Vehicle headlamp device

Abstract

The present invention provides a vehicle headlight device (1) comprising: a first light irradiation section (4) irradiating light from a light source (11) with a first magnification m1 and a first irradiation pattern P1 alternating between bright and dark areas; and a second light irradiation section (low beam irradiation section (5) and / or high beam irradiation section (6)) irradiating light from a light source (11a) with a second irradiation pattern P2 with a second magnification m2 and the entire area being a bright area; the directionality of the irradiated light from the first light irradiation section (4) overlaps with the directionality of the irradiated light from the second light irradiation section (low beam irradiation section (5) and / or high beam irradiation section (6)), and the first magnification m1 is less than the second magnification m2. Therefore, even under adverse conditions such as nighttime and rainy weather, the driver's ability to miss pedestrians can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a headlight device for vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] As a headlight device for vehicles, a device has been proposed that suppresses pedestrian glare and allows the driver to visually identify pedestrians effectively (for example, see Patent Document 1). In the headlight device for vehicles of Patent Document 1, the amount of illumination on the upper body of the pedestrian is reduced based on the distance to the pedestrian obtained by a pedestrian detection sensor.

[0003] [Prior technical literature]

[0004] (Patent Documents)

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-184614 Summary of the Invention

[0006] [The problem the invention aims to solve]

[0007] However, there is a growing trend of accidents on straight one-way streets caused by vehicles failing to see pedestrians ahead. It is essential to prevent such incidents, but current vehicle headlight systems are insufficient to address this, especially in adverse conditions such as nighttime and rain.

[0008] The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide a headlight device for vehicles that can improve the situation where drivers miss pedestrians, even in adverse conditions such as at night and in the rain.

[0009] [Technical means to solve the problem]

[0010] (1) A vehicle headlight device (e.g., vehicle headlight device 1 described later) comprising: a first light irradiation section (e.g., first light irradiation section 4 described later) irradiating light from a light source (e.g., surface light emitting light source 11 described later) with a first magnification (e.g., first magnification m1 described later) and alternating bright areas (e.g., bright area 15 described later) and dark areas (e.g., dark area 16 described later); and a second light irradiation section (e.g., low beam irradiation section 5 and / or high beam irradiation section 6 described later) irradiating light from a light source (e.g., surface light emitting light source 11a described later) with a second magnification (e.g., second magnification m2 described later) and a second irradiation pattern with the entire area as a bright area (e.g., second irradiation pattern P2 described later); wherein the directionality of the irradiated light from the first light irradiation section overlaps with the directionality of the irradiated light from the second light irradiation section, and the first magnification is less than the second magnification.

[0011] (2) The vehicle headlight device according to (1), wherein the aforementioned first illumination pattern is a stripe pattern in which the aforementioned bright area and the aforementioned dark area are arranged in parallel (for example, stripe pattern P1 described later).

[0012] (3) The vehicle headlight device according to (1) above, wherein the first illumination pattern is a grid-like pattern of the bright area formed in the dark area.

[0013] (4) The vehicle headlight device according to (1) above, wherein the first illumination pattern is a checkerboard pattern in which the aforementioned bright area and the aforementioned dark area are arranged in a rectangular pattern (e.g., the checkerboard pattern Plb described later).

[0014] (5) The vehicle headlight device according to (1) above, wherein the first illumination pattern is a diamond-shaped checkerboard pattern in which the aforementioned bright area and the aforementioned dark area are arranged in a checkerboard pattern (e.g., the diamond checkerboard pattern Plc described later).

[0015] (6) The vehicle headlight device according to (1) above, wherein the first light irradiation part has a DMD including a micromirror group corresponding to the first irradiation pattern.

[0016] (7) The vehicle headlight device according to (1) above, wherein the first light irradiation part has: a predetermined surface light source; and a light-shielding mask having a pattern corresponding to the first irradiation pattern.

