Exterior rearview mirror assembly and integrated warning device

Abstract

The present invention provides an exterior rearview mirror assembly and an integrated warning device thereof, wherein the warning device comprises a housing for bonding to the exterior rearview mirror surface and a millimeter wave radar arranged in the housing and used to transmit radar signals covering the blind area of ​​the exterior rearview mirror, and receive reflected signals generated by objects due to the radar signals, thereby providing feedback of blind area information. By providing a millimeter wave radar, the detection function of the blind area of ​​the exterior rearview mirror can be realized, and by using double-sided adhesive to bond to the exterior rearview mirror surface, the integrated warning device can be easily installed, and damage to the vehicle body can be avoided, thereby improving the owner's satisfaction with the use.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of vehicle accessories, and in particular to an integrated warning device and an exterior rearview mirror assembly using the integrated warning device. Background Art

[0002] In order to ensure driving safety, most vehicles are equipped with early warning detection devices that can detect the vehicle condition in early warning areas, such as the blind spots of the exterior rearview mirrors. Existing early warning detection devices are mainly installed on vehicles in two ways: first, by opening a hole in the rear bumper, setting a detection radar that can cover the blind spot at the hole, or opening a hole in the metal structure of the internal body at the rear of the vehicle, and installing a fixed bracket, and setting a detection radar on the fixed bracket; second, setting a detection radar in the exterior rearview mirror, and scraping off the silver-plated layer on the mirror surface corresponding to the detection radar position, so as to detect the condition of the blind spot of the exterior rearview mirror and realize the blind spot detection function. However, both methods require the destruction of the vehicle structure itself, and the installation steps are numerous, which is undoubtedly an unacceptable choice for car owners.

[0003] Therefore, the industry is in urgent need of a warning device that can detect the warning area without destroying the vehicle body structure. Summary of the invention

[0004] The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide an integrated warning device with strong universality.

[0005] Another object of the present invention is to provide an exterior rearview mirror assembly using the above-mentioned integrated warning device.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0007] An integrated warning device is suitable for being installed on an exterior rearview mirror to provide a warning signal to the driver that a vehicle is present in a warning area. The integrated warning device includes a shell for being attached to the surface of the exterior rearview mirror and a millimeter-wave radar arranged in the shell and used to transmit a radar signal covering the warning area and receive a reflected signal generated by an object due to the radar signal, thereby providing feedback on the warning area information.

[0008] Furthermore, the integrated warning device also includes a warning indicator light for emitting light representing a warning signal of the warning area, the warning indicator light is electrically connected to the millimeter wave radar, and the warning indicator light is arranged in the shell so that the light emitted by the warning indicator light can be observed from the cab.

[0009] Furthermore, the integrated warning device also includes a turn signal warning lamp for emitting light representing a turn signal, and the turn signal warning lamp is arranged in a position in the housing so that the light emitted by the turn signal warning lamp can be observed from outside the vehicle.

[0010] Preferably, the turn warning light is suitable for being electrically connected to an on-board diagnostic system or a vehicle turn signal so as to obtain a turn signal from the on-board diagnostic system or the vehicle turn signal and send out a warning signal.

[0011] Preferably, a first light-emitting area and a second light-emitting area are formed on the shell, wherein the first light-emitting area is used to transmit the light emitted by the warning indicator light, and the second light-emitting area is used to transmit the light emitted by the turn warning light, and of the two light-emitting areas, one light-emitting area can isolate the light emitted from the other light-emitting area.

[0012] Preferably, the millimeter-wave radar, warning indicator light and turn warning light are all fixed to the mounting plate, and the mounting plate is configured to isolate the light of the two warning lights and divide the shell into the first light-emitting area and the second light-emitting area.

