JP4305885B2 - Night vision headlamp - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a headlamp used in a night vision device provided in a vehicle in order to further facilitate the confirmation of the presence of a pedestrian or the like when traveling at night, and more specifically, the illumination unit for the night vision device It is an object to provide a configuration of a headlamp having the following.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, when the night vision device 90 is provided in the vehicle 80, as shown in FIG. 8, for example, an appropriate opening 81a is provided in the radiator grill 81 at the front end of the vehicle 80, and the infrared camera 91 is directed forward from the opening 81a. A control unit for processing signals from the infrared camera 91 and a monitor (both not shown) are provided in the passenger compartment, and the light reach distance of the headlamp 82 (about 100 m) is provided to the driver. ) To announce the existence of pedestrians farther away, and improve safety.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional night vision device 90 described above, there is a problem that the mounting work becomes complicated because post-processing is required such as providing an opening 81a in the radiator grill 81 when mounting. Further, the above description is based on a so-called passive type that detects only infrared rays emitted from a subject such as a pedestrian, but in the case of a so-called active type that illuminates a subject with an infrared lamp 92 or the like, the above infrared camera is used. In addition to the mounting of 91, the radiator grill 81 and the like need to be mounted with an infrared lamp 92, which further complicates the process, and further requires replacement of the radiator grill 81 with a dedicated product, resulting in an increase in cost. Problems also arise.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
As a specific means for solving the above-described conventional problems, the present invention forms a passing light distribution composed of a light source, an elliptical reflecting mirror such as a spheroid, a light shielding shade, and a projection lens. A paraboloid that provides an opening in a part of the reflector of the projector-type headlamp, focuses the light source at a position where light is emitted from the light source through the opening, and reflects the light in the irradiation direction of the headlamp. Night vision characterized in that a reflection surface is provided, and an infrared transmission filter that transmits only infrared rays is disposed on the optical path of light reflected by the parabolic reflection surface, and an illumination unit for night vision devices is provided integrally. The problem is solved by providing a headlamp for an apparatus.
[0005]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Below, this invention is demonstrated in detail based on embodiment shown in a figure. 1 and 2 indicate a headlamp according to the present invention. The headlamp 1 generates a passing light distribution, and includes a light source 2 and an elliptical reflecting mirror 3 such as a rotating ellipse. The projector type is composed of a shading shade 4 and a projection lens 5.
[0006]
Here, the operation of the projector-type headlamp 1 will be described. In the elliptical reflecting mirror 3, the light from the light source 2 placed at the first focal point f1 is reflected and converged to the second focal point f2. To be. The light-shielding shade 4 is provided in the light beam that converges on the second focal point f2. For example, the lower half of the light beam from the reflecting mirror 3 that converges as a circular cross section is shielded to form a semicircular shape of the lower chord.
[0007]
Since the projection lens 5 is formed so as to have a focal point in the vicinity of the light-shielding shade 4, it projects the cross-sectional shape of the light beam shaped by the light-shielding shade 4 in the irradiation direction. Since the top, bottom, left and right are inverted, it becomes a semicircular shape of the lower chord. Actually, the shading shade 4 is recessed from the center line S and the oncoming vehicle shade portion 4a formed substantially up to the center line S so as not to dazzle the oncoming vehicle, and illuminates pedestrians and signs. The pedestrian recess 4b is provided so that the oncoming vehicle side does not contain upward light and the sidewalk side contains a small amount of upward light, so that a light distribution characteristic suitable for a passing beam can be obtained. It has become. In this case, the optical axis of the passing beam is directed downward by 0.57 ° or more with respect to the horizontal direction in the irradiation region.
[0008]
In the present invention, an opening 6 is further provided in a part of the reflecting mirror 3 of the headlamp 1, and the light source 2 is focused at a position where light is emitted from the light source 2 through the opening 6. A parabolic reflecting surface 7 having a central axis in a direction substantially equal to the light irradiation direction 1 and only the infrared light is transmitted through the optical path of the light from the light source 2 reflected by the parabolic reflecting surface 7 so as to be visible. An infrared transmission filter 8 for cutting light is disposed and a night vision device illumination unit 9 is provided. And although illustration is omitted, by adjusting the optical axis of the parabolic reflecting surface 7, applying a lens cut to the infrared transmission filter 8, or providing an outer lens on the front surface, the illumination unit 9 for the night vision device The optical axis and light distribution characteristics in the irradiated region of the emitted infrared rays are adjusted.
[0009]
In the case of this embodiment, the opening 6 is provided in a substantially rectangular shape having a long side in the irradiation direction on a part of the side surface of the reflecting mirror 3, and light from the light source 2 passes through the opening 6 to the head. The parabolic reflecting surface 7 is provided at a predetermined distance from the reflecting mirror 3 at a position where the light is emitted in a direction substantially orthogonal to the irradiation direction of the lamp 1.
