JPS60146721A - Anti-dazzling device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a driver from dazzlement attributable to headlights out of an opposite-lane-car without entailing any damage to the front sight of his car, by installing such a transmissivity variable filter as being controlled into a state of highly transmissivity in a way of responding to only an irradiation period of intermittent light in a floodlighting device. CONSTITUTION:Receiving a pulse train out of a timing signal generating circuit 1, a drive circuit 2 is set in motion whereby each of floodlight projectors 3a and 3b is driven and a visible ray is irradiated frontward. On the other hand, a high- speed pulse train outputted out of the timing signal generating circuit 1 is divided with a proper dividing ratio by a divider circuit 9. The drive circuit 10 drives a transmissivity variable type filter plate 11 on the basis of a pulse train to be outputted out of the divider circuit 9. The filter plate 11 synchronizes with only an on-period when the visible ray out of these floodlight projectors 3a and 3b is irradiated, and this plate 11 is controlled into a state of high transmissivity but controlled into a state of low transmissivity at an off-priod when the visible ray out of these projectors 3a and 3b is cut off.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention provides a method for preventing dazzling caused by the headlights of an oncoming vehicle without impairing the forward visibility of the own vehicle, for example in a vehicle driving at night. This invention relates to an anti-dazzle device.

(Problems with the prior art) As seen in Publication No. 2-101526, a polarizing plate is used to block the headlight light of an oncoming vehicle, or JP-A-49-72830 @ Publication, Special 1F
As seen in II Publication No. 50-138526, there are known devices in which a liquid crystal panel is used to block the headlights of oncoming vehicles.

However, such conventional anti-dazzle devices, for example those using polarizing plates, are not effective unless all vehicles are equipped with polarizing plates! In addition, in models that use a liquid crystal display, when the headlights of an oncoming vehicle are blocked, the overall visibility in front of the vehicle becomes dark, making it difficult to see the road that should be visible. There is a risk of misreading uneven surfaces or obstacles (pedestrians, etc.).

(Objective of the Invention) An object of the present invention is to provide an anti-dazzling device that can prevent dazzling caused by headlights of an oncoming vehicle without impairing forward visibility due to its own weight, when applied to a vehicle running at night, for example. It is in.

(Structure of the Invention) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention aims at a predetermined monitoring area by emitting visible light from a light projecting means at such a high speed that it appears as a continuous light beam to the human eye. In addition, the front of the observer facing the monitoring area is controlled to a high transmittance state only in response to the irradiation period of the intermittent light applied to the light projecting means. The device is characterized in that a variable transmittance filter is provided.

(Description of Embodiments) First, the operating principle of the present invention will be explained. When we examine the visual characteristics of humans, we find that the light is turned on at a slow frequency as shown in Figure 1.
, when turned off (blinking), it appears to humans as a huge flicker. However, as the ON and OFF frequencies are increased, the flickering eventually disappears and the light begins to appear as a steady light.

Furthermore, the sense of brightness at this time is equal to the sense of brightness felt when viewing stationary light equal to the average value 1' of the light intensity I, as shown by the broken line in FIG.

This is called Ta1bot's law.

In other words, even if a strong light ■ (for example, equivalent to the light of a headlamp under its own weight) is emitted, if the light is blinked to the extent that no flicker is felt, it will appear to the human eye as a light that is weaker than the light intensity I.
′ seems to be being emitted constantly.

In addition, the light intensity 1' that humans perceive, indicated by the broken line in Figure 1, can be considered to be the average value of the actual light intensity I, or the integrated value per unit time. It can be seen that the shorter the time for which the light is present, the greater the instantaneous light intensity (1) may be.

The present invention is configured as follows using Ta1bot's law.

That is, a variable transmittance filter is constructed using a transparent glass plate filled with liquid crystal, etc., and is placed in front of the observer (for example, a vehicle driver). By intermittently applying a voltage to the liquid crystal electrodes constituting this variable transmittance filter, the light that comes from the outside and enters the observer's eyes is interrupted at high speed.

As a result, the dazzling light (for example, the light from the headlights of an oncoming vehicle) will be perceived by the observer's eyes as a weak steady light, and will not dazzle the observer.

On the other hand, from the observer's side, visible light is emitted intermittently from a floodlight (for example, the headlight of the own vehicle), and the
The variable transmittance filter is controlled to a high transmittance state corresponding to only the N period.

As a result, intermittent light (for example, intermittent light from the headlights of a vehicle) emitted from the projector to the monitoring area reaches the observer's eyes without being blocked by the variable transmittance filter.

