JP2000233687A - Upward visible device for automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a driver to see a traffic light in a seated state in the normal posture on a driver's seat without looking up or looking down when a vehicle is stopped below the traffic light. SOLUTION: This upward visible device for an automobile allows a driver to see a traffic light 31a from a driver's seat when a vehicle is stopped nearly below the traffic light 31 a. A Fresnel lens 15 (light refracting means) refracting the incident light (a) from the traffic light 31a in the visible range θ of the driver is provided near a windshield 1 in the front of the driver's seat.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a novel apparatus for visually recognizing an upper part of an automobile, which makes it possible to visually recognize the traffic light from a driver's seat when the vehicle stops below the traffic light.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, as shown in FIG. 5, a traffic signal 31 is provided near a stop line 30 formed in front of a pedestrian crossing or the like.
May be installed. When the vehicle 32 is stopped at such a stop line 30, the traffic signal light 31a is located above the driver's seat 33, so that the traffic light 31a deviates from the driver's visible range θ in a normal sitting posture and becomes difficult to see. In such a case, it is confirmed that the signal light 31a changes by looking up at the face close to the windshield or looking upward from below the windshield.

[0003]

However, in the related art described above, it is necessary to continue the operation of checking the change of the signal light by looking up or looking into it, and some drivers may feel pain or discomfort. Further, the user may not notice that the traffic light has changed, and may inconvenience the following vehicle depending on the situation.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for visually recognizing an upper part of a vehicle which can be easily visually recognized when the vehicle is stopped below the signal light without looking up or looking into the signal light. And

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for visually recognizing an upper part of a vehicle, which makes it possible to visually recognize the traffic light from a driver's seat when the vehicle is stopped substantially below the traffic light. Light refraction means is provided near the windshield for refracting light incident from the traffic signal light within a visible range of a driver.

Here, as the light refracting means, a Fresnel lens formed in a step shape or a plane convex lens formed in a hemispherical or semi-cylindrical shape can be employed. Any one that refracts light within the visible range of a person can be employed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the light refracting means is a resin-made Fresnel lens formed in a plate shape, and the Fresnel lens is attached to a roof member above a driver's seat by the windshield. And a storage position substantially in line with the roof member.

A third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect, the light refracting means is a flexible sheet-shaped Fresnel lens attached to an upper portion of the windshield.

A fourth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect, the light refracting means is a Fresnel lens integrally formed on an upper portion of the windshield.

[0010]

According to the upward visual recognition device of the present invention, when the vehicle stops below the traffic signal light, the light refraction means refracts the incident light from the signal light into the visible range of the driver, so that the driver normally operates. The signal light can be confirmed in the sitting posture, and there is an effect that the signal light can be visually recognized in real time as it changes without looking up or peeping as in the related art. This eliminates the need to bend or twist the body to eliminate pain and discomfort, and also allows the vehicle to start at the same time as turning to a green light, so that it does not bother subsequent vehicles.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the plate-shaped Fresnel lens is movably supported between the use position and the storage position on the roof member above the driver's seat, the Fresnel lens is stopped below the signal light. The lens can be visually recognized by being moved to the use position, and stored when not needed, so that the Fresnel lens can prevent the sunlight from being refracted into the visible range of the driver, and can prevent glare caused by sunlight.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, a sheet-like Fresnel lens is attached to the upper portion of the windshield.
According to the invention, since the Fresnel lens is integrally formed on the upper portion of the windshield, when the vehicle is stopped below the signal light, it can be automatically recognized without any operation. In addition,
In this case, the light such as sunlight is dimmed by a sun visor or the like, or is dimmed by coloring the Fresnel lens.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 to FIG.
FIG. 2 is a view for explaining a device for visually recognizing an upper part of a vehicle according to a first embodiment of the invention of FIG. 2; FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a use state of the device for visually recognizing an upper part; FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of a Fresnel lens as a signal refracting means.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a windshield disposed in front of a driver's seat.
a is supported by the flange portion of the roof panel 2. This roof panel 2 is a front flange portion 4a of a roof outer 4.
And the front flange 5a of the roof inner 5, and the upper edge 1a of the windshield 1 is formed by the weather strip 6 attached to the stepped portion 4b of the roof outer 4.
Has been fixed. A head lining 7 is laid on the lower surface of the roof panel 2.

A sun visor 8 is provided on the indoor side of the windshield 1. The sun visor 8 has a structure in which a resin substrate 9 is covered with a skin 10. A hinge portion 9a is integrally formed at a front end of the substrate 9, and a hinge shaft 11 is inserted into the hinge portion 9a. I have. The hinge shaft 11 is attached to the roof inner 5 or the front pillar (not shown). As a result, the sun visor 8 is rotatable between a shielding position covering the upper portion of the windshield 1 and a retracted position abutting against the lower surface of the head lining 7, and protects the driver's eyes from direct sunlight. Things.

The sun visor 8 is provided with a Fresnel lens 15 as a light refracting means constituting an upper visual recognition device. The Fresnel lens 15 is a rectangular plate made of a transparent resin such as an acrylic resin, and has a characteristic of refracting incident light a in one direction. The Fresnel lens 15 is formed by integrally forming a cylindrical support portion 15b at the upper edge of a lens body 15a formed substantially in a saw blade shape.

