Method for influencing a light beam in the interior of a motor vehicle, motor vehicle for carrying out the method, and mirror assembly for such a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for influencing the light beam in the interior of a motor vehicle. The light beam enters here from the direction of a mirror group (300, 300', 300'') assigned to a head-up display (200). The invention proposes various solutions for providing extended display possibilities and at the same time reducing the glare of vehicle occupants caused by unwanted reflections. Here, a light beam is generated in the mirror group, wherein a part of the generated light beam is blocked in the area of the mirror group in such a way that a specific avoidance area is created into which the reflected light beam can no longer enter; or wherein the generated light beam is directed without reflection in the area of the mirror group onto a specific viewing area; or wherein the generated light beam is polarized in the area of the mirror group, and only such a polarized part of the light beam exits from the light beam exiting the mirror group, and the polarized part does not cause or hardly causes any noticeable reflections.

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for influencing light beams in the interior space of a motor vehicle. The present invention also relates to a motor vehicle for carrying out this method and a mirror assembly for such a motor vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Such methods for influencing light beams in the interior space of a motor vehicle are known from DE 10 2014 019 160 A1, DE 10 2014 019 039 A1 and DE 10 2010 032 998 A1.

[0003] DE 10 2014 019 160 A1 thus shows a method for reducing reflections when operating a head-up display of a motor vehicle. Specifically, the head-up display has a covering element and a shielding element for shielding deflected light beams of ambient light. A control device determines the optical path of the deflected light beam, detects the current position and orientation of the shielding element, and determines an area around the vehicle occupant's viewing point that the deflected light beam should avoid. If the deflected light beam passes through the area to be avoided, the control device generates a control signal to set the position of the shielding element at which the deflected light beam is shielded.

[0004] DE 10 2014 019 039 A1 describes a head-up display for a motor vehicle, which has a transparent cover sheet and a projection unit for projecting an image onto a projection surface. The projection surface is located on the windshield of the motor vehicle. The cover sheet is designed to deflect foreign light (such as sunlight) falling on the display device from the outside by the projection unit. In addition, the cover sheet is designed such that the light falling on the cover sheet from the outside is deflected onto an absorption surface of an absorber sheet. A solar cell device is present at the absorption surface.

[0005] Finally, from DE 10 2010 032 998 A1, a head-up display for a motor vehicle is known, through which an image to be displayed can also be projected onto the windshield. The projection device of the head-up display has a translucent cover pointing to the windshield, and the translucent cover is configured to reflect the foreign light incident on the translucent cover from the outside onto an absorber surface. The absorber surface is formed by a coating on the inner side of the windshield. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The object underlying the present invention is to provide a method for influencing light beams in the interior space of a motor vehicle, by means of which, on the one hand, extended display possibilities can be achieved for the vehicle occupants, and yet, despite the extended display possibilities, the glare caused by the reflection of the light beams is kept within limits by means of this method.

[0007] The task on which the present invention is based is also to provide a motor vehicle for carrying out this method. Finally, the present invention should also be used to provide a mirror assembly suitable for installation in such a motor vehicle.

[0008] This task is solved by a method having the features according to the invention, a motor vehicle having the features according to the invention, and a mirror assembly having the features according to the invention. Advantageous configurations or extensions of the present invention can be derived from the following text.

[0009] In combination with a head-up display, the mirror assembly is particularly used to protect vehicle occupants from unwanted reflections. For example, such reflections can be caused by sunlight radiation that is reflected on the cover of the head-up display and / or the windshield and falls into the eyes of the vehicle occupants. The cover of the head-up display is curved in such a way that the light beam falling on the cover from the outside always falls on the mirror assembly. The inner side of the mirror assembly is mostly constructed as a black matte finish to absorb the incident light. Therefore, the mirror assembly serves as a light trap for the incident light.