[0013] Preferably, the shell includes a bottom plate and a top shell which are cooperatively connected to each other, the bottom plate is used to be fixed to the mirror surface by gluing, the top shell includes side panels surrounding the bottom plate and a top plate connected to the side panels, the first light-emitting area is arranged on the side panels and at least a portion of the side panels provided with the first light-emitting area is oriented toward the cab when installed on the exterior rearview mirror, the second light-emitting area is arranged on the top plate and at least a portion of the second light-emitting area is oriented in the same direction as the exterior rearview mirror surface.

[0014] Preferably, the mounting plate separates the interior of the shell into two mutually isolated parts along the height direction of the shell, the turn signal light is arranged on the front side of the mounting plate, and the warning indicator light is arranged on the back side of the mounting plate.

[0015] Preferably, the top plate is arranged to be tilted along a direction of a pair of opposite side plates, and the mounting plate is arranged in the shell at an angle that is substantially parallel to the top plate.

[0016] Preferably, the millimeter wave radar is suitable for communicating with the vehicle-mounted controller via a cable or wireless communication to output a signal representing the warning area detection result thereto.

[0017] Among them, the radar signal emitted by the millimeter-wave radar is a first radar signal that can cover the blind spot of the exterior rearview mirror or a second radar signal that provides assistance for the vehicle to change lanes.

[0018] As a second aspect, the present invention also relates to an exterior rearview mirror assembly, comprising an exterior rearview mirror and the above-mentioned integrated warning device, wherein a housing of the integrated warning device is mounted on the mirror surface of the exterior rearview mirror.

[0019] Preferably, the shell is attached to the mirror surface by gluing, magnetism or snapping.

[0020] Preferably, the integrated warning device is electrically connected to the vehicle-mounted controller via a transmission cable, and the transmission cable extends into the interior of the exterior rearview mirror through a gap between the exterior rearview mirror housing and the mirror surface and extends along the exterior rearview mirror.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the solution of the present invention has the following advantages:

[0022] The integrated warning device of the present invention can detect the vehicle status in the warning area and realize the warning area detection function by arranging a millimeter-wave radar in the shell. In addition, the shell can be attached to the rearview mirror surface by gluing, snapping or magnetic attraction, without destroying the vehicle body structure, and is relatively convenient to install. It will not cause damage to the vehicle body, is suitable for different vehicles, and can improve the owner's satisfaction with use.

[0023] The integrated warning device of the present invention can emit corresponding warning signals by integrating the early warning indicator light and the turn warning light in the housing, so that the driver of the vehicle and other vehicle drivers can observe and then perform corresponding driving operations to improve driving safety. The present invention integrates blind spot detection, blind spot warning and turn warning into one, with a high degree of integration, reduces installation steps, and is relatively convenient to install.

[0024] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be given in part in the following description, which will become obvious from the following description, or may be learned through practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and easily understood from the following description of the embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0026] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional diagram of an exterior rearview mirror assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein an integrated warning device is attached to the surface of the exterior rearview mirror;

[0027] Figure 2 A front view of an integrated warning device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 3 for Figure 2 The integrated warning device is shown in a cross-sectional view along line AA. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and cannot be interpreted as limiting the present invention.

[0030] See also Figures 1 to 3As a first aspect, the present invention relates to an integrated warning device 20, which is suitable for installation on an exterior rearview mirror, and in particular can be bonded to the mirror surface 10 of the exterior rearview mirror by double-sided adhesive, to provide a warning area, in particular, a detection signal of the blind spot of the exterior rearview mirror, and to provide a blind spot warning signal to the driver of the vehicle, and to provide a steering warning signal that can be observed from the outside of the vehicle when the vehicle turns, thereby improving driving safety. The integrated warning device 20 is preferably installed at the edge of the mirror surface 10 away from the cab, so as to facilitate the driver's observation.

