JPWO2019203177A1 - Vehicle lighting fixtures with sensors - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle lamp having an improved design by providing a sensor inconspicuously. SOLUTION: A sensor unit (4) is assembled to a lamp body (11), and a sensor (41) for collecting information on the surroundings of a vehicle and a reflector (43) for changing the direction of light of the sensor are attached to the sensor unit (4). ) Is provided. Further, the sensor (41) is provided so as to be invisible from the outside of the vehicle. The light (L1) emitted from the sensor (41) is reflected by the reflector (43) and emitted to the outside of the vehicle. On the other hand, the return light (L2) incident from the outside of the vehicle is reflected by the reflector (43) and is incident on the sensor (41).

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle lighting fixture provided with a sensor, and more particularly to a vehicle lighting fixture in which a sensor is arranged so as to be difficult to see from the outside of the vehicle to enhance the design of the vehicle.

Conventionally, a vehicle lighting device provided with a sensor for collecting information around the vehicle has been known.
For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a vehicle lamp with a camera (sensor) in the lamp chamber. Further, Patent Document 2 proposes a headlight unit in which a laser radar is arranged below the light and consideration is given to design. Further, Patent Document 3 proposes a vehicle peripheral information detection structure in which an optical system detection unit (sensor) is provided inside the front lamp.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-164913 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-07632 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-187990

However, in the conventional vehicle lighting equipment provided with the sensor, in order to emit the sensor light to the periphery of the vehicle, it is necessary to arrange the sensor unit 51 so as to be exposed to the outside of the vehicle as shown in FIG. For this reason, the space in the lighting room is compressed, which is a cause of impairing the design.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle lamp with improved design by providing a sensor inconspicuously.

In order to solve the above problems, the vehicle lamp of the present invention has the following configuration.
(1) A sensor unit to be assembled to the lamp body is provided, and the sensor unit includes a sensor that collects information around the vehicle and a reflector that changes the direction of the light of the sensor, and the sensor is invisible from the outside of the vehicle. It is possibly provided and is characterized in that light is emitted to the outside of the vehicle through a reflector.

At this time, the sensor is not limited to a specific type, for example, the position of an object around the vehicle body, the distance between the vehicle body and the object, the type of object (people, animals, luggage), and the road surface condition (unevenness, rain, snow, freezing). ), A camera for detecting vehicle height, tire pressure, etc., a lidar (LiDAR), etc. can be used. Further, the sensor unit may include one sensor, or may include a plurality of sensors of the same type or different types in combination.

(2) The lamp may be provided inside the lamp body, and the lamp body may include a partition wall separating the lamp and the sensor unit.

(3) A sensor lens that transmits the light of the sensor may be provided, and the sensor lens may be provided so as to be removable from the lamp body. At this time, it is also preferable to use a material that can prevent discoloration for the sensor lens. As the discoloration prevention material, for example, a weather resistant material, a magic mirror, a material having the same color as the body, or the like can be selected within a range in which the ability of the sensor does not deteriorate.

(5) In any one of the above (1) to (3), it is also preferable that the sensor lens is water-repellent.

(4) In the above (1) or (2), an outer cover that covers the opening of the lamp body is provided, a part of the outer cover includes a transmission region that transmits the light of the sensor, and the transmission region is subjected to a water repellent treatment. It is also preferable.

According to the vehicle lamp of the present invention, since the light emitted from the sensor is emitted to the outside of the vehicle via the reflector, the sensor can be provided invisible from the outside of the vehicle, and the design is improved. It has an excellent effect.

It is a schematic diagram which shows one Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view which shows the lighting equipment for a vehicle equipped with a sensor unit. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA showing the vehicle lamp of FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA showing a modified example of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA showing another modification of the present invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the state which applied the water-repellent finish to the outer cover / sensor lens. It is a schematic diagram which shows the vehicle equipped with the conventional vehicle lamp.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle lamp 1 of the present invention is provided in the vehicle body 2, and inside the lamp, a lamp 3 such as a low beam lamp or a high beam lamp and a sensor unit 4 for collecting information around the vehicle are collected. Is provided. The sensor unit 4 is composed of a sensor 41 that emits the sensor light L and a reflector 43 that changes the direction of the sensor light L. Further, the sensor 41 is arranged so as to be invisible from the outside of the vehicle.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of the vehicle lamp 1 of FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the vehicle lamp 1 is composed of a lamp body 11, an outer lens 12, and a lamp chamber 14 formed by the lamp body 11 and the outer lens 12. Further, inside the lamp chamber 14, a lamp 3 and an extension 15 that shields the wiring inside the lamp from the outside of the lamp are provided. A sensor unit 4 is assembled to the lamp body 11.

Of the sensor units 4, the sensor 41 is concealed by the opening 21 of the vehicle body 2, and the reflector 43 is arranged so as to be exposed from the opening 21. The sensor 41 includes an inlet / outlet port 42 that injects and emits light L, and the reflector 43 includes a reflecting surface 44 that changes the directions of the lights L1 and L2. Further, the reflecting surface 44 is provided so as to face the inlet / outlet port 42 and the outer lens 12.

