the dew condensation on the window glass 20 occurs. Before starting, the defroster 53 can be started.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the defroster control operation of the wiper / defroster control device 39 of this embodiment. First, in step S10, it is determined whether the defroster auto switch is set to ON. The setting information of various switches is supplied to the control unit 51. In this determination, if it is determined that the defroster auto switch is not set to ON, this step is repeated, and if it is determined that it is set to ON, the process proceeds to step S12.

At step S12, the temperature detecting element 2
The indoor surface temperature Ta of the window glass is measured based on the output of No. 2. Further, in step S14, the surface temperature Tb of the reflecting mirror 18 is measured based on the output of the temperature detecting element 19. Next, in step S16, it is determined whether or not the surface temperature Tb of the reflecting mirror 18 is cooled to 3 to 5 degrees or less than the indoor surface temperature Ta of the window glass 20. If it is determined in this determination that the temperature is not cooled to 3 to 5 degrees or less, the process proceeds to step S18, and the thermoelectric cooling element 17 is driven.

Then, returning to steps S12 and S14, the indoor surface temperature Ta of the window glass 20 and the surface temperature Tb of the reflecting mirror 18 are measured. Then, step S1
If it is determined in step 6 that the surface temperature Tb of the reflecting mirror 18 has been cooled to 3 to 5 degrees or less than the indoor surface temperature Ta of the window glass 20, the process proceeds to step S20.
The amount of light received by the light receiving element 12 is measured.

After measuring the amount of light received by the light receiving element 12, it is determined in step S22 whether the amount of light received at that time is equal to or less than a specified value. That is, it is determined whether or not dew has adhered to the reflecting mirror 18. In this determination, if it is determined that the amount of light received by the light receiving element 12 is not less than the specified value, it is determined that no dew has adhered to the reflecting mirror 18, and the process returns to step S12. On the other hand, if it is determined that the amount of light received by the light receiving element 12 is equal to or less than the specified value, it is determined that dew has adhered to the reflecting mirror 18, and the process proceeds to step S24 to operate the defroster 53.

After operating the defroster 53, the amount of light received by the light receiving element 12 is measured in step S26, and it is determined in step S28 whether the amount of light received at that time is equal to a specified value. In this determination, if it is determined that the received light amount at that time is not equal to the specified value, the process returns to step S24, and the defroster 53 is continuously operated. On the other hand, if it is determined that the amount of received light at that time is equal to the specified value, the process proceeds to step S30, where the defroster 53 is stopped, and the process returns to step S10.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the wiper control operation of the wiper / defroster control device 39 of this embodiment. First, in step S50, it is determined whether the wiper / auto switch is set to ON. In this determination, if it is determined that the wiper / auto switch is not set to ON, this step is repeated, and if it is determined that the wiper / auto switch is set to ON, the process proceeds to step S52.

In step S52, the amount of light received by the light receiving element 11 is measured. Next, in step S54, it is determined whether the amount of received light at that time is equal to or less than a specified value. That is, it is determined whether or not raindrops have adhered to the window glass 20. In this determination, if it is determined that the amount of light received by the light receiving element 11 is not less than the specified value, that is, if it is determined that raindrops have not adhered to the window glass 20, the process returns to step S52.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the amount of light received by the light receiving element 11 is equal to or less than the specified value, it is determined that raindrops have adhered to the window glass 20, and the process proceeds to step S56. Measure the amount of received light. Next, in step S58, it is determined whether the amount of received light at that time is equal to or less than a specified value. That is, it is determined whether it is cloudy. In this determination, when it is determined that the amount of light received by the light receiving element 28 is not less than the specified value, that is, when it is determined that it is sunny, the determination in step S54 is invalidated and the process returns to step S52.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the amount of light received by the light receiving element 28 is equal to or less than the specified value, that is, if it is determined that the light is clouded, the process proceeds to step S60, and the wiper 52 is operated. After operating the wiper 52, step S6
In step S2, the amount of light received by the light receiving element 11 is measured, and then in step S64, it is determined whether the amount of light received at that time is equal to or less than a specified value. That is, it is determined whether or not raindrops have adhered to the window glass 20. In this determination, when it is determined that the amount of light received by the light receiving element 11 is equal to or less than the specified value, that is, when it is determined that raindrops have adhered to the window glass 20, the process returns to step S60, and the wiper 52 is continuously operated. On the other hand, if it is determined that the received light amount at that time is not less than the specified value, the process proceeds to step S66,
The wiper 52 is stopped, and the process returns to step S50.

As described above, in the wiper / defroster control device 39 of this embodiment, the thermoelectric cooling element is set so that the surface temperature of the reflecting mirror 18 is 3 to 5 degrees or less than the surface temperature of the window glass 20 on the indoor side. The defroster 53 is operated when the amount of light received by the light receiving element 12 changes to be less than or equal to a specified value when dew condensation adheres to the reflecting mirror 18 in this state. Therefore, since the dew is condensed on the reflecting mirror 18 before the dew is attached to the window glass 20, the defroster 53 is operated before the dew is condensed on the window glass 20, so that the dew can be prevented.

