JPS5929542A - Photo receiver for wiper controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make a photo receiver compact by a method in which the photo receiver of a wiper controller to detect the amount of rainwater dropelts on the wind screen glass by ray is set in the knob of a room mirror and ray is made to reach the photo receiving element curvedly along the longitudinal direction of the knob. CONSTITUTION:The photo receiver 1 of a wiper controller is set in the knob 2a a room mirror 2. Through the photo receiver 1, rays from an optical ray projector is passed through an infrared rays transmitting filter 3, curved along the longitudinal direction of the knob 2a by the mirror 6, and introduced into a photo detector 5 through a slit plate 4 and a cylinder lens 7. In the photo detector 5, a photo receiving signal is generated according to the amount of rays for controlling a wiper. Even in the photo receiver in which the optical path of rays coming into the photo receiver is lengthened, it can be housed in the knob of the room mirror in a compact manner.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a light receiver for a wiper control device that automatically controls the operating speed or period of a wiper blade in accordance with the amount of raindrops attached to a vehicle windshield.

A wiper device for a vehicle is generally equipped with a switch so that the driver can change the operating speed and cycle of the wiper blade depending on the amount of rain and the number of raindrops on the windshield. However, if it becomes necessary to adjust the operating speed or cycle of the wiper blades while driving, the driver must operate this switch while driving, which makes adjusting the wipers feel cumbersome and hinders driving operations. It may also be a hindrance.

Therefore, the raindrops M attached to the windshield are detected by receiving the light from a projector installed outside the vehicle through the windshield to a light receiver inside the vehicle, and detecting the raindrops M based on this light reception signal. The applicant has developed a wiper control device that automatically controls the operating speed and cycle of the iJ5.

However, the light receiver used in this J:Una wiper control device efficiently receives light from a floodlight installed outside the vehicle, is installed in a position that does not interfere with driving, and has an extremely prominent design. It is desirable to make the part with an inconspicuous shape without making the part numbered.

The present invention focuses on the above points, and even if the light receiver requires a long optical path for the light entering the receiver and after the light enters the receiver, it can be disposed unobtrusively and compactly. It is an object of the present invention to provide a light receiver for wiper control that does not cause trouble or design problems. The light receiver receives light through the windshield and outputs the received light signal to a control circuit that determines the operating speed and/or period of the wiper blade. It is characterized in that the light entering from the back side opening is bent along the longitudinal direction of the handle so as to reach the light receiving element in the light receiver.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration diagram of a wiper control device for an automobile, and FIGS. 2a and 2b show a front view and a sectional view of a light receiver attached to a handle 2a of a room mirror 2, respectively. Reference numeral 1 denotes a light receiver mounted inside the handle 2a of the rearview mirror 2, which allows light from a projector 31) (described later) to enter through an infrared transmission filter 3 provided in an opening on the back of the handle. The structure is such that the incident light is bent by a mirror 6 along the longitudinal direction of the handle 2a and introduced to the light detection section 5 installed at the back of the light receiver 1. A part of the handle 2a, which is formed hollow so that the light receiver 1 can be housed inside, can be integrally molded with the handle of the bar, resulting in a good design.However, each part of the handle 2a can be molded separately. These can also be formed by assembling them (-J (J). 4 is a slab 1-plate attached perpendicularly to the optical path behind the mirror 6 in the receiver 1, as shown in Fig. 2C. As shown in the figure, vertical sulins 1- are provided at predetermined intervals, and after the striped image of bright and dark areas is condensed in a linear manner by the cylindrical lens 7 behind them, it is sent to the light detection section 5. The slide plates 1 to 4 may have a striped pattern of transparent parts and light-shielding parts. The light-receiving element 5a and the dark-area light-receiving element 5b for receiving light in the lllln part are alternately arranged horizontally at the innermost part of the light receiver 1, and each light-receiving element 5a to 15b detects the brightness of the striped image formed by the Surin 1 to the plate 4. The cylinder lens 7 in front of the light detection unit 5 is configured to receive and receive light separately for the dark area and the dark area.
acts to condense the striped image in horizontal lines, condense the data on the amount of raindrops contained therein, and increase the sensitivity of the light receiver 1.

In Figures 3a and 3b, 9 is a mirror 1.
This is a light bulb of a floodlight 8 installed in a light bulb 2, and a concave mirror 10 for condensing light is provided on the back of the light bulb 4. Further, the upper part of the mirror 14 serving as the light projection window of the light emitter 8 is provided with an infrared light beam that reflects visible light and passes infrared light so as to project the infrared light from the light bulb 9 toward the light receiver 1. A transmission filter 11 is provided. This infrared transmission filter 11 is formed by depositing a film having infrared light transmission characteristics on a glass surface.

In FIG. 1, J5 indicates a control circuit 15 disposed in a part of the vehicle body. The control circuit 15 calculates a contrast value of 1 to a bright area and a dark area from the light reception signal from the light receiver 1. This contrast (direct corresponds to the visibility of the windshield 13,
By calculating the ratio between the constant value and the maximum contrast value, the magnitude of the wiping effect during one reciprocation of the wiper blade 17 is calculated.