[0010]
Further, the opening 6 and the parabolic reflecting surface 7 will be described. The size and shape of the opening 6 are appropriately provided depending on the amount of light required, but as described above, in the case of the present invention. Since a part of the reflecting mirror 3 of the headlamp 1 is used, if the opening 6 is provided, the amount of light of the headlamp 1 is naturally reduced. Therefore, it is necessary to make it as small as possible. The parabolic reflection surface 7 is provided corresponding to the opening 6 and needs to be provided in a size and shape that can reflect all of the light emitted from the opening 6. This is because the light from the light source 2 is effectively used in the same manner as described above, and otherwise the light emitted from the opening 6 is wasted. In the present embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the opening 6 is shown larger than usual.
[0011]
In the present embodiment, the position where the opening 6 of the reflecting mirror 3 is provided is cut by the light-shielding shade 4 although the light emitted from the light source 2 is reflected by the reflecting mirror 3. In other words, it is provided on the lower part of the side surface of the reflecting mirror 3, which is on the optical path of the light reaching the oncoming vehicle shade 4a for anti-glare against the oncoming vehicle.
[0012]
By doing so, the configuration of the headlamp 1 according to the present invention including the night vision device illumination unit 9 can be achieved without substantially reducing the light quantity of the headlamp 1. In the present embodiment, the position of the opening 6 is determined so as not to reduce the light quantity of the headlamp 1 as described above. However, if the opening 6 is made small, the head Since the light distribution characteristic of the lamp 1 is not significantly affected, the position where the opening 6 is provided can be set relatively freely.
[0013]
Further, as described above, the night vision device illumination unit 9 adjusts the optical axis of the parabolic reflection surface 7, performs lens cutting on the infrared transmission filter 8, or provides an outer lens on the front surface. The optical axis in the irradiation region of the infrared rays emitted from the night vision device illumination unit 9 is directed upward from the lower 0.57 ° angle to the horizontal line with respect to the horizontal line. In this way, it is possible to irradiate infrared rays to places other than the irradiation range of the headlamp 1, and in the visible light, a passing light distribution that does not give glare to the oncoming vehicle and the like, and other infrared rays As a result, a light distribution characteristic that approximates a traveling light distribution that is excellent in visibility with respect to a distance can be obtained.
[0014]
3 and 4 show a lamp unit 10 in which the above-described headlamp 1 is incorporated. As described above, the headlamp 1 obtains a passing light distribution. Therefore, the housing 11 and the outer lens 12 are substantially omitted. In the lamp unit 10 formed in a hermetically sealed container, a traveling headlamp 13 having a structure in which the light-shielding shade 4 is removed from the headlamp 1 is incorporated, and if necessary, a front marker A lamp for signal such as a lamp (not shown) is also integrated and integrated into a lamp unit 10.
[0015]
The night-vision device 20 of the present invention that employs the headlamp 1 described above as an illumination source has the infrared camera 14 disposed in the lamp unit 10 and includes the night-vision device illumination unit 9. It is integrated with the traveling headlamp 13. In addition, since the lamp unit 10 is provided in two places on the left and right in the automobile, it may be provided on either side.
[0016]
Here, the usage situation of the lamp unit 10 will be described. For example, both the headlamp 1 and the traveling headlamp 13 are turned on under conditions where traveling light distribution can be performed, for example, in the suburbs. Accordingly, when the infrared wavelength portion of the light emitted from the headlamp 1 and the traveling headlamp 13 is used as the illumination unit of the infrared camera 14, the amount of light is sufficient. Since the radiated light from the headlamp 13 is directed far away from the front, the visibility is sufficient.
[0017]
However, in an urban area or the like, only the headlamp 1 side of the passing light distribution whose light distribution characteristic is mainly composed of downward light is turned on. Cannot be obtained, that is, the effect provided with the infrared camera 14 cannot be exhibited at all.
[0018]
In this state, the headlamp 1 according to the present invention includes the night vision device illumination unit 9 that emits only infrared rays in addition to the visible light irradiation of the headlamp 1 as described above. Although it is recognized as passing light distribution for the vision of the driver of the car, the infrared camera 14 is recognized as light distribution close to traveling light distribution that irradiates far away from the front.
[0019]
Note that when the infrared camera 14 is arranged in the lamp unit 10, the direction in which the infrared camera 14 is imaged is required in consideration of the state in which the lamp unit 10 is attached to the vehicle, for example, in front of the vehicle. Needless to say, auxiliary components such as the lens hood 14a are also attached if necessary.
[0020]
In addition to the infrared camera 14 described above, the night vision device 20 performs an image process for removing a sense of incongruity because the output from the infrared camera 14 is expressed differently from a general visible light image. A processor 21 and a monitor 22 for notifying the driver of images processed by the processor 21 are provided. However, in the present invention, the installation location is not defined for these.