Here, when the intermittent light emitted from the floodlight is irradiated,
For example, if the brightness perceived by the observer's eyes is set to match the brightness of the constant light of current headlights in the case of a vehicle, it will be possible to set the brightness perceived by the observer's eyes to match the brightness of the constant light of current headlights in the case of a vehicle. can be viewed without incurring any shadow fees.

Next, a specific example of the present invention using the above principle will be described.
This will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5.

b Oh 7 no * Kame 4 @ Keichita nIru City City N1 right [Applied to cooperative use.

In FIG. 1, a timing signal generation circuit 1 hl etc. outputs a high-speed pulse train, and in response to this pulse train, a drive circuit 2 operates, driving floodlights 3a and 3b installed in place of left and right headlights. and these floodlights 3
Visible light from a and 3b is emitted toward the front of the vehicle intermittently at such a high speed that it appears as a continuous light beam to the human eye.

As details of the projectors 3a and 3b are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the projectors 3a and 3b are mounted on a motor 6 with their axes perpendicular to the inner bottom of an airtight housing 5 having a lens 4 fitted in its front opening.
At the same time, a reflector 7 consisting of a parabolic mirror is fixed to the upper part of the shaft and supported rotatably around the vertical axis of the motor 6, and a light source and a light source are attached to the focal point of the reflector 7. When the motor 6 is rotated at high speed, visible light is intermittently irradiated toward the front of the vehicle each time the lens 4 is positioned in front of the reflection direction of the reflector 7. It is configured as follows.

Next, in FIG. 1, the high-speed pulse train output from the timing signal generating circuit 1 is frequency-divided by a frequency dividing circuit 9 at an appropriate frequency division ratio.

The drive circuit 10 drives the variable transmittance filter plate 11 based on the pulse train output from the frequency dividing circuit 9.

When the filter plate 11 is turned on, the filter plate 11 is controlled to a high transmittance state in synchronization only with the ON period when visible light is emitted from the projectors 3a and 3b, and the visible light is cut off from the projectors 3a and 3b. During the OFF period, the transmittance is controlled to a predetermined low transmittance state.

The specific configuration of the filter plate 11 is as shown in FIG.
A window frame-shaped spacer 14 is interposed between two glass plates 13'a and 13b each having transparent electrodes 12a and 12b formed in a planar shape on their opposing inner surfaces, and a window frame-shaped spacer 14 is formed by the spacer 14. It is made up of a field-effect nematic liquid crystal sealed in an internal space, and each transparent electrode 12a,
Lead wires 15a and 15bll drawn out from 12b
By continuously applying a predetermined voltage to Ii, the light transmittance can be controlled intermittently into a high transmittance state and a low transmittance state.

In this example, the filter plate 11 is formed into a shape similar to a sun visor of a vehicle as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, and includes a rod 16.1 and a lug-shaped flexible joint 17.1 projecting from the top thereof. It is rotatably supported via a horizontal rod 18 to a bracket 19 attached to the ceiling of the vehicle interior.

Therefore, like a vehicle sun visor, it can be pulled down and used in front of the driver as needed.

Next, to explain the operation, when the motor 6 rotates at high speed by the output of the drive circuit 2, the projector 3a.

Visible light is intermittently irradiated from 3b toward the front of the vehicle. Here, the intermittent frequency of this intermittent light is, for example, 50
It is set to about 0H2, so that the eyes of drivers of the own vehicle and oncoming vehicles feel as if constant light is being irradiated from the projectors 3ra and 3b.

On the other hand, the filter plate 11 includes the projector 3a, as described above.
ON period (irradiation period) of intermittent light emitted from 31+
It is intermittently controlled to enter a high transmittance state in synchronization with the OFF period (extinguishing period), and to enter a low transmittance state in synchronization with the OFF period (extinguishing period).

Therefore, the light emitted from the floodlights 3a and 3b is reflected by an object in front of the vehicle, passes through the filter plate 11, and directly reaches the eyes of the vehicle driver. The brightness is set to be approximately the same as the brightness of conventional headlights.

On the other hand, in this state, when the headlights of an oncoming person arrive, the continuous light beam from these headlights is interrupted by the filter plate 11, so that Ta1 appears to the driver's eyes.
This means that the average light intensity obtained according to Bott's law will be felt, and even if the headlights of an oncoming vehicle arrive with considerable intensity, there is no risk of dazzling the driver.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent oncoming vehicles from being dazzled by the Radry 1 light without impairing the forward visibility of the own vehicle.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9.

In FIG. 8, the Timinogui No. 8 generation circuit 20 outputs a high-speed pulse train.

The drive circuit 21 receives a pulse train from the timing (is generation circuit) and drives the light projector 22 in synchronization with the pulse train.
An intermittent light beam is emitted that is synchronized with the pulse train output from the

On the other hand, the intermittent light beam emitted from the projector 22 is detected via the photodetector 23, the drive circuit 24 operates according to this detection output, and the filter plate 25 is synchronized with the ON period of the intermittent light beam from the projector 22. It is controlled to a high transmittance state, and is controlled to a low transmittance state in synchronization with the OFF period.