Depending on the magnitude of the wiping effect of the wiper blade 17, the operating speed and period of the wiper are selected from among high speed, low speed, short cycle period intermittent, and long cycle period intermittent, and the operation command signal is sent to the wiper morph 16)'15. In particular, J: controls the wiping operation of the wiper blade 17.

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of the wiper control I device.

18 is a light projection drive circuit for lighting the light bulb 9 of the floodlight 8;
9a and 19b are the bright light receiving elements 5 of the light detecting section 5 of the light receiver 1;
This is an amplifier connected to the dark area light receiving element 5b and the dark area light receiving element 5b, and amplifying the respective light reception signals. 20 are amplifiers 19a and 19b
This is the first arithmetic circuit which inputs the amplified light reception signal from the J and calculates the difference between them. The contrast l-value of the striped pattern image formed by plates 1 to 4 is calculated.

21 is a peak hold circuit connected to the output side of the first arithmetic circuit 20, and holds the maximum value of the calculated contrast l-value. A monitor circuit 22 is also connected to the output side of the first arithmetic circuit 20 and constantly monitors the contrast value. 23 is a second arithmetic circuit which inputs the output signals from the peak hold circuit 21 and the monitor circuit 22 and calculates the ratio between the constant value and the maximum value in the above-mentioned CON 1 to last values.

The data calculated by this second arithmetic circuit 23 with the constant value as the denominator and the maximum value as the numerator represents the wiping effect of the wiper blade 17 during one reciprocation of the wiper blade 17, and the data ratio is The larger the wiping effect of the wiper device, the greater the amount of raindrops. 24 is a comparison circuit connected to the output side of the second arithmetic circuit 23, and includes four comparators, each of which has a set value for operating the wiper device at high speed, a set value for operating at low speed, and a period. The set value for the short-term absenteeism effect and the set value for the long-cycle absenteeism effect are set as the reference voltage. 25 receives the outputs sent from each comparator of the comparator circuit 24, and sends operation command signals of high speed, low speed, short cycle intermittent, and long cycle intermittent to the motor drive circuit 26 according to the state of these outputs. It is a logic circuit that sends data. The motor drive circuit 26 is configured to receive an operation command signal from the logic circuit 25 and drive the wiper motor 16 at eight high speeds, at a low speed, intermittently in short cycles, and intermittently in long cycles. 27 is a reset circuit connected to the peak bold circuit 21, which outputs a signal from the wiper motor 16 every wiping cycle of the wiper blade 17, and based on this, applies a reset signal to the peak hold circuit 21 every wiping cycle to reset the signal. Reset the hold value.

Next, the operation of this wiper control device will be explained.

The light bulb 9 is activated by the operation of the light projection drive circuit 18, and infrared light among the light collected from the light projector 8 by the concave surface &l't 10 passes through the window glass 13 and reaches the light receiver 1 on the back side of the handle of the rearview mirror 2. It is illuminated.

In the receiver 1, the infrared light from the emitter 8 enters through the infrared transmitting filter 3, is bent by the mirror 6 in the longitudinal direction of the handle 2a, is passed through the slit plate 4, and then is transmitted by the cylinder lens 7. The light is focused into a line and an image of the slit plate 4 is projected onto the photodetector 5. At this time, the sleeve 1-
The image of the plate 4 is divided into a bright part and a dark part and is projected onto the bright part light receiving element 5a and the dark part light receiving element 5b of the light detection part 5. Numbers of bright and dark parts of images from 1 to 4, unclear number 21]
~Ras 1~, while the windshield 13 during rain
When water droplets are attached to the surface, the light is scattered, and the bright areas include low brightness areas, and the brightness of the dark areas becomes 100 degrees.
・Appears as a decrease in the last. Therefore, the difference in the light reception signals output from the light receiving elements 5a, 11a, 5b of the light detecting section 5 provided in the light receiver 1 is
Contrast 1~ degree of image (contrast 1 - value 1~)
will be shown.

Then, the detected light reception signals J: are amplified by amplifiers 19a and 19b, respectively, and then sent to the first input circuit 20. The first arithmetic circuit 2.degree. calculates the difference between the bright light receiving element 5a and the dark light receiving element 5b, and sends this difference signal to the peak hold circuit 21 and the monitor circuit 22. Here, the difference signal output from the first numbing circuit 20 is the one that is output from the windshield 13 in the case of a rain outlet.
Wiper blade 17 at the upper detection point (the part where the projected light passes)
The loudest sound is immediately after the wiper blade 17 passes, and after passing, it decreases as the water droplets (=J) land on the windshield 13. If the wiper device is continuously operated, the wiper blade 17 passes the detection point and then reverses. Detection 1: The lowest value is reached just before passing one place and overturning.