[0010] The present invention is first based on a method for influencing a light beam in the interior space of a motor vehicle. The light beam comes from the direction of a mirror assembly assigned to a head-up display and enters the interior space.

[0011] According to the invention, the method is now configured to generate the light beam in the mirror assembly,

[0012] · where a part of the generated light beam is blocked in the region of the mirror assembly. This is done by creating a specific avoidance area into which the light beam generated in the mirror assembly and reflected on the windshield and / or on the cover of the head-up display can no longer enter, or

[0013] · where the generated light beam is directed in the region of the mirror assembly. This is done by ensuring that the light beam can only enter a specific line of sight without being reflected on the windshield and / or the cover of the head-up display, or

[0014] · where the generated light beam is polarized in the region of the mirror assembly. The polarization of the light beam is such that only the polarized part of the light beam exits the mirror assembly, and the polarized part is not reflected or hardly reflected but transmitted on a reflecting surface, such as the windshield of a motor vehicle and / or the light-transmitting cover of the head-up display.

[0015] By means of these alternative methods, the glare of vehicle occupants, especially the front-row vehicle occupants, caused by the reflection of the light beam on the windshield and / or the cover of the head-up display can be significantly reduced.

[0016] The avoidance area mentioned above is preferably formed as a radius around the viewing point of the front row vehicle occupant. Such an avoidance area can be, for example, approximately 20 centimeters. The above-mentioned line of sight range can be formed similarly.

[0017] In an extension of the method, it is proposed that the light beam be directed in the area of the mirror group such that, when observed in a vertical plane, a light cone with a range of approximately 10 degrees to approximately 18 degrees, preferably approximately 12 degrees to approximately 16 degrees, is produced. A light cone of approximately 14 degrees is particularly preferably formed.

[0018] With this configuration, it can be ensured that glare of the vehicle occupants does not occur or hardly occurs.

[0019] Here, it is appropriate that the formed light cone has the following brightness distribution, in which the brightness is maximum on the axis in the main radiation direction and the brightness continuously decreases towards both sides of the main radiation direction. In particular, it is proposed that the brightness within a range of approximately 6 degrees to 8 degrees, preferably within a range of approximately 7 degrees, on both sides of the main radiation direction is only within one-ninth to one-eleventh, preferably one-tenth, of the brightness maximum.

[0020] Due to such a particularly large decrease in brightness, the reflections caused by the light beam extending outside the main radiation direction can be significantly reduced. However, even if such reflections still occur, due to the relatively low brightness outside the main radiation direction, the reflections remain almost invisible.

[0021] As mentioned at the beginning, the present invention should also be used to provide a motor vehicle for performing the method according to the present invention. Such a motor vehicle has a windshield and at least one mirror group arranged below the windshield and assigned to the head-up display.

[0022] According to the present invention, at least one display device is arranged in the mirror group, and the display device extends in the longitudinal direction of the mirror group. Preferably, the display device extends over the entire length or almost the entire length of the mirror group. The display device can output a light beam towards the interior space of the motor vehicle.

[0023] ·Wherein the lens group has a groove on its front side facing the interior space, and the groove extends substantially in the longitudinal direction of the lens group. The light exit surface of the display device is embedded in the groove such that the light exit surface is recessed at a distance from the front boundary line of the groove, i.e., the boundary line facing the vehicle occupant (e.g., the driver), or · Wherein the display device has a directional optical device. Using the directional optical device, the light beam output by the display device can be directed such that the light beam can reach a specific line-of-sight range around the view point of the front-row vehicle occupant without being reflected on the windshield and / or the cover of the head-up display, or

[0024] ·Wherein the display device is equipped with a polarization filter. Thus, the light beam generated by the display device can be polarized in the region of the lens group such that only such a polarized portion of the light beam still exits the lens group, and the polarized portion is transmitted without being reflected or hardly reflected on a reflecting surface, such as a windshield and / or the light-transmitting cover of the head-up display.

[0025] If the lens group according to the expansion scheme occupies at least most of the width of the windshield in a motor vehicle, a prerequisite is created for the following aspect: a unique display device can be provided for the vehicle occupant.

[0026] Finally, the present invention should also be used to protect a lens group that can be installed in such a motor vehicle and can be used to perform the method according to the present invention.

[0027] Such a lens group is characterized by a display device extending in the longitudinal direction of the lens group,

[0028] ·Wherein the light exit surface of the display device is embedded in the groove such that the light exit surface is recessed at a distance from the front boundary line of the groove, wherein the front boundary line thus faces the vehicle occupant, such as the driver or the co-driver, or

[0029] ·Wherein the display device has a directional optical device, and by using the directional optical device, the light beam output by the display device can be emitted in a specific light cone, or

[0030] ·Wherein the display device is equipped with a polarization filter.

[0031] Preferably, the display device extends along the entire length or almost the entire length of the lens group.

[0032] According to another construction scheme of the inventive concept, the groove is configured as a gap. On the one hand, this helps the original light effect when the display device is activated, and on the other hand, this helps to more easily block unwanted light beams.

[0033] In a suitable extension of the mirror group, the cross-section of the groove is configured as a U-shape. The groove has a first wall, a second wall, and a bottom, where the bottom is formed by the light-emitting surface of the display device.

[0034] Therefore, due to this design, a groove is formed as follows, the cross-section of which is clearly defined, that is, the groove has clearly defined corners or edges. This makes it significantly easier to set the desired light path.

[0035] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings and are explained in more detail below based on the drawings. This also makes other advantages of the present invention clear. Even in different figures, the same reference numerals refer to the same, similar, or functionally identical components. Here, corresponding or similar characteristics and advantages can be achieved even without repeated description or reference. These figures are not or at least not always exactly to scale. In some figures, the scale or distance may be exaggerated to be able to more clearly emphasize the features of the embodiments. Description of the Drawings

[0036] Schematically respectively:

[0037] Figure 1 A part of a motor vehicle designed according to the present invention in the windshield area is shown from above,

[0038] Figure 2a , 2b , 2c show a cross-sectional view according to cross-sectional distribution II in Figure 1 , which includes an alternative configured mirror group,

[0039] Figure 3 Shows a detail view of detail III according to Figure 2a , and

[0040] Figure 4 Shows the possible brightness distribution of the light cone generated in Figure 2b . Detailed Description of the Invention

[0041] First, refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2a .

[0042] The motor vehicle K can be seen in the area of the windshield 400. The motor vehicle K is equipped with a so-called head-up display (HUD) 200, which extends over most of the width B of the motor vehicle K or the windshield 400 in this embodiment.

[0043] The head-up display 200 is used to project information in the direction of or onto the windshield 400. For this purpose, the head-up display 200 has a projection device 204 arranged in a housing 203, which is covered upwards by a light-transmissive, preferably transparent cover 201. In addition, there is a mask 202 for covering the head-up display 200 relative to the vehicle occupants. The head-up display 200 is embedded in the instrument panel 100.

[0044] A mirror group 300 is assigned to the head-up display 200, which is arranged in front of the head-up display 200 and is directly adjacent to the windshield 400.

[0045] The cover 201 is constructed to be curved and, in addition to protecting the interior of the head-up display 200, is also used to direct incident extraneous light (such as sunlight) onto the cover 201 in the direction of the mirror group 300. The mirror group 300 almost completely absorbs this light, so the mirror group 300 is constructed as a mirror trap. The mirror group 300 itself extends in the longitudinal direction LR over the entire or almost the entire width B of the windshield 400.

[0046] Only one viewing point 500 is shown for the front vehicle occupants (such as the vehicle driver). It can also be seen that a groove 303 in the form of a gap is arranged in the front side 301 of the mirror group 300 facing the vehicle occupants.

[0047] The groove 303 in the form of a gap extends in the longitudinal direction LR of the mirror group 300 over the entire or almost the entire length of the mirror group 300. The groove 303 is arranged in the area of a display device 305 embedded in the mirror group 300 or is also part of the display device 305.

[0048] Information can be conveyed to the vehicle occupants, for example in the form of an animation, by a plurality of light-emitting devices 302 arranged side by side horizontally, which are preferably constructed as light-emitting diodes. The devices for correspondingly controlling the light-emitting devices 302 are not shown in more detail. The control can be carried out according to the specific driving and operating states of the motor vehicle K.

[0049] The light beams L1, L2 and L3 generated or capable of being generated by the display device 305 or its light-emitting devices 302 are shown by way of example. These light beams travel from the display device 305, in particular from the groove 303 in the form of a gap, in the direction of the interior space I of the motor vehicle K.

[0050] Therefore, the light beam L3 represents the light beam that directly hits the viewing point 500, which thus means for the vehicle occupants: a direct line of sight to the display device 305. And this is desired.

[0051] The light beam L1 represents a light beam that is reflected once on the windshield 400 and then continues to travel in the direction of the vehicle occupant as a reflected light beam L1'. The light beam L2 represents a light beam that is first reflected in the direction of the windshield 400 on the covering member 201, then reflected again on the windshield 400, and finally continues to extend in the direction of the vehicle occupant as a light beam L2' that has been reflected multiple times or reflected. It is not desired that such light beams reflected once or multiple times enter the viewing point of the vehicle occupant.

[0052] Therefore, the gap-shaped groove 303 is configured such that such an undesired light path cannot enter the avoidance area 501 around the viewing point 500 of the vehicle occupant and dazzle the vehicle occupant. The light paths of the light beams L1' and L2' exactly represent the boundaries where other light beams cannot enter the avoidance area 501 here.

[0053] Therefore, this technical solution is not particularly used to completely avoid undesired single and multiple reflections. Instead, with this solution, it should only limit those reflections of the light beams generated in the display device 305 that would fall into the avoidance area 501 in the absence of the gap-shaped groove 303.

[0054] Based on Figure 3 The area of the mirror group 300 around the gap-shaped groove 303 is shown in more detail in cross-section. The groove 303 extends horizontally from the front side 301 in the direction of the mirror group 300. In particular, the cross-section of the gap-shaped groove 303 is configured as a rectangle or a U-shape, which has an upper wall 308, a lower wall 309, and a bottom 310 of the groove 303.

[0055] In this solution, the bottom 310 of the groove 303 is formed by the light exit surface 311 of the display device 305 which is only schematically shown. Therefore, the light exit surface 311 is retracted by a distance a1 relative to the front side 301 or the front boundary lines 312, 313 of the groove 303 and is thus embedded in the mirror group 300. The height of the gap-shaped groove 303, that is, the distance a2 between the walls 308 and 309, should be allocated such that the light exit surface 311 is still sufficiently visible to the vehicle occupant. For example, the distance a2 can be a few millimeters. Here, the distance a1 is set or optimized such that the light paths with the single and multiple reflections falling into the internal space I cannot fall into the avoidance area 501.

[0056] Furthermore, the walls 308, 309, the bottom 310 of the groove 303, and the mirror group 300 itself are made of a dark, matte material or correspondingly coated to minimize the reflections.

[0057] From now on, based on Figure 2bDescribe an alternative solution in which the motor vehicle K is equipped with a mirror assembly 300' differently from the previous solution. Different from the mirror assembly 300, the mirror assembly 300' is not equipped with a gap, but the display device 305 is equipped with a directional optical device 304 connected downstream of the light emitting device 302.

[0058] The light beam L emitted from the display device 305 is directed towards the line of sight range 502 by the directional optical device 304. In particular, a light cone 600 is generated by a multi-stage directional optical device preferably consisting of a plurality of lenses and / or collimators, and the light cone 600 has a radiation angle α of preferably about 7 degrees for all sides of the main radiation direction 601. Here, the main radiation direction 601 is generally aligned with the viewpoint 500 of an average-sized vehicle occupant. Through the entire angular range of about 14 degrees of the light cone 600, the line of sight range 502 can be well imaged.

[0059] As based on Figure 4 As shown, the light cone 600 has a significant brightness drop. Therefore, the brightness LD is plotted against the radiation angle α. The light cone 600 has a brightness distribution LDV, which has its maximum value at a radiation angle α of 0 degrees, i.e., in the main radiation direction 601.

[0060] At a radiation angle α deviated from the main radiation direction 601 by 5 degrees, the brightness LD has already dropped significantly below the maximum value of the brightness LD, and at a radiation angle α deviated from the main radiation direction 601 by about 7 degrees, the brightness LD has already dropped to less than one-tenth of the maximum brightness LD. Due to such a significant brightness drop, although reflections of the light beam also occur outside the light cone 600, these reflections are hardly perceptible to the vehicle occupant due to the extremely low brightness.

[0061] Finally, other solutions should also be described based on Figure 2c In this solution, the motor vehicle K has a mirror assembly 300”. Different from the mirror assembly 300 of the first proposed solution, the mirror assembly 300” does not have a gap-like groove, but is equipped with a display device 305, which has a light exit surface 306 with a polarization filter 307.

[0062] It should be noted that the display device 305 of the mirror assembly 300' and the display device 305 of the mirror assembly 300” both have a light exit surface, which is constructed as linear or strip-shaped like the light exit surface 311 of the mirror assembly 300 and extends horizontally in the longitudinal direction LR of the mirror assembly.

[0063] In the case of the mirror assembly 300”, the light exit surface 306 is additionally covered with a polarization filter 307. The polarization filter 307 can be constructed, for example, in the form of a thin film and adhered to the light exit surface 306.

[0064] The polarization filter 307 now causes the light beam generated by the light-emitting device 302 to be filtered such that the light beam only has a polarized portion left. And specifically, only the following polarized portion of the generated light beam is transmitted through the polarization filter 307, which is not reflected or hardly reflected but transmitted at the reflecting surface.

[0065] Therefore, two light beams L4 and L5 filtered by the polarization filter 307 are exemplarily shown in this figure. The light beams L4 and L5 are filtered such that when incident on the windshield 400 (light beam L4) or on the cover 201 (light beam L5), these light beams pass through the reflecting surface with substantially no reflection. The remaining reflected portions of the light beams (see L4' and L5') are so small that the remaining reflected portions are no longer perceived as disturbing when incident on the viewing point 500 of the vehicle occupant.

[0066] List of reference numerals

[0067] 100 Instrument panel

[0068] 200 Head-up display (HUD)

[0069] 201 Cover

[0070] 202 Mask

[0071] 203 Housing

[0072] 204 Projection device

[0073] 300, 300', 300” Mirror group

[0074] 301 Front side

[0075] 302 Light-emitting device

[0076] 303 Gap-shaped groove

[0077] 304 Directional optical device

[0078] 305 Display device

[0079] 306 Light exit surface

[0080] 307 Polarization filter

[0081] 308 Wall

[0082] 309 Wall

[0083] 310 Bottom

[0084] 311 Light exit surface

[0085] 312 Demarcation line

[0086] 313 demarcation line

[0087] 400 windshield

[0088] 500 viewing point

[0089] 501 avoidance area

[0090] 502 line of sight range

[0091] 600 light cone

[0092] 601 main radiation direction

[0093] a1, a2 distances

[0094] B width

[0095] I internal space

[0096] K motor vehicle

[0097] L light beam

[0098] L1 - L3 light beams

[0099] L1', L2' reflected light beams

[0100] L4, L5 filtered light beams

[0101] L4', L5' reflected parts of the filtered light beams

[0102] LD luminance

[0103] LDV luminance distribution

[0104] LR longitudinal direction

[0105] α radiation angle.