A support pin 16 extending in the vehicle width direction is inserted through and fixed to the support portion 15b. The support pin 16 is rotatable by a bracket 18 fastened and fixed to the substrate 9 of the sun visor 8 by tapping 17. Supported. Thereby, the Fresnel lens 15 can be rotated between a use position A substantially along the upper portion of the windshield 1 and a storage position B along the sun visor 8 as a roof member, and is held at the positions A and B. It is possible.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment according to the first and second aspects of the present invention.
It is a side sectional view for explaining the upper part visual recognition device by an embodiment. In the figure, portions common to FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

The resin substrate 9 of the sun visor 8 is formed with a hollow storage recess 9b in which a rectangular Fresnel lens 15 can be accommodated. A slit-shaped storage opening 9c is formed below the hinge portion 9a of the substrate 9, and a convex flange 9d is integrally formed on the inner surface of the storage opening 9c. In addition, the skin 10 is provided with the storage opening 9.
The resin substrate 9 is covered so as not to block c.

In the Fresnel lens 15 stored in the storage recess 9b, a grip 15c for pulling out the Fresnel lens is provided at a front end side of the Fresnel lens body 15a, while a Fresnel lens is provided near the rear end side. A rib 15d is formed which engages with the flange 9d to prevent the flange 9d from being pulled out when pulled out.

Thus, the Fresnel lens 15 is slidable between a use position A substantially along the upper portion of the windshield 1 and a storage position B in the sun visor 8 as a roof member. , B can be held.

The operation and effect of the first and second embodiments will be described. The device for visually confirming the upward direction according to the above-described embodiment includes a stop line 3
When the vehicle is stopped by a red light on a road on which a traffic light 31 is installed near the traffic light 31, the Fresnel lens 1
5 is rotated or slid from the storage position B to the use position A.
Then, the light a of the traffic signal light 31a passes through the windshield 1 and enters the Fresnel lens 15, is refracted by the Fresnel lens 15, and enters the driver within the visible range θ. Thus, the driver can visually recognize the signal light 31a in a normal sitting posture. In this state, the signal light 31a
Starts when the light changes to a green light, and stores the Fresnel lens 15.

As described above, according to the first and second embodiments,
Since the Fresnel lens 15 formed in a rectangular plate shape is rotatably or slidably attached to the sun visor 8 so as to be movable between the use position A and the storage position B, as described above, the stop line 30 is located above the stop line 30. When the signal light 31a is located at a position, the signal light 31a can be easily visually recognized by moving the Fresnel lens 15 to the use position A. As a result, it is not necessary to look up forward or look in from below, so that discomfort and discomfort can be eliminated. In addition, since the vehicle can be started at the same time as changing to a green light, there is no trouble for following vehicles.

In this embodiment, the Fresnel lens 15 is stored when it is not necessary.
It can be prevented from entering the inside, and glare can be prevented.

In the first and second embodiments, the case where the plate-shaped Fresnel lens 15 made of acrylic resin is provided so as to be housed in the sun visor 8 is described, but is housed in another roof member such as a head lining. For example, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG.
May be stored between the headlining 7 and the roof inner 5. In this case, the head lining 7 is provided with the storage opening 7a.

In the above embodiment, the Fresnel lens 1
Although 5 is a flat plate, a curved plate may be used as long as the light from the signal can be refracted into the visible range θ of the driver. Further, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG.
May be adhered to the indoor side of the windshield 1. This is the invention of claim 3.

In this case, the signal light 31a can be visually recognized without performing any operation. Further, glare can be prevented by blocking the sun visor 8 when sunlight or the like enters from above or from the front, or by dimming the Fresnel lens by coloring it.

It is also possible to integrally form a Fresnel lens on the upper part of the windshield. In this case, substantially the same effects as in the above embodiment can be obtained, and
The number of components can be reduced as compared with the case where a Fresnel lens is provided as a separate component.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a state of use of an apparatus for visually confirming an upper part of a vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of a roof portion of an automobile in which the above-described upper visual recognition device is provided.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a Fresnel lens constituting the above-described upper visual recognition device.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view showing an upward viewing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining a conventional problem.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Windshield 15, 20, 21 Fresnel lens (light refraction means) 8 Sun visor (roof member) 30 Stop line 31a Traffic light A Use position B Storage position θ Visible range

Claims (4)

[Claims] An apparatus for visually recognizing an upper part of a vehicle, wherein the traffic signal light can be visually recognized from a driver's seat when the vehicle is stopped substantially below the traffic signal light. An apparatus for visually recognizing an upper part of a vehicle, comprising: a light refracting means for refracting light incident from a traffic signal light within a visible range of a driver. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the light refracting means includes:
A resin Fresnel lens formed in a plate shape, the Fresnel lens being movably supported on a roof member above a driver's seat between a use position substantially along the windshield and a storage position substantially along the roof member. An apparatus for visually recognizing an upper part of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the light refracting means includes:
An apparatus for visually recognizing an upper part of an automobile, wherein the apparatus is a flexible sheet-like Fresnel lens attached to an upper part of the windshield. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the light refracting means includes:
An apparatus for visually recognizing an upper part of an automobile, comprising a Fresnel lens integrally formed on an upper portion of the windshield.