[0031] The integrated warning device 20 includes a housing 200, a millimeter wave radar 206, a warning indicator light 208, and a turn warning light 207, all of which are arranged in the housing 200. The millimeter wave radar 206, the warning indicator light 208, and the turn warning light 207 are fixed in the housing 200 through a mounting plate 205. The mounting plate 205 is preferably a circuit board.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, the shell 200 extends to form a mounting tongue, which can be inserted into the gap between the outer shell and the lens of the exterior rearview mirror to enhance the connection stability between the integrated warning device and the exterior rearview mirror. In other embodiments, the shell can also be attached to the mirror surface by magnetic attraction, or the shell can also be installed on the mirror frame, between the mirror frame and the mirror surface, and on a column used to connect the mirror frame to the vehicle body. It should be understood that the mounting referred to in the present invention is not limited to bonding and fastening by gluing, but also includes bringing the shell and the mirror surface close to each other and abutting each other by other fastening methods, such as abutting the shell and the mirror surface by magnetic attraction.

[0033] In this embodiment, the millimeter wave radar 206 is used to transmit a radar signal that can cover the blind spot of the exterior rearview mirror, and receive the reflection signal generated by the object due to the radar signal, and then output a detection signal representing the blind spot information. In another embodiment, the millimeter wave radar 206 is used to transmit a radar signal covering the side rear and rear of the vehicle to provide assistance for the vehicle's lane change. In other words, the above-mentioned warning area includes the blind spot of the exterior rearview mirror and the effective area involved in lane change assistance. The effective area is such as the side rear and rear area of ​​the vehicle. The radar signal covers this area mainly to detect whether there is a vehicle and the current position and speed of the vehicle, providing a reference for the vehicle to change lanes.

[0034] Preferably, the millimeter wave radar 206 includes a millimeter wave chip having a plurality of built-in antennas capable of transmitting and receiving millimeter wave signals.

[0035] In a preferred embodiment, the millimeter wave radar 206 is electrically connected to the vehicle controller through a transmission cable to transmit a detection signal representing the detection result of the warning area to the vehicle controller, so as to be processed by the vehicle controller and decide whether to execute the blind spot alarm action. It should be understood that the vehicle controller can drive the buzzer to emit a sound signal to alarm. When the integrated warning device 20 is installed on the exterior rearview mirror, the transmission cable penetrates into the rearview mirror through the gap between the lens and the rearview mirror housing and then passes through the space inside the rearview mirror to connect with the vehicle controller. In this installation method, the transmission cable can enhance the fixation of the integrated warning device 20 to the exterior rearview mirror to prevent the integrated warning device 20 from falling off the mirror surface 10 during use.

[0036] The millimeter wave radar 206 may also be electrically connected to the vehicle-mounted controller by way of wireless communication to output the detection signal to the vehicle-mounted controller.

[0037] The warning indicator light 208 is used to output a warning signal according to the detection signal of the warning area detected by the millimeter-wave radar 206. Specifically, it is electrically connected to the millimeter-wave radar 206, and warns the driver by emitting light when the millimeter-wave radar 206 detects the presence of a vehicle in the warning area, so as to remind the driver of the condition of the warning area.

[0038] The turn signal warning light 207 is used to be electrically connected to the on-board diagnostic system (OBD) or the vehicle turn signal to obtain the vehicle's turn signal from the on-board diagnostic system or the vehicle turn signal, and then output a corresponding turn signal warning signal, so that other people can observe the turn signal warning signal from the outside of the vehicle, and then perform corresponding avoidance operations to avoid collisions, thereby improving driving safety. The turn signal warning signal is represented in the form of light, and the light of the turn signal warning signal is different from the blind spot warning signal. For example, the turn signal warning signal can be represented as yellow light, and the early warning signal warning signal is represented as red light.

[0039] In order to facilitate observation of the warning signals (light signals) of the warning indicator light 208 and the turn signal warning light 207, the housing 200 is provided with a first light-emitting area 201 and a second light-emitting area 202 that are isolated from each other, so that the light emitted by the warning indicator light 208 is transmitted from the first light-emitting area 201 and can be observed by the driver of the vehicle from the cab, and the light emitted by the turn signal warning light 207 is transmitted from the second light-emitting area 202 and can be observed by others from outside the vehicle. Specifically, when the integrated warning device 20 is installed on the exterior rearview mirror, at least part of the first light-emitting area 201 is arranged toward the cab of the vehicle, and the direction of the second light-emitting area 202 is roughly the same as the direction of the mirror surface 10 of the exterior rearview mirror. It should be noted that the housing 200 is made of a light-transmitting material at least at the positions corresponding to the two light-emitting areas to facilitate the transmission of the light of the corresponding warning light.