Claims

1. A method for influencing a light beam in the interior space (I) of a motor vehicle (K), wherein the light beam comes from the direction of a mirror group assigned to a head-up display (200) and enters the interior space (I), characterized in that, The beam is generated in the mirror group, and in combination with the head-up display (200), the mirror group protects vehicle occupants from sunlight reflected on the windshield (400) and on the cover (201) of the head-up display (200). · A part of the generated beam is blocked in the area of the mirror group such that a defined avoidance area (501) is generated, and the beam generated in the mirror group and reflected on the windshield (400) and / or on the cover (201) of the head-up display (200) can no longer enter the avoidance area, or · The generated beam is directed in the area of the mirror group such that the beam can only enter a defined line of sight (502) without being reflected on the windshield (400) and / or on the cover (201) of the head-up display (200), or · The generated beam is polarized in the area of the mirror group such that only such a polarized part of the beam still exits the mirror group, and the polarized part is not reflected but transmitted on the windshield (400) and / or on the transparent cover (201) of the head-up display (200).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein The beam is directed in the area of the mirror group such that a light cone (600) with a range of 10° to 18° is formed when observed in a vertical plane.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein The formed light cone (600) has the following luminance distribution (LDV), in which case the luminance (LD) on the axis of the main radiation direction (601) is the maximum and the luminance (LD) continuously decreases towards both sides of the main radiation direction (601).

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein The luminance (LD) in the range of 6° to 8° on both sides of the main radiation direction (601) is only in the range of one-ninth to one-eleventh of the maximum value of the luminance (LD).

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein The beam is directed in the area of the mirror group such that a light cone (600) with a range of 12° to 16° is formed when observed in a vertical plane.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein The beam is directed in the area of the mirror group such that a light cone (600) with a range of 14° is formed when observed in a vertical plane.

7. A motor vehicle (K) for performing the method according to any one of the preceding claims, the motor vehicle having a windscreen (400) and at least one mirror assembly arranged below the windscreen (400) and assigned to a head-up display (200), characterized in that, At least one display device (305) is arranged in the mirror group, wherein the display device extends in the longitudinal direction (LR) of the mirror group and is capable of outputting a beam towards the interior space (I) of the motor vehicle (K), and in combination with the head-up display (200), the mirror group protects vehicle occupants from sunlight reflected on the windshield (400) and on the cover (201) of the head-up display (200). · wherein the lens group has a groove (303) on its front side (301) facing the internal space (I), the groove extending in the longitudinal direction (LR) of the lens group, and the light exit surface (311) of the display device (305) is embedded in the groove (303) such that the light exit surface (311) is recessed by a distance (a1) relative to the front boundary lines (312, 313) of the groove (303), or · wherein the display device (305) has a directional optical device (304), or · wherein the display device (305) is equipped with a polarization filter (307).

8. The motor vehicle (K) according to claim 7, characterized in that, The lens group occupies at least most of the width (B) of the windshield (400).

9. A mirror assembly for a motor vehicle (K) constructed according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that A display device (305) extending in the longitudinal direction (LR) of the lens group, · wherein the light exit surface (311) of the display device (305) is embedded in the groove (303) such that the light exit surface (311) is recessed by a distance (a1) relative to the front boundary lines (312, 313) of the groove (303), or · wherein the display device (305) has a directional optical device (304) by means of which a light beam that can be output by the display device (305) can be emitted within a determined light cone (600), or · wherein the display device (305) is equipped with a polarization filter (307).

10. The lens group according to claim 9, wherein, The groove (303) is configured in a gap-like manner.

11. The lens group according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that, The cross-section of the groove (303) is configured in a U-shape, the groove having a first wall (308), a second wall (309) and a bottom (310), the bottom being formed by the light exit surface (311) of the display device (305).

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