[0017] (8) The vehicle headlight device according to (1) above, wherein the aforementioned second light illuminating part is the low beam illuminating part and / or high beam illuminating part of the vehicle.

[0018] (The effect of the invention)

[0019] In the vehicle headlight device of (1), light from the first illumination section, with a low magnification and alternating bright and dark areas, reaches a distance, allowing the driver to vaguely see a pedestrian based on the first illumination pattern and instantly become aware of the pedestrian's presence in the distance. Furthermore, light from the second illumination section, with a high magnification and a bright area covering the entire region, illuminates the driver's near-field vision with high illuminance. Thus, even under adverse conditions such as nighttime and rainy days, the driver's ability to miss pedestrians can be improved.

[0020] In the vehicle headlight device of (2), if the light of the first illumination pattern illuminates a pedestrian, the driver can vaguely see the pedestrian based on the first illumination pattern and thus instantly become aware of the pedestrian's presence. The first illumination pattern is a stripe pattern in which the bright and dark areas are arranged in parallel.

[0021] In the vehicle headlight device of (3), if the light of the first illumination pattern illuminates a pedestrian, the driver can vaguely see the pedestrian based on the first illumination pattern and thus instantly become aware of the pedestrian's presence. The first illumination pattern is a grid-like pattern formed in the aforementioned dark area and the aforementioned bright area.

[0022] In the vehicle headlight device of (4), if the light of the first illumination pattern illuminates a pedestrian, the driver can vaguely see the pedestrian based on the first illumination pattern and thus instantly become aware of the pedestrian's presence. The first illumination pattern is a checkerboard pattern in which the aforementioned bright area and the aforementioned dark area of ​​a rectangle are arranged in a checkerboard pattern.

[0023] In the vehicle headlight device of (5), if the light of the first illumination pattern illuminates a pedestrian, the driver can vaguely see the pedestrian based on the first illumination pattern and thus instantly become aware of the pedestrian's presence. The first illumination pattern is a diamond-shaped checkerboard pattern in which the aforementioned bright area and the aforementioned dark area are arranged in a checkerboard pattern.

[0024] In the vehicle headlight device of (6), if light is shone from the DMD with a first illumination pattern, the driver can vaguely see a pedestrian based on the first illumination pattern, thereby instantly becoming aware of the presence of the pedestrian in the distance. The DMD includes a group of micromirrors corresponding to the first illumination pattern from the first light irradiation section. This improves the situation where the driver misses a pedestrian, even under adverse conditions such as at night or in the rain.

[0025] In the vehicle headlight device of (7), if light is shone from the first illumination section with a first illumination pattern, the driver can vaguely see a pedestrian based on the first illumination pattern, thereby instantly becoming aware of the presence of the pedestrian in the distance. The first illumination section includes: a predetermined surface-emitting light source and a light-shielding mask having a pattern corresponding to the first illumination pattern. Even under adverse conditions such as nighttime and rainy days, this improves the situation where the driver misses pedestrians.

[0026] According to the vehicle headlight device 1 of (8), the presence of a pedestrian in the distance is instantly realized by the illumination light from the first light irradiation unit, and on the other hand, the pedestrian is clearly identified by the illumination light from the second light irradiation unit at a high illuminance in the field of vision at a closer distance. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram illustrating a vehicle headlight device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 2 This is a diagram illustrating the concept related to light illumination in a vehicle headlight device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 3 This is a graph illustrating the time-series progression of human cognition related to the basic idea of ​​this invention.

[0030] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the first light irradiation section in a vehicle headlight device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 5 It is suitable for drawing Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the light-shielding mask for the first light irradiation section.