[0040] Preferably, the housing 200 includes a bottom plate 203 and a top shell 204 that are cooperatively connected to each other. The bottom plate 203 and the top shell 204 can be combined by snapping and fastened by screws.

[0041] The bottom plate 203 is suitable for being bonded to the mirror surface 10 by double-sided adhesive. The top shell 204 includes side plates that can surround the bottom plate 203 and a top plate that is integrally formed with the side plates, and the top plate is tilted in the direction of a pair of opposite side plates.

[0042] The first light-emitting area 201 is arranged on the side panel, and at least part of the side panel where the first light-emitting area 201 is arranged, such as the higher side panel, is arranged close to the cab, so that the driver can observe the light signal of the warning indicator light; the second light-emitting area 202 is arranged on the top panel, and at least part of the light-emitting area is located in the same direction as the mirror surface, so that the light signal of the turn signal warning light can be observed from the outside of the vehicle. By setting the top shell 204 of the housing 200 into an inclined structure and making the higher side panel close to the cab, the volume of the integrated warning device 20 can be reduced while ensuring that the driver can observe enough light signals.

[0043] The mounting plate 205 is installed in the housing 200 at an angle, preferably, its angle of inclination is substantially the same as that of the top plate, that is, the mounting plate is substantially parallel to the top plate, and the mounting plate 205 divides the internal space of the housing 200 into two mutually isolated parts along the height direction of the housing, and the light of the two warning lights is isolated by the mounting plate, dividing the housing into the first light-emitting area and the second light-emitting area. The height direction of the housing refers to the direction in which the housing is perpendicular to the bottom plate.

[0044] The turn signal lamp 207 and the millimeter wave radar 206 are mounted on the front of the mounting plate 205, and the warning indicator lamp 208 is mounted on the back of the mounting plate 205, and the warning indicator lamp 208 is arranged close to a higher side plate. By using the mounting plate 205 to divide the space inside the housing 200 into two parts, the light emitted by the warning indicator lamp 208 and the turn signal lamp 207 can be emitted from the corresponding light-emitting area, and the light from the other light-emitting area can be isolated to avoid light interference, thereby further improving driving safety.

[0045] In this embodiment, the light signal emitted by the warning indicator light 208 can be transmitted from each side panel around the bottom plate 203. In a possible embodiment, the light signal emitted by the warning indicator light 208 can also be transmitted only from the higher side panel (i.e., the side panel close to the cab) to ensure that the blind spot warning signal can only be observed by the driver of the vehicle to prevent other outsiders from performing incorrect operations due to not understanding the meaning of the warning signal, which may cause safety problems.

[0046] In addition, the integrated warning device 10 of the present invention may also have a built-in acceleration sensor to obtain acceleration information of the integrated warning device in the central axis direction of the installation position when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line, so as to calculate the installation angle of the integrated warning device in the angle calibration mode and perform angle compensation.

[0047] As a second aspect, the present invention also relates to an exterior rearview mirror assembly 100, comprising the exterior rearview mirror described above and an integrated warning device 10 detachably mounted on the exterior rearview mirror. As can be seen from the foregoing, the integrated warning device can be attached to the mirror surface 20 of the exterior rearview mirror by gluing, snapping, magnetism, etc., and is arranged at the edge of the mirror surface 20 away from the cab for easy observation.

