Motor vehicle comprising at least one device for generating a projection display

Abstract

Motor vehicle comprising at least one device arranged in the region of the vehicle exterior for generating a projection display, wherein the projection device (3) is assigned a spray device (6) for generating a spray mist (8), which serves as a projection medium onto which the projection display (4) is projected, characterized in that the spray device (6) is connected to a storage container (19) containing a windscreen cleaning fluid (9), from which the fluid forming the spray mist (8) is taken, and in that the projection device (3) and the spray device (6) or parts thereof are arranged on or in an antenna module (13) installed on the roof.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a motor vehicle comprising at least one device arranged in the area of ​​the vehicle exterior for generating a projection display.

[0002] DE 10 2006 050 546 A1 discloses a motor vehicle having a projection device that allows a projection image to be projected onto the roadway ahead of the vehicle, visible to the driver, such as direction arrows, a parking symbol, or similar information that may be important to the driver. A laser can be used as the projection device for this purpose.

[0003] Because the projection is made onto the roadway, it is ultimately not visible to other road users who are further away. This means that projection images, information, or symbols intended for other road users cannot be communicated via this image. An example of such information is a warning, for example, in the form of a warning triangle or similar, which informs following traffic that they are approaching a hazard formed by the vehicle with the projection device.

[0004] A motor vehicle which, in certain environmental situations, is capable of projecting a warning triangle or similar symbol in the form of a projection image that is also visible to other road users is known from DE 10 2004 025 251 A1. This also provides a projection device, also designed as a laser, by means of which such a warning triangle or similar symbol can be projected into the room. However, this only works if there is a "projection surface", which is only possible when it is foggy or there is smoke in the air or surroundings. This is because the finely distributed water droplets in the fog form reflection points at which the emitted laser light is reflected, so that a "projection surface" can be created over the fog, which enables the projection image to "float" in the room.The same applies in the case of smoke; here too, there are sufficient reflection particles in the air to make projection possible.

[0005] A method for warning other road users is described in the document DE 10 2006 050 548 A1. This involves generating a projection image arranged on the exterior of a vehicle, with a projection object being generated as a warning at a projection location outside the vehicle. For this purpose, the preferred projection location is determined based on situational information. Furthermore, the projection device can locally generate water vapor or fog by locally influencing the air temperature using a guided laser beam that is invisible to humans.

[0006] The document EP 1 916 154 A1 discloses a method for generating a projection display arranged in the area of ​​the vehicle exterior, wherein a projection object is at least partially invisible to other road users without optical aids and visible to the driver of the motor vehicle by means of optical aids.

[0007] A spray nozzle device of a windscreen washer system for the windscreen of a motor vehicle is known from the document DE 10 2004 052 709 A1, whereby horizontally adjacent spray mist fans with vertices that are as close to one another as possible are generated.

[0008] US 2009 / 0 168 023 A1 describes a system for projecting advertising information onto the surface of a rotating tire of a racing car. The system comprises an image source arranged on a stationary component, such as the wheel hub of the racing car, to project a non-rotating image onto the rotating tire surface. A device for generating water droplets in the area of ​​the tire, which serve to project the image, may also be provided.

[0009] A projection system with multiple means for generating an aerosol onto which a three-dimensional image is to be projected is disclosed in EP 0 992 829 A1. This system includes a means fixed in a space and a nozzle arranged on a movable carriage for generating the aerosol. Furthermore, the projection system comprises additional movable carriages with multiple light sources. The movable carriages are positionally adjustable along guide devices.

[0010] In a projection system known from document US 5 265 802 A, a screen of water is created by a pump spraying water, preferably from a lake or the like, against a plate, the water jet being fanned out and forming a corresponding projection screen onto which the image of a projector can be projected, the projection screen being able to have a size of up to 16 x 8 m.

[0011] The disadvantage is that this type of warning triangle display, or projection in general, is only possible when fog or smoke is present in the vehicle's surroundings. However, this is rarely the case.

[0012] The invention is therefore based on the problem of specifying a motor vehicle which enables the generation of a projection display regardless of the surrounding situation.

[0013] To solve this problem, in a motor vehicle of the type mentioned at the outset, the invention provides that a spraying device for generating a spray mist, which serves as a projection medium onto which the projection image is projected, is assigned to the projection device.

[0014] The motor vehicle according to the invention is characterized in that it essentially carries its own "fog generation device." For this purpose, a spray device is assigned to the projection device, which sprays a liquid present on the vehicle, primarily water, via a suitable, sufficiently finely atomized nozzle, so that a spray mist area forms in front of the projection device, onto or into which the projection device projects the image. Thus, if a dangerous situation arises that requires the generation of warning information to other road users, the spray device and the projection device are operated by the motor vehicle according to the invention, so that, on the one hand, the spray mist, i.e., the projection medium, is generated, and, on the other hand, the corresponding projection image is generated via the projection device.This makes it possible to generate appropriate warning information through a projection display, regardless of the ambient situation. As described, the spray device sprays a liquid, primarily water. For this purpose, the spray device is preferably connected to a reservoir containing windshield washer fluid, from which the liquid forming the spray mist is drawn via a pump. The projection device and the spray device, or parts thereof, at least of course their nozzle, are preferably located in the area of ​​the vehicle roof. Since the projection device, for example a corresponding laser, as well as the nozzle of the spray device are sufficiently small, it is possible to arrange these parts on or in an antenna module running along the roof.This allows the spray to be generated above the vehicle so that the warning symbol hovers above the vehicle and is visible from a distance.

[0015] The windshield washer reservoir is typically filled with several liters of fluid. The spray device, which naturally includes a corresponding pump, is connected to this reservoir via a suitable hose or similar device. When the spray mist is to be generated, the pump is activated via a suitable control device that is part of the spray device or controls it. This pump then draws the windshield washer fluid and delivers it via a suitable line to the nozzle, preferably installed on the roof, at sufficient pressure, where the fluid is atomized.

[0016] Alternatively, it is of course also conceivable for the spray device to have a separate reservoir containing the liquid used exclusively for generating the spray mist. In this case, a separate reservoir is installed that contains only this spray mist liquid and serves no other purpose. Of course, to increase the volume of liquid carried, it is conceivable to couple the spray device to both a windshield washer fluid reservoir and a separate reservoir, thus providing a much larger fluid volume and allowing the mist to be generated over a longer period of time.

[0017] In a further development of the invention, it is conceivable to install at least one additional projection device, which is arranged offset from the first projection device to generate a three-dimensional projection image. The two projection devices, for example corresponding lasers, are thus arranged laterally offset, preferably with respect to the vehicle's longitudinal axis. Their beams intersect in space, so that an overall three-dimensional projection image can be generated on or in the spray mist.

[0018] The projection device can be designed to generate a projection image in the form of a warning triangle or a word. It is also conceivable, of course, to generate both alternately, which is easily possible with an appropriate design of the control device. This means that a warning triangle and a warning symbol, such as "Caution" or similar, are generated alternately, which is even more noticeable to following traffic.

[0019] As described, the projection device is preferably a laser that emits red light. Red light is usually understood as a hazard symbol.

[0020] Further advantages, features and details of the invention will become apparent from the embodiment described below and from the drawing.

[0021] This shows a motor vehicle 1 according to the invention, comprising a warning device 2 according to the invention, with a device 3 for generating a projection display 4, here in the form of a warning triangle 5, and a spray device 6 comprising a nozzle 7, via which a spray mist 8 is generated, onto or in which the projection display 4 is visible or into which it is projected. The spray device 6 further comprises a pump 18, via which liquid is pumped from a reservoir 19, which in the exemplary embodiment shown contains windshield wiper fluid 9, which is usually dispensed via a windshield wiper nozzle 10. The pump thus sucks out this water as needed and guides it to the nozzle 7, where it is finely atomized.

[0022] Furthermore, a control device 11 is provided which, in the example shown, controls both the operation of the projection device 3 and that of the spray device 6, ultimately the pump 18.

[0023] In the illustrated embodiment, the projection device 3 and the nozzle 7 are installed as part of the spray device 6 on the roof 12 of the motor vehicle 1, here, for example, on an antenna module 13, which is installed as a separate, preconfigurable component on the vehicle side and has a corresponding antenna 14 for radio reception. The projection device 3 is designed in the form of a laser 15, which is positioned on the roof side to project the projection image 4 into the room. The same applies to the nozzle 7, which is naturally also exposed on the roof side to generate the spray mist that serves as the projection medium.

[0024] Also shown as an example is a separate reservoir 16, which can be used either as an alternative to reservoir 19 as a liquid reservoir or in addition to it. It also contains a liquid 17, which then serves exclusively to generate the spray mist 8. This separate reservoir 16 can, of course, also be provided additionally, so that the nebulizing liquid can be sucked from either the reservoir 19 or the reservoir 16 via the pump 18.

[0025] If a situation arises that requires the generation of a projection display 4, the driver activates the warning device 2, for example, using a corresponding button or similar device installed on the vehicle. The control device 11 then causes the pump 18 to suck in fluid and convey it to the nozzle, where it is atomized to form the spray mist 8. This is immediately accompanied by the activation of the laser 15, so that it projects the previously programmed projection display 4, in this case the warning triangle 5, onto or into the spray mist 8. As an alternative to displaying a warning triangle, i.e. a symbol, it is of course also conceivable to project a word or similar, for example "Caution" or "Help" or "Stop", depending on what is desired.If necessary, the driver can also select or input the desired symbol or word display, for example, via an on-board display or similar. Alternating between, for example, the warning triangle symbol and the word display is also conceivable.

[0026] The Laser 15 preferentially emits red light, which is clearly visible both day and night and is inherently associated with the term “danger”.

Claims

[1] Motor vehicle comprising at least one device arranged in the area of the vehicle exterior for generating a projection display, wherein the projection device (3) is assigned a spray device (6) for generating a spray mist (8), which serves as a projection medium onto which the projection display (4) is projected characterized by that the spray device (6) is connected to a storage container (19) containing a windscreen cleaning fluid (9), from which the fluid forming the spray mist (8) is taken, and that the projection device (3) and the spray device (6) or parts thereof are arranged on or in an antenna module (13) installed on the roof. [2] Motor vehicle according to claim 1, characterized by that the projection device (3) and the spray device (6) or parts thereof are arranged in the region of the vehicle roof (12). [3] Motor vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized bythat the spray device (6) has a separate storage container (16) containing liquid (17) used exclusively to produce the spray mist (8). [4] Motor vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that at least one further projection device is provided, which is arranged offset from the first projection device in order to generate a three-dimensional projection display. [5] Motor vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the projection device (3) is designed to generate a projection display (4) in the form of a warning triangle (5) or a word or alternating between both. [6] Motor vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that a laser (15) is provided as the projection device (3).

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