The light L1 emitted from the inlet / outlet port 42 of the sensor 41 is reflected by the reflection surface 44 of the reflector 43, and is emitted to the outside of the vehicle through the transmission region 13 (see FIG. 6). Further, the return light L2 reflected on the surface of the detection object around the vehicle is incident on the inside of the vehicle (light chamber 14) through the transmission region 13, further reflected by the reflection surface 44, and incident on the inlet / outlet port 42. ..

According to the vehicle lamp having the above configuration, since the sensor 41 can collect information around the vehicle via the reflector 43, the sensor 41 can be concealed and provided, and the design of the lamp can be improved. It has an excellent effect.

FIG. 4 shows a modified example of the present invention. In this example, an isolation wall 16 is provided to separate the lamp 3 and the sensor unit 4. By accommodating the lamp 3 and the sensor unit 4 in separate rooms, there is an effect that interference of temperature rise between the lamp 3 and the sensor unit 4 can be prevented.

Further, only the room containing the lamp may be shielded with an adhesive, and the room containing the sensor may be configured to be sealed to the extent that rain or the like is prevented from entering. When the sensor unit 4 breaks down, the sensor room can be opened to replace or repair the sensor unit 4.

FIG. 5 shows another modification of the present invention. In this example, the storage unit 45 accommodating the sensor unit 4 is assembled to the lamp body 11, and the sensor lens 47 that transmits the light L1 and L2 of the sensor is provided in the opening 46 of the storage unit 45. By providing the sensor lens 47 and the outer lens 12 separately, there is an effect that a lens made of a material suitable for the sensor light can be provided.

Further, the sensor lens 47 may be provided so as to be removable from the lamp body 11. When the sensor unit 4 fails, there is an effect that the sensor lens 47 can be removed and the sensor unit can be replaced or repaired.

FIG. 6 shows a state in which a water-repellent finish is applied to the region 13 that transmits the sensor lights L1 and L2. In FIG. 6A, a water-repellent finish is applied to the transmission region 13 included in a part of the outer lens 12, and in FIG. 6B, a part of the outer lens 12 is defined by an isolation wall 16 and this region is defined. Is water-repellent as the transmission region 13. Further, in FIG. 6C, the sensor lens 47 is water-repellent. The water-repellent treatment has the effect of making it difficult for water droplets and dirt to adhere to the lenses 12 and 47 in front of the sensor, reducing the noise of transmitted light, and improving the accuracy of the collected information.

Here, as the water-repellent treatment, fine embossing or surface modification by fine metal deposition can be selected. Specifically, it is desirable that the embossing is finely provided so as to be smaller than the beam diameter of LiDAR. In this case, the effect of suppressing the refraction caused by the lenses 12 and 48 can be expected.

In metal vapor deposition, it is possible to use a fluorinated compound or silicon to perform surface treatment to provide fine irregularities by vapor deposition to produce the so-called Lotus effect. The Lotus effect can also be obtained by using polyethylene glycol in combination with glucose or sucrose. Further, by forming the thin-film vapor deposition surface thinly, it is possible to provide the surface of the transmissive portion in a half mirror shape and to provide the reflector inconspicuously.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, instead of the headlamp, a fog lamp, a side turn signal lamp, a tail stop lamp, or the like may be provided with a sensor unit, or the lower part of the lamp may be replaced. It is also possible to appropriately change the shape and configuration of each part within a range that does not deviate from the gist of the invention, such as arranging sensor units on the upper part of the lamp, the left and right side parts, and the like.

1 Vehicle lighting equipment 2 Vehicle body 3 Lamp 4 Sensor unit 11 Lighting equipment body 12 Outer lens 13 Outer lens transmission area 14 Lighting chamber 15 Extension 16 Isolation wall 21 Vehicle body opening 41 Sensor 42 Sensor entry / exit port 43 Reflector 44 Reflection surface 45 Storage unit 46 Storage unit opening 47 Sensor lens 48 Sensor lens transmission area 51 Conventional sensor unit

Claims (5)

Equipped with a sensor unit that can be attached to the lamp body
The sensor unit includes a sensor that collects information around the vehicle and a reflector that changes the direction of light of the sensor.
The sensor is provided invisible from the outside of the vehicle, and emits light to the outside of the vehicle through the reflector. A lamp is provided inside the lamp body.
The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the lamp body includes a partition wall that separates the lamp from the sensor unit. A sensor lens that transmits the light of the sensor is provided.
The vehicle lamp according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sensor lens is detachably provided from the lamp body. The vehicle lamp according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sensor lens is water-repellent. Equipped with an outer cover that covers the opening of the lamp body
A part of the outer cover includes a transmission region through which the light of the sensor is transmitted.
The vehicle lamp according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the permeation region is water-repellent.

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