JPH1016555A - Sun visor for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To appropriately control the shielding action by a sun visor by constantly and correctly detecting the incident direction of the sun light to an eye point of an occupant of a vehicle. SOLUTION: A sun visor 3 before a driver's seat in a vehicle is turnably supported by a supporting shaft 4, a motor 5 is connected to the sun visor 3, and when the incident direction of the sun light which is operated by a vehicle position detecting means and a vehicle traveling direction detecting means of a car navigation system and a clocking means is directed to an eye point of an occupant through a wind shield 1, the sun visor 3 in the stored condition is automatically turned as indicated by the two-dot chain line by the action of the motor 5.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sun visor for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a sun visor for shielding an area appropriate for an occupant.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional sun visor for a vehicle is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No.
As exemplified in JP 79718, by extending a flexible sun visor along a guide rail according to the altitude and direction of the sun detected by the sun position sensor,
Although it is configured to shield the necessary range, the installation location of the sunlight position sensor is limited to the vehicle ceiling etc. away from the occupant eye point, so the accurate sunlight position for the occupant is detected. Difficult to do, and therefore
Proper control of the sun visor is difficult in practice due to its susceptibility to malfunction.

The liquid crystal sun visors disclosed in JP-A-2-117413 and JP-A-2-117414 each have a liquid crystal device mounted on a windshield of a vehicle, and a direction of sunlight detected by an optical sensor. In response to the,
Although it is configured to control the position of the light-shielding portion in the liquid crystal device, since the installation location of the optical sensor is limited as in the above case, it is difficult to accurately detect the direction of sunlight with respect to the occupant, Therefore, appropriate control as a sun visor is still not easy.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to always accurately detect the incident direction of sunlight on an eye point of a vehicle occupant, and to appropriately control a light blocking operation by a sun visor.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, a sun visor for a vehicle according to the present invention has a solar radiation sensor for detecting direct sunlight, an azimuth detecting means for detecting a traveling azimuth of a vehicle, and a current date and time. Clock means for calculating the incident direction of sunlight to the occupant's eye point based on the traveling direction, the date and time, and adjusting means for controlling the operation of the sun visor. Detects the direct sunlight, and when the sunlight in the incident direction calculated by the incident direction calculating means is directed to the eye point through the window glass of the vehicle, the sun visor is operated by the control of the adjusting means. And it is comprised so that the said sunlight with respect to the said eye point may be blocked.

That is, the incident direction calculating means calculates the incident direction of the sunlight with respect to the occupant's eye point based on the traveling direction of the vehicle detected by the direction detecting means and the current date and time detected by the clock means. Therefore, it is possible to always accurately detect the incident direction of sunlight to the occupant's eye point regardless of the date and time and the vehicle in any direction of travel.
When the insolation sensor detects direct sunlight and the sunlight in this incident direction is directed to the occupant's eye point through the window glass of the vehicle, the sun visor is operated under the control of the adjusting means, and the sun vis-a-vis the occupant eye point Blocking the light, this ensures that the sun visor is always automatically and properly activated only when needed, and that direct sunlight is prevented from hitting the occupant's eye point.

[0007]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention shown in the drawings will be described by assigning the same reference numerals to the same parts. In FIG. 1, in front of the driver's seat of the vehicle,
A sun visor 3 is housed along an inner surface of a ceiling portion 2 close to an upper portion of the windshield 1, and one end of the sun visor 3 is supported by a support shaft 4 so that the sun visor 3 is rotatable forward. A motor 5 is connected to the end coaxially with the support shaft 4.

The vehicle is equipped with a car navigation system (not shown).
A controller (not shown) connected to the car navigation system for controlling the operation of the vehicle is provided.

The operation of the above apparatus will be described with reference to the control flowchart of FIG. 2. In step S1, a solar radiation sensor mounted on a front deck of a vehicle can detect direct sunlight when it is cloudy or when traveling in a tunnel. If not, the process proceeds to step S2, in which the motor 5 urges the sun visor 3 to the storage position shown in the figure. However, if direct sunlight is detected by the solar radiation sensor for running the vehicle under fine weather, the process proceeds to step S3.

In step S3, the current date and the correct time are read from the clock means possessed by the car navigation system, and in the next step S4, the angle of sunlight with respect to the earth is calculated from the date and time. , To step S5.

In step S5, the current position of the own vehicle, that is, the latitude and longitude where the own vehicle is located, is detected by the position detecting means of the car navigation system. The traveling direction of the own vehicle, that is, the north, south, east and west directions in which the vehicle is traveling, and traveling on a flat road or climbing or descending a sloping road are detected by the traveling direction detecting means.
Move to.

In step S7, the controller calculates the left and right incident angles and the up and down incident angles of the sunlight with respect to the windshield 1 from the above angle of the sunlight, the current position of the own vehicle, and the traveling direction of the own vehicle. In S8, the controller determines from the shape of the windshield 1, the position of the occupant's eye point at the driver's seat, etc., whether or not the sunlight is directed to that eye point.

If the controller determines in step S8 that the sunlight is not directed to the occupant's eye point, the process proceeds to step S2, where the motor 5 biases the sun visor 3 to the state shown in FIG.

On the other hand, in step S8, the controller determines that the sunlight is directed to the occupant's eye point. In addition, in order to prevent the later-described fluttering of the operation of the sun visor 3, the determination time of the pointing is appropriately long. If the continuation is continued, the process proceeds to the next step S9, in which the motor 5 is operated by the controller to rotate the sun visor 3 forward around the support shaft 4, and as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. The sun visor 3 covers the upper part of the windshield 1 in front of the seat to prevent direct sunlight from reaching the driver's seat occupant's eye point.

In the above apparatus, it is possible to always accurately detect whether the sunlight is directed to the eye point of the driver's seat occupant by the output of the car navigation system mounted on the vehicle and the action of the controller. The controller controls the operation of the motor 5 in accordance with the direction of the light, so that the sun visor 3 is provided only when necessary.
Always automatically and appropriately to prevent direct sunlight on the occupant's eye point, thereby facilitating the operation of the vehicle, changing the heading of the vehicle, or If the sun begins to become cloudy or the vehicle enters the tunnel and the sunlight is no longer directed to the occupant's eye point, the controller can control the motor 5 to automatically operate the sun visor 3 to the storage position. It is very convenient.

Further, in the above apparatus, since the output of the car navigation system originally mounted on the vehicle is used as it is, only a small number of necessary auxiliary equipment is required, and the overall equipment cost can be kept low. There are significant advantages.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, a liquid crystal unit 10 of a liquid crystal device is provided above a windshield 1 of a vehicle as shown by a broken line. Although transparent, the liquid crystal unit 10
Are each finely divided vertically and horizontally, and are configured so that only a necessary portion can be colored by locally applying a voltage, and a car navigation system (not shown) is mounted similarly to the above-described embodiment. In addition, a controller (not shown) for locally applying a voltage to the liquid crystal unit 10 is provided.

The operation of the above apparatus will be described with reference to the control flowchart of FIG. 4. In step S1, the solar radiation sensor mounted on the front deck of the vehicle can detect direct sunlight when it is cloudy or when traveling in a tunnel. If not, the process proceeds to step S10, in which no voltage is applied to the crystal part 10, so that the entire windshield 1 is kept transparent. However, in step S1, the solar radiation sensor detects direct sunlight due to running of the vehicle under fine weather and the like. Then, the process proceeds to the next step S3.

Steps S3 to S7 are the same as those in the above-described embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted. However, in step S8, the controller determines that the sunlight is not directed to the occupant's eye point. For example, the process proceeds to step S10, in which no voltage is applied to the crystal part 10 and the entire windshield 1 is maintained transparent.
In step S8, the controller determines that the sunlight is directed to the occupant's eye point. If the pointing determination time continues for an appropriate length, the process proceeds to the next step S11.

In step S11, a voltage is locally applied to the liquid crystal unit 10 by the control action of the controller as shown by the hatched portion in FIG. 3 so that the driver's seat occupant does not feel dazzling in direct sunlight. Only the portion 11 is colored, and direct sunlight to the occupant's eye point is blocked.

That is, also in this apparatus, it is possible to always accurately detect whether or not the sunlight is directed to the eye point of the driver's seat occupant by the output of the car navigation system mounted on the vehicle and the operation of the controller. The controller locally applies a voltage to the liquid crystal unit 10 in accordance with the direction of sunlight, so that the coloring unit 11 of the liquid crystal unit 10 functions as a sun visor only when necessary, and serves as an occupant's eye point. It is possible to prevent direct sunlight and make it easier to steer the vehicle.Also, the heading of the vehicle has changed, or the sky has become cloudy or the vehicle has entered the tunnel. When the sunlight is no longer directed to the eye point, the application of the voltage to the liquid crystal unit 10 is stopped by the control of the controller,
This is very convenient because the sun visor function of the liquid crystal unit 10 can be automatically extinguished.

In the above device, the liquid crystal unit 10 includes
Since the voltage is applied only to the narrow portion 11 where the sunlight directly shines on the eye point of the driver's seat occupant and the occupant feels dazzling, the voltage is not applied to the other liquid crystal unit 10, and therefore most of the windshield 1 3, the visibility of the occupant is allowed as widely as possible, and the traffic light 12 and the like can be easily and clearly recognized, so that the sun visor function is provided. There is an advantage that the driving of the vehicle can be facilitated even if it is provided.

In each of the above embodiments, the current position of the own vehicle is accurately detected by the position detecting means possessed by the car navigation system. However, the driving area of the vehicle falls within a certain range. For example, when the incident direction of the sunlight does not change much due to the difference in the current position, even if this detection is omitted, it is possible to achieve the same operation and effect as those of the above embodiments, and Each embodiment can be applied to the side window glass of the vehicle as it is, and in this case, it is needless to say that the same operation and effect as the above embodiments can be obtained.

[0024]

According to the sun visor for a vehicle according to the present invention, the incident direction of sunlight to the occupant's eye point can always be accurately detected. Therefore, the sun visor is always automatically and only when necessary. When the vehicle is properly operated, it is possible to appropriately prevent direct sunlight from being incident on the eye point of the occupant, thereby facilitating driving of the vehicle.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic indoor view according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a control flowchart of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic indoor view according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a control flowchart in the embodiment of FIG. 3;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Windshield 3 Sun visor 4 Support shaft 5 Motor 10 Liquid crystal part 11 Colored part

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An insolation sensor for detecting direct sunlight, an azimuth detecting means for detecting a traveling azimuth of a vehicle, a clock means for detecting a current date and time, and the azimuth and the date and time. An incident direction calculating means for calculating an incident direction of sunlight with respect to an occupant's eye point, and an adjusting means for controlling the operation of the sun visor, wherein the insolation sensor detects direct sunlight, and is calculated by the incident direction calculating means. When the sunlight in the incident direction is directed to the eye point through the window glass of the vehicle, the sun visor is operated under the control of the adjusting means, and the sunlight is blocked to the eye point. Sun visor for vehicles. 2. An occupant's eye point according to claim 1, further comprising a position detecting means for detecting a current position of the vehicle, wherein said incident direction calculating means calculates an occupant's eye point based on said current position, said traveling direction, said date and time. A sun visor for a vehicle configured to calculate an incident direction of sunlight. 3. A sun visor for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said azimuth detecting means and / or said position detecting means are included in a car navigation system mounted on said vehicle.