In the wiper / defroster controller 39 of this embodiment, when the surface temperature of the reflecting mirror 18 is not lower than 3 to 5 degrees below the indoor surface temperature of the window glass 20, the light receiving element Since the defroster 53 is not operated even if the amount of light received at 12 is equal to or less than the specified value, operation other than condensation can be prevented, and the defroster operation can be performed more reliably. Also, raindrops adhere to the outdoor surface of the window glass 20 and the light receiving element 1
If the amount of received light 1 changes to be equal to or less than the specified value and the amount of light received by the light receiving element 28 is equal to or less than the specified value, the wiper 52 is operated. Therefore, even if raindrops adhere to the outdoor surface of the window glass 20, the wiper operation is prohibited if it is not cloudy, so that the wiper operation can be performed more reliably.

[0044]

As described above, claims 1 and 2,
According to the third and fourth aspects of the present invention, the light from the light emitting element is split into two by the semi-reflecting mirror, and one of the light is made incident on the reflecting mirror. From the change, the dew condensation adhering to the indoor surface of the window glass is detected, and the other is made to enter the window glass. Detects adhering raindrops, so it is possible to detect both raindrops and dewdrops with one.This improves the assemblability and reduces the cost of the product, compared to the case where raindrops and dewdrops are detected separately. Can be achieved.

According to the fifth and sixth aspects of the present invention, a thermoelectric cooling element utilizing the Peltier effect is arranged between the reflecting mirror for detecting dew condensation and the light guide member, and the reflection of the thermoelectric cooling element for detecting dew condensation is provided. An electric current is applied so that the surface on the mirror side becomes low temperature and the surface on the light guide member side becomes high temperature, and the condensation is applied to the dew condensation detecting mirror before the dew condensation adheres to the indoor surface of the window glass. Since the dew is made to adhere, the defroster can be started before the dew adheres to the indoor side surface of the window glass, and the dew can be prevented from adhering. Further, by bringing the light-emitting element into close contact with the light-guiding member, the light-guiding member can be heated on the high-temperature side of the thermoelectric cooling element, so that dew condensation on the light-emitting element can be prevented.

According to the seventh and eighth aspects of the present invention, since the light-shielding member is provided for shielding the space other than the light entrance and exit from the sunlight in the space of the light guide member, malfunction due to external light is prevented. be able to. According to the ninth aspect of the present invention,
Since the raindrop / cloudy detector according to any one of claims 1 to 8 is used, both raindrop and dew can be detected by one raindrop / cloudy detector, and the detection of raindrop and the detection of dew are separated. As compared with the case of performing the above, the assemblability can be improved and the cost of the product can be reduced.

According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, even if raindrops adhere to the outdoor surface of the window glass, the wiper operation is prohibited if it is not cloudy, so that the wiper operation can be performed more reliably. According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, the dew condensation is performed on the window glass by making use of the thermoelectric cooling element so that the surface temperature of the reflection mirror for detecting dew condensation becomes 3 to 5 degrees or lower than the surface temperature of the window glass on the indoor side. Since the dew is condensed on the reflecting mirror before it adheres, the defroster can be operated before the dew on the window glass to prevent the dew condensation.

According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, when the surface temperature of the dew condensation detecting reflector is not lower than 3 to 5 degrees below the surface temperature of the window glass on the indoor side, the second dew condensation detecting second mirror is used. Since the defroster is not operated even if the amount of light received by the light receiving element is equal to or less than the specified value, operation other than dew condensation can be prevented, and the defroster operation can be performed more reliably.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of an embodiment of a raindrop / cloudy weather detector according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an appearance of the raindrop / cloudy weather detector of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state where the raindrop / cloudy weather detector of the embodiment is attached to a window glass.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a wiper / defroster control device according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a defroster control operation of the wiper / defroster control device of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a wiper control operation of the wiper / defroster control device of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a conventional raindrop detector.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 9 raindrop / cloudy detector 10 light emitting element 11 light receiving element (second light receiving element) 12 light receiving element (first light receiving element) 13 light guide member 13A spatial portion 13B base portion 13C light output end 13D light input end 14, 15 Lens 16 semi-reflecting mirror 17 thermoelectric cooling element 18 reflecting mirror (first reflecting mirror) 19 temperature detecting element (reflecting mirror temperature detecting element) 20 window glass 21 aluminum deposition layer (second reflecting mirror) 22 temperature detecting element (window) Glass temperature detecting element) 28 Light receiving element (third light receiving element) 39 Wiper / defroster controller 43 Judgment unit (first judgment unit) 44 Driving unit (thermoelectric cooling element driving unit) 45 Temperature control unit (temperature control unit) 49 Judgment Unit (Second Judgment Means) 50 Driving Unit (Light Emitting Element Driving Means) 51 Control Unit (Vehicle Electronic Equipment Control Means) 52 Wiper 53 Defrost Data