[0048] In a possible application environment, taking the left rearview mirror as an example, the millimeter-wave radar of the side exterior rearview mirror assembly detects that a vehicle is overtaking in the blind spot of the rearview mirror, and the warning indicator light of the integrated warning device on the side prompts with the first light signal, which can be the first light color and / or flashing frequency, to remind the driver to pay attention. If the driver turns on the left turn signal to change lanes at this time, the integrated warning device on the left side prompts with the second light signal, which is represented by a light color and / or flashing frequency different from the first light signal. In addition, the buzzer of the vehicle controller sounds to remind the driver that there is a safety hazard in changing lanes at this time.

[0049] If the blind spot detection result shows that there is no target vehicle within the blind spot, and the driver turns on the turn signal to change lanes, the integrated warning device will emit a light signal different from the warning indicator light to give a prompt, such as emitting yellow light and flashing at the same frequency as the original vehicle's turn signal, to remind drivers of other vehicles behind that the vehicle is about to change lanes or turn, and to pay attention to avoid it.

[0050] It can be understood that the warning indicator light and the turn warning light can be configured to light up at different times, that is, when there is a vehicle in the warning area, only the warning indicator light is on; when there is no vehicle in the warning area and turning or changing lanes is required, only the turn warning light is on.

[0051] The above descriptions are only some embodiments of the present invention. It should be pointed out that, for ordinary technicians in this technical field, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principles of the present invention. These improvements and modifications should also be regarded as the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An integrated warning device suitable for installation on an exterior rearview mirror to provide the driver with a warning signal indicating the presence of a vehicle in the warning area. It is characterized in that The invention comprises a shell for being attached to the mirror surface of the exterior rearview mirror and a millimeter-wave radar arranged in the shell and used for emitting radar signals covering the warning area and receiving reflected signals generated by the object due to the radar signal, thereby feeding back the warning area information; the invention also comprises a warning indicator light for emitting light representing the warning signal of the warning area, the warning indicator light is electrically connected to the millimeter-wave radar, the warning indicator light is arranged in the shell so that the light emitted by the warning indicator light can be observed from the cab; the invention also comprises a turn signal light for emitting light representing the turn signal, the turn signal light is arranged in the shell so that the light emitted by the turn signal light can be observed from the outside of the vehicle; the millimeter-wave The radar, the warning indicator light and the turn warning light are fixed in the shell through a mounting plate, and the mounting plate is configured to isolate the light of the two warning lights and divide the shell into a first light-emitting area and a second light-emitting area; the shell includes a bottom plate and a top shell that are connected to each other, the bottom plate is used to be fixed to the mirror surface by gluing, and the top shell includes side plates surrounding the bottom plate and a top plate connected to the side plates, the first light-emitting area is arranged on the side plate and at least a part of the side plate provided with the first light-emitting area is oriented toward the cab when installed on the exterior rearview mirror, and the second light-emitting area is arranged on the top plate and at least a part of the second light-emitting area is oriented in the same direction as the exterior rearview mirror surface.

2. The integrated warning device according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The turn signal warning light is suitable for being electrically connected to an on-board diagnostic system or a vehicle turn signal light so as to obtain a turn signal from the on-board diagnostic system or the vehicle turn signal light and then send out a warning signal.

3. The integrated warning device according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The mounting plate separates the interior of the shell into two mutually isolated parts along the height direction of the shell, the turn signal light is arranged on the front side of the mounting plate, and the warning indicator light is arranged on the back side of the mounting plate.

4. The integrated warning device according to claim 3, It is characterized in that The top plate is tilted in the direction of a pair of opposite side plates, and the mounting plate is tilted in the housing at an angle substantially parallel to the top plate.

5. The integrated warning device according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The millimeter wave radar is suitable for communicating with the vehicle-mounted controller through a cable or wireless communication mode to output a signal representing the detection result of the warning area thereto.

6. The integrated warning device according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The radar signal emitted by the millimeter-wave radar is a first radar signal that can cover the blind spot of the exterior rearview mirror or a second radar signal that provides assistance for the vehicle to change lanes.

7. An exterior rearview mirror assembly, comprising an exterior rearview mirror, It is characterized in that It also includes the integrated warning device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the housing of the integrated warning device is mounted on the mirror surface of the exterior rearview mirror.

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