[0032] Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating an example of a first illumination pattern of a vehicle headlight device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating another example of a first illumination pattern of a vehicle headlight device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 8 This is a diagram illustrating another example of a first illumination pattern of a vehicle headlight device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 9 This is a diagram illustrating another example of a first illumination pattern of a vehicle headlight device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a vehicle headlight device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle headlight device 1 is arranged in a symmetrical configuration when viewed from the center position in the width direction of the vehicle 2, with one on the left and one on the right. The vehicle headlight device 1 is arranged in the following order from the outer side to the inner side in the width direction: turn signal light 3, first beam illumination part 4, low beam illumination part (second beam illumination part) 5, and high beam illumination part (second beam illumination part) 6.

[0037] As described later, the first light irradiation unit 4 irradiates light from the light source 11 with a first magnification m1 and a first irradiation pattern P1 that alternates between bright areas 15 and dark areas 16. The low beam irradiation unit 5 irradiates light into the light distribution area specified for low beams. The high beam irradiation unit 6 irradiates light into the light distribution area specified for high beams. It should be noted that, hereinafter, the vehicle 2 equipped with the vehicle headlight device 1 is appropriately referred to as this vehicle 2.

[0038] Figure 2 This diagram illustrates the concept related to light illumination in a vehicle headlight device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. A vehicle 2 is equipped with a vehicle headlight device 1, which includes a first light illumination section 4, and a second light illumination section, namely a low beam illumination section 5 and a high beam illumination section 6. The structure of the first light illumination section 4 will be referred to... Figure 4 As will be described later, the light emitted by the surface-emitting light source 11 is illuminated in front by the lens 13 with a focal length f1 and a first magnification m1.

[0039] The structure of the second illumination section is roughly the same as that of the first illumination section 4. Using a lens 13a with a focal length f2, the light emitted from the surface-emitting light source 11a is projected forward at a second magnification m2. Light is emitted from the first illumination section 4 using a first illumination pattern P1, which is described in the diagram as a "patterned light distribution" and alternates between bright and dark areas 15. Simultaneously, light is emitted from the second illumination section, i.e., the near beam illumination section 5 and / or the far beam illumination section 6, using a second illumination pattern P2, where the entire area is bright. This second illumination mode is called "full light distribution."

[0040] In this case, the first light irradiation unit 4 irradiates the light from the light source 11 with a relatively low first magnification m1, that is, with a beam of light that is more concentrated than the usual low beam or high beam. The second light irradiation unit, namely the low beam irradiation unit 5 and / or the high beam irradiation unit 6, irradiates the light from the light source 11a with a relatively high second magnification m2, that is, with a beam of light that has the range of the usual low beam or high beam.

[0041] Furthermore, at this time, the directionality of the irradiation light from the first irradiation unit 4 overlaps with the directionality of the irradiation light from the second irradiation units 5 and 6. That is, although the irradiation area of ​​the irradiation light from the first irradiation unit 4 and the irradiation area of ​​the irradiation light from the second irradiation units 5 and 6 do not completely overlap, the optical axes of the irradiation light from the first irradiation unit 4 and the second irradiation units 5 and 6 roughly overlap.

[0042] In the driver's near field of vision 8 of vehicle 2, the illuminance of the light from the first illuminator 4 is not significantly different from the illuminance of the light from the second illuminators 5 and 6. The near field of vision 8 is illuminated with high illuminance by the light from both the first illuminator 4 and the second illuminators 5 and 6. Therefore, the driver can clearly see and confirm the pedestrian 10 entering the near field of vision 8 on the road where vehicle 2 is traveling.

[0043] On the other hand, in the driver's field of vision 9 at a distance, the illumination from the second illuminators 5 and 6 diffuses and decreases, but the illumination from the first illuminator 4, whose beam is concentrated, is maintained. In particular, the illumination from the first illuminator 4 has a first illumination pattern P1 with alternating bright and dark areas 15 and 16. Therefore, based on this first illumination pattern, the driver can vaguely see the pedestrian 10 entering the field of vision 9 at a distance on the road where the vehicle 2 is traveling, and thus instantly become aware of the pedestrian 10's presence. This improves the situation where the driver misses pedestrians in the area from the near field of vision 8 to the far field of vision 9 on the road where the vehicle 2 is traveling.