(from the maximum) u small 1 iri g for each operating cycle of the wiper device
The difference signal varying at , is sent to the peak hold circuit 2'1, the peak bold circuit 21 holds the maximum value of each difference signal, and sends the maximum value signal to the second calculation circuit 23. Here, the peak value of the difference signal held in the peak hold circuit 21 is calculated from the one of the wiper blades 17 through the safety circuit 27.
J: disappears in the relay 1-signal sent every operating cycle,
In the next cycle 83, the new peak value is held, and the peak value is updated every operating cycle of the wiper blade 17.

On the other hand, -E nita Fil k'tl 22 'T' Ham 1 'eiC'N times
Send to Iki Circuit 23.

The second derivation circuit 23 calculates the ratio of the output of the peak hold circuit 21, that is, the peak value data, to the difference signal data from the monitor circuit 22. Therefore, the second arithmetic circuit 2
If the data ratio calculated in step 3 is too crowded, the amount of raindrops on the windshield will be large, resulting in swerving and poor visibility. Incidentally, since the peak value of the peak hold circuit 21 is retold and updated by the ret signal output from the ret circuit 27 to each cycle σ of the wiper blade 17, the peak value of the peak f1ti data, that is, the second arithmetic circuit 23 Criterion 111 which is the numerator of the σ expression of
1 will be changed by U depending on the situation every cycle.

Therefore, it is possible to perform processing according to conditions such as deterioration of the light source and changes in the characteristics of the light detection unit 5, and to perform processing according to the amount of raindrops on the windshield 13'' without being affected by these conditions. It is possible to perform wiper control with a positive value of "h"1[.

The output of the second arithmetic circuit 23 is proportional to the deterioration of the visibility and is sent as an IC voltage signal to the comparison circuit 24, and the signal is output in four stages.

The individual man-saw signals are compared to the comparators 4+1t and 1, each having a reference voltage of
j signal is issued. For example, if the input signal level is higher than the maximum setting value, 04 is 411! , a logic "1" output signal is output from all of the comparators 1, and when the input signal is at the next highest set 1 level, a logic "1" is output from the three comparators.
When the signal is output and the next setting level is a human signal, the signal is 2.
Two comparators output a logic "1" signal, and one comparator outputs a logic "1" signal when the input signal is at the lowest level.

The output of each comparator of the comparison circuit 24 is KM]! I!
It is input to the circuit 25, and in the logic circuit 25, the comparator circuit 24
All four input signals from the theory J! I! r 1 J
Three systems of input signals are used to generate a high-speed command signal to avoid operating the wiper blade 17 at high speed. ur I
When the signal is J, the low speed command signal is input to the two systems (i is logic 1+ of r1J, and J is connected to the signal for the cycle interruption command, and when the input horn signal of one system is the logic "1") Dedicated circuit for each signal for long-cycle interruption command?-='
[--Application is applied to the motor drive circuit 26.]

The motor drive circuit 26 receives this command signal to operate the motor, and depending on the command signal, the wiper motor 1 (3 is set to high), red, low speed, S) is driven intermittently, or long-cycle IUj is driven intermittently! 1. By avoiding IJ, wiper blade 17
performs an operation to wipe away raindrops on the windshield 13 ("J'?i").

This wiper control is controlled so that the operating speed and cycle of the wiper blade 17 are automatically selected depending on the raindrops that land on the windshield 13.
This allows the driver to maintain good visibility at all times, even during rain or rain, without complicating the driver's driving operations.

As explained above, according to the light receiver for a wiper control device of the present invention, the light receiver is placed inside the handle of the rearview mirror.
The light input from the opening on the back side of the handle is bent along the longitudinal direction of the handle and reaches the light-receiving element in the receiver. The i13 is equipped with a receiver that reduces the optical path by 1%, and can be stored compactly inside the handle of the rearview mirror, and can be simply installed without creating an excessively protruding part in terms of design. If it is possible to do so, it may not interfere with the driver's visibility and may not function satisfactorily.

Not only can it be installed simply, but it can also perform a sufficient function without interfering with the driver's visibility.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The figures show an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 1 is a general configuration diagram of a wiper control device, Fig. Figure 12C is the △-△ cross-sectional view of Figure 2b, Figure 3a is the front view of the under mirror with a built-in floodlight. figure,
x: /1 Figure is a block diagram of wiper control equipment. 1... Receiving device 2... Room mirror 2a... Handle 5... Light detection part E3... Emitter 13... Windshield '15... Control circuit '17... Wiper blade Fig. 2b Fig. 2c

Claims (1)

[Claims] A light receiver that receives light from a floodlight installed outside the vehicle through the windshield and outputs the received light signal to a control circuit that determines the wiper blade operating speed and/or circumference +1). In addition to being placed inside the handle,
A light receiver for a wiper control device, characterized in that the light entering from the UrI opening on the back side of the handle is bent along the longitudinal direction of the handle so as to reach a light receiving element in the light receiver.