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI G01W 1/14 G01V 9/04 B

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A light-emitting element, a first light-receiving element, a second light-receiving element, and a semi-reflective mirror provided on a surface of a window glass on the indoor side, for splitting light from the light-emitting element into two light-emitting elements. The light-emitting element, the first light-receiving element, and the second light-receiving element are supported, and a path for guiding light and reflection by a first reflecting mirror disposed in a space formed in a part of the path. A light guide member for guiding one of the lights split by the semi-reflecting mirror through the path to the second light receiving element; and a light guide member provided between the light guide member and the window glass, and split by the semi-reflective mirror. A second reflector for guiding the other light to the first light receiving element while totally reflecting the other light between the window glass and the window glass. 2. The raindrop / cloudy weather detector according to claim 1, further comprising a third light receiving element provided on the indoor side of the window glass and detecting sunlight. 3. A lens provided between the light guide member and each of the first light receiving element and the second light receiving element, and further comprising a lens for condensing light on the first and second light receiving elements. 3. The raindrop / cloudy weather detector according to claim 1, wherein: 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a window glass temperature detecting element provided on a surface of the window glass on the indoor side and detecting a surface temperature of the window glass on the indoor side. The described raindrop / cloudy weather detector. 5. A cooling device provided between the first reflecting mirror and a base of the space portion of the light guide member, cooling the first reflecting mirror on one surface side and cooling the first reflecting mirror on the other surface side. The raindrop / cloudy cloud detector according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a thermoelectric cooling element for heating the light guide member. 6. The raindrop according to claim 5, further comprising a reflector temperature detecting element provided in contact with said first reflector and detecting a surface temperature of said first reflector.
Cloudy detector. 7. The light guide member according to claim 1, further comprising a light-shielding member for shielding other portions of the light guide member other than the light entrance / exit portion from sunlight. Raindrop / cloudy detector. 8. The raindrop / cloudy detector according to claim 7, wherein the light shielding member is formed by plating a metal such as nickel. 9. The raindrop / cloudy detector according to claim 1, a light emitting element driving unit for driving the light emitting element of the raindrop / cloudy detector, and the raindrop / cloudy detector. First determining means for outputting a wiper start signal when the amount of light received by the first light receiving element is equal to or less than a specified value; and when the amount of light received by the second light receiving element of the raindrop / cloudy weather detector is equal to or less than a specified value. A second determining means for outputting a defroster start signal in a certain case; a wiper operating when a wiper start signal is output from the first determining means; and a defroster start signal being output from the second determining means. And a vehicle electronic device control means for operating the defroster when the operation is performed. 10. The raindrop / cloudy detector according to claim 2, a light emitting element driving unit for driving the light emitting element of the raindrop / cloudy detector, and the raindrop / cloudy detector. First determining means for outputting a wiper start signal when the amount of light received by the first light receiving element is equal to or less than a specified value and the amount of light received by the third light receiving element is also equal to or less than a specified value; Second determining means for outputting a defroster start signal when the amount of light received by the second light receiving element is equal to or less than a prescribed value; and operating the wiper when a wiper start signal is output from the first determining means. And a vehicle electronic device control means for operating the defroster when a defroster start signal is output from the second determination means. 11. The raindrop / cloudy detector according to claim 5, a light emitting element driving unit for driving the light emitting element of the raindrop / cloudy detector, and the raindrop / cloudy detector. First determining means for outputting a wiper start signal when the amount of light received by the first light receiving element is equal to or less than a specified value and the amount of light received by the third light receiving element is also equal to or less than a specified value; Second determining means for outputting a defroster start signal when the amount of light received by the second light receiving element is equal to or less than a prescribed value; and operating the wiper when a wiper start signal is output from the first determining means. A vehicle electronic device control means for operating a defroster when a defroster start signal is output from the second determination means; and the first thermoelectric cooling element of the raindrop / cloudy weather detector, A thermoelectric cooling element driving unit that drives the surface side in contact with the reflecting mirror to be low temperature and the surface side in contact with the light guide member to be high temperature, based on respective detection results of the first and second temperature detection elements, Temperature control means for controlling the thermoelectric cooling element driving means such that the temperature of the window glass on the indoor side is lower by about 3 to 5 degrees than the temperature of the first reflecting mirror. Wiper / defroster control device. 12. The temperature control means outputs a signal indicating that the thermoelectric cooling element is being driven, and the vehicle electronic device control means determines that the amount of light received by the second light receiving element is equal to or less than a specified value. 12. The wiper / defroster control device according to claim 11, wherein the defroster is not operated unless a signal indicating that the thermoelectric cooling element is being driven is supplied from the temperature control means.