[0044] Figure 3 This is a graph illustrating the time-series progression of human cognition related to the basic idea of ​​this invention. Figure 3 In the middle, time passes from left to right. The driver of the vehicle first confirms the object visually, that is, through their own visual perception. Figure 3 (Visual confirmation: The object has been found.)

[0045] Then, the mental process of consciousness → recognition → prediction arises from the perception based on the visually confirmed discovery of an object. During the period from consciousness to prediction, even if the visually confirmed object does not directly correspond to a form compared to past experience, the visually confirmed object can still be correctly grasped. The time elapsed from visual confirmation to judgment is the mental reflex time before any action occurs.

[0046] The driver of the vehicle takes action based on judgment. During the action, the driver moves from the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal (switching time) and depresses the brake pedal (depressing time). Between the initial visual confirmation and the occurrence of the action, the vehicle's brakes have not yet been applied; during this period, the vehicle travels idly (idling time).

[0047] If the brake pedal is pressed, the vehicle's braking system responds to this action and an actual braking action occurs (braking time). Within the braking time, an active braking is achieved after a transition period following the initial action (active braking time).

[0048] In order for drivers to visually identify objects (such as pedestrians) on the road and apply the brakes to the vehicle to fully ensure pedestrian safety, it is necessary to quickly conduct early object detection and accurate assessment based on visual identification.

[0049] The inventive concept of this invention is based on reference. Figure 2 The vehicle headlight device 1 described above facilitates early object detection and accurate object recognition, thereby ensuring the safety of pedestrians and others.

[0050] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the first light irradiation unit 4 in a vehicle headlight device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The first light irradiation unit 4 includes, for example, a surface light-emitting light source 11 that combines a semiconductor light-emitting element and an optical element, a light-shielding mask 12 disposed on the light-emitting surface of the surface light-emitting light source 11, and a lens 13 with a focal length f1 corresponding to the magnification of the irradiated light, i.e., a first magnification ml.

[0051] The light-shielding mask 12 has a light-shielding pattern corresponding to the first illumination pattern P1. It should be noted that, in Figure 4 In the diagram, the arrow points in the direction of the front of vehicle 2. In this case, the magnification of the light from the surface-emitting light source 11 based on lens 13, i.e., the first magnification m1, is smaller than the magnification m2 of the standard-specification light source light based on the second light irradiation section, i.e., the low beam irradiation section 5 or the high beam irradiation section 6. Therefore, the light irradiated from the first light irradiation section 4 is more concentrated than the light irradiated from the low beam irradiation section 5 or the high beam irradiation section 6, and can illuminate objects at a greater distance with high illuminance.

[0052] The structure of the first light irradiation section 4 in the vehicle headlight device 1 according to the embodiments of the present invention is not limited to... Figure 4 The implementation method is as follows. For example, a digital micromirror device (DMD) can be used to construct the first light illumination unit 4, wherein the DMD includes a group of micromirrors having a first illumination pattern P1 and a first magnification m1. By means of the illumination light from the first illumination pattern P1 of the light illumination unit 4 of the vehicle headlight device 1 having such a DMD, the driver can vaguely see the pedestrian 10 entering the distant field of vision 9 based on the first illumination pattern, thereby instantly becoming aware of the presence of the pedestrian 10 in the distance.

[0053] Figure 5 It is suitable for drawing Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the light-shielding mask 12 of the first light irradiation section 4. The light-shielding mask 12 has a shape that is aligned with the first irradiation pattern P1. Figure 2 The corresponding form allows the light from the surface-emitting light source 11 to be emitted through the desired striped slits 14.

[0054] Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 It is a diagram schematically illustrating various examples of the first illumination pattern in a vehicle headlight assembly 1. Figure 6 This is to create a grid-like pattern P1a on the dark area 16, where the stripes intersect and form a grid-like pattern of the light area 15. Figure 7 It is a checkerboard pattern P1b formed by arranging the light area 15 and the dark area 16 of a rectangle into a checkerboard pattern. Figure 8The diamond-shaped light area 15 and the diamond-shaped dark area 16 are arranged in a checkerboard pattern P1c. Figure 9 The oblique diamond grid pattern P1d is composed of a bright area 15 of an oblique diamond grid pattern and a dark area 16 surrounded by the bright area 15. Through... Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 The first illumination pattern in any of the methods can be matched with the first illumination pattern P1 ( Figure 2 Similarly, the driver can vaguely see the pedestrian 10 entering the distant field of vision 9 based on the first illumination pattern, and thus instantly become aware of the presence of the pedestrian 10 in the distance.

[0055] The vehicle headlight device 1 according to this embodiment has the following effects.

[0056] According to the vehicle headlight device 1 described above (1), by using a first illumination pattern P1 from the first light irradiation section 4, which alternates between bright areas 15 and dark areas 16 and reaches a distance at a low magnification, the driver can vaguely see the pedestrian based on the first illumination pattern, thus easily becoming aware of the presence of the pedestrian 10 in the distance (the driver's field of vision 9 of the vehicle 2). Moreover, by using a second illumination pattern P2 from the second light irradiation section, which has a bright area covering the entire area of ​​the low beam irradiation section 5 and / or the high beam irradiation section 6 and is spread over a wide area at a high magnification, the driver's field of vision 8 at close range is illuminated with high illuminance. Thus, even under adverse conditions such as at night and in rainy weather, the situation where the driver misses the pedestrian 10 can be improved.

[0057] According to the vehicle headlight device 1 described in (2) above, if the light of the first illumination pattern P1 illuminates the pedestrian 10, the driver can vaguely see the pedestrian based on the first illumination pattern and can easily realize the presence of the pedestrian 10. The first illumination pattern P1 is a stripe pattern in which the bright area 15 and the dark area 16 are arranged in parallel.

[0058] According to the vehicle headlight device 1 described above (3), if the light of the first illumination pattern P1a illuminates the pedestrian 10, the driver can vaguely see the pedestrian based on the first illumination pattern and can easily realize the presence of the pedestrian 10. The first illumination pattern P1a is a grid-like pattern in which a grid-like bright area 15 is formed in the dark area 16.

[0059] According to the vehicle headlight device 1 described above (4), if the light of the first illumination pattern P1b illuminates the pedestrian 10, the driver can vaguely see the pedestrian based on the first illumination pattern and can easily realize the presence of the pedestrian 10. The first illumination pattern P1b is a checkerboard pattern in which rectangular bright areas 15 and rectangular dark areas 16 are arranged in a checkerboard pattern.

[0060] According to the vehicle headlight device 1 described above (5), if the light of the first illumination pattern P1c illuminates the pedestrian 10, the driver can vaguely see the pedestrian based on the first illumination pattern and can easily realize the presence of the pedestrian 10. The first illumination pattern P1c is a diamond-shaped checkerboard pattern in which the bright area 15 and the dark area 16 are arranged in a checkerboard pattern.

[0061] According to the aforementioned (6) vehicle headlight device 1, pedestrians can be vaguely seen by the light illuminating the DMD with the first illumination pattern P1. The driver of vehicle 2 can vaguely see pedestrian 10 entering the distant field of vision 9, wherein the DMD includes a group of micromirrors corresponding to the first illumination pattern P1 from the first light illuminating unit 4. Thus, the driver instantly becomes aware of the presence of pedestrian 10 in the distance. Even under adverse conditions such as nighttime and rainy days, the situation of drivers missing pedestrians can be improved.

[0062] According to the aforementioned (7) vehicle headlight device 1, pedestrians can be vaguely seen by the light irradiated from the first light irradiation section 4 with the first irradiation pattern P1. The driver of vehicle 2 can vaguely see pedestrian 10 entering the distant field of vision 9. The first light irradiation pattern has: a predetermined surface light source 11 and a light-shielding mask 12 with a pattern corresponding to the first irradiation pattern P1. As a result, the driver instantly becomes aware of the presence of pedestrian 10 in the distance. Even under adverse conditions such as at night and rainy days, the situation of the driver missing pedestrians can be improved.

[0063] According to the aforementioned (8) vehicle headlight device 1, the presence of a pedestrian in the distance is instantly realized by the illumination light from the first light irradiation section 4. On the other hand, the pedestrian 10 is clearly identified by the illumination light from the second light irradiation section, namely the low beam irradiation section 5 and / or the high beam irradiation section 6 of the vehicle 2, which illuminates the field of vision 8 at a closer distance with high illuminance.

[0064] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Within the scope of the spirit of the present invention, the structure of the details can be appropriately modified. For example, a camera can be provided that uses the illumination area of ​​the headlight device 1 as the field of view for shooting, and pedestrians or other objects can be detected by an information processing system based on the output of the camera.

[0065] Figure Labels

[0066] P1, P1a, P1b, P1c: First illumination pattern

[0067] P2: Second Illumination Pattern

[0068] 1: Vehicle headlight system

[0069] 2: Vehicles

[0070] 3: Turn signals

[0071] 4: First light irradiation section

[0072] 5: Low beam illumination section (second beam illumination section)

[0073] 6: High beam illumination section (second beam illumination section)

[0074] 7: Forward View

[0075] 8: Close-up field of vision

[0076] 9: Long-distance field of vision

[0077] 10: Pedestrians

[0078] 11: Surface-emitting light source

[0079] 12: Light-blocking mask

[0080] 13: Lens

[0081] 14: Gap

[0082] 15: Bright area

[0083] 16: Dark Area

Claims

1. A headlight device for a vehicle, comprising: The first light irradiation unit, independently disposed in the vehicle along with either the low beam irradiation unit or the high beam irradiation unit, illuminates light from a light source with a first irradiation pattern that alternates between bright and dark areas at a first magnification; and... The second light irradiation unit is provided in the aforementioned vehicle as the aforementioned low beam irradiation unit and / or the aforementioned high beam irradiation unit, and irradiates light from the light source with a second irradiation pattern that has a second magnification and a bright area covering the entire area. The directionality of the irradiated light from the first irradiation unit overlaps with the directionality of the irradiated light from the second irradiation unit, and the first magnification is less than the second magnification. When observed from the aforementioned vehicle, the difference in illuminance between the light from the aforementioned first illuminator and the light from the aforementioned second illuminator is greater in the long-distance field of vision compared to the near-distance field of vision.

2. The vehicle headlight device according to claim 1, wherein, The aforementioned first illumination pattern is a stripe pattern in which the aforementioned bright area and the aforementioned dark area are arranged in parallel.

3. The vehicle headlight device according to claim 1, wherein, The aforementioned first illumination pattern is a grid-like pattern formed in the aforementioned dark area and the aforementioned bright area.

4. The vehicle headlight device according to claim 1, wherein, The aforementioned first illumination pattern is a checkerboard pattern in which the aforementioned rectangular bright areas and the aforementioned rectangular dark areas are arranged in a checkerboard pattern.

5. The vehicle headlight device according to claim 1, wherein, The aforementioned first illumination pattern is a diamond-shaped checkerboard pattern in which the aforementioned bright and dark areas are arranged in a checkerboard pattern.

6. The vehicle headlight device according to claim 1, wherein, The aforementioned first light irradiation section has a DMD that includes a micromirror group corresponding to the aforementioned first irradiation pattern.

7. The vehicle headlight device according to claim 1, wherein, The aforementioned first light irradiation section has: a defined surface light source; and a light-shielding mask having a pattern corresponding to the aforementioned first irradiation pattern.

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