[0021]
Next, the operation and effect of the headlamp 1 for night vision apparatus of the present invention configured as described above will be described. According to the present invention, an opening 6 is provided in a part of the reflector 3 of the headlamp 1 that forms a passing light distribution, and the light source 2 is focused at a position where light is emitted from the light source 2 through the opening 6. A parabolic reflection surface 7 that reflects light in the irradiation direction of the headlamp 1 is provided, and an infrared transmission filter 8 that transmits only infrared rays is disposed on the optical path of the light reflected by the parabolic reflection surface 7, and the night vision device By providing the illumination unit 9, the illumination unit of the infrared camera 14 does not need to be separately provided, and the irradiation direction can be set in advance as an optimal one for the vehicle.
[0022]
Next, what is shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 is a second embodiment according to the present invention. The difference from the first embodiment is that the opening 6 is a lower part of the reflecting mirror 3 of the projector-type headlamp 1. Is provided. Since other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment, detailed description thereof is omitted.
[0023]
As described above, the reason why the opening 6 is provided at the lower part of the reflecting mirror 3 is that, in the case of this type of projector-type headlamp 1, the light reflected from the lower part of the reflecting mirror 3 from the light source 2 is opposed to the light distribution. Since it is an upward light that causes dazzling with respect to the car, it is usually shielded by the shading shade 4 and is not used. Therefore, by providing the opening 6 in this portion, the night vision device illumination unit 9 can be provided without reducing the light amount of the headlamp itself and without affecting the light distribution characteristics. Can be used effectively.
[0024]
FIG. 7 shows the irradiation characteristics of the headlamp 1 according to the present invention, which is common in the first embodiment and the second embodiment. First, the headlamp 1 emits a normal passing beam distribution LZ, and the optical axis L of the passing beam distribution LZ is directed downward by an angle θ or more with respect to the horizontal line H. Next, the night vision device illumination unit 9 irradiates the infrared beam distribution UZ, and the optical axis U of the infrared beam distribution UZ is above the angle of the lower side θ with respect to the horizontal line H and It is directed at an angle Φ to the horizon H. In the present embodiment, since the headlamp 1 forms a passing light distribution, θ = 0.57 °, and Φ = 0.1 ° depending on the characteristics of the infrared camera of the night vision device. By doing so, an irradiation characteristic approximate to a traveling beam can be obtained, and an ideal illumination source for this type of night vision device 20 is formed.
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, an opening is provided in a part of the reflector of the headlamp that forms a passing light distribution, the light source is focused at a position where light is emitted from the light source through the opening, A parabolic reflecting surface that reflects light in the irradiation direction of the headlamp is provided, and an infrared transmission filter that transmits only infrared rays is disposed on the optical path of the light reflected by the parabolic reflecting surface, and an illumination unit for night vision devices In the first place, it is not necessary to provide a separate illumination source for the night vision camera required for the main night vision device, and there is little space for mounting. In addition, only the headlamps supply power, and there is no burden on the battery of a limited capacity vehicle.
[0026]
Secondly, since the illumination source for the night vision camera is integrated with the headlamp, the irradiation direction of this illumination source can be easily adjusted, and the installation work can be simplified. is there.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of a headlamp for a night vision apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a lamp unit in which a headlamp for night vision apparatus according to the present invention is incorporated.
4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of a headlamp for a night vision device according to the present invention.
6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing irradiation characteristics of a headlamp for night vision apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing a conventional night vision device.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ...... Head lamp 2 ...... Light source 3 ...... Reflective mirror 4 ...... Shading shade 4 a ...... Oncoming vehicle shading shade 4 b ...... Pedestrian recess 5 ...... Projection lens 6 ...... Opening 7 ...... Parabolic reflection Surface 8 ... Infrared transmission filter 9 ... Night-lighting device illumination unit 10 ... Lamp unit 11 ... Housing 12 ... Outer lens 13 ... Traveling headlamp 14 ... Infrared camera 20 ... Night-vision device 21 ... ... Processor 22 ... Monitor

Claims (3)

A light source, a reflector of the ellipsoidal type, such as spheroidal, light shielding shade, an opening in a part of the reflecting mirror of the projector-type head lamp for forming a composed passing light distribution and a projection lens provided, wherein The light source is focused at a position where light is emitted from the light source through the opening, a parabolic reflection surface for reflecting the light in the irradiation direction of the headlamp is provided, and the light reflected by the parabolic reflection surface A night-vision device headlamp comprising an infrared transmission filter that transmits only infrared rays on a road and an integrated illumination unit for night-vision device. 2. The headlamp for night vision apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opening is provided in a lower portion of a reflector of the headlamp. The optical axis of the infrared rays irradiated from the infrared illumination unit is directed to the horizontal line above the lower 0.57 ° angle with respect to the horizontal line in the irradiation region. Headlamps for night vision devices.

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