Next, the specific configuration of the light projector 22 will be explained based on FIG. 9.

Visible light emitted from a lamp 26 serving as a light source is focused by a reflector 27 made of a parabolic mirror, and then irradiated forward.

An edible transmittance filter plate 28 is interposed in front of the reflector 27 and is appropriately inclined with respect to the optical axis of the reflector 27 .

This filter plate 28 consists of two transparent glass plates 298.2.
The piezoelectric body 30 is sandwiched between the two transparent glass plates 29'a and 29b to form a sandwich structure.
By supplying output pulses from the drive circuit 21 to the electrodes, the transmittance thereof can be controlled intermittently.

Therefore, when the filter plate 28 is in a high transmittance state, the light from the reflector 27 passes through the filter plate 28 as it is and becomes a light beam to the left headlight, which is transmitted through the lens 30b and the optical fiber 31b.

The light from the reflector 27 is irradiated forward of the vehicle through the lens 32b of the left headlight, but when the filter plate 26 is in a low transmittance state, the light from the reflector 27 is reflected by the filter plate 28 and then emitted. , R light is emitted toward the front of the vehicle via the lens 30a, the optical fiber 31a, and the lens 32a of the right headlight.

Therefore, the front of the vehicle is irradiated with visible light from the left and right headlights intermittently. It is designed to provide the same level of brightness as a headlight.

On the other hand, the light emitted from the right lens 32a is detected by the photodetector 23, and in response to the detection output, the drive circuit 2
4 operates, and the transmittance of the filter plate placed in front of the driver changes intermittently.

According to this embodiment, as a means for irradiating visible light intermittently at a high speed that appears to the human eye as a continuous light beam toward the front of the vehicle, a filter plate that can be selectively set to a transmitting state or a reflecting state is used. 11 = Therefore, there is no need for a moving part like in the above embodiment, and the structure of the projector can be simplified and has a long life. By distributing the lights to the left and right, the light from the light source can be used more efficiently. □ Next, Figure 10 shows yet another example of a floodlight.
In this embodiment, the incident end faces of the optical fibers 35a to 35d are arranged on the four sides of the optical fibers 35a to 35d so that they coincide with each other. , to obtain four-phase optical pulses.

Also, connect each optical fiber to two wires 35a and 35.
b, Distribute to the left and right headlight positions like 3.5c and 35d [pu, lens 36a from the left and right headlight positions
There is also one that irradiates forward through 36d. .

In addition, photodetectors 37a and 3.7b are provided on the front side of each lens 36a and 36b on the right side, respectively.

The C drive circuit 24 is operated by the output of these logical sums.

According to this embodiment, in addition to being able to effectively utilize the light from the light source, the intermittent light emitted from the Radry += to the left and right sides has a phase difference of 906 degrees, so the rotation speed of the reflector can be increased considerably. The effect is that the human eye can easily obtain light that is close to continuous light even without using it.

In the above embodiments, a headlight of a vehicle is used as an example of a projector, but it goes without saying that an auxiliary lamp of a vehicle may be used as a projector.

Furthermore, although the light beam was irradiated intermittently in the above embodiment,
Instead of this, for example, the same effect can be obtained by making the Terumaro change stepwise.

(Effects of the Invention) As is clear from the description of the embodiments above, according to the present invention, when applied to a vehicle, for example, dazzling caused by headlights of an oncoming vehicle can be reliably prevented without impairing the forward visibility of the own vehicle. You can get the effect that you can.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a graph for explaining the present invention in detail, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of one embodiment of the present invention,
Fig. 3 is a side sectional view showing the structure of the floodlight, Fig. 4 is an open plan sectional view, Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the filter plate, and Fig. 6 is a variable transmittance type filter plate installed on the vehicle. 7 is an external perspective view showing the installed state of the filter plate, and FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the electrical configuration of another embodiment of the present invention V44. 179 and 9 are schematic diagrams showing the structure of the projector used in this embodiment, and FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the projector. 3a, 3b... Floodlight 11... Variable transmittance type filter plate Patent applicant: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Figure 6 11 Figure 8

Claims (1)

[Claims] , (1) Aim the visible light toward a predetermined monitoring area, and it appears to the human eye as a continuous light beam8! A light projection means that emits light intermittently or while changing the illumination intensity at high speed; l!
A variable transmittance filter is arranged in front of the observer facing the area, and is controlled to a high transmittance state only in synchronization with the ON period of the intermittent light directed to the light projecting means. An anti-dazzle device characterized by: