JPH09188133A - Windshield and sensor mounting structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To measure the distance with high accuracy by providing a sensor beam passing part where a sensor beam passes better than the surrounding at the region wiped by a wiper and arranging an optical sensor in the interior of an vehicle. SOLUTION: A wiper 3 is disposed at the front of the windshield 2 of a car 1. A sensor beam passing part 5 made of glass which is transparent and passes infrared rays is disposed in the region 4 wiped by the wiper 3 of the windshield 2. A distance sensor by an infrared laser is disposed in the room side of the sensor beam passing part 5. The distance sensor has a light-producing element and a light-receiving element and a laser beam from the light-producing element and a reflected beam pass the sensor beam passing part 5. The distance between this car and the one ahead is calculated based on the detection signal of the distance sensor to output a collision-predicting alarm. In this regard, since the front of the sensor beam passing part 5 is wiped by the wiper 3, the distance can be always measured with high accuracy.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a windshield of a vehicle such as an automobile and a structure for installing an optical sensor such as a collision prediction sensor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A laser radar device is sometimes installed on the front surface of an automobile as a device for measuring an inter-vehicle distance. In this case, it is known that the front lens of the radar device is provided with a heater for preventing the adhered snow and water droplets from freezing (JP-A-5-157830). Further, it is known that a transparent cover is arranged on the front surface of the lens, and a stain removing wiper is provided on the transparent cover (Actually, No. 5-287).
No. 59).

[0003]

Since the above-mentioned conventional laser radar device is provided in the front part of the automobile,
It is necessary to enclose the device in a highly durable and robust case and mount it on the vehicle, which is expensive to install.

It is described in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 52-146445 that a radar radio wave sensor antenna is provided in the vicinity of a windshield in the interior of an automobile. However, this radar radio wave sensor is more costly and more accurate than an optical sensor. Inferior in.

An object of the present invention is to provide a windshield for arranging an optical sensor excellent in accuracy and cost on the indoor side of the windshield and a sensor installation structure using the windshield.

[0006]

The windshield of the present invention is characterized in that a sensor beam transmitting portion having a higher sensor beam transmitting property than the surroundings is provided in the wiping region by the wiper.

According to the present invention, a hole or a notch is provided in the wiping area by the wiper, and the hole or the notch is provided with a filler made of a material having a higher sensor beam permeability than the surrounding windshield. The surface of the filling body on the outer surface side of the windshield is preferably a smooth surface continuous with the outer surface of the surrounding windshield.

Infrared transparent glass is preferable as the material having a high sensor beam transparency.

In the windshield of the present invention, since the outer surface of the sensor beam transmitting portion is wiped with the wiper, the reduction of the transmitted light intensity due to the adhesion of dirt can be prevented.

Therefore, even when the optical sensor is arranged in the interior of the automobile, high-precision measurement can be always performed.

[0011]

1 is a perspective view of an automobile 1 provided with a windshield according to an embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a main part of the windshield.

A wiper 3 is provided on the front surface of the windshield 2 of the automobile 1. In the wiping region 4 of the windshield 2 wiped by the wiper 3, a sensor beam transmitting portion 5 made of glass that is transparent and transmits infrared rays is provided. In this embodiment, a hole 7 is cut out in a normal glass 6 (for example, made of laminated glass or tempered glass) that constitutes the main body of the windshield 2, and the hole 7 is transparent and transmits infrared rays. A columnar filler 8 of glass (eg, quartz glass, windshield glass having a significantly low Fe ²⁺ ion content, etc.) is inserted. A water resistant adhesive is interposed between the outer peripheral surface of the filling body 8 and the inner peripheral surface of the hole 7. The outer surface and the inner surface of the filling body 8 are both smooth surfaces which are continuous with the outer surface and the inner surface of the glass 6.

A distance sensor 9 using an infrared laser is arranged on the indoor side of the sensor beam transmitting portion 5. This infrared laser distance sensor 9 includes a light emitting element and a light receiving element, and both the infrared laser beam from the light emitting element and its reflected beam pass through the transmitting section 5. The distance to the preceding vehicle is calculated based on the detection signal of the distance sensor 9, and a collision prediction warning or the like is output.

In this embodiment, since the front surface of the transmissive portion 5 is wiped by the wiper 3, dirt can be easily removed, and highly accurate distance measurement can always be performed. Further, since the distance sensor 9 is arranged in the vehicle compartment, it is not necessary to store the distance sensor 9 in a robust weatherproof casing or the like, and simple equipment for mounting the sensor is sufficient.

In this embodiment, a sensor using an infrared laser is used, but a sensor using light of another wavelength may be used. In this case, glass that transmits the light may be used for the transmitting portion.

In this embodiment, the transparent portion 5 is arranged at the corner on the passenger's side away from the driver's seat. However, as long as it does not hinder the driver's visual field, the transparent portion 5 is provided at another position in the wiper wiping area. A transparent portion may be arranged.

For example, as shown in FIG. 3, there is known a wiper which wipes a wide area of the windshield with one wiper arranged in the center of the windshield. In this case, the upper part of the center of the windshield is wiped. Alternatively, the transmissive portion 5A or 5B may be arranged in the lower portion.

In the above description, the transparent portions 5, 5A, 5B are all constructed by inserting the filler into the holes, but as shown in FIG. 4, a cutout portion is formed at the edge portion of the windshield. The transmissive portion 5C or 5D may be formed by mounting a filler made of a material for transmitting a sensor beam in the cutout portion.

In the case of the transmissive portions arranged in the upper center of the windshield, such as the transmissive portions 5A and 5C, the rearview mirror may be provided with a sensor near the indoor side of the windshield.

[0020]

As described above, according to the windshield and sensor installation structure of the present invention, the optical sensor can be arranged in the vehicle interior, and the transparent outer surface can be wiped with the wiper to perform highly accurate measurement. Further, since this sensor is arranged in the vehicle interior, the equipment for mounting the sensor is simplified,
Significant cost reduction can be implemented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automobile including a windshield according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a main part of the windshield shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a windshield according to another embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a windshield according to yet another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Car 2 Windshield 3 Wiper 4 Wiping Area 5, 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D Transmission Part 6 Glass 7 Hole 8 Filler 9 Sensor

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A windshield characterized in that a sensor beam transmitting portion having a higher sensor beam transmitting property than the surroundings is provided in an area wiped by a wiper. 2. A hole or notch is provided in a region wiped by the wiper according to claim 1, and the hole or notch is provided with a filler made of a material having a higher sensor beam permeability than a surrounding windshield. The windshield, which is mounted and has a surface on the outer surface side of the windshield that is a smooth surface continuous with the outer surface of the surrounding windshield. 3. The windshield according to claim 2, wherein the material having high transparency of the sensor beam is infrared transparent glass. 4. An optical sensor for receiving the transmitted light of the sensor beam transmitting portion is provided on the vehicle interior side of the sensor beam transmitting portion of the windshield according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